DVD Review HTF REVIEW: "Lord Of The Rings Extended Edition" (with screenshots) (1 Viewer)

[oscar_merkx]

wow, just finished disc 4 and the cast commentary. My god there is so much to watch and listen while listening to the commentary. Made me grab The Tow Towers book and started reading. In just a couple of hours, I am already far into the Book, just can't wait for the movie to come out.
Oscar

 

[Carlo_M]

Okay, I've now watched the movie all the way through and then again w/ the cast commentary. Also have watched about half of the "Play All" options for both discs 3-4. I will say that I like all the changes made to the movie in varying degrees...from "oh that's neat" to "oh my goodness that NEVER should have been cut from the movie!!!". The extras are much better than I thought (I keep thinking of Lucasfilm's "Six Hours of Extras You Actually Want To Watch" for Episode II DVD - and how I've not watched any of that and nearly all of Fellowship's extras ).
This has solidified my pick of this set (actually the 5 disc which is the one I bought) as DVD of the Year for 2002.

 

[Stephen_L]

Just for fun I thought I'd play film editor and comment on the some of the major additions to the feature film. I have not made an effort to be comprehensive.

ESSENTIAL: Those changes that greatly enhance and advance the story. The entire Hobbiton prologue provided a useful contrast to the epic Galadriel prologue and provided valuable back story on the hobbits. The Green Dragon sequence provided development of hobbits and hobbits behavior as well as some welcome humor. Bilbo's evasion of the Sackville-Bagginses allowed Bilbo and Frodo to have an essential scene together. Sam and Frodo bedding down for the night with Sam's complaints again provided welcome character development and humor. The passage through the Midgewater Marshes helped demonstate the distance and difficulty of the hobbit's journey. Aragorn's singing by the camp fire provided some welcome emotional background on his character. The prolonged battle sequence at Balin's Tomb was very exciting and involved more characters in the battle. The gift giving of Galadriel was beautiful and provided essential information for the next film. Spotting Gollum on the water and Aragorn and Boromir's exchange was a welcome development of both their characters.

NEUTRAL: Neither improved nor hindered the story. Sam and Frodo viewing the departing elves. It gave some essential information but seemed an unrelated distraction from the hobbit's journey. The Fellowship pausing to look down the mithril mining cavern. I liked the discussion of Bilbo's mail, but the view down the cavern didn't add much to my amazement at Moria. Also the veins of mitril in the wall looked painted on. The explanation of the stone trolls was a welcome reference to the Hobbit, but again distracted from Frodo's desperate condition. Aragorn's pause at his mother's grave was a lovely scene but again didn't seem to advance plot or character much. The departure speech by Elrond seemed superfluous though I did enjoy Frodo's asking which direction to go. The conversation on the flet in Lothlorien was okay but didn't seem to advance the story.

DISPOSABLE: Those scenes that hindered the story-telling or failed to advance the story. Not many of these to be honest. Boromir's immediate exaggerated interest in the Ring and Gandalf's recitation of the ring's inscription was unnecessary. Showing Boromir's weakness that early sabotages the story arc of his slowly falling prey to the Ring's power. Also Gandalf's speech was muffled and never really explained. Haldir's tour guide speech as the Fellowship discovers Lothlorien. Seemed stagey and expository. Would have been better if a hobbit had asked what it was and have Aragorn or Legolas answer.

 

[Kevin M]

Boromir's immediate exaggerated interest in the Ring and Gandalf's recitation of the ring's inscription was unnecessary.

Well it was good enough for Tolkien.
Just kidding, I understand what you mean I just don't agree that it sabotages the impact of Boromir's fall.
BTW, there is an "Official" discussion page in the Movies section for non DVD related discussion (I.E. film story/plot/editing/flow) of the Extended Edition, you might want to go there.

 

[Justin H]

over 65,000 views.....wow


I love it...every time I watch it...and it only gets better. What more is there to say?

