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

[BluBrown]

Originally Posted by Marine Mike

The movie industry isn't made up of non-profit organizations.

IMO this would make even more of a profit as very few people would wait for the ultimate boxset if both versions were released simultaneously. Everyone who wants LOTR on blu would buy it and it would become the fastest selling blu to date. Then down the line Warner would make even more money off of us on some definitive collection, especially if it had a sneak peek at The Hobbit. How many more copies of Batman Begins do you think Warner sold by including the opening sequence of The Dark Knight in the bonus materials?

[GoodToGo]

I think people who want the EE's are missing a very important point. The EE version will cost a lot more than the TE. In the current economic situation, I dont think people would want to spend more to buy the EE. In addition, most people wont even care for the EE and will straight off buy the TE. I realize there may be a lot of vocal die hard fans here but most of the buyers wont even know there was an EE released on the DVD. Even if they knew, they wont be willing to fork over the extra cash for all the additional stuff. Sucks for the EE fans but as in all things, majority wins.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Diesel

it has around 220 one-star ratings on amazon.com

i didnt read them all but im assuming near 100% of them are because they are not extended

And they're bare bones, meaning no bonus features at all. I can see that bothering people.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by GoodToGo

I think people who want the EE's are missing a very important point. The EE version will cost a lot more than the TE. In the current economic situation, I dont think people would want to spend more to buy the EE. In addition, most people wont even care for the EE and will straight off buy the TE. I realize there may be a lot of vocal die hard fans here but most of the buyers wont even know there was an EE released on the DVD. Even if they knew, they wont be willing to fork over the extra cash for all the additional stuff. Sucks for the EE fans but as in all things, majority wins.

I don't mind they release the TE first. Oh I know there is a lot of complaining going on by a lot of people. For me personaly I do get why they are releasing the TE first. For the "average joe" that's all they truly know of the movies and it make sense to have the most known version out in other to generate interest in the movie.

As for me, I just prefer the EE versions. Only saw the TE once each in theater and I have no more wish to see them. Will only wait for the EE.

What does get to me is the TE fans coming down on those who prefer waiting for the EE instead of jumping on the TE.

[ckenisell]

Originally Posted by BluBrown

Not to sound like I'm "whining" but why couldn't they release both versions now with seamless branching just as they did with the most recent SD releases and then years down the road release the Super Ultimate Deluxe edition boxset to coincide with The Hobbit. I'm sure there is enough unreleased material to get the real hard core fans (myself included) to double dip on a definitive blu-ray collection.

This is my argument. It's not like it would take a LOT of work to get the seamless branching to work. They already have the flow chart from when the seamless branching SD DVDs were authored.

This is very simply a way for Warner to take advantage of our inability to have patience. They are VERY aware of consumers' want for instant gratification. If they release a seamless branching version now and then released an Ultimate Deluxe version later, very few consumers would purchase it (just for the special features) at a premium price later on if they already had the seamless branching version.

This is THE ABSOLUTE BEST METHOD for Warner to maximize profits on this trilogy. THAT'S the bottom line. The push-back from consumers (on this forum and at the cash register when they DON'T purchase the Theatrical Release) are the ONLY ways in which consumers feel like they have a voice. I say more power to the consumer and encourage those who claim they won't purchase to stick with it. Don't cave and buy it anyway. This is the ONLY way that Warner and other studios will get the message.

I HOPE that a TON of people DON'T buy this release. There are absolutely ZERO reasons why they couldn't release a bare-bones seamless branching version this year. It's ALL for business purposes. You can't blame Warner for trying, but you don't have to buy it.

It's for the reasons stated above that I am renting this version and buying the EE's when they are released.

[BluBrown]

Originally Posted by GoodToGo

I think people who want the EE's are missing a very important point. The EE version will cost a lot more than the TE. In the current economic situation, I dont think people would want to spend more to buy the EE. In addition, most people wont even care for the EE and will straight off buy the TE. I realize there may be a lot of vocal die hard fans here but most of the buyers wont even know there was an EE released on the DVD. Even if they knew, they wont be willing to fork over the extra cash for all the additional stuff. Sucks for the EE fans but as in all things, majority wins.

These people you speak of that don't even know the EE's exsist also probably don't have BD players and won't be getting one to upgrade their TE copies of LOTR given the current "economic situation."

[ckenisell]

Originally Posted by GoodToGo

I think people who want the EE's are missing a very important point. The EE version will cost a lot more than the TE. In the current economic situation, I dont think people would want to spend more to buy the EE. In addition, most people wont even care for the EE and will straight off buy the TE. I realize there may be a lot of vocal die hard fans here but most of the buyers wont even know there was an EE released on the DVD. Even if they knew, they wont be willing to fork over the extra cash for all the additional stuff. Sucks for the EE fans but as in all things, majority wins.

It's not like the TE's are exactly cheap. $100 MSRP for a bare-bones trilogy is still pretty high. I don't care how long the movies are.

Second, if Warner really cared about us EE fans, when the EE's are released, they'd let us send in our TE Blu-Rays (along with the original receipt) for a FULL CREDIT (or close to a full credit) towards the EE's. Like a rebate. Or something like a $50 mail-in rebate for buying both the TE's AND the EE's. Now THAT would make EE fans happy. I don't see that happening. It wouldn't be good for Warner's pocketbook (which is the ONLY thing that matters here. NOT the consumer.)

