Rating: 
Summary: Renders the theatrical version obsolete.
Review: Though Peter Jackson had always claimed that the 208 minute (roughly equal to "Seven Samurai" in length) DVD version of "Lord of the Rings'" first installment was not a director's cut, its vast superiority to the shortened theatrical release becomes clear immediately.For those initally dissapointed with "Fellowship's" overly fast pace (skipping over characterizations and details for the sake of action) , the seamlessly integrated 30 minutes of footage works wonders.
Here are some Improvements: 1) Instead of a mere adventure movie (or a cgi cartoon, some may argue), Jackson's FOTR now feels closer to the spirit of Tolkien's world. Through more maps, longer stays at various crucial locations, more journey time, more geographic and historical references, one finaly begins to get a sense of original work's epic scope. In fact, there are a few scenes where the dialogue is copied almost verbatim, and that's always a welcomed addition. 2) Every character (even Gollum) gets at least some additonal exposure and all are considerably fleshed out. Aragorn benefits the most, now seeming more like a full-fledged human being (within epic conventions, though), rather than a straight-forward action hero. Galadriel, called a "radioactive psycho" by some, has other scenes here showing her true regal nature. Merry, Pippin, and especially Gimli, are more than buffoons to liven up the proceedings. Ian Holm's Bilbo, who was one of my favorite character portrayals in the film, also gets more screen time in the beginning, just like Tolkien wrote. 3) The overall themes of the book are now much more apparent - the ring's temptation, the weakness of humans, the appeal of a simple lifestyle over industrialization, and the dissappearance of civilizations (elves). The Passing of the Elves scene, is quite amazing - a shame to have been cut in the first place, as it is fairly short. 4) Some of the choppier and confusing parts of the theatrical version are elaborated upon and some questions are answered, such as "How did the Ring betray Isildur ?", or "Why is Boromir so preoccupied with the Ring?" Although Sam is not explicitly introduced as Frodo's servant, he is at least shown gardening at Bag End. Many complaints that I, and other fans of the book, had with the theatrical version are now fully resolved, and by all standards, as a whole this is a much better film, already approaching that sought-after but seldom-attained classic status in the sci-fi/fantasy genre. Approaching, but still stopping short of perfection, because many of the fundamental issues persist. Here are my remaining Problems with FOTR in order of annoyance: 1) Gratuitous use (or abuse, rather) of slow motion - esp. in the "Noooooooooo" scene right after Gandalf's fall in Moria, and the "drowning" of Sam scene. Cheesy and detracting. 2) Overbearing, generic, omni-present score. Some scenes, like Boromir's attempt to take the ring, and his death, while well-acted, should have been fine without the bathetic, cringe-worthy accompaniment. Sometimes, silence can be just as effective in generating the proper emotions. Granted, the music is not all terrible, it's just excessive - but the cliched chanting has got to go. 3) While I can forgive Merry and Pippin's all-too-fast integration into the Fellowship, The Council of Elrond scene, even with the additions (which help) still doesn't quite work. Oh well, at least we get to hear the actual "ash nazg durbatuluk" speach by Gandalf. And, there's a funny hidden parody of the scene on one of the DVDs. 4) Saruman is still the cartoonish villain, with no extra depth. The Extra materials on the DVD are top-notch, and as you may have heard, go into minute detail regarding all the aspects of production. They will take hours of viewing, if you care enough to investigate. Some of the audio commentaries are interesting as well - it looks like the presence of Philippa Boyens who was a harder Tolkienite than the action-oriented Jackson, helped steer certain scenes into the right direction. And without Richard Taylor, Alan Lee and John Howe, the visuals (best thing about the film in the first place) would not have been possible. We also get some discussion about New Zealand (interactive map provided) and the filming locations. In summary : if you even remotely liked the film you saw a year ago, were hoping for an improvement, and did not make the mistake of purchasing the theatrical DVD in August - by all means get this one!
Rating: 
Summary: Wish I had room for more stars
Review: This is the best fantasy movie ever, period. Hands down. No room for discussion or debate.
The additions are seamless. This is the best DVD in my collection and I suspect it will retain that title for years to come.
Rating:
Summary: An instant classic!
