Rating: 
Summary: AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!
Review: Another viewer from Los Angeles, CA said it best when they wrote:I just got The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers (Special Extended DVD Edition). I have an DVD player which plays the movie just fine (discs 1 and 2), but won't play discs 3 and 4, which are the appendices of the set. The discs in question are not defective because I'm watching them right now on my PC. OR ARE THEY?! Are these discs encoded with something new that hinders play on some units? Will New Line offer any help with this? My DVD player has never had a problem playing ANY other DVDs (including all four discs of The Fellowship of The Ring: Special Edition) but with discs 3 and 4 of TTT: Special Edition the TV screen is blank (black) while the unit jostles back and forth between titles 1 and 2 of the menu trying to figure out what to do. Apparently, I'm not the only one to experience this. On Amazon.com others have reported the same problems. I've sent a version of this concern to New Line and to www.lordoftherings.net. I should suggest that other consumers having issues like this do the same. Perhaps the problem will be tended to. Haven't heard back so far....
As a loyal fan who owns both versions of both movies, I'll be returning THIS set until someone sorts it all out. Wow, after all of the work that went into packaging, marketing, and the movie itself you think they would've been a little more thorough with something like DVD compatibilty/playability. And after all of that anticipation...just ridiculous. HEY, NEW LINE...GET IT TOGETHER!
Rating: 
Summary: All the storyline that was cut for the theatrical release.
Review: This edition of the movie adds to the theatrical release by adding desperately needed characterization that was missing from the version released in theaters.
Rating: 
Summary: Much Better!
Review: This version, while not as much an improvement as the extended version of Fellowship was, is still vastly improved from the theater cut. With one exception, the extra bits add so much to the story that they alter the story itself in some ways. The additions were things I missed from the original. Scenes made less sense when they were cut; the added pieces that brought out the characters in new and more enlightening ways were put back in. This version is far more true to the story and far less dark in theme. No spoilers, just hints: Now you understand the horse that comes to Aragorn as he lays in the river; the aftermath of the flood of the valley by the ents; more about Frodo and Sam leaving the beseiged city; more about the story behind Faramir, his brother and his father. Just more, all around. And it's a beautiful case. I suppose the extras are nice too, but all I wanted was the full version of the movie. The other cut is like when you import a movie or TV show to one country from another, and the censors cut pieces out: it just doesn't make as much sense, and it tends to be awkward. This shouldn't be called "extended", since it seems to be more the way it was meant to be seen. Fair warning: it's split in two (definitely a good thing), since you'll need that potty & snack break.
Rating:
Summary: Added footage improves film, adds character development
Review: As with the Fellowship, the extended version of Two Towers is actually better, more coherent, a bit closer to Tolkien and more fully realized in its vision than the version seen in theaters a year ago. My only complaint, the anachronistic use of the term "nervous system" when the word "head" would have sufficed (you'll know to what I refer when you see it in the added footage). Otherwise, the added footage better develops the characters and the story as I'm sure J.R.R.T. would have preferred. The two Appendices DVDs showing how every aspect of the film was made are wonderful, informative and entertaining in their own right. The documentary on how Gollum came to the screen is especially interesting. There are also explanations by the writers on how and why they altered part's of Tolkien's novel for the film, and while I didn't agree with the reasons for all of the changes (and you may not either) it was interesting and some consolation to get these concise explanations directly from the screenwriters. If you did not like the changes to the story when you saw this film in the theater last year then you won't like this extended version any better, but if you enjoyed it then you'll likely find this version even more engrossing and enjoyable on repeated viewings. If you buy the Gift Set you'll get the extended version DVD set plus you'll also get a beautiful Gollum collectible resin figure and another DVD about it and other collectibles. If you just can't get enough Lord of the Rings then go for it. Frodo lives!
Rating:
Summary: This version of The Two Towers has one my heart.
Review: I have been a fan of "The Lord of the Rings" since the age of twelve, when I was a lonely, awkward middle schooler being teased for reading "fairy tales". Now just three weeks away from the day I've been waiting for for eight years, I just want to say a few words on the Extended Version of The Two Towers. I loved the theatrical version of "Fellowship of the Ring". I loved the extra scenes of "FOTR", though at times certain additions felt slightly clunky and awkward to the movie's artistic balance. I loved the theatrical version of "The Two Towers", though at times the reasoning behind certain changes utterly alluded me and missing scenes saddened (partiucularly in regards to Treebeard). I was very much excited about the prospect of seeing those scenes reintroduced in extended version of "TTT", but I also expected it to feel slightly unwieldly like longer "FOTR". But it didn't. I would have to say the Extended TTT has been, so far, my favorite of all installments and versions of the movie to date. With the exception of maybe one or two scenes, the whole thing felt perfectly paced, it was gratifying and fulfilling and I only wish it could have been released in a form closer to this in theaters last year. I still don't like the Arwen dream sequence, but at least there are more scenes separating it from the Arwen flashback, which makes it less of a dry space in the middle of the movie. I still kind of miss the novel's version of Faramir, but I have also come to love the movie version of him just as much -- the flashback to Boromir, Denethor and Osgiliath was beautifully directed and beautifully acted by all involved. The extras are wonderful. They show not only the achievements of the filmmakers and actors, but also the failures, the hard times, and the bad moments -- something which often gets forgotten in making of documentaries for big epic films. You really are able to appreciate how very much Peter Jackson, Barrie Osborne, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Richard Taylor, Howard Shore, and all involved, had to dance on a knife edge to keep the production of this particular movie in balance. By the time I had watched all 12 hours of extras, I felt almost as exhausted as they must have, after turning in the final cut of TTT, finished only at the eleventh hour. And let's not forget the easter egg in this particular set, Gollum's hilarious MTV acceptance speech. My jaw was on then floor!
