The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy (Extended Edition) (2001-2003)

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by drush9999

It's wonderfully crafted bit of prose. Gets better and better on re-reads.

Many people are initially overwhelmed by the large amount of characters and places that are in the story, as well as the "biblical" density of the wording. I recommend supplementing The Silmarillion with Karen Wynn Fonstad's "Atlas of Middle-earth and personally use it for my yearly readings. It makes all of the Middle-earth stories more enjoyable and immersive.

[rltilley]

Originally Posted by jayman3

I grew up on the LOTR trilogy. Was always a fan of Jackson's films. Never read the books in school though.

When The Hobbit was set to be released, I figured it would be time to read the book. Took me three weeks to get through. I enjoyed it a lot.

Fast forward to last year. I purchased this beautiful Deluxe Edition:



And decided it was time to finally read the book. It took me three months (June-August) and like others have said on here, I found it to be incredibly dull. Bulk of the book is a chore to get through with sluggish chapters. While I wasn't nearly as engaged or captivated with the book as I am with the films, I do appreciate Tolkien's masterful prose and world building.

I still need to read the Silmarillian. Though if I wasn't too excited over reading Lord of the Rings, will I find enjoyment in Silmarillian?

I read the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit in junior high and loved them. I read them all multiple times in a few years timespan.

When The Silmarillion came out I bought a copy and read the first line:

"There was Eru, the One, who in Arda is called Ilúvatar; and he made first the Ainur, the Holy Ones, that were the offspring of his thought, and they were with him before aught else was made."

I put the book down and didn't pick it up again for 20 years or so. When I did read it I loved it. A friend of mine prefers it to the other books.

[Arawn]

That's similar to what happened with me. I was given LOTR as a kid and sometime after I finally finished it I was in a book store and saw The Silmarillion. I was really excited, I thought it was a brand new Middle-earth book. When I got it I got through the first two chapters but couldn't get any farther. I liked chapter 2 because it was all about the Valar and reminded me of Norse mythology, which I had been obsessed with a year or two earlier. But beyond that I couldn't get into the book. Years later I noticed someone in one of my junior high classes reading it and this prompted me to try to get back into it. But I think it was many more years later before I really read it properly.

[jayman3]

Originally Posted by rltilley

When The Silmarillion came out I bought a copy and read the first line:

"There was Eru, the One, who in Arda is called Ilúvatar; and he made first the Ainur, the Holy Ones, that were the offspring of his thought, and they were with him before aught else was made."

I put the book down and didn't pick it up again for 20 years or so. When I did read it I loved it. A friend of mine prefers it to the other books.

Lol...that opening sentence was dense.

I'm looking forward to GRRM's Fire and Blood (out in November). It's been called the 'George R Rmarillion' by fans due to it focusing of the Targaryen history. Luckily, Martin's writing isn't as heavy like Tolkien's.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by Arawn

That's similar to what happened with me. I was given LOTR as a kid and sometime after I finally finished it I was in a book store and saw The Silmarillion. I was really excited, I thought it was a brand new Middle-earth book. When I got it I got through the first two chapters but couldn't get any farther. I liked chapter 2 because it was all about the Valar and reminded me of Norse mythology, which I had been obsessed with a year or two earlier. But beyond that I couldn't get into the book. Years later I noticed someone in one of my junior high classes reading it and this prompted me to try to get back into it. But I think it was many more years later before I really read it properly.

I bought a copy of The Silmarillion about the time it was published in 1977 , and only read up to "On the Darkening of Valinor". It was only after the first edition of Karen Wynn Fonstad's Atlas of Middle-earth was published in 1981 that I was able to finish the book. It became easier each time, but I only started to really appreciate the book around the 3rd or 4th reading. Considering the 50 years or so that Tolkien spent writing the story and the tremendous amount of thought invested, I am still perplexed by his choice of some of the subject matter, for example his choice of Turin as an exemplary hero.

[Constitution 101]

Originally Posted by Grand Bob

I finally saw that edition at our local Barnes and Noble. It has an unusual cover that almost has a "suede" texture. I will probably pick it and add it to the collection.

Attachment 209063

I've the gray in the center lol.

