Rating: 
Summary: An "Impossible" Filmic Achievement
Review: Several years ago, when I was told that plans were being laid to film J.R.R. Tolkien's massive literary epic "Lord of the Rings," my response was instantaneous.
"Impossible," I said.
There were two reasons for my reaction. One is that I know of only one successful film of any novel of this size. That is Sergei Bondarchuk's all-night-stand version of Leo Tolstoy's "War And Peace." And even Bondarchuk was unable to film that novel's second epilogue, which deals with the philosophy of history.
This leads to the second reason why I doubted the viability of the "Lord of the Rings" film project. Probably no novel can ever be filmed in its entirety; what is lost is the point of view of the writer-creator.
The first two parts of Peter Jackson's film version of "Lord of the Rings" have now appeared; and I have, of course, been proved right. Jsckson has made changes that are bound to annoy true-believing Tolkien admirers.
For example, if my calculations are correct, Frodo is not a boy when he sets out on his dangerous, agonizing quest as the Ring Bearer. He is a mature hobbit of around 50 years of age. The pivotal role of Frodo's relative Bilbo Bsggins, who found the One Ring of Power in the "prequel" book called "The Hobbit," is downplayed. (This probably leads to some confusion among people who have not read the books; they may wonder why this elderly personage is in "The Fellowship of the Ring" at all.)
In the second film, "The Two Towers," (not yet released for home viewing) the fate of the elvish Princess Arwen is depicted as entirely different from that delineated by Tolkien. Smeagol, or Gollum, who is always referred to in the books as black in color, is depicted by Peter Jackson as white. And no doubt other such discrepancies could easily be noted.
But the amazing thing is how very effective Jackson's filmed "Lord of the Rings" is. Actually, perhaps it should not be regarded as amazing at all. Jackson is an artist in another medium than Tolkien's words. He uses film, the instrument of his art, to create powerful variations on the great writer's portentous themes. The result is brooding and powerful--perhaps as brooding and powerful, in its own way, as the books the films were based on.
I recommend both the books and the films very highly. But if you want to introduce your child to the clash between good and evil, the "Lord of the Rings" films are a bit much. Better for you to pop "Harry Potter" into your machine for the little ones.
Rating: 
Summary: Worth the time you will spend
Review: I have yet to read the books in this series and I am glad of that. I usually find books better than the movies they become, so I am usually let down by the movies. I will go out on a limb and say that I will probably find myself still very much appreciating the movie after reading the source.
This movie is very well done. It has a feel of reality to it and as you watch the bouns material, you will understand why. This is a long movie but, despite the length involved, it never seems to drag along. The combination of story elements with the grand scale in which Middle Earth is presented lends itself to an anticipation of what is next.
Many movies that I have watched on DVD claim to have bonus footage. For the most part they contain a few extra lines that do absolutely nothing to expand upon the story. Not so in this case. The added material here gives you more background on the characters involved as well as leaving in some material that is relevant to the following movies.
The appendicies have so much material it's too much of a good thing. I did watch everything except the still images. There is a lot to see dealing with the "behind the scenes" workings of the movie, and some of it is very interesting, but it may not appeal to all.
If you ask if I would buy this, I would say no. The only reason I say this is because I have heard rumor of a super-duper-hella-long fourteen hour version of all three movies to be released after they all have left the theatres. If nothing else, rent this to see all there is to be seen, but if you can hold out on the purchase, you may be well served in the future and save a few bucks at the same time.
Rating:
Summary: This is the best!
Review: The original movie of the Fellowship of the Ring was awesome, with cool scenes and special effects. But this totally outshines the original! This dvd features all kinds of hilarious scenes that they somehow managed to cut out of the original. This is a total must buy for fans of the Lord of the Rings. It includes: lembas, ale, pippin acting stupid, sam and rosie, scenes that'll make you cry, and so much more! Must see!
Rating:
Summary: Best movie ever!
Review: I love this movie so much! It has wonderful actors, beautiful scenery, and an amazing soundtrack. I have read the books, and I think that Peter Jackson did a fantastic job in recreating them as movies. I highly recommend this trilogy, and I'm sure that the 3rd film will be just as good as the first two.
BUY THIS MOVIE!
