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The Two Towers DVD Release Dates
FortKnox writes "Mark these dates on your Calendar: 8/26/03 & 11/18/03. These are the (US) DVD release dates for The Two Towers. Like Fellowship, the first date is the release of the DVD, and the November date is the release of the special edition (with rumored extra 48 minutes of footage). Another one ring.net page has more details on the actual footage."
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It's one thing to have a lot of hype on slashdot about lord of the rings. It's another thing entirely to give it its own catagory. That's just sick.
To make laws that man cannot, and will not obey, serves to bring all law into contempt.
--E.C. Stanton
I can't wait that long.
You mean you are going to buy the first edition when it comes out? I plan on renting that. I'll buy the special edition.
I'm kind of tired of the re-release game they play with DVDs - though it is nice with Lord of the Rings that they tell you in advance that there is a special edition coming out. But I do expect after the third movie for a super-duper special edition box set we'll all have to have.
I'm personally waiting for the complete box set. I hope it will include all the extended versions of the three movies with all the extras, i.e greater than the sum of these intermediate special edition releases.
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I really don't see much point in buying the LotR DVD's seperately. You just know that New Line will compile together all three movie's in one big massive package with an infinite amount of DVD extra's.
You now that there is a special edition coming out down the line, and the date of release for that matter! None of this, I bought the DVD and they fleeced me be releasing a special edition.
I'm hoping I get a $10 coupon to the Return of the King movie.
I'm a poor college student and I was so happy that I could spend $30 on a 4 Disc DVD, and get a FREE (afternoon shows here are $5.50) showing of the newest LOTR movie. It was very nice walking in to the theature after classes, handing them my coupon, and sneaking a bottle over to the water fountain because I was too broke to even afford a drink.
Well I got my fingers crossed.
----------
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Hope that helps.
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It's greed. They don't want you to just buy the special edition and be done with it. By delaying the special edition, they may be able to get you to buy the regular edition as well.
On DivX though. ;) That said, I will be buying the DVD, if for nothing else than the surround sound. Good movie, can't wait for the third.
Who cares about the MPAA and RIAA?
This is LoTR!! I'll buy every DVD and soundtrack!
Hell, I'll sleep with Jack Valenti and Hilary Rosen!
Actually, ewww!
I was hoping for a rerendering of Pixar's "Geri's Game" starring Gollum. Now that I'd pay for. Or at least get Pixar to put on Geri's Game on the same DVD. My precious-s-s.....
---- The geek shall inherit the Earth.
We have such super high quality versions of LOTR, but just try finding ONE good quality copy of Meet the Feebles...
To make laws that man cannot, and will not obey, serves to bring all law into contempt.
--E.C. Stanton
Here's the Official Site if you don't believe someone's scanner for this info.
If you go to the link that is provided, you see the date in the poster is August 26, 2003. It was listed incorrectly as 6/28 for the "regular" edition.
I, for one, knew months before the release of the normal FotR DVD that there would be an extended edition. Anyone who really pays attention to this stuff knows well in advance.
(with rumored extra 48 minutes of footage)
That remindes me of an Onion side story title: "DVD contains two hours of previously unseen movie"
See the subject. Had to close those parenteses to avoid parse errors in all the slashdotters :-)
Irene KHAAAAAAN!
Heck, a lady I work with loves LOTR so much that she bought the special edition of Fellowship of the Ring TWICE! She lent the first copy to someone who was taking too long in returning it, and she didn't feel like waiting the extra day or whatever to get it back, so she went and bought it again. Movie companies love these kind of people!
Sources:6 13
http://www.theonering.net/perl/newsview/8/1050390
http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=14590
I think George Lucas should watch the DVD extras so he can learn a thing or two about making good movies.
I'm sorry, could you repeat that? I was busy reading my Visa info over the phone to Jack Valenti to reserve the DVD and the special edition DVD set.
-- "Government is the great fiction through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else."
you could just download it, it's already floating around out there...
You mean you own a calendar? Dude.
It's the same round of release schedule as FoTR and likely RoTK too. The savvy ones will wait till they release the super-duper release to end all releases boxed set containing all three movies (normal and extended) plus extras. In the meantime, rent (from the video shop) or borrow (from friends who couldn't wait and went out and bought the DVDs as they came out).
