Rating: 
Summary: A separate Oscar should be created, titled "Masterpiece"...
Review: give Best Picture to "A Beautiful Mind" and other, lesser works. Peter Jackson's "LOTR" and to an even greater extent the extended "LOTR" are once in a lifetime masterpieces. Even just this first 3rd of the movie begins for the audience an adventure that will deeply involve you in the lives of the people of Middle-earth. There is laughter, tears, extreme ugliness and breathlessly heart-breaking beauty. Just like the book.
Unlike the book, however, the visuals are stunning. The soundtrack is exciting when appropriate, reverent and or sad as the situation calls for. The acting is superb.
Don't fail to purchase the extended DVD and give yourself the experience of a lifetime.
Rating:
Summary: Forget the special features--
Review: --the movie is the draw of this DVD set. This is the version of the film that so many of us wanted to see the first time around. The film that was released was stellar, but this version is brilliant. In the extended DVD, the space and quiet of the books is returned to the sometimes almost-frantic pace of the originally released movie. Ian Holm's performance as Bilbo, as well as Kate Blanchet's Galadriel, are given their due at long last with extended scenes bringing the richness and complexity of their characters into full light. Aragorn's arc is finally fleshed out, with the weight of Arwen's decision resting on him as well as the gradual acceptance that he is not Isildur, but his heir.
For fans of Sean Bean, John Rhys-Davies and Sean Astin, this version of the film will delight as all are allowed to explore the spectrum of their characters further than the original release's time constraints allowed. The whole release is top rich new viewing experience that will ring true to lovers of the trilogy everywhere. I'm looking forward to seeing the special features, but once again, the movie is worth the price of the DVD set alone. The bookends, the tickets, the trading cards, the magazine and the National Geographic DVD are all very well packaged and nice quality. Overall, all the special features and perks from buying the collectors set serve as lovely icing for its centerpiece: the first two DVDS that contain the wonderful new version of cinematic treat Peter Jackson has given Tolkien fans everywhere. My recommendation: BUY IT TODAY.
Rating:
Summary: Great Movie - But
Review: Very nice and excellent movie.
But without George Lucas, there would be no Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring as we know it.
Please bother to watch the 3rd DVD for more info.
Rating: 
Summary: What were they thinking??
Review: Ok I love this movie & I really liked the new added scenes. So why did I only do 2 stars? Because I think it's ridiculous that they split the movie up over 2 DVD's. Most of the time the "special features" are on the second DVD. This time they put "special features" on the first two, & then split up the movie between the first two as well. I do not want to have to change DVD's half way through everytime I watch this. It breaks up the continuity of the movie. I don't know what they were thinking, but this was a really dumb idea.
Rating:
Summary: Great Value/Outstanding DVD
Review: What a terrific value..5 discs, 2 statues, 3 unique cards and a free pass to the next LOTR's film. The additions were significant and worth watching, especially the Lothlorien segments. This is THE classic worth having in its Platinum Edition form.
Rating:
Summary: An incredible DVD, worth the wait and worth every penny
Review: Discs 1 and 2: The feature. Holy cow! Too often the addition of deleted scenes does little to improve a DVD. But it's quite incredible the difference 30 minutes makes to Fellowship of the Ring. To me, the movie feels about the right length now. Remember, this is an epic. While Tom Bombadil is still missing, the additions make great improvements in character; Gimli and Galadriel, Merry and Pippin, all get their characters upsized so that they're closer to the scale they were written in the book. While you still don't feel this version of Merry and Pippin are worth fighting orcs for, there's no doubt that this movie has been enhanced by the addition of the 30 minutes. The transfer is incredible, especially the sound. Even without Discs 3 and 4, the extended edition of the film is worth the price. This, to me, is the definitive version of the film. Discs 3-4: The extras.
Exhaustive study of converting the book into vision and vision into film. I've only started looking at all this stuff and it's a little overwhelming. We're not quite at "too much of a good thing" yet, but it's in sight. I can't comment on this stuff too much because I've only seen about a quarter of it. But I'm glad to have it. Can't wait for "The Two Towers"!
Rating:
Summary: Extended Edition -- WOW!!!
