So the “standard” edition comes out in August, and the “extended” edition in November.
Hmmm…not that this has anything to do with anything, but my DVD/VHS player has a “copy to tape” feature…
I did find the hidden bit but it was not a SNL skit it was the MTV movie awards version of the Council of Elrond. I was hoping for the bit where Ian McKellen is the Dr. Who guy at a comic con and tries to do Magneto and Gandalf.
I thought it was pretty well advertised that there would be two different editions of FotR. IIRC only the first one has the extended Two Towers preview so if you went for the first and cheeper one you still go something unique.
My copy of the theatrical release DVD had a friggin’ sticker on the front of the cover advertising that there was a $5 coupon inside for the November special edition release. Bait 'n switch my ass!
People who make uninformed purchases cannot make excuses for their ignorance when the information is readily out there.
Aren’t there other films that ‘suffer’ the same ‘Special Edition’ fate, you know, like ‘The Return of X-MEN, 2, The Directors Cut, Special Edition’ with far less warning that with LoRT, so I confess I don’t really understand the complaint.
or ‘LotR’ in fact 
that being after I was absolutely sure I’d corrected it. Ah well.
The complaint about special editions in general is a valid one (Princess Briade and the Dune mini-series bit me). As far as I know, there was no mention that there would be a special edition before the regular edition was released (if there was, I will gladly chalk it up to my fault and not blame the studios).
But NL did the right thing. They announced before either was available for order. They gave the dates, and told roughly what you got for waiting. I guess it would have been better to release them on the same day, but it takes time for all the extra stuff (4 audio commentaries, 2 disks of extras). And as mentioend above the extras are different that the theatrical release extras.
The "collectors set"s will have statue of Gollum http://www.theonering.net/perl/newsview/8/1056124245
I’m not sure if I’ll get that or just the extended edition.
Brian
I’m buying both versions of TTT. Normally I would wait to buy just the extended edition in November, but the theatrical release version available in July will have a big ten-minute preview of The Return Of The King [insert cheering and screaming here].
I used the term “bait and switch” before being hit over the head that I was an idiot for not knowing the blatantly obvious fact that they had announced prior to the release what their plans were.
Now that I know better I regret using such a caustic phrase to describe NL’s output. Yes I was warned, but I was damn near orgasmic after a recent viewing of Dumb and Dumber so I missed out on the news.
feel free to continue the overwrought bludgeoning, those who enjoy it, and thanks to the folk who can supply fact without bringing a podium.
<salute>
The “special stuff” mentioned here (theatrical version). Would that be the preview of the next film or is there more? And what special stuff will be on the RotK theatrical version?
Dang, I’m bummed. I was saving my pennies for the Super-Deluxe Really Extended Platinum with Gold Trim 22-CD set that would have been available for Christmas 2004.
By the way, Peter Jackson says on the commentary for FotR (Extended Edition) that the Gollum we see is a very early CG version and that spiffing him up might be a feature on some later release. Probably he was just rambling.
I’ll gleefully buy everything LotR that comes out on DVD. If they decide in 2011 to issue special uber-optimal 10-year anniversary sets with additional footage from the hobbits’ hidden Hairy-Foot-Cams, well I’ll buy that too.
In order…
The theatrical release of FotR contained quite a bit of behind-the-scenes stuff, as well as the TLC special on LOTR. I’d imagine the same will hold true with the TTT discs.
The Gollum we see in FotR is a very crude version of the Gollum in TTT, which is the later release he was talking about.
I learned a long time ago to keep informed on DVD releases after getting burned several times over. But I agree that NL did it absolutely right and I think other distributors make it quite clear (see Black Hawk Down) when a second version will be released, but they really don’t get the press that LOTR does.
Aw, jeez.
There’s just no makin’ some people happy.
There are at least three versions of Star Wars that I know of. One in which it is not called “A New Hope,” and a few shots are missing…
…one in which it IS called “A New Hope,” and has a few added shots (notably Luke’s proton torpedoes that can turn corners and shoot neatly into the hole in the Death Star)
…and the Special Edition with newer and better explosions and Digital Jabba and the scene where Greedo shoots first.
And all hell broke loose when Lucas announced that only the Special Edition would ever see DVD.
Hell, why NOT have separate Theatrical Editions and Special Editions? If people want them and pay for them, then let them HAVE them.
I personally prefer the Special Edition cut of FOTR, and was planning on holding out for the SE cut of Two Towers, myself…
Don’t know about RotK, but TTT theatrical version will include a short film by Sean Astin and a “making of” on the short film by Sean Astin, along with some “featurettes”.
Here’s some
official info on the upcoming DVD releases.
There is an extraordinary mass of LotR fans who are more than willing to pay for the normal DVD and then wait for the special extended DVD. If there is a market for an item, it will be exploited.
The obvious thing to do if you do not want to buy both DVD’s would be to simply hold out for the extended edition.
You do know you can preorder the "Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers (Platinum Series Extended Edition) (Widescreen) from Amazon.com right now. They just started offering it a few days ago. I preordered RoTK Platinum Series Extended Edition last year and while waiting an extended long time the price was reduced and they sent me an email and gave me the new price. Also if you find that they offer a version better for TTT than you have preordered, you can cancel the original one.
deb already preordered her TTT PSEE and having to be patient 2world
You preorderd a DVD for whose movie hasn’t even been released yet?!? That’s fan dedication!
:smack: I have 4 letters to pick, but does the brain give me the correct 4, noooo. But if I was able to preorder part 3, I would.
deb who goes off singing “if I only had a brain” 2world
Ah, I was wondering what the “Extended special collector’s edition” would include. I was able to resist the Argonath bookends, but I must own a Gollum statue! Although what I was really hoping for was another bookend set: Orthanc and Bard Dur. 
Maybe for RotK…
As for getting “screwed” (since there are differences in the extras for the two editions), I’ll just do what I did for FotR: when the theatrical version is released, rent that, and then buy the extended while pretending I’m Christmas shopping for someone else.
Here’s a nice close-up of the packaging on the collector’s DVD gift set.
