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

[Swearengen]

Originally Posted by jonmoz

As i have said before Blu-ray is only a format,it has no say in how movies were shot,and there will always be some films that look better than others,this will at times be down to a poor transfer and at other times not.

But a format that comes closer to depict the instructors visual intentions and with prober restoration, look as close as the original release did in cinemas upon premiere. Restoration specialist Robert Harris has also stated this on plenty occasions in his "A Few Words About ..." reviews.

You only "get so far" with some movies. Guns of Navarone looks as if, it is impossible to get it to look better. But I don't buy into FOTR having a poor transfer, since depiction of skin on the DVD, on occassion looks to have more details than the BD and the HDTV release carves this in stone, by looking better than the BD. A better transfer for BD will eventually see its light of day.

[jc480]

Very disappointed after reading the BD review.

This is a premiere title and, as such, deserves a pristine release. Instead we have yet another example of greedy studios doing a half assed job to save a few bucks on a less than perfect release to a public it deems too stupid to know any better.

I may not even buy the extended version when it comes out after all this. I purchased/installed a BD system to be blown away...not to get marginal upgrades to DVDs.

Studios need to quit taking us for granted with these weak efforts.

[mredman]

Originally Posted by jc480

Very disappointed after reading the BD review.

This is a premiere title and, as such, deserves a pristine release. Instead we have yet another example of greedy studios doing a half assed job to save a few bucks on a less than perfect release to a public it deems too stupid to know any better.

I may not even buy the extended version when it comes out after all this. I purchased/installed a BD system to be blown away...not to get marginal upgrades to DVDs.

Studios need to quit taking us for granted with these weak efforts.

But they ARE WAY better then the DVD's and the upgraded ones. Even Jonmoz who has a 108 screen says they are not as bad as some people say and he is very happy with his set and so has all the others said who has it now

[robertc88]

Originally Posted by mredman

But they ARE WAY better then the DVD's and the upgraded ones. Even Jonmoz who has a 108 screen says they are not as bad as some people say and he is very happy with his set and so has all the others said who has it now

Really hard to guage the quality. Professional reviews are about 50/50, more than likely most will admit to witnessing worse. But with a large thread though I'm trying to keep track I don't exactly know how many "all the others" are at this point.

The way better then the DVD scenario isn't enough for some, especially with high profile titles that had been delayed to begin with and what specific version has been released. Heck, the price isn't even all that great at this point. That may still have some waiting till later on picking it up even if they were of very respectable quality.

Disappointing I still feel is the majority's reactions about the whole thing but time will tell as we await folk's witnessing the movies even if they aren't presented in all their glory.

[bearscubsfan87]

I'm getting excited about this now.

I may have missed this but I was wondering last night while watching the two towers how it compares to the hdtv version. I know I could tell a difference between it and the fellowship the night before. Someone may have already said I missed it.

And on a side note, how many plan on buying the animated version on blu-ray?

[jonmoz]

After reading the comments,i keep putting "Fellowship" on to see if i am missing anything,and i still find myself more than happy with it on my screen.

I am not saying it can't be improved on in any way,as there are very few Blu-ray titles that are absolute perfection,but i was expecting to be very unhappy with "Fellowship",after some reviews,but it's just not the case.I have no reason to lie i am just giving my honest opinion.

I am watching "The two towers" tonight and can't wait.

[robertc88]

Originally Posted by jonmoz

After reading the comments,i keep putting "Fellowship" on to see if i am missing anything,and i still find myself more than happy with it on my screen.

I am not saying it can't be improved on in any way,as there are very few Blu-ray titles that are absolute perfection,but i was expecting to be very unhappy with "Fellowship",after some reviews,but it's just not the case.I have no reason to lie i am just giving my honest opinion.

I am watching "The two towers" tonight and can't wait.

I appreciate your thoughts and continued updates. Can I come over to see what you are witnessing?


We probably have another Gladiator scenario forthcoming with opinions about the quality. The poor mods, I don't envy them!

[jonmoz]

I think it's difficult Robert because everyone will have there own opinion on these releases when they watch them,and their view is unlikley to change if someone tells them the picture is good when they did not like it themselves.

But there are a lot of people not happy because they have seen a bad review,rather than the Blu-rays themselves.

As when i ordered these discs,i had just read all the reviews and was worried i may be unhappy when they arrived,so on watching the "Fellowship" found myself looking for things more than i would normally.

It could be i am less sensative to these issues,but as i upgraded my Blu-ray player from my Panasonic DMP-BD30 to a Pioneer BDP-09FD because of it's extensive picture tuning i don't think so.I wish i had kept the Panasonic now so i could have watched the movie on both players to see if the Pioneer was making any difference.

