LOTR -DVD Info
 

And on the 7th day, god created the DVD... - 12:01am

Alrighty, all you hobbits and elves out there, here it is. What is likely the most highly-anticipated DVD of the year, if ever, was announced Last night in a big gala event held by New Line in Burbank, California. So, let's get to the details...

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring will be released in no less than four Versions this year. On 8/6, separate widescreen and pan & scan Versions will be released, each a two-disc set with identical extra features. Disc one includes the film presented in English Dolby Digital Surround EX and Dolby 2.0 surround (sorry, no DTS). Disc two is where all the goodies are at, and retail will be $29.95 for either the pan & scan or widescreen editions. The extras to be found on disc 2 include:

3 in-depth documentaries that reveal the secrets behind the production of this epic adventure, including "Welcome to Middle-earth" in-store special as shown by Houghton Mifflin, "The Quest for the Ring" as debuted on the FBC Network, and "A Passage to Middle-earth" as premiered on the Sci-Fi Channel

15 featurettes originally created for lordoftherings.net, which explore the locales and cultures of Middle-earth and include interviews with cast members Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Liv Tyler and others.
Exclusive 10-minute behind-the-scenes preview of the next The Lord of the Rings theatrical release, "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"

Original theatrical trailers and TV spots

Exclusive Online content only available to DVD-ROM Users via a special website set to go live on street date
Then, on 11/12, New Line will release a mega four-disc set, with a new extended cut of the film created by Peter Jackson himself, and featuring over 30 minutes of additional footage. This cut of the film will be Rated R due to some extended violence, and no retail price has yet been set for this release. The now nearly four-hour film will be spread over the first two discs and presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen (alas, no sound format information is yet available.) Unfortunately, all the supplements for the 4-disc set are still in production, so final details were not revealed. However, the disc is planned to include 3 audio commentaries and another four hours of bonus material. It is also not yet known if all the features on the "standard" two-disc set edition will also be included here.

Last but not least, New Line is also planning on release a special limited edition gift set of the 4-disc set, with two bookend statuettes by sculptor Sideshow Weta, the National Geographic "Beyond The Movie" DVD, and several collectible Decipher game cards. There were also rumors floating around that after all three films are done and released, a fifth mega-box set of all three with possible additional material may be released, which would be sometime in 2004. Stay tuned for more on final specs for the 4-disc set, and in the meantime, check out four menu screens for the 2-disc sets released by New Line, and a blowup of the box art. Enjoy!

Re: LOTR -DVD Info
 

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Re: LOTR -DVD Info
 

Can't wait.

Hmm, maybe I will go to the movies and see it one Last time...

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30 minutes of extra material! *Drolling over his keyboard*

Re: LOTR -DVD Info
 

OOOOooooooooooooohhhhh MAN!
I want those DVDs! I shall have them! They're my preciouses!

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Here you go instar.

*throwssss sssome fresssh fissshessss*

Re: LOTR -DVD Info
 

And. The Simpsons Second season is on Pre - Order 635 minutes long....

Check it out at amazon

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Nasssty horrid little hobbitsess. I want my preciousss

Re: LOTR -DVD Info
 

So, I bought the DVD and started watching it Last night. Hadn't seen it in the theatre. This movie is cool! Makes me want to read the books. I read the Hobbit a couple times as a kid, but never read the trilogy.

Didn't Tolkien go back at some point after LOTR and write prequel books that went through all the "history" stuff that the movie touches on? Like when the rings were made originally?

Geoschmo

Re: LOTR -DVD Info
 

Yes, 'The Silmarillion'. There's also a bunch of other stuff that his son published after his death. My own view is that these are unnecessary, that the original trilogy + the Hobbit stand alone, but Tolkien was creating a whole mythology, and these later works were the publication of his 'backstory' and notes.
YMMV of course.

Steve.
What's this got to do with SEIV?

Re: LOTR -DVD Info
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Not a thing. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif But this is a community. Our central point of commonality is SEIV, but we all have other interests.

