Home > Titles > T > Th > The Lord of the Rings > DVD Details

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, Viggo Mortensen
Director: Peter Jackson
Original UK Premiere: 2003
Dvd Release: 25th May, 2004
Number Of Discs: 2
Format: Box set, PAL, Widescreen, Region 2 Encoding

Subtitled In: English

  Article Index:
[Background Info]
[DVD Review]
[Biographies]
[Articles/Resources]
[Link To This Article]

Looking To Buy?
Buy This DVD Here

Background Information: The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King
[Top]
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is the third part of a film trilogy directed by Peter Jackson, based on J R R Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings. The film premiered in Wellington, New Zealand, on December 1, 2003, attended by the director & many of the stars. Further premieres took place in major cities around the world in the days leading up to the films worldwide theatrical release on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 with a runtime of 200 minutes. The Two Towers, although the films story includes later events in the section of the book The Two Towers as well as most of The Return of the King. On January 27, 2004, the film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards – Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Score & Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Makeup, Best Music, Best Sound Mixing & Best Visual Effects; however, none of the ensemble cast received any acting nominations. On February 29, the film won 11 Academy Awards, winning in every category for which it was nominated. Posters Of The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King
Editorial DVD Review
[Top]
Peter Jacksons Lord of the Rings trilogy, triumphantly completed by the 11-Oscar-winning The Return of the King, sets out to show that Tolkiens epic work, once derided as mere adolescent escapism, is not just fodder for the best mass entertainment spectacle ever seen on the big screen, but is also replete with emotionally satisfying meditations on the human condition. What is the nature of true friendship? What constitutes real courage? Why is it important for us to care about people living beyond our borders? What does it mean to live in harmony with the environment & what are the consequences when we do not? When is war justifiable & when is it not? What things are really worth fighting for? These are the questions that resonate with a contemporary audience: to see our current social & political concerns mirrored, & here finally resolved, in Middle-earth is to recognise that Jacksons Lord of the Rings is both a parable for our times and magical cinematic escapism.

As before, in this concluding part of the trilogy the spectacle never dwarfs the characters, even during Shelob the spiders pitiless assault, for example, or the unparalleled Battle of the Pelennor Fields, where the white towers of Minas Tirith come under ferocious attack from Troll-powered siege weapons and, in a sequence reminiscent of the Imperial Walkers in The Empire Strikes Back, Mammoth-like Mumakil. The people & their feelings always remain in focus, as emphasised by Jacksons sensitive small touches: Gandalf reassuring a terrified Pippin in the midst of battle that death is not to be feared; Frodos blazing anger at Sams apparent betrayal; Faramirs desire to win the approval of his megalomaniac father; Gollums tragic cupidity & his final, heartbreaking glee. And at the very epicentre of the film is the pure heart of Samwise Gamgee, the real hero of the story.

At over three hours, there are almost inevitably some lulls, & the film still feels as if some key scenes are missing: a problem doubtless to be rectified in the extended DVD edition. But the end, when it does finally arrive, set to Howard Shores Wagnerian music score, brings us full circle, leaving the departing audience to wonder if they will ever find within themselves even a fraction of the courage of a hobbit.

Biography: Elijah Wood
[Top]
Elijah Jordan Wood is a US actor. He was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He is the middle of the three children of Warren & Debbie Woods. He has a brother Zack, a video game producer & seven years his senior, as well as a younger sister Hannah, a poet & actress like Wood. His parents called him Spark Plug. Zack, his brother, introduced him to video games by playing them in front of him. Wood feels as if he were born to entertain. A professional actor since the age of six, he is best known for the role of Frodo Baggins in the Lord of the Rings movies. He took the stage in his elementary schools rendition of the play The Sound of Music. The following year, he graduated to the title character of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Wood also served as choir boy during the production of Today he is hailed as one of the greatest actors of his generation & continues to star in hit movies each year. The Lord of the Rings. The Fellowship of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings. The Return of the King. Posters Of Elijah Wood

Editors Choice: The Lord Of The Rings, Green Street, Everything Is Illuminated, The Fellowship Of The Ring, All I Want, Ash Wednesday, The Adventures Of Tom Thumb And Thumbelina, Flipper, View DVDology