[Egons Ghost]

Originally Posted by imsounoriginal

It's easy to write that something is dark and has no light source, it's a different thing to actually show it in a movie (and given how much people are whining about how Solo looks, I'm sure Jackson and Lesnie would've been raked over the coals if they'd actually shot the scene that way).

People can't seem to get over the fact that these movies are adaptations, they're not meant to just translate what's on the page and put it up on the screen verbatim. Thankfully Peter Jackson and co. understand this and improved on The Hobbit (I reiterate, it's not a good book, people just get caught up in sentimentality because they read it when they were kids).

Whatever gets you through the day.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by Constitution 101

I've the gray in the center lol.

The U.S. 50th anniversary edition. My favorite is the beat-up brown volume near the left end. It is the 1991 Alan Lee illustrated edition that I have read over 25 times. I call it "Old Paint".

[Constitution 101]

Originally Posted by Grand Bob

The U.S. 50th anniversary edition. My favorite is the beat-up brown volume near the left end. It is the 1991 Alan Lee illustrated edition that I have read over 25 times. I call it "Old Paint".

Is the fifth from the right a one volume version of the three individual illustrated versions(third from the right)?

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by Constitution 101

Is the fifth from the right a one volume version of the three individual illustrated versions(third from the right)?

The partial blue volume on the left is the 2004 UK collector's edition of the Hobbit - all of my Hobbit books are to the left of that (out of the frame). The box contains an unopened 60th UK LotR collector's edition, the red volume is the 1974 collector's edition. The brown beat-up volume is the 1991 Alan Lee illustrated edition that I have named "Old Paint". Next to that is the 1991 UK Alan Lee illustrated edition. Both of the 1991 editions are the single version of the 3 volume large black books to the right. The thin black books to the right of the 1991 UK edition are the 1969 and 2002 India paper editions, then the 50th US edition and a "working" version of the 60th UK edition (blue volume). There are also a paperback and hardback 2005 "fully corrected" version and various other editions, including a relatively rare 3-volume 1988 paperback set with Alan Lee illustrated dust-jackets.


My next collector's purchase will be the 50th UK edition. If anyone has any volumes autographed by J.R.R. Tolkien laying around that they want to let go of for under $1000, send me a PM. I saw a nice autographed set a few years ago for $100K.

[justincheckin]

$26 for the extended trilogy today, just noting.

[rexcrk]

It almost makes me want to get another set as a backup lol. In the days before I had rent to pay, I probably would have gone for it haha.

[brian9229]

Giving the trilogy a watch now. Haven't watched this in quite a spell. I'm forcing the hdr on my player for this set, as well as upscaling to 4K. Tested the first few minutes of FOTR to make sure it wasn't like unwatchable, but like many other blus, it looks downright stunning. I captured a couple pics of particularly nice depth and detail. This is gonna be a fun watch I think.

[Show spoiler]Pics taken with nothing applied ss/40, iso/90

[deto]

I think the price today is prime for picking up...

[Monkeker]

I am holding off buying the extended trilogy. I just know a week or two after I buy it they will announce a 4K trilogy set.

[redxrebellion]

Originally Posted by Monkeker

I am holding off buying the extended trilogy. I just know a week or two after I buy it they will announce a 4K trilogy set.

That’s what I’ve been waiting for for awhile now. If I’ve held off the blu release this long I can surely wait a bit more for the 4K, which I’m sure will be sometime next year

[rexcrk]

Originally Posted by Monkeker

I am holding off buying the extended trilogy. I just know a week or two after I buy it they will announce a 4K trilogy set.

So for all our sakes, just buy it

Honestly though isn’t a 4K release for these sort of impossible because of all the digital effects in them?

[Monkeker]

Originally Posted by redxrebellion

That’s what I’ve been waiting for for awhile now. If I’ve held off the blu release this long I can surely wait a bit more for the 4K, which I’m sure will be sometime next year

I have the theatrical trilogy on blu-ray so that is good enough for now.

[Stanis]

Yeah, but will the 4k be greened?

[Cook]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Whaaa, The Hobbit is amazing. I mean to each their own, but most people love it. I re-read it every couple of years, and I always thoroughly enjoy the adventure.

The story is a good adventure. Unfortunately it's extremely hampered by the way Tolkien wrote it. Skimming over and summarizing a lot of moments and extremely lacking in character development. The book reads like a paraphrase of a longer and better book.