Review: In my opinion, this extended edition of _Fellowship of the Ring_ is the one that should have been released in the theatres. From the beginning, it is just so much better than the tbeatrical release -- and with a theatrical release that was as good as this one, that's saying a lot. As good as _Fellowship_ was, I had a number of problems with it, many of which became more heightened rather than less over time, as the sheer astonishment of seeing Tolkein's world successfully brought to life and filmed wore off a bit. Overall, I just found the production rushed, particularly in the first half of the movie. There was a good deal less character development than I would have liked -- which made things not as clear for people who hadn't read the books -- and a great deal more pure action than I had envisioned. By the time the Fellowship leaves Rivendell, this evens out, but I still consider it a flaw. HOWEVER, the special edition remedies all that. Those extra 30-odd minutes of footage really make the story shine. Just a few extra lines and short scenes per character turn them from gestures of a few brushstrokes to fully fleshed people. I was especially pleased to see the attention given to Boromir (Sean Bean), which really shines a new light on his relationship to Aragorn and his eventual fall, and to Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) which transforms him from an underused and almost laughable character into a soulful poet. Aragorn (the fabulous Viggo Mortensen) also gets some extra time, showing more strongly his fears and doubts, and making his ultimate promise to Boromir all the more powerful. All the extended scenes have the effect of slowing the pacing, which I found all to the good. It gives the film more of a feel of being a real journey over time as well as space, which I think the original release lacked. And it softened some of the things that I did not appreciate so much the first time around, such as the encounter and strife between Gandalf and Saruman. I was not as struck by Christopher Lee's performance so much in the original, but here it really stood out and was as chilling as I wanted. Of course, you get a lot of special bells and whistles, commentaries, closer looks, and all the things a DVD has to offer, and these are fun, too. But the extended edition of the movie alone is worth the price. If theatres showed more of this kind of thing instead of superficial 80-minute dreck, I'd go more often. I watched this less than 12 hours ago and I'd watch it again right now.
Rating:
Summary: 4-Disc Extended Version - Platinum Edition
Review: This is the best DVD I've ever bought, borrowed, or otherwise encountered. If you haven't seen the extended version of this movie, you haven't seen this movie. If you are like me and liked the theatrical version but were less than overwhelmed, you won't believe how much better this version is. If you read no further, here's my bottom line advice: You should certainly buy this A+ DVD, and you should buy it from Amazon[.com] because of the generous [promotion]. When I saw the film in its theatrical version last December, I remember feeling impressed, but I wouldn't have needed any exclamation points to review it. I have read the book(s) at least five times since junior high, and the movie translation was more or less faithful, but it was also a little dull. So, I wasn't in a hurry to buy the first DVD. WOW, am I glad I waited!! (Note: two exclamation marks). The extended version of this film, unlike so many other self-indulgent "director's cuts" is a revelation. I was completely hypnotized. For all its 208 minutes, I didn't want it to end. The special features on this DVD are as good as those of any DVD I have ever seen. Read the Amazon[.com] review above on the bells and whistles. I agree totally and have nothing to add. If you've never purchased a DVD in your life, and you don't intend ever to purchase another, break your own rule and buy this one. I repeat: If you have not seen the extended version, you have *not* seen this movie.
Rating:
Summary: this is one DVD that is worth its weight
Review: I must recommend this new edition. The missing scenes fill in a lot of gaps, make the movie richer, and are inserted expertly. If you're a Tolkien reader, you should definitely get the new edition. Unlike other extended editions, the additional footage didn't slow down the movie. Not a one should have been left out, if not for time constraints. New scenes were added at the beginning of the movie, to set up the tale of the ring and the setting of the Shire, and the gifting scene in Lothlorien is returned. There are many other new moments, many very short, but all will be appreciated. One must wonder if the theatrical release of The Two Towers will take into consideration this new material, or will it have to rely on only the material from the theatrical release? For example, their cloaks, broaches, and Sam's rope were all left out of the theatrical release. Interpersonal relationships between Gimli and Legolas can be fudged, but those items couldn't be and the rope ends up being so important later on. This boxed collection is well worth it. It includes 2 CDs of additional material, and a National Geographic special. The set comes with a roadmap - very necessary. There are also 5 different commentator versions.
Rating: 
Summary: Lord of the Rings, a Magnificent Vision
Review: Gorgeous, a masterpiece, one of the rare examples of one who took the time to get it right, from letting the garden areas of Hobbiton grow into a natural setting to the design of the various weapons used. The vision of Tolkien remains basically unsullied by the showmanship of hollywood. As has been mentioned a few characters are missed, Tom Bombadil especially glaring "Ho Tom Bombadil, Tom Bombadillo!". The beauty of some of the scenery and the Climactic battle in Moria are stunning. One thing I missed is the recital of the poem lines that are inscribed on the One Ring in Rivendell by Gandalf in the language of Mordor; "Ash nazg durbatuluk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrukatuluk, ash durzum-ishi krimpatul" . The biggest shock that comes in the film is the change that comes over Bilbo as he nearly snaggs back the Ring in Rivendell, the transformation of Bilbo from a mild mannered elderly Hobbit to a snarling demon is so shocking that I backed away from my screen in surprise, Bravo, Well done. Buy it. See it. Enjoy it.
Read all the books, including The Hobbit and The Simarillion.
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