What would it take to make you buy the movies again?

[Patty]

I know many here did not buy the Limited Editions since only the Costa Botes documentary was added. What would you like to see in a new set that would make you pony up the greenbacks again? I'm allowing multiple answers so as to get a good idea what everybody wants. Attention, New Line!

 

[Patty]

I will not buy again until it is in high definition. Deleted scenes MUST be included, and my preference would be to be able to include them in the movie. I don't want bloopers, and want them only because I know others do. I wouldn't watch them, though.

 

[Morwen]

A lot. But I've already bought them twice. Back in the beginning, I promised myself I would rent the TEs and only purchase the EEs. Obviously, I have no willpower. After my second rental of the FoTR TE I realized that I was going to own both sets. I have not bought the Limited Editions, although I would like to see the Costa Botes stuff. If New Line would throw in Hi-Def and a blooper reel, I'd probably cave.

 

[Patty]

to be the least that would be necessary for a new purchase.

I mean the things we heard were filmed but didn't make it to the EEs.
I know some of these couldn't be included by seamless branching because they take the movie in a different direction than the rest of it went--such as the Arwen in Helm's deep stuff. I'd put that as a blooper (!) and would never watch it, but I'm sure some here would be curious to see it.

 

[Ataahua]

All the scenes that were filmed before the movie makers went in another direction: Arwen at Helm's Deep; Haldir, Galadriel, Elrond and Arwen in Lothlorien; Eowyn orc-hunting in the Glittering Caves; the Eowyn/Faramir wedding; all the different ways Merry and Pippin greeted Gandalf and Co at Isengard, etc.

 

[greendragon]

That I have all three editions so far - TE, EE and the ones with the Costa Botes doc. Those I haven't even opened. I would really like to see a blooper reel and any extra scenes. But I'm a bit of a sucker and quite honestly, I MIGHT be tempted to buy them again with any minor additions - I just like to feel that I have the entire 'collection'! Actually one of the things I would MOST like to see is audition tapes and screen tests. I'd love to see the video The Lovely Elijah made to persuade PJ that he was the man for the job, and it would be fascinating to see Stuart Townsend on a screen test for Aragorn. That's what I'd really like on a future release.

 

[Aerlinn]

Oh, multiple answers are ok? Oops. I would have left out High Def, as the odds of my ever having a high def TV are about the same as my odds of ever owning a Hummer... It doesn't matter as much to me that I have the option of whether or not to add the new scenes... But if I'm to shell out again there has to be sufficient value, which to me is definitely more scenes - a LOT more, at least as much time as has already been added, and not necessarily to the EE, but making a whole new EE - plus the Botes doc - and any other behind the scenes footage they happen to have lying about... The blooper reel should be fun, given the actors, but then again I'm not sure I really want scenes to go the way of the horse-that-says-hi and hey-Eomer-dropped-his-sword; the final versions of scenes in the blooper reel might be permanently marked in my mind *by* the blooper reel.

 

[RosieLass]

and all the special features WITHOUT another version of the movie?

 

[Patty]

those audition tapes. Many want to see them, although I don't think they would be a deal-breaker.

 

[Patty]

I'm thinking your next set will be High Def. Broadcasting is supposed to be all digital in February of '09. You've probably heard there are rumors that "converter boxes" will be available to convert your analog to digital, but we'll see. I imagine that when that happens, most of the TVs available will be High Def.

I'd give a good deal to know how well the LEs sold. Most here, on perhaps "THE" Lord of the Rings site, nevertheless refused to buy a third copy of the films. New Line should know by now that it will take a major change--high def and/or deleted scenes etc. to make us buy them again.

 

[SandWitch King]

 

[Radhruin]

Enough said. I voted for the blooper reel, just for morbid curiosity. I own the EE's and find them quite enough. Blooper reels would be a hoot though. And no, I'm not a fan of Punked. I think that gramma b would search me out and have me done in if I said I was! I don't want gramma on my bad side.[cool]

 

[Draupne]

But I haven't bought them yet!

What will eventually make me buy them will probably be a finished thesis and a new job

 

[Morwen]

I saw a moderately sized HD set in a local discount store for under $300.

 

[Owlyross]

Or if we got a blu-ray player and normal DVDs didn't work.

I see no need to re-buy for another documentary or bloopers or anything else (to be honest, the bloopers will appear on youtube or some other hosting site I'm sure)

I've already got the 3 EEs and TV of RotK, that's all I need.

 

[Owlyross]

Even if you have an HD TV, the majority of tv programmes aren't, and probably won't, be filmed in HD, meaning the difference is negligible. Anything filmed before now, most likely won't be in HD, and older stuff certainly won't be. As it stands, a decent Cathode ray tube television gives a far better picture on a non-HD broadcast than any LCD "HD" TV will. Plasma TVs are another matter, but that's reflected in the price (over £700 for a decent one)...

 

[Patty]

I'd say the upconversion makes a lot of these older films look very good (not HD quality, but far superior to Standard Definition.) But I do have a CRT--which weighs 350 pounds!

Just watched The Lion In Winter, and it looked good.

For myself, High Def EE will see my wallet opening up. I won't buy the theatrical in High Def, but I really hope they won't do another branching set, like the LE.

 

[FingonOfPittsburgh]

Not sure what you're considering "most programs," but in fact most prime-time shows are most certainly now in HD. At least in the US. And there are more and more HD channels coming on-line all the time. Also - you can easily by a new, good quality HD LCD TV for $400 nowadays. I think that's only like £250.

 

[Owlyross]

The BBC has a fair few and the sports channels are mostly in HD, but to pick a day of programming, few on our 'terrestrial' channels are in HD, two or three maximum.

In my opinion though, the quality of all LCD televisions I've seen is very questionable, as is any LCD display that I've seen. It looks washed out, and when you're viewing straight-on to the TV it's fine, but watch it from an angle and you lose contrast and picture quality, something that doesn't happen with CRTs and Plasma screens (which you can get for aound £500 minimum in the UK right now).

It's obviously an investment for the future, also to be considered though is the power output of these things. Your average LCD or plasma screen uses about four to eight times the amount of energy, which will impact electricity bills as well as the environment.

 

[FingonOfPittsburgh]

I've never seen the issue you describe on any LCD I've ever seen. That was true of projection TVs, but not LCDs, in my experience. Not sure what quality of LCD screens you have in England, though.

I have both a CRT HDTV and an LCD HDTV and I've found the quality to be excellent in both.