Review: "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" has got to be the most visually impressive films ever made. With a running time of nearly three hours, director Peter Jackson shows us Tolkien's fantasy world of hobbits, elves, wizards, dwarves, goblins, and much more. The plot? Where to begin? Well, a boring village in the Shire, young hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood), who has inherited a mysterious ring from his uncle Bilbo (Ian Holm), must embark on a quest to destory the Ring--because if the evil lord Sauron gets his hands on the Ring, he can destory the entire world. Frodo is nearly shoved out the door by the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen), and sets out with his friend Sam (Sean Astin). Soon they team up with two other hobbits, meet a mysterious warrior named Strider (Viggo Mortensen), and get stalked by this freaky Black Riders. They make it to Rivendell, an elf haven, where Lord Elrond (Hugo Weaving) sends a Fellowship of nine to destroy the Ring: Frodo, Sam, the other hobbits Merry (Dominic Monagan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd), Strider, whose real name is Aragorn, another human named Boromir (Sean Bean), elf Legolas (Orlando Bloom), an ugly dwarf named Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), and Gandalf. They travels across mountains, go through these evil mines, fight Orcs and giant fire-demons, and in the closing scene, battle these Orc/man killers called the Uruk-Hai.
Which is not to say that the movie is flawless. I know that this is only the first part of a trilogy, but the ending was really abrupt. The action was going fast and furious....and all of sudden Frodo and Sam walk down a hill and the credits start to roll. All the actors were excellent in their roles, most notably Viggo Mortensen and Sean Bean as flawed humans. Ian McKellen's provided so much great support that I nearly cried out when he was pulled into the Mines of Moria. Director Peter Jackson deserves much credit for his magnum opus, and I had the honor of seeing this in the theaters. All I can say is, I can't wait for the next installment, which will be released in two weeks.
Rating:
Summary: Well worth the wait
Review: When I saw the Lord of the Rings in the theater, I was dutifully impressed with the production quality and the adaption of what must truly be deemed a masterpiece of the twentieth century. I went into the extended version hoping that it would extend the vision, and I was not disappointed.
From the beginning, the movie offers a much better explanation of hobbits, starting out with Bilbo writing about his adventures: "There and Back Again: A Hobbits Tale." The only shortcoming is the introduction, via knocks, of the Sackville Baggins does little beyond explaining why Bilbo was annoyed when Gandalf shows up. While this is not critical information to understand the stroy, it better sets up the ordinary life of Frodo, prior to taking on his perilous journey.
As the adventure moves on, we see a much more plausible enactment of events in Bree, an extended look at the wilderlands leading up to Weathertop and greater character development of Aragorn (Strider), who will become pivotal in future movies.
The scenes in Rivendell do greater justice to the setup of the Fellowship, which greatly adds to the epic. And, the Moria scenes are extended to give a much greater sense of the person of Gandalf and his sense of justice when it comes to Gollum.
Of all the pieces added, none was more necessary to the epic at large than the wonder of Gimli over Galadriel. The gifting of the Fellowship, while not important for this movie, should play a much greater role as the epic rolls on this December.
As for the extra material: For a true Tolkien fan, you really have to purchase both the extended version and the original release, as the material presented is different in each version. One of the nices pieces in this set is the notes on the locations that became different places in Middle Earth. While not technically superior, it is nice watching Jackson, and crew, scout out the locations that make New Zealand Middle Earth.
As you peruse the DVD set, make sure to check out the easter egg included in the set. If you deride the set for not presenting a trailer of the next volume in this epic, you would do well to explore a bit before passing final judgement.
Rating: 
Summary: Nice Try!...
Review: Hay you cant fool me, I know a "flamer pride" movie when I see one. It all came together when Frodo starts to float away in a boat, and his "partner" Sam expresses his true love, by choosing to drownd, rather then leave Frodo all by his lonesome. But when Frodo comes to his rescue, tears are jearked between them. And lets be honest, when (Liv Tyler) the elf princess confronts him in the woods by the little bird bath in her underwear, What would you have done? I dont think my point needs much more explaining. The fairies and hairy men in loin cloths should have gave it away; but if you still need more proof, explain to me what thoughs four young hobbits were up to, when they rented a single bedroom away from town, next to a dark saloon?
Rating:
Summary: Yes, buy this DVD!
