Lord of the Rings: Limited Editions

[Pirate]

Title: Lord of the Rings Newly Packaged Two-Disc Limited Editions

Street Date:8/29/06

MSRP: $28.98 Each

Features:
The Fellowship of the Ring
The Two Towers
The Return of the King
Exclusive new behind-the scenes documentary
Each set will carry both the theatrical and extended versions of the film (via seamless branching)
Disc two features an intimate, never-before-seen documentary created by Costa Botes. The feature-length documentaries, with more than 300 minutes of never-before-available footage, focus on a number of complexities and circumstances and affected the making of the movies.

[raptors661]

why?

[supercutz]

There is something to be said for being able to watch the extended cut uninterrupted but unless New Line is able to pull off the miracle of squeezing it on one dual layered disc with NO loss to picture or sound quality, I'll pass. I can live w/o commentary tracks or DTS but the DD and video quality better be of equal quality (if not better) to that of the prior releases in order for me to triple dip (plus odds are there'll be sweet deals during release week so it might not be that painful).

Reviews will be the deciding factor for me.

[Pirate]

Screw this! Bring on the HD-DVDs!

[zepplongfellow]

This is soooooooo pointless I am sick of double and triple diping. Instead this focus on HD-DVD damn it.

[umainebearman]

Yeah theres no way an improvment can be made to the video and audio for these disks. The Extended edition have it all. DTS, commentaries and all the supplamentals anyone would ever need. No thanks I'll skip it.

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by umainebearman

Yeah theres no way an improvment can be made to the video and audio for these disks.

Seamless branching is an improvement. I don't know if they've re-authored the audio or video for these but if they did, there's a chance they could have done a better job.

I'm not saying the releases out now are in need of any work but there's always room for improvement.

Peace...

[Vonner]

Originally Posted by piratehunter

Screw this! Bring on the HD-DVDs!

Ditto.

[limacharliewhiskey]

I haven't even listened to all of the commentary tracks on the EE versions yet. Can't even imagine what extra bonus features could be included that weren't included in the theatrical or EE versions. The 300 min. of bonus features sounds fishy. That's 5 hours, per disc?

I'll pass.

[newt]

I think it is 300 minutes total for the 3.

[sub780lime]

I dont even like the cases that much. Honestly, as stated, how much more in features could they provide more than an hour and a half per disc....of what?

[LeChuck]

The Extended version discs of LOTR are quite possibly the most impressive DVD releases to date. Rereleasing them would be as dumb as that retarded psycho remake.

[mtcarmel00]

I love what I have now, the Extended Editions. I hate the covers on these new Limited Editions and I'm just not spending more money on something I already have. A big pass for me.

[JakeLipson]

Alright, it makes me a complete extras whore, but I might actulally do a triple dip on these, depending on what the reviews say of the new doccumentaries. I also think that the cover artwork is the most goregous artwork I have ever seen for *ANY* DVD, so nice job there. However, obviously if I get these I'm going to be hanging onto all of the previous sets too -- no way you can get me to part with those miracle DVDs.

Also -- has anybody thought that maybe these aren't entirely meant for us to dip again? It seems to me like New Line intends these releases to appeal to those last holdout Average Joes who haven't bought the movies yet in any of the previous releases. Something like "Oh, look, Lord of the Rings is on sale for cheap, and it's got both cuts on it, so I only have to buy it once, I'll get it." They know that we're all happy with the existing 4-disc sets, so this is partially a ploy to get the movies back in the weekly circulars again to target non-current owners. (It would also allow them to raise the price back to standard $30ish, because the current 2-disc sets have now undergone numerous priced drops and can be found for about $10 each; with the retail price set at $28.98 again, they can get $15-$20 each for these editions now, especially if they discontinue the existing 2-disc sets as well.) Although they could have done that with parred-down single-disc versions targeting buyers who don't care about extras, so I'm surprised they're not holding the new doccumentary material back as an extra incentive to upgrade for the eventual hi-def releases.

