The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Special Extended DVD Edition) [DVD] [2002]

What can I say, a masterpiece definitely worth buying. Highly recommended!

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Amazing film - but what I really want to do is praise Music Magpie. Evri damaged my parcel and were very unhelpful, but MusicMagpie dealt with the problem quickly and efficiently.

If you love Peter Jackson's take on Tolkien's tales, you will enjoy this even more because of the extra scenes. This is the one where our heroes finally take Saruman (Christopher Lee) on, breaking his power over the Rohirrim and stopping him from helping Sauron. Bernard Hill (Boys From The Black Stuff) and Brad Dourif (Star Trek spin-offs and assorted genre films and TV) are the stand-out performers here, working well with each other and with the main characters. Hill's resurgent king spars beautifully with his conniving adviser, putting him in his place, but setting himself up for trouble later on when Aragorn talks him into letting the weasel go. The Battle of Helm's Deep is where the money was spent: an awesome set piece with many memorable lines. Liv Tyler, Cate Blanchett, and Miranda Otto put in terrific performances in the little time they have, adding female energy to what would have been a bit of a sausage fest. Eowyn's crush on Aragorn is understandable and very well played, while Arwen's love drives the narrative. Blanchett is stately and ethereal as Galadriel, and we see a bit more of Marton Csokas as Celeborn. Meanwhile, Gimli's relationship with Legolas shifts from antagonistic to grudging respect to Shoving Buddies after the elf (Orlando Bloom) defends him from a surly Eomer (Karl Urban), and the Hobbits find unexpected friends. Watching all the story's threads come together and be resolved is emotionally satisfying but we're left gasping for more as we realise it ain't over yet. This is a strong sequel that stands firm in its own right. If you're going go watch the film, you might as well watch all of it.

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Was good to watch it in my truck

If I had never read the book, I would probably regard the film The Two Towers as a near masterpiece. However, I feel its got enough awesome reviews to withstand a bit of criticism. I'm a Tolkien nerd, having read the book about 20 times in my childhood. I didn't expect Peter Jackson to faithfully include every part of the book, nor did I expect him to reproduce those parts he did choose verbatim. The book is so long and so rich - I understand, as a fan himself, Jackson must have agonised over what to cut out. What I didn't expect was for him to invent gratuitously unnecessary scenes that were not in the book. I can forgive the skirmish with the wargs - a scene not explicitly in the book, but quite possible in the context of the situation in Rohan at the time. However, the subsequent near drowning and temporary disappearance of Aragorn was a pointless fiction. The presence of Lorien elves at Helms Deep was not credible - the defence policy of Galadriel and Celeborn was quite isolationist, being committed to protecting Lorien itself. In any case, it is unlikely their force could have got there so quickly. A small but lazy faux-pas was the portrayal of Faramir using the large-scale schematic map of Middle Earth from the book - about as much use to a military tactician as using a globe of the Earth to find your way from Oxford St to Hyde Park Corner. What was most disappointing was the invention in the closing scenes of Faramir forcibly escorting Frodo and Sam to Osgilliath in an attempt to bring the ring to Minas Tirith. The book reveals Faramir as much wiser man than his impetuous older brother. The scenes of the battle for Osgilliath with the Nazgul nearly snatching Frodo were clearly an attempt to give a cinematic ending to the second book - however, this was not necessary as the glorious depiction of the siege and subsequent relief of Helms Deep did that quite brilliantly. As a Tolkien purist, I was pleasantly surprised by the loyalty to the book of the Fellowship of the Ring. So, despite the brilliant battle scenes of The Two Towers, I have to deduct a star for this film because it has some serious diversions from the director's own stated intention to remain true to Tolkien. However, I withhold overall judgement on the trilogy until I see The Return of the King. I hope that, despite the huge plaudits The Two Towers has got, Jackson will take cognisance of the criticisms of his invented scenes and limit any unnecessary departures from the script in the final film. I also look forward to seeing on the documentaries in The Two Towers DVD how Jackson rationalises his invented scenes – and to what scenes cut from the cinema version are restored in due course on the extended DVD version.

There’s not much more that can be said that hasn’t been said already about this trilogy and the accompanying releases. Every reviewer has their own way of saying just how incredible this story is and how much enjoyment we get from it. Even before The Return of the King opens in the cinemas, we know it will cap off the most amazing story ever told, and in a year’s time we’ll be treated to more DVD specials and the like. Imagine the marathon viewing that would be available to us, should we choose to send ourselves off to Middle Earth for an entire day. Like The Fellowship of the Ring special extended edition, this is the definite version of The Two Towers and adds so much more than the theatrical version, whether they are only fleeting moments or entire new scenes. Most welcome are these scenes as they add freshness and (often) light-relief to an altogether dark story, as well as depth and richness. Who could now go back and watch the theatrical version, after being treated to this? But of course, we don’t just get extra scenes when we buy these extended editions. Like The Fellowship… extended edition, we get tonnes of extra features. Most entertaining are the audio commentaries by cast and crew, which add even more depth to the story, filling you in on things you may have missed while being overwhelmed by the enormity of it all. They are often hilarious too, especially when Dominic and Billy and the boys let us in on the fun and games they got up to. Furthermore, there’s documentaries giving us those special insights into the behind-the-scenes stuff we love to find out about, there’s galleries, an interactive map, sound demonstrations… and all beautifully presented and easily navigated. So easily could this have been a shoddy production had attention to detail not been extended to these sorts of things. It may be extra pounds we’re parting with but these special extended edition packages are well worth the money. Not only are we getting an extraordinary film to enjoy but plenty of background stuff which lets us in on just how much hard work has gone into bringing this epic story to the screen for us. Full credit to Peter Jackson and his team for this amazing feat.

