Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Theatrical Versions) - April 6, 2010

[captveg]

Originally Posted by AintNoSin

When the DVDs came out, WB's "shady marketing tactics" involved announcing both versions at the same time (three years in a row), so that everyone who could be bothered to know about the existence of the EE versions, knew.

It wasn't even WB at the time. New Line didn't get folded into WB for Home Video until 2008.

[Lincoln6Echo]

Wait!!! There's Extended Editions??? [/sarcasm]


I'm amazed that so many people here have never seen the extended editions. I mean these were like the most anticipated DVD releases back in the day. I mean where were you guys back then?

But anyway...but for those of you that say the old DVDs upscale nicely, better look again. Remember, these films are starting to approach 10 years old...and therefore the DVDs are from 2002, 2003, and 2004. IIRC, the TE DVD of each film was released around April after the release of the film in December of the previous year. Then the EE DVD set was released around November of that same year, right before the release of the next film. But my point being is these were some of the early DVD releases that still suffered from a bit of the early format compression problems. Quite frankly, FOTR looks fairly bad. And so does TTT. Haven't even checked ROTK.

And for the guy who mentioned the King Kong DVD....dude...better upgrade that title to BD. You won't believe what you're missing. The difference is unbelievable. The biggest difference to me was the level of detail in the vegetation on Skull Island. The dinosaurs and King Kong looked much better too.

As for this LOTR-TE BD boxset, I'm gonna double-dip on this one. For two reasons...well, maybe three. One, for the reason I said above...the DVDs really don't look all that great once you're used to BD detail. Two, no one really knows when the EEs will be released. And three, this set will be loaded with extras. 9 disc set. 3 discs of the feature films, 3 discs for all the extras, (one for each film), looks to be the same extras that were on the TE 2-disc DVD editions, and 3 discs for digital copies of all 3 films. And maybe four, as much as I prefer the EEs, it'll be nice to eventually own both versions of the films on BD.

[Aragorn the Elfstone]

Originally Posted by Lincoln6Echo

But anyway...but for those of you that say the old DVDs upscale nicely, better look again. Remember, these films are starting to approach 10 years old...and therefore the DVDs are from 2002, 2003, and 2004. IIRC, the TE DVD of each film was released around April after the release of the film in December of the previous year. Then the EE DVD set was released around November of that same year, right before the release of the next film. But my point being is these were some of the early DVD releases that still suffered from a bit of the early format compression problems. Quite frankly, FOTR looks fairly bad. And so does TTT. Haven't even checked ROTK.

I have watched them recently. I see no such compression issues. FotR looks a touch on the soft side, but I've seen alot of DVDs from the past couple years that had severely worse compression issues then the LotR dvds (The Dark Knight and Harry Potter films spring to mind).

[Downhere]

Originally Posted by Aragorn84

I have watched them recently. I see no such compression issues. FotR looks a touch on the soft side, but I've seen alot of DVDs from the past couple years that had severely worse compression issues then the LotR dvds (The Dark Knight and Harry Potter films spring to mind).

I notice it's usually Warner Bros. films that have compression issues on DVD.

[radagast]

Originally Posted by Davos

The problem with the PQ on this release is that if it's really good, it's going to show the many, many flaws in the CGI work

Well since this poster has been banned, he or she, can't defend the assertion that there are many, many flaws in the CGI work.

[Lincoln6Echo]

Aren't all the extras in the TE set just ports from the DVDs? I think only the EE set will have new exclusive extras.

You mean, just SD? Could be. I don't know. Being that they were made before HD hit it big a few years ago, they were probably only shot with SD cameras.

I have watched them recently. I see no such compression issues. FotR looks a touch on the soft side, but I've seen alot of DVDs from the past couple years that had severely worse compression issues then the LotR dvds (The Dark Knight and Harry Potter films spring to mind).

Well, yeah, that's what I meant. Not so much with the compression artifacts from pre-2000 DVDs, but a bit on the soft side, like you said. Which is why I'm more than willing to go ahead and buy this TE BD set. At least have it to watch while we wait for the EE set.

I notice it's usually Warner Bros. films that have compression issues on DVD.

Yeah, pretty much all those old cardboard snapper case DVDs from WB had terrible compression problems. Demolition Man was probably one of the worse titles I have ever seen. Practically unwatchable on an HD set. Wasn't so bad on my old Sony SD WEGA flatscreen, but once I got my HD set, it was so blocky and low res, I couldn't watch it. Had to turn it off. Wouldn't mind seeing that title get a BD release, but I'd need to read a review before I bought it. Because after all, "All restaurants now are Taco Bell." That line cracks me up everytime.

[Lincoln6Echo]

Originally Posted by Davos

The problem with the PQ on this release is that if it's really good, it's going to show the many, many flaws in the CGI work

Originally Posted by radagast

Well since this poster has been banned, he or she, can't defend the assertion that there are many, many flaws in the CGI work.

Well, I can't say for sure for these films, but I do agree with him on principle. I've noticed that this is a drawback to BD in general. That is, that the higher resolution of BD accentuates the problems with older CGI work. I noticed it on the original Matrix film. Like for instance the liquid glass scene with Neo when he pokes the mirror in the "red pill/blue pill" scene, where it envelops his hand and arm. Looks pretty fake on BD, when it looked fairly convincing on DVD. Same thing goes with the bullet-time effects shots. And even the bullets, themselves, when slowed down. You could tell their textures weren't very detailed. But for the two Matrix sequels, I didn't notice any problems with the CG. So hopefully, the LOTR films won't be too bad. FOTR might see some issues, but TTT and ROTK should be alright.


