A Trilogy of Medieval Treasures

What can you say about Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy that hasn't already been said at one time or another? It is perhaps--as many have asserted--the greatest realization of movie-making in the history of cinema--not just for the scope of the epic story itself, but for the magnitude of the artistic undertaking. Watching any one of the three installments in the trilogy can conjure up questions like, "How in God's name did they do that?" or "How did they ever begin to come up with that?"

You can get answers to those questions--and a lot more--on the special extended DVD editions of all three movies, all of which are packed with bonus material (the Appendices, as they are called) that relays--with painstaking detail--just how Middle Earth and Rivendell and the fiery pits or Mordor were created. Through interviews with Jackson, screenwriting partner Phiippa Boyens, and most of the cast and crew, the producers have crafted three entirely separate stories apart from the movies themselves--the stories of how the films were taken from the pages of J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpieces and turned into movies that are unvrivaled in effort and art.

Of course, the stories that continue to enthrall fans the most are the stories lifted from the books themselves. Tolkien's much-loved books remain treasured by readers all across the world, and it's simply amazing than any filmmaker (least of all one whose most definitive piece of cinematic art was a lesbo-erotic thriller about two schoolgirls who plot to kill their parents) could have such clarity of vision to bring to life the books in such a thoroughly faithful yet tastefully flexible way. Having dethroned the original Star Wars trilogy as the most fanatically treasured in history, the LOTR trilogy is that singular motion picture experience that transcends all reason and confounds all expectations in every glorious frame.

Jackson could have rested his laurels on the success of the theatrical versions of the films alone; all of them adequately captured the tone and essence of Tolkien's epic--even if they were truncated versions of much larger works of art made more palatable for your "average" movie-going audience. Yet Jackson knew that his vision of the trilogy would not be complete without much longer, fuller versions of the three chapters of the story. And it is here--in the special extended DVD editions--that the trilogy really succeeds in realizing the true Tolkien experience. Having not only reinstated several scenes and extended several others (in all, over two hours of additional footage have been added back into the films), Jackson gathered together his complete artistic team to create entirely new effects, dialogue, and musical score. As is noted in the liner notes, Jackson approached the extended editions "as if he were creating whole new version[s] of the film[s]." In doing so, he imbued all three installments with the nuances, subtle bits of important character development, and levity that were often missing in the vastly inferior theatrical versions. There is no other way to say it: Until you have seen the extended versions, you have not really experienced the full story.

The Fellowship of the Ring (Approx. 3 hours, 10 mins)

The first installment (I will now refer to the three "films" as installments because it becomes obvious in watching the extended editions that all three are really three parts of one very large film) is perhaps my sentimental favorite for the fact alone that it revealed the scope of Jackson's interpretation of Tolkien's masterworks. Seeing Middle Earth so completely realized for the first time is an experience that cannot be repeated. When I sat in the lovely Vista movie house on Sunset Boulevard for a midnight showing of The Fellowship and the world of the Hobbits was suddenly being revealed to us on the screen in front of us, I almost could not believe my eyes.

It is also in the first installment that many more quiet moments are featured. Part of my problem with the theatrical versions of the installments was that they were so fraught with ACTION! and that there were not enough "slow" moments in which the characters could react emotionally to what they'd just been through. That is rectified here, as many of the scenes are much quieter in tone, allowing for a more fully emotional viewing experience. There is also a sense of wonder (and innocence) that permeates The Fellowship, making it the most tender chapter of the story.

For the expanded version of Fellowship, Jackson added in more than 30 minutes of additional footage, including the excised "Concerning Hobbits" section (which gives an excellent introduction to the flat-footed creatures through the narration of Ian Holm's Bilbo Baggins as he writes his own book), a scene featuring "The Passing of the Elves," and "The Departure of the Fellowship" as they set out from Rivendell on their journey to Mordor. Of course, there are several other new scenes as well, far too many to go into here, but at just over three hours, The Fellowhip remains a revolutionary beginning to a much grander cinematic experience.

The Two Towers (Approx. 3 hours, 35 mins.)

I have to admit: when I first saw The Two Towers in the theater, I was disappointed. As I mentioned before, I felt that the second installment was too action-heavy, yet there was a much bigger problem at the root of my sour reaction: As the middle chapter of the story, The Two Towers is the one that is least self-contained. It does not have a beginning, nor does it contain a proper ending. This installment left me feeling restless and under-nourished, as if I had only eaten a third of my meal but was still hungry.

The extended version of Two Towers, however, changed my mind completely about the second installment. With added footage like the "Sons of the Steward" section (a flashback sequence in which Sean Bean briefly returns as Boromir for a look at his tense relationship with his father) and "The Final Tally" scene (a humorous post-battle moment shared between Legolas and Gimli) restored the the chapter, it suddenly took on a whole new life for me--a much fuller, more "complete" life that, even though it is still somewhat of a "transitional" chapter, I find to be the most fully enriching of the three--the one that contains equal parts adventure and character development.

The Return of the King (Approx. 4 hours, 15 mins.)

Having viewed (and fallen in love with) the extended version of The Two Towers the night before I was to attend a special advance screening of The Return of the King (with screenwriters Frances Walsh and Philippa Boyens on hand for a post-viewing Q&A, I might add), I was extremely psyched to experience the final chapter of the trilogy. Perhaps too psyched. Once again, as with the theatrical version of Two Towers, I was slightly disappointed with ROTK. Of the three chapters, it is the most action-heavy; the battles and fights become an endless litany of "high-drama" moments, and the drawn-out "ending" felt a bit too long-winded. Having just spent part of my New Year's Eve watching Fellowhip and my entire New Year's Day viewing both Two Towers and ROTK, I can now say that I thoroughly enjoyed the last part of the story in all its glory.

Having restored 50 minutes(!) of footage to ROTK, Jackson has more amply fleshed out an already epic installment. The slightly controversial excised scene of Saruman's fall (which actor Christopher Lee hotly contested upon the chapter's theatrical release) is one that, frankly, should not have been cut to begin with, while "The Wizard's Pupil" (a confrontation between Faramir and his brutish father Denethor), "In the Company of Orcs" (a sequence showing Frodo and Sam infiltrating the Orcs' army at Mordor), and both "The Houses of Healing" and "The Captain and the White Lady" (two scenes that hint of a tentative but fulfilling romance between Eowyn and Faramir) enrich the installment even further. By the time ROTK gets around to its extended finale, you are more prepared for the repeated "endings"--and it feels perfectly suitable. With the reinstated material, loose ends are tied up and favorite characters get a much more deserving send-off, making for a wondrous viewing experience that brings a fitting end to such a huge tale.

The Extended Trilogy

Packaged in a regal slipcase, all three extended DVD editions become an attractive (and imperative) part of any DVD collection. Viewed in one long sitting, they are an exhaustive but extremely enriching cinematic experience, one that I doubt will ever be rivaled on such a grand scale for many, many years to come. By fully bringing the passion and grandness of Tolkien's world to fruition, the trilogy stands alone as the most ambitious (and successful) bit of filmmaking in the history of the cinema. It is absolutely a wonder to behold--one to be experienced again and again with those you love--when you've got the time, of course.

GRADE: A+

(Special thanks to Movie Category Lead Psychovant for adding this product to the site so that I could review it.)