Rating: 
Summary: I can't rate it low enough
Review: As a true Tolkien fan, I can safely say that almost every review on this website that proclaims this feature bad is entirely CORRECT. The only reason you would want to buy this production is for some film footage, and snippets from some cast interviews, which could very well be included in the behind-the-scenes stuff on the Fellowship of the Ring extended edition DVD. At one point, they show a film clip of the Fellowship beginning to kick some orc-rear in Moria, and right after the cave-troll takes a whack at Sam, we cut to images of tanks, and railroads, and industrial machinery, as the narrator talks of Tolkien's experiences with war, and how industrial progress was portrayed in the novels as the Dark Lord Sauron. There are several other times where the documentary infers this. Was there symbolism like this in Lord of the Rings? Yes, some. Was Mordor supposed to represent industry, and machines? Do the novels contain a 'Save-the-Earth, hug-a-tree' message? Not really. Tolkien was a conservationist of sorts, but he would spin in his grave to learn of the things National Geographic said. Towards the end of the feature, they discuss the language that Tolkien based Elvish upon, the language of the Kalevanas, and National Geographic just can't help veering 180 degrees away from Lord of the Rings in order to focus on the failing culture there, a failed attempt to compare the peoples of then to the peoples of Middle-Earth. So, overall, I'd say that this isn't worth buying, unless it's included in a package like the extended edition gift set, which, as I said, is the only reason I saw this. To National Geographic's credit, on the DVD, there's some extra material regarding the Inklings, the writers' group Tolkien was a member of. It mentions Tolkien's CHRISTIANITY, and his friendship with C.S. Lewis. Here you can find some valuable information about the two, and the group itself. Otherwise, there is zero mention of the impact that Christianity had on his life. Take my advice, Tolkien fans: PLEASE don't buy this!
Rating: 
Summary: Completely misses the point of the story
Review: The writers of this review appear to be more interested in advancing an agenda than reviewing the story. They draw allegories with World War II, which Tolkien specifically rejected; Tolkien hated allegory. The writers relate the story to deforestation, which is also completely forced. The discussions of Beowulf and the Kalevala are interesting, and the movie clips are good, but overall this DVD is a waste of money.
Rating:
Summary: Horrible, Disgrace to Tolkien
Review: Having read "The Lord of the Rings" and being a large Tolkien fan I was sickened at how the makers of this video tried to twist Tolkien's visions into their own independent agenda. Tolkien outwardly warns against this type of misinterpretation at the beginning of "The Lord of the Rings". I used to have a very high opinion of National Geographic, but they've really let me down here.
Rating:
Summary: A Disgrace to Tolkien's vision
Review: They should have called this video, "Have you hugged your Ent today- A distorted view of Tolkiens Middle Earth". I watched this video, not only to see perhaps a little bit behind the making of the theatrical versions of Tolkiens masterpieces, but to also see the beautiful vistas of New Zealand that I've heard so much about. Instead National Geographic gives us an inside look at how they can take a wonderful piece of literary genius and twist it to conform to their own misguided liberal views of the world. As a long-time Tolkienite, I consider this video pure blasphemy. The Lord of the Rings is a reinterpretation of mythological motifs and a hero's journey, not a political statement to save the rain forests. If -5 stars was a choice, I would have given this video that rating. If you are looking for insight into the realm of Tolkiens Middle Earth, I suggest purchasing "J.R.R. Tolkien - Master of the Rings Gift Set". As far as a tie-in between New Zealand & Lord of the Rings, the Travel channel had an excellent 2 part series on this, but to my knowledge it is not available on video yet. Perhaps it will be included in the 4 disc set of "The Two Towers" coming out in November, 2003.
Rating:
Summary: A useful DVD
Review: I found this DVD very useful. I use it as a coaster. I play frisbe with my dog using it. I actually watched it once. I won't make that mistake again. As my cousin from Alabama might say:"Whoo-Boy! Them fellers at National Geographic sure have their underware in a knot about trees, don't they?"
Rating:
Summary: Save your money
Review: This documentary is very uneven; it does have some pieces of exposition that are very good, very interesting if you are not a Tolkien scholar. In other words, a short overview of his life with an interview or two with people who knew Tolkien, and just good enough to show how cool this could have been. However, substantial portions of the documentary are ludicrous filler material left over from other documentaries (sorry, the guy trekking through the Congo is - I'm sure - a nice guy, but how he hiked his way into a Tolkien documentary I have no idea). And showing lots of clips of the LOTR does not explain anything about the movie. And far worse, the director/NG Society prostituting the dead Tolkien, using him to hammer on their own environmental agenda over and over and OVER is just inexcusable. For anyone who cares to read the book, it is clear that neither the hobbits nor the elves are in favor of the kind of "leave nature alone" philosophy that the NGS pushes; hobbits want to make gardens, hobbit holes, fields of grains and are terrified of creepy forests - and the elves force trees to grow exactly the way they want them. I frankly don't care if the National Geographic Society wants to "cash in" financially on the LOTR; the attempt to cash in emotionally on Tolkien's themes of personal responsibility for supporting Good versus selfish use of your talents leading to EVIL is disgusting. I even agree with the NGS that human beings should leave enormous parts of the Earth alone and unspoiled. But this is supposed to be about JRR Tolkien - so, give us Tolkien! Jeez.
