Rating: 
Summary: such a great movie
Review: such a great movie, nuff said.
Rating: 
Summary: Overkill, but all part of the magical world
Review: This was given to me as a Christmas present, and while initially glad to have it, I think it is mroe than most folks will ever want to sit down and watch. Yes, you get the movie, and it is, or course,fantastic, but the accompanying DVDs on the making of the movie would likely be watched only once or twice before you would stop seeing them. After all, it IS the movie that you want, and I doubt most folks would want to watch the movie and the 4 other discs each time they wanted to see the movie.Perhaps the nicest extra in the set is the bookends, since they are pretty nice if you are a fan of the movies, but this set more than anything will give you more than you ever wanted to know. On one more note- the free ticket to see the Two Towers expired as of New Year's 2003, so don't expect to be able to use it if you haven't already.
Rating:
Summary: Woooaaahh!
Review: Not only is this movie amazing, but there are also deleted scenes laid back into the movie and hours of behind the scenes footage, documentaries, and so much more. It is more than likely the most in depth DVD ever made. It's extremely enjoyable to watch. As a matter of fact, I'm watching one of the 4 discs right now!
Rating:
Summary: Way better!
Review: Don't let me bore you with a lot of unnecessary words. This extended version of the film is way better and makes much more sense than the chopped up speed fest that was the theatrical release. It is closer to Tolkiens vision and is remarkably free from director Jackson's desire to rewrite a masterpiece of literature. If Jackson can keep his ego in check and play by the Tolkien rules the trilogy should film itself to success. Buy it and love it.
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Summary: A must-have for any LotR fan!
Review: This has got to be one of the best DVD sets there are. To begin, the movie is just amazing. It follows very true to the book and the actors are all superb. I won't go into details about the movie because if you're wanting to buy this DVD set you've probably already seen the movie. This version includes the deleted scenes in the movie, making an even better story than what you saw in the theaters. But the best reason to buy this DVD set is because of the wonderful behind the scenes, extra 2 DVDs worth of commentary. This brings to life the making of the movie, which in itself is truly fascinating. You can see all the time and effort and creativity that went into creating the beautiful epic they've given all of us. It's definitely a labor of love.
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Summary: Go the gay way...
Review: The extended version is even better than the original movie. Watching it, one gets the feel that this is actually the movie that Peter Jackson wanted to present to the world if screening time was not a constraint. The additional and extended scenes alone are well worth the price of the set. Can't wait for the Two Towers extended version to come out!
Rating: 
Summary: Measure for measure
Review: When historians finally have enough distance from our times to look at them upon with a certain objectivity, they will no doubt see a strange irony in the fact that, but a few months after the event that still lives so vividly in our memory that we scarce need even recall it by name, Americans would flock to the theaters for the first installment of a trilogy whose second part has no other name than the"The Two Towers." Many, no doubt, find in these films only escape into a so-called fantasy world - as if the most flourishing products of our imagination, like our dreams, don't often press into the very heart of things. And some are perhaps so jaded that they will discover in the form our newly-baptized axis of evil. But hopefully there are others astute enough to realize that Bin Laden and North Korea (and perhaps some day we might even be so bold as to say the same about Hitler, Stalin...) are nothing more than footnotes to history, whereas its deeper core consists solely in the seemingly unstoppable advance of humankind's dominion over nature and thereby over himself, moving towards no other end than man's self-servitude to a power that has no other end than power itself. And they will likely wonder why the same people who seemed to gasp and shudder at sight of the Twin Tower's collapse, would take pleasure in its cinematic repetition - as if, in the fantastic privacy of the movie theater, we might confess what we dare not admit to ourselves: that we delighted even as we shuddered, and that our terror and sadness, however deeply felt, was not without a certain pleasure at the sight of something that, amidst all the endless hyperbole, finally seemed to fit the measure and key of the times.
More than any other Hollywood "fantasy" epic that I can think of, this film had a chance to take a more reflective stance towards "terror." Gone is the vision of a "good empire" or "confederation," and other such remnants of cold-war Ideology. Here, more than anywhere, it seems clear: all "empires" are evil, and above all the empire over nature itself. And yet it remains hovering in schizoid Hollywood delirium. The essence of Americanism, a philosopher once said, consists in the absolute lack of measure. The Twin Towers, the limitless extension of the "American Way," are only the most obvious signs of this infinite immoderateness in everything. With every year, Hollywood's product become more gargantuan, more titanic - with subtlety, cinematic coloratura, silence tossed to the wind in favor of a string of gestures, each grander than the next. "The Ring," sadly, is no exception. Hobbits notwithstanding, we find only destruction of the immoderate painted in such immoderate, fantastic strokes, that no space for reflection and questioning remains. .