Sure, it's a moneymaking move. But at least you know it's coming. Given the amount of creative effort that went into the movies (went to the LoTR exhibition in Wellington,NZ and marvelled at the stupefying amount of detail and craft that went into the movies) I've no problem with them generating as much revenue as they can.
The official reason is the extra production time it takes to edit the extended release. I'm not sure what an extra three months would really buy them, but that's the official line.
The dogcow says "Moof!"
Amen to that. The smart move here is to wait until after all three movies have been out on DVD for about a year and then buy the "ultimate, super-duper, this-is-the-one-that-you-really-want" box set that contains all three extended additions and tons of extras.
If you really need to see them on DVD before then either borrow a friend's copies or rent them out.
Anything less will only lead to disappointment, in the next life if not this one.
"Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
It would be convenient to be able to compare the theatrical release with the extended version without having to buy both editions. Of course given that they'd love to sell two copies of the movie to every person it's probably a vain hope.
This Space Intentionally Left Blank
haha at my school a group of kids took a trip to new york and some guys mom got conned into buying a pirated hk dvd for full price. now she is making copies on her computer and giving them to any kid who asks.
Mark these dates on your Calendar: 4/28/03 & 8/11/03. These are the (China) DVD release dates for The Two Towers. Get in line now...(and wear that mask, dammit).
When do the video tapes come out? btw, the movie wasn't as good as the book!
Cheers,
RoadkillBunny
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Another one ring.net page has more details on the actual footage.
I bet KaZaA has more than just the details
I KNEW this was going to happen. With so many people getting burned on special editions, people won't buy the original releases anymore. Now, the studios are practically obligated to make special editions, which further reinforces people's avoidance of the standard edition. I honestly think the DVD market is permanently fucked up by this, I can't see any way that the studios can reverse the assumption that all movies that were at least decent will have special editions, so there's no point in buying it when it's first released. I'm sure it was a tremendous moneymaker when they started, but now Hollywood's shortsighted greed has obligated them to waste money printing a non-special edition that no one wants, and filming special filler, just so that people will believe them when they release the real version.
"The question of whether a computer can think is no more interesting than that of whether a submarine can swim" -EWD
For all the recent flames on the MPAA and all the other assorted horrors who is really willing to levy the boycott and make a statement that will be heard, and who is ready to just burn the pir8 as soon as it hits the file sharing methods not even known to the appointed greedy enemy? There is more drooling over this than at the mention of Leornard Nimoy's name at a Star Trek convention.
/. moderator mods this parent post DOWN because it rings a bit of truth and echoes hypocrisy in the ears of the modder. Somebody please mod the parent back up!!!
And to boot a
*Burnin the midnight Karma for a good point*
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I was in the Philippines over the New Year and I came across a very nice Muslim women who sold me an awards screener for The Two Towers on DVD for $2 US. I have seen the movie in the theater(obviously) so I can attest to the screener's validity and quality. Basically a pretty dope find, and the whole movie is on exactly 1 DVD(huge plus IMHO).
I also bought all 3 Indiana Jones movies and the first 3 Star Wars captured from Laser Disc on DVD. Total cost: $14 US. Arrrr Matey!!!
He painted a unicorn in outer space. I'm askin' ya, what's it breathin'?
I'm guessing the first box set will have 9 discs - 2 for each film and 3 for extras (1 extras disc for each film.)
Not in theaters? It still is in my neck of the woods (MSP/St.Paul,MN). Not a lot of 'em, but within a half hour drive. Heck, it hasn't even hit the cheap theaters yet, which is what I've been waiting for to see it again.
It is kind of annoying that I have to wait an extra five months to get the Special Edition, tho.
It comes out on whilst I'm on honeymoon :)
Rus
Cheap UK and US VPS
It's not just a scam to get money out of you either. The theatrical DVD has just that: the theatrical version. There are no special commentaries or anything fabulous on them.
The bonus disc only contained material that was previously available on the official web site. The only reason that they have this release is that the video market demands that a film be available within a certain time frame from original release. They just don't have time to finish the special extended versions in time, so they release the "regular" theatrical DVD on time.
The Special Extended version will have all the nice stuff like super-duper commentary tracks and loads of special features.
All this holds true only if they follow the same procedure with TTT as they did with FOTR.
If the TTT Special Extended DVD is similar to the FOTR Special Extended version, it's well worth it.
Never confuse feeling with thinking.
They're still doing the effects shots and putting it together.
Plus they're kind of busy with another movie due out in December at the moment. Slows them down.
