Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings DVD -- an opinion
Since a few sentences telling you what I think about it and assigning my star count doesn't really qualify as a "review", I've labeled this what it is: my opinion of the DVD of Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings (LOTR: FOTR). (You have probably already decided what you think of the movie itself.) :>)
This is a new reference standard DVD. Projected via the component video connection onto a 10 foot diagonal 16:9 screen, the picture looks as "film-like" as any I've seen on DVD and with over 700 titles in my DVD collection I've had the opportunity to screen a wide variety. The color rendition is excellent-to-state-of-the-art with no bleeding or off-hue patches. The picture is sharply focused from edge to wide-screen edge. (I have the 2.35:1 widescreen edition -- I cannot imagine viewing this film in Pan & Scan.) This DVD actually looks better on my front projection system (with black mattes framing the edges) than it did 10 days ago at a commercial theater screening where the framing was wrong and the focus wasn't precise. Having passed the critical test of looking great really "blown up" in viewing size, it should also look great on direct view sets and other systems with smaller screens.
The sound is superb. Forceful, pounding, impressively loud yet clean when called for, but portraying every whispy nuance and subtley when that is appropriate. In other words, this track has (very wide) dynamic range. The dialog, even when whispered, comes through clearly and without strain or distortion. The sound effects vary in intensity -- as they should -- and the music properly ranges from panoramic sweep to intimate instrumental highlighting. The Dolby EX is rendered flawlessly. I cannot imagine that a DTS track would have sounded any better.
The DVD menu on the movie disc is both clever and unobtrusive -- it is in the shape of a ring, and thankfully does NOT incorporate annoying "animated" effects that on too many other DVDs take a minute or more to load before the menu choices are accessible. You can make your setup selections right away and get down to doing what a DVD is all about -- viewing the movie. And then come back later and access the extras. (Those are on disc two.)
I have not had an opportunity to view any of the extras yet, but the set is loaded with them -- they will give me entertainment another day. I am glad they included the trailer for LOTR: The Two Towers -- that was an interesting epilog to the movie at my last commercial screening of LOTR: Fellowship Of the Rings and this one on the disc is supposed to be even more detailed (runs ten minutes).
But the real prize here of course is the movie. If you liked it in the theater, you are going to LOVE this DVD. I still want the extended edition due out in November, which will not only include about 30 minutes of footage deleted from the theatrical cut (reportedly integrated seamlessly into the movie) but also a different set of extra material. For now, though, I am very happy to have the original theatrical cut available any time I want to see it (which I expect will be pretty often.) :>)
New Line Cinema has earned FIVE STARS :5: out of five :5: with this DVD. VERY highly recommended. If that isn't strong enough, "my highest recommendation ever for a DVD" (so far anyway). :>)
Burke
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