Rating: 
Summary: 3-pack of original theatrical versions
Review: This package contains the same stand alone releases of the original theatrical versions of the movie, and not of the extended editions.
Rating:
Summary: THE BEST TRILOGY EVER SINCE STAR WARS'S FIRST TRILOGY
Review: Well, what can I say?, at last a have the three greatest movies ever made in this decade, besides star wars first trilogy, LORD OF THE RINGS, it's a movie that will remain forever in our lives and you'll never get tired to see them over and over again, it's like traveling into another world, and i'm glad that THE RETURN OF THE KING WON THE OSCAR NOMINATIONS, including best picture. The performances, the places, especially the music written by Howard Shore, makes THE LORD OF THE RINGS an incredible and unforgettable experience that will stay forever in your mind and life. DON'T LOOSE TIME, BUY THE TRILOGY AT ONCE!!!!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: undeniable
Review: A casual viewer of the Lord of the Rings movie Trilogy may or may not appreciate what goes into the production of something of this magnitude. The DVD 'appendices' try to explain in what detail they can. All I know is I tip my hat to the exhaustive efforts of all involved in the making the Trilogy, especially Peter Jackson, WETA Workshop and the cast of characters. Lest not we forget one J.R.R. Tolkien in his brilliance, also. I will also admire New Line Cinema for having the confidence to invest in the vision and possibilities that Jackson displayed.
Owning the Trilogy is owning cinematic history. A tale renowned globally, even if it had to be modified for certain movie realities. A few ground-breaking visual effects in some areas(and otherwise all totally seamless). An ensemble cast that made Tolkien's oft-poetic dialog plausible and moving.
I can find few words to justify how grateful that novels of this scope were treated with the respect worthy of its author from the making of this movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Boring *3
Review: Fine, the movies of LOTR are really beautifully done. Beautiful scenes and breathtaking angles. Its all so beautifully dont, with costumes and effects but you can't help feel bored with each movie. Its like well, sometimes someone in the film cries. You take pity right? Well you won't after 20 minutes of crying. It gets boring. Its not really action packed and just goes monotonously in a straight line. Unlike the better series for me Harry Potter, which is not boring at all but very engaging and climactic. The lord of the rings series is so unticlimactic i often pray for it to end quickly in the cinema. And Elijah Wood is so over acting with the eye flutter an all. And at the end he won't just let go of the ring into the volcano. Its all boring. With this special bundle pack, its boreddom times three
Rating:
Summary: GREAT TRILOGY: ALL SPECIALFEATURES LISTED
Review: At over 2-3 hr movies some poeple might think that they would get boring to watch but it really doesn't. I think they should've made 6 LOTR movies. Have each of the three movies split in half. Having won a ton academy awards you can't say these movie were bad. These are the one of the best trilogies made so far and has the best special effects ever. Gollum is awesome. The fight scenes are awesome. The acting is awesome. The movies star Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Sean Astin, and Viggo Mortensen plus many other great actors. The music is by Howard Shore. The best part is that its 6 discs.The special features are not listed for this type of set so here they are below listed for each movie separately. LORD OF THE RINGS-THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS:SPECIAL FEATURES DOCUMENTARIES:
-Welcome to Middle-earth
-The Quest for the Ring
-A Passage to Middle-earth FEATURETTES:
-Finding Hobbiton
-Hobbiton Comes Alive
-Believing the World of Bree
-Ringwraiths: The Fallen Kings
-Rivendell: The Elven Refuge
-Languages of Middle-earth
-Two Wizards
-Music of Middle-earth
-Elijah Wood
-Viggo Mortensen
-Orlando Bloom
-Cate Blanchett
-Liv Tyler
-Ian McKellen
-Weathertop: The Windy Hill -Exclusive 10-minute behind-the-scenes preview of The Two Towers -Enya "May It Be" music video
-An inside look at the Special Extended DVD Edition of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
-Preview of Electronic Arts' video game, The Two Towers
-DVD-ROM features: Exclusive online content
-Theatrical trailers THE LORD OF THE RINGS-THE TWO TOWERS:SPECIAL FEATURES Documentaries:
-On the set of the Two Towers
-Return to Middle Earth Featurettes:
-Forces of Darkness
-Sounds of Middle Earth
-Edoras and Rohan Culture
-Gandalf the White
-Creatures
-Helm's Deep
-Arms and Armor
-Gollum Short film by Sean Astin
-The Long and Short of It -Emiliana Torrini "Gollum Song" music video
-10 minute behind-the-scenes preview of "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"
-Preview of the video game, "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"
-A look at the Special Extended DVD Edition of "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers"
-Theatrical trailers
-DVD ROM Features: Exclusive online content LORD OF THE RINGS-RETURN OF THE KING:SPECIAL FEATURES The Quest Fulfilled
-A Director's Vision, an In-Depth Program. A Filmaker's Journey
-Making the Return of the King. National Geographic Special
-The Lord of the Rings
-The Return of the King Featurettes
-Aragon's Destiny
-Minas Tirith:Capital of Gondor
-The Battle of Pelenor Fields
-Samwise the Brave
-Eowyn: White Lady of Rohan
-Digital Horse Doubles
-Original Theatrical Trailers, Supertrailers, Tv Spots, The Lord of the Rings Supertrailer, and a special look at The Lord of the Rings Series of Video Games. If you do not own any LOTR movies I recommed you buy this LOTR trilogy set.
