| | | Features: DVD, Widescreen, Aspect Ratio 2.35:1, Dolby Digital (5.1), Stereo Surround Sound, Featurettes, Audio Commentary, Documentaries, Design Galleries, Visual Effects, Short Films, Interactive Map, English, Spanish Subtitles, 4 Discs The WINNER of 11 Academy Awards including BEST PICTURE is now 50 minutes longer! This extended version of the epic conclusion of The Lord of the Rings trilogy includes new score by Howard Shore and over 350 new digital effects shots.
The final battle for Middle-earth begins. Frodo and Sam, led by Gollum, continue their dangerous mission toward the fires of Mount Doom in order to destroy the One Ring. Aragorn struggles to fulfill his legacy as he leads his outnumbered followers against the growing power of the Dark Lord Sauron, so that the Ring-bearer may complete his quest.
DISCS 1-2: The Feature
FEATURE (approx. 250 minutes) - A new version of the final installment in the epic trilogy! The Academy-Award® winning film now has 50 minutes of never-before-seen footage incorporated into the film for this highly-anticipated 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
English subtitles and closed captions
Spanish subtitles
Four audio commentaries by the 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…and many more.
Cast commentary also features dialogue between split-personality characters Gollum and Smeagol (Andy Serkis)!
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 Return of the King:
THE APPENDICES PART V: "The War of the Ring"
Disc intro by director Peter Jackson
J.R.R. Tolkien: The Legacy of Middle-earth documentary
From Book to Script: From Book to Script: Forging the Final Chapter documentary and Abandoned Concept: Aragorn Battles Sauron
Designing and Building Middle-earth: Designing Middle-earth documentary, Big-atures documentary, Weta Workshop documentary, Costume Design documentary
Design Galleries - 2,123 images
Home of the Horse Lords documentary
Middle-earth Atlas: Tracing the Journeys of the Fellowship interactive map
New Zealand as Middle-earth interactive map w/on-location footage
THE APPENDICES PART VI: "The Passing of an Age"
Disc intro by Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan
Filming The Return of the King: Cameras in Middle-earth documentary, Production Photos (gallery) - 69 images
Visual Effects: Weta Digital documentary, The Mumakil Battle demonstration/multi-angle interactive feature
Post Production: Journey's End: Editorial: Completing the Trilogy documentary, Music for Middle-earth documentary, The Soundscapes of Middle-earth documentary, The End of All Things documentary
The Passing of an Age documentary
Cameron Duncan: The Inspiration for "Into the West": Cameron Duncan: The Inspiration for 'Into the West' documentary, DFK6498 short film, Strike Zone short film
DVD-ROM CONTENT: Includes access to exclusive online features.
 Editor's Note
 THE RETURN OF THE KING, the third and final film in Peter Jackson's THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, finds Middle-earth on the cusp of great change. Weary hobbits Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) venture further into the dark realm of Mordor, guided by the increasingly desperate Gollum (Andy Serkis), the two-faced former owner of the Ring that Frodo must destroy in the fires of Mount Doom. Meanwhile Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) contend with the deranged ruler Denethor (John Noble) at the once-mighty city of Minas Tirith, as Merry (Dominic Monaghan) joins Éowyn (Miranda Otto) and the Riders of Rohan to hold back the forces of Sauron. Amidst the chaos, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) must rise to his destiny, aided by Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) in assembling allies for a massive battle that will decide the fate of Middle-earth. With RETURN, Jackson brings J.R.R. Tolkien's world-renowned tale to a stunning conclusion. As with THE TWO TOWERS, the director deftly weaves various storylines together in one remarkable scene after another. Spectacular visuals complement Jackson's sharp focus on the characters and their emotional battles. While the special effects help to create huge battles and frightening creatures on a previously unseen scale, they never outshine the excellent ensemble of actors who bring the heart of the story home. A truly astounding work of filmmaking, THE RETURN OF THE KING skillfully concludes one of the greatest trilogies in cinema history.
| Features | Cast commentary features dialogue between split-personality characters Gollum and Smeagol (Andy Serkis) |  | Audio: English Dolby Digital EX 5.1 Surround Sound, DTS ES 6.1 Surround Sound, Stereo Surround Sound |  | 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 Return of the King. |  | Widescreen Presentation |  | Subtitles: English, Spanish |  | Four audio commentaries by the 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 many more! |
| Technical Info
| Release Information
|  | Studio: New Line |
 | Release Date: 1/8/2008 |
 | Running Time: 250 minutes |
 | Original Release Date: 2003 |  | Catalog ID: 6932 |  | UPC: 00794043693229 |  | Number of Discs: 4 | Audio & Video
|  | Original Language: English |  | Available Audio Tracks: English |  | Available Subtitles: Spanish |  | Video: Color |
| Cast & Crew
| Awards | Academy Awards (2003) |  | Winner, Best Picture |  | Peter Jackson, Winner, Best Adapted Screenplay |  | Peter Jackson, Winner, Best Director |  | Annie Lennox, Winner, Best Original Song |  | Howard Shore, Winner, Best Original Score |  | Howard Shore, Winner, Best Original Song |  | Philippa Boyens, Winner, Best Adapted Screenplay |  | Fran Walsh, Winner, Best Adapted Screenplay |  | Fran Walsh, Winner, Best Original Song |
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| | Professional Reviews | Rolling Stone "...Peter Jackson has created the mack daddy of all movie fantasies, and RETURN OF THE KING brings the film version of Tolkien's trilogy to a combustibly exciting close..." 12/25/2003 p.116Entertainment Weekly "...The conclusion of Peter Jackson's masterwork is passionate and literate, detailed and expansive..." 12/19/2003 p.51 New York Times "[K]ING is a meticulous and prodigious vision made by a director who was not hamstrung by heavy use of computer special-effects imagery." 12/16/2003 p.E1 Los Angeles Times "As a model for how to bring substance, authenticity and insight to the biggest of adventure yarns, this trilogy will not soon, if ever, find its equal." 12/16/2003 p.C1 USA Today "[T]he third film propels the work into the stratosphere of classic movies. Key characters are enhanced, new civilizations visited and battles fought more intensely, even as feelings and motivations are plumbed more deeply and movingly." 12/19/2003 p.7E Chicago Sun-Times "RETURN OF THE KING dispatches its characters to their destinies with a grand and eloquent confidence. This is the best of the three..." 12/17/2003 p.74 |
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