Rating: 
Summary: So much better than the theater!
Review: We waited 3 extra months to get this extended dvd and boy it was definitely worth the wait. There are so many extra scenes in the movie, it makes all the difference. Fans of the book will be glad that there is more character development and that they show more about the shire, Galadriel's gifts, and 3 different feature length commentaries. People who have not read the book will find this edition of the movie so much clearer and explanatory. I suddenly can't picture the movie lacking these scenes. Plus the 2 extra discs full of features...man I've been watching the movie so much, I haven't even started on those! If you thought you liked the theatrical release, just wait until you see this edition. Except for a few debating issues with the book changes, this dvd is flawless!
Rating:
Summary: A Great Epic Masterpiece Made Even Better!
Review: I thought there was nothing that could make this movie better. I thought that it would be pointless to buy the extended version because the original was already a masterpiece in my mind.I was wrong.... VERY wrong! "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" special extended version is worth EVERY penny! The thirty additional minutes really enrich the film. More character development is seen and the background story is more clear than ever before. It's almost like seeing the film for the very first time. You start to think to yourself, "How in the world could they have left this out of the movie?" This is how the movie should've been in the first place, but it would've probably been a pain to sit through a 3 and a half hour film in the theatres. I am glad that Peter Jackson took great care in releasing an awesome and impressive DVD set that does the film justice. The picture is outstanding, a lot more crystal clear than the original version, which was already really good. I am also happy to report that the sound is MUCH better! No more will you have to fumble around with the volume control. You can actually hear the talking a lot better. That was a previous complaint of mine with the original version. It would be quiet during the talking scenes, and it would be very loud during the action ones. You were constantly fooling around with the volume controls, which took away some of the enjoyment of watching the film. I can assure you that this is much more impressive. You can also watch it in DTS, which is something to experience if you can. It doesn't stop there. There are two additional disks with bonus materials, such as interviews, sketches, documentaries, and more. Audio commentary is included as well. I thought that the documentaries were highly entertaining and interesting. They are really worth checking out. Very, VERY impressive. I could go on and on, but what's the point? If you loved the original version, get this one as soon as you can. You will not regret it for one second, I assure you. The additional 30 minutes or more really do enrich the movie that much more. You will never go back to the original again, that is for sure. This can very well be the DVD collection you have been waiting for. Don't miss this amazing opportunity. This is "Lord of the Rings" as it should've been. I am very pleased, and I am sure I will never watch the original version ever again. A+ all the way!
Rating:
Summary: I thought it couldn't be better.... but now it is!
Review: I wish I could give it 7 stars. I love this movie, there's no other way to put it. I loved the theatrical version and thought that it was the top of what movies can be, but I was wrong because this version is even better. I would have gladly sat through this version (about 3.5 hours) in the theatre. I've only read the first 90% of the Hobbit, so I don't know how well it goes with the book, and I don't know when there's scenes in the movie that aren't in the book, etc, so I can't comment on any of that. I can say though that the movie is perfectly understandable even without having read the book. I thought the theatrical version was awesome, but this version just takes the cake, so to speak. If you're a Lord of the Rings fan then this is a must-see. There's probably no more than 15-20% that's exactly as it was in the theatrical version. I won't mention exactly what's added because I don't want to spoil it. A lot of the added stuff is character related, which I like, and it slows the pace of the movie down a bit (but just a little), which I also like (they are on a long journey, which takes a long time, I think this version shows that better). You also get to see a lot more of the elves and Legolas, which I was very happy about, being a fan of the elves. I watched all the extras (not including the National Geographic disc), and the amount of thought, work, and detail put into the movie is incredible. It's mind-boggling (is that a word?). It's also very interesting to see how they did it, although part of me wishes I didn't know so I could still watch it, awed, thinking "how'd they do that?". I guess something about knowing how they did it takes some mystery out of the film, so if you don't want some of the mystery taken away, don't watch the documentaries on the 2nd bonus disc. The book ends are wonderful, even the box that it all comes in is wonderful, I'm trying to think of a use for it so I don't have to throw it away. :-) It's worth the money to get the gift set, and it would for sure make a great gift to anyone who loves the Lord of the Rings. Very, very highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: A Film and DVD Box Set of Wagnerian Proportions
Review: Simply put, this film and the box set it's now been packaged in is a work of art. You will never need to watch the original again as this new version reveals a level of detail that paints a richer Middle Earth and its characters. But those of us who have both versions will not necessarily be disappointed as there does not appear to be any repetition in the special features. I watched one of the documentaries on the new set and was very impressed with how thorough it was. This is a truly comprehensive set that will satisfy and appeal to everyone from newbies to Tolkien fans. Needless to say the film, and I sense the two to follow, are destined to become classics that will be cherished for generations - more than can be said for last year's good yet not so memorable Oscar winner. I wonder if Jackson will return to film the equally famed prequel, "The Hobbit", as well.
