LotR: The Fellowship of the Ring (4-disc Ext. Ed)

• Title:  LotR:  The Fellowship of the Ring (4-disc Ext. Ed)
• Director:  Peter Jackson
• Date:  2001
• Studio:  New Line Cinema
• Genre:  Action, Fantasy, Adventure, Drama
• Cast:  Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Bean, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Cate Blanchett, Liv Tyler, Hugo Weaving
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC, 4-Disc Extended Edition

"The world is changed.  I feel it in the water, I feel it in the Earth, I smell it in the air...  much that once was, is lost.  For none now live who remember it." -- Galadriel, spoken intro.

"For the time will soon come, when Hobbits will shape the fortunes of all."  -- Galadriel, spoken intro.

"I think a servant of the enemy would look fairer and feel fouler."  -- Frodo

"A Balrog, a demon of the ancient world.  This foe is beyond any of you.  Run!"  -- Gandalf

For a detailed summary of the film, see two-disc edition blog entry; here I will highlight the new scenes, differences, and appearance of the four-disc edition.

The extended edition of Lord of the Rings:  The Fellowship of  the Ring really is a very special DVD set.  First, it looks gorgeous -- like a leather-bound book, embossed with "gold" leaf.  The DVDs are in a slide-out case within the outer slip case, and that case folds flat to reveal the four discs.  The discs, luckily do not overlap, there is one per leaf.  It looks very, very nice.  The first two discs are the movie and the second two discs are the extra features.  Between the three extended editions, this really is "film school in a box" as the special features look at each and every department that worked on these films, including some that are rarely featured in "making of" materials (such as foley -- the art of adding back in regular sounds such as footsteps or hoofbeats to the soundtrack of the film).  The film itself is also re-edited and re-scored, and with the additional time allowed on a DVD release, it's a fuller and richer film, not constrained by theater running time schedules.

Disc One of the extra set is the movie up to the Council of Elrond, specifically Frodo's decision to take the ring to Mordor.  Disc two picks up with the Fellowship leaving Rivendell and goes to the end of the film.  Because the movie is split across two discs, it is easy to take a break, or even watch it over two nights (as I will be doing with the other two extended editions).  I watched Part I of  Fellowship today after lunch, took a break to go grocery shopping, make dinner, and then eat dinner, then watch Part II after dinner -- and it worked very well that way.

The extended edition, builds up the plot and brings more of the richness of JRR Tolkien's world to the screen by adding brief moments, that had to be edited out of the other edition mostly for time.

The opening of  the film is the same, still with Galadriel's introduction, but this flows into an introduction by Bilbo Baggins, who is working on his book, There and Back Again, A Hobbit's Tale. There is more exposition of who the Hobbits are, who Bilbo is, even who Frodo is.  We even see Sam gardening.  This gives the viewer a more thorough understanding of who the Hobbits are and where they come from.  Bilbo's party is re-edited and is longer.  We see the Sackville-Baggins, his dis-liked relations.  There's a wonderful conversation between Frodo and Bilbo, that shows both the affection between the two, and Bilbo's hint of a darker nature, right before Merry and Pippin set off one of Gandalf's fireworks.

After the party, and Bilbo leaves, and Gandalf gives the ring to Frodo for safekeeping, there's a new scene at the Green Dragon, the pub in Hobbiton.  Merry and Pippin laugh and sing and dance; some of the Hobbits discuss whispers of troubles in other lands, but most agree it's none of their business, and if they stay isolated, trouble will pass them by.  But overall, it's a light and fun scene that just shows Hobbits being Hobbits, and Merry and Pippin in particular having a good time singing, laughing, and drinking.

Again, the slower start in the Shire, adds to the richness of the film, showing us what these Hobbits will be fighting for, and their friendship and kinship.  It should be noted that:  Merry and Pippin are first cousins; Merry is also cousin to Frodo, Pippin is also related to Frodo, though more distantly than Merry;  Pippin is extremely young and won't reach the Hobbit age of majority until four years after the War of the Ring, he's really the equivalent of a 16-year-old, Pippin will one day be The Took, the leader of Tuckborough, Merry, in turn, will one day be the leader of the Brandybuck clan.  Indeed, most of the members of the Fellowship are, in some way, future leaders of some sort or another.  A lot of this wasn't really explained in the films, but it's quite clearly stated in the books.

Sam and Frodo, prior to meeting up with Pippin and Merry, see the wood Elves leaving Middle-Earth.  Frodo mentions they are going to the Grey Havens.  This scene, besides being pretty and bittersweet, also foreshadows events in The Two Towers, and especially in The Return of the King, where the Elves will leave Middle-Earth.

Gandalf and Saruman's discussion is longer and there is more exposition.  Saruman actually tries to convince Gandalf to join him; Gandalf points out that Saruman is mad, and then Saruman attacks and imprisons Gandalf.  We also see Saruman with the Palantir (we did see the Palantir in the shorter cut of the film as well, though more briefly).  The Palantir, and Sauron's selective showing of events is probably part of what's driven Saruman mad -- as well as his own lust for power.

There is more to the scenes of  the Hobbits running from the Black Rider before they make it to the ferry.  The Hobbits continue to Bree, find Gandalf not there, and meet Strider (Aragorn).  Upon leaving Bree there's an added scene of Aragorn leading the Hobbits through a swamp.  Again, this scene is a bit of foreshadowing -- this time of  the Dead Marshes, near Mordor.

There is slightly more to the conversation between Boromir and Aragorn in Rivendell.  Actually, Boromir gets several more lines in this version of the film.  At various points he's trying to convince others to agree with him and to bring the Ring to Gondor, to Minas Tirith (referred to as "my city" by Boromir and "the white city" by Aragorn).

