The 31-disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition of Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth saga contains new special features along with the theatrical and extended versions of all six films in 4K Ultra HD and on Blu-ray discs remastered from the 4K master.
The Ultimate Collector’s Edition includes the theatrical and extended versions of the six films from New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures in 4K UHD with HDR – The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
For in-depth thoughts on The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, please see my review from its original 4K UHD Blu-Ray release here.
For in-depth thoughts on The Hobbit Trilogy, please see my review from its original 4K UHD Blu-Ray release here.
Video Quality
The Lord Of The Rings
The following assessment has been reposted from the previous 4K UHD Blu-Ray review.
The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy makes its debut on 4K UHD Blu-Ray with both the Theatrical and Extended Editions of all three films housed on three separate BD-100 discs for the theatrical versions and six discs for the extended for a whopping nine-disc set. Each film has been given a new 4K restoration with a 4K scan of the original camera negative and visual effects filmouts that was supervised and approved by Peter Jackson. Lucky for fans, both versions of every single one of these films are given the 5-star treatment to deliver some of the most gorgeous moments of 4K UHD magic that we have seen before. While they are uniformly wonderful across the board, I will do my best to point out distinctive parts from each film.
The Fellowship of the Ring delivers a knockout 4K UHD Blu-Ray presentation in its 2.39:1 aspect ratio in 2160p. The cinematography from Andrew Lesnie is one of the standout aspects of the film, and it is showcased better than it ever has been here. Everything looks natural from the skin tones to the colors of the clothing and the landscapes. One of the major changes with this new release is the abandonment of the green tint that was associated with the Extended Edition in the past. While the difference in color timing might rankle some fans of that version, it does not serve as a detriment to the presentation, in my opinion. From the opening moments in The Shire, you can see what a striking upgrade this 4K restoration is for the film. The clarity and detail present here is simply phenomenal, exposing details otherwise imperceptible due to the limitations of lesser formats. Certain close-up and mid-range shots are likely to make your jaw drop with how clear the picture can look. Subtle details in the production design that might blend in with the background are incredibly clear and well defined. Many elements have a greater sense of texture in this format. The High Dynamic Range is where this film really shines as it allows for more distinctive colors and vivid highlights throughout the story. Any outdoor scene is greatly improved with a visual nuance that was not as apparent previously. The brighter landscapes in the film remain stable and do not suffer from banding or blooming.
The Two Towers excels in all of the same ways as its predecessor while showcasing less in the way of more fantastical environments. Compared to The Fellowship of the Ring, the CGI in The Two Towers feels a bit more natural as the blend between the two elements feels more seamless. This is not a knock against the first film, just an appreciation for the continued advances in technology throughout the series. One of the aspects of this transfer that made me geek out the most were the improvements in the black levels and shadow detail. The epic siege at Helm’s Deep is a particular highlight of the film as the rain-soaked battle maintains a deep, inkly black appearance that does wonders for stability of image. There is so much activity happening at any one time, but the image remains uniformly clear. The Eye of Sauron absolutely wows thanks to HDR improvements that more accurately represent the vivid colors that pop off the screen every time we get a glimpse of it. A great amount of depth is gained with this transfer, both in close-up and long shots. There are no troublesome digital nuisances detected such as excessive noise reduction, sharpening or anything else.
The Return of the King wraps up the series with another wondrous presentation to match the other films. The HDR really shows what it can do with many scenes serving as some of the most visually rich of the series. You have to marvel at the screen when Gandalf heads to Minas Tirith as the combination of robust colors and solid gradients against the stone walls is too much to handle. Likewise, the streaming of the sun into Gondor’s Tower Hall makes for a very stimulating image. When things kick into action at Battle of the Pelennor Fields, you will find yourself rewinding to watch certain moments over and over. The battles in this film have so much going on from moment to moment, but the image remains stable without blurring or loss of detail. These films were tailor-made to sport major improvements on the 4K UHD format, and they do not disappoint in this respect. Fans will be extremely pleased to view these visually splendid films in the best presentation they have ever seen for them.