Rating: 
Summary: Annoying problems!
Review: Thus far I've only looked at the two disks containing the movie, not the two with additional material. But Disk 2 of the movie had two bad spots on it (in Chapters 10 and 14) that caused my DVD player to freeze. In each case I had to jump to the beginning of the next chapter, then spend a lot of time "tinkering" to see how much of the previous chapter I could view. (... If I'd bought it in a store I'd exchange it--but I can't imagine myself looking at the whole movie again any time soon, to check whether a replacement DVD was good! Purchasers shouldn't have to be concerned with such things.) I also have a complaint about the film itself: the end titles are too small to be read on a TV screen.
Rating:
Summary: A Miracle of Movie Making
Review: If the theatrical version of this movie was astonishing, then the Extended Edition is simply miraculous. With a brain surgeon's finesse, Jackson has added back in crucial moments of the story that illuminate and flesh out the characters and more clearly delineate the conflicts within the plot. Some additions are mere seconds long, while others are whole scenes. Every one of them is essential. Some are so simple, yet beautiful, they move one to tears; the entire "Lothlorien" sequence is now absolutely ravishing. This movie (specifically, this version) should be required viewing for anyone who works in a "fictional" mode--this is how to tell a grand story on a human scale. If the other two films maintain the same high quality evident in FOTR, Jackson will have established himself as a master filmmaker and storyteller, and will have raised the standard for moviemaking to new heights. Don't rent this one: buy it and watch it over and over again. If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would!
Rating:
Summary: Better than the Theatrical Release
Review: If you have not seen the movie yet, get this version. If you never read the books, some of the character's actions in the original release must seem questionable. In this version, much of that is explained. Yeah - it's long, so stop when Frodo wakes up in Rivendell and watch the rest later. Sorry - no Tom Bombadill in this one either, and "Xenarwen" is still here. I think they really blew it by not including the contest between Gandalf and the Eye when Frodo sat on Amon Sul. It hink that that contest is really one of the most important in the book. Other than that, this is probably the most faithfull treatment of a book I have ever seen. Here's too hoping that Xenarwen does not replace the Lady Eowyn entirely. The one second look at Treebeard in the trailer looked great!
Rating:
Summary: Lord of the Rings is even better!!!
Review: I absoulotely love this set!!! The extended version is much more better than the regular theatrical version! You care about the characters more because the movie gets much more involved with them. I love the new scene where Sam and Frodo watch the Elves leave and where Galadriel gives the gifts to all of the characters, unlike the theatrical cut which only shows Frodo's gift giving scene. The battles are now much more intense especially at Balin's Tomb and the end battle sequence. We also see a new battle where Isildur hides using the ring from the people who are trying to retrieve it. The extras are SO GOOD. They are not just boring little extras but interesting features that takes you through the making of this great film! I highly recommend this set. It is the best special edition dvd ever made!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Great DVD set, but why is there no Full Screen Version
Review: Great DVD. Loved the extra scenes. However a full screen version would have made people with smaller TV sets a lot happier.
Rating:
Summary: Oh, My "Lord."
Review: Before I sing my praises, let me first admit, with slight embarrassment, that I haven't read a single page of the Tolkien books on which "Lord of the Rings" is based. But that didn't prevent me from appreciating this movie. Quite simply, I was literally blown away. Quite possibly the greatest epic adventure since "Lawrence of Arabia," "Lord of the Rings" thrills, captivates, enthralls, and entertains you from start to finish. It's the great fantasy adventure that "Harry Potter" should have been (and can never be). I saw the extended 3.5 hour version late Friday night, and I watched every frame of the movie until 3:00 in the morning because I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. You can tell that director Peter Jackson invested a lot of love into this project through the scenery, the performances, the breathtaking action sequences, and the pacing. Elijah Wood is badly underrated as Frodo, who along with his cohorts, begins an adventure in which he protects a ring with magic powers against various forces of evil. Viggo Mortensen and Sir Ian McKellen also shine tremendously, especially McKellen, who was robbed of a Supporting Actor Oscar. Unfortunately, women don't have much of a presence in this movie, though Cate Blanchett and Liv Tyler make the best of their underwritten roles. When "Lord of the Rings" first came out in DVD in August, I deliberately avoided the 2-disc version, for I knew that a deluxe edition was forthcoming. And while the pricetag is somewhat steep, it is worth every dime. I never saw the original theatrical release, but the 3.5 hour version passes along nicely and never drags. If there is one DVD you must buy this year, this one is certainly it. It's bound to be remembered as a beloved classic, and having finally seen it, I now eagerly await the next two "LOTR" films.
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