Lord of the Rings is coming to Blu-ray. This eagerly awaited title will finally arrive on Blu-ray in April, but many fans are already planning to avoid it.
The problem is that the version released in April will only be the theatrical version. Those wanting the longer extended versions may have to wait until November. Those wanting both versions on Blu-ray will probably have to buy both versions, even though it's technically possible to fit both on the same disc(s), through seamless branching.
This "double dipping", as it is referred to by fans, has long been an annoyance of movie fans, and it is especially bad with certain titles that may see dozens or more versions being released, each with unique content that tempts users into buying. Terminator 2, is a prime example. Lord of the Rings, is another.
Personal opinion:
As someone who owns 6 version of Terminator 2 on 3 different formats (4 if you count the WMV-HD as a different format), double dipping can be annoying. I also own both the theatrical and the special extended editions of all three Lord of the Rings movies, and I do want the Blu-ray version.
However, I will too be skipping the April release and will wait for the Extended Blu-ray version if/when it gets released. The theatrical versions are fine, but you get the feeling that the extended version add more than it subtracts, and so is the one to watch.
There may even be two editions of the Extended version (one plain, one with collectibles and more content and stuff), but as the owner of the special extended DVD edition (the ones that look like big books), I shall only get the plain/budget extended Blu-ray edition, for the movie only really. If I want the theatrical version, I will refer to the upscaled DVD version, which is fine for me. If I want the bonus features, then I shall refer to my special extended edition DVDs. And if I want the HD version of the movie, then the extended Blu-ray version will give me that too.
More about the April theatrical version release on Blu-ray:
The problem is that the version released in April will only be the theatrical version. Those wanting the longer extended versions may have to wait until November. Those wanting both versions on Blu-ray will probably have to buy both versions, even though it's technically possible to fit both on the same disc(s), through seamless branching.
This "double dipping", as it is referred to by fans, has long been an annoyance of movie fans, and it is especially bad with certain titles that may see dozens or more versions being released, each with unique content that tempts users into buying. Terminator 2, is a prime example. Lord of the Rings, is another.
Personal opinion:
As someone who owns 6 version of Terminator 2 on 3 different formats (4 if you count the WMV-HD as a different format), double dipping can be annoying. I also own both the theatrical and the special extended editions of all three Lord of the Rings movies, and I do want the Blu-ray version.
However, I will too be skipping the April release and will wait for the Extended Blu-ray version if/when it gets released. The theatrical versions are fine, but you get the feeling that the extended version add more than it subtracts, and so is the one to watch.
There may even be two editions of the Extended version (one plain, one with collectibles and more content and stuff), but as the owner of the special extended DVD edition (the ones that look like big books), I shall only get the plain/budget extended Blu-ray edition, for the movie only really. If I want the theatrical version, I will refer to the upscaled DVD version, which is fine for me. If I want the bonus features, then I shall refer to my special extended edition DVDs. And if I want the HD version of the movie, then the extended Blu-ray version will give me that too.
More about the April theatrical version release on Blu-ray:
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