[ack_bak]

Originally Posted by jonmoz

I think it's difficult Robert because everyone will have there own opinion on these releases when they watch them,and their view is unlikley to change if someone tells them the picture is good when they did not like it themselves.

But there are a lot of people not happy because they have seen a bad review, rather than the Blu-rays themselves.

As when i ordered these discs,i had just read all the reviews and was worried i may be unhappy when they arrived,so on watching the "Fellowship" found myself looking for things more than i would normally.

It could be i am less sensative to these issues,but as i upgraded my Blu-ray player from my Panasonic DMP-BD30 to a Pioneer BDP-09FD because of it's extensive picture tuning i don't think so.I wish i had kept the Panasonic now so i could have watched the movie on both players to see if the Pioneer was making any difference.

There is very little difference with regards to Blu-Ray playback between players. The biggest differences in playback from higher and lower end BD players is with regards to DVD playback.

This is another case of "Gladiator", or "Patton" (as far as opinions go) all over again. Some people, like yourself, are just not as sensitive to DNR or EE as others. I have planned all along to rent the TE's on BD and then hold out got buying the Extended Editions. But I have to say that it is quite frustrating to learn that the HDTV broadcast, in many examples I have seen, has more fine detail than the Blu-Ray release. Especially for such an anticipated release like the LOTR trilogy. We really should not be even having this debate IMHO. Warner never should have applied DNR to the extent that they did.

At any rate, enjoy the set. I should be watching them soon via Netflix, but I must admit that the bad reviews I have read have been very disappointed, and have dampened my excitement for this release.

[un4gvn94538]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Getting my copy tomorrow


People are still getting their orders on April 6th from WBShop. Not everybody's order is coming early.

nope still in process. but the order confirmation email i got when i place the order stated it will ship by the 7th so..... ill just wait

[BluElite]

Im getting the BLU Trilogy regardless but I am also disappointed with the menial effort invested in this release along with the "double dipping" aspect as well. These movies made exorbitant amounts of money. That should be reflected in the quality of its release. Take James Cameron with Avatar; or Spielberg with Minority Report. As much money as we give these people, I think any shortcoming on our return is inexcusable. As a note, Avatar is also participating in the "double dipping" trend as well which I think is absurd and just another ploy to milk people dry. Don't you guys have enough money? When does it end?

[petmic10]

Originally Posted by billzfan

Anyone want to write a review in here that got them early and watched them?

Here you go. This is for Fellowship only.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/blu-ray-mo...ml#post3107356

[Todd Smith]

Originally Posted by jonmoz

And like you guys say people who have seen it,are on the whole very happy with it,but like anything it comes down to your own opinion in the end.

If you are only using the user reviews in this forum as a sample, sure on the whole people are very happy with the PQ. What about the various reports on AVS, HDD and other forums around the net of people who have seen it, many of which were disappointed? What about the VERY credible so called "pro" reviews who were disappointed to say the least, 3 of which I trust MUCH more than anyone on here (no offense) since I have experience with these viewers as far as what I usually see myself in my HT. We can also assume that the average consumer (people who dont spend time in these forums) will think it looks good since they dont know any better (most of them) and they are viewing on small 50" sets and below (many of them) from much further view distances than someone who is focused on getting the most out of 1080p. Out of all the people who have actually seen it, we have had very mixed opinions at this point, and come Tues it will be the same way. It has ranged from very disappointing to very good and everything in between for many various reasons which we have already talked about. The interesting thing for me though is all the reviewers who I have come to know and trust through the months/years have ALL been disappointed

Like I said previously, best to find a reviewer (if you can) who sees things similar to you and has a similar sensitivity to these issues.

[petmic10]

Originally Posted by mjbethancourt

This is just the intermission.

On Tuesday, the Battle of Bogus Screen-Captures really begins.

Well, I have the discs in hand and to me the screen captures
make it look worse than it really is but those screen caps do
show problems and there are definately problems with FOTR.

Just my .02

[Todd Smith]

Originally Posted by micks_address

i think a lot of the issues raised are probably down to the camera's chosen and the Digital post film process... i think a lot of the hating is down to the fact these arent the extended editions.. which i would love... so i think some people are going to view these in anger already - knowing that Warner are screwing us with a double dip..

