Review—Middle-Earth: 31-Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition (Warner Bros.)
Author: Palo Sionoplia
Warner Bros.’ titling of the latest iteration of Peter Jackson’s Middle-Earth films is particularly telling: “31-Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition.” The declaration signifies enormity, and, from a consumer’s point of view, finality. This is it. The last stop. Buy this set and you will never need a reason to buy these films again.
Right?
I hate to throw a spoiler so early in my review, but for most film fans attracted by a box of this nature, this is most decidedly not the last stop.
I wrote a draft of this review that included detailed discussion of the films, differences between the movies and their source materials, and comparisons between the theatrical and extended cuts of all six films. Then I threw it all away. A discussion of the films themselves—twenty years after the release of the groundbreaking Fellowship of The Ring—feels redundant. I may as well tell you about the plot the of original Star Wars trilogy. Or how about James Cameron’s Titanic—heard about that one yet?
These films are here to stay, and, despite this reviewer’s misgivings about The Hobbit trilogy, deservedly so. No need to go on about the resources employed, or the many innovative cinematographic strategies, or Andy Serkis’ definitive representation of Gollum. It’s all been said before, and so many times.
And that’s part of the problem. Apparently, Warner Brothers doesn’t think such matters are worth discussing any longer, either. The company has demonstrated their disinterest by deleting a vast compendium of bonus material in this “ultimate” collection. (See below for the unfortunate details.)
Since readers of this review are undoubtedly more curious about the contents of this box than the quality of the films themselves, I’ll get to the point and break down the contents of this set. Spread across 31 discs, Warner Bros. has included the theatrical and extended cuts of all six films in the series. The films are represented on both UHD and blu-ray. Here’s how the numbers work:
The Hobbit Trilogy:
Theatrical Cuts on UHD: 3 discs; Extended Cuts on UHD: 3 discs; Theatrical Cuts on Blu-ray: 3 discs: Extended Cuts on Blu-ray; 3 discs (12 discs in total)
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy:
Theatrical Cuts on UHD: 3 discs; Extended Cuts on UHD: 6 discs; Theatrical Cuts on Blu-ray: 3 discs; Extended Cuts on Blu-ray: 6 discs (18 discs in total)
The 31st disc is a bonus disc with new content. We’ll get to that in a moment.
I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that most would-be purchasers of this rather expensive set have access to a UHD-capable TV and media player. If that’s the case, and you plan to watch these films only on UHD, there are 18 discs you’ll never watch.
The good news is that the UHD presentation is stunning. In every way, these discs are demo-worthy films for your system. Film fans will be more drawn to the presentation of The Lord of The Rings trilogy than the subsequent Hobbit prequels, as the greater emphasis on practical effects (and sets that are not entirely dependent on CGI) gives the older trilogy new life on UHD, enriching textures and clarifying details that are legitimately breathtaking. Both the Dolby Atmos and the Dolby True HD 7.1 audio tracks are a treat. Even if your system cannot play the flawless Atmos track, the 7.1 audio easily replicates the immersion of a theatrical experience. You’ll be glad that you sprung for that soundbar.
As many film collectors will be purchasing these movies for the second, third, or fourth time, we must now address the greatest problem with this set: the appendices are cut.
You read that right. When The Lord of the Rings debuted on home video, it broke new ground for its depth and breadth of additional content. Taken together, the bonus appendix discs equated to dozens of hours of material; feature-length documentaries, interviews, investigations into Tolkien’s universe, and other a host of other delightful tangents set a new standard for what a DVD could provide a hungry, dedicated audience.
And all of that material is gone.
Well, nearly all. Each of The Lord of the Rings blu-ray editions includes four vintage audio commentaries. Each of The Hobbit blu-ray editions includes one audio commentary and a featurette (six minutes in length) about filming in New Zealand.
The 31st disc—which is the only exclusive to this set—is a 2-hour cast reunion, hosted by Stephen Colbert and broken into three 40-minute panel sessions. There’s also a 27-minute “sizzle reel” that originally served as promotional footage to the LOTR films before their release. The reunions are entertaining enough but ultimately superfluous, particularly if you’ve seen a significant chunk of the now-excised appendices. (Note: the bonus disc is a blu-ray, not a UHD.)
In addition, purchasers will get a few physical collectibles. You’ll receive a 60-odd page paperback book that is largely dedicated to production sketches and costume designs. There are 7 oversized art cards that depict various locations in Middle-Earth and are amusingly presented as travelogues. The attractive box presents a large, two-sided mural of the principal cast members. Alternatively, the box can be folded to mimic the design of two matching hardcover books. (As an owner of far too much physical media, I am opting for the more compact display.) Each of the six films is housed in a hard case with an accompanying slipcover. Lastly, there’s a slip of paper that includes digital codes for all the films. (I recommend giving this away; purchasing these films on UHD and then watching them digitally seems a bit silly.)
If you’re interested in the films themselves, there is nothing about this set that deserves complaint. The likely audience for this expensive collection, though, will almost certainly be miffed by the deletion of the appendices. While you will indeed find 31 discs here, the content, quite surprisingly, seems a bit thin, stretched, like butter spread across too much bread. Undoubtedly, we will see a “more ultimate” edition (or two) in the years to come.
The films themselves are wonderful to behold on UHD, but lovers of all things Tolkienesque on celluloid beware. This set will take you there, but it won’t bring you back again.