Entertainment in
VideoRegion 2
Two Disc Set
Entertainment in
Video
Region 2
Two Disc Set
I
first read LOTR in about 1963-4 and I have read it many times since.
The problem with the film is that it is a film of an adaptation of the
Fellowship of the Ring not a film of the book.
As far as I know Peter Jackson tried to raise money to make a version of
The Hobbit but after discussion with New Line he got the money to make The
Lord of the Rings in 3 parts with one film covering each of the 3 books
for logical reasons to be filmed together.
There was enough controversy when BBC Radio 4 did their magnificent
version with 26 half hour episodes, I well remember the debate about how much
was left out, and this was in 13 hours of radio.
My copy of Fellowship of the Ring runs to 459 pages the idea that you
can make a 3 hour film out of that is of course ludicrous perhaps 3 3hours
films which would make quite a few films and an awful lot of money to film
the 3 books that make up The Lord of the Rings.
The film itself is wonderful to look at, although I am not happy with the modern trend for such close shots of characters heads when making a dramatic point (Gandalf saying to Frodo is it safe?). The cast do an excellent job. Although with such a large ensemble you can see why various are at one time or another just wandering around in the background hopefully this will even itself out in the next two films as readers of the books know every character has their important part in the complete story.
I
have to say that I was very impressed by Sean Bean as Boromir a most definite
tragic hero drawn to The Ring wanting to use it to save his home, but
ultimately seeing that The Ring had to be destroyed and being killed trying to
help his comrades.
Disk one has the film with a Surround Sound and a Dolby 5.1 EX track it is a great pity that a DTS track was not included. With the lowest compression possible for a 3 hour film the picture quality is as perfect as you can get, with the change in mood from the bright colours of Hobbiton, the danger on the road, through Rivendell to the mines and then Lorien
The sound is impressive and alive with quiet where there should be so that when it is noisy There is also the DVD credits on disc one.
Disc Two is a complete disappointment with just a load of old (two years old in nearly all cases) marketing films that are only of interest to those who watch MTV and the like. The three new bits are bits are adverts we are supposed to be impressed and pay to watch adverts. An ad for the next film, an ad for a video game, and most insulting, an ad for the 4 disc edition coming in November as Peter Jackson says to camera (nearly) you suckers if you want to see anything special the give us more money.
In
farness to Entertainment Video they are just the UK distributors of the film and
DVD New Line Pictures an AOL/Time Warner Company have dictated the content
etc.
Overall Although an excellent film well presented, this DVD is purely a marketing exercise in moneymaking and greed. Priced at the top of the range and marketed on TV and in print as an event DVD set. Come next summer I will not be sucker enough twice Ill wait for the Christmas 2003 special edition.