Rating: 
Summary: Great movie, disappointing special features
Review: The many "special" features on this DVD all look like they were shot in one go in the director's office. When I saw "J.R.R. Tolkien documentary" on the list, I naturally expected something along the lines of the History Channel documentary about the real Pearl Harbor that the Pearl Harbor DVD included as one of its special features. I thought maybe a Bravo or A&E biography of the man would be included. But no, the director has a penchant, if not exactly a flair, for late night TV talk show style pontification, and he isn't going anywhere as long as they are filming features for this DVD. Bummer.I wish they had gone to real lifetime experts, historians and biographers to put these and other special features together. Hollywood celeb jibber jabber is so omnipresent in our culture, thanks largely to cable TV. It is sort of depressing to see it insinuating itself here, even, in a purported documentary about a veddy British Oxford don who achieved nothing less than the synthesis of a whole mythology. (One can practically hear the encounter between director and author now, if Tolkien was still with us. "You'll always make a beautiful dollar in this business, J. R. Baby, and I mean that sincerely.")
Rating:
Summary: Visually stunning, emotionally riveting!!!!!
Review: THE masterpiece of fantasy or epic filmmaking. A lifetime's achievement. An absolute crown jewel the director & actors will be remembered for in their epitaphs. Sean Bean is fantastic! Kudos for his performance! Anyone who doesn't cry at his final scene is made of stone. Each time I see it, I am more touched by the character's bravery and heart.
Casting overall was superb. Aragorn - perfect. Gandalf - perfect. Hobbits - perfect. Arwen - beyond perfectection.
Scenery is what I dreamed in my head when I read the book. My only complaint is Cate Blanchett as Galadrial. Blanchett just doesn't get the character right. G is supposed to be the most beautiful elf queen you ever lays eyes upon. But Cate Blanchett's G comes off very austere and scary. I like Blanchett the actor, but this not a good portrayal. There should have been more ethereal beauty and her voice was so deep and too booming.
Rating:
Summary: The New Gold Standard
Review: The merits of Peter Jacksons' glorious adaption of the Lord of the Rings is addressed eloquently by many reviewers below. This review is aimed at those contemplating the purchase of the Special Edition DVD. You will rarely spend your money better. The Fellowship of the Ring Special Edition is the new gold standard of DVD's. It is, quite simply, the most outstanding DVD produced and I can only hope its lead will be followed by other studios. It has everything you could ever want from a DVD collection. First, the movie: Yes, it is spread out over two disks. However, the space has not been wasted. The transfer is amazing. The movie looks sharper, crisper and more beautiful than any other DVD I've seen. The sound is excellent -- even on a simple stereo TV! I looked at this side by side with the much-ballyhood Star Wars II digital transfer and there is simply no comparison. Set against this disk, Star Wars looks blurry and murky. LOTR is dazzling. The new scenes are wonderful, adding depth to the story and characters. The Lothlorien squence is completely revised and vastly improved. My favorite new scene is after the Council of Elrond, when Aragorn visits his mother's grave. And the music is recomposed, not simply looped. This is THE definitive edition of FOTR. You must have it. What makes this the new standard are the two appendix disks. The first has 2.5 hours of video and tons of stills on the development of the book to film. The second has 3.5 hours and a few stills on the making of the movie. All of this material is entertaining and informative. By the end, you will feel like you've known the film-makers for years -- recognizing familiar faces when the pop up to explain some fascinating aspect of the movie. Even better, however, is the organization. Don't want to hunt around on the menus? Hit "Play All" and it will cycle through the documentaries. Wonder where some obscure still photograph is? A printed map of the DVD is included. I have never seen a studio or a film-maker be more giving and attentive to the needs of the audience. New Line and Peter Jackson have truly earned the mountain of money they are going to make off this by providing quite simply the best DVD collection you will find. I can only hope that the fantastic sales figures will open some eyes in Hollywood and teach them not only how to make great movies -- but how to make great home entertainment.
Rating:
Summary: AMAZING. CHECK IT OUT!!!
Review: THE MERITS: 1) Perfect casting;
2) Breathtaking special effects used to enhance the great plot, and not to disguise the lack of one!!;
3) Best adaptation from a book ever, even taking account of the necessary changes.
4) Artistic viability and commercial viability of the project walk hand on hand;
5) Reverence and honesty to Tolkien and its fans, without lacking efforts to introduce the movie also to laymen in Tolkien's terms (as the introductory sequence proves)
6)Perfect costume design;
7) Perfect cinematrography;
8) Passionate direction; The flaws: None. I think producers of things like MI2 and Planet of the Apes should see this movie to learn how to shoot a real adventure / action film...
