The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
– Special Extended DVD Edition
One ring to rule them allÉ
Many people were excited when they
first learned that The Lord of the Rings trilogy was finally going to be
adapted into film. And when the
first part, The Fellowship of the Ring, finally came out in 2001, not a single
soul was disappointed. It was one
of the best and most anticipated movies of the year, which led to an array of
awards and anticipation for the following films. As a special treat to fans of the film, director Peter
Jackson decided to release two different DVD sets. The first was a two-disc set for those that were just
interested in the movie and contains mostly promotional material. The second set though was a much more
elaborate four-disc set (five discs if you buy the box set) that includes a
longer cut of the film and two full discs of special features, covering every
possible aspect of the filmŐs production.
Both sound and picture transfer is
flawless and phenomenal; making this set the perfect demo disc set. But the real treat lies in the special
features. Along with a longer cut
of the film (approximately 30 minutes longer) that spans two discs and four
excellent audio commentaries that accompany the film, the supplemental material
is spread out across the other two discs, providing an additional ten hours of
extra viewing material. Everything
is covered in these supplementals, including adapting the stores to the screen,
pre-visualization work, casting the parts, designing the costumes and props,
picking the shooting locations, adding digital effects, and so much more. It would actually take and entire day
to view everything in this four-disc set, and another day just to talk about
it.
One of the best films of the year
has become possibly the best DVD ever.
Director Peter Jackson admits he is a fan of special edition DVDŐs and
wanted to create a unique special edition set that would please anyone, whether
they enjoyed the film or not. Like
the film, he did not disappoint.
There is so much to view on this four-disc set that you should be able
to find something new each time you view it. And as a plus everything is both compelling and
entertaining, never boring even for one minute. This is a must-own set for everyone, whether you are a movie
collector, a fan of the movie, or just a first-time buyer. It is without a doubt the best DVD on
the market at this time. It is
truly the one DVD to rule them all.
Movie:
*****
DVD:
*****