Rating: 
Summary: Ow.
Review: The extra footage, if at all possible, made this film worse. I didn't like it the first time around because of Peter Jackson's obvious and glaring carelessness toward the original story. For many many months I had no desire to see the extended version because I thought that if the theatrical version had what they thought was GOOD, I didn't want to see what they thought could be spared. I haven't seen all of the extra scenes yet, but what I have makes me never want to see the Two Towers ever again. The added scenes give us a supremely weird and unfunny exchange between Merry and Pippin fighting over Entish water and Pippin burping in Entish (what a riot. You know, the one thing I always thought was missing from Tolkien's novels was disgusting body functions, like Gimli talking about squirrel crap.) and then having them get caught in a tree; the tree bit being an episode with Tom Bombadil from Fellowship. I'm glad they put in more of Tree Bombadil, but they still crapped up his character. And now Faramir is not only a dope, but a huge snivelly whiner who mopes around for the approval of his outrageously evil father Denethor (actual line from the movie: "I'll send the son who WON'T fail me." He just needs to twist a little black mustache and start cackling to perfect the crusty old villain role). Nevermind that in the book, it was Boromir who wanted to go on the quest. I guess Peter Jackson skimmed over the novel and thought, "Well, these characters don't have personalities that are developed enough. I'm going to paint them in as broad and ludicrous strokes as possible." There's also a scene explaining Aragorn's age, which is interesting information, but completely unhelpful and it also includes some unrelentingly stupid humor involving Eowyn's inability to cook (ha ha ha). I can't remember if it was in the theatrical release, but this film also includes Eowyn bursting into song at the funeral of her cousin: apparently they only have four notes in Rohan, and you must sing them all over and over and over. I think I would have remembered it if it was in the film originally, since my whole family and I started to snicker uncontrolably when she sang. Miranda Otto has the biggest forehead I have ever seen. This may seem like unimportant information to you, but this is the sort of thing I noticed while watching the film, since absolutely nothing else of interest was going on to engage my brain in thought. The rest of my cognition consisted of a train of thought like this: "Ow. ow. ow. ow. ow. OW. OW. OW! What have you done to this GOOD STORY, PETER JACKSON!?! DAMN YOU!" Bottom line: if you liked the theatrical release, you'll probably like the extended edition.
Rating:
Summary: Five stars for the film, four stars for the added footage
Review: I'm a huge "Lord of the Rings" geek. I've seen both films countless times and I've read the books twice. Though it was an excellent movie, I was somewhat upset with the theatrical cut of "The Two Towers" for not following the book. That is somewhat remedied in the Special Edition, which has some nice extras. There is between 30 and 45 minutes of added footage (I've heard various numbers and I didn't bother to time it), and for the most part I loved it. There are some scenes that add nothing to the film and probably should have stayed cut from the film- a nightime conversation between Aragorn and Gandalf and a final goodbye between Faramir and Frodo are the most glaring examples. However, the character of Faramir is finally given some justice in the Special Edition, as he's shown as a more complex and conflicted character (unfortunately, it still takes him a while to let Frodo and Sam go). I also loved the added footage of Merry and Pippin with Treebeard- look for references to the cut Tom Bombadil scene from "Fellowship". Overall, the characters are better fleshed out, and their interaction with one another is far more interesting than it had been in the theatrical cut. I'd definitely recommend the Special Edition to fans of the book. It overall feels much more like a Tolkien product than the theatrical cut, and adds some scenes that they would have liked to have seen in the original cut. However, the more casual fans of "Lord of the Rings" who only like the action may want to stick with the theatrical cut- the Special Edition has a lot more talking than fighting. Me being a book fan, I absolutely loved this version.
Rating:
Summary: Who Cares About Discs Three And Four?!
Review: The Special Extended DVD Edition of 'Lord of the Rings: Two Towers' is excellent even though discs three and four won't work on most DVD players (including mine). Hey! Discs three and four are only boring special features anyway: which is what one of my best friends told me. What really matters is the movie itself. The Extended Edition "movie" is really good and is even better than the original version because of the amazing extra scenes that are from the book. I highly recommend that you buy this great product!
Rating:
Summary: How?
Review: How could Peter Jackson possibly equal the excellence of the first video? I'm so pleased to see that he kept so close to the original direction of the books and always kept Tolkein fans, and their opinions in mind. If the amazing sets don't wow you, passionate performances by Viggo Mortenson, Liv Tyler, Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom, and Ian McKellan will definitely do it for you. The production, direction, sets, costumes, and acting are all five-star and there's not one thing I would change about the movie.
Rating:
Summary: Filling in the Gaps
Review: Although the originally released version still stays quite true to the book, I'm sure that other die-hard Tolkien fans out there will love the added bits of storyline that are cleverly weaved in in this extended version. Also included are multimedia appendices that include a video enhanced atlas that shows the journeys of the broken fellowship.
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