Rating:
Summary: A True Epic
Review: An epic in the making!!! If you aren't totally drawn into the whole story of the Ring, one can't help but to be blown away by the look of the entire movie. It is quite amazing. The sets and the landscapes are nothing less than breathtaking. The great thing about this DVD was all the extras that went along with it. The commentaries are great, and the documentaries about the movie itself will blow your mind as much as the movie itself. I highly recommend this movie.
Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Movie
Review: The is the BEST movie in the history of the world. I love the specail effects!!! If you haven't seen this movie, you have to-because it is the BOMB!! Please watch it! It isn't scary like people say, and if you haven't read the book-do that! Elijah Wood is so good in it and I am just in LOVE with it. I have a friend who is obsessed with it, and she hasn't even seen it!!! If you like it you should also see and read the Harry Potter series and movies. You should also know the story of "The Hobbit" so if you haven't read the book-ask your mom or dad or somebody who has read the book. And don't worry- Elijah Wood is not that short, it is just a specail effect. The orcs are so not real, and you can tell that. At the end it stps at such a suspenceful part- as well as the Two Towers. So- SEE IT!!!!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Long, but worth it.
Review: If you enjoyed this movie in the theater and weren't one of the
few who were bored by the length, I would highly suggest you
check out this DVD set. It adds some vital bits back to the
story, giving you a better perspective into the lives of the
characters. There is about 30 minutes of added content, but
they managed to spread it throughout the entire movie. There is
also a new introduction to Hobbiton which gives you a better
understanding of the hobbits, Bilbo Baggins, and his book.
Overall, I would say this is a must for anyone who enjoyed
the movie. If you can't decide between the standard DVD release
and this one, I would suggest this one without a doubt.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Movie
Review: This movie is awe-inspiring and just incredible. The storyline is brilliant, acting good, and audio/visual quality superb. Though I recommend reading the books first to understand all the deeper-level thinking and morals, etc, it is completely fine to watch the movie first. No matter what, the movie is magnificent. The visuals are esspecially excellent. If you haven't already, watch this movie! Granted, it's long, but it's well worth losing a couple hours of time.
Rating:
Summary: The best movie I've seen...but it's not for young kids.
Review: I'm biased in reviewing this movie, I really am. I didn't get bit by the Tookish side of me until I heard about the Rings trilogy from a friend who was eagerly anticipating the movie. When I read the first book, I really enjoyed it. When I saw the movie (the first time), I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed it just as much on the fifth time, as I recall. In a little over a year, I've read the trilogy (several times), The Hobbit several times, The Silmarillion once, and was active in a Lord of the Rings study class in a local church. So people might officially label me a Tolkien-ite. But I can't achieve this status yet, not until I learn Elvish. Until then, let me share with you my opinion of this movie.First, it's very difficult to describe the wonder and awe of the series by J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien weaves a fantastic tale of fantasy, adventure, and suspense that strikes a chord in anyone. The "Tookish" side that makes anyone want to travel, to journey, to have adventures and see or commit brave acts of valor. The basic plot is Frodo Baggins, simple hobbit (if you don't know what hobbits are, you either need to forget reading these books or start reading immediately! :) ) from the peaceful land of The Shire inherits a simple Ring from his uncle, Bilbo Baggins. Through the counsel of Gandalf the Grey, traveling wizard and friend of the hobbit-kind, Frodo comes to know that this is more than just a Ring. It is The One Ring. The Ruling Ring forged by the Dark Lord Sauron ages ago. Taken in battle, the Ring passed through different owners, almost all of whom have given in to its evil influence. Hobbits, however, though small in stature have extraordinary resilience to such evils. Frodo takes the Ring, and bears it away from The Shire, along with his four hobbit friends Sam, Merry and Pippin. He joins parties with Strider the Ranger, who assists in a conflict with the Nazgûl, the dark phantom servants of the Dark Lord, whose sole purpose is to recover the Ring for Sauron, that He may again rule all lands in darkness. The company reaches the protected stronghold of Elves, Rivendell. There is taken counsel, where The Fellowship of the Ring is formed. Great conflict lies ahead, for Frodo, for the Fellowship, for Elves, for Rivendell and for the entire land of Middle-Earth. You'll just have to buy this movie (and perhaps the books) to find out what happens! Some worry that, as in the case for many with the introduction of the Harry Potter movies, whether the books could limit the imagination when a person who has viewed the movies goes back to the books again. In some ways, this is true...you probably won't be able to picture Gandalf or Frodo in any way but the portrayal of the movie's again. But the computer-generated enhancements/additions, and excellent actors, music, props, the whole thing makes it worth it. As I said for the books, The Lord of the Rings gives wings for the imagination to soar into worlds far away, to dreams of heroes, conflict, beauty, grandeur, fantasy. (Hey, that sounds pretty cool!) Now, for any young ones out there, I must warn the parents: This movie is rated PG-13 for a reason. No sex, nudity, or other immorality, but plenty of violence. The main enemy(s) are the Orcs that they fight. These are the prime targets of the sword, arrow, and axe action. They are shot, hacked, sliced, etc.