[Monterey Jack]

Deleted scenes are the only thing that would entice me to buy LOTR again. Why not just re-package the existing 4-disc SEs in one giant box and add an extra disc with more deleted footage?

[Pirate]

Originally Posted by Monterey Jack

Why not just re-package the existing 4-disc SEs in one giant box and add an extra disc with more deleted footage?

Because the new packages almost make it seem that we’re not being screwed.

[Damian]

Originally Posted by sub780lime

I dont even like the cases that much. Honestly, as stated, how much more in features could they provide more than an hour and a half per disc....of what?

Really? Before reading anything I saw the pics and thought they looked pretty awsome.
I'm on the fence with this one. I have the theatrical editions of each AND the special editions of each so I'm not sure I can justify spending the money on these.
But never say never.

[sub780lime]

Originally Posted by Damian

Really? Before reading anything I saw the pics and thought they looked pretty awsome.
I'm on the fence with this one. I have the theatrical editions of each AND the special editions of each so I'm not sure I can justify spending the money on these.
But never say never.

I think they remind me too much of what infifilm and Target edition cases are looking like now with the border.

[deepfry]

I like the look of the bordered packages but I'll stick with the dts tracks and amazing transfer of the EE's.

Although, seeing as the EE's are the only editions I have now (i.e. the only ones I replaced after 3/4 of my entire dvd collection was stolen last year), this situation is eerily similar to the Star Wars situation for me....where the version of the movies I have now on dvd aren't the theatrical versions and up comes a new release where I could get the theatrical versions but it's really a double-dip as the versions I already have are on there as well.

The difference is that this release of the Rings DVDs has some new extras on it. And I already have the original theatrical editions of the Star Wars movies on LaserDisc.

So maybe I should buy these instead as a sort of way of saying "hey lucas, here is how you should have done it" (or just go out and buy the existing copies of the theatrical versions for cheap and say "screw you both, double/triple dippers!")

[From a Buick 8]

Originally Posted by LeChuck

The Extended version discs of LOTR are quite possibly the most impressive DVD releases to date. Rereleasing them would be as dumb as that retarded psycho remake.

Is it just me or does a Retarded Psycho movie sound pretty good.

[plissken99]

Shame, New Line used to be very slim on the double dips, and they were usually worth while/needed upgrades. This is a batent cash grab. First off, the EEs have DTS 6.1 tracks, superb transfers, and loads of extras(still haven't listed to more than one commentary per film, not sure I will actually), not to mention really cool cases. Looks like the books sitting on my shelves in the box I ordered from New Line.

Also, the EEs have specific music scores made to transition to the new scenes, and they aren't just added scenes, some footage was on the theatrical versions that wasn't in the EEs, I don't see how they can use seemless branching with these.

I'm not purchasing anymore LOTR unless it's the EEs on HD-DVD.

[Monster]

i dont own the EE.. so i might end up picking these up....

[umainebearman]

Originally Posted by Monster

i dont own the EE.. so i might end up picking these up....

I wouldn't. Like plissken said when the EE where made there where several music cues created spicifically for the new scenes and switching between the TC and the EE would be well would make a mess of things. If you can still get the currant EE get them now before these ultimately sub par editions hit the shelves.

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by umainebearman

I wouldn't. Like plissken said when the EE where made there where several music cues created spicifically for the new scenes and switching between the TC and the EE would be well would make a mess of things.

I dunno, if they are using seamless branching I'm sure the EE specific stuff would have been taken into account.

I've got more confidence in them than that.

Peace...

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by plissken99

Also, the EEs have specific music scores made to transition to the new scenes, and they aren't just added scenes, some footage was on the theatrical versions that wasn't in the EEs, I don't see how they can use seemless branching with these.

I don't see how they couldn't. If watching the theatrical version, the player would play the theatrical video/audio "stream". If watching the EE, when the movie got to a branch section, they would branch to the EE "stream". Now, since the EE version would be known to be played up front, the branching could be done to accomodate music changes, etc.

