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List Price: $28.98 | | Label: New Line Home Video
Salesrank: 6390
Released: August 29, 2006 |
| Our Price: $4.55 |
| Used Price: $3.86 |
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MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
The Award-winning $1 billion dollar franchise is revisited with three new 2-disc limited editions. Each DVD features the theatrical and extended versions of the film and a new documentary. Filmmaker Costa Botes, who was personally selected by Peter Jackson, created three ground-breaking documentaries using rare behind-the-scenes footage.
DVD Features:
Documentaries:Never-before-seen behind-the-scenes documentary by Costa Botes, the filmmaker director Peter Jackson personally hired (85 minutes)
Other:Part I - 106 minutes (Extended); 93 minutes (Theatrical) Part II - 122 minutes (Extended); 86 minutes (Theatrical)
Description of The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (Theatrical and Extended Limited Edition):
Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films gave "double-dipping"--releasing a DVD then releasing an improved version shortly afterward--a good name by offering both a better film and stupendous extras in the Extended Editions. This "triple-dip" 2006 Limited Edition falls far short of that standard but is still of interest to devoted and casual fans.
What do you get?
Both the theatrical and extended versions of The Fellowship of the Ring are on one double-sided disc. The versions use seamless branching, meaning that the scenes that are common to both versions are stored on the disc only once. If you choose to watch the extended version, the disc "branches" out to the added or extended scenes. What does this mean to the viewer? Not much. The viewing experience is the same because the branching is imperceptible. But because both versions of the film don't have to be stored on the disc in their entirety (which would be six and half hours total), both versions together fit on two sides of one disc. The downside is that whichever version you watch, you have to flip over the disc halfway through; the film breaks at the same spot it did on the Extended Edition, right after the council at Rivendell. Also lost are the meager features included on the theatrical edition, plus the four commentary tracks, two discs of bonus features, and DTS 6.1 ES sound from the four-disc Extended Edition.
What's new?
The second disc has an 85-minute documentary directed by Costa Botes, who was personally selected by Peter Jackson. Rather than the formal documentary structure of other editions, it consists of off-the-cuff interviews with Peter Jackson, Alan Lee, and others, and random bits of behind-the-scenes action and special-effects work. Those who have worked their way through the many hours of bonus content on the other editions might recognize some of this footage, such as the Hobbit actors mocking whichever of them is not around, then greeting him warmly when he shows up. Other things--Liv Tyler riding a fake horse, a snowfall during shooting, interviewing the rank-and-file cast members, touring Peter Jackson's trailer--seem new. And some bits seem geared to those who've watched the other material--for example, some of the visual tricks explained there are only glimpsed without explanation here. It's entertaining, but because there's no structure (there are chapters, but no menu or chapter listing), it's not as convenient to watch, and go back to, as a documentary broken up into bite-size pieces. Oddly, the documentary is in widescreen, but not anamorphically enhanced for widescreen TVs. Note: New Line Home Entertainment couldn't release this material on its own a là the King Kong Production Diaries due to contractual restrictions.
Bottom line: Do you need this edition?
This Limited Edition combination of theatrical and extended versions plus new documentary seems likely to appeal to two camps. One is the devoted fan, who already owns both editions but has to have everything LOTR. The other is the casual fan who liked the movie in theaters, heard good things about the Extended Edition, and doesn't need a ton of bonus material. This edition is attractively priced for that buyer, and the packaging is quite handsome. In between is the devoted fan who already owns both editions but doesn't feel the need to watch more bonus material. When watching the whole movie, that fan will always choose the Extended Edition, but keeps the theatrical edition for (1) watching with guests, (2) the music video, or (3) the convenience of skimming through favorite scenes without having to change discs. That fan can safely skip this edition, as can home-theater fans who love DTS. --David Horiuchi
The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (Theatrical and Extended Limited Edition) Reviews:
Lord of the Rings DVD 
2009-12-20 - I purchased Lord of the Rings, the extended version, to see if it followed the book more closely. It is apparent that several scenes have been added that improve the DVD. What I don't like is this website.
closer to the vision
2009-12-15 - Although I loved the theatrical versions of LOTR, so much needed to be left out, even to fit into 3 three hour movies.. The extended versions are closer to the vision. Characters beyond Frodo and Sam are fleshed out more. We also get a greater sense of the duration and duration of Frodo's quest. Great addition to the library.
A great interpretation of Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring
2009-12-10 - Any Tolkien or medieval adventure fan should own this movie. It's fairly useless without the second movie (The Two Towers) and the last one (The Return of the King). You gotta have all three!
Makes the movies even MORE than they already are!
2009-11-27 - I got the theatrical version of Fellowship of the Ring when it came out. I didnt know the extended version would be released later. When the Two Towers and Return of the King came out I got the extended versions of them. I ended up trading in my theatrical version of Fellowship and buying the extended version. These are absolutely worth everything. Most movies that have extended or deleted scenes just throw them in a menu to watch all out of order. In this, the extended and deleted scenes are put INTO the movie, making each movie 30-50 minutes LONGER! After seeing the extended versions of these movies you will never want to think of the theatrical versions again. Plus, if you're someone like me and enjoy things looking badass on a shelf, these bulky book looking boxes are awesome collectibles that will spice up your DVD shelf.
Even without the two disks per film of bonus features, these are worth it just for the extended versions of the films. If you have the regular versions, I would recommend taking them somewhere that buys used DVDs and using the money towards buying these.
Just like a transaction should be..... 
2009-11-24 - Good price, great service, product delivered without any damage, and quickly! Would definetly buy from again.