Rating:
Summary: Loving It!!!!
Review: It is a great gift for anyone who is a fan of The Lord Of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. The extra footage that wasn't in the movie was great and I really enjoyed it very much. The Aragornath bookmarks were a very special touch. Also, the National Geographic gives a descriptive detailed review of how J.R.R. Tolkien got started with the book and so does the four disc DVD. My child enjoyed it and has become a fan ever since. The extra two DVDs were great because it had lots of information from the cast and crew. I would recommend this to anyone who is a Tolkien fan or a Peter Jackson fan. But it is not for the impatient because the movie does take about three hours. The holographic cards were a special touch to the set. And the free movie ticket to go see the Two Towers was great.
Rating:
Summary: In a word, incredible
Review: First, I should mention that I loved Tolkein's writings, and read the LOTR trilogy (along with the prequel, The Hobbit) probably 3 or 4 times while growing up. I first saw LOTR in the theatre upon its release, and was mesmerized. For the most part, it really brought what I had read to life. However, the people with whom I saw the movie had not read the books, and I spent a great deal of time explaining things. I pre-ordered this extended version, first because of the additional footage, but second because I received with my order a coupon for a free movie ticket to see the second movie, The Two Towers. Everything that was added to the special edition version is wonderful. Some of it is necessary to the story, other times it simply embelishes it. But there is not a part in this extended version that is not beautifully done. Peter Jackson et al decided to include some more information explaining hobbits in general, and this is quite welcome. They also added the scene depicting the wood elves leaving for the ship to sail West. I can't even begin to go over every scene that was added or extended. Suffice to say, though, every single one was nicely done. Which brings me to my last point: all of the additional material is worked into the movie as it progresses. Howard Shore actually wrote and recorded music to go with the additional parts, and they are woven into the movie, rather than adding them to the DVD as a "Deleted Scenes" section. This, in my opinion, is what makes this edition perfect. Sometimes when I watch deleted scenes on a DVD, I'm left wondering "Where did this happen?". But the way this is done, you never have to wonder in what context something happened. All in all, I don't hesitate a second when someone asks if this version is worth the extra few dollars. Without a doubt, this is one of the finest DVD's I own.
Rating:
Summary: A film that does justice to a monumental classic
Review: It seems almost impossible, but Peter Jackson's film of "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" achieves the very sense of the first book of in Tolkien's trilogy. In addition, it covers, cleverly, the events of "The Hobbit" by having Bilbo Baggins begin the film, writing his memoirs on the eve of his farewell party in The Shire. This is just one example of how the screenwriters were able to merge so much expository information into the limited time available during a film. The scenery is nothing short of amazing; this IS The Shire, looking like a fairy version of pastoral England (filmed in New Zealand, however) and the hobbit lodges are cleverly constructed. The camera and sets trick your eye into seeing the hobbits as halflings next to the normal sized Gandalf the Wizard. Later on in the film, computer graphics help to create monumental battle scenes against the Orcs and Wraiths. The only problem is that these scenes tend to drag, and even though this is a magical story, fifty or so Orcs against the Nine of the Fellowship seems a bit hard to accept on the screen. And it is all too apparent that the filmmakers chose to slow the pace down when they went for a trilogy rather than a single film for the entire Lord of the Rings cycle. This makes the second half of the film, on the second DVD, a bit slow and dreary--especially as it is filmed predominantly in gray tones rather than the bright colors of The Shire. You will need a bit of "sitzfleisch" (patience) to sit through the second half. This is just quibbling, however. The script and the actors are amazing, the special effects and computer graphics dramatic and true to the book. Elijah Woods as Frodo never fails to capture the screen with his unearthly looks and fine acting. Sir Ian McKellen's Gandalf is just right--he doesn't dominate Frodo, but supports him ably. We are treated to a host of marvelous cast members, from Liv Tyler as Arwen, Sean Bean (Sharp's Rifles) as Boromir, Cate Blanchett as the unearthly elf queen Galadriel, Hugo Weaving ("The Matrix") as Elrond well, I could go on but the cast is just perfect in every choice. "The Fellowship of the Ring" is a monumental achievement in film and will win over even those who are not fans of Tolkien. Now, to the extras: the bio of Tolkien is a must-see. His childhood in Birmingham, England and his education at Oxford give important background into how he was able to create such a complete mythical world, with language, alphabet and sagas. His moral take on The Ring as a symbol of humanity's choice to follow Evil is enlightening. The interviews with the script writers is equally interesting. All in all, DISC 4: "From Vision to Reality" is an important adjunct to viewing the film. I wasn't a particular Tolkien fan, though I read the books as a child. I really now am interested in Tolkien, and this film did more than justice to a monumental classic.
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