New Line Home Video - The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (Widescreen Theatrical Edition)

FEATURE (approx. 214 minutes) -
A new version of the second installment in the epic trilogy! The film includes over 40 minutes of never-before-seen footage incorporated into the film, made especially for this video release:

Widescreen (2.35:1) version of the Special Extended Edition
Dolby Digital EX 5.1 Surround Sound
DTS ES 6.1 Surround Sound
Stereo Surround Sound
Four audio commentaries by director and writers, the design team the production team and the cast featuring more than 30 participants including Peter Jackson, Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Orlando Bloom and Academy Award® winners Richard Taylor, Howard Shore, Randy Cook...and many more

DISCS 3-4: THE APPENDICES

Two discs with hours of original content including multiple documentaries and design/photo galleries with thousands of images to give viewers an in-depth behind-the-scenes look at The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers:

DISC 3
Adapting the book into a screenplay & planning the film
Designing and inspiration for locations in Middle-earth
Storyboards to pre-visualization
Weta Workshop visit - See sculptors in action as they create the weapons, armor, creatures and miniatures from the film
Atlas of Middle-earth: Tracing the journey of the Fellowship
An interactive map of New Zealand highlighting the location scouting process
Galleries of art and slideshows with commentaries by the artists
And much more!

DISC 4
Sending actors to battle - preparation for sword fighting
Principal photography: Stories from the set
Digital effects including motion capture and "Massive" (a program to create armies of Orcs)
"Bigatures" - A close-up look at the detailed miniatures used in the film
Galleries of behind-the-scenes photographs and personal cast photos
Post-production - editing it all together
Sound design demonstration
And much more!

DVD-ROM CONTENT: Includes access to exclusive online features

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is the second installment in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. But what does this Epic of a film treat us with if we purchase this Special Extended Edition of the DVD?

Well, this review is about to tell you!

DISCS 1-2: THE FEATURE

FEATURE (approx. 214 minutes) -
A new version of the second installment in the epic trilogy! The film includes over 40 minutes of never-before-seen footage incorporated into the film, made especially for this video release:

-Widescreen (2.35:1) version of the Special Extended Edition

-Dolby Digital EX 5.1 Surround Sound

-DTS ES 6.1 Surround Sound

-Stereo Surround Sound

-Four audio commentaries by director and writers, the design team the production team and the cast featuring more than 30 participants including Peter Jackson, Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Orlando Bloom and Academy Award® winners Richard Taylor, Howard Shore, Randy Cook...and many more

DISCS 3-4: THE APPENDICES

Two discs with hours of original content including multiple documentaries and design/photo galleries with thousands of images to give viewers an in-depth behind-the-scenes look at The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers:

DISC 3
-Adapting the book into a screenplay & planning the film

-Designing and inspiration for locations in Middle-earth

-Storyboards to pre-visualization

-Weta Workshop visit - See sculptors in action as they create the weapons, armor, creatures and miniatures from the film

-Atlas of Middle-earth: Tracing the journey of the Fellowship

-An interactive map of New Zealand highlighting the location scouting process

-Galleries of art and slideshows with commentaries by the artists

And much more!

DISC 4
-Sending actors to battle - preparation for sword fighting

-Principal photography: Stories from the set

-Digital effects including motion capture and "Massive" (a program to create armies of Orcs)

-"Bigatures" - A close-up look at the detailed miniatures used in the film

-Galleries of behind-the-scenes photographs and personal cast photos

-Post-production - editing it all together

-Sound design demonstration

And much more!

DVD-ROM CONTENT: Includes access to exclusive online features

I for one will be purchasing this Special Extended Version come November 18th. The Special Extended Version of Fellowship of the Rings was definately the best buy of DVD's in 2002 and I believe this will be no exception. Come onnnn...I know you wanna buy it! We all need out PRECIOUS!

The extra features are a delight for fans. You can enter Middle-Earth for hours on end. I love the making of this film far more than the actual movie, which is a disappointment to Tolkien fans. But since I'm focusing on the DVD we won't get into the actual movie. The features are fantastic, especially the making of Gollum. Some of the methods for his creation are hilarious. But the biggest disappointment of this DVD is that there are no trailers! Not a single one for The Two Towers or even a little peak at Return of the King. Therefore, the first release of this DVD is better since you get the trailers, and a peak at Return of the King. On top of that, the additional footage does little to improve this film.