[Irrob]

I watched the theatrical trilogy (which I might add, are the versions that raked in the box office coin, and the academy awards) on TNT this past weekend. Ugh. I'm quite happy to have LOTR on Blu sooner rather than later. This is a HUGE plus for the Blu-ray format.

[ckenisell]

I refuse to watch this trilogy (in any form) on TNT-HD. Their bug is annoying, the graphic pop-ups are annoying and commercials (even though I can skip them with the DVR) are annoying. If I were Peter Jackson, I would cringe everytime I see or hear about LOTR airing on TNT.

[AintNoSin]

I hate to repeat myself.

We will not have to wait 3 years for the EE on Blu. Jackson only said that they will be released "closer" to the release date of The Hobbit, not "close to" or at the same time.

My guess, based on nothing more than it being how I would handle it. They'd probably release the EEs separately and not in a box set. FOTR would come two years to eighteen months before the release of The Hobbit, it would contain the first available footage from the new films. The next two films would follow 6 to 9 month apart, each containing a new and expanded Hobbit trailer.

If we see a box set, my bet would be a combined Hobbit/LOTR set contain both versions of all movies (because you just know there will be EE versions of The Hobbit movies too, right?).

[bases1616]

Originally Posted by ckenisell

It's not like the TE's are exactly cheap. $100 MSRP for a bare-bones trilogy is still pretty high. I don't care how long the movies are.

Second, if Warner really cared about us EE fans, when the EE's are released, they'd let us send in our TE Blu-Rays (along with the original receipt) for a FULL CREDIT (or close to a full credit) towards the EE's. Like a rebate. Or something like a $50 mail-in rebate for buying both the TE's AND the EE's. Now THAT would make EE fans happy. I don't see that happening. It wouldn't be good for Warner's pocketbook (which is the ONLY thing that matters here. NOT the consumer.)

You hit the nail right on the head Chet. Warner has been the worst big studio out there when it comes to Blu-ray. They have already double dipped on Superman Returns because they did not do lossless audio on the first release. I am sure Journey to the Center of the Earth and Speed Racer will get re-releases with lossless audio as well. Do not expect any deals from Warner because they are going to make as much money as possible off the consumer.

All you EE fans are just going to have to wait for a couple years. I love the LOTR trilogy so I will be picking up the TE version's at the end of this year and the EE version's when they come out.

Warner is all about making money first and then the consumer. If it is even in that order. Good example would be the push back of Harry Potter 6. Dark Knight made them so much money last year that they knew this year would be tough for them without a big blockbuster on there schedule. HP6 was pushed back until July of this year and that movie will put them in the blue for the year. If they really cared about the consumer they would of released HP6 last November. It is all business and as long as the consumer Keeps filling there pockets with money you can expect this from Warner forever.

[Mike2060]

Originally Posted by BluBrown

Not to sound like I'm "whining" but why couldn't they release both versions now with seamless branching just as they did with the most recent SD releases and then years down the road release the Super Ultimate Deluxe edition boxset to coincide with The Hobbit. I'm sure there is enough unreleased material to get the real hard core fans (myself included) to double dip on a definitive blu-ray collection.

What is seamless branching?

[AintNoSin]

Originally Posted by Mike2060

What is seamless branching?

Seamless branching

[BluBrown]

Originally Posted by AintNoSin

I hate to repeat myself.

We will not have to wait 3 years for the EE on Blu. Jackson only said that they will be released "closer" to the release date of The Hobbit, not "close to" or at the same time.

My guess, based on nothing more than it being how I would handle it. They'd probably release the EEs separately and not in a box set. FOTR would come two years to eighteen months before the release of The Hobbit, it would contain the first available footage from the new films. The next two films would follow 6 to 9 month apart, each containing a new and expanded Hobbit trailer.

If we see a box set, my bet would be a combined Hobbit/LOTR set contain both versions of all movies (because you just know there will be EE versions of The Hobbit movies too, right?).

Not saying you're wrong at all(I actually hope you're right) but why wouldn't they do the same with the TE's knowing full well that they would prpobably make a few extra dollars?

[ckenisell]

Originally Posted by AintNoSin

Seamless branching

A couple of other examples are Spiderman 2 (and 2.1) on the same disc and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (with three different versions on disc.)

[Variable]

maybe they're waiting on the other ones so they can put some new features in... I assume you'll be forgiving of Warner if that's the case?

It's not unheard of for them to make the customer wait for a product either. They don't owe you anything, and they want your money. if they wanted they could have said there will be no EE released on blu just to get people to buy the standard. Not that I think that would be a smart move, I'm just saying, what they are doing is justified solely by the fact that they want money, just like it was with the first releases, let alone that there may be extra content.

bleh. I hate to sound like I'm defending warner but it just seems like there's always some people who are unhappy. but I guess you can't please all the people all the time... I also don't want to sound atagonistic towards those who are unhappy about this, I do understand where you're coming from. maybe I'm just so happy about lotr coming out at all on blu that I don't care about the circumstances of the release.

[mdm1699]

I hope the EEs are released in 2020

[Steve46]

The most important thing is that they get the PQ and AQ right.

[Diesel]

this thread has quickly become split since the pre-order went up

Originally Posted by Steve46

The most important thing is that they get the PQ and AQ right.

EXACTLY
that is what is the most important imo

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by Diesel

this thread has quickly become split since the pre-order went up



EXACTLY
that is what is the most important imo

Sub par in both that still beat the DVDs are fine by me.