The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition)

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition)
by Peter Jackson

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition)

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DVD details

Actor: Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen
Director: Peter Jackson
Brand: Warner Brothers
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; Spanish (Dubbed)
Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 250 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-12-14
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Model: N6932
Studio: New Line Home Video
Product features:

The WINNER of 11 Academy Awards* including BEST PICTURE is now 50 minutes longer! This extended version of the epic conclusion of The Lord of the Rings trilogy includes new score by Howard Shore and over 350 new digital effects shots.Running Time: 250 min. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: SCI-FI/FANTASY Rating: PG-13 Age: 794043693229 UPC: 794043693229 Manufacturer No:&nbs

DVD Reviews of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition)

DVD Review: The Continuing Reign of the King
Summary: 5 Stars

When I was in eighth grade (and had one of the most excellent English teachers ever), I was commissioned to write a review for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. That was probably one of the most passionate pieces of writing I have ever produced. Seeming that I have recently been playing Lord of the Rings computer games and reading fantasy material, I decided that it was time to return to Middle Earth and write a review for The Return of the King.

Be forewarned, however. I am far from an experienced film critic, but I am a well-seasoned fanboy-especially for the works of Tolkien. He, along with C.S. Lewis, holds an almost idolatrous place in my heart. This does not make the task of reviewing this film any easier-quite the contrary. If I were writing a review for some dime-a-dozen comedy or drama or chick flick, I would be able to give my opinion easily and straightforwardly. There is no vested emotion in that. But my best friend and I had reserved our seats for this movie weeks in advance, at the first showing, on opening night. I had been visiting theonering.net for years, keeping up with the latest rumors and spoilers. I had posters with Gandalf and Balrogs on my wall, action figures of Aragorn on my dresser. I cannot give an unbiased (or even entirely rational) review of this movie. Just as the creators of this film produced this masterpiece for me, I feel obligated to provide a worthy tribute to their work. You have been warned.

The Return of the King is the culmination of nearly a decade of work by one of the finest filmmaking teams ever assembled. At the helm was visionary director Peter Jackson, accompanied by screenwriters Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens. WETA of New Zealand provided the visual effects under the artistic direction of Richard Taylor, and guided by the highly regarded Alan Lee and John Howe. New Line Cinema provided the financial support for the trilogy, without which this film never would have been produced (at least in the same form). New Line had quite a bit riding on this venture; their fiscal faith was the enabling factor that gave LotR the chance to be made the right way.

By this point-unless you've been living in a hobbit hole-you've probably seen the movie and know the plot. Just to refresh the memory, King revolves around two quests. Hobbits Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) make their weary trek across Mordor with schizophrenic Gollum (voiced/motion captured by Andy Serkis) to destroy the Ring in the fires of Mount Doom. Meanwhile, the men of Gondor and Rohan must hold off the armies of Mordor, allowing Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) to take his rightful place as king. The future king rides with elf Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and comic relief dwarf Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) to enlist the help of an undead army. King Theoden of Rohan leads Eomer (Karl Urban), Eowyn (Miranda Otto), Merry (Dominic Monaghan), and legions of cavalry to aid the faltering forces of Denethor (John Noble), steward of Gondor, and his son Faramir (David Wenham). Wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) alternates between directing Gondor defenses and keeping Pippin (Billy Boyd) out of trouble. This convoluted plot will no doubt prove daunting to viewers who have not read the books, but as one has seen the previous two installments in the trilogy, the interweaving storylines are manageable.

The stellar acting which audiences enjoyed in the first two movies returns in King. As John Rhys-Davies commented in an interview, the casting for these movies was "spot-on". There's not a bad performance in the entire bunch, and only by entering the netherworld of nit-pickiness can real criticisms be made. Viggo Mortensen, while aptly portraying the humility and quiet strength that Aragon possesses in the books, never seems to truly step out and become the strong leader we expect him to be. Arwen (Liv Tyler), Aragorn's love interest, decides to give up her elven immortality to be his bride, but that sacrifice doesn't seem to elicit the emotion that such a choice should. Gimli seems to have been reduced from the gruff warrior he was in the first movie to the butt of the movie's jokes, although that probably reflect more on the screenplay than on Rhys-Davies' abilities. The screenplay may also have been a limiting factor in the portrayal of tragic Lord Denethor. John Noble endows the character with a brilliant touch of Shakespearean madness and fallen grace, but in the end simply does not give a convincing cause for his madness. Many people walk away from the movie asking "what was with that guy that set himself on fire?"

