More hints about an 'Ultimate' hi-def LOTR box set that may never happen

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Peter Jackson has hinted in the media and told us at TheOneRing's own Oscar Party (not in that linked video) that he always planned to deliver a high definition ultimate edition of the LOTR trilogy.

Blu-ray sales for the LOTR trilogy was strong, taking the #1 position on the sales chart its first week, moving over 124,00 units despite its hefty price. But did it sell well enough? Can fans look forward to that Ultimate version to rule them all jam packed with new extras and the Extended Editions we have been waiting years for?

Nobody knows and Warner Bros. hasn't revealed its plans, but the media is starting to pay attention to the possibilities. EE DVD architect Michael Pellerin is in-the-know (look for him soon with our very own Xoanon on TORn's blogtalkradio) and spoke recently with Hollywoodnews.com.

In some of the highlights from the interview he said: (emphasis mine) " . . . Thinking ahead, from the very beginning, we always saved the best for last. Now, people wouldn’t believe that because the Lord of the Rings extras were so extensive. . . . It’s very real, but right now the future of when these treasures will see the light of day is unknown.

He also speaks about some of the potential content:
"In this case, you would now have the director himself telling his own story, what he was thinking and why he made decisions, and walk with him on that journey, chronologically from beginning to end . . . and that’s an incredibly compelling thing.

"In addition, there’s also another approximately 20 hours of materials and ideas that we specifically saved for future use. The tone of these materials is not so much about filmmaking process – as we already covered that – but instead about the experience of living and making these films . . . "

So LOTR fans, is that enough to whet your appetite? The linked story contains a lot more information and extensive quotes. Please express your opinion on our message boards. We would love to know what you think.
 
and my appetite is beyond whetting. I've seen how great some movies can look in blu, and I've long wanted to see LotR in this beautiful format. But only the EEs. The ultimate box set, containing all these wonderful extras, is the creme de la creme of blu.

I guess I'm pleased to hear that the TE sold well, but mainly I'm surprised. The rage (not too strong a word) expressed at Amazon, and the A/V sites at being denied the EEs suggested strongly that, at least among enthusiasts (the ones who buy blu) the TEs were actually being boycotted. I'm not boycotting them, in fact, I've Netflixed Fellowship, but I must save my cash for The Precious ultimate box set. If those extra scenes, which were filmed but not released previously could be bought up to high def quality, music added, and seamlessly branched into the EEs I would think I had, well, whatever the secular equivalent of "died and gone to heaven" is.

I hope that Warner's is aware how the desire for the ultimate box set negatively impacted the sales of the TE, and aren't deluding themselves that there isn't a great demand for it. They would really be wrong.

20 more hours? *thud* (faints away with a smile on her face).
 
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Reading about all those wonderful extras that Michael Pellerin speaks of, I can't bear to think we may never get them. But if the Theatrical Edition has sold so well without any new extras whatsoever I can't see why there should be any hesitation. Please, please bring it on!
 
I would not be surprised if many of those who proposed to boycott the TEs gave in when they saw the box set sitting on the shelves just begging to be bought. I have asked my girl friend to buy me a copy as a gift though that way I'm not the one doing the double dipping. Yes, I am really cheap like that. [tongue]
 
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There are so many scenes that we've been told about but have never seen. I've yet to upgrade to blu-ray, but an ultimate edition might put me over the edge!

At the very least, I'd love to see the extras released in some form or another, instead of dangling them in front of us for years on end. [unsure]
 
Despite internet rumblings of poor picture quality, I found it to be, for the most part, very good looking. It's so far beyond the dvd that it is like night and day. Well, at least like day and late evening.[sly]

I did indeed see things I hadn't noticed before on the dvd. For those who are satisfied with the TE, I strongly urge an upgrade, if you are on the fence. On my 52 inch LCD I felt like I was there in Middle-earth!

Having said that--there's way too much missing. I must have the EEs, no question. And the thought of what the ultimate box set might contain is making my fingers itch to spend for it. Are ya listening, Warners?
 
Have not had 12 plus hours to watch them yet, but I did watch FOTR through the scene where Gandalf tells Frodo to "keep it secret, keep it safe" and was really impressed...

From just this small glimpse, I can tell you that the quality is really spectacular -- for those who wear glasses, it's like seeing the world again after you get a new prescription -- everything is just crystal clear and incredibly sharp...you can see all the patterns and textures on the clothing, individual blades of grass, things in the margins in every scene...

And the sounds! You can hear just so much more -- all of the conversations among the hobbit folk at Bilbo's party, every word Bilbo says as he's muttering to himself trying to food when Gandalf arrives, Gandalf sighing happily to himself as he looks around Bag End...

I did not realize, too, that you not only get the Blu-ray version, but a high def version, too -- it's kind of nice to have all three films in one package like that for when I want to look at particular scenes on my computer..

All in all...a very, very fine product in my book and a format that really suits the films well...

I'm a very happy Mom here...glad my family took me up on all the hints I dropped about what to get me this year.
 