The Hobbit
The following assessment has been reposted from the previous 4K UHD Blu-Ray review.
The Hobbit: The Motion Picture Trilogy makes its debut on 4K UHD Blu-Ray with both the Theatrical and Extended Editions of all three films housed on their own separate BD-100 in one six-disc set. Simply put, both versions of every single one of these films are given the 5-star treatment to deliver some of the most stunning instances of 4K UHD magic that we have seen before. While they are uniformly excellent across the board, I will do my best to point out distinctive parts from each film.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey delivers a knockout 4K UHD Blu-Ray presentation in its 2.40:1 aspect ratio in 2160p. From the opening moments in The Shire, you can see what a striking upgrade this 4K restoration is for the film. The clarity and detail present here is simply phenomenal, exposing details otherwise imperceptible due to the limitations of lesser formats. Everything looks natural from the skin tones to the colors of the clothing and the landscapes. Subtle details in the production design that might blend in with the background are incredibly clear and well defined. Many elements have a greater sense of texture in this format. The cinematography from Andrew Lesnie is one of the standout aspects of the film, and it is showcased better than it ever has been here. The High Dynamic Range is where this film really shines as it allows for more distinctive colors and vivid highlights throughout the story. Any outdoor scene is greatly improved with a visual nuance that was not as apparent previously. The brighter landscapes in the film remain stable and do not suffer from banding or blooming.
The Desolation of Smaug excels in all of the same ways as its predecessor while moving away from the brighter splashes of the first film to a visually more dour setting to match the shift in tone as the journey gets more harrowing. The scenes in darkness maintain a deep, inkly black appearance that does wonders for stability of image. The visual effects in the film are surprisingly helped rather than hindered by the upgrade to 4K. Jackson’s films were never a slouch in this department, but with technology constantly evolving and getting better it is typical to worry that what once looked great may start to show flaws in comparison. Smaug absolutely wows thanks to HDR improvements that more accurately represent his eye-popping color against the background of his treasures that are more defined than ever. A great amount of depth is gained with this transfer, both in close-up and long shots. Take a look at the spiders in the forest with all of their webs that are more visceral in their clarity and depth. There are no troublesome digital nuisances detected such as excessive noise reduction, sharpening or anything else.
The Battle of the Five Armies wraps up the series with another flawless presentation to match the other films. The HDR really shows what it can do from the get-go as Smaug unleashes some visually stunning fire that alone makes this a necessary upgrade. This film is an action-packed finale that has so much going on from scene to scene, but the image remains stable without blurring or loss of detail. Jackson presented all of his films in both normal 24fps and High Frame Rate in theaters, but these discs thankfully stick to the former as to avoid the dreaded soap opera effect. Some may view this as a negative, but my brain personally can never mesh with this unnatural movement. These films were tailor-made to sport major improvements on the 4K UHD format, and they do not disappoint in this respect. Fans will be extremely pleased to view these visually stimulating films in one of the finest presentations that the format has to offer.
Audio Quality
The Lord Of The Rings
The following assessment has been reposted from the previous 4K UHD Blu-Ray review.
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray set offers a slick upgrade in the form of an impressive Dolby Atmos presentation that handles the action incredibly well. This track is not just impressive because it is loud or busy, what truly impresses is the nuance that is employed in the sound design. Directionality of sound is never an issue with this film series, and dialogue is reproduced with supreme clarity. The iconic soaring score from Howard Shore fills the room in a way that never fails to stir something deep inside of you. The track offers expert level immersion into the various lands so that even the subtlest elements are represented. The Atmos presentation takes full advantage of the expanded channel allotment. Height channels greatly impress as arrows soar through the air, and the clanging of sword on sword echoes through your bones in a way that makes you feel in the thick of the action. It is not just the obvious aspects that impress; weather sounds from rain at Helm’s Deep and the brisk wind brings a fully realized world to your living room. All of the sounds are balanced well during the action sequences from the thuds of the impact to the roar from the participants. The many battles and other such kinetic moments provide an incredible amount of activity in the low end. The epic showdown in the final film allows you to marvel at the sonic assault on display. Having your overhead channels deliver the awe-inspiring score from above does an amazing job of transporting you to this world. The audio presentation is a wonderful experience from start to finish.
