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List Price: $28.98 | | Label: New Line Home Video
Salesrank: 13469
Released: August 29, 2006 |
| Our Price: $5.89 |
| Used Price: $5.74 |
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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 (112 minutes)
Other:Part I - 128 minutes (Extended); 97 minutes (Theatrical) Part II - 135 minutes (Extended); 103 minutes (Theatrical)
Description of The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King (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 Return of the King 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 seven 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 entrance of the wolf-head battering ram. 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 112-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 and random bits of behind-the-scenes action and special-effects work: The charge of the Rohan, the horses, the Mumakils, the lava of Mount Doom, and the burning of the ring. You'll also see Ian McKellen flubbing his lines and conducting the crowning ceremony in a flowery wig. 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. Note: New Line Home Entertainment couldn't release this material on its own à la the King Kong Production Diaries due to contractual restrictions.
Bottom line: Do I 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 Return of the King (Theatrical and Extended Limited Edition) Reviews:
Lord of Rings - The Return of the Kings 
2009-12-03 - This is a fun movie ... we purchased this one since the original was damaged. The price was right!
Extremely Satified
2009-11-28 - Excellent quality item. perfect in every detail. The shipment came quickly and the case was perfectly sealed with no blemishes of any type.
No problems
2009-11-14 - The Return of the King arrived in perfect condition, exactly as described. It was shipped from Canada but it was no different from the American version, except for one insert. I did not mind this. I would recommend using this seller. The ship time was pretty fast.
One Ring To Bring Them All And In The Darkness Bind Them
2009-11-05 - So here it is, the crown jewel of the three films. While the third film was already a tiring (for some) 3 hour 20 minute venture, this extended edition of 50 new minutes of footage extends it to an impressive 4 hours and 10 minutes. Again the cast delivers and thanks to this extended version, Christopher Lee and the actors who played the Witch King and Mouth of Sauron (its been awhile since I've watched the documentaries); as I was anticipating to find out what happened to Saruman )Christopher Lee being one of my favorite actors) and was expecting a little more from the Witch King, how threatening Gandalf made him feel then all we see of him is in the big battle, fight Mirando Otto and then get defeated. I find it hard to critique this one as I find no faults with it at all, until we get to the end, where it does drag a little but that's an otherwise small complaint for an otherwise flawless film. Action sequences are the best of the three; the Battle of Pelennor Fields being the highlight and Sam's moment of fighting Shelob as a brilliant moment of the character showing his loyalty to his friend. Howard Shore again provides an excellent score and Into The West is a great, melancholy song to end the trilogy.
Lord Of The Rings (Platinum Extended series)
2009-11-04 - All I can say is Great! Great! Great!
We especially love the actor interviews.