Ich kann die Annahme, die begeisterten Filmfans hätten das Buch nicht gelesen, nur belächeln. Vielleicht sind wir, die sowohl vom Film wie auch von dem Buch begeistert sind, einfach in der Lage, die Dinge voneinander zu trennen. Tolkiens Werk hat mich begeistert in seiner Fülle und Vielfalt an Fantasie, so daß ich es immer wieder zur Hand nehme. Unter anderen auch, um mich manchmal daran zu erinnern, wie die Dinge im Buch aussehen und wie sie im Film umgesetzt wurden. Und nichtsdestotrotz, daß Buch und Film sich in einigen Punkten maßgeblich unterscheiden, bin ich von beidem restlos begeistert! Tolkien füllt das Reich unserer Phantasie mit faszinierenden Geschichten, Peter Jackson verwöhnt uns mit prachtvollen Bildern. Allen Kritikern an dem Film sei gesagt: Peter Jackson, selbst ein großer Tolkien-Fan, hat nie einen Hehl daraus gemacht, daß die Verfilmung der "Herr-der-Ringe"-Trilogie SEINE EIGENE Version, seine Interpretation des Buches ist und er sich nicht sklavisch an die Vorlage gehalten hat. Also war jedem selbst überlassen, ob er sich unter diesen Gesichtspunkten die Filme anschaut, oder nicht! Ich finde die Idee, Arwen und Legolas Persönlichkeiten im Film stärker herauszuarbeiten und der Geschichte um Aragorn und Arwen, die eigentlich nur in den Anhängen des Buches Erwähnung findet, im Film stärker herauszuarbeiten, absolut gelungen. Gerade sie gibt im Film dem wesentlich düsteren zweiten Teil den bittersüßen Touch, der die Geschichte um Aragorn und Eowyn trägt. Die Persönlichkeiten des Buches sind im Film hervorragend und überzeugend besetzt und ich hatte absolut keinen Zweifel, meine "Helden" des Buches im Film wiederzufinden, wenn auch hier und da auf andere Art und Weise. Ich denke, wenn man Film und Buch als zwar voneinander abhängiges, aber jeweils eigenständiges Werk sieht, sich nicht ständig damit beschäftigt, die Filme mit dem Buch zu vergleichen und Abweichungen zu suchen, dann kann man beides absolut genießen! Ich habe sowohl "Die Gefährten" wie auch "Die zwei Türme" mehr als 20 mal gesehen und bin es immer noch nicht leid. Beide Teile sind absolut gelungen, faszinierend von der ersten Minute an und jedes einzelne Bild überzeugt. Innerhalb weniger Minuten vergißt man die Welt um sich herum und leidet mit Merry und Pippin unter den furchtbaren Uruk Hai; kämpft sich mit Frodo, Sam und Gollum durch die Emyn Muil und sieht mit Entsetzen die furchtbaren Ringgeister auf ihren geflügelten Ungetümen; steht man in der Goldenen Halle in Edoras und verfolgt, wie Gandalf den König von Saruman's Einfluß befreit und kämpft an der Seite von Aragorn, Legolas und Gimli in Helm's Klamm in einer Schlacht, wie die Leinwand sie noch nicht gesehen hat!! Und zählt fieberhaft die Tage bis zum Erscheinen des dritten und leider letzten Teils ... Meine ehrliche Meinung? "Die zwei Türme" ist mindestens so faszinierend wie "Die Gefährten", nur der "Grundton" hat sich verändert. Wird die Geschichte im ersten Teil noch maßgeblich von einer lineraren Geschichte um den Ring und den gemeinsamen Marsch der Gefährten getragen, so teilt sich nun der Film - wie auch das Buch - in mehrere Geschichten um Sam, Frodo und Gollum, Merry und Pippin, und Gimli, Leoglas und Aragorn. Aber der Wechsel vom Schicksal der einen zu dem der anderen ist flüssig und harmonisch, so daß man nie den Faden und die Geschichte um die anderen aus dem Blick verliert. Neben den überzeugenden Darstellern des ersten Teils kommen neue großartige Charaktere dazu, vor allem mit Mirinda Otto als kühle Eowyn und Karl Urban als Eomer, und die verwendeten technischen Effekts und künstlich erzeugten Wesen sind phanstastisch, angefangen mit Gollum bis hin zu den Warg-Reitern. Peter Jackson hätte das Zeug dazu, auch noch "Der kleine Hobbit" und das "Simarillon" auf Leinwand zu bannen, ich würde gerne die Bilder seiner verfilmten Version dieser beiden phantastischen Bücher sehen. Nur wird er das vermutlich leider nie tun ...