The Ringwraiths are frightening phantoms, galloping, screaming unearthly screams that, as another review put it, make you want to shrink down in your movie seat less they mistake you for a "Shire" or a "Baggins".
The Fellowship that sets out from Rivendell meet blade to blade with orcs in the enormous dwarf-mine, and after vanquishing them, flee from a hideous (yes that word is used a lot here, but it applies a lot here) fiery balrog. There is also a scene where the traitorous wizard Saruman engages in sorcerous battle with Gandalf. Later, they meet blades with more orcs (technically, "Uruk-hai") at Amon Hen. ("Hill of Watchfulness" in Tolkien's invented language) One of their group is slain by arrows, and here also is the part which wasn't necessary to the movie, but they put in anyway. Strider defeats the lead orc by beheading him in the heat of battle. (I'll probably come across as talking this down, but I liked this movie, and I want people to know that when you think of the word "behead" you picture gruesome gory details. That wasn't the case in the movie. The blow is the equivalent of whacking off the head of a dummy-everything falls out of sight, isn't highlighted, and you don't see it again. It's "whack!" and Strider moves on. So it's up to your discretion, but I don't think it was as bad as it could have been)
All through this, however, you do NOT even see much blood per se. Strider is hit in the mouth and it bleeds a bit, and when one of them is hit by arrows, his shirt is glossy and wet around the wound, but again, not emphasized. (I've even heard complaints from the Hannibal/Saving Private Ryan group that say they were disappointed with the fact that there was so little blood)
Rating:
Summary: Unbelievable on a prog-scan DVD player and an HDTV
Review: I never saw this film in the theater, as I bypass many new releases due to SO MANY distractions in any theater these days. Any time of the day - just cannot do it. I prefer great films in silence within my home theater and in the right "mood setting". Since I had never saw this film, but had read the novel(s) when I was a teenager, I was anxious to see how modern technology, the craft of filmmaking and storytelling, and the state of home sound systems would make this film. Simply, I was blown away. The progressive scan DVD player and my HDTV made this movie so breathtaking and incredible. The DTS soundtrack was perfect, the effects were photorealistic and in no way detracted from the storytelling (hear me, George Lucas?), and the casting was impeccable. I honestly cannot think of anything negative, in any way, to say about this experience. Never did see the "theatrical" version, so cannot comment there. This 4-DVD set was my first exposure to it. It is worth the price alone to see such wonderful actors as Sir Ian McKellan and Christopher Lee add to such masterful careers with this film. All the other actors/actresses were cast just right. Liv, Cate, Ian, Elijah, both Seans.....wow. Based on all components of this film....actors/actresses, effects, sound, editing, immersive experience, color, music/score, this rates right up there with the best DVD I own, if not the best. The T2 Ultimate Edition is right there also, but the story portrayed in this film, and all the Tolkien world brought to life makes this just an awe-inspiring film. It's good I did not see "The Two Towers" at the theater either -will wait for a comparable DVD this year (pretty please????) and enjoy this story continued. There are some things worth the money in this day and age. $30 is a small price to pay for such an experience like this. The neat thing is that I have not even explored the 2 extra DVDs for all the supporting material yet, or listened to the commentaries. Want to relish the film for what it is before I take my time on those goodies. This film and the two after it deserve every bit of praise and accolades they get. New Line sure hit gold on the huge risk they took to finance these babies!
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