DVD Review HTF MINI-REVIEW: The Lord of The Rings Trilogy: Limited Edition (1 Viewer)

[Matt Stone]

Mini-Review: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Limited Edition
Directed By: Peter Jackson

Studio: New Line
Year: 2006
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1 (Anamorphic)
Rating: PG-13
Audio: 5.1 Dolby Digital EX (English), 2.0 Dolby Digital (English)
MSRP: $86.94
Street Date: 29 August, 2006

Review Date: 7 August, 2006
(Ratings are out of five stars)

Summary
Seeing as the newest in a the large family of Lord of the Rings DVDs is such a hot-button issue, I wanted to get this mini-review out there as soon as possible. I’ll keep it brief for now, and post more detailed reviews of each film in the coming weeks. On to the DVDs…

Continuing the tradition of opening directly to the menu, the new LOTR releases open directly to a selection screen where the viewer can choose between the theatrical or extended cuts of the film. The DVDs are in fact 2-sided DVD-18s discs to clear up any confusion. Once the cut is selected, the DVD goes into the normal menu. As previously reported, the DTS track is the main omission with Dolby Digital 5.1 EX as the only Audio selection.

The disc breaks all appear to be at the same location (as the disc break in the EE release and the layer change in the original 2-disc release). When you flip the disc, you’re prompted to choose a version and then prompted to either continue watching or change the screen and sound options.

Film Rating: :star::star::star::star::star:

 

[Carlo_M]

Thanks for the initial 411. Everything about this screams "wait for the HD instead". And this to someone who doesn't own either HD format and probably won't for at least 12-18 months.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Is it Me or is it kinda a slap in the Face to put a high Profile release like LOTR's on a DVD 18? I agree Wait for HD that's the next big upgrade.

 

[BarryS]

Why not just release the documentaries by themselves on one or two discs? That would make more sense to me. What is the point of re-releasing the movies? Aside from the obvious reason of getting fans to buy the DVDs all over again... I guess having both theatrical and extended versions on the same disc is kind of nice, but it seems to me that anyone who's a big enough LOTR fan to buy these DVDs would most likely prefer the extended versions.

 

[mike kaminski]

I'm very happy to see its a dvd-18 instead of trying to cram everything on a single disk. The doc sounds very, very good as well. I will definitly be picking up FOTR, seeing as i don't own any versions of it and equally prefer both.

 

[richardWI]

That would make more sense, but less cents.

 

[Tim Glover]

Agreed but will be much sooner for me ...hoping New Line will release these gems near the end of 06 or early 2007.

Nice mini review Matt.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Let me join the rest of you in saying that the next time I buy
any of these films it will be in High Definition.

I wish the studios would get their act together and realize there
are two new formats to sell. It doesn't help when these high profile
titles aren't being released day-and-date with their SD counterpart.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

I see so many copies of the extended editions left on the shelf of all my local B&M's I gotta wonder who thought we needed these? The EE's can be had for $25 and I'd rather have them on two DVD 9's than on a Flipper DVD 18. I agree the time spent mastering these should have been spent mastering them to HD-DVD to help the fledgeling Format. There's no reason that we're getting and Extended Edition King Kong on SD DVD before the HD Version is released.

I think Consumers would have more faith in the new formats if they saw more than just catalog releases and date and date "B" Releases. They need Day and Date "A" Films to show they are truely committed.

 

[Peter Raber]

Ron, I agree with your sentiments, but sadly, we are dealing with movie studios who will try their best to squeeze the last drop of water out of desert sand.

If they released these in HD day-and-date of the SDs, then they couldn't get that many more extra purchases.

It's not a definite, but I would think it's a safe bet that most people who already own a HD or Blu-Ray player are fans of the LOTR movies, so I am certain they will try their best to entice as many as they can by getting us to purchase them one more time in SD, then next year at this time when the HD counterparts come out we'll feel the need to pick it up again. I find this an insulting practice, but New Line is not the first and won't be the last company to try this out.

I wouldn't have bought these anyway, but to find out that you have to flip the discs, in effect still make a disc change, to see the whole movie soured me on the whole thing. It's even worse than the original release, because if you have a multi-disc player you don't have to get up and handle the disc by flipping it. You can just move to the next disc in the tray. Not to mention I feel that ROTK has a terrible break at the disc change. It takes you completely out of the tension and action of the attack on Minas Tirith. The break needed to have come before the attack ever started. I want it on HD for that alone. Looks like I'll have to wait till next year.

 

[PattyFraser]

Just as a matter of interest, has anybody had a chance to view any of the LOTR movies upconverted through HDMI? I'm just curious to hear that the new HD players make a huge difference in the look of this particular movie.
As for this release, count me with those who will definitely not be double dipping- even though I'm an uber Rings fan - until an HD release. I'm looking forward to hearing more about the documentaries, though.

 

[Jack _Webster]

Amen to that. I've always thought the perfect break would come after Theoden says "No more despair". I think that's where PJ designated the Theatrical Intermission (if theaters so desired) and I think it works perfectly as a break for the Extended Cut.

 

[Michael Osadciw]

Hi Patty

I watched the opening of "Fellowship:EE" (through HDMI) the other day as I was testing out my new center channel. I haven't viewed this title in a long time, but all I can say was that I was disappointed. It didn't look as great as other titles...there was lack of definition in the green trees, grass, etc. all throughout The Shire. Compression artefacts were noticable. I guess DVD has come a long way in these few years, plus it also doesn't help that I've been watching a good dose of Blu-ray lately so my expectations are going higher all of the time...

Mike

 

[Paul Arnette]

This isn't going to happen. As I said above, New Line has decided to sit out the 4th quarter where HD is concerned, and these won't be arriving in any other quarter than the 4th, so we'll be awaiting until a year from now at least I would imagine.

 

[Carter of Mars]

I'm not a Lord of the Rings fan and I don't plan on buying these, but I have to praise New Line for what looks like a smart release, one that takes full advantage of the DVD format. One disc has both the original cut and extended cut and bonus features. This is the sort of thing we were promised when DVD first came out 9 years ago and very few discs have taken advantage of.

 

[Lane_S]

I've gone back and forth with this, and I decided today to pass. When these were originally announced I was excited because of the new documentary and because I had given away my theatrical releases as the EEs became available.

Now that I've had some time to think about it - and becuase I'm not a big fan of DVD-18s as I've had problems with them in the past - I'm sticking with my EEs for now. Would I ever watch the theatricals again? Probably not - so it would just be a completist thing. Would I like to see the new doc? Absolutely - but I don't think I'm willing pay $60 for something I will watch once then file - and like others - I'm betting it will be made availalble again in some form on a future hi-def release.

I'm sitting out the hi-def wars for now until a clear VHS-like winner is declared, but the LOTR trilogy will be one of the dozen or so titles I know I will be replacing when I do upgrade my equipment.

 

[Paul McElligott]

If I were going to buy these discs it would just be for the docs and this sounds like I would be plunking down $50 for someone's home movies.

Pass.

 

[Tim Glover]

The original EE's still look pretty good but are soft. Salivation city over a high def version.

 

[Paul Arnette]

This release leaves the same bitter taste in my mouth that the forthcoming Star Wars release does, albeit to a much, much lesser extent.

 

[Craig S]

I suspect after large quantities of these sets sit on the shelves for a few months we may see some good sales. (Considering Fry's had the Godfather films on sale this past weekend for $6 each (!!), anything is possible.) If they get down to $10 a set I'd pick 'em up for the new docus and cool covers.