Rating: 
Summary: If You Liked the Original, You'll LOVE the Xtended Versiono
Review: This incredible 4 disc value is packed with features, commentaries, interviews and 'making of' documentaries that are very nearly as engaging and captivating as the film itself. The makers of LOTR had the forsight and vision to document each step of the creative process and you will see much of it here, from the storyboards, 'big'atures (large sized miniatures), casting, preparation and filming. Watching the vision progress from script to storyboard to animated storyboard with live actors reading the script to the animatics (computerized scenes which has a cool option of being able to watch side-by-side the film version) is fascinating. You also get a glimpse into the cameraderie of the 4 Hobbits and how the actors built that closeness as well as all the tricks used to make them appear small in the film (and the other characters big). Finally, you get the added scenes which should become the definitive version of "Fellowship of the Rings". Unlike most films, the "bonus" scenes add a bit of smoothness to the movie and strengthen the overall narrative (things make a bit more sense and are not quite as choppy in parts). All in all a fantastic value, a better version of the film and lots of outstanding extras. Highly recommended!
Rating: 
Summary: Read Me! Read Me!
Review: Unbelievably, Fellowship only scratches the surface of what the book held. Fellowship is quite lengthy, for it left few of the book's scenes out (Jackson changed only a handful, as well); but there is so much more to the tale than can be seen in the movie. However, I do think the movie got across the main idea. Oh, and I think they did a great job of getting the "Black Riders" to look so EVIL! My sister was in the other room when I was once watching Fellowship and it was thus she heard the icy-cold voice. That was a spooky touch! Also, scattered throughout Fellowship are close-ups of the hideous faces of the orcs. Yuck! I'm glad I was prepared for it by having first seen photos (in books and such). I hope this warns any sensitive hearts who have not yet seen the movie (if there are any!). But the movie was not all horrible images; I loved the cozy Hobbiton. And the Hobbits all being so small compared to Gandalf! Jackson did a wonderful job there! Rivendale was not that bad either, but we don't get to stay there for long. Carefree Merry and Pip, I think, were portrayed very well. Sam, I think, was not so close a hit. In the book, there was much more evidence of Sam's affection for Frodo then in the movie. Frodo, I think (I think a lot!), was done reasonably well. Aragorn -- perfect. Boromir -- also perfect. Legolas and Gimli had rather little to do with the movie plot, so I can't say much about them. They did have more of a cut in the book, however. Gandalf was also done very well. All considered, Fellowship was a magnificent attempt at catching hold of the essence of Tolkien's book, The Fellowship of the Ring.
Rating:
Summary: Faithful masterpiece
Review: If you have not read the book and are solely relying on the films, then you should stop reading this; I give away the ending. Any writer worth his or her salt would tell you, that adapting a book to a movie is very difficult. It's not hard to imagine the difficulty in transforming written words that in our minds become pictures and sounds: What each of us gather from books is our own unique experience as our minds are uniquely different from one another. The difficulty in adapting books to movies lies in the fact that we're almost always disappointed with the result. Whether the movie does not follow the book's sequence of events, whether certain scenes or chapters are omitted, or whether certain characters are omitted or combined with other minor characters, there's always something that disappoints someone. We must remember that adaptations are simply interpretations, and expecting them to be completely faithful to the written texts would be unreasonable. In Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (FotR), and I believe for the upcoming The Two Towers (TTT) and The Return of the King (TRofk), it remains faithful to some of the central themes of Tolkien's books, that of pluralism and pity. That there is no one or even few heroes-if you will-who decide the outcome of the story is in my view refreshing, and quite the opposite of many hero films that promote individualism, that a single hero singularly saves the world. How often does this happen? Was there a person who single-handedly decided the outcome of WWII? Was the United States single-handedly built by one person? Despite its fantasy nature, LotR is much more realistic and speaks to the heart than other films. The book makes clear (and hopefully the rest of the film) that no one, and no objects mentioned are wasted; they all serve a purpose in the War of the Ring. One aspect that was left out in the theatrical release, but thankfully kept in the extended DVD edition, is Bilbo's pity-as spoken by Gandalf-of Gollum that ultimately saved Gollum's life. Who are we, as Gandalf would ask, to quickly deal out death, when there are so many that die who deserve life, and so many that live who deserve death? As readers of the book know, it was actually Gollum that casts the ring (albeit accidentally) in Mount Doom, and not Frodo. Had Bilbo or Frodo not felt the pity for Gollum, the Quest would have ultimately failed. And I think the film does, and will continue to reinforce these themes. There are a few things the theatrical release leaves out, but are restored (some of them anyway) in the extended DVD edition that are important for the two upcoming movies: The gifts given by Galadriel before the Company's departure from Lorien, with especially the scene of Gimli and Galadriel that has a powerful significance between the relationship between the Dwarves and the Elves. The weapons given to the hobbits by Aragorn atop Weathertop, while in the book they were actually found with help from Tom Bombadil, are also critical to the outcome and hopefully will be for the movies as well. If the movie was to be completely faithful to the book, then 17 years should have elapsed since Bilbo's 111th birthday and the beginning of the quest; the Company spends 2 months in Rivendell before finally setting out on their quest. For pacing reasons (and correctly so), the movie skips over them. I highly recommend viewers read the books if not only to serve as a guide to the movies (the upcoming ones as well). You'll appreciate the depth and richness and the sheer complexity that make reading the 1,000 pages or sitting through over 9 hours of film (if you add up the three movies) so rewarding. I know I didn't describe this so pleasingly, and I have to admit the book is a little slow in the beginning, but you'll finish before you know it. And you'll appreciate the efforts the filmmakers put into making this faithful masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Greatest Movies Ever Made
Review: Lord of the rings was a fantastic movie and I would recomend it to anyone. The story is about a hobbit named Frodo who inherits a dark and powerful ring from his uncle Bilbo Baggins. Acompined by the wizard Gandalf , the hobbits Sam, Merry, and Pippin, the ranger Aragorn, the elf Legolas (My favorite character), And the dwarve Gimli son of Gloin (One of the 13 dwarves accopining Bilbo in the Hobbit. The cast was great too. This is one you'll want to see over and over again.
