Rating: 
Summary: Even better than the original!
Review: This 4 DVD set is truly a masterpiece- Peter Jackson should be proud. The extended movie covers two disks, and the second two are the appendices that have been made simultaeously with the movies. They include documentaries, interviews, and lots of other behind the scene footage to delight fanatics and the casual fan alike.
The extended movie is really a treat for the hardcore fan of LOTR, and clears up a lot of plot issues for the fan who hasn't read the books. 43 minutes of extra footage has been added to the film in the form of totally new scenes that never made it into the film and extended versions of some of the original scenes. There are some great extra bits with Aragorn and Gandalf, but its clear after watching the extended edition that the plotline that really took the biggest hit in the cutting room was the story of Faramir and Boromir, princes of Gondor. There's a lot of extra stuff in here that will really help clear up some of the things that happen later, in the third movie.
The appendices are so fun to watch- its like you were there on the set. Every detail of set design, costuming, location scouting- its all there. It may be a bit tedious for some people, but most of it is pretty interesting even if you don't love the movies. The process of filming such a big movie is a mighty interesting and complicated one, and I personally was dumb-founded at the amazing things they managed to accomplish. The LOTR trilogy is really a landmark in cinematic history and I highly recommend them to everyone, even if they've never heard of Tolkein or they hated the books. True, not everyone needs the extended edition, but it's kind of cool once you have it. You feel like your a part of something big, something amazing, and you are.
Rating: 
Summary: What's all the hub-bub?!?!
Review: I cannot get through 10 minutes of any of these movies. I know some may love them, but I find them so boring. It is all I can do to stay awake during the trailers. I think the effects are awesome, but the story and characters just don't grab me at all.
Rating:
Summary: Do your Research...
Review: I was just commenting on an earlier comment made about information within the DVD. I was reading reviews (not like i really needed to because i know it's going to be great) but someone made mention of C.S. Lewis' aethism and how this person knew that to be false.
For correction, C.S. Lewis was an aethist. I have done some research on Lewis, and if this person would have read something by Lewis or done even a little research, he would have realized that Lewis was an aethist during his lifetime. However, the person isn't totally wrong about Lewis's aethism. C.S. did convert to Christiainity. I just thought I would provide this information, and J.R.R. Tolkien and Lewis did a lot of Christian Fiction together,
Enjoy the DVD!!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Zenith DVD player needs upgraded to play discs 3 and 4
Review: I have a one year old Zenith DVD player and have had to return 2 sets, due to discs 3 and 4 not playing. I have contacted Zenith, and they have told me that my DVD player needs upgraded in order to play these discs and are sending me a software disc to upgrade my unit. For those of you having the same problem, contact the customer service department of your DVD player manufacter. Hopefully, this will solve the problem!
Rating:
Summary: Don't be mistaken...
Review: Most of the people leaving "1 star" ratings are just doing so because of technical mix ups. Please don't be fooled into thinking this film and the two other films are anything short of amazing. While you may walk out of a viewing of this unsure of whether you think it was all that great, when you look at the story as a whole with all three films you realize how great it really is. I am not putting 5 stars because of all the hard work Peter Jackson did or anyone else for that matter. This gets 5 stars from me because I enjoyed it immensely.As to those questioning the extended version's length as compared to the original: International Movie Database (www.imdb.com) has this posted Runtime: 179 min / USA:222 min (special extended edition) So there's you're 40+ minutes of additional footage.
Rating:
Summary: Disservice to C.S. Lewis
Review: I would just like to add a comment about a small part of the documentary features. At the beginning of the first appendix, Colin Duriez, in a discussion of the friendship between Lewis and Tolkein, claims that C.S. Lewis was an atheist. I knew this to be false and I wondered how such a whopper could have made it into the DVD. I did some research and found that Tolkein was instrumental in lewis' conversion back to Christianity. Clearly this statement by Colin Duriez was part of a longer interview that the editors of the DVD did not include. Considering that C.S. Lewis spent most of his professional life writing directly or allegorically in defense of Christianity, to include such a statement, taken out of context and unexplained, in the final version of the DVD undermines the credibility of the scholarship about Tolkein presented elsewhere. I know it is a small point but, even a cursory look into the life of C.S. Lewis should have made the editors realize that claiming Lewis to be an atheist, without further explanation, is incredibly misleading and is a disservice to both Mr. Lewis and Mr. Duriez.
Rating: 
Summary: Why Change the Plot?