There is more to the council scene in Rivendell.  Gandalf, in an attempt to stop some of the bickering actually speaks Mordor speech at the council -- this seems to physically hurt the Elves present, and Elrond criticizes Gandalf for it.  But Gandalf is trying to make a point, especially to Boromir, that the Ring cannot be used.  Still, Boromir makes a speech after that asking to bring the  Ring to his city, and use it as a weapon.  The council really begins to break down after that.  Frodo hears the Mordor speech in his head, sees the reflection of the arguing men, dwarves, and Elves in the Ring, then sees it consumed by fire.  That is still a totally awesome shot!  Frodo volunteers to take the ring.  The Fellowship is formed.  End of  Part One.

Part Two


Part Two of the Extended Edition of The Fellowship of the Ring, picks up in Rivendell.  Elrond talks to Aragorn of Narsil, the Sword that was broken, and Aragorn insists he does not want to wield its power.  As before, we see Bilbo giving Sting, his Elven sword, and his Mithril mail shirt to Frodo.  When Bilbo sees the ring on it's chain, he attacks and looks very Gollum-like.  Then Elrond well-wishes the Fellowship.  Frodo is asked to lead the way.  They walk out of  Rivendell, in a very pretty and scenic shot of the Elven city.  There are also several beauty shots of  Middle-Earth / New Zealand, some of which are in the shorter version of  the film, others are, I think added beauty shots with more music, that add to the scope and majesty of the film.


When the Fellowship tries to cross the Misty Mountains by using the High Pass, Boromir gets an extra line, "This will be the death of the Hobbits!" and there's an insert shot of a very cold looking Merry and Pippin.


The Fellowship heads to Moria instead, and there's a conversation between Gandalf and Frodo.  There's also more conversation between Legolas, Gimli and Gandalf as they try to figure out how to open the door to Moria.  A tentacle from the creature in the water grabs Frodo, Sam slices off the tentacle with his sword and calls for Strider.  Then Frodo is grabbed again before being rescued.  The Fellowship heads into the mine.  In the mine, Gandalf talks about the wealth of  Moria being in Mithril, and the true value of Bilbo's Mithril mail shirt which Bilbo has now given to Frodo (though Gandalf doesn't know yet that Frodo is wearing the shirt).  When looking into the depths of the Mithril mine, Pippin stop Merry from getting too close.  Gandalf also tells Frodo Gollum's name was Smeagol and his life was a sad story.


The Fellowship's fight against the Orcs and the Cave troll is longer, and better edited.  Merry, Pippin, and Sam all fight the Orcs as best they can.  And Merry and Pippin, even kill one together with a sword.  Aragorn saves Boromir during the fight as well.  Parts of the fight are the same, Frodo getting stabbed and collapsing, only to be ok, his life saved by the Mithril shirt.


But, eventually they are surrounded, then the Orcs run off when the Balrog appears.  Gandalf explains exactly what a Balrog is.  They run to the Bridge, and Gandalf's fall is the same.


When the Fellowship reaches Lorien, they are first met by Haldir, who doesn't want to let them pass.  Aragorn convinces him to take them to Galadriel and Celeborn.  The Fellowship reaches the Elvish city, which is beautiful, full of flickering lights, and multi-level platforms in the trees.


The conversation between the Fellowship and Galadriel is more specific and longer.  Legolas tells her Gandalf was taken by shadow and flame, a Balrog.  Galadriel addresses Gimli, specifically.


After the conversation between the Fellowship and Galadriel and Celeborn, the Fellowship is resting on a platform in the trees.  Legolas, remarks on the lament to Gandalf, and Sam tries to add a verse of poetry about Gandalf's fireworks.


Immediately after the scene with Galadriel's mirror, she shows Frodo her Elvish ring, one of the Three.


When they leave Lorien, by boat, the gift-giving scene is longer, and most of the members of the Fellowship receive a very useful gift.  Sam is given Elven rope (in the book he also received a box of soil and a Mallorn tree seed -- which comes of use later when the Hobbits return to the Shire).  Merry and Pippin receive Elven daggers.  Legolas gets a new bow.  Gimli asks for a hair from Galadriel's head, and she gives him three.  Frodo gets the light of Elemmire, "to use in dark places".  Galadriel tells Aragorn she can't give him any greater gift than that which Arwen already has, though she names him "Elessar", or "Elfstone".  All are given boats, Lembas bread, and new grey Elven cloaks with finely wrought clasps of green leaves with silver veining.


At the landing, at the end of the long river journey, Boromir and Aragorn have another conversation, and Aragorn swears he will not lead the Ring within a hundred leagues of Boromir's city.  Also, at the landing there's more of a discussion of options, and Aragorn growing his leadership.  Frodo uses the Ring to escape Boromir and sees the Eye, then he removes the ring.  Frodo's used it three times in Fellowship -- accidentally at Bree, at Weathertop when the Dark Riders / Nazgul attack, and here at the Landing place.


There some added bits to the fight sequence with Saruman's Uruk-hai at the end, and we do see Merry and Pippin kill an Orc before being captured.  Aragorn also kills the head Uruk-hai.  Finally, in terms of added scenes, we see Boromir being "buried at sea" so to speak, his body placed in a boat and sent towards the Falls.


The extended edition adds moments -- a line here, a scene there, that overall just add to the film by building character, and bring more richness, majesty, and intensity to the film.  Also, more from the book is included, some of which, such as Galadriel's gift-giving is very important, since they items are used later on in the story.


Recommendation:  See it!  And if you can only buy one version of LotR, make it this extended edition.
Rating:  5 of 5 Stars
Next Film:  LotR:  The Two Towers (4-Disc Extended Ed.)