Rating:
Summary: Extended DVD - Worth the wait!!!
Review: The extended DVD version of the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings was well worth the wait. JRR Tolkien fans and the general public will welcome the extended and new scenes added to movie. Why? Because they provide more depth into the story as well as it explains more of the plot... and will leave you looking forward for the next two movies. Audiences will welcome Bilbo's explanation concerning Hobbits and life in the Shire; the purpose of the mines of Moria; the extended Council of Elrond and the Farewell to Lórien. A great plot, superb direction, outstanding special effects and great cast will keep you nailed to your seat for the 3 ½ hours of this extended edition. The verdict: Excellent. A true masterpiece that will last for decades to come. Although this movie doesn't stick 100% to the book, you have to realize that movies from books are not meant to be literal adaptations. Let me repeat that: movies are adaptations, which means they cannot be literal; movies are slow way for conveying information, and things not so relevant to the main plot had to be left out (I'm talking about Tom Bombadil and other subplots found in the book). In this sense, director Peter Jackson came up with a fantastic masterpiece that will draw you into the world of Middle-Earth, its marvels and dangers. Their 4 - 5 years of work are finally paying off. The special and CG effects, besides outstanding, play a major role on the film. This does not mean actors are dwarfed (no pun intended!) in any way by these. The roles played by Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey, Elijah Wood as the charismatic Frodo Baggins and Sean Astin as the unconditional, will-follow-you-to-the-end-of-the-world friend Samwise Gamgee, reveal perhaps one of the books' main theme: the true value of friendship. If you watch this movie, read between the lines and you'll find at the end that this is not a fantasy story. It is about true friendship, about the perils of addiction, about putting the common good above your personal comfort -even if it implies risking your life or never returning home-, and the loss of moral values in the world.
Rating:
Summary: This should have been the theatrical release.
Review: I know, I know -- the American public (and the people who make their money from owning movie theatres) would find a 3 1/2+ hour-long movie difficult. BUT the extended material REALLY adds to the plot and understanding of the film. If you're like me, and were already a Tolkien fan prior to the movie, you'll enjoy the additional material as the story is fleshed out. If you're like my wife, who has never read the Trilogy, you'll "get" the plot much more easily. All in all, this set is THE MUST-HAVE for any true fan of the book -- and the movie. HIGHLY recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Jerks
Review: I recently purchased a shiny new copy of the Extended edition and it will not play on my computer. The computer doesn;t even recognize the disc (runs XP). My 98 machine saw the disc but couldn;t play it. the DVD decoders didn't even recognize the disc. Needless to say I'm disappointed and angry. I loved the movie, though much less than the books, but it is a shame that greedy companies like New Line have to introduce their unlawful and unadvertised copyright schemes into the disc.
Rating:
Summary: Awsome
Review: The best Fantasy in Years, a must own!!! The acting is suberb and the script is great. Buy it and go this number 2 (12/18/02)!
Rating:
Summary: LOTR Extended Edition
Review: Okay, this is perfect in every way you can think. It's worth your money, even if you own the original DVD-release. If you have seen the original cut, it works as a companion piece. If this is your first introduction to the film, I can't think of a better way to view it.
Rating:
Summary: EVEN IF YOU ALREADY OWN IT BUY THIS!!
Review: Yes, I know that many of us Tolkien fans bought the earlier addition. I remember being disappointed that so much was left out in the movie. However, the new edition--while it ONLY adds a half hour of footage, makes such a difference!! The other DVDs are icing on the cake!! BUY IT YOU WILL LOVE IT!
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