Okay so i totally LOVE the Lord Of The Rings They are - clean, funny, and entertaining. The two towers is my favourate of the three because it had the best battle scene, its not for kids under 12 because the Orks and the wild men are creepy, but for older it has amazing morals. if your a christian and you know your bible really well then you can tell that it is kind of bible based, even if you are not it still is a fantastic show, great buy!!!!

I am sure that there are those who are bothered, angry even, that Peter Jackson didn't take a more literal approach to his "Lord of the Rings" films. To those people I would say that a literal word for word translation from text to screen (assuming such a thing were possible, which it's not) would be nothing but mimicry and in no way a tribute to Tolkien's genius. Rather, I would argue that Jackson's superb interpretation of "The Two Towers" beautifully captures the spirit of Tolkien without being slavish in its devotion. Moreover, Jackson successfully grounds his film in a recognizable reality, which serves to further engage the viewer. There are three ways (generally speaking) in which Jackson puts his fingerprint on Tolkien. The first is his interpretation of the text; areas in which without changing Tolkien he is nonetheless able to put his own spin on the text. There are two salient and superb examples of this that come immediately to mind. The first is that Jackson presents Gollum/Smeagol as a split personality. Gollum is a malevolent deceitful being who lusts after the ring, and Smeagol is an almost childlike creature, fierce in his devotion, but easily hurt. I found this approach to be utterly compelling, and a superb way to present Gollum, but at the same time, it is totally loyal to Tolkien's writing. The second example is the presentation of Gandalf freeing Theoden from Saruman as a sort of exorcism. Not only was this a visually intriguing way to present the scene, but it also shows great appreciation for Tolkien as a man. As a devout Catholic, I suspect he would have appreciated the overtones that swirl about the exchange. The second way in which Jackson captures Tolkien is in his portrayal of the characters. Given the constraints of the film format, the director is forced to both condense and flesh out various characters and exchanges. As such, it is critical that he portrays the characters appropriately, but within the context of the movie. There are any number of excellent examples to Jackson's characterizations, but there are a few that come immediately to mind. The first is using Gimli as much needed comic relief, but doing so in such a way that doesn't degrade the character. In fact, it has quite the opposite effect as it lends a certain emotional depth to the stalwart dwarf. Another example is the conflicted Theoden who is almost Shakespearean in his portrayal. Particularly moving was when at Theodred's grave he flatly states, "No parent should have to bury their child" and then breaks down. Finally, Eowyn's unrequited love for Aragorn is nicely captured, and largely without any dialogue, using glances and expressions to convey the story. Finally, there is Jackson's modification of Tolkien in order to both make the story work as a film and ground it in our present day reality. Most surprising among these is the appearance of the Elves at Helm's Deep, as they come to honor the old alliances. While completely absent from Tolkien's writing, I found this to be an excellent and effective modification. By introducing the Elves, Jackson is able to paint a portrait of Allies fighting against a common enemy in the World War II sense. Moreover, the elite Elves and Rohirrim fighting side by side against overwhelming odds echoes Thermopylae, where the grossly outnumbered Spartans saved Greece, and ultimately, Western Civilization, from the Persians. The second approach is more subtle, but completely pervasive as Jackson takes a fantasy war and couches it in familiar terms. For example there is a suicide bombing at one point during the Battle of Helm's Deep. While entirely within the context of Tolkien, Jackson's presentation rather brutally echoes our own dangerous world. Another fine example is Theoden's question, "What can men do against such reckless hate?" which rather succinctly captures the dilemma of fighting terrorism. My only two complaints are relatively small. The first is an entirely unnecessary dream sequence between Arwen and Aragorn which badly distracts from the mounting tension between him and Eowyn. The second is that while Faramir is ultimately true to the book, it takes far too long for him to realize the danger of the ring. Part of the beauty of his character is how he stands in contrast to his brother Boromir, and this is somewhat eroded by Jackson's interpretation. As for the discs themselves, they are everything one would expect based upon the first set, as the sound, picture and score are all superb. Furthermore, I found the additional scenes to be generally excellent. Theodred's funeral, which features a lament by Eowyn, was particularly moving. Also, through the addition of a few key scenes, I found the ending to be far more satisfying. The conclusions to the Battles of Helms Deep an Isengard are less abrupt, and Faramir is better rounded out. The extras are likewise superb and every bit as fascinating as the features from the first set. I'm not one who is easily drawn in by commetary on costumes and make-up, but these discs are so comprehensive it is impossible not to be drawn in by them. Finally, the audio commentaries are likewise comprehensive and interesting. If you are looking for a slavish recreation of Tolkien's work, you would do well to pass on these discs. However, if you appreciate the spirit of Tolkien's work, and fine filmmaking, you would do well to watch this film. Furthermore, you will never find a better value, as the extra's included in this four disc set once again set the standard to which all other releases must strive. Enjoy! Jake Mohlman

DVD arrived in good shape ,worked well

Bought it for my mum for Christmas. She really enjoyed it and still regularly watches it.