LOTR on Blue Ray - finally!!

Post by **Elentári** » Fri Mar 25, 2011 5:41 pm

Oh YAY!!! a day before the Yanks!!!

Thanks Al!

But why is it called simply the EE over here and not the Limited EE?????

Post by **Elentári** » Fri Jun 17, 2011 10:40 am

Bill Hunt over at Digital Bits has a lengthy review of the forthcoming Blu-ray box of the extended version of the trilogy (due out June 28 ). It’s mainly a lengthy description, going disc by disc, with comments on the visual quality:

The most important thing to know here is that the HD image quality for this film is vastly improved from the theatrical Blu-ray. It’s actually a new presentation, remastered from the film’s original 2K digital files. In fact, it’s breathtaking. There are significant gains in fine detail and overall contrast. The image is delicately textured and refined. You can actually see the very light grain structure of the image, which results in a far less digital and far more film-like presentation. Contrast is excellent, with deep, true blacks. Colors are pleasing too, though it’s worth noting that the color timing for these films has been redone. I’ve confirmed with production-related sources that Jackson and cinematographer Andrew Lesnie were directly involved in all decisions related to this new transfer and approved it personally. So to the extent that there are changes to the color-timing, they were made at Jackson and Lesnie’s direction–the films look exactly as they want them to.

and quality of the packaging:

All of the above comes packaged in a trio of 5-disc plastic Blu-ray cases, with a sturdy gold foil-wrapped and embossed slipcase. The slipcase is close to the same size (depth and height) as the case for the Theatrical Blu-rays, so they sit side-by-side together nicely on your video shelf. The case also features a magnetic cover which opens to reveal a replica map of Middle Earth on the inside surface and to allow you access to the discs. Each case also includes a paper booklet that largely replicates (in smaller form) the booklets from the DVD editions. They serve as a disc-by-disc guide to the set and its contents. Overall, it's a handsome package - actually a far better one than I expected, and better than the photos reveal. I personally like the DVD packaging a little more, but this nice by any measure...

...Very enthusiastically recommended!

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 9:38 pm

Amazon is allegedly about to ship my EE Blu-Ray, and the estimated delivery date still says June 28 (tomorrow). We shall see.

The price went down after I pre-ordered, to $69.99 (which means that's the price I paid). That's still the price, but I'd suggest that anyone who's thinking of buying this, but hasn't yet, should do it soon. The "wow" discounts tend to decrease once the item has been out for a while, and the list price is $119.98.

Post by **Elentári** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 9:56 pm

I had an email from Amazon UK Saturday to say my order had been shipped - estimated delivery date 28th also! My pre-order price is £53.97 (It's currently at £56.52)

Post by **Alatar** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 11:03 pm

Mine too Elen! Really looking forward to it!

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 1:57 am

Mine has also been shipped and should arrive tomorrow. I find I'm glad it will be a three-day weekend in this country! And that my son who's very good at optimizing video displays is here. Entertainment Weekly reviewed the package and expressed disappointment at no new extras (though the Costa-Botes docs are new to me, so I'm happy) and that the extras were not upgraded to Blu-Ray. But it also described the set overall as "a retina-gorging pleasure" and the transfer as "palantír-sharp."

Post by **SirDennis** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 2:56 am

Primula Baggins wrote: But it also described the set overall as "a retina-gorging pleasure" and the transfer as "palantír-sharp."

Are you sure that doesn't mean the entire release is framed in a ring of fire effect?

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 6:36 am

Way to make a fangurl's day, SirDennis.

(I was actually just amused by the hyperbole. But I'm also excited to see it. Avatar showed me how good a Blu-Ray can look; to have that kind of visual quality on a film I really value, instead of one I enjoy as pretty mind candy, will be a pleasure.)

Post by **Elentári** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 7:03 am

Further to my previous post, I just received another email from Amazon telling me I'm getting a refund as part of my pre-order price guarantee!

Price on order date: £54.93
Price charged at dispatch: £53.97 Lowest price up to and including release date: £48.00
Amount to be refunded: £5.98
Quantity: 1
Total Savings: £6.93

Now I'm even happier!!

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 7:11 am

I do like that aspect of preordering from Amazon! I saved some money, too.

Post by **Elentári** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 11:15 am

...and it's arrived safely this morning, in the brief window I was actually at home, thank goodness!

Post by **vison** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 3:16 pm

15 discs? WTF?

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 3:27 pm

Six Blu-Ray discs (two each for each of the movies, so they're split again, alas) and nine DVDs of extras. The LotR EE DVD contained six DVDs of extras, two for each film. So the last three DVDs must be the Costa-Botes documentaries, one for each movie, as they were when released with the theatrical-edition Blu-Rays.

I look forward to re-geeking over the extras and seeing the ones that are new to me almost as much as I look forward to seeing the films again after a lapse of several years.

And, vison, I feel sure you could say the same.

Post by **vison** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 3:31 pm

I have never watched one minute of any "extras" at all, although I do have the EE version. I would probably enjoy it all, but I just don't watch. It never occurs to me.

I'm pretty sure I've never watched any of the movies all the way through, either the first set I bought or the second. The kids watch them now and again, and I see bits.

Maybe this winter if I have the time. It seems silly to have all this stuff and never look at it. But I won't be buying the BluRay version! I just read the review in the Sun and the guy was just slobbering with delight.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 10:18 pm

It's here. I've only opened the package—will look at the Blu-Ray transfer shortly, when my son can look at it with me and get all the settings perfect. But the packaging is really lovely: a nice heavy cardboard outer box that you open like a book to reveal three separate inner "books." I think it's even a bit prettier than the EE DVD packaging, which has always been a favorite of mine. Nothing Tolkien-related should come in a plastic box. (The blue part of the packaging, apparently required for Blu-Rays, is held on only by the shrink wrap and comes right off.)

Post by **Alatar** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 10:19 pm

You guys are gonna love the Costa Botes documentaries! The EE Extra's are all sunshine and light, what a wonderful family feel, etc... The Costa Botes ones are more like "This was painful! But look what we achieved".

A fave scene is Gandalf on the cart giving Frodo a lesson on the origin of an Elvish word.

Post by **yovargas** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 11:52 pm

I'm surprised they had to split the films in two again. Aren't the BRs supposed to have vastly more storage space??

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:27 am

That's what I was wondering, too. It's not so bad to have a built-in "intermission," I guess, but why was it necessary again?

Post by **SirDennis** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 3:05 am

Primula Baggins wrote:That's what I was wondering, too. It's not so bad to have a built-in "intermission," I guess, but why was it necessary again?

Interesting question.

Is there additional commentary?

Does the BR contain the TR and EE the way the original EEs and LEs did?

I think the way the EEs worked on DVD is the additional footage was floating outside of the TR. Depending on which version you select tells the player what scene map to use to render the film from beginning to end. Doing it this way requires more space but not as much as two entire versions.

Something tells me too that additional data were layered into the original versions to bring the quality up to HD.

I could be completely wrong on every point.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 6:58 am

I don't actually think the EE editions worked that way, SirDennis. I think they were complete new cuts of the films. At least, I don't recall any option between TE and EE. I have some DVDs where that was done, and the effect is pretty clunky—there's a noticeable pause when the film switches tracks.

And, the BR versions are completely remastered from the original film sources—they didn't reprocess the DVDs because, as I understand it, you can't create more information from less. My son says the original analog film has at least 4 times the information a Blu-Ray can contain, so they started with the film again and just captured more information from it.

That doesn't answer why the Blu-Rays are in two parts. I raised that question with my son, and I suspect he'll find the answer.