While it is difficult to find weak points in the performance of the cast, it is easy to pick the standout performances. Gandalf really comes into his own in this movie. When Gandalf the Grey underwent his resurrection in the second movie, I was a little disappointed with the slightly more two-dimensional Gandalf the White which replaced him. In The Fellowship of the Ring, Ian McKellen breathed such life into the wizard, and that life didn't seem to carry over quite as well into The Two Towers. Well, that life is back. Gandalf becomes the embodiment of the forces of good, a light in dark times. He commandeers the defense of Minas Tirith and commands the troops in a way that we wish Aragorn would emulate. He knows what is at stake, and that sense of urgency and importance is clear to the audience through his character. Another outstanding performance, one that surprised me a little, was Sam. The "fat hobbit" had done well as Frodo's protective defender figure, but he really comes into his own in King. We see that Sam is as much responsible for the success of the quest as Frodo is. Frodo calls him "Samwise the Brave" in Towers, and the hobbit (and actor) live up to that title magnificantly. I felt far more concern for him that I ever did for Frodo while I was watching the film. Andy Serkis builds on the success he had as Gollum in the last film and proves to the world that a computer-animated character can actually be a realistic figure in a film. He becomes a part of the story that Jar-Jar Binks from Star Wars and Dobby from Harry Potter can't even compare with. The animators have a lot to do with that (and we'll get to them in due time) but I believe much of the power of the wretched creature is inspired by Serkis's vocal performance and his work to capture Gollum's style of movement. He is hideous, awful, and worthy of falling into a volcano, but we can't help but feel some pity for the ruined life he has led because of the ring.

The script and screenplay do a fine job of staying true to the spirit of the books while producing a film that would succeed in its own right. The dialogue is believable, fitting the setting and mood of the film well. While the story does seem to lag a little in the beginning, it picks up and gains epic momentum as it blasts to the mind-blowing conclusion. Obviously the enormous battle scenes are a major part of the film, but they are counterbalanced with quieter moments of character development and some tension-relieving comedy. Some departures from the book I could understand (like leaving out the scouring of the Shire and waiting until now to provide Aragorn with his sword Anduril); some I could not. I share Christopher Lee's outrage at having his last scene as Saruman cut from the theatrical version (although the performance is preserved in the extended edition DVD). Aragorn's actions in the House of Healing were sorely missed. And why in Middle-Earth did they make Barad-dur a lighthouse, complete with Sauron as a giant fiery flashlight on top? Despite these purist gripes, Jackson and company are overall successful in their choices of what to include and what to discard. Tolkien was more linguist than novelist anyways, and his story-no matter how grand-needed some editing to become a workable plot. There's plenty of fanservice in the film anyways, from clever wordplay with Aragorn's name ("Hope" in Elvish) to the final scene, which is straight from the book. Don't worry though: a non-nerd will still be able to appreciate the excellent story and powerful theatrics.

The special effects in this movie are, to be succinct, unparalleled. The Star Wars junkies of the world would argue with that, but I challenge them to compare Jar-Jar or (dare I say it?) even Master Yoda to the realistic appearance of Gollum. There's no comparison. I was especially impressed with the buildings and set pieces. WETA designers built scale models of locales like Minas Tirith and Orthanc in order to give the places an added sense of realism that isn't fully achievable with CGI alone. Some of these `miniatures' were dozens of feet tall (earning the name of bigatures from the production staff), and thus the artists were able to put acute details into these models. The effort shows on film. All of the settings (particularly the White City) are outstanding. When CGI was used in the movie, it is mind-blowing. The Battle of Pelennor Fields with its tens of thousands of orcs, trolls, wargs, Rohirrim, dragon-like Fell Beasts, and towering war elephants is too much to take in. The encounter Frodo and Sam have with Shelob shows what live-action acting/CGI monster encounters should be in all movies. That arachnid will give you nightmares. I may have some minor gripes about specific shots (that shot with Smeagol's friend floating through the water made me wince), but it is still my opinion that the special effects of this film have yet to be paralleled-even now in 2006.

The costumes/props of this production reflect the fetish with detail the miniature designers and CGI artists had. Nothing in this film looks fake - period. That's because the costume designers, blacksmiths, and other artists didn't cut corners. That sword which Elrond gives Aragorn? It's real steel, foraged much like a king's sword would have been in the late Middle Ages. The weapons are intricately inlaid with runes (which actually mean things in the various Elven languages). King Theoden's armor is fully functional, and is inlaid with a golden horse head-inside the breastplate, where no camera will ever see it. Everything from Gandalf's staff to Eoywn's dress looks absolutely gorgeous. Jackson told the team at WETA before they started production that he didn't want fantasy. He wanted history: something that someone might conceivably see in the Smithsonian. That's the feeling you get from looking at the costumes and armor and weapons in this film: each seems to be a product of distinct cultures, developed over hundreds of years. The Gondorians seem almost Roman with their standardized silver armor and stone cities. The Rohirrim are remenicient of the Celts or other Norsemen, having horses integrated into their architecture, clothing, and weapons. The bottom line is that it not only outstanding, but also believable.
With the completion of this trilogy's score, Howard Shore has placed his name up there with the likes of John Williams and other composers of the ages. I am continually impressed with how well the music in these films reflects the drama unfolding onscreen. Just as the arms and armor of the different races have distinct design and ornamentation, the musical motifs of Shore's score make each of the different groups memorable. Rohan's theme is back, with the Hardanger fiddle evoking rustic connotations well suited to the race. Mordor's blaring, tension-drenched theme is just as frightening and just as appropriate as it was in the first two films. Shelob's musical theme, with its high, rapid strings is strongly reminiscent of horror films, and heightens the danger on screen. But what takes the cake is the Gondor theme, at least in my opinion. Its bold brass and excellent crescendos is one of the things that really gives Minas Tirith and the race of men their majesty. This is a worthy foe for the forces of Mordor; the music gives it almost as much grandeur as the special effects.