Rating: 
Summary: Background viewing
Review: Interesting for background information about the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Nothing like as good as seeing the actual film Peter Jackson has produced. I'll revisit it when the Two Towers and Return of the King movies are completed and the DVD's & VHS's are out.
Rating:
Summary: Hopelessly Misguided
Review: A promising feature, a tie-in with a popular movie and with snippets of interviews with the director and a few members of the cast of "The Fellowship of the Ring". But this feature has little to do with that movie. Ostensibly a biography of Tolkien, it alleges to uncover influences that lead to his creation of Middle-Earth. They did fine to a point, detailing Tolkien's youth in the English rural countryside and his experiences in the First World War (he was in the battle of the Somme). It skimmed like a stone on water across his academic career, and his work as a philologist, though it did have a word or two about his creation of a language. Then the show turns its focus to the Kalevala. True, Tolkien loved that collection of Finnish legends, but he was not exclusively Finnish! He liked Icelandic sagas and also (especially) Anglo-Saxon. He was not as solely obsessed with the Kalevala as they make out, and the digression that goes into a sob story of the decline of ancient Finnish culture, while it would make a worthwhile show on its own, is out of place here. A curious omission was any mention of CATHOLICISM. His devout Catholicism was usually written off -- except by Tolkien. He stated on many occasions, especially in primary sources like his letters, that Catholicism was the guiding force in his life and writing. One might argue whether Lemas is supposed to be the Eucharist, but it's undeniable that Tolkien's Catholicism was very real and Sacramental (he kept a rosary by his bed when England was bombed in World War II). Whatever National Geographic's stand on Catholicism (I suppose it's against it), the makers of this film, in honesty, ought at least have mentioned it, since it was so vital to Tolkien himself, even if the documentary makers only to laugh up their sleeves at him for being a brilliant academian who fell for some silly superstition (though they praise some old Finnish codger in the film for his obsession with the Kalevala). I'm not a Catholic and have no brief for the Church, but in this documentary, Tolkien's staunch Catholicism is the two-ton elephant in the middle of the room that no one is comfortable talking about, ignoring to the point of absurdity. And though Peter Jackson, quite correctly, states in the documentary that the Lord of the Rings transcends politics and no political party can claim it (as should be the case with all true art), the documentary peters out to an "environmental" message, making it look almost like Tolkien was an obsessive environmentalist. His love for the countryside, his reactionary view of progress, and his Christianity (of which stewardship of the environment is an important theme) made him sensitive to environmental concerns, but he probably would have aligned himself more with the "fair use" people. The last part of the show isn't about Tolkien or the Lord of the Rings at all, but a grafted on story of some kook hiking through the Congo, giving a very political anti-development message. It's fine to present a show with that sort of bias, but I believe National Geographic exploited Tolkien and the movie for its own crass political message, just to turn a few bucks. Extensive footage of "The Fellowship of the Rings" is shown, but this show doesn't go into the making of the movie at all. And the few clips of the director and the handful of actors they talked to are of so little substance it's not worth watching for their points of view, either. They probably had more to say, but their interviews were so truncated they come off as vapid and unnecessary. Overall, this flick is a waste of money and time.
Rating:
Summary: Awful, really, it is
Review: The DVD has lots of "filler" of unrelated material--the gratuitous WW I footage and the eco-hiking nonsense at the end of the film. Nat'l Geo is unbeatable for photography, but they do not apply it much to Tolkien's world and influences, as the title might suggest. They should have filmed Tolkien's surroundings, his haunts at Oxford, shown still-life photos of his drawings and friends and influences (e.g. C.S. Lewis), etc. These foundations of Tolkien's thinking comprise perhaps 45% of the film--the other 55% is consumed by excerpts from the movie and explaining the plot of the film and a large dose of politically correct irrelevance such as lengthy WW I footage and, inexplicably, the African hike of an eco-activist who is, in the minds of Nat'l Geo, on a quest analogous to Tolkien's Fellowship. If you are imagining a Ken Burns-style examination of Tolkien's influences, this ain't it--you get may a total of 15 minutes of Tolkien scholars and a brief glimpse of his Oxford days in the entire hour film. Shame on Nat'l Geo for wasting their talent and reputation on such an awful documentary.
Rating: 
Summary: Putting Tolkien Into Historical Perspective
Review: I bought this DVD expecting to see a "Making-of", and was quite surprised (Happily so!) to find that it's very much more than that. There is quite a bit about the life of J.R.R. Tolkien- His childhood, the area where he grew up (Which would eventually serve as the inspiration for The Shire), and his horrific experiences in World War I (The Lord of the Rings was first written about in a journal Tolkien kept in the trenches). In true National Geographic fashion, there is also a great deal of information about the Anglo-Saxon history and folktales that may have inspired Tolkien, as well as an incredibly fascinating piece about the Finnish language inspiring his creation of the Elvish tongues. The segnent about The Kalavala (an epic Finnish poem) was truly moving. The only drawback I have about recommending the DVD is the price: The visuals are great (Which is to be expected from National Geographic), and the content is absorbing, but I think the price is a tad high for a mere 53 minutes of program, and a few trailers for other National Geographic products. If you don't mind paying a lot, it'll make a worthwhile addition to your DVD collection.
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