Don't know when you guys get this, but this four hour monstrosity released yesterday here.
Just a few quick impressions (keeping in mind, I don't have a fancy player, or screen setup):
Is it me, or is the picture quality greater? Colours seem richer, and clarity greater (than regular edition). DTS sound is beyond awesome - man sound can make or break a movie, and it's spectacular here - more separation in the surround channels is particularly noticeable.
Extra scenes (probably spoilers, but those who are reading this probably already aware):
A few tidbits here and there, extended scenes. Nearly all are superfluous to the movies itself, with only a few major moments standing out as being a cool addition to the theatrical release (a la fellowship). Notably, these are the confrontation with Saruman, and his demise, and Gandalf vs. teh Witch King. I'm undecided about the Mouth of Sauron - cool, to be sure, but it can detract in the way that (how do I make spoiler blackness?) Aragorn goes nuts and kills him - I thought it would've been cooler had he simply denied the enemy and chosen to fight - not to mention Mouth's body mysteriously 'disappears' in the later scenes (theatrical cut). One scene I thought was actually detrimental to the film is Aragorn's recruiting of the armies of the dead - in the theatrical they cut away and reveal when the corsairs arrive. In extended scenes, they accept, then they have a few shots of Aragorn hijacking the corsairs before they reach gondor. It's cool that it's clearer that the corsairs are made out to be the ones who will totally swing the war in Sauron's favour (it wasn't clear for me in the theatrical cut), but it detracts from Aragorn's reveal when he arrives at Minas Tirirth.
Other neat little bits include a touching moment between Faramir and Eowyn in the Houses of Healing. Oh yeah, Eowyn and Merry get to seriously kick some orc butt - cool to see them do so after everyone in the Rohirrim were against them fighting.
I think one entire scene from the theatrical cut (pippin finding Merry) has been digitally corrected so as to appear at dusk or early evening rather than during the day (it makes the passing of time clearer during the healing aftermath.
Haven't heard any commentaries yet.
Only watched a 70 minute documentary on 'Cameras in Middle Earth', which relates peoples experiences during filming. A must see! In one part Peter Jackson is filming the last scene he'd be directing ever (it was for pick ups for RotK, mid-2003), with Elijah, and it seems he's unwilling to give it up, and keeps saying, 'One more time, Elijah', and when he finally finishes, he hugs ELijah and bursts into tears.
A documentary about the end of it all is cool, with the final section focussing on the 11 oscars.
The Easter Egg on disc one is particularly hilarious - it's Elijah being satellite interviewed over camera. He can't see the interviewer, and it's actually Dominic (Merry), who is putting on a terrible German accent, and asking him ridiculous questions with Elijah just thinking, "WTF?!", and trying to be serious. It's actually quite funny.
Um...well, back to finding more goodies in this beast of a set!
(and phooey to my crappy PS2 player which has issues with layer changes on disc 2 - luckily, I managed to exchange that disc, adn the new one works fine).
Just a few quick impressions (keeping in mind, I don't have a fancy player, or screen setup):
Is it me, or is the picture quality greater? Colours seem richer, and clarity greater (than regular edition). DTS sound is beyond awesome - man sound can make or break a movie, and it's spectacular here - more separation in the surround channels is particularly noticeable.
Extra scenes (probably spoilers, but those who are reading this probably already aware):
A few tidbits here and there, extended scenes. Nearly all are superfluous to the movies itself, with only a few major moments standing out as being a cool addition to the theatrical release (a la fellowship). Notably, these are the confrontation with Saruman, and his demise, and Gandalf vs. teh Witch King. I'm undecided about the Mouth of Sauron - cool, to be sure, but it can detract in the way that (how do I make spoiler blackness?) Aragorn goes nuts and kills him - I thought it would've been cooler had he simply denied the enemy and chosen to fight - not to mention Mouth's body mysteriously 'disappears' in the later scenes (theatrical cut). One scene I thought was actually detrimental to the film is Aragorn's recruiting of the armies of the dead - in the theatrical they cut away and reveal when the corsairs arrive. In extended scenes, they accept, then they have a few shots of Aragorn hijacking the corsairs before they reach gondor. It's cool that it's clearer that the corsairs are made out to be the ones who will totally swing the war in Sauron's favour (it wasn't clear for me in the theatrical cut), but it detracts from Aragorn's reveal when he arrives at Minas Tirirth.
Other neat little bits include a touching moment between Faramir and Eowyn in the Houses of Healing. Oh yeah, Eowyn and Merry get to seriously kick some orc butt - cool to see them do so after everyone in the Rohirrim were against them fighting.
I think one entire scene from the theatrical cut (pippin finding Merry) has been digitally corrected so as to appear at dusk or early evening rather than during the day (it makes the passing of time clearer during the healing aftermath.
Haven't heard any commentaries yet.
Only watched a 70 minute documentary on 'Cameras in Middle Earth', which relates peoples experiences during filming. A must see! In one part Peter Jackson is filming the last scene he'd be directing ever (it was for pick ups for RotK, mid-2003), with Elijah, and it seems he's unwilling to give it up, and keeps saying, 'One more time, Elijah', and when he finally finishes, he hugs ELijah and bursts into tears.
A documentary about the end of it all is cool, with the final section focussing on the 11 oscars.
The Easter Egg on disc one is particularly hilarious - it's Elijah being satellite interviewed over camera. He can't see the interviewer, and it's actually Dominic (Merry), who is putting on a terrible German accent, and asking him ridiculous questions with Elijah just thinking, "WTF?!", and trying to be serious. It's actually quite funny.
Um...well, back to finding more goodies in this beast of a set!
(and phooey to my crappy PS2 player which has issues with layer changes on disc 2 - luckily, I managed to exchange that disc, adn the new one works fine).
Can't wait to get my hands on it! My partner wants us to watch all 3 extended editions back to back, oh my... I have a feeling that he's going to regret suggesting that 