Speaking of which, back in the day, there was some talk that Jackson might go back and redo the Gollum shots in FOTR to more closely match what the character became in TTT and ROTK. So I'm wondering if these BDs will have any new shots like that.

[deado]

Originally Posted by Lincoln6Echo

FOTR might see some issues, but TTT and ROTK should be alright.

Not necessarily, ROTK had tons of warfare scenes with CGI monsters so it may turn out as the most fake-looking.

[Slim Jim]

I was watching The Two Towers EE the other day and at the battle of Helms Deep there are proplems with the color because there is a purple color outline on all the people at the parts of the battle. Has anyone else had this problem before because it only show up on the TT.

[R3P0]

Does anyone know where to Pre Order a steelbook version aside from amazon.de I cannot find one on futureshop or the best buy website

[nametag]

Originally Posted by R3P0

Does anyone know where to Pre Order a steelbook version aside from amazon.de I cannot find one on futureshop or the best buy website

Check the best buy website again, they have just the steelbook case up. Also from 3/7 they can get the cases in store as part of a pre order.

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally Posted by R3P0

Does anyone know where to Pre Order a steelbook version aside from amazon.de I cannot find one on futureshop or the best buy website

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Lord+Of+...book&lp=3&cp=1

[R3P0]

Thanks for the fast responses I searched the site and couldn't find it so I was like wtf but its nice to know that total cost with pre order is only 64.99 from BBY...

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy [Theatrical Edition] (9-Disc) Blu-ray Jumbo SteelBook™ (StickerBook) [Best Buy Exclusive]

Price: $84.99 MSRP
Pre-Order Price: $64.99 Sale
Release Date: April 6, 2010
SKU: 9794135
Pre-Order Date: March 7, 2010
Limited Quantity: 5-10 copies per store
Size: Jumbo
Other: StickerBook

According to Brana, Best Buy is getting LotR Trio on BD Jumbo SteelBook but printed on Sticker. Now we have 4 different versions of LotR Trio (Best Buy, Future Shop, FNAC and Amazon.de). Best Buy are the stickerbook, Future Shop is jumbo, FNAC (French) get 3 individual steelbook cases, and Amazon.de (Germany) will have 3 individual steelbook cases housed in a slipcase.

Edit: Pre-order this and get a Steelbook case for free. Required $5 deposit. Must order between 2/4/10 and 4/5/10. Limit 3 per customer.

[nametag]

Originally Posted by R3P0

According to Brana, Best Buy is getting LotR Trio on BD Jumbo SteelBook but printed on Sticker.

Yeah but still no absolute confirmation of this yet from any other source. But if you check the steelbook thread on this site a small pic has been posted and it looks like it could well be a sticker... the front is centrally debossed and whilst it could be a print, it looks like it could easily be a sticker in the debossed bit. I want to know what the Canadian Futureshop one will look like...

It's worth checking the LOTR thread on the steelbook forum for more discussion of this, it's where the news tends to be posted first...

[Diesel]

Amazon dropped the price another 50 cents to $63.99.

[wvl]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Amazon dropped the price another 50 cents to $63.99.

Needs to drop 20 bucks if you ask me...

[Gremal]

Originally Posted by wvl

Needs to drop 20 bucks if you ask me...

That'd be cheaper than the DVDs when they first were released.

[SpaceDog]

Originally Posted by R3P0

Thanks for the fast responses I searched the site and couldn't find it so I was like wtf but its nice to know that total cost with pre order is only 64.99 from BBY...

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy [Theatrical Edition] (9-Disc) Blu-ray Jumbo SteelBook™ (StickerBook) [Best Buy Exclusive]

Price: $84.99 MSRP
Pre-Order Price: $64.99 Sale
Release Date: April 6, 2010
SKU: 9794135
Pre-Order Date: March 7, 2010
Limited Quantity: 5-10 copies per store
Size: Jumbo
Other: StickerBook

According to Brana, Best Buy is getting LotR Trio on BD Jumbo SteelBook but printed on Sticker. Now we have 4 different versions of LotR Trio (Best Buy, Future Shop, FNAC and Amazon.de). Best Buy are the stickerbook, Future Shop is jumbo, FNAC (French) get 3 individual steelbook cases, and Amazon.de (Germany) will have 3 individual steelbook cases housed in a slipcase.

Edit: Pre-order this and get a Steelbook case for free. Required $5 deposit. Must order between 2/4/10 and 4/5/10. Limit 3 per customer.

Stickerbook? I don't get it.
I like the idea of 3 individual steelbooks in a sleepcase.

[SleeperAgent]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Amazon dropped the price another 50 cents to $63.99.

I think they just want to taunt us.

I will not pay more than $60 for the trilogy. It will most likely drop a few days after release.

[DaViD Boulet]

darnit darnit darnit.

I know I'm going to cave.

I tried watching the DVDs the other day (the EE versions) and there were so horribly loaded with MPEG noise I almost threw up. Blu-ray has spoiled me... and now I can't go back! Having danced at the 1080p ball I just can't go back to peddling 480p MPEG2 ever again (my fair lady movie reference).

So, can someone please explain the difference with all these case options? What do they look like? any photos or examples of other sets in the same type of cases?

Even though I really look forward to the EEs on blu-ray, I think what I'll do is get the theatrical cuts and *pretend* it's like when I was at the theater watching those cuts for the first time... before the EEs existed. Then I'll pretend all over that I haven't seen the EE versions when they finally get here on blu (and chances are they'll be cuts that none of us have seen... probably changed from the current EEs I'd wager).

Lots of pretending going on I know. What's a LOTR fan to do?

dave