Tuesday marked the day nerds all around the planet had been waiting for. The legendary "Lord of the Rings" trilogy finally became available on Blu-ray in extended directors cut.
For many fans, the extended edition is the "true" film, while the theatrical release is a more watered-down product aimed at a wider audience. Each extended edition contains about 30 additional minutes of film as well as a load of special features.
The movies were originally released on DVD in 2006, but fans have been clamoring for a proper Blu-ray release. The theatrical versions saw a Blu-ray release back in April of 2010, much to the dismay of diehard fanatics.
Before the theatrical versions on Blu-ray even hit shelves, 2,500 frustrated fans gave the release a one-star rating on Amazon.com. Fans felt the extended editions were a priority and should be released along with the theatrical versions.
Many felt Warner Bros. was trying to double-dip the market, getting consumers to not only buy one version, but the extended editions at a later date as well. From a business perspective, why wouldn't Warner Bros. do that? It proved profitable when the films were released on DVD, so it would only be logical to repeat the process.
The studio was smart enough to notice the niche of fans who wanted the extended cuts on Blu-ray, however, and decided to finance the project. In response, the "Lord of the Rings" nation decided to attack the theatrical release online.
As a fan of the films myself, I was disappointed in the way other fans handled this situation. Obviously we all wanted to get the Blu-ray extended cuts sooner rather than later, but in the digital age with all the piracy that goes on, you can't blame a company for trying to squeeze as much out of the films as it can, especially with a series like "Lord of the Rings," which saw over $1 billion in profit for each movie.
But instead of voting with our wallets by not buying the theatrical versions, fans decided they'd rather whine like children and e-vandalize an Amazon product. But alas, what can you expect from a bunch of nerds on the Internet?
Regardless, the excruciating wait is over, fellow LOTR nerds. Open the blinds, don your fanciest mithril vest, grab eight of your closest friends and make your journey to Best Buy to pick up your precious copy of the "Lord Of The Rings" trilogy on Blu-ray.