The Hobbit
The following assessment has been reposted from the previous 4K UHD Blu-Ray review.
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray set offers a major upgrade in the form of a lively Dolby Atmos presentation that handles the action incredibly well. The track offers expert level immersion into the various lands so that even the subtlest elements are represented. The Atmos presentation takes full advantage of the expanded channel allotment. During the scenes with Smaug flying around or arrows zipping through the air, you could be forgiven if you ducked thinking they were right overhead in the height channels. It is not just the obvious aspects that impress; weather sounds from rain to wind bring a fully realized world to your living room. All of the sounds are balanced well during the action sequences from the clanging of swords to the yells from the participants. The many battles and other such kinetic moments provide an incredible amount of activity in the low end. The epic showdown in the final film allows you to marvel at the sonic assault on display. This track is not just impressive because it is loud or busy, what truly impresses is the nuance that is employed in the sound design. Directionality of sound is never an issue with this film series, and dialogue is reproduced with supreme clarity. The soaring score from Howard Shore fills the room in a way that conjures up a well of emotion in your core. Having your overhead channels deliver this awe-inspiring music from above does an amazing job of transporting you to this world. The audio presentation is a wonderful experience from start to finish.
Special Features
The Middle-Earth: Ultimate Collector’s Edition comes in a truly stunning package with a magnetically foldable design that can be displayed in a few different configurations that will look incredible on your shelf. Each film is given its own multi-disc case containing the Theatrical and Extended Edition of the film along with a slipcover for each film that matches the artwork underneath. The special features box oddly does not come in a standard case, choosing instead to have an awkward cardboard case that you have to pry open. Inside of this is the exclusive Bonus Disc in a disc-sized Digipack case along with a 64-page softcover book called The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings: A Collection of Costume Sketches, Photography, and Production Notes, a set of 7 travel posters for various locations in the films (The Shire, Lake-Town, Erebor, the Anduin, Rohan, Minas Tirith, and Rivendell), and Digital copy codes for The Hobbit Trilogy and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (which redeem for 4K versions of both the theatrical and Extended versions). Please see pictures of the packaging at the bottom of this review.
Before the release of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies on 4K UHD Blu-Ray last year, fans were warned that this special Middle-Earth box set would be coming that would include special features that the individual feature-less sets were missing. Now that this release is actually here, fans may be happy that they have newly-remastered Blu-Rays with some previously released special features along with some exclusive new special features. Most fans, though, will be disappointed that they cannot completely retire some of their old releases. While it may have been too much to ask for the inclusion of the 3-D versions of The Hobbit films that were previously released, the real sour aspect of this release is the complete lack of The Appendices that provide more hours of special documentaries and behind-the-scenes footage that your brain can possibly handle. The release also lacks the behind-the-scenes documentaries produced by Costa Botes which made their debut with the Limited Edition DVD sets back in 2006. With this set already being 31 discs, it seems like a grave misstep to not just add another 4-7 discs to get every piece of content that has been released in one set. While this set with its handsome packaging will likely please casual fans, die-hards will be disappointed that they don’t have a true “ultimate” set. The on-disc special features are as follows:
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Disc 3 – Theatrical Version Blu-Ray
- New Zealand – Home Of Middle Earth: A nearly seven-minute featurette in which the cast and crew discuss the special thrill of filming in New Zealand and how specific locations have served these stories of the years. The best part is getting to see comparisons of how certain locations look in real life compared to how they are depicted on film and realizing there is very little difference.
Disc 4 – Extended Version Blu-Ray
- The Filmmakers’ Commentary: Filmmaker Peter Jackson and Co-Writer Philippa Boyens
- New Zealand – Home Of Middle Earth: The featurette is repeated from the previous disc.