For a while I was able to just blow off the blu rays saying that the picture quality couldn't be THAT impressive, THAT much better. But upon hearing all of the praise I would like to see them, though not enough to buy them (but I wouldn't deny them if someone handed them to me). I don't wear glasses, so I don't know what that's like, but since I consider the quality already impressive, I can't imagine what the blu rays would look like.

Now I just have to find someone who owns them and watch with them [;)]
oh, and I need to find the time to watch them (study for finals... watch lotr.... fine, I'll study *grumbles*)
 
but I have a friend who does
unfortunatley he refuses to watch LotR [shocked] what luck [:(]

although there are other roadblocks too, such as lack of a blu-ray player...
 
... but I have Netflix.

It's the best $9 (1 disc at a time)- $14 (2 discs at a time) / month (both plans have unlimited online streaming) I could spend.

(although... having blu-ray rental access is $2 / month more)

(and I don't have blu-ray either and can't hook it up without replacing pretty much my whole current tv system)

I would recommend Netflix to anyone who likes to watch movies, documentaries and tv episodes.
 
It's weird how they never really bring up the deleted scenes that weren't used in the extended editions. I really want to see scenes like:

Arwen at Helm's Deep
Elrond talking to Galadriel in Lothlorien
Aragorn fighting Sauron
Theoden's speech before Helm's Deep
the goblins chasing the Fellowship into Lothlorien
the flashback with Aragorn and Arwen

and a bunch of others
 
all of the things that were story-boarded or filmed and not used!!

more of the Houses of Healing
more of Sam fighting Shelob
unedited Frodo and Sam in the Tower of Cirith Ungol
Elrond and Gandalf dining in Rivendell
Elrond's talk with Frodo before the Fellowship departs
Arwen in the Rivendell library
Hobbits returning to the Shire in their finery looking down on Hobbiton from the hill above
Frodo and Sam arguing in Ithilien before Smeagol returns with the coneys
The Hobbits in the Gardens of Rivendell (gazebo/globe)
Frodo looking down at Arwen from his balcony and seeing Aragorn walk up to her
Gil-galad, Elrond and more of the Battle of the First Alliance
Frodo playing the drum at Bilbo's Party
Slime Balrog coming out of the water when Gandalf and he hit the water
Pippin had a small conversation with Gandalf at the Havens
Frodo and Sam's extended fight at the bottom of the stair in Osgiliath
Merry walks in a daze into Minas Tirith and is found by Pippin
so many more...


Here's the link kto my photobucket gathering of Unused and Deleted Scenes
 
LOL! I want the ultimate box set! It's sounds awesome! More of the fellowships antics and behind the scenes stuff! I'd die! PLEASE PLEASE PLEEEEEASE! xD I wants it! it will be my precious!
 
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I'm holding out for the extended editions.

I do hope, though, that they cut the fight scene between Gandalf and the witch-king :) The scene was totally uncalled for. I skip it every time.

Would be nice to see some more background material...
 
On the one hand, I would love to see extras of every scene ever filmed, of every interview ever done, of every small doing and least prank on set, of everything Peter can remember about his experience. I would pay money for that.

On the other hand, I don't have a 52" TV, and I don't have a blue-ray player, and I don't really want to buy either one. I invested in a DVD player specifically for FOTR, and I don't regret it. VCR tapes were clearly a dying format and inferior viewing experience. I don't think I will gain that much by upgrading to HD, and it will cost a whole boatload of money I don't want to spend, not even counting the cost of getting yet another version of movies I already own. It feels much more like a money grab by an industry that is going to force a format change more out of planned obsolescence and a desire for profits, and I'm likely to resist it for a long time.
 
I bought mine because I had seen them demonstrated in the stores and loved the picture quality. It became a planned purchase for years from now, especially since the country went to digital TV. But I went through a depression in'08--family deaths, other family members diagnosed with cancer, surgery for myself--many things I had to combat. One day, I was at one of those stores, and I said, to heck with it! I bought the TV, and have greatly enjoyed it ever since. It really did help with the depression.

Also, I should say that I rarely go to the movies anyone--my entertainment budget is almost all Netflix, watched on my 52 inch TV. I had wanted the player, and my family had given me gift cards to Best Buy for birthdays, Christmas etc. and they had accumulated. There was a time when Circuit City went bankrupt and other stores were closing. I began to be afraid that Best Buy would go under, leaving me with couple of hundred in useless gift cards from loved ones. I cashed them in, and payed only about $33 in cash for the player. Really, I haven't looked back because the picture quality is so beautiful.

But I so much agree with you that the initial money outlay can be great. So I'm really hoping that they will do this ultimate set in DVD also, although, again, you'd be paying for movies you already have--that's why I didn't buy the LE just for the documentaries & movies I also already had. I can really understand anybody who wants to draw the line. The ideal thing would be if the supplements could be made available by themselves, but knowing how studios love money, that ain't gonna happen.
 
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