Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Take heed! Whether you have seen this movie before or not, do not, I repeat, DO NOT buy this edition. Its one of the cheapest marketing ploys to ever hit the DVD scene. In case you aren't in the know, New Line Cinema is releasing 2 editions of Fellowship of the Ring. The first edition, this one, is being released August 6, and the second one is being released November 12. The first one is basically the theatrical version that showed in the theatres, along with some very basic special features. Do not be fooled by the title "In depth documetries". I have seen all 3 of the shows and they are anything but. They are essentially TV shows that aired before the movie was released, and include very basic information. In addition to these documentries there are a bunch of short featurettes that were on the website... These feturettes are slightly better, but they hardly go in-depth. This whole release, in fact, can be summed up as laziness. New Line has essentially taken all the material they already had made, and stuffed it into a marketable package. What is even more insulting is the shameless nature with which it's done. There 3 advertisements here that pass as "features". One for the video game, one for the special edition being released in November, and one for The Two Towers. It's a pity that the last two are actually more entertaining then all the rest of the features combined. Don't get me wrong, the movie is incredible. But this edition hardly does it justice. It's just a marketing ploy to get the general public and anxious fans to buy 2 editions of the same movie. Trust me, once the Special Edition is released in November this edition will become so obsolete it will be frogotten beyond recall. Do the math yourself. For less then $10 more you get an extended edition of the movie that includes 35 minutes of new footage edited into the film, 4, I repeat, 4 commentary tracks by more then 30 people combined, and 2 extra DVD packed with hours upon hours of brand new material on the making of the movie. And there are no advertisements for any other products. Which sounds like the better edition, or if nothing more the one that give you better value for your money. It saddens me that the August widescreen edition is the number one selling DVD on Amazon right now. It just shows how much marketing genius New Line has. They have even released sad PR announcements saying how the two editions are equal and Peter Jackson (the director) supports them both. But if you buy this edition don't say you weren't warned when November 12'th comes around. Look past the marketing and make your own decision.