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.
Rating: 
Summary: Incredible Extended DVD
Review: This review is of ASIN: B000067DNF (THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING - EXTENDED VERSION)LOTR: FOTR has just been released as a 4-disc, extended version -- a 3 hour film on 2 discs, plus 2 extra behind-the-scenes discs. I am happy to report that this extravanganza has been executed very well, with as much care as the theatrical film received, and it is well worth the extra money. I've been watching the film, the bonus materials, and listening to the audio comments for over a week now! There is a lot here. The discs are so comprehensive and incredible. My favorite behind-the-scenes documentaries are "Scale", which deals with the movie magic employed to make hobbits hobbit-sized. Fascinating! I also enjoyed the documentary on "Digital Grading", which is the "photoshop" process that the entire film went through -- it is amazing how the images can be manipulated. "Book to Screen", and the Alan Lee and John Howe docuementary are just as good. The film itself has been extended by 1/2 hour. The new footage (which is marked on the chapter menus) is seamlessly integrated. There is a completely new beginning (following the Second Age prologue)! "Concerning Hobbits" immediately roots the film in Tolkien's writings. There's more surprised: we get to *see* the Sacksville-Baggins!! There is a charming scene with Frodo and Sam at the beginning of their journey - they talk about never getting used to sleeping on the ground, which is quite poignant when you think of the journey ahead of them. I could go on ... the extended film is really incredible! My favorite thing about the set is that is it handsomely produced. From the packaging to the menus, this is a first class keepsake! The menus are charming and feature a book motif - the book "opens up" to the chapters, which reflect Tolkien's chapter names, etc. Very cool! I can't tell you how remarkable this is. One wishes all films released to DVD could be this thoroughly prepared. Peter Jackson is omnipresent on the DVD. One can feel the overwhelming love for this project -- from the big screen to the small screen, Jackson's care is palatable.
Rating:
Summary: Thoroughly satisfying!
Review: Wonderful--the Extended Edition is a must-see! Any Tolkien fan will be gratified by the inclusions presented herein. From little tidbits missing from the theatrical version ("Look Mr. Frodo--it's Mr. Bilbo's Trolls!) to greatly enhanced characterization of many characters, I was utterly delighted.
I do not want to throw out any spoilers, but the extended treatments of the Shire & Lothlorien are far superior to the originals...and yes, Lobelia Sackville-Baggins is portrayed as QUITE curdling...
Rating: 
Summary: A DVD can hold up to 4 hours on a side
Review: I will never buy this DVD because it's unnecessarily spread over 2 disks. The original was about 3 hours, the extended version has about 30 minutes of extra footage. The only reason this is split on 2 DVDs is to include director's commentary that I could do without. That is too much of a trade off to have to get up half way through to swap disks.
Rating:
Summary: Better than the film version!
Review: I won't go into describing what the film is about, instead I'll focus on the extended version. This is by far the better version than the past DVD or the film. There is more of a completeness to the film and the added scenes just flow even better with Tolkien's vision. For example it begins with Bilbo explaining Hobbits which was a very nice touch, right away you feel more for the main characters. And Hobbits sing in this version! More is revealed in Aragorn's dilemma and anguish and so on. You really get a sense that maybe Tolkien had a hand in guiding Peter Jackson in this newly edited version. And there is a whole lot of additional material that blows away all others bonus materials. I only know of 2 DVDs, this being one and the Matrix being the other that validates why I bought a DVD player.
Rating:
Summary: EXTENDED Version Review
Review: W00t.
The extended version of Fellowship of the Ring is definitely the version that should have been in the theatres... This version gives you a much warmer Cate Blanchett, not to mention more lines for Celeborn - he doesn't look like such a [weirdo] in this version, either... The gift-giving scene was intercut with the departure of the Fellowship from Lothlorien, which I felt gave it more poignancy. One mistake in the gifts was that Sam didn't get the box of soil and the mallorn seed, nor did Boromir get anything, but I still think they did a great job on this. Speaking of Boromir, his character development gets more attention in the extended version. Since Boromir is my favourite character, the flawed hero with the best of intentions, I was glad to see more of his heroic side drawn out, in addition to more interaction with Aragorn.
The other thing I was excited to see was the Midgewater Marsh scene, and Aragorn singing the Lay of Luthien. In Elvish. Wow.
