In Collection
#233
Seen It:
Yes
USA / English
| Elijah Wood |
Frodo |
| Sean Astin |
Sam |
| Sean Bean |
Boromir |
| Cate Blanchett |
Galadriel |
| Orlando Bloom |
Legolas |
| Billy Boyd |
Pippin |
| Brad Dourif |
Grima Wormtongue |
| Bernard Hill |
Theoden |
| Ian Holm |
Bilbo Baggins |
| Christopher Lee |
Saruman |
| John Rhys-Davies |
Gimli (voice) (archive footage) |
| Ian McKellen |
Gandalf (voice)(archive footage) (as Sir Ian McKellen) |
| Andy Serkis |
Gollum (voice) (archive footage) |
| Dominic Monaghan |
Merry (voice) (archive footage) |
| David Wenham |
Faramir (voice) (archive footage) |
| Andrew Chaikin |
Additional Voices (voice) (archive footage) |
| Viggo Mortensen |
|
| Director |
Peter Jackson |
| Producer |
Peter Jackson; Barrie M. Osborne; Neil Young |
| Writer |
Phillippa Boyens; Peter Jackson; Nuno Miranda |
With
The Return of the King, the greatest fantasy epic in film history draws to a grand and glorious conclusion. Director Peter Jackson's awe-inspiring adaptation of the Tolkien classic
The Lord of the Rings could never fully satisfy those who remain exclusively loyal to Tolkien's expansive literature, but as a showcase for physical and technical craftsmanship it is unsurpassed in pure scale and ambition, setting milestone after cinematic milestone as the brave yet charmingly innocent Hobbit Frodo (Elijah Wood) continues his mission to Mordor, where he is destined to destroy the soul-corrupting One Ring of Power in the molten lava of Mount Doom. While the heir to the kingdom of Men, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), endures the massive battle at Minas Tirith with the allegiance of the elf Legolas (Orlando Bloom), the dwarf Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) and the great wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen), Frodo and stalwart companion Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) must survive the schizoid deceptions of Gollum, who remains utterly convincing as a hybrid of performance (by Andy Serkis) and subtly nuanced computer animation.
Jackson and cowriters Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens have much ground to cover; that they do so with intense pacing and epic sweep is impressive enough, but by investing greater depth and consequence in the actions of fellow Hobbits Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd), they ensure that The Return of the King maintains the trilogy's emphasis on intimate fellowship. While several major characters appear only briefly, and one (Christopher Lee's evil wizard, Saruman) was relegated entirely to the extended-version DVD, Jackson is to be commended for his editorial acumen; like Legolas the archer, his aim as a filmmaker is consistently true, and he remains faithful to Tolkien's overall vision. If Return suffers from too many endings, as some critic suggested, it's only because the epic's conclusion is so loyally inclusive of the actors--most notably Astin--who gave it such strength to begin with. By ending the LOTR trilogy with noble integrity and faith in the power of imaginative storytelling, The Return of the King, like its predecessors, will stand as an adventure for the ages. --Jeff Shannon
| Edition |
Widescreen Edition |
| Barcode |
794043692925 |
| Region |
Region 1 |
| Release Date |
5/25/2004 |
| Packaging |
Custom Case |
| Screen Ratio |
2.35:1 |
| Subtitles |
English; Spanish |
| Audio Tracks |
English Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround |
| Layers |
Single Side, Dual Layer |
| Nr of Disks/Tapes |
2 |
|
|
| Disc 1: |
|
Collector's Gift Set Exclusives:
Richly Detailed Minas Tirith Polystone Keepsake Box: This 2 piece statue was sculpted by the artists at Weta Workshop and signed by director Peter Jackson.
Exclusive Bonus DVD: Creating The Lord Of The Rings Symphony by Howard Shore: 52 minute program featuring Academy Award winning composer Howard Shore conducting the Montreal Symphony Orchestra through select movements of The Lord Of The Rings score from all three films in the trilogy.
Discs 1 & 2: Special Extended Edition of the Film
Four feature-length commentaries by the director and writers, the cast, the production and design teams, with over 40 participants including Peter Jackson, Fran Walsk, Philippa Boyens, Barrie M. Osborne, Richard Taylor, Howard Shore, Jim Rygel, and cast including Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Sean Astin, John Rhys-Davies, Bernard Hill, Christopher Lee, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto, David Whenham, Karl Urban, John Noble, Andy Serkis, with Smeagol and Gollum
Disc 3: The Appendices Part Five - The War Of The Ring
6 original documentaries covering adapting the book into a screenplay, designing Middle-earth, a visit to the Weta Workshop, costume design and more Two interactive maps: Middle-earth Atlas and New Zealand as Middle-earth Galleries with audio commentaries (includes an archive of over 2,000 images)
Disc 4: The Appendices Part Six - The Passing Of An Age
7 original documentaries covering the filming of The Return Of The King, the visual effects, editing, music and sound, and a touching tribute as the cast bids a fond farewell to Middle-earth and the characters they played Gallery of production photos |