Review: Buy this even if you already have the standard Fellowship of the Rings DVD. The extra 30 min added to this extended version fill out the characters and their motivations much better than the original theater release. Besides, this movie is so good you just don't want it to end. And, of course, it comes with a coupon good for a free ticket to the next installment, the Two Towers.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Put: Great Movie
Review: The eagerly awaited adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's colossal Lord Of The Rings trilogy, shot concurrently at a budget approaching three hundred million, should be a bloated, hubristic disaster-the sort of project that torpedoes a major studio. But in the Tolkien spirit, New Line has wisely entrusted the Rings to a hobbit, choosing an unlikely leader in director Peter Jackson, whose previous credits include two micro-budget slapstick horror films, and a masterful art film. In the latter, two adolescent girls create elaborate fantasy worlds in their own backyard; so too does Jackson, who shot the trilogy in the lush, rolling greens and towering peaks of his native New Zealand, merging the stunning natural landscape with CGI wonders designed by his own special-effects house. An enthusiastic visionary set loose on one of the biggest playgrounds ever constructed, Jackson brings more personality to the series' first installment, The Fellowship Of The Ring, than typically seeps into a franchise of this magnitude. His light touch remedies many of the problems inherent in adapting the Tolkien books, which are heavy on exposition and light on structure, barreling from one scary encounter to the next without a sense of the grand design. In the mythical world of Middle Earth, where the forces of good and evil are as boldly demarcated as on the Fox News network, an intrepid hobbit, Frodo, has inherited a gold ring that his older cousin, Bilbo (in the movie he is Frodo's uncle, but in the books he is referred to as his cousin), found on his travels decades earlier. Forged long ago by a dark lord looking to consolidate his power, the One Ring somehow slipped from its creator's grasp and eventually made its way to Hobbiton in the Shire, the furthest spot west of the lord's kingdom in Mordor. Frodo's journey begins when a benevolent wizard, Gandalf, implores him to take the ring to the fires of Mount Doom and destroy it before it falls into the wrong hands. Facing an endless gauntlet of orcs, Ringwraiths, and genetically mutated Uruk-Hais, Wood is accompanied at various points by three fellow hobbits, two human warriors, an elven archer, and a roughneck dwarf. In condensing Tolkien's book to feature length, Jackson and his screenwriters do the necessary pruning while still remaining faithful to the text. Pared down to its Cliffs Notes essence, the story moves forward at a relentless pace, occasionally sacrificing ambience for speed. But only the most expansive imagination could dream up a spectacle of such eye-popping proportions, with Jackson and his technicians constructing kingdoms and monsters with the innovation and joy of top-flight Ray Harryhausens. Setting vast digital armies against towering backdrops, the battle sequences have the visceral kick expected from this director, as Frodo and his motley militia hack through foes like zombies at the business end of a lawnmower. The Fellowship Of The Ring ends with a cliffhanger, but unlike its so called prime competitor (a film whose star is a young boy with magical powers), it should leave viewers anxious to know what happens next.
Rating:
Summary: One DVD to rule them all!
Review: Astonishing, breathtaking, immersive. This definitive 4-DVD set is truly an absolute masterpiece. I had never read the Tolkein books, but have been completely captivated by this most extraordinary movie. Fortunately, I knew the extended version was arriving in November so I held back on purchasing the theatrical version DVD a few months earlier, waiting for the good stuff, and it was worth the wait. The additional 30 minutes of footage lends itself to a much richer story, adding both depth and clarity. The commentaries are enriching, and the two DVDs of bonus material simply overwhelm the casual moviegoer with the staggering amount of time, talent and effort that went into the process of making this movie. I can only hope that New Line Cinema and Peter Jackson provide even longer extended version DVDs of "The Two Towers" and "Return of the King" because the reception that this extended DVD has gotten has been beyond successful. Truly, the filming of these three movies over a 15-month timeframe, along with the commensurate avalanche of technical, creative and visionary treatment, will go down in cinematic history. What a crowning achievement for all who were involved. Buy this DVD set and provide yourself with hours upon hours of engrossing entertainment.
Rating:
Summary: An astonishing masterpiece
Review: I first went to see this movie a few days after its release. From the moment I entered the cinema to the moment I left I was entranced by the magic this film created. As I am sure many would agree with me the special effects were superb and the whole film in my opinion did the book justice. Peter Jackson should be proud of this masterpiece and of the cast who portrayed their characters very well. Filled with Hobbits, Orcs, elves and wizards this film has alot to offer people of all ages although younger ones maby should watch it with an adult.There was suspence throughout the whole film, and it left me wanting more so I personally can't wait until the next visit to middle earth.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Movie!!! Best In Years!!!
Review: I have one word to sum up this movie: FANTASTIC!!! I saw the first version in the theater, but didn't really enjoy because there were too many gaps. There were things that did not make sense. I bought the expanded version on DVD, watched it and fell in love with it. It totally blows the theatrical version out of the water! I highly recommend this movie. Even for someone like me that has never read the books, the expanded version made so much more sense. It really gave more insight into each character. It felt as if I personally knew each character. Watch this movie!! You will love it!!!
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