 

[Danny R]

I browsed this thread quickly, but haven't seen an answer to this question yet:

Is it possible to view the movie without the extended/new scenes with the extended version? Basically I'd like to know if I have to buy both the 2 disk and 4 disk sets so I have both versions, or if the 4 disk set has seamless branching or whatnot to add the new scenes if enabled and remove them if disabled.

TIA!

 

[Nigel McN]

The Extended DVD is only the Extended version of the film. If you want both you have to get both DVD sets.

 

[Carlo_M]

Danny,

You do have to buy both sets to see both versions. The new EE DVD doesn't use "branching" to add in the new scenes, this is a totally new cut assembled by Peter Jackson & Co. and is transferred as such.

 

[Dwayne]

I was pleasantly surprised to find two movie cash tickets for the TTT in my collector's gift set for the EE. I thought I was only suppose to get one. Did anyone else with the gift set get two tickets instead of one for the TTT?

 

[kevin_asai]

Is it just me that prefered the EE than the theatrical version?

 

[Tim Glover]

You are not alone. I think many here prefer the EE. I can't see myself ever watching the theatrical version dvd again. Not just because the EE is better, but they improved the audio too.
I probably won't buy the standard dvd of TTT, since this EE of FOTR was awesome.

 

[Richard Kim]

The additions for the EE were good for the most part, though I prefer the theatrical cut of the Fellowship talking with Haldir in Lorien (the EE IMHO was too awkward and confusing due to the constant night/day changes). I believe Jackson said that he's satisfied with the theatrical cut and made the EE mostly for the fans. In any case, I'm glad I have both versions, and will buy both the theatrical and EE versions of TTT.

 

[johnbr]

The bummer on my Collector's gift set is no movie cash tickets in it.

 

[Kim D]

I cannot tell you how many times I have watched this movie. Even if I had kept track, I would be a bit embarassed to admit the number.

It took me until my latest viewing to see that Boromir was the only one that Galadriel did not at least talk to in the gift giving scene. I guess he didn't need that Gold Belt she gave him in the book. I do wonder what PJ would have had her say to him.

I am going to watch the Feature Edition next. I never thought I would say that. I know I enjoy TTT a bit more than someone who has only seen the feature edition so I want to see what kind of impression it leaves on me knowing what's to come in TTT.

- kim

 

[Jeffrey Gray]

Am I the only one who seems to think a line of dialogue was deleted from the EE? I know "A long-expected party" was deleted, but the line I swear was deleted was Sam's "Did you hear that, Frodo? Rivendell! We're going to see the elves!" Am I just going crazy, or was it deleted?

 

[Philip Klein]

Am I the only one who seems to think a line of dialogue was deleted from the EE? I know "A long-expected party" was deleted, but the line I swear was deleted was Sam's "Did you hear that, Frodo? Rivendell! We're going to see the elves!" Am I just going crazy, or was it deleted?

you've gone crazy

 

[David James]

"Sam's "Did you hear that, Frodo? Rivendell! We're going to see the elves!" Am I just going crazy, or was it deleted?"

Just watched it last night again and that line was present.

 

[Eugene Esterly]

I picked up Lord Of The Rings Extended Edition last month. I finally watched the the first movie disc on Saturday & I watched the second movie disc on Sunday. I haven't watched the extra features yet because there are a lot of extra features.

I was totally surprised by the transfer. The transfer is one of the best which I have seen on DVD. The audio was also excellent. Every scene in the movie was perfect. A lot of the scenery was beautiful especially The Shire.

 

[Patrick McCart]

I finally got this DVD a week or two ago...

This is the best new release I've seen on DVD. It's helped by the fact that this is one of my favorite movies now.

The EE version has a better video quality, surprisingly. I found that where obvious ringing was on the standard versio, it's gone here. The extras are interesting (I've only seen half of disc 4 so far...) and are worthwhile for a change.

I don't know anyone is able to review this DVD! It's too big!

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Hey PatrickMcCart, still think Singin' in the Rain is the best DVD of last year?
Just curious if you've changed your mind or not.