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

[Andrew Bunk]

I will without a doubt wait for the EE's. I have not touched my TE's since each respective EE came out. Those simply are the films to me now. I keep the TE's mostly for nostalgia purposes and the few extras that aren't on the EE's or LE's.

 

[James Ryfun]

That's a tough question.

While I loved the Extended editions of the films (especially Fellowship) I always like to have the original Theatrical releases of any film in my library. But if it does turn out to be an either/or situation, I think I'd probably wait for the Extended cuts and be satisfied with having the theatrical cuts on DVD.

Of course, I say this now. It'd be just like me to throw that all out the window and hop on the theatrical releases anyway. You know how it is.

But ultimately, I'd hope they'd have both versions of the films in each package, though that's probably just wishful thinking.

 

[Jari K]

I agree. I want both and since 50gb is now at use, I would assume that some kind of "Blade Runner"-type of set is what they have in mind.

Let´s hope that Jackson soon sits down with the guys of New Line and we see LOTR-trilogy on Blu-ray. I can´t wait! I actually made a promise that I don´t re-watch these until the HD-versions arrive..

 

[PaulDA]

Can't do it. The score for each version is different. Seamless branching (as in Gladiator--the Extended Edition) is easily accomplished if the different scenes are re-using the same score but if one version is totally rescored (as in LOTR: EEs and Troy, the Director's Cut), then it becomes far too much trouble to offer seamless branching.

 

[Frank L]

Well since the LotR trilogy are among my favorite movies, I have no problem forking over extra cash to buy both the theatrical and the extended, if that is how they are released.



F

 

[TravisR]

There's certainly a big enough fan base that will buy the theatrical cut (even if they do it begrudgingly) AND buy the extended versions too so there's not really much incentive for New Line to not go for the most money.

 

[Ray Chuang]

Given the storage of Blu-Ray discs now (50 GB maximum), I expect New Line to release only the Extended editions on this format, complete with both Dolby Digital TrueHD and DTS HD lossless 5.1 soundtracks and lower quality Dolby Digital soundtracks for the four commentary tracks. Each movie will be on two-disc sets.

 

[RobertR]

I prefer the extended versions.

 

[MikeH]

I have no idea what the theatrical versions look like anymore it has been so long since I've watched them. Extended only for me.

 

[Sean Bryan]

Can't do it? Not sure how you missed it, but this has already been done on pain old DVD. If they want to, they absolutely CAN do it on BD as well.

 

[Garrett Lundy]

I'm not buying a high-def format player until I can get the Extended Editions with lossless audio. I just can't go back to theatrical.

 

[Jim_C]

I prefer the extended of FotR and TTT but regardless I will buy the theatrical and extended for each film. It's the only movie series I would do it for.

 

[Dan Hitchman]

Extended and hopefully by then Jackson will have been able to marry The Hobbit and LOTR together. Wasn't Jackson wanting to change Gollum in Fellowship to match his final CGI form?

What if Ian Holm is not Bilbo in The Hobbit? Will Jackson change "the finding of the ring" shot in Fellowship too?

 

[PaulDA]

I only have the EE. I've never seen a version where both are branched. My understanding is that Howard Shore rescored the films entirely and that would make it extremely difficult (not, technically, impossible, I suppose) to do branching. However, if by "rescored", he meant only that he wrote new music for the added scenes (rather than redoing the entire score), then I suppose it would not be too much trouble (Gladiator simply reused existing music so branching was relatively simple). Troy, The Director's Cut, though, used a completely new score (not even remotely like the original) so branching there was not practical. Same for the various cuts of Alexander--not so much the score as the intent of the filmmaker. Each cut portrays scenes in different orders, so branching there is not viable either.

However, if there is a version that is branched, then my understanding of Shore's rescoring comment was mistaken.

 

[cafink]

I don't know whether the Lord of the Rings films have been rescored as you describe, but even if they have, I don't see why it would be a major problem. If the majority of scenes are shared between the two versions but have different audio, couldn't the same video be "branched" into two versions, but with two different audio tracks, one for the theatrical version and one for the extended edition?

 

[Vincent_P]

I have no interest in the theatrical cuts on HD, I much prefer the extended editions and will wait for them.

Vincent

 

[Vincent_P]

Exactly. The above certainly seemed to work on the third disc of the BLADE RUNNER set, what with the "Director's Cut" having a completely different sound mix with no voice-overs.

Vincent

 

[Jeff Cooper]

I will definately wait for the EE's. The Standard Def DVD versions of the DVD's look absolutely fantastic upconverted, and that will hold me over until the EE release on Hi Def.

Out of all the DVD's I have watched upconverted, the LOTR EE DVD's far far far outshine all of them in terms of upconverted PQ. Seriously, I have several HD and Blu Ray discs that look worse than the LOTR EE DVD's. The DTS soundtrack sounds excellent too.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Agreed that "both" versions, ala Blade-Runner, would be ideal. Let's hope that's what we actually get!

My main question was that if we had to choose between a theatrical-only and an extended cut version, which it would be. But it does seem obvious now that it should have been a 3-way question, with *both* versions being an option included in the vote.

That's got my vote for sure!

It would be cool to "recreate" the original theatrical experience I had in HD... never thought of that with the DVD, but with the HD encode it would be a pleasure... then to "drink in" the extended version right after and savor the difference...

 

[Paul Arnette]

I want both versions. Whether they're combined a la Blade Runner or separate releases, I say bring 'em on.