The journey of the one ring is one of the most meticulously
crafted and intricately woven pieces of fantasy in all of
literature. Rightfully so, the special extended edition of
“The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” takes us inside
the trilogy’s transformation from page to screen in a
painstakingly detailed four-disc set. As the battle for Middle
Earth hangs in the balance until the “Return of the
King” hits theaters next month, Peter Jackson’s
pleasantly packed package of goodies should hold us over until that
day comes.
- Kate Green
- Courtesy of New Line
Get your hands off me you damned dirty ape!
Both of the first two DVDs in the set are dedicated to the over
40 minutes of additional footage. These new and extended scenes not
only lend themselves to equalizing the original film’s rapid
pacing, but they also greatly inform many of the great changes made
from the novel.
One especially interesting new scene, which doesn’t exist
in Tolkien’s telling, features an interchange between Boromir
and Faramir in Osgiliath — also taking the opportunity to
introduce the important character of Denethor — that gives us
a better understanding of Faramir’s character. Other
impressive scenes in Fangorn forest and Rohan add tidbits that will
please most Tolkien afficionados.
Discs three and four represent the appendices to the movie,
overflowing with featurettes and documentaries on every single
aspect of the story, from the design to the filmmaking. One
extra-special featurette about the adaptation from the book to the
screenplay discusses the inspirations for the Dead Marshes and
Treebeard’s voice. Other notable extras include a lengthy
exploration into the creation of Gollum, an interesting look at the
actors’ sword training and stories from the set.
As if all of these features wouldn’t suffice, the DVD
includes dozens of additional watchables that take you through
every possible aspect of “The Two Towers.” And if you
have an extra 15 hours free, be sure to catch the four different
commentary tracks that accompany the extended film. This collection
is enough to keep you occupied for days on end.
Movie: 5 stars
Picture/Sound: 5 stars
Features: 5 stars