Although there has been talk of a "fantasy mod" for SEIV, but that's out there a bit IMHO. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Geo

EDIT: Maybe I could make some sort of quest type scenario for SEIV. Call it "The Fellowship". Along the lines of my Voyager scenario, but for multiplayers. Where each player controls a single ship and you have to get across the galaxy or somesuch to win. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[ August 13, 2002, 19:37: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

Re: LOTR -DVD Info
 

Actually, I am of the opinion that LotR cannot be properly (read: entirely, accurately) appreciated without a solid knowledge of The Silmarillion and the other material. LotR is an amazing story in and of itself, one of the finest fantasy tales ever spun, without a doubt. But it is only the tip, the very tip, of the iceberg that is Tolkien's extended mythology, and like an iceberg, you cannot possibly imagine the grandeur and size and power of the whole if you've only seen the tip. Things like Aragorn's relationship with Arwen, the nature of Gandalf and Saruman, the true stature of the Elves, and the overall point of the story are revealed only by the larger context in which it is set.

Oh, and I agree that the movie is fabulous, a work of art. Too bad it should never, ever have been made in the first place. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: LOTR -DVD Info
 

Geo, take it from a man who knows, the movie is excellent and beinga complete tolkien nutter, I think it probably the best a mortal film director can do...

read the Hobbit, and then read LOTR and thene x-pand your mind with the Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales...

and then read 'em and weep

Re: LOTR -DVD Info
 

Gentlemen,

My wife has forbidden me to watch the LOTR unless she is out of the house, or away on travel. Having seent he movie 4 times in the theater, she is not interested in seeing it anymore.

I of course could watch it over and over and over and over ad infinitum.

Cheers!
Trajan

Re: LOTR -DVD Info
 

The Silmarillion was mostly written long before LotR and The Hobbit.

Re: LOTR -DVD Info
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Actually, that's not technically true. The most basic forms of the legends found in The Silmarillion (and Unfinished Tales) existed before LotR, yes, but the final Versions of the stories were not created until after LotR (long after, in most cases). Those final Versions differed considerably from the pre-LotR Versions, too.

The pre-LotR Versions of the stories are available, in the History of Middle-earth series of academic/historical novels written by Christopher Tolkien. They make for very interesting reading, too. In fact, some of the more fleshed-out Versions of tales only exist in the HoME; Tolkien died before he finished the final detailed Version of the fall of Gondolin, for example, and Unfinished Tales only brings the story as far as Tuor's emergence from the Gates. A complete Version of the Fall is found in The Book of Lost Tales, Volume II (I think it's volume 2), and although it is much earlier and very different from what the final Version of the story would have been, it does offer some insights into where Tolkien was going with the story.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">LOL... isn't that the truth? It's impossible to talk about the movie(s) without contradiction. Yes, it's great to see so many things from Tolkien's work made into cinematic images. But it's also impossible to make proper images of many of them, and also impossible to tell the whole story without making at least six movies, not three. The hack & slash approach to the story line is really jarring, even if he did manage to include the gist of it in the plot. And WTF is that "Lurtz^H^Hch" character for? Given how much he had to cut, why did he have to add something so cheesy? So watching the movie when you know the original story is both exciting and wrenching at the same time.

And yes, knowledge of the Silmarillion is essential to understanding the story and even the characters. The remote and formal Elrond is a very different person if you know his background. His personal experience with 'oaths' makes it quite understandable when he is so insistent in opposing with Gimli's wish to swear some sort of oath about their quest, for example.

[ August 13, 2002, 22:29: Message edited by: Baron Munchausen ]

Re: LOTR -DVD Info
 

Singollo, that is why I said "mostly written". http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

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Although there is something to be said for an author leaving some things to the imagination. Knowing only bits and pieces of the history can add to the mystery and discovery of reading the books. Of course this is just a guess, since I haven't actually read the books. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: LOTR -DVD Info
 

All the afore mentioned stuff is cool, as is this phenominal epic recreated on the screen, but I will wait until it is a complete set. I can picture myself already, a rainy Saturday in Olympia (which happens often in the Northwest) sitting on the couch and watching all three movies in order. PARADISE!!!

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You know I have to chime in hear and say that I for one feel cheated by what they pulled here. I wanted to buy only one DVD, not two. For them to release the first DVD without the extra footage, only to be releasing it in 3 months from now is a cheep and down right dirty trick. If I had not tossed the reciept, I would have returned the movie immedately. Now, I am only going to rent the next release, not buy it. It was a dirty will trick, and one that should not be tolerated. It was a cheep little way to exploite more money out of people. It was cheep and insulting.

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AT... I mentioned that in the orginal post... That there will be a second release later on in the year.... They announced that right from the beginning.... Sugar that was March 28th... were did this year go...

Tesco runs off and looks under the couch... not there...