Rating:
Summary: An epic for our times
Review: J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy was considered unfilmable for a very long time -- the story was too big, too fantastical. But in the late 1990s, New Zealand director Peter Jackson got the green light to shoot the "Lord of the Rings" movie trilogy. The rest is film history. "The Fellowship of the Ring" introduces us to the hobbits. Eccentric old Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm) leaves the peaceful Shire at his 111st birthday, leaving all he has to his young nephew Frodo (Elijah Wood) -- including a golden Ring that makes the wearer invisible. But the grey wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) reveals that it's actually the One Ring, which is the source of power for the demonic Dark Lord Sauron. Horrified, Frodo and his best pals leave the Shire and join a band of elves, men, and dwarves to take the Ring to the only place where it can be destroyed. "The Two Towers" picks up immediately after "Fellowship" ends. Frodo and Sam (Sean Astin) are lost on the path to Mordor. Worse, they're being stalked by Gollum (Andy Serkis), who owned the Ring for centuries and is enslaved to it. But because he knows safe ways into Mordor, Frodo lets Gollum come along. Elsewhere, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) make a desperate stand against the orc armies with the kingdom of Rohan.... "Return of the King" brings the trilogy to a head. Frodo and Sam's friendship is threatened by Gollum's trickery -- and Frodo is led into a deadly trap. Elsewhere, Gandalf rides with Pippin (Billy Boyd) to Gondor, the kingdom that Aragorn is heir to. Aragorn summons an army of ghosts and attacks the heart of Mordor -- as Frodo and Sam arrive at the volcanic Mount Doom, where the Ring was forged. But can Frodo bring himself to destroy the Ring? A lot of people were nervous when first hearing that "Lord of the Rings" was being translated onto the big screen. There were just too many things (goofy scripting, bad special effects, mutilated characters) that could go wrong. Those fears turned out to be pretty much unfounded. Some characters are different from what they are in the book (Faramir and Arwen, for example), and some are gone altogether. Jackson and Co. outdid themselves with nearly every aspect of the films. The scripting is impeccable, a good balance of dark and light, humor and horror. The sets and New Zealand landscapes are breathtaking. The battle scenes are bloody and exciting. All the trappings -- clothes, jewelry, even beer mugs -- are realistic. And the special effects are almost entirely convincing-looking, especially the gruesome Gollum. He's the first fully convincing CGI character! Elijah Wood is outstanding as Frodo Baggins. He runs the emotional gamut: fear, pain, horror, happiness, resignation, rage, love, lust and emptiness. Sean Astin is equally good as the steadfast Sam, Frodo's best friend. Supporting hobbits Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd get to grow up into mature hobbits, and Ian McKellen is excellent as the grandfatherly wizard Gandalf. Viggo Mortensen, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Liv Tyler, John Rhys-Davies, Orlando Bloom and Sean Bean are only part of the amazing supporting cast, all of whom give excellent performances. The movie adaptation of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy has been accepted by most fans and critics alike. Why? Because the trilogy is among the best movies ever put to film. A stunning achievement.
