LOTR on Blu-Ray: would you buy the theatrical or wait for Extended Edition? (1 Viewer)

[Chuck Mayer]

I like elements of both the TE and the EE...I'd like to get both, in a placeholder and uber-BR type version with everything and the kitchen sink.

I'm certain NL will double (or triple) dip us, but they'll also spread it out. I have the TE DVDs, the EE DVDs, and even the rerelease (still sealed) that I got as a gift.

No big deal...I am way more interested in New Line getting me multiple cuts of The New World

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Duh... seems so simple but I hadn't even thought of it. Right... it had two soundtracks and played the one that went with the version you wanted to watch... but obviously you only needed one video stream with branching.

As long as there would be room for BOTH audio soundtracks in 24-bit lossless, I'd be all for a branched-release on Blu-ray Disc with both versions. Good call.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

If they did True HD for both tracks, there would be. Of course, we would all hope they turn off DialNorm. DTS HD-MA and PCM would be more problematic.

 

[Ray Chuang]

Actually, I wouldn't mind if the main audio soundtrack for the Lord of the Rings movies on Blu-ray disc are Dolby TrueHD only, since TrueHD is a lossless audio format (and will more or less maintain compatibility with current Dolby Digital decoders on most Blu-ray console players). That way, there will be room for the four commentary tracks from the Extended Edition in standard Dolby Digital audio.

 

[Ron-P]

I would wait for the extended cuts. The theatrical versions are incomplete.

 

[nolesrule]

Actually, this is incorrect. They were not entirely rescored. Shore created new scores for additional scenes, he rescored scenes that were extended, and he created new bridging music where necessary between the original score and extended score elements. It was very rare that an unaltered scene had a score change between versions of the film, if at all.

This is made very clear in the booklets that came with the Complete Recordings, the Annotated Score pdfs, and from the documentaries on the extended edition discs themselves.

The rest is off-topic a bit, being score-related opinion, but I felt like writing it anyway...

In some cases, like a specific shot of a Nazgul's horse that appears on screen early in Fellowship, the non-change in score following an extended scene is actually quite jarring and doesn't quite fit (and probably should have been changed), but it leads into the music where Gandalf is galloping on horse to Isengard. That's probably the most glaring non-change in all the films.

Unfortunately, the change in score I most dislike, which is a result of extending an exsiting scene, is the music just before Boromir is shot. I felt the beats and silence of the theatrical release were effective than the score that replaced it in the extended edition.

EDIT: Oh yeah, although I much prefer the EEs, I'm undecided on whether I would purchase the theatrical release if they were given separate releases.

 

[PaulDA]

I hadn't even thought of dual audio tracks allowing for branching no matter what is in the audio. I guess the Troy argument is no longer applicable for a non-branching option (though it remains undoable for the Alexander cuts as the scenes are out of order).

 

[MarekM]

I think I will broke with all new movies but yeah, if they double dip, I will probably buy both hmm,...

but yes I am all for such release as Blade Runner...., and I hope New Line will stay with DTS HD MA 7.1 !!

Marek

 

[Frank L]

Oh I don't know about that...

I mean sure, the Extended Editions are the way to go, but I think the theatrical versions have both nostalgic and archival value. In fact, I have to admit that while I do prefer the EE, there are a few shots and a couple of edits that I prefer from the theatrical versions.

F

 

[Paul Arnette]

I agree. I actually prefer the pacing of the theatrical version of LotR:FotR far more than the extended version, which eliminates a lot of the urgency. Also, LotR:RotK was so long in its theatrical release that I still haven't found time to watch the extended cut yet.

 

[Dave H]

Spolier here......

But, I hated how the "surprise" was spoiled in ROTK EE with the 'dead' joining Aragorn and company. In the theatrical version, you didn't know they joined until they jumped off the ship at the battle - just a much better, more exciting effect.

All in all, I definitely preferred the extended versions - but wouldn't turn down the theatricals if that's all I can see for a year or two on Blu-ray.

Pure speculation; maybe NL will release the theatricals before Hobbit is released; and then after Hobbit II maybe we'll see the extended. Either way, I see them likely double dipping.

 

[ZackR]

Regardless of which version I prefer, I VERY STRONGLY believe that the theatrical version of a film should be available on current home video technology. If an extended/directed cut is available on whatever format, then I think the theatrical should be available as well.

The original version Superman: The Movie was not available on DVD for years until the newest release. While I loved the Special Edition, I prefer the Theatrical Cut that I grew up watching. Same with the HD-DVD situation now. Only the SE is available in high defintion.

When Lord of the Rings comes out on Blu-Ray or whatever, they need to release both versions.

 

[Kevin Fox]

While I agree that a BD release could easily support both versions in a single release, I personally have zero interest in watching the theatrical cuts again. I saw them in the theatre, and have always waited for the extended versions on SD-DVD.

Consequently, I will purchase them on BD when the extended editions are released and not before. I will continue to view upconverted EE's until a 1080p release of the EE's becomes available.

 

[Ensign Eddie]

I've bought these films, in one form or another, three times already. I only plan to buy them once more so New Line better get it right.

 

[David Wilkins]

Like so many others, I do think that the theatrical versions should be available, but I'm interested only in the extended cuts of all three.

This is one series with which the general public will be more forgiving of the double-dip syndrome.

 

[Douglas Monce]

I had heard that branching was not possible with PCM audio, but that could just be a rumor.

Doug

 

[Douglas Monce]

Not according to Jackson. He says that the theatrical cuts ARE his director's cut. The extended version are just gravy.

Doug

 

[Jari K]

Are you sure? I´ve watched all the extras, but it has been a while.. I doubt that they´re "just gravy". PJ said that LOTR-films were never really 100% ready. Deadline just arrived. (he would´ve tuned those probably forever)

 

[nolesrule]

I'm fairly certain that when PJ says they were director's cuts, it was because there was no studio cut of the film. It was all PJ and his editors.

I don't think it was a director's cut in the sense that most people use the phrase.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

LOL. How could an "extended cut" (by definition) not be more drawn out??

I'm not sure if you'll prefer it or not, but I much prefered the extended cut for Two Towers as I found the theatrical version to be too action oriented in the (lack of) storytelling and the overall pacing. I also prefer the extended cut of Return of the King, but not to the same extent as Two Towers. In case you're wondering, yes, I did read the books long before seeing the movies and probably appreciate much of the added stuff a fair bit more than the average viewer (though maybe not quite as much as some big time Tolkien fans).

As for the original question, I will probably just wait for the extended cut before I buy -- I also did that for the SD version. I'd also prefer they release them w/ seamless branching between theatrical and extended. AND yes, I'd also much prefer them to maximize PQ/AQ, instead of wasting bandwidth/space on too many extra features -- though I guess this would be one case where PiP commentary would be nice. Otherwise, I'd be fine w/ just keeping my existing SD sets for most of the extra features.

_Man_