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

[mredman]

Originally Posted by MarekM

+1

Marek

+1

[BaronVH]

Originally Posted by ajmrowland

my point exactly. But, the filmmakers already knew the popularity of the books, being fans of Tolkien themselves. Once again, the bonuses on the dvd are really informative.

True, but they did not know it they would make billions of dollars worldwide. If they had they still would have cut Bombadil, but they might have had Frodo seeing Sauron's armies marching on the world at the end of Fellowship. It does say in the extras that since the first two movies made so much money that they were able to add tons of special effects in Return of the King. The scene where the Witch King flies up to Gandalf in Minas Tirith in the EE is a thing of beauty that I doubt we ever would have seen if these weren't huge financial successes. An imagine how good that will sound with lossless audio.

[Blufury]

I hope its the EE. If they release them individually, I'll still buy them but I prefer a box set.

[blacknation]

i want lotr

[mredman]

i will boldly state that TLOTR EE is the best movies ever made.
The BluRay must have seamless branching

[8SilverSky]

Originally Posted by MarekM

no, there is no info yet, if it will be theatrical, or EE, or both via seamless branching..

M.

I don't think they can do Seamless Branching for The Lord of the Rings. Remember that the Extended Cuts were made with a whole new "look" on the movie. Howard Shore added music, and some parts in the Theatrical version will have different music in the Extended version. Maybe if they were to duplicate certain scenes, but that might become a little complicated... That's just my thought on the whole story :P Anyway, I'm really looking forward to LOTR on Blu-ray (and, this is my first forum post here ).

[davcole]

Originally Posted by 8SilverSky

I don't think they can do Seamless Branching for The Lord of the Rings. Remember that the Extended Cuts were made with a whole new "look" on the movie. Howard Shore added music, and some parts in the Theatrical version will have different music in the Extended version. Maybe if they were to duplicate certain scenes, but that might become a little complicated... That's just my thought on the whole story :P Anyway, I'm really looking forward to LOTR on Blu-ray (and, this is my first forum post here ).

The last set of DVD's has seemless branching.

[InfectedStranger]

I could just imagine the quality and how amazing it would be, but the quality of the the movie itself is incredibly poor.

[rumpleminz]

I heard they're holding this to coincide with the release of The Hobbit (prequel).

[DaViD Boulet]

I won't bother unless it's the EE.

After getting yet ANOTHER blu-ray from Warner without lossless (inteview with a vampire), my opinion of that studio is dropping fast. Can't wait to see how they screw up LOTR!

dave

[deado]

Originally Posted by rumpleminz

I heard they're holding this to coincide with the release of The Hobbit (prequel).

Um if true that sucks... The Hobbit is yeears away... why would the WB sheet say it's 'Coming Soon' then?

Unless coming soon in their terms means 2011

[wildphantom]

There is actually no reason why Warners couldn't have the theatrical and extended cuts on seperate Blu discs in the same release.

I'd say its 50/50 though as to whether they'll release them seperately and we'll have to wait for the extended cuts to come second.

There is far too much money to be milked for the HD releases to have WB consider doing the right thing.

What we should get is basically the current extended editions in BD form, with the original cuts in there somewhere as a disc or seamless branching.

I hugely anticipate and fear their inevitable announcement early next year as to what they're going to do.

Fingers crossed it will be the release we all want.

[ground chuck]

seriously, is it going to matter what version is released? you know you're going to buy it just like i will. i have all the standard special edition, extended versions, but it AIN'T blu-ray.

[the Bass Mechanic]

Originally Posted by davcole

The last set of DVD's has seemless branching.

I have seen that version too, when searching for info on the Blu-ray versions, but did not buy them (bought the original "TC" and "EE" versions when they originaly came out)! I do have a few DVDs that have this feature though, and if they can do it on DVD, then they should be able to do 'seamless branching' on the Blu-rays too.

One note of caution though: they may HAVE to release them as seperate Blu-rays for each version (even if sold in a single package that contains "both versions" of the films). I too would hope that they can release a single Blu-ray for each movie with seamless branching of both versions, but it may not be possible to do without lowering the average bit rate too low. The "Theatrical Cut" versions are NOT simply the "Extended Edition" versions with footage removed!!! The "EE" versions have replaced some scenes in the "TC" version with completely different scenes, and both versions are "director's cuts"! The "TC" versions had to be edited for time, but the "EE" versions are nothing like the "director's cut" versions of other movies.