Considering the VERY credible sources who have reported and backed up their claims with evidence, not to mention a good chunk of these guys are watching on big FP screens at appropriate view distances for 1080p (how many people in this particular forum actually fit this criteria???) which makes seeing these issues MUCH easier, I would say your theory is one of conspiracy in nature.........needless to say, I strongly disagree with you. If all we had were a bunch of useless (for the most part) uneducated user reviews, I could go along with your theory as a strong possibility, but considering the sources of disappointment, that is clearly not the case, not even a chance IMO.

I will say this though, if I was viewing this on a 50" or smaller set, at more than 2.0 screen widths away, I would not even waste an ounce of energy worrying about these issues since viewing on that small a screen at that view range will not reveal the issues to the VAST majority of users who dont know any better (which fits MANY is this forum). If you fit this description, hell go enjoy the films as I know I would

[Qaith]

Originally Posted by Todd Smith

Considering the VERY credible sources who have reported and backed up their claims with evidence, I would say your theory is one of conspiracy in nature.........needless to say, I strongly disagree with you. If all we had were a bunch of useless (for the most part) uneducated user reviews, I could go along with your theory as a strong possibility, but considering the sources of disappointment, that is clearly not the case, not even a chance IMO.

For real...the cognitive dissonance of some people is amazing. If folks don't like the transfer it can't POSSIBLY be because, you know, there's actually something wrong with the transfer....no, it has to be jealousy or anger or some such tripe

[HDPlasma]

Originally Posted by mjbethancourt

Yeah, and I have thousands of old photo prints that you can see some sort of "film grain" on, in the brightest areas.

A still photo is not the same thing as a screen capture of a dimly-lit frame from a digital cable source. A still photo doesn't have a grid of pixels obfuscating the difference between the grain and the pixel-streets. If your professional experience has given you the special ability to look at a single-frame JPEG on a video screen that was ripped from an HDTV broadcast, and differentiate what is grain from the rest of the detail, then that is some pretty amazing perception and I myself would never claim to have such powers.

What do you mean there's "no such thing as a speckling effect"? I didn't offer it as official technical jargon, I see speckles in that image. Are you going to try telling me that there is no such thing as speckles? Or that since that isn't the term that you would use to describe that phenomenon, then the phenomenon therefore doesn't exist? You've got to be kidding me. I look at the two images in question, and the difference I see is that the Blu-ray frame is darker and has different color and contrast, and the HDTV image is covered with tiny white speckles, which I believe is just digital noise; but speckles don't exist, so...

... that's odd, considering that my photo editor software refers to adding or removing digital noise as "speckling and de-speckling".

I guess there's no such thing as my photo editor, either.

Oh yeah:

HDPlasma, typing "Bam" in huge letters doesn't make any point whatsoever.
Go sharpen your grudges on someone else.

No grudges.
Your OPINION provides an amature observation at best and not a professional view with scientific fact.

[Todd Smith]

Originally Posted by Qaith

For real...the cognitive dissonance of some people is amazing. If folks don't like the transfer it can't POSSIBLY be because, you know, there's actually something wrong with the transfer....no, it has to be jealousy or anger or some such tripe

Exactly, and considering the VERY credible sources (if you are at all familiar with these individuals like many of us are) that have made the reports, this theory is incredibly reaching to put it kindly.

[Chordata]

Originally Posted by Todd Smith

Considering the VERY credible sources who have reported and backed up their claims with evidence, not to mention a good chunk of these guys are watching on big FP screens at appropriate view distances for 1080p (how many people in this particular forum actually fit this criteria???) which makes seeing these issues MUCH easier, I would say your theory is one of conspiracy in nature.........needless to say, I strongly disagree with you. If all we had were a bunch of useless (for the most part) uneducated user reviews, I could go along with your theory as a strong possibility, but considering the sources of disappointment, that is clearly not the case, not even a chance IMO.

I will say this though, if I was viewing this on a 50" or smaller set, at more than 2.0 screen widths away, I would not even waste an ounce of energy worrying about these issues since viewing on that small a screen at that view range will not reveal the issues to the VAST majority of users who dont know any better (which fits MANY is this forum). If you fit this description, hell go enjoy the films as I know I would

A condescending post like that adds nothing to this discussion.

If you think you're so much better than the "VAST majority" of people in this forum, by all means, go find a site that fits your financial and technical demo.

[tkdkid717]

I know they are not the extended editions, but they are still good. How long would it be till we get the extended cuts? im hearing 2012. I knw that there is some issues with the picture quality, but it is still better than the dvd. What do you guys think? i mean, i have seen the extended cuts and found myself getting bored due to the length. Also, can someone please upload a picture of the slip cover and inside cases, i know there were a couple floating around here at some point.