Rating:
Summary: like an anime OAV, see this as a re-telling
Review: ...and not the exact stories in the books and you'll be happier. But the thing is, I can't. I like the films--visually stunning effects & imagery, soundtrack and all. I've tried to live with the fact that certain "Hollywood formulas" have to be followed in order for the producers to get their money's worth, but the last installment of the epic film (please don't call it a Trilogy, ever) was a total let down. Just when I was learning to accept the fact that the film's focus is on the WARS--after all, Tolkien conceived parts of the stories while in the field himself (as opposed to the more scholarly focus on history & language in the books), old PJ skimps and makes a mockery of "the last great alliance of elves and men" (Aragorn fought side-by-side the sons of Elrond, among other elves). So this film fails in that one vision it had tried to serve up from the beginning.
I've seen the theatrical releases but collect the extended edition dvd's. More material just tie the loose ends together better.
Rating:
Summary: ONE OF THE BEST MOVIE TRILOGIES OUT THERE!!!
Review: I should start by saying that I enjoyed these movies VERY much.
Yet I was also frustrated by how Jackson and his creative partners seemed time and again to substitute Hollywood cliche in place of an unstinting fidelity to the great poetic vision of J.R.R. Tolkien.
I'm not a niggler, who'll pick at this detail and that as not being the same. At times, Jackson's additions are wonderful--especially when they added to the poetic nature of the story. Gandalf whispering to a moth atop Isengard. The vision of Arwen weeping beside the grave of Aragorn, and wandering alone in the forests of Lothlorien. Theoden reciting poetry just before he rides out to battle at Helm's deep. Each of these sent a chill up my spine.
Yet Jackson and his writers apparently felt that Tolkien's book was insufficiently exciting. He throws in lots of extra fighting. When Gandalf is imprisoned at Isengard, the two wizards have a knock-down drag out zapping contest. When Gandalf and company arrive at Meduseld, they have to knock a few heads together while Gandalf heals Theoden. A whole extra battle with the Warg-riders on the way to Helm's deep is thrown in (the whole episode of Aragorn's disappearance is also pure invention), and on and on.
All the bad guys have to be hyped--in ways that fundementally change our view of them. In Tolkien, Saruman was never a true ally of Sauron--rather he was trying to, perhaps logically from a certain point of view--use the Ring to set himself up and eventually vanquish Sauron. And Theoden was merely a beaten down old man, decieved by Worm-tongue, not physically "possessed" by Saruman! Same with Denathor, who's portrayed in the film as a really creepy guy with extremely bad table manners. Tolkien would be appauled.
Another problem Jackson seems to have with Tolkien is that he is insufficiently feminist. Turning the etherial vision of Arwen, as she is glimpsed by the hobbits at Rivendell, into an action hero, as is done in "Fellowship" undercuts Tolkien's worldview, as does the treatment of Eowyn. Jackson portrays her as one in a line of "shield maidens" of Rohan, who takes her rightful place alongside the men. In Tolkien, her desire to go to battle is a kind of madness--engendered by her unrequited love for Aragorn, and healed when she falls in love with Faramir. Jackson also wants to pump up the drama and conflict when it comes to his female characters. Thus he has Arwen agree to return across the sea, and Aragorn be tempted by Eowyn--both at odds with the original classic. Plus, what was all that about Arwen "starting to die"?
Anyone having seen these films must recognize that some of the novel's characters and plot lines had to be cut. But I resent every minute given to all these extra plot lines and additional fighting when I think of some of the things that were excluded, such as the Houses of Healing and the romance between Faramir and Eowyn.
Also Hollywood cliche is pandered to. There is certainly some humor in Gimli's character in Tolkien. But he's turned into the "funny side-kick" in this telling, with all the anachrononistic references to "dwarf-tossing" among other things. And the characters are given throw away lines equivalent to Schwarzenegger's "Hasta la vista baby" in "Termanator II". In Tolkien, Eowyn facing the Nazgul is a poignant scene, and when she says, "You look upon a woman, Eowyn I am, Eomund's daughter!", the feeling was a world away from her motion picture counterpart's in-your-face, "I'M NO MAN!!"
I could give as many examples again, but you get my point. I'm looking forward to the viewing the extended editions, though from what I've heard, they include both things that were in Tolkien, and things which were not (such as a completely different death for Saruman). Maybe I'll write another review after I've seen them.