I saw the films in the theater several times each (A friend of mine was depressed at the time, and liked "Fellowship" so much that she saw it over 30 times, as a cheaper form of "therapy"!!! I saw it about 20 times myself, most of them with her.), and bought the DVDs of both versions as they became available. I have compared both versions and there are several scenes that are in the "TC" version that are not in the "EE" versions. Including BOTH versions of "Return of the King" (for example) would not be as simple as including the 4-hour "EE" version, and then merely 'skipping' the scenes not in the "TC" version. Including all the scenes in both versions of that movie would make the movie content on the disc total 4-1/2hours,.. or more!!! The 1st and 2nd movies would be a bit shorter, but they might come in at close to 4-hours each to include all the scenes needed for "seamless" branching!!!

I'm not saying this to poo-poo the idea (I'd like to see both versions via 'seamless branching', AND for custom editing), I just wanted to clarify that the "TC" is not just a shorter version of the "EE" cut, but a different "director's cut" entirely.

[kjacobs03]

I have seen all of the LotR movies numerous times. The EE much more than the TC, but what scenes were in the TC but not in the EE?

[AintNoSin]

Originally Posted by kjacobs03

I have seen all of the LotR movies numerous times. The EE much more than the TC, but what scenes were in the TC but not in the EE?

In the first film, there were different shots used for the entrance to Lothlorien. I don't know of any TC scenes that were not included in the EE, but some scenes were structured differently.

[GoodToGo]

I dont care whether it's EE or TC. First day buy for me! Now only if they can give a specific release date...

[wildphantom]

There's some good points raised on here around whether seamless branching would be possible.
I don't own the last re-release where they were there as seamless so I don't know how well they worked.

But people are absolutely right that entire scenes were actually changed as well as having new footage.
The first one that springs to mind is the opening to Fellowship that has Bilbo starting to write 'There and Back Again' in Hobbiton - missing from the theatrical cut.

The Fellowship of the Ring title card then appears I think as we see the book, instead of when Frodo is sitting under the tree in the theatrical.

Thinking about it they are subtley very different films and I would like both. I take back all of what I said surrounding the 'only EE's for me' comment.

If they can fit both cuts on to one BD with no compromise then great. If not I'd like them across two discs, with all the extras on a further two discs.

I really think we'll get both cuts in a terrific release, but one film at a time through 2009.

[Eternalnow]

I think the LOTR films (Both the Theatrical the EE) are stunning representations of film, and they are probably the best films ever made in my eyes. I don't care what changes were made, changes are always made when a book is translated into a film script.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Eternalnow

I think the LOTR films (Both the Theatrical the EE) are stunning representations of film, and they are probably the best films ever made in my eyes. I don't care what changes were made, changes are always made when a book is translated into a film script.

Well, when the changes result in giant plot holes and gaps in logic, its a problem...for instance, it takes hours upon hours just for the Ents to say "good morning". That's from the book. Then, in a change trying to make Merry and Pippin more central to the climax, they change the book, have the Ents decide not to fight, so Pippin tricks Treebeard into going to Isengard, whereupon he discovers the devastation of the forest. What does he do then? He roars. For about five seconds. Ents who take hours just to say "good morning" apparently know "Roar!" means "All ents sprint to Isengard and go to war because Saruman is destroying the forest", and so suddenly, Ents come pouring out of the woods to attack Isengard.

And then there's Denethor's "flaming mile" that he runs after he immolates himself on the funeral pyre. Not in the book. Denethor sets himself on fire and dies. And when you see where the Tomb is in the Extended Edition, it makes Denethor's Flaming Mile even more silly, like running on fire from one end of the University of Texas campus to the other. It's absurd, and a huge boo-boo.

Then there's Gollum at the end of the Two Towers suddenly formulating his plan to have Shelob kill Sam and Frodo. All well and good except Faramir has already forced Gollum to tell him his planned route...Gollum lies, then admits where he's taking the hobbits, which makes the later scene incongruous as Gollum has already decided where he's taking them.

It's not that people are upset about the changes in the book -- its how bad some of the changes are. Two words for you..."Dwarf tossing". Enough said.