"Sufferin' succotash."
And it was such a let down! TWO WHOLE MONTHS LONGER. This is the cruelest joke Slashdot has ever played.
(No, I'm not kidding.)
Seems like to counter this problem, Japanese DVD releases are *never* complete. I'll use Evangelion series as an example - but to get all of the footages (including the short live-action one), you'd have to buy something like 4 different editions - and even at usually 40-50 dollars *per*disc*, there are still people doing it - albeit complaining while doing so.
I dunno. Given sufficiently dedicated fans, I think they can make this into a big money making venture, but at a heavy cost (wallet-wise) to the real fans. But anyway, at least Hollywood won't have to suffer (ha!).
My life in the land of the rising sun.
They're just using their power to get you to buy both editions. And of course you know, that men, above all else, desire power...
Was I the only person in the world that hates this series? The first movie was alright, but leaving the end hanging like that was horrible. The second movie seemed to be going through the motions, rushing forwards through the story without character development or anything resembling cinematic excitement.
You know it's a chore to sit through when you want all the characters to die so they'd finally shut the hell up.
I couldn't care if I never see the last movie in this series. I commend the dedication, but if this is a faithful conversion from the books - they probably weren't that good in the first place (believe me, I've tried to finish them[*]). Peter Jackson needs to return to making movies that aren't chores to sit through. Bad Taste was infinitely better from an entertainment perspective.
[*] Coming from a Raymond E. Feist fanatic, who's no stranger to tearing through 800 page books - provided those books are actually good.
Just postpone your wedding by a week or two. She'll understand.
Idiot one - 'shit store is closed and i'm all hungry and shit' Idiot two - 'stupid store, i gotz money and everything and really want that food' Idiot one - 'lets just steal it instead, i'm really hungry' Idiot two - 'better yet, lets steal it and pretend we have ethical reasons to steal it!'
Wantsssss... M. Mm. My Preciousssssss
Like a lot of people, I got the normal DVD release of the Fellowship before knowing that there would be an extended special release.
Of course, I had to buy it and it was an excellent purchase !
This time I'll know better.
So the plan is to get the DVD just before the release of "The return of the King" and spend all day watching the extended version of the first two films and top it of with the final on the big screen.
LOR Goodness !
A slashdotting - you get the stick first and then the carrot !
Im looking way further ahead than that ...
Heres my plan ... I buy the normal versions now, simply because they are excellent movies ... then, once all 3 movies are out on DVD - they will inevitably come out with the uber-ultra-collectors edition box set, containing all of the special editions and some more extra footage to squeeze those last few dollars out of the devoted fanbase ...
I buy that, and give away my 3 normal DVDs to a few friends/relatives, and I enjoy my complete collection with maximum efficency :)
I don't know about you, but here in Switzerland, we are already promised the Return Of The King on August 5, 2004 (in German). I can't say if the cover art is a fake, though.
Karma: none (due to not believing in reincarnation)
my movie is just a life. since I like fiction so much, why not watch a movie?
"'Yrch!' said Legolas, falling into his own tongue."
I was then working away in Switzerland for a few weeks and couldn't resist 'Der Herren Der Ringe' (when I found out it had the English soundtrack). This meant I could watch it a whole 2 weeks earlier than if I waited until I got home.
I then pre-ordered and bought the special Edition.
Do I feel bitter? Nah.
You may think me a tired, old, cynic. I'd have to disagree about the tired bit.
For those who are interested, there is a "Purist Edit" of The Two Towers floating around the Edonkey network. The quality isn't that great, being a rip of a rip squeezing 2 hours and 15 mins into 1 CD.
e rs-The_ Purist_Edit.avi|729462784|ec0671172619e490d7b0ea6b 5278468c|/
The purpose of the edit is to make the movie follow more closely to the original books. It's amazing the work the editor has done by selectively removing scenes and rearranging them - without messing up the sound synchronisation. Now there are no longer any elves in Helm's Deep, Faramir is a good guy again, and the ents aren't idiots anymore.
Here's the ed2k link:
ed2k://|file|Lord_of_the_Rings-The_Two_Tow
More information in the sharereactor forums.
It would buy them a few more DVD's of the theatrical edition. There are always going to be people who don't have patience (or emule).
I consider the first movie extended edition to be the best DVD release ever made, they really have high standards to repeat on future releases.
You mean you can wait that long to see the special editions......
