Product Details

• Actors: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, Sean Bean, Alan Howard
• Directors: Peter Jackson
• Writers: Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, J.R.R. Tolkien, Philippa Boyens
• Producers: Barrie M. Osborne, Bob Weinstein, Ellen Somers
• Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Limited Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), English (Dolby Digital 5.1 EX)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: New Line Home Video
• DVD Release Date: August 29, 2006
• Run Time: 178 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000GIXLNO
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #31,973 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Theatrical and Extended Limited Edition)" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

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

Product Description

Studio: New Line Home Video Release Date: 08/29/2006 Rating: Pg13

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars These movies are great but ..., August 9, 2006

By 

Raul Cardona-Pendrey (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Theatrical and Extended Limited Edition) (DVD)

Yes, the cinematic benchmark for the 21st century. Both versions on one disc, very good idea? Well, only if you don't have them already. If you don't, this is for you and you can stop reading.
Fans however, already own all the versions of these movies. The new documentary, no matter how excellent, raw and real it may be, will get one viewing; better for renting. The only reasons for buying this are if you plan to view the documentaries more than once or if you are an obsessive collector of all things related to these movies.
Don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan; I preordered every DVD on the first day I could. I don't doubt that next year they will release an HD-DVD or Blu-Ray version (possibly both) that will be entirely worth having. Until then I will wait to give them more money, not now.

43 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy it for Costa's Documentary - it's AMAZING, July 25, 2006

By 

Vonnie (New Zealand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Theatrical and Extended Limited Edition) (DVD)

I live in Wellington, New Zealand and I have to do a little plug here because I've been lucky enough to have seen two of Costa's three documentaries after he finished editing them. New Line has done a HUGE disservice to fans by holding these documentaries back and now, having milked the LOTR cash cow for all it's worth, I fear that Costa's amazing work is not going to get the credit it deserves. I cannot speak highly enough of these documentaries.

Mind you, the versions I saw were uncensored. From what I know, New Line has decided that their audience isn't mature enough to cope with all of the cussing and have helpfully beeped everything. Which should make some of the footage interesting as in some cases all you'll be hearing out of the mouths of the actors is, "Beeeeeeeeeep".

Anyway, this isn't some cheap hype. I've held off buying any LOTR sets because I knew these documentaries would eventually get a release. They are a wonderful insight into the making of LOTR (and films in general). There's no cheap Hollywood schmoozing here. It's warts and all. There is no narrative, no music, no one telling anyone how great they are. It shows crew being people and actors being people. There's some lovely footage in one of the documentaries of Viggo fishing - I'm hoping that's still in there. Costa also shot the footage of Sean getting injured when he stepped on a large chunk of wood during a take. Anyway, I can't remember all of the great scenes, since it's been a couple of years, but there's some fantastic stuff. I'm hoping all the footage I remember is still included (although, who knows what horrors the documentaries have been subjected to while in the clutches of New Line).

So, yeah, I know, who wants to buy another DVD set. Right? Well, don't buy it for the movies. Buy it for these documentaries. New Line in their short sightedness have held back three pieces of work that I think any fan will love and even worse, they've done a terrible job of promoting them. In all seriousness, I don't think you're going to be dissapointed.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Choice, November 24, 2006

By 

Camilo Rodrguez "Camilo Rodríguez" (Cali, Colombia) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Theatrical and Extended Limited Edition) (DVD)

I had been looking for the extended edition of The Fellowship of the Ring with subtitles in spanish, and finally I've found it. So' if you're looking for that feature, this is the only version that includes it.