Looking forward to this DVD

Strong Bad

This is copy and pasted from a site:



This is a quick update to let you know that we heard an actual street for Universal's upcoming Schindler's List DVD. Word from retailers in the know is that Universal expects to release the DVD-18 disc on March 9th of next year.

Ron-P

Don't care much at all for S. List. But, this is taken from a review from a member over at HTT. THIS is a DVD I'm looking forward to...

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Special Extended DVD Edition)
I have to admit, that I was not anticipating the release, of the extended cut of The Two Towers as much as I was that of Fellowship of the Ring. Upon my first viewing of the Theatrical DVD I was immediately under-whelmed. To my eyes, the video quality was bothersome at best, with compression artifacts aplenty and a soundtrack that sounded chesty and rather lifeless. I had my problems with the movie as well. New and major characters were introduced without the development that was granted to the story's leads in the first film. Who was this Faramir (ok I knew since I read the books), and Eowyn and Eomir. Why should I care about them and what is their motivation? Scenes and dialogue sprang up that didn’t seem connected to the story at all. Something was missing. Boy, was it! The Extended Edition of The Two Towers not only resolves the technical issues with the first DVD release, but surpasses my wildest expectations of what a DVD can actually look like! The film itself? The Two Towers has now gone from a fairly mindless action adventure to an operatic second chapter that adds to the magnificence of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The best place to begin is where I began. Taking the box out of the bag and opening it up. I was really impressed by the red cover. The packaging is exactly the same as the previous Extended Edition release, but somehow the color just made it a little more substantial. That green was really drab, wasn’t it? The only real significant change to the packaging was the DVD insert which listed chapter stops and menu navigation. It is made to resemble parchment. Ok, this is not all that big a deal, but it is a nice touch. Inserting the first DVD into the player, and the menu screen comes up. These animated menus begin with a pan over a desk of Saruman’s in Orthanc. I selected the DTS track, and hit play and the magic really began.

Wow! That was all I kept saying as the DVD played. The video quality of this DVD is truly among the best that I have ever seen. Did I say ever? Ever! Perhaps there are those that are better looking, and maybe my perspective is skewed by the poor quality of the theatrical cut, but I really had to try hard to wipe the grin off my face. I have seen HD movies that don’t match what I was seeing. The words I kept repeating to myself were texture and detail. Don’t let me leave out three-dimensionality. Scenes I remember looking downright awful in the Theatrical DVD were now quite stunning. I should probably list a few examples for those who really want to wet their appetite.

The first thing I noticed was Gandalf’s fall with the Balrog. During the fall the Balrog twists and turns violently with Gandalf trying to hold on. The improved contrast ratio of the DVD let’s you see new movement that was obscured in the previous release. Then there is Gollum. I didn’t think it was possible, but he looks even more real on this DVD. The added detail just lets him blend better with the environment and he become an even more fully realized character. Another scene I remember looking pretty horrible was when Aragorn and Legolas first look over the land of Rohan. The detail of the plains are lost due to overcompression and was one of the moments where edge enhancement was extremely annoying. The Extended Edition? Rock solid! I could count every blade of grass, weed, and hair on Legolas’ head! I could go on and on, but I think would just get repetitive. Before I stop, though, let me touch on color and texture. I don’t know if the film was totally remastered, but the color timing looks substantially better. Color pops off the screen without ever looking oversaturated. The hues gradate in a way that you can really feel the texture of the land, but in particularly the clothing of the characters. Be sure to check out Wortongue’s black woolen clothing, and the cloak worn by Theoden in which you can almost feel the red silk. I am getting carried away. Suffice it to say, that I made such observations throughout.

Ah, the joys of DTS! This soundtrack is pretty wonderful. There were two improvements that I found over the theatrical DVD. Howard Shore’s score is brought out from the background to where it almost becomes another character in the film lending greater weight and emotion. The score sounds much more detailed than it did previously. Second, dialogue sounds much more natural. Again, I am not sure if the film has been remixed, but when dialogue is spoken the sound of the words seem to be affected by the environment. As a whole, though, I found this mix to be much more laid back and natural. It immerses you in the environment without hitting over the head with gimmicky sound effects. The usual improvements I find with DTS tracks are there. Improved imaging, greater detail, blah blah blah…

This DVD really is what Home Theater is all about. The audio and video immerse you into an imaginary world that you are all too happy to be in. Technically perfect!

This discussion would not be complete without detailing some of the improvements the new cut makes to The Two Towers. The best analogy I can come up with is patches of an unfinished quilt that have not yet been sewn together. Laid out in front of you, you can make out what the quilt will look like, but without it’s seams it is not a cohesive whole. The extra material added to The Two Towers, are the seams the story was missing. It is hard to describe this version of the film as an Extended Version of the film any more. Rather, it is the complete work that no longer feels like an episodic installment, but rather an integral part of the story of The Lord of the Rings.

I really do not want to give much away since the joy of rediscovering the film and enjoyment I had watching it is best shared by others who have had their own chance at discovery. Besides, the individual scenes can be found anywhere on the internet with much greater descriptions. What I can relate is how some of the additions impacted the story. The words that came to mind when watching the film were motivation, cohesiveness and resonance.

When viewing The Two Towers in the theater I remember the break neck pace the film had. In my mind the movie was sprinting to it’s destination of Helm’s Deep while forgetting the character moments that gave the first film its emotional impact. This version of the film opens with some more moments of Frodo and Sam that allows their relationship be shown with greater feeling and depth. It re-establishes the bond between them that will be so important as events unfold. Gollum is also allowed some more screen time that adds even more depth to this complex character. There is a heartbreaking moment in the Dead Marshes where Frodo turns away from Gollum. Three little words are uttered that show Frodo capable of being mean.

The Riders of Rohan are also given a bigger introduction to the film. They discover Theodred wounded by Orcs and carry him home. Again, a little moment goes a long way to explain their loyalty to Rohan, their King and motivation for tracking the Uruk-Hai down and killing them. Their entrance at the end of the film comes as less of surprise, but is welcomed with a more emotional heft.

Obviously, the scene most fans are looking forward to is the Faramir/Boromir scene in Osgiliath. It is not the show stopper we may have hoped for, but it is perhaps the most important scene in the new film. Not only does it give us further insight into Faramir and who this Captain of Gondor is, but Boromir and his actions in Fellowship are truly explained. Furthermore, this scene lends itself to events that are yet to come in Return of the King. Denethor is truly an SOB. John Noble is a scene stealer and will be a joy to watch in the next installment.

There is one further seam that must be mentioned. On the road to Rohan there is the conversation between Gandalf and Aragorn about their mission. Gandalf reminds Aragorn of his destiny, and the hope that Frodo’s quest remain a secret. More importantly, Gandalf assures Aragorn that he did not make an error in judgement by allowing Frodo to go on alone, and it is at this point the events of Fellowship and Two Towers are tied together.

I really don’t want to give much more away. Let me just mention a few more favorite moments. There is a line by Gimli in Fangorn forest about “This new Gandalf” that surprisingly made me laugh out loud. Merry and Pippin are given more time to be hobbits. They celebrate their victory at Isengard by essentially getting stoned. The list goes on and on.

What really is amazing is how much richer this film now feels. The story once again feels as it is as much of a journey through Middle Earth as it is an adventure. Characters are fully realized to the point that even the trees have motivation. The Two Towers is part of a rich tapestry that deserves its place in cinema history as one of the best films ever made.

Less than 2 weeks to go.


Peace Out~:D

kberg

I've been eagerly awaiting SL myself! Thanks for the post.