Is the LOTR Blu-Ray due sooner than we think? (1 Viewer)

[dvdirv]

I agree with most of you--NO theatrical version for me.

We need to speak with our pocketbooks that we prefer the extended cut. That's the only way Warners will take us seriously and put out the extended versions sooner.

 

[Ron-P]

Looks like I won't own these on Blu until 2011 or later. I won't buy the theatricals as they are incomplete versions of the films. My EE DVDs will just have to hold me over.

 

[dpippel]

No sale here. Count me in with the group who finds the theatrical cuts to be inferior to the EEs. In addition, whether Jackson has anything to do with postponing the release of the EEs on Blu-ray or not, to me this simply feels like Warner milking the fans for a double-dip. I for one am not going to buy into it. Sorry Warner/Mr. Jackson, but the standard def EEs will do just fine for now. Until you see fit to give me the "real" Lord of the Rings trilogy on Blu-ray, there are plenty of other great high definition titles in the pipeline to spend my money on.

 

[Carlo_M]

I can certainly understand peoples' viewpoint about wanting the EEs. I too greatly prefer the EEs to the TEs.

However I'm shocked at how short peoples' memories are. This situation (and the original DVD situation) is not at all related to the Star Wars "revisionist history" and the sales tactics are not (and were not, in the case of DVD) "the dreaded forced double dip" strategy.

First point: The Star Wars OT were redone 20 years later by Lucas, and largely added no new content, only spiffing up effects and making a couple of minor (in terms of screen time) but rather offensive changes (Han shooting first, "Bring My Shuttle" etc.) by someone who was not the same director he was back when the films were shot. Hey let's face it, how many of us are the exact same people we were 20 years ago? The LoTR footage was all shot at once, and PJ knew he'd be making two cuts all along, and were released in close proximity to each other. Further, there aren't any real "changes" between the two versions, as in no character is doing something completely different. Each character is doing *more* but that's not really the same. Nothing here is as egregious as Han shooting first.

Second point: the double release strategy. I can recall many of us here applauding PJ's decision to at least make it known that he would be releasing two versions on DVD. That left it up to the consumer to decide to buy one, the other, or both. That's the ultimate choice and empowerment to us.

The "double dip" strategy that is to be abhorred is when a studio releases a DVD/BD and then releases it again, unannounced, with just enough minor changes or extras to tempt people to buy it again. This is not what PJ is doing. They are letting us know *again* that a different version is coming down the line. Want the EEs? Then wait. Want the TEs? Buy soon. But I don't get the hate towards them when they're being totally up front and honest about what they're releasing right now.

It's your right to want whatever version you want (and for me, it's the EE) but the anti-PJ/anti-studio sentiment that has permeated this thread is beyond my understanding.

 

[dpippel]

It's the timeline Carlos. Waiting is one thing, but having to wait 2-3 *years* for the Extended Editions is really pushing it. Warner is probably banking on the fact that in order to watch LOTR in high definition, a certain percentage of the fan base will purchase the theatrical cuts now AND buy the EEs later. I think that's where most of the "sentiment" you don't understand is coming from. Whether you happen to agree with that reasoning or not, it's certainly valid in my opinion.

 

[BrianSiano]

Pushing it, maybe, but here's how I see it. I have the Extended editions on DVD, and they look fabulous. I don't watch them that often, but I'm perfectly content to use them for the next 2-3 years until the Blu-Rays come out. After all, the only thing I'd gain is an image of higher resolution. Everything else about the films-- the story, images, music, acting, etc.-- is in the DVDs I already have. So a delay's no big deal.

Sure, there will be people who will buy the theatrical-release Blu-Rays and feel ill-used when the Extendeds come out. But that's really _their_ choice. If they're that passionate about the films, they'll _know_ that the Extendeds will be delayed, and they can buy now or wait for later. (They can use the Web too, and they're probably on several forums like this one where the info's freely available.) Or maybe they'l buy both-- again, that's their choice.

 

[TravisR]

And that will work out for them because there will be fans who have to have everything and will buy it, there's people who don't intend to buy it but will see the set on sale in a year or two and buy it then and there's the average joe who will buy a Blu-ray player during the 2009 or 2010 holidays and buy LOTR because they don't know or care if it's the EEs or not.

 

[Jesse Blacklow]

Exactly!

