LOTR :: The Two Towers The First DvD

[Tinman2040]

I rented this out today since I'll wait for the Extended Edition like everyone else should. But I still don't get why the hell they have to release two versions within 3 months of each other can't they just have THE definitive version like Indiana Jones ( Brilliant and still untouched). Instead of just milking it dry for everything its worth. Otherwise a Bloody Good movie.

[EddieH]

They plan to reedit alot of footage cut from this film. rumor has it at 30-45 extra mins making it almost a 4 hour movie. What's even cooler is that Newline will be releasing this version in the theaters weeks before Return of the King at select theaters in the U.S. and Canada. This way you could watch a never ending marathon of Hobbit goodness. I can't wait for the November DVD set.

[Hypnos]

yeah the LOTR flick having two seperate releases may seem cheap, but not alot of people really want to own a 3hr+ movie. most people are happy to have a truncated version if its all they've ever seen. look at all the morons who buy the full screen releases of stuff when there is a letterboxed version available.
oh and I heard all the extra footage that's being returned is ent stuff.
I'll be picking up the extended cut but I don't think 30 to 40 minutes of the ent-moot is going to be that exciting.

[Tracy Fran]

Movies come out on Mondays in Transylvania?

[Toonimator]

Not ALL the extended footage is "ent stuff". A detailed review of tomorrow's release, which has a hefty preview of the Extended Release, is on Ain't It Cool.

Some footage that made it in: bits of Saruman speaking, which made it into a cut-scene on the Two Towers video game; a flashback with Boromir & Faramir before Boromir headed to Rivendell, which gives us our first glimpse of Denethor; the finding of King Theoden's son on the battlefield; and yes, "ent stuff", including when the Huorns, the semi-sentients that look like trees more than Ents (think Old Man Willow, from the Tom Bombadil section of the Fellowship novel), settle their score with the orcs.

Plus there's a 10-minute preview of Return of the King, though most of that 10 minutes is behind the scene stuff & interview blurbs. But there's some goodies in it I hear!

If you don't want it, don't buy it. As someone who's on dial-up at home, I never saw the web documentaries, so this is a good place to get it. Sean Astin's short film shot in NZ during production of LOTR is also on it.

Not sure how much of these extras will carry over to the Extended Release, if any, but this release, this is for the masses. There are goodies to make it worthwhile for completists, but nobody says you HAVE to buy it. I'm pretty sure the Special Features listing on the back will say something to the effect of "Preview of Scenes from Extended Release in November", so it's your own damn fault if you buy it thinkin it's the final release. The public already had ample warning with Fellowship's 2 DVDs. And hey, if you're itchin to see Helm's Deep again you can always RENT it for a few bucks, then purchase the extended in November!

[Tinman2040]

Hey Guys well I don't know how many have seen the 2-Disc set yet I never said it was not going to be a good buy but I think if your a real fan you'll probably buy both. What I believe I said was why release 2 different versions if their not happy with the first cut.
To be honest I didn't think that the Sean Astin short was all that great but I found the making of was was alot better. And becareful if you watch the Return of the King Preview LOTS of spoilers.

HNB: Transylvania ??

[RobotWheelChairAccessRamp]

The extended one is an extra 25 dollars that i don't have so i have to just buy the cheap one. Plus You get a whole other disk full of lord of the rings merchandise advertisements.

Luc

[HellboyOne]

Aside from wanting to get as much money out of you as possible, they release both discs for the purists...those who find the theatrical cut just fine and those who like all the extra added footage. One can wait for the extended cut to come out, rent it, and see if it's something you'd want. There's always an option, especially when they actually tell you another version is coming out later. What sucks is when version after version of a movie comes out on DVD without prior notice. Grrrr...

Of course, I'm a nerd..I'll end up buying both...sigh.

R.

[Toonimator]

There's no disc full of LotR merchandise ads.

The extended version will have TONS of extra goodies. The only "merchandise" advertised on the "cheap version" is the Extended Version trailer, and the preview of the Return of the King video game (and TTT game is so much fun, and heavily integrated with scenes from the films, you can't really complain about there being an ad).

Tinman, it's not that they weren't happy with the theatrical cut: they just HAD to cut stuff for time. It was nearly a 4 hour movie, and the masses of America, as well as plenty of impatient critics, probably would have complained or demanded an intermission or something. Cutting to 3 hours made it accessible for even more people, and gave them the extra time needed to finish up the extras for the extended release.

Looking at these films, at how much artistry went into them, how much work, and how it's all come together so quickly... makes me despise the Star Wars prequels all the more.

[JoelCarroll]

What pisses me off? The umpteenth Army of Darkness DVD....
I bought the Bruce Campbell VS. edition, but it didn't have the theatrical ending....the disc with the theatrical ending didn't have any extras....now they have a version with both, but I'm too tired of waiting to see what will come next...

What makes me giggle is these LOTR discs.....you get the theatrical version, with tons of great documentaries and extras right now...
AND down the road you get a great four disc of extra footage, and tons of different extras....and if you shell out for a little more, you get a statue.....Fellowship had the Argonath bookends, Two Towers will have a Gollum statue....

It's all good.....I may be a sucker, but I'm a well entertained sucker...woowoo

[digitaldreammachine]

I bought the basic Fellowship DVD and later received the Extended Edition, Spidey, and Episode II for my birthday last year. The nice thing is there isn't any duplicated information on either of the Lord of the Rings DVD's for Fellowship, with the exception of the movie in basic format.

I've watched the Extended Edition and all of it's bonus materials and consider it by far the best collection for a single film. The basic serves as a perfect travel companion piece or when I want to lend a copy out and keep my extended version with me.

The good thing is that they have let the consumers know well in advance that there will be an extended cut later during the year. I certainly applaud this honesty by New Line. Even Buena Vista offered a rebate on people buying the 4 disc Pearl Harbor who had already purchased the previous version. Most companies, a la Anchor Bay, seem to keep re-releasing different versions of the film. Yes, The Evil Dead Trilogy is notorious for this. I'll only purchase a multiple copy if I absolutely want it for a feature (James Cameron commentary on T2, Michael Bay Commentary on Bad Boys 2) otherwise I'll skip the re-release.

One can only hope that studios will learn to create much better DVD's thanks to the awards the Fellowship collection has received. But I haven't seen it yet.

[plazticman]

Looking at these films, at how much artistry went into them, how much work, and how it's all come together so quickly... makes me despise the Star Wars prequels all the more.

Yes.
Testify, my brother.

[whiggles]

I think there's something to be said for buying both versions, if you're willing to pay the money. I did that with The Fellowship of the Ring, and don't regret it, although admittedly I don't watch the theatrical edition very much. I've bought the theatrical release of The Two Towers, and will certainly buy the Extended Edition once it's available. Don't get me wrong, I'm pretty sure the Extended Edition will be the superior version, but I am indeed a purist and want to have both versions.