The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug
Disc 7 – Theatrical Version Blu-Ray
- New Zealand – Home Of Middle Earth (Part 2): Another seven-minute featurette in which the cast and crew take you through some of the shooting locations of the film while expressing their love of New Zealand.
Disc 8 – Extended Version Blu-Ray
- The Filmmakers’ Commentary: Filmmaker Peter Jackson and Co-Writer Philippa Boyens
- New Zealand – Home Of Middle Earth (Part 2): The featurette is repeated from the previous disc.
The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies
Disc 11 – Theatrical Version Blu-Ray
- New Zealand – Home Of Middle Earth (Part 3): Another six-minute featurette in which the cast and crew take you through some of the shooting locations of the film while expressing their love of New Zealand.
Disc 12 – Extended Version Blu-Ray
- The Filmmakers’ Commentary: Filmmaker Peter Jackson and Co-Writer Philippa Boyens
- New Zealand – Home Of Middle Earth (Part 3): The featurette is repeated from the previous disc.
- Trailers: This disc provides Trailer #1 (1:57), Trailer #2 (2:33) and the Legacy Trailer (2:46).
The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring
Disc 16 – Theatrical Version Blu-Ray
- Trailers: This disc provides Trailer #1 (1:48), Trailer #2 (2:29), Final Trailer (2:54) and The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy Supertrailer (6:39).
Disc 17 & 18 – Extended Version Blu-Ray
- The Director And Writers Commentary: Filmmaker Peter Jackson and Co-Writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens
- The Design Team Commentary: Production designer Grant Major, costume designer Ngila Dickson, Weta Workshop creative supervisor Richard Taylor, conceptual designers Alan Lee and John Howe, supervising art director Dan Hennah, art department manager Chris Hennah and Weta Workshop manager Tania Rodger
- The Production/Post-Production Team Commentary: Producer Barrie M. Osborne, executive producer Mark Ordesky, director of photography Andrew Lesnie, editor John Gilbert, co-producer Rick Porras, composer Howard Shore, visual effects supervisor Jim Rygiel, supervising sound editors Ethan van der Ryn and Mike Hopkins, Weta animation designer & supervisor Randy Cook, Weta VFX art director Christian Rivers, Weta VFX cinematographer Brian Van’t Hul and Miniatures Unit DP Alex Funke
- The Cast Commentary: Actors Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Sean Astin, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee and Sean Bean
- Easter Egg – MTV Council of Elrond: A three-and-a-half minute MTV Movie Awards short starring Jack Black and Sarah Michelle Gellar which hilariously shows the One Ring going where one would hope it never goes.
- Easter Egg – Theatrical Preview of The Two Towers: A three-and-a-half minute glimpse at the follow-up that was included on theatrical prints of Fellowship near the end of its run.
The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers
Disc 22 – Theatrical Version Blu-Ray
- Trailers: This disc provides the Teaser Trailer (2:03), Theatrical Trailer (3:07) and The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy Supertrailer (6:39).
Disc 23 & 24 – Extended Version Blu-Ray
- The Director And Writers Commentary: Filmmaker Peter Jackson and Co-Writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens
- The Design Team Commentary: Production designer Grant Major, Weta Workshop creative supervisor Richard Taylor, conceptual designers Alan Lee and John Howe, supervising art director Dan Hennah, art department manager Chris Hennah and Weta Workshop manager Tania Rodger
- The Production/Post-Production Team Commentary: Producer Barrie M. Osborne, executive producer Mark Ordesky, director of photography Andrew Lesnie, editor Mike Horton, additional editor Jabez Olssen, co-producer Rick Porras, composer Howard Shore, visual effects supervisors Jim Rygiel and Joe Letteri, supervising sound editors Ethan van der Ryn and Mike Hopkins, Weta animation designer & supervisor Randy Cook, Weta VFX art director Christian Rivers, Weta VFX cinematographer Brian Van’t Hul and Visual Effects DP Alex Funke
- The Cast Commentary: Actors Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Sean Bean, Bernard Hill, Miranda Otto, David Wenham, Brad Dourif, Karl Urban, John Noble, Craig Parker and Andy Serkis
- Easter Egg – MTV Best Virtual Performance: A three-minute acceptance speech from Andy Serkis and Gollum for Best Virtual Performance that goes a bit off the rails.
