It’s not received a lot of attention, but Australia (and New Zealand) are getting a Region 4 release of both the Special Extended Edition DVD and the Collector’s Edition.

The R4 release apparently will have a funky green cover/sleeve as opposed to the plain grey of the R1 and R2.

For those not keen on buying from overseas through Amazon or other overseas DVD outlets, and having to fret about exchange rates and shipping charges, what are the alternatives?

Well, I’ve had my eye on Ezydvd.com.au for a while, and their prices have remained static for the past couple of months – $174.95 for the Collector’s Edition and $74.95 for the Extended Edition (prices in Australian dollars and include shipping).

Recently though, I’ve been shopping around, and I discovered that dvd orchard has the R4 Collectors Edition on special right now (including free shipping via TNT within Oz for pre-orders) for only $159.95. The Extended Edition is also available for pre-order for only $69.95 (also has free shipping).

You can check it out here. The release date is listed as 12/11/2002 … just scroll down through the list and select your poison.

The Ozdvd warehouse also offers a good deal. The Collectors Edition is $170.95 and the Extended Edition is $67.95. Check them out here. No mention about free shipping, though.

Planet DVD only seems to be carrying the Extended Edition. From them, you’ll pay $68.95 if you’re a non member and $65.95 if you’re a member with free shipping within Australia. I couldn’t find a price for the Collectors Edition anywhere on their site.

Update:

David writes that Atlantic DVD have have the collectors boxset for $145.95. Go here to look. They also have the Extended Edition for $69.95 here.

International postage costs start at A$3.50 for Asia/PAcific area and A$5.50 for the rest of the world for 1 DVD and go up from there for each additional DVD.

Update 2:

Some of the best prices for R4 so far are:

In Australia: Devoted

Extended Ed: $64.95
Collector’s: $144.95

Apparently, they also have a free shipping deal going at present.

For those in NZ, check out: DVD Video Planet

Extended Edition: NZ$76.95 Aus$59.35
Collector’s: NZ$179.95 Aus$138.79

While DVD VideoPlanet’s prices are the best in R4, because they are based in NZ, the benefit of the discount is lost on those of us in Australia because of the trans-tasman shipping required. (Devoted is a better deal). I can’t say how this would affect someone elsewhere who’d like to take advantage of the low Oz or NZ dollar however (and who has a PAL/R4 compatible system).

Here are the prices of the Collector’s editon and Extended Edition from Family Box Office.

Collector’s Edition – Australian Residents AU$159.50
International AU$145.00 = US$79.75 approx

Extended Edition – Australian Residents AU$67.60
International AU$61.15 = US$ 33.63 approx

The reason for the price being cheaper for international customers is that they do not have to pay our GST (goods & services tax). No free shipping, apparently.

Prices from The DVD Stop

Collectors Edition for $143.95 AUD.
Extended Edition for $62.95 AUD.

Prices from dStore Australia:

Collectors Edition for $160.50 AUD.
Extended Edition for $72.05 AUD.

Prices from DVD Crave:

Collectors Edition for $141.45 AUD.
Extended Edition for $63.50 AUD.

Price from Total DVD:
(No direct links available.)

FOTR Boxed set – $170.95 AUD
FOTR Extended Ed. – $70.95 AUD

Prices from HMV Australia:

Collectors Edition for 144.95 AUD.
Extended Edition for $79.95 AUD.

Prices from The Video Shift:

Collectors Edition for $159.99 AUD.
Extended Edition for $69.99 AUD.

Prices from Vidz of Oz:

Collectors Edition for $171.57 AUD.
Extended Edition for $76.46 AUD.

PlanetDVD did have the Collector’s Box for sale on their website at $140.95 but it was only as a limited pre-order.

And, to find out the cheapest price from any online store check out this price crawler – just type in ‘Lord of the Rings’ and it will list all the various prices for the most competitive deal. DVD Price Crawler

Good grief, that was a lot of information! Thanks heaps to everyone who wrote in and helped out. The response was truly overwhelming.

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The trailer for TTT has just come out in Japan, and once again Japanese fans are full of dread at the way the subtitles are mis-representing Tolkien and the script as Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens intended it to be understood.
Sam : “Wonder if this is the way Gandalf meant?”
Frodo: “Everything is unpredictable.”
“This is a Zen dialogue, not a translation at all,” exclaims a fan leader….[More]

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Last month Japanese fans were relieved to see the subtitles in FotR DVD were repaired considerably to what they had been in the film version. Now they are tortured again.

“On October 18th, the new TTT trailer was released by the Japanese distributor on the Web. Dubbed version was good, but those who love the actors’ own real voices chose the other version with subtitles—and they found a familiar frustration. [Eowyn says] “Preparations? Warning?” No viewer can possibly imagine Eowyn here is really saying, “They were unarmed. They had no warning.”

Another example. Sam : Wonder if this is the way Gandalf meant? (Note that “We’re lost” is eliminated) Frodo: Everything is unpredictable. “This is a Zen dialogue, not a translation at all,” exclaims an ex-leader of Petition for Better Subtitles in FotR. What’s in Frodo’s mind here is the tragic fall of Gandalf, but these subtitles ignore it. Such were the lines that filled FotR when seen in theaters. And Nippon Herald, the distributor, declares that the same subtitler will stay in her position.

A group of fans have started preparing a new petition. “How we wish we didn’t have to do this,” says another leader. “All we ask is: Just show us what is being said. Why should it be so difficult?”

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LOTR activities [or lack thereof] in Norway, Denmark and Rumania. When do we get to see the FOTR DVD in Rumania? ask the fans. [More]

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Merry Tee reports from Denmark, ” I just recieved an official mail from SF Film (the Danish distribution of TTT) saying that ticket sales for the premiere will start here November 11. The mail also tells us that FOTR wil be on the big screen here again from December 13.”

Greetings from Norway: A fan’s-eye perspective of the build-up to TTT, from Tolkien-Freak-Girl:

“I’m really sorry about my bad english today, it’s just that I’m so excited for the moment that I can hardly move my fingers!!!!!

“You should se what the Norwegian Cinema Crew has done for the fans. They have actually created a Middle-Earth-ish, Hobbitonlike queue area, in a grand park outside the cinema.

“We are being met with a great tower at the entrance, and inside there are wraiths, elves, horses, sheeps (hihi), music, competitions, nights where we all gather and sing Tolkien-songs, fireplaces and here’s the best!! On the 3. of november (the last night) they will show The FOTR on a big screen in the park, together with all the TTT trailers!!!!!!!

“Are we lucky to live in Norway or what?! :)))

“And the biggest thing: The person with the best costume and “livingplace” (in the queue, if you see what I mean) wins a trip to NewZealand for two…..”

Meanwhile fans in Rumania are MUCH less happy. In fact they sound pretty bitter.

Radu writes, ” Hi. I write this to let you know of the disapointment and anger we Lord Of The Rings fans in Romania. (I’m speaking for a group of people – but I know it’s the same thing in all our hearts).

“First,the Two Towers are only getting here in 28 February (!!!!!!!!!); second-there was no launch of the DVD or tape yet of The Fellowsip. I don’t know who to blame or what to say more, but please does anyone have some data about what’s going on in here – a least an aprox. date on the tape’s launching here.. ps.. The Two Towers Trailer was here today, but…surprise-surprise……[it was] the old one-released in spring..”

So there you have it. Anyone that’s in touch with the New Line distributors for Rumania, tell us what’s going on, please!

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A guess about the opening scene of TTT, tantalisingly described in scr[i]pt magazine below…[More] Film Spoiler, don’t look if you want to stay pure…

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