We owe much gratitude to Peter Jackson for these movies. I just wish he's gone the extra mile in preserving the chivalrous spirit of Tolkien's masterpiece.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent, but ...
Review: The only reason I have given 4 stars is because the special extended versions are one star better!
Let's face it, these films are excellent. However, the special extended versions are a much better choice. The special extended versions give at least an extra half hour of material and this extra material helps round out the films and makes some things more easily or fully understandable.
I cvannot comprehend why anybody would not get the special extended versions instead of the normal ones.
Rating:
Summary: Not My Goblet of Tea
Review: I did not seek out these movies, because I never could get into D&D costume flicks. I suppose that the closest I came to being a potential reveller in these movies is that I am a fan of Ronnie James Dio's album "Slaying the Dragon," but that really is quite a stretch.
First of all, the cinematography is gorgeous: Lots of light streaming in nooks and crannies and crevices. A lot of muted tones of pewter, forest green and cobalt blue -- it made me wonder why Peter Jackson didn't have it filmed in black and white; would have made more sense, but most people have an irrational aversion to black and white, particularly those who are epic movie flicks.
The costumes and sets were very good and very believeable, as were the special effects. Lots of Indiana Jones stuff, but without Indiana Jones.
Mostly, though, my chief complaint is with the script and the acting. I'm sure glad that there was one reviewer here to tell me that this trilogy was about good and evil. I sort of got that from Elijah Wood running aroud everywhere toting this gold ring which has supernatural, but very unlucky powers. He really wants to get rid of it bad, sort of like a Medieval "Talking Tina" doll.
There's only one way to totally get rid of it, though, and that's why what otherwise would have been a half-hour "Twilight Zone" episode has been turned into a mini-series Renaissance faire that's longer than Wagner's (coincidentally) Ring cycle.
Actually, this plot would have been better as a Star Trek episode. After an hour of the ring causing Tribbles in the cargo hold and invading Klingons, Jim Kirk could have soliloquy'd: "Got....to....get....rid...of...ring," whereupon Spock would have replied, "Captain, the logical course of action is to send it back to the jeweler, and get a refund. It's still under warranty."
However, this collection of celluloid deals with nerds before the advent of daily bathing, though I often wonder, "did this fellowship of crusaders get their perfect 21st century teeth because the ring comes with a comprehensive dental plan?"
The main weakness of this movie is the acting. Sure, Sir Lord Knight Ian MacKellen gives a believeable performance as the Old Guy in the Witches Hat. The rest of the movie, however, consists of a bunch of pretty fair haired lads and lasses who impart inscrutable piffle to each other in the form of deeply profound sounding monologues, delivered in a deeply anesthetizing monotone. Everything is so gosh darned deep and weighty, but when these folks lock their glassy Jim Jones Unification Church eyes, we in the audience are sure to know: "Ah ha! Here comes another clue! Now we can get out our Little Orphan Bilbo decoder rings to try and figure out just what in Hades they're talking about!"
Now, this may be my fault. When I was in high school, I scoffed at the D&D playing, "Chronicles of Narnia" reading, Hobbit horse nerds. I was a more socially well-adjusted nerd, belonging to the far more sensible backgammon club and into new wave music like Devo and Duran Duran. So, I can't exactly relate to all this knights of the ringtable esoterica. So, if you're inclined to be one who's into this sort of thing, I'm sure it will have you on the edge of your seat, comparing the movie to the book.
But, for the unconverted, I really wish that the actors had been primed for these pictures by being forced to watch movies by Errol Flynn, Charlton Heston, Laurence Olivier and Orson Welles, to see how to breathe some life into their anemic performances. My God, it was as though the whole cast somnambulated their way through the script on Prozac. Heston wouldn't have done it that way. Oh, no: He would have had a "damn it all to hell, you damn dirty apes are all made out of soylent green!" moment or two.
Orson Welles would have waddled through the enchanted forest, drawling in Southern dialect some about how the corrupt ring could be bribed, and the dashing Olivier and Flynn would have swashbuckled away the dragons and flying monkeys from Wizard of Oz without even getting a run in their tights.
But, that would have been seen in this sophisticated era as less profound and more entertaining. Entertaining don't get Oscars nowadays.
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