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Even given the hundreds of DVD releases with thousands of documentaries and behind-the-scenes featurettes, it wouldn’t be difficult to mount an argument that the multi-disc Lord of the Rings](The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) - Movie | Moviefone) Extended Edition sets are the most insightful and informative releases in all of home video history. Back on VHS, Lucas pioneered making-of supplemental materials when he released an impossibly expensive widescreen box set for Star Wars, and of course the laserdiscs offered plenty of inside information as well. But at a time when computer-generated special effects were colliding with unprecedented consumer interest in not just watching but *owning *seemingly every single movie, the Lord of the Rings releases galvanized audience interest in the filmmaking process with the true meaning of added-value content in a way that few other releases have before or since.
All of which is why the release of the new Lord of the Rings - The Motion Picture Trilogy box set may inadvertently provide a second, decidedly sadder benchmark in home video history: the moment when those same consumers seriously began to question what was “added” in added-value releases. Bereft of any new content, not to mention the lion’s share of the meatier bonus content from previous releases, the high-definition debut of these three films only serves as a reminder that there may be only so much to say about a movie series, even one as beloved as this, before its continued popularity is more about making money than in maintaining a lasting legacy.
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