The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King
Disc 28 – Theatrical Version Blu-Ray
- Trailers: This disc provides Trailer #1 (3:00), Trailer #2 (1:03) and The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy Supertrailer (6:39).
Disc 29 & 30 – Extended Version Blu-Ray
- The Director And Writers Commentary: Filmmaker Peter Jackson and Co-Writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens
- The Design Team Commentary: Production designer Grant Major, Weta Workshop creative supervisor Richard Taylor, conceptual designers Alan Lee and John Howe, supervising art director Dan Hennah, art department manager Chris Hennah, Weta Workshop manager Tania Rodger and costume designer Ngila Dickson
- The Production/Post-Production Team Commentary: Producer Barrie M. Osborne, executive producer Mark Ordesky, director of photography Andrew Lesnie, editor Jamie Selkirk, assistant editor Annie Collins, co-producer Rick Porras, composer Howard Shore, visual effects supervisors Jim Rygiel and Joe Letteri, supervising sound editors Ethan van der Ryn and Mike Hopkins, Weta animation designer & supervisor Randy Cook, Weta VFX art director Christian Rivers, Weta VFX cinematographer Brian Van’t Hul and Visual Effects DP Alex Funke
- The Cast Commentary: Actors Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Ian McKellen, John Rhys-Davies, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Bernard Hill, Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto, David Wenham, Karl Urban, John Noble, Liv Tyler, Andy Serkis and Lawrence Makoare
- Easter Egg – Interview with Dominic Monaghan & Elijah Wood: A nine-minute comedic interview in which Monaghan plays a prank on Wood by posing as a German interviewer.
- Easter Egg – MTV Ben Stiller & Vince Vaughn Interview with Peter Jackson: A six-minute comedic interview in which Stiller and Vaughn pitch a fourth movie to Jackson which could act as a starring vehicle for them.
Disc 31 – Bonus Disc
- Alamo Drafthouse Presents The Lord Of The Rings Cast Reunions: Tolkien superfan Stephen Colbert hosts a series of virtual panels with various cast members for the 20th anniversary of The Fellowship Of The Ring. While it would have been nice to have all of these people in the same room together, it is so much fun to see everyone interacting once again by telling engaging and hilarious stories from the production of these films. Fans of the franchise will cherish every moment of these interviews. It does the heart well to know that many of these performers remain friends after all of these years.
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- The Fellowship Of The Ring (39:39): Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan
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- The Two Towers (32:25): Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Viggo Mortensen, and Liv Tyler
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- The Return Of The King (29:50): Peter Jackson, Ian McKellen, and Andy Serkis
- Festival de Cannes Presentation Reel: A 27-minute piece which stands as the very first footage seen by anyone outside of those working on the film shown exclusively at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2001. This is made especially valuable for fans thanks to the inclusion of never-before-seen footage, extended moments, alternate lines, early effects work, temp score tracks and more.
Final Thoughts
The Middle-Earth: Ultimate Collector’s Edition brings together the six films that make up one of the greatest fantasy adventures to be featured on screen. There is nothing like taking a trip to The Shire and beyond with the characters that feel like old friends. With such affection for the series, fans want the best presentation possible, and that is debatable when it comes to this new set. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment features all six films with a stunning A/V presentation in a masterful box set design, but there are essential special features missing from the discs that will cause hardcore fans to have to hold on to their old releases. The new special features that are included are a lot of fun, but this set is not quite the all-time greatest like it could have been. Fans of the franchise will need to weigh if that packaging and special features that are missing or included are a deal maker/breaker for them.
Middle-Earth: Ultimate Collector’s Edition will be available to purchase on November 16, 2021
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.