I may be biased, but I am not alone in my praise of Return of the King. IGN.com recently placed Lord of the Rings as number three best movie franchise of all time, and Return of the King is widely regarded as the pinnacle of the series, the grand finale of the project. It is by no means perfect, even by the standards of rabid fans, but no one could have asked for more. The Return of the King is a grand tribute to Tolkien, a triumph of fantasy as a genre, and a film that will be enjoyed for generations to come.

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Description of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition)

In the final film of the trilogy frodo makes his way through the darkness to mount doom to destroy the one ring whole aragon learns of his destiny & the others prepare for a battle that will decide the fate of all. Studio: New Line Home Video Release Date: 01/08/2008 Starring: Elijah Wood Ian Mckellan Run time: 200 minutes Rating: Pg13

The greatest trilogy in film history, presented in the most ambitious sets in DVD history, comes to a grand conclusion with the extended edition of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Not only is the third and final installment of Peter Jackson's adaptation of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien the longest of the three, but a full 50 minutes of new material pushes the running time to a whopping 4 hours and 10 minutes. The new scenes are welcome, and the bonus features maintain the high bar set by the first two films, The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers.

What's New?

One of the scenes cut from the theatrical release but included here, the resolution of the Saruman storyline, generated a lot of publicity when the movie opened, as actor Christopher Lee complained in the press about losing his only appearance. It's an excellent scene, one Jackson calls "pure Tolkien," and provides better context for Pippin to find the wizard's palantir in the water, but it's not critical to the film. In fact, "valuable but not critical" might sum up the ROTK extended edition. It's evident that Jackson made the right cuts for the theatrical run, but the extra material provides depth and ties up a number of loose ends, and for those sorry to see the trilogy end (and who isn't?) it's a welcome chance to spend another hour in Middle-earth. Some choice moments are Gandalf's (Ian McKellen) confrontation with the Witch King (we find out what happened to the wizard's staff), the chilling Mouth of Sauron at the gates of Mordor, and Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) being mistaken for Orc soldiers. We get to see more of Éowyn (Miranda Otto), both with Aragorn and on the battlefield, even fighting the hideously deformed Orc lieutenant, Gothmog. We also see her in one of the most anticipated new scenes, the Houses of Healing after the battle of the Pelennor Fields. It doesn't present Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) as a savior as the book did, but it shows the initial meeting between Éowyn and Faramir (David Wenham), a relationship that received only a meaningful glance in the theatrical cut.

If you want to completely immerse yourself in Peter Jackson's marvelous and massive achievement, only the extended edition will do.

And for those who complained, no, there are no new endings, not even the scouring of the Shire, which many fans were hoping to see. Nor is there a scene of Denethor (John Noble) with the palantir, which would have better explained both his foresight and his madness. As Jackson notes, when cuts are made, the secondary characters are the first to go, so there is a new scene of Aragorn finding the palantir in Denethor's robes. Another big difference is Aragorn's confrontation with the King of the Dead. In the theatrical version, we didn't know whether the King had accepted Aragorn's offer when the pirate ships pulled into the harbor; here Jackson assumes that viewers have already experienced that tension, and instead has the army of the dead join the battle in an earlier scene (an extended cameo for Jackson). One can debate which is more effective, but that's why the film is available in both versions. If you feel like watching the relatively shorter version you saw in the theaters, you can. If you want to completely immerse yourself in Peter Jackson's marvelous and massive achievement, only the extended edition will do.

How Are the Bonus Features?

To complete the experience, The Return of the King provides the same sprawling set of features as the previous extended editions: four commentary tracks, sharp picture and thrilling sound, and two discs of excellent documentary material far superior to the recycled material in the theatrical edition. Those who have listened to the seven hours of commentary for the first two extended editions may wonder if they need to hear more, but there was no commentary for the earlier ROTK DVD, so it's still entertaining to hear Jackson break down the film (he says the beacon scene is one of his favorites), discuss differences from the book, point out cameos, and poke fun at himself and the extended-edition concept ("So this is the complete full strangulation, never seen before, here exclusively on DVD!"). The documentaries (some lasting 30 minutes or longer) are of their usual outstanding quality, and there's a riveting storyboard/animatic sequence of the climactic scene, which includes a one-on-one battle between Aragorn and Sauron.

One DVD Set to Rule Them All
Peter Jackson's trilogy has set the standard for fantasy films by adapting the Holy Grail of fantasy stories with a combination of fidelity to the original source and his own vision, supplemented by outstanding writing, near-perfect casting, glorious special effects, and evocative New Zealand locales. The extended editions without exception have set the standard for the DVD medium by providing a richer film experience that pulls the three films together and further embraces Tolkien's world, a reference-quality home theater experience, and generous, intelligent, and engrossing bonus features. --David Horiuchi

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