Making seamless brancing work for these movies might be harder than making seamless branching work on other movies but I wouldn't think it would be impossible.

Peace...

[sub780lime]

Originally Posted by Monster

i dont own the EE.. so i might end up picking these up....

Why not just get the EE's?

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by sub780lime

Why not just get the EE's?

Because he wants these.

Peace...

[umainebearman]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

Because he wants these.

Peace...

Well damn it! Thats just wrong! Wrong I tell ya! NAH!

[Synaptic Flow]

Well it looks like Peter Jackson has graduated from the George Lucas school of marketing. At least there hasn't been any talk of going in and making Golem look more like a Hobbit or something.

[plissken99]

Originally Posted by Synaptic Flow

Well it looks like Peter Jackson has graduated from the George Lucas school of marketing. At least there hasn't been any talk of going in and making Golem look more like a Hobbit or something.

Actually he mentioned in the commentary that he'd like to go back to Fellowship and make Gollum look more like he did in Two Towers and ROTK. I wouldn't object to that, it does stand out a bit.

[MrE26]

Love that artwork, but i'm sticking with the EE's. As far as i'm concerned, those DVDs have everything on i could ever wish for & these just seem like a weak cash in.

[Chrisse]

I think I'm reserving my money for the 25th Anniversary Edition, I think they jokingly mentioned that in one of the Audio Commentaries, but by the looks of things now, it doesn't seem like they're above a rerelease in 20 years.

And I think that is NOT pullin a George Lucas, because we already have the original editions, and a few things like Gollum in FOTR need fixing, it's wonderful things like these that we have rereleases for, not for replacing pistols with walkie-talkies.

Anyway, on second thought these Limited sets do look kinda attractive.

[Monster]

Originally Posted by sub780lime

Why not just get the EE's?

around me its hard to find the EE and if i do they want $30 bucks for them...

i figure wait till these come out and hopes on release day they around $15 or so bucks.... if not i will try to find the EE.......

not sure yet.. maybe the EE will drop in price soon..

[Astrakan]

Originally Posted by Monster

around me its hard to find the EE and if i do they want $30 bucks for them...

Amazon's got all three for $60:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...id=1151171439/

KM

[mighty mint]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

Making seamless brancing work for these movies might be harder than making seamless branching work on other movies...

That was exactly my first thought - "How the heck are they going to do that and wouldn't that take up massive space on a standard dvd?

I don't have the theatrical releases but they are so subpar to the EEs that I personally have no desire to own them. :flush:

(just for Tom's sake )

"But if you want to have the theatrical releases that is wonderful and I hope that you enjoy them!"

(Now Tom, wasn't that so nice and diplomatic? Did I take the words right out of your mouth )

Just joshin' with ya big fella

[Synaptic Flow]

Actually he mentioned in the commentary that he'd like to go back to Fellowship and make Gollum look more like he did in Two Towers and ROTK. I wouldn't object to that, it does stand out a bit.


Wow I really hadn't even noticed the difference in Gollum. I kind of reacted to it as seeing more of Gollum in the new movies as opposed to noticing a big difference.

[umainebearman]

Originally Posted by Synaptic Flow

Wow I really hadn't even noticed the difference in Gollum. I kind of reacted to it as seeing more of Gollum in the new movies as opposed to noticing a big difference.

Well if he did go back and change Gollum for the whole 5 seconds of screen time he has he'd better think of something else to change because frankly I can't think of anything that would be worth changing in these movies. The EE that is.

[Synaptic Flow]

My thoughts exactly.

[Pirate]

Hi res covers are up: http://www.dvdactive.com/news/releas...he-rings6.html

[ganthc]

This seems to be a triple dip. But at least it's an easy choice to not have to buy these because you own the EE's. I hear people dogging the original dvd's for the fellowship of the ring. I remember and still think that it was a superb transfer, but it just didn't have DTS. I still consider that as a perfect display disc for DVD. That and Episode 3.