"Limited Edition" LOTR DVDs on August 29th

[Strider]

http://www.lordoftherings.net/homevideo/images/dvd_limited_fotr.jpghttp://www.lordoftherings.net/homevideo/images/dvd_limited_tt.jpghttp://www.lordoftherings.net/homevideo/images/dvd_limited_ttt.jpghttp://www.lordoftherings.net/homevideo/images/dvd_limited_rotk.jpg

I'll paste the text from New Line followed by my comments:

http://www.lordoftherings.net/homevideo/images/color_clear.gifDisc One
Includes both the theatrical version and the Extended version of the film. You can choose which version to watch!

Disc Two
Features a new feature-length documentary with never-before-seen "making of" footage. Filmmaker Costa Botes, who was personally selected by Peter Jackson, took a unique approach to telling the story of the cast and crew experience on The Lord of the Rings trilogy. By letting the raw footage speak for itself, the result is a fascinating telling of the challenges, training, and camaraderie that resulted in the greatest adventure on film.

These DVDs definitely wouldn't be worth it for the films if you already have them on DVD (especially if you have both versions like I do). The video quality on the films will definitely be degraded compared to the 4-disc release since they will be crammed onto a single disc.

However, I have read many good things about the Costa Botes documentary before, enough that I will have no hesitation in picking these up. In fact, The Digital Bits (http://www.thedigitalbits.com) is reporting that the docmentary clocks in at 300 minutes over the three discs. So you would have to buy all three films again, but I think it is well worth it. I am looking at it as a release of a cool documentary with the LOTR films as extra features. :D
http://www.lordoftherings.net/homevideo/images/color_clear.gif

[Aragorn the Elfstone]

I thought about trying to maintain my dignity by not picking these up, but no doubt I'll cave. :lol:

I'll be interested about the video quality, though. They'll definitely save some room on the discs since they will only have the 1 audio track versus the 7 on the EE discs, but it'll still be a stretch.

I may change my mind down the line, but for now I'm content with calling myself New Line's bitch. :D

[Strider]

My guess is that the film quality will be comparable to the theatrical DVDs. Sure there won't be as many audio tracks, but there will be a lot more video to put on the disc (especially in ROTK). Just because it is the shortest, FOTR should look the best with ROTK looking the worst. However, I don't think the video quality will be anywhere close to being "bad". I think it just won't be able to get close to the 4-disc editions in quality.

Plus, we'll have to see how the "seamless branching" works. I have some DVDs where it works okay and some where it works terribly. There's always that little hiccup in there. Part of that could be my player is fairly old though.

All of that being said, I will repeat that I wil still have no hesitation in picking these up. IMHO, the Costa Botes documentaries make it well worth getting these films again. :D

[ellenora]

Gorgeous boxes though. Can I possible prevent myself from buying them?

[neglet]

What pretty boxes. We wants them, my precious.

But since we already has us the EE set, will probably wait until price comes down. :(

[Strider]

At the very least, I will rent these so I can see the documentaries. They were done in such a different style (I believe they are mostly raw footage w/o voiceover) than the docs on all the previous Rings DVDs.

[alaristhered]

Check out http://www.lordoftherings.net

There is a contest to win these DVD's!

[jayce78]

Nice packaging , . . .


Really it's nothing that new , but more power to ya mates!

[Strider]

Oooohh...I always love a good LOTR sweepstakes. :D

[alaristhered]

I shouldn't have shared with you m&$%$@#@!@r f*(%#@@s. Now my chances of winning went down. :-)

[Strider]

You should count yourself lucky that you can't really enter more than once. :p

[alaristhered]

I know! Otherwise, I'd be entering every single day. Heck, I still have 5 commentrax to watch (1 more TTT, all 4 ROTK) on the DVD's I do have. And no time to do it!