Rating:
Summary: Masterpiece of fantasy
Review: The most acclaimed fantasy author in history has finally had his most famous work adapted as a live action feature film. And let the world rejoice. Though I've never been a fan of J.R.R. Tolkein (I find him to be a poor writer), I've long been a fan of his stories and his world. He is the father of fantasy fiction, and he deserves such credit. Oh how I've longed for a better telling of Tolkein's masterpiece The Lord of the Rings, and now my prayers have finally been answered. I had heard of the production of the Lord of the Rings trilogy to feature film a long time ago, and like many I was apprehensious at best. Hollywood seems to never, ever be able to faithfully adapt a great liscence to the big screen, and the bigger it is, the more Hollywood gets it wrong. Then there is the fact that in Hollywood, fantasy is only liked by freaks and geeks and so is not worthy of any real attention. Finally the movie was put in the hands of Peter Jackson. Peter who?? The most acclaimed fantasy epic and potentially the greatest fantasy film saga since Star Wars (IV-VI) was put in the hands of a no name? What can I say that has not already been said? I cannot believe how great this film is. I had expected that having a cast of no-names would only make this movie turn out worse than I expected. Instead I find myself amazed at the sheer genius of the casting. Not only does each actor perfectly fit their role but they each give the best performance of their career. The only thing I didn't like about the film [initially] was the ending. It doesn't end. But then, it isn't supposed to, and it's Jackson's faithfulness to the books that make it this way. It isn't a result of poor film making but rather my own inpatience that causes me not to like the end, and I suppose I shouldn't even have mentioned it in that case. I must say the second and third time I saw the film I liked it much better and found the ending to be more satisfactory. I'll spare any synopsis of the film as that would be more than redundant among the other hundreds of reviews. I'll just add to the concensus that this film is not only the best film of the year but also the first part of what will likely be the greatest film saga ever made.
Rating:
Summary: The Movie of the Year! It's worth more than 5 stars!
Review: The most promising film of the year is here. It promises to thrill you and it promises to impress you. Just like Gone with the wind and Ben-Hur, the movie is just as good as the book. Probably better. The film couldn't have been made any better. It's for fans of all kind of interests. Even if you aren't a fantasy film fan, this movie will thrill you. It's for everyone who likes adventure, comedy, thrill, horror, love, hope, and of coarse fantasy. The film has used what would be the best example of cinematography I have ever seen. It couldn't have been made any better. Whoever set up the cast did a great job. And of coarse the musical score and sound effects couldn't have been any better. They were just right to put an audience at the edge of their seats. Liv Tyler did a great job as well as the rest of the cast. Also the movie is for audiences of all ages, though it may frighten youngsters. Cate Blanchett also did a great job, just like she did in Elizabeth. The movie is definitely one that has more than one theme to its plot. An adventure like this hasn't been seen since probably Jurassic Park and Independence Day. It's also for everyone who enjoyed watching the Star Wars trilogy. It is definitely the year's most thrilling fantasy adventure. Harry Potter doesn't even come close. Well I did think Harry Potter was the film of the year but now, Lord of the rings takes the title. The movie is also for all Narnia fans. I haven't seen a film this good in months. For once a movie has been made in which every penny spent on it is worth it. This Jackson flick is one that helps to recreate one's imagination. The movie is probably the best fantasy film of the century. A great way to start the new year! -------------------------AHMED MASHHOOD--------------------------
Rating:
Summary: Just the Beginning.
Review: The movie 'The Fellowship of the Ring' has captured the beauty and essance of Tolkien's famed first book of the Lord of the Rings series. It's attention to detail and awesome cinemagraphic affects bring to life what us readers only used to dream about. But even though no movie ever created could possibly come close to being comparable to the magic of the books, this production is the closest thing. Those of us who are Tolkien fanatics, or just interested in owning an amazing movie will surely want to have this DVD. And for me, the day to its release is always too far away. Long live the Lord of the Rings, be it either in the minds of men, elves, dwarves, hobbits, or ents.
Rating:
Summary: True To The Book
Review: The Movie -The Fellowship Of The Ring is true to the book. I love the books but the film felt just right! It will be appealing to most readers and certainly to those who never read the book. If you have seen this film and loved it and have not yet read the book please do read them. The books will give you an even richer experience. They will also help you enjoy the films even more. I do miss the poetry which had to be left out of the movie because of length most likely. Also parents use caution!! Do not bring anyone under the age of eleven to see this movie. As an eight year old the imagery here would have given me nightmares for months!!
Rating:
Summary: Best Movie Ever!!
Review: The movie and extra features are excellent!!!! This is a very good buy!!
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely incredible.
Review: The movie did a wonderful job of capturing the feelings of the Fellowship of the Rings, while still leaving much for the reader to explore within the book. Others have already said so much about it, I just had to add my review to help get the rating for this movie back up to 5 stars...where it belongs.
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