Biography: Ian McKellen
[Top]
Sir Ian Murray McKellen, KBE is a highly acclaimed British actor on both stage & screen, regarded by many as the greatest living British actor. His roles have spanned genres from serious Shakespearean & modern theatre to popular action movies. He is also well known as a campaigner for gay rights. // McKellen was born in Burnley, Lancashire, shortly before the outbreak of World War II & has indicated that this had some impact on him. Well, darling, you forget — I slept under a steel plate until I was four years old. McKellens father, Denis Murray McKellen, a civil engineer, was a lay preacher & both of his grandfathers were preachers as well. His home environment was strongly Christian, but non-orthodox. My upbringing was of low nonconformist Christians who felt that you led the Christian life in part by behaving in a Christian manner to everybody you met. When he was 12, his mother, Margery Lois McKellen died; his father died when he was 24. Posters Of Asylum

Editors Choice: Churchill, Asylum, The Lord Of The Rings, X Men 2, The Fellowship Of The Ring, Apt Pupil, Gods And Monsters, Richard Iii, View DVDology

Biography: Orlando Bloom
[Top]
Orlando Bloom is a British actor, who became famous playing Legolas in the The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He also had major roles in Black Hawk Down, Pirates of the Caribbean & Troy. He was born in Canterbury, Kent to Sonia C J Copeland. Although he carries the name of novelist & political activist, Harry Bloom, Orlandos biological father is actually Colin Stone, a reported friend of the family. He attended St Edmunds School in Canterbury, but struggled in many courses due to his dyslexia. In 1993, he moved to London & joined the National Youth Theatre,spending two seasons there & earning a scholarship to train at the British American Drama Academy. He earned a few television roles to further his career, including his film debut in 1997 in Wilde, opposite Stephen Fry, before entering the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London. However, in 1998, he broke his back in a three story fall & it was briefly feared that he would never walk again, but he made a complete recovery. Posters Of Orlando Bloom

Editors Choice: Troy, Pirates Of The Caribbean, Kingdom Of Heaven, The Lord Of The Rings, Elizabethtown, Kingdom Of Heaven Directors Cut, Ned Kelly, The Curse Of The Black Pearl, View DVDology

Biography: Viggo Mortensen
[Top]
Viggo Mortensen, is a Danish-American theater & movie actor, a published poet, photographer & painter .Hes divorced & he has a son, Henry Blake. He is best known for his role as Aragorn in Peter Jackson s The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. He was a last-minute replacement for the role & wouldnt have taken the part if it hadnt been for his sons enthusiasm for J R R Tolkien s trilogy. After several years of experience in live theater, he began his movie career as an Amish farmer in Peter Weir s Witness. He has also appeared in Jane Campion s film The Portrait of a Lady, Sean Penn s Indian Runner, Brian DePalma s Carlitos Way, Tony Scott s Crimson Tide, Ridley Scott s G,I. Jane, Tony Goldwyn s A Walk on the Moon & Philip Ridley s Reflecting Skin. Mortensens performance in Bent at the Coast Playhouse, Los Angeles, won him a Dramalogue Critics Award. Mortensens bibliography includes Ten Last Night, his first collection of poetry;. Hole in the Sun, color & black & white photographs of a back yard swimming pool;. Posters Of The Lord Of The Rings

Editors Choice: The Lord Of The Rings, Hidalgo, 28 Days, The Fellowship Of The Ring, American Yakuza, The Indian Runner, The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring, A History Of Violence, View DVDology

Biography: Peter Jackson
[Top]
Peter Jackson was a footballer & is currently a football manager for Huddersfield Town. He was born in Bradford on 6 April 1961 He played mainly as a central defender for Bradford City, Newcastle United, Huddersfield Town 1990-1994, Chester City & Halifax Town. He returned to Huddersfield Town when they gave him the opportunity to become manager in October 1997 replacing Brian Horton. He was assisted by former Welsh manager Terry Yorath In his first two seasons in charge he helped Town avoid relegation also known as the Great Escape & helped them to 10th place in Division One. However he was sacked in 1999 to make way from Steve Bruce. In 2003 he was re-appointed manager of a Huddersfield Town that had slid down to Division Three & were emerging from administration. In the 2003-04 season, Jackson put his faith in a squad containing promising young players. Town finished 4th to gain a place in the promotion play-offs. Town eventually beat Mansfield Town on penalties in the play off finals to be promoted in Jacksons first season back. Posters Of The Lord Of The Rings

Editors Choice: The Lord Of The Rings, The Fellowship Of The Ring, The Frighteners, Meet The Feebles, Heavenly Creatures, The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring, The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, View DVDology

Additional Articles & Resources:
[Top]
Link To This Article:
[Top]
©2004-2008 DVDArk.co.uk
* Some data on DVD Ark is derived from this GNU FDL article.