Re: LOTR -DVD Info
 

He forgets things. Just let it go. He will remeber something you told him a year ago sometime next year. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: LOTR -DVD Info
 

I got the precioussses DVD's...
much awesomeness

and waaaaaaaaaay OT but Tesco your pic looks like a pimp... sorry he just looks like a pimp to me
(and Ive been playing GTA3 some and now Im trained to shoot pimp looking type peoples)

Re: LOTR -DVD Info
 

Yes, I too felt cheated by the release of a "non-extra-footage" DVD. I suppose that if I had done my homework, I would have known about the extended edition to be released in November. Oh, well, I'm a sucker for this sort of thing anyway...I own at least five different copies of the Star Wars videos. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">The amount of material left out, and changed, is definitely a big big problem for the story. That isn't even my main objection, though. By definition--stated and implied--the material that Tolkien is writing about cannot be visualized. The act of picturing, of grasping with the physical senses, corrupts and destroys the very essence of the subject matter that makes it so powerful and beautiful. We are not supposed to "see" an Elf. We are not supposed to be able to comprehend the beauty of Arwen, or the stature of Galadriel. We are not supposed to be able to grasp the terror of the Nazgul, or the horror of the Balrog, etc., etc. The central theme to Tolkien's work is that of the fading of magic and power and beauty from the world, from the splendor of the First Age to the muted fantasy of the Third Age, to the mundane world that we live in now. The characters and events from the earlier Ages are attainable only by imagination, and by fleeting glimpses; the very idea of throwing Arwen up onto a screen, of saying "hey, this is Arwen, check her out"...it tramples upon everything that Tolkien was doing. It's repugnant.

So, yeah....complicated feelings all around. Admiration and respect for this particular movie clashes with abhorrence and deep loathing of the idea of making a movie of the story.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">True. I'm nitpicking, I know. Still, it bears saying: not a word of what appears in The Silmarillion was written before LotR, so technically, even "mostly written" is incorrect. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: LOTR -DVD Info
 

Well, as I understand it the box set still to come has stuff that's not in the two disc package that's out now. So you would want to get both anyway, right?

Hey, you gotta spend your money on something. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Geoschmo

Re: LOTR -DVD Info
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I like your philosophy. If you're running out of things to spend your money on, spend it on me!

FWIW, I think it's a rip off releasing the two Versions like that. They're just exploiting the fact that a lot of Tolkien fans are completist types who just have to own it all.

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[quote]Originally posted by dogscoff:

Quote:

I like your philosophy. If you're running out of things to spend your money on, spend it on me!

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Uh....no.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I'm not exactly sure of everything that's in it, but I got the impression that the extended edition will have pretty much everything that's on the 2-disc set...only with lots and lots of other stuff. If so, then it's the current release that is the waste, not the extended edition. It's a pretty sharp marketing strategy, granted ("Hey, let's release an earlier Version with only some of the extra stuff, and people will buy that thinking that it has all of the bells and whistles!"), but it still kind of stinks. I would have happily waited until the extended edition was all finished; I didn't need to be "tided over" for a few months.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Heh. Too true. I'm currently upgrading my computer now, and it's always fun picking and choosing what new computer goodies to throw my money away on. It's not enough that I waste all of my time on games, I have to throw away my paychecks too. I've just upgraded to 512MB RAM, and now I'm trying to decide if the GeForce 4 is really necessary right now. Then there's the optical mouse I want to get...ack!!

Re: LOTR -DVD Info
 

Well, I was sort of joking about buying both, although I am sure there will be many that will. And if they want too, more power to them. No one was forced to buy the first one, and the box set coming in Nov was not a secret.

I don't see having two Versions for sale as a bad thing though. The set coming out in Nov is a "directors cut" with 30 more minutes of movie, and a bunch of other stuff. Trading cards, figurines, etc, as well as three disks with a lot of stuff. And it's going to be a bit pricey. 50 - 80 bucks IIRC.

Personally I have no intention of buying that Version, and if it were the only Version available I would likely have not bought any. 30 bucks is about my limit per movie normally.

Although I may spring for the inevitable three movie box set that I am sure will be offered after all the movies have been released in a couple more years. But maybe not. I might just get each movie as it comes and leave it at that.

Geoschmo

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Oh, I'm definitely buying the new one in addition to the one I have now. I'm a slave to my passions. I'm just kicking myself for not having done my homework on the current edition; if I had to do it over again, I'd just buy the bigger one. I doubt that I'll get the collector's edition of the extended Version, though. There will be two Versions, one with the discs and another with the figures and collectible stuff. I don't need any of that, I just want the extra footage.