Me I'll grab the special edition as soon as it comes out. The special^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hextended edition of the first one was sooooooo much better.
BTW, anyone know what the UK release dates are?
I lay awake last night wondering where the sun had gone, then it dawned on me.
i've seen the Two Towers DVD out here in Russia for over a month now. obviously, there's no extra footage, but it's nice to watch this film in the comforts of my flat.
the WHY is that the divxs of this movie are already available on all your neighbourhood friendly peer2peer networks? rips of pre-release DVDs??? or pirated camera prints? Unfortunately, I have a slo connx, but I hear that these divxs were the real thing... DVD print... something is amiss here.....
|/________
|\A|ALYS|
Let's just hope that they don't screw up the European release this time. Somehow, I have my doubts :(
________
Entranced by anime since late summer 2001 and loving it ^_^
When something STARTS obsolete it really pisses me off. If the friggin edition is so special, release it, not a gap-filling money-harvesting disc that WILL be useless in a few months. I like money, I love it, but I know one can make much more money NOT calling people "stupid".
After a few months, the hype was gone, and with it the desire of buying LOTR. Should they release the special edition at once OR later, but NOT releasing the idea of an special edition side-by-side the normal one, I'd be with it right on my desk...
Just like Spiderman. Some marketing genious decided to save money, and DON'T make a two-sided DVD, with widescreen and TV formats. Released only the square one, here in Brazil. End of story? I passed the DVD and... KAZAA!!!!
[]'s Carlos Cardoso - Becoming a brazilian ProBlogger, typo by typo
... that's 28/6/2003 and 18/11/2003, or 2003-06-28 and 2003-11-18
"Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife
What I want to know, is when the 'Collectors Edition' will be released, and what'll come with it.
The Fellowship came with two daff Arrgonath bookends, I'm wondering if the Two Towers will have Orthanc and Isengard bookends...
Vs lbh pna ernq guvf, ybt bss abj. Tb bhgfvqr. Syl n xvgr.
... contains the scenes where Gimli kicks everyone's ass for making him comic relief.
I'm the big fish in the big pond bitch.
Bittorrent rocks
http://www.torrents.co.uk
http://torrentse.cx
Actually, I think LoTR is a very well-loved book among the regulars on Slashdot because they all admire Peter Jackson's audacity and vision to actually film three movies out of a book (a long-time favorite among Slashdot readers) that everyone else had said could not be turned into theatrical features.
It also helps that Jackson created almost from scratch a visual-effects team that has done amazing CGI work that rivals anything done by the folks at Lucasfilm.
It's the reasons I mentioned above that LoTR deserves its own category in Slashdot. =)
I've seen the DVD ripp of this movie floating around. I watched it on a friends xbox, and the picture was really good.
I am wondering, if there's several months to go before the DVD release, how can there be a DVD ripp out on the net??
I think I'll buy this movie when it comes out on DVD, but I'll prolly wait for the special edition. I have both versions of the first one, and it kinda feels like a waste...
Hell, I'll sleep with Jack Valenti and Hilary Rosen!
Talk about pigs in a blanket!
*rimshot*
Thanks I'll be here all week. Try the veal.
"More organs means more human." - Zim
You just might see Jar-Jar skating down a set of stairs while shooting up droids with a blaster. *groan*
Just a note that the extra footage in LOTR is not deleted scenes. They were never meant for the theater release but are made specifically for the DVD release. Peter Jackson has been very upfront about the fact that he thinks DVD's can add an extra dimension to the film and has incorporated this concept from the beginning. /b
[Please type your sig here.]
I agree completely. But then, New Line has made a habit of releasing some of the best DVD's available. Cf. David Fincher's Se7en, which also featured four very informative commentary tracks by a number of cast and crew personnel. Admittedly it was not of the scope of LotR, but a fascinating movie nonetheless. That and Fox's special edition of Fincher's Fight Club were pretty much my favorite DVD's as far as fulfilling the promise of "film school in a box." However, New Line's edition of P.T. Anderson's Boogie Nights is another great one. Basically, no one has done DVD as consistently well as New Line -- with the possible exception of Criterion.
I haven't seen the extended FOTR but I have the 'regular' version on DVD. Is the extended version really cool? Is it worth getting the extended FOTR and should I wait for the extended TTT?
This is left as an exercise for the reader.
Greed?