The "sentiment" seems to be borne more out of a sense of entitlement than anything else. PJ has stated that (a) the TEs are the definitive versions of the films, (b) he's always planned to release them first while he works on updating/adding to the EE sets, and (c) that he would tie them in with the Hobbit releases. This hasn't been a secret by any stretch of the imagination, and IIRC, it's been known for over a year straight from the official webpage. Meanwhile, the main moneymaker for the series has, in fact, been the TEs. The only way it doesn't really make sense is if you believe that only the EEs are the valid version (above the stated intent of the director), that the majority of people want the EEs, and that no one here is being given a choice (i.e., the Star Wars argument). Seeing as how there's absolutely no evidence to support any of that--in fact, there's a lot of evidence against it--I can't get behind this argument that the studios and PJ are screwing anybody over.

Honestly, I think that in light of (b) above, most people who are complaining would have had as much if not more to say if they'd announced that they were releasing the EEs with an "ultimate" set later on. There would have been complaining about "triple-dipping", for instance. And what if the TEs are horribly filtered or DNRed? Then imagine if that had been the case with the EEs release that some here say they want. Would any of you honestly have said that you had preferred that you get no chance at feedback before a definitive release is provided and that you would want to be stuck with the sub-par release?

 

[Ethan Riley]

I will wait for the EE's and I am also not complaining. I will put up with the standard def EEs for another 4 or five years. Whatever. They cost a lot of money--if I have to wait a couple more years to upgrade, then I will get more bang for my buck out of them.

 

[Mark Hawley]

The difference is that when each LOTR movie came out on DVD in August of their respective years, it was made known that the EEs would be out the following December. The reasoning being that they would need the extra time to provide extra features ( four commentaires and two bonus discs for each film) and re-edit the extra footage.

I don't think think anyone had the rationale to complain then.

Then, a couple years ago, they released each on DVD with both cuts of each film available via seamless branching with a disc full of never-before-seen extra features. A classic case of double dipping, but hey, they're out to make money and no one says we have to buy it.

But now, their's simply no excuse to not have both cuts available (it was done with Jackson's "King Kong") other than to try to get people to buy both copies. If the EEs were on the way within six months, it wouldn't be so bad, but we're looking at at least three years.

Lucas would have the net community spitting blood if he pulled something like that!

 

[Walter Kittel]

While my first thought is to wait for the extended editions, I realize that the more impulsive side of me will no doubt purchase the theatrical cut to simply experience a version of LOTR in High Definition. I'm so weak.

- Walter.

 

[Dave H]

It may depend on your set-up, but you'd also potentially gain better, more natural color rendition and a much more film-like image without MPEG-2 artifacting. You would also be getting lossless audio, as well. I watched the HD broadcasts a while back and they were far superior to the DVDs...presumably the BDs will be even better.

 

[Brian Borst]

If they're really want to get people to buy both versions, they wouldn't have made it public when the EE's will be released. As was the case when the EE's were released on dvd, you don't have to buy the TC's. You still have the EE's, but on dvd.
And I doubt that Lucas would get the same reaction if he would release the Theatrical Versions of the Star Wars Trilogy on Blu-Ray first .

 

[Mark Hawley]

Yeah, I honestly have to admit I was very wrong there.

 

[Ron-P]

Why not save yourself $100+ and rent the theatricals? By the time you buy the theatricals and then the EE's you'll be $200+ deep for a trilogy. I'm guessing the EE's will be priced the same, or even more, then this set.

 

[Douglas Monce]

edit

 

[TravisR]

The MSRP is supposed to be $100 (though that's not official) so in real dollars, you'll be able to get the set for $70 or less.

 

[Ray_R]

I certainly hope there aren't any digital copies contained in this set.
Guess I'll rent these from Netflix and buy the Extended Editions.

 

[Walter Kittel]

Because it is Lord of the frickin' Rings.

The number of viewings that I get out of the theatrical cuts before the inevitable Extended release will more than pay for itself in terms of enjoyment. Seriously, $70.00 to own the trilogy in High Definition is entirely reasonable when I think about how big a smile I'm going to be wearing when I fire this set up for the first time.

Another consideration is that I tend to always want to have the theatrical cuts of films (regardless of the merits of alternate versions). The simple fact is that the theatrical versions are the ones I saw first and I like to be able to revisit those versions. To be honest I've only viewed the theatrical cuts of LOTR once or twice since the Extended versions were released, but it is nice to have that choice. And for me, the same consideration applies to the Blu-ray releases. (At least that is what I'm telling myself.

)

- Walter.

 

[Ed Moxley]

Amazon.com: The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy (Theatrical Editions) [Blu-ray]: Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen, Peter Jackson: Movies & TV
I won't be getting the theatrical versions. I double dipped enough with dvds. Not going to with BDs..........