LOTR Extended Editions Coming To Blu-Ray!

[mswood]

One thing's for sure: The first viewers to bitch about double-dipping should get beaten like a rented mule. It was announced from the get-go that the extended editions WOULD make it to Blu-Ray eventually. There was never any doubt that they would. Peter Jackson just chose to hold them until a future date. So anyone who bought the theatrical BR's, thinking that would be it, has no cause to complain now.

I'd be curious to find out where such an announcement took place. I never heard it and when the Blu-ray sets first came out I went online and to my local retailer and asked around, to be told they weren't being done, full stop. So I didn't get double-dipped -- I just refused to buy the sets. And it also gave me additional ammo in my criticism of how studios are handling the Blu-ray format (there is no excuse, none, for any extra feature featured on a DVD release to be omitted from a Blu-ray. They have the room on the disc and any licenses, fees, royalty arrangements, etc made in the last 10 years that allows use of material on DVD will allow use of the same material on other physical disc formats, so if the screen test footage is included on the Fifth Element DVD, there's no reason for it not to be included on the Fifth Element Blu-ray, for example.

If these are truly the LOTRs extended versions - and by that I don't just mean the main features, but also with all of the extras and stuff that was included in the multi-disc DVD sets, then cool - I will pick them up. I agree with the BD technology they should (in theory) be able to give us the choice of what version we want to watch, on the fly. But I'm not holding my breath.

Alex

Its actually slightly more then the original Extended editions. it includes everything on them plus something else.

And when the first was released interviews had them stating that they would do the other form, but they didn't know when. With the two most common responses being the next year or about 6 months before the Hobbit opened.

 

[mswood]

^ I actually don't know if it does. But the original extended cut DVDs didn't have the theatrical cuts, so this one probably won't either.

The initial releases didn't (for disc space reasons? they were packed pretty full, and I don't know how much content is different versus dropped), but there was a later DVD release with both editions via branching.

One thing's for sure: The first viewers to bitch about double-dipping should get beaten like a rented mule.

I'm withholding my bitching until they say that "yes, you need both sets to get both cuts". I like the Extended FOTR, but prefer the shorter theatricals of the other two.

I really didn't enjoy those discs as I swear the image quality wasn't anywhere near equal to the extended versions original release. Add to that, I absolutely love the extended editions documentaries and commentaries. I think I have watched those as many times as I have watched the films, and I have watched the films enough to go through to sets of the extended editions.

 

[Neroon]

I absolutely love the extended editions documentaries and commentaries. I think I have watched those as many times as I have watched the films, and I have watched the films enough to go through to sets of the extended editions.

Indeed, last year I hosted a marathon of several of the documentaries, instead of the actual films.

 

[Gryffindorian]

I loved the special features/documentaries, but some of them were a bit redundant. The special features (such as make-up, costumes, props, etc.) were already included in the Theatrical Edition DVDs, and then the Extended Edition had these as well, including additional footage on costumes, make-up, props. etc.

For those really avid fans and collectors of LOTR, let's not forget that they'll likely make Blu-Ray 3D versions of the trilogy (theatrical and extended) down the road.

 

[LitmusDragon]

So this is being listed for $83 at the Amazon pre-order page. That's actually a little bit more than I want to pay for this. I may not buy this at release at that price.

 

[clint g]

So this is being listed for $83 at the Amazon pre-order page. That's actually a little bit more than I want to pay for this. I may not buy this at release at that price.

Part of me feels that way, but part of me also realizes that the EE are (length wise) equivalent to two movies, so its almost like getting 6 movies in one package

I'll definitely pick this up at some point in time but I'll probably wait for the inevitable sale. If this release is like the first EE releases, they will probably over produce it and copes of it will be found for 50 bucks after a year.

The one thing that I really hope they do with this release is include all the bonus features that they had for the Theatrical, EE and theatrical/EE releases. It would be really nice to be able to go to one source and be able to watch ALL of the bonus features produced for the series.

 

[Gryffindorian]

So this is being listed for $83 at the Amazon pre-order page. That's actually a little bit more than I want to pay for this. I may not buy this at release at that price.

You could always get it at a lower price, say $60 or less, from third-party vendors (Amazon Marketplace) or e-bay. I'm willing to spend no more than $75 to buy the extended trilogy.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

... or just wait a while longer for the price to drop like it has for the theatrical editions.

 

[Neroon]

Isn't this an introductory, pre-sale price? At some point it's gong to go up to the regular price, and then likely take awhile before coming back down. Resale shops might be an option, but that'd be hit-or-miss at best

 

[Hyperspace05]

It should also be on sale for the first few days at an even cheaper price... Frequently new blu-rays are released at $19.95 and then go up to their typical $25+. At least at big retailers.

 

[LitmusDragon]

Isn't this an introductory, pre-sale price? At some point it's gong to go up to the regular price, and then likely take awhile before coming back down. Resale shops might be an option, but that'd be hit-or-miss at best

It's really very hard to predict. Depending on how popular the pre-order is it might actually drop in price before it goes on sale (I've seen it happen before). There's also the random weekly sales by Amazon where they drop the price. I think that's probably my best bet. /crosses fingers

I have Amazon Prime so I'm reluctant to order it from anywhere else.

 

[AviTrek]

I loved the special features/documentaries, but some of them were a bit redundant. The special features (such as make-up, costumes, props, etc.) were already included in the Theatrical Edition DVDs, and then the Extended Edition had these as well, including additional footage on costumes, make-up, props. etc.

I consider the fact that the special features from the theatrical releases are included a plus. I had no intention of buying both versions of the movie. I waited and bought the extended editions and I would have been annoyed about the forced double dip if certain special features were only on the theatrical release.

So this is being listed for $83 at the Amazon pre-order page. That's actually a little bit more than I want to pay for this. I may not buy this at release at that price.

I'd suggest pre-ordering it now. Amazon guarantees you the lowest price between your pre-order and the release date. You can sit on the pre-order until a couple days before the release. See what price you're getting at that point. If you still don't want to pay it, cancel the pre-order and wait for a future sale. But you might be lucky and catch a random one day sale between now and release that brings the price into your price range.

 

[Hyperspace05]

I loved the special features/documentaries, but some of them were a bit redundant. The special features (such as make-up, costumes, props, etc.) were already included in the Theatrical Edition DVDs, and then the Extended Edition had these as well, including additional footage on costumes, make-up, props. etc.

I'm not sure what extended edition you have - I have the US domestic extended editions - But there is no special features overlap between the theatrical and extended edition DVDs. The extended editions had all new special features - they sometimes did go over some of the same stuff, but in far more detail.

 

[Neroon]

List Price: $119.98
Price: $83.99

That's still enough of a good break that I think I will take the plunge. Now I just have to get the Blu-Ray player.

 

[Gryffindorian]

I'll likely get this on e-bay, which is the same method I got the extended edition trilogy DVDs. I just don't want to spend too much on Blu-Rays, especially when I already have the DVD trilogy.

 

[mswood]

Hell I remember the good old days of paying a $129 for a VHS single film.....

 

[Starbreaker]

I'm interested in upgrading, but I'll have to wait until I see a really good deal.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Hell I remember the good old days of paying a $129 for a VHS single film.....

Who actually did that, though? Videos priced like that weren't actually intended for consumers to buy. That was what was known as "priced to rental".

 

[mswood]

I did, several times in fact. I think thats the way I bought my first Trek film.

Then of course you had your Laserdisc films and several of them were over 100 dollars and those were aimed specifically at individual consumers. I remember a ton of great criterion collections and they all had a hefty price tag.