Re: LOTR -DVD Info
 

Geo There are two releases... The vanilla 4 dvd pack which contains the following...

The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (Platinum Series Extended Edition) $25.99 at amazon

Description
DISCS 1-2: The Feature
Unique Version of the epic adventure with over 30 minutes of never-before-seen footage incorporated into the film and new music scored by Academy Award(r)-winning composer Howard Shore (approx. 208 minutes); four audio commentaries by director and writers, the design team, the production team, and the cast featuring more than 30 participants including Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, and Academy Award(r) winners Richard Taylor, Andrew Lesnie, Howard Shore, Jim Rygiel, Randy Cook, and many more.

DISCS 3-4: The Appendices
Two discs with hours of original content including multiple documentaries and design/photo galleries with thousands of images to give viewers an in-depth behind-the-scenes look at The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

DISC 3: "From Book to Vision":
Adapting the book into a screenplay & plannin g the film
Designing and building Middle-earth
StoryBoards to pre-visualization
Weta Workshop visit: An up-close look at the weapons, armor, creatures, and miniatures from the film
Atlas of Middle-earth: Tracing the journey of the Fellowship
An interactive map of New Zealand highlighting the location scouting process
Galleries of art and slideshows with commentaries by the artists
Guided tour of the wardrobe department
Footage from early meetings, moving storyBoards, and pre-visualization reels
And much more!

DISC 4: "From Vision to Reality":
Bringing the characters to life
A day in the life of a hobbit
Principal photography: Stories from the set
Scale: Creating the illusion of size
Galleries of behind-the-scenes photographs and personal cast photos
Editorial and visual effects multi-angle progressions
Sound design demonstration
And much more!

DVD-ROM Content: Includes access to exclusive Online features

and this other one

The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (Platinum Series Extended Edition Collector's Gift Set) (2001) $59.94

Release Information:
Studio: Warner Home Video
Theatrical Release Date: January 1, 2001
DVD Release Date: November 12, 2002
Run Time: 208 minutes
Production Company: New Line
Package Type: Custom

Aspect Ratio(s):
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.35:1

Discographic Information:
DVD Encoding: Region 1
Available Audio Tracks: English (6.1 DTS ES), English (Dolby Digital 5.1 EX), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)

Edition Details:
• Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only)
• Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Box set, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound
• Four-disc Platinum Series Special Extended DVD Edition of The Lord of Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
• New Version of National Geographic Beyond the Movie: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring DVD, with additional footage and photo gallery
• Collectible Argonath polystone figures created by Sideshow Weta
• Exclusive Decipher trading cards
• Packaging illustrated by famed artist Alan Lee
• Special Extended DVD Edition of The Lord of Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Discs 1-2: The Feature:
• Unique Version of the epic adventure with over 30 minutes of never-before-seen footage incorporated into the film and new music scored by Academy Award®-winning composer Howard Shore (approx. 208 minutes)
• Four audio commentaries by director and writers, the design team, the production team, and the cast featuring more than 30 participants including Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, and Academy Award® winners Richard Taylor, Andrew Lesnie, Howard Shore, Jim Rygiel, Randy Cook, and many more
• Special Extended DVD Edition of The Lord of Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Discs 3-4: The Appendices:
• Two discs with hours of original content including multiple documentaries and design/photo galleries with thousands of images to give viewers an in-depth behind-the-scenes look at The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
• DISC 3: "From Book to Vision":
• Adapting the book into a screenplay & planning the film
• Designing and building Middle-earth
• StoryBoards to pre-visualization
• Weta Workshop visit: An up-close look at the weapons, armor, creatures, and miniatures from the film
• Atlas of Middle-earth: Tracing the journey of the Fellowship
• An interactive map of New Zealand highlighting the location scouting process
• Galleries of art and slideshows with commentaries by the artists
• Guided tour of the wardrobe department
• Footage from early meetings, moving storyBoards, and pre-visualization reels
• DISC 4: "From Vision to Reality":
• Bringing the characters to life
• A day in the life of a hobbit
• Principal photography: Stories from the set
• Scale: Creating the illusion of size
• Galleries of behind-the-scenes photographs and personal cast photos
• Editorial and visual effects multi-angle progressions
• Sound design demonstration
• DVD-ROM Content: Includes access to exclusive Online features
• Widescreen anamorphic format
• Number of discs: 5
• ASIN: B000069F5H