And the Sackville-Bagginses! Definitely setup for the third movie, when Frodo will return home to find Lotho in his house Hobbiton gets a lot more attention, and I think the beginning of the movie is the part that was edited most extensively. The attention here is really very loving, narrated by Bilbo ) with an indulgent humour.
There was other humour, as well. You see more interaction between Gimli and Legolas, and Frodo gets a cute little line as the Fellowship leaves Rivendell. Not to mention the humour of Bilbo's reaction to the S-Bs.
All-in-all, the Extended Version is AMAZING. I highly recommend watching it straight through, rather than looking at your menu and watching only the extended or new scenes. This watches like a whole new movie. Peter Jackson rearranged bits of the theatre version and interlaced them with new scenes--it's really very seamlessly done, and an exciting viewing experience. I didn't get a chance to listen too closely to the additional score, but my first impression is not entirely favourable regarding that--but it could just be because I know the soundtrack by heart, and Howard Shore tampered with some of my favourite bits. So I can't render an opinion yet about whether the music is good or not. (
An unexpected plus with my ext. ver. DVD is movie cash good for one free admittance to The Two Towers, beginning on opening night! Can't wait - at least the first of my anticipated six or eight viewings of TTT will be free!
Rating:
Summary: Thank You PJ & New Line
Review: Now THIS is what movies are supposed to be like! Although the theatrical version was well beyond my expectations for bringing such a complex (yet simple) story to the screen, the extended version of the film far outweighs the original release. The additional scenes and dialog are not scraps from the cutting room floor, but truly add to the characters and advance the story. As excited as I was to receive the theatrical version DVD, I fear it will now gather dust on the shelves as I can't imaging watching it without the added footage. The extended version now provides the feel of time passing and improved continuity from one scene to the next. The characters are richer and you are able to connect a bit more with them than in the theatrical presentation. One feature that is not mentioned in the product detail is that the Charter Members of the Official Fan Club are listed at the end of the movie credits. This nod to the fans takes approximately 19 minutes with legible fonts and respectful scroll speed. This is just another touch that Mr. Jackson has added that indicates that this movie (series) was not just created for the mass market, but was created by fans and for the fans of this timeless and epic novel. The Collector's Edition is nicely done. The storage case is constructed as a book-style weathered faux leather case which looks perfect on the shelf with the Argonath book ends on each side. Concept art with the look of pencil on parchment backs each DVD as you unfold the inner case. Every attention to detail has been paid, and paid well, in the design and presentation of this package. The 6 hours of special features are pretty meaty stuff. No promotional fluff or self-serving actor/director interviews as with other so-called "collector's editions", but features we're actually interested in watching. All in all, whether you purchase the Platinum Edition or the Collector's Platinum Edition, it is worth every penny and then some. Thank you PJ and New Line.
Rating:
Summary: The one ring to own
Review: The theatrical-release version of Peter Jackson's _Fellowship of the Ring_ was one of the best films of 2001. But Jackson really outdoes himself with this special edition, which offers complete immersion in J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy universe. This new edition offers half an hour of extra scenes, most of which flesh out relationships between the characters. Re-edited battle scenes give hobbits a more prominent role in the fighting. Most of the additions improve the flow of the film; none actively detract from the story. What's more, the 4-DVD set offers a bewildering plethora of extras (largely dispensible, unless you're a real LOTR geek). Now, the important question: Which version is better? As an avid reader poised precariously between Tolkien geekdom and the cultural mainstream, I'd argue that this special edition is the one Ring to own. But for newcomers to Middle Earth, I think the widescreen DVD of the standard theatrical release will suffice.
Rating:
Summary: Don't buy the collector's edition
Review: Don't buy the collector's edition, it doesn't have anything more in it except the bookends. If you only want the extended movie, get the regular extended version and save yourself $20-$30.
Rating:
Summary: Extended DVD version deserves high praise
Review: The Fellowship of the Ring, theatrical version, was a great movie. Yet Peter Jackson has managed to turn a great movie into a mediocre one by producing this absolute masterpiece. The extended DVD version of The Fellowship of the Ring deserves the highest praise. In this DVD release, Jackson has made a movie for the Tolkien fan, and it proves to be the movie that everyone should have seen in the first place.
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