No, if they were greedy they'd pull the George Lucas shit. Release only full screen versions till all three are done, then release a marked-up, limited edition, widescreen boxed set. Then release the extended scenes in a new theatrical version. Then release a boxed set with the additional footage.
So all the fans own three copies of the movies.
No, if they were greedy they wouldn't tell you that an extended version is coming out a *months* later. (I'll resist the urge to rail against people who can't wait a few months and the general lack of patience in American's consumer culture.)
It takes time to put everything else together. It wouldn't be surprising to find out that the production crew has been concentrating on the regular DVD and getting it out earlier. It probably sells better (cheaper, shorter, appeals to a greater audience). Oh, yah, so that would be greed, too... but not in the bad way that would cause all of us to own three copies of the movies.
Anyone notice that the first release date is on the anniversary of Atari's inception? Yerp, Atari was founded on June 28th, 1972.
I bought the Theatrical Edition of FOTR
.
I bought the Special Gift Pack Extended Edition of FOTR
I will buy the Theatrical Edition of TTT
I will buy the Special Gift Pack Extended Edition of TTT
I will buy the Theatrical Edition of ROTK
I will buy the Special Gift Pack Extended Edition of ROTK
I will buy the Complete Theatrical Special Edition
I will buy the Special Gift Pack Extended Complete Edition
I will sign all future paychecks to New Line and Peter Jackson
My name is The Mighty Squid . .
..... and I am addicted to LOTR.
Pity me.
-- No Comment
Not all actors are airheads, i saw THIS interview on the Charlie Rose show (PBS) on December 3rd with Viggo wearing a shirt stating "No Blood For Oil"
With a few exceptions, secrecy is deeply incompatible with democracy and with science. --Carl Sagan
I can see 3 months helping a lot. They could probably get everything done in time for the first release date if they really tried, but remember that they are also working on Return of the King. Remember, no matter what, the bigger set would take significantly longer to prepare, so no matter what if they were released at the same time they would have been able to get eh 2-disc one out well before. So they figure why not? People who would only get the 2-disc set will be more inclined to get it rather than pirate it, while most people who would get the expanded one would probably wait anyway. And a few of them might buy or rent the 2-disc one in the meantime, which I suspect is probably more of a bonus than a motivation.
I don't really buy the argument that it is a greed thing; maybe that is involved a little bit, but I don't think it's the major role. Remember, they announced (I think... if not, they will soon) that there is going to be a special edition, and I doubt that they will expect too many people to buy both. (Rent perhaps, but that's about where I think that theory ends.) Meanwhile, I see putting together a DVD like that to be a time-consuming venture.
(And for any of you who think this is like what Lucas is doing, remember that Lucas released Episode I to VHS under the official line that NO DVDs were to be released until after Episode III, while just a couple months later reports surfaced that he was in fact working on an Episode I DVD, which was announced a couple months later. Had I (and many other fans) known a DVD was in the works, there's no way I owuld have bought the VHS. *That's* sleazy. There's no trace of sleaze in the Lord of the Rings.)
The first movie was alright, but leaving the end hanging like that was horrible.
;)
Actually, in that respect FotR was completely faithful to the book.
I agree that TTT has its shortcomings, though: laughable dialogue between Sam and Frodo and wa-a-ay too much fighting.
Gollum was great, though. Not to mention the pervy thrill I got from watching long-haired boys in chain mail!
And I still respect the films for "opening up" the books for those of us who have difficulty putting up with Tolkien's disregard for chronological narrative. At least thanks to the film I know in what order stuff happens without having to look it up in the appendices!
Sentimentality is merely the Bank Holiday of cynicism.
- Oscar Wilde
First comes out the special edition, with a limited pressing. When that runs out, you get the normal one.
Of course, that does mean you have to hold up the normal edition until all the extras are ready for the special edition. On the other hand, "collectors edition" actually means something. (And doesn't cost more, at least in the cases I'm thinking of.)
1 - Please insert DVD 5
2 - Extra soundtrack 8 found ! please insert DVD 1
3- Langage selection found ! Please insert disk 3
4- Continue ad nauseam
Ahhh, seeing a movie will be more and more like a 49 floppies Office install 8)
But then, I, too, await the Ultra Super 12 Hours long Complete LotR 8)
It takes 40+ muscles to frown, but only four to extend your arm and bitchslap the motherfucker
The only way films like this can continue to be represented is if you support the artist. So if you want to buy 6 copies each and give them away, go for it. If we support PJ and his wife now they'll keep producing these wonderful artistic endeavors...and it'll send a message to the movie industry that people want this.
