Has anyone seen the new Two Towers DVD?

[bubba_fett]

I may buy it tomorrow, but I may just get a case of beer instead. I only get one $30 freebie purchase per paycheck (j/k).

Seriously, did the extra footage make the movie any better? Just a little?

Did they by any chance cut about a half hour of filler out, and add a half hour of story that was in the book? Because that's what I'd been hoping for since I walked out of the theater, the first time I saw it.

[kalian]

1. Rent it out and watch it while drinking the beer....

if you like it...buy it at a later date. ;)

[regnaD kciN]

2. It's fantastic!

Seriously, it is an improvement over virtually everything in the theatrical release. There's a lot more character development and "texture" added. The reservations I had from the first release (that it was so hard-driven and relentless that the story never seemed to "breathe") are gone.

There are two major changes in the new release. First of all, and more in line with Tolkien's story, the trees join in the battle at Helm's Deep, even as the Ents are attacking Isengard. Second, there's a lengthy flashback covering Boromir, Faramir, and their father Denethor, which gives further humanity to Faramir, and some justification for how he acts in the film (which is, as surely all fans know, different from the way Tolkien had him act in the book). There is also more "back-story" given about the Ents, which also gives more character time for Merry and Pippin. The character of Eowyn and her relationship with Aragorn are further developed, during which time the back-story of the Dunedin is summarized. Finally, there's about five minutes added between the final battles and the end of the film as seen in theaters, covering the trees at Helm's Deep, a comic scene with Merry and Pippin following the Ent victory, and an explanation of how Faramir got Frodo, Sam, and Gollum out of the city.

There are also many other small "character" moments added. The general effect is of a larger canvas, and much more of an ebb-and-flow of pacing, which feels more like Tolkien than the non-stop drive of the theatrical release.

My only reservation: After seeing that the extended edition of FOTR was better than the theatrical release, and seeing that the extended edition of TTT was drastically better than the theatrical release (as good as that was), my only concern is that, when I see ROTK next month, will I be able to appreciate it for what it is, or merely consider it a "first draft" for the real work which will come out on DVD late next year?

;-)

[dae]

3. Thanks for the review. I was waiting on the extended version of

TTT after getting burned buying the FOTR theatrical release.

[bubba_fett]

4. thanks for the rundown

i'm glad that the ents were in the movie a little more, they were so glossed over, yet my favorite part of the book.

My only real concern is that the important stuff that was cut out of the book (TTT) will be in the third movie, and they won't gloss over that book.

I really thought they did a bit of a hatchet job on TTT.

[rucky]

5. The Bonus Disc has a 10-minute Preview of ROTK

It's going to be awesome.