Review: I read these books as a teen 20 years ago, and when I saw the movies coming out I was very excited, so I read the books again to prepare. The Fellowship of the Ring was fairly true to the book save some Aragorn/Arwen stuff, so I was very pleased with the first installment and fired up for The Two Towers. I just rented the DVD and it was a huge disappointment. I am no Tolkien geek or anything, but I fail to see the need for all the plot changes. If you knew nothing of the books I think these movies would be hideously boring. For example, you can barely understand a word Treebeard says. If you hadn't read the book you would not be able to follow what the heck he is even talking about (would you know what an "entmoot" is? Of course not). All the other plots and characters would be impossible to follow as well. So that leaves the people who read the books to be most of the paying customers seeing the movie over and over again. So why not just keep the plot the same? As I watched it I kept saying WHAT? I don't remember a Warg battle on the way to Helm's deep. I don't remember Aragorn falling over a cliff. I don't remember Elves showing up at Helm's Deep. I don't remember an orc chasing Merry and Pippin into Fangorn and Treebeard saving them. I don't remember all the endless Arwen scenes that are totally pointless. I don't remember a martial-arts style fight in the Golden Hall. Most of all, the total 180 degree treatment of the Faramir chapter is unbelievable! I was totally disgusted at that point. I am disappointed to read all these rave reviews by people. I was hoping true Tolkien fans would be ready to revolt, but it seems that no one cares. If the books are so boring that you have to liven up the plots by making all these MAJOR changes, then why are they timeless classics read by millions, and will probably go down as some of the most popular books in the history of literature? I am sure Peter Jackson could care less, and in the end he was probably right anyway, judging by the $$$ the films have grossed. But I still think he could have made just as much without butchering the story. I was really excited to see this movie, but now I do not even know if I want to see Return of the King. What's the point? It's not the same story.
Rating:
Summary: What more can you wish?
Review: When "Fellowship of the Ring's" extended edition came out it was every Tolkien fan's and fantasy lover's dream. The added minutes might not have worked in the cinema (where countless people don't want to know every detail about hobbits and their everyday life), but they certainly helped to flesh out the story even more. And now "The Two Towers" extended edition, the most waited DVD of 2003, is finally out with an amazing 40 additional minutes that you can only love. In the first cut of "The Two Towers" it seemed that during the first half Jackson didn't dear or want to give Gollum long moments to speaks and act. Well, guess what? The first extended scene involves a short monologue that foreshadows some of the greatest inner battles in cinema's history. Then more brutality is given to the orcs and finding of Theoden's son is shown. Definitely the best extended scenes involve Faramir and Eowyn. Miranda Otto shows us that she can sing as well as act with a heart-wrenching dirge sung at Theodred's funeral. The added scenes also add to the relationship between Eowyn and Aragorn (as well as some funny moments). Faramir, whose character has been changed the most from his bookform, is given more screen time in flashback/dream sequences that also feature Boromir who was killed during the final confrontation of the first movie. The added scenes help us to understan the difficult relations between the two brothers and their father, the Steward of Gondor. And to top the cake with a cherry, almost 10 minutes have been added to the end of the movie. Showing the aftermath of Helm's Deep battle (the revenge of Huorns) and an extended destruction of Isengaard. Plus, of course, the scene where Merry and Pippin find the food and pipeweed cellars of Saruman. The rest of the discs continue the Rings tradition of offering a breathtaking array of information about the making of the movies, choosing the actors, creating the effects, and staying true to the books. One of the best behind-the-scenes looks of all time. I have to say that I have been a Tolkien fan since childhood but I also must confess that I enjoy Jackson's movies even more than the original books. To me the extended editions are the best Christmas gift and I sure hope that some years from now XXL-deluxe-editions will be released where every movie is 5 hours long. Overall, it is understandable why the added scenes were left out from the theatrical cut, but they sure do make the movie even better. This DVD is a must-buy!
Rating:
Summary: Best DVD collection ever
Review: I felt like bowing to Peter Jackson (and company) after watching the entire extended edition of Two Towers. There is SO much here... and for book lovers, more scenes appear in these versions that you might have been missing. (I loved the "ent draught" scene being added back.) Otherwise, there are at least 9 (NINE!) hours of behind the scenes footage. It's a film student's dream, and a Tolkien fan's fantasy. :) The film itself, of course, is wonderful. What more can I say?
Rating:
Summary: Great film
Review: The Lord of the Rings trilogy is probably the best film trilogy ever. I mean just think about it. All other film trilogies fall apart on the second or third film. The Godfather trilogy was good with the exception of part III. And lets face it, Return of the Jedi wasnt the best movie either. The Matrix 2 and 3 sucked. I could go on and on. But the Lord of the Rings movies are all awesome and each, in my opinion, are worthy of Best movie from the oscars. Here are my opinions on each film. FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING: this actually is probably my favorite of the three movies. I personally think this one has the most sense of actual fantasy and adventure. I love how it starts out so peaceful in the shire and ends so gloomy and depressing at Amon Hen. This film also has the most moments where it lets you watch in awe at all the amazing environments. It got 13 nominations at the academy awards. Is that not awesome?? My favorite scene in the whole trilogy is the treck through Moria. This is a great movie!!! 10/10 TWO TOWERS: This is probably my least favorite of the three. There is so much talking and its kinda boring until the battle of Helms Deep. This film strays the farthest from the books. I mean come on! Frodo never sets foot in Osgiliath in the whole trilogy! The extended version is very good and i personally they should have left the Boromir and Faramir scene in the original cut. This is still a great movie. 8/10 RETURN OF THE KING: This was an awesome movie!!!!!!!! Gollum is my favorite character and I think it was awesomely portrayed. The Pelennor fields scene was awesome! Shelobs lair was aesome! The battle of the black gate was awesome! This movie was awesome! 9/10
Go see it now!
| 