Step 1: Rip Two Towers to DIVX and release on internet. ...?!
Step 2:
Step 3: Profit!
If this is Heaven I'm bailin out! I cant tolerate this ol tin-tub, so fulla trash and rats...
Forgive my ignorance, but is there any advantages in buying the special edition DVD, when we know there's a Uber special edition box set scheduled for next year? That is what i remember reading from some press release sometime ago, i may be wrong.
IMO you'll get less for your money if you buy each individual special edtion DVDs. ( Just a thought )
I fell asleep during both movies.
Especially the parts with the walking trees.
Best not to get it at all. Maybe I can make my own edit of the good parts so anytime I have 5 minutes I can watch it.
Thats what was missing... When I left the theatre I knew something was wrong... I could still feel my legs!
It think there's an assumption in there that not everyone will agree with. I didn't think the new versions of the original Star Wars films were an improvement, and I'm not completely convinced by all of the extra footage in the FotR Special Edition, either. I'd be interested to know whether Jackson and co actually wanted to add the extra footage and didn't because it would have made for too long a cinematic release, or whether they've just added it because, like most DVDs, the powers that be demand extra material whether it's any good or not.
If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
*big grins* I almost put a reminder on my wedding day that the DVD would be released in a month. Somehow, I don't think that would have gone over very well.
Forget this archaic date syntax of MM/dd/YYYY. Get with the program and use one of the more international formats:
YYYY/MM/dd (2003/08/26)
dd MMM YYYY (26 Aug 2003)
It makes life less confusing.
Thats what they did with TFOTR, it is *in* the movie. When we watch our extended version DVD we get the WHOLE movie start to finish, I am assuming they would do that fot TTT...
This is something special for all Tolkien lovers here. When The Two Towers was released in cinemas, many people disliked (and some hated) the changes to Tolkien's story (Faramir, Ents, etc.). If you had similar feelings, this file is for you.
This is a re-edit of the DVD-screener that deals with most of the changes that people disliked. To name just the biggest ones: no Elves at HD, normal Faramir, normal Ents, Arwen doesn't leave, no "exorcism", etc. As a result, this version is about 40 minutes shorter, but it is superiour to the original release. The editing is seamless and it is amazing how the author of the reedit managed in some places to completely undo Jackson's changes and make something much more faithful to Tolkien.
So, enough talking, download and see for yourselves. You can also check the trailer first.
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - The Purist Edit_ Purist_Edit.avi|729462784|ec0671172619e490d7b0ea6b 5278468c|/
ed2k://|file|Lord_of_the_Rings-The_Two_Towers-The
The Purist Edit Trailere r.avi|14997504|965c013e991ee246d63d45ea71954c4d|/
ed2k://|file|The_Two_Towers-The_Purist_Edit-Trail
Future Wiki -- If you don't think about the future, you cannot have one.
If you live outside USA as myself (Argentina) you can rent 2towers on DVD-R with spanish subtitles, copied from the DVD supplied to Oscar voters, if you don't mind a small legend "For your consideration" from time to time...
NEOCA - Custom LED Flashlights
I downloaded the movie and snuck drinks/snacks into the theater, but your way is much more moral... er... no.. much more legal.
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I think that the main issue here is motivation. If they are doing this just to get people to buy twice, then that sucks. However (as PJ and the Weta people have said in many interviews), the reason for the dual release is two-fold:
Normal release -
a) People want it now.
b) People want to have what they saw in the theator.
Special Edition -
a) Many fans want a release that has more depth [length] than the theator market can support; hence a second release - a different movie.
b) To make this longer release takes time and a lot of work; hence the delay.
In many cases, such as the Star Wars special editions, they just seem like marketing tricks. The LOTR Special Editions however contain much more than extras; they are genuinely different films that deserve to be released separately. Anyway, if you wanted the version that showed in the theators to also come with the Special Editions, they'd have to be something like 6 DVDs. I for one just want the SE version that had more time/love put into it. Screw the short theator one, its for those who can't sit still.
"When ideology and theology couple, their offspring are not always bad but they are always blind." -- Bill Moyers
Screw that. I would deliver the Ring of Power to the Dark Lord himself if he promised to give me a copy of the extended version a week before anyone else got it. (Sure, he would cover all the land in a second darkness, but just think how jealous all the other geeks on the block would be.)