With 11 Oscar wins, "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" was the one film that ruled them all at this year's Academy Awards.
On Tuesday, the best-picture winner returns, this time in an extended edition DVD that further chronicles the quest of Frodo, Sam, Aragorn, Gandalf and the rest of the heroes to destroy Sauron's evil ring.
The film's original theatrical format already has been released, but fans of Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson's adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy classic have come to expect an extended version with new footage and hours of extras. They won't be disappointed.
The short-attention-spanned should beware: This version adds 50 minutes to a film already longer than three hours. Four separate commentaries feature 30 members of the cast and crew, including the director and members of the production team. Adding something special to the commentary tracks is Andy Serkis, who does a segment as the split personalities of Smeagol and Gollum, characters he voiced in the films.
Two discs of extras complement the two discs that carry the movie. The first includes a documentary about Tolkien and his work; a look at adapting the book into a screenplay; and featurettes on the Horse Lords of Rohan, and building and designing the Middle Earth sets and costumes. Also included are two interactive maps, which depict New Zealand and Tolkien's Middle Earth. The maps show where scenes were filmed and where the adventures took place in Tolkien's imagined geography.
The second disc takes a look at the filming of the epic and contains a number of documentary featurettes that explore various aspects of that process.
The extended editions of the trilogy's first two installments also boasted a large number of bonus features, but it was the added footage that made them must-watches for devotees. The same is true for the final film -- with almost an hour of new material, this version of "The Return of the King" is a fan essential.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Special Extended Edition
New Line Home Entertainment; $39.99; available on Tuesday
New on DVD:
Collateral (DreamWorks Home Entertainment: two-disc DVD $19.95; VHS $15.95; R; available Tuesday) Tom Cruise takes an uncharacteristic turn as a bad guy opposite Jamie Foxx's everyman taxi-driving hero. DVD features include deleted scenes, rehearsals, special-effects sequences in detail and a look at Cruise getting into character by delivering a package incognito.
I, Robot (Fox Home Entertainment: DVD $29.98; PG-13; available Tuesday) Will Smith stars in this futuristic thriller loosely based on the works of Isaac Asimov. The DVD features commentary by director Alex Proyas, a making-of featurette and film stills.
Marry Poppins 40th Anniversary Edition (Walt Disney: two-disc DVD $29.99; G; available Tuesday) Walt DIsney's classic has been remastered and packaged with a number of extras for its 40th anniversary. Bonus features include sing-alongs, commentary by Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, pop-up fun facts, a bonus short "The Cat That Looked Up a King," the deleted song "Chimpanzoo," a musical reunion, games and more.
