DVD The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring / The Two Towers (Full Screen Editions) (2-Pack)

Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring and Two Towers

In a film as ambitious as this, all the key elements are in place, the masterful storytelling, Jackson's brilliant visionary direction, superb acting (especially Ian McKellen as Gandalf and Elijah Wood as Frodo), incredible visual effects and the wealth of imagination from Tolkien's extraordinary tome. The supporting cast is great too, with John Rhys- Davies as Gimli the dwarf, Sean Bean as Boromir and Orlando Bloom as Legolas. The best facet about the whole thing is that it's so real that you really think that all this happened long ago. And that, more than anything else is a bonifide sign that this is not only one of the greatest cinema acheivements ever, but it's now entered into the cultural zeitgeist.

The film takes us where we've never been before, Tolkein's world of Wizards, elves, ringwaiths, orcs and all the other imaginative creatures on display are a thrill to watch. For such a huge scale, the use of CG is of course neccesary, and like STAR WARS, every incredible vista is truly breath-taking and the visuals are incredible, utilising state-of-the-art technology to create entire landscapes, creatures and battles. The most outstanding scene, where our intrepid fellowship travels into the mines of Mordor is a fantastic tour-de-force of incredible movie magic. The seamless blend of FX and amazing cinematography is absolutly breath-taking. Howard Shore's brooding score adds another layer of excellence to the myraid of adventurous escapism. There are problems; the film may not sit well with purists and the ending feels somewhat of an anti- climax after the climactic Mordor, but we all know that the real battles are yet to come. This is a film that takes you far beyond your imagination.

For people who managed to hold off the temptation to but the first DVD release, this platinum series "extended" edition is worth the wait. Discs 1 and 2 have a unique version of LOTR with over 30 minutes of cut footage incorporated into the film and new music scored by Howard Shore. The extended scenes range from breath-taking ( More views of Lothlorien) to perfuctonary (Bilbo's introduction). But for the most part, the added half hour is fascinating stuff for affeciandos, and while the re-instated scenes slow the pace sometimes, it fills in the gaps and makes for an even more fascinating experience. Also included are four feature-length audio commentaries by director and writers, the design team, the production team, and the cast featuring more than 30 participants.

The second part to Peter Jackson's collosal LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy is even more visually impressive than FELLOWSHIP, with new characters including King Theoden, Eomer, Grima Wormtounge and the ancient Treebeard. This time around, the fellowship has parted into three groups; Frodo and Sam force Gollum to take them to the black gate at Mordor and Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli search for Merry and Pippin. And the Istari Gandalf returns as the more powerful Gandalf the White after defeating the Balrog. The story is more emotional than Fellowship, and the central characters are stronger presences than before. Jackson's excellent direction makes this one of the most amazing films ever made. From the march of the ents toward Isengard, Saruman unleashing his army to "Destroy the world of men", it all culminates in the incredible battle of Helm's Deep, an amazing action sequence where the seamless blend of CG and live-action builds up to a fantastic climax. Howard Shore's strident score encapsulates the very essence of Tolkein's thoughts and emotions. Ian McKellen turns in another great performance as Gandalf, but it is Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn who does most of the action here, and he's great. John Rhys- Davies and Orlando Bloom provide strong gravitas, plus with such a vast array of strong supporting actors, the combined strength of veterans like Benard Hill as Theoden and Christopher Lee as Saruman makes the story come alive.

As strong as the characters are in TOWERS however, it's the CG-created Gollum that is the most amazing. Putting lame Jar-Jar and Harry Potter creatures to shame, Andy Serkis' performance helps the emotional presence of an essentially computer-generated character come to life. Treebeard and the Ents are fantastic examples of top-notch CG, but they say that the best effects are the ones you don't notice, which is true in this film. You are so focused on the story, the fleshed-out characters and the spirit of Tolkein's tome coming to life that the CG is simply assisting the tale. This is a film which you have to watch at least three times to fully appreciate all the effort that went into making a true masterpiece. I can't wait for RETURN OF THE KING...