Amazingly, the extended version offers you over 15 minutes of end-title credits, acknowledging the charter members of a website, and providing an exit-music showcase for Howard Shore's score!

Rating: Null/10 (18 November 2002)

I found Peter Jackson's epic visual interpretation of Tolkien's elaborate-but-simplistic story to be one of the best film spectacles since the days of Samuel Bronston and the old Hollywood Biblical epics. Like the grandiose epics of the mid-twentieth century (CLEOPATRA, FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, BEN-HUR), THE LORD OF THE RINGS creates visual ecstasy (even in an era of overworked, stale CGI bombardment). Peter Jackson is obviously in control of his craft. He got convincing performances from everyone in his cast, and the overall production design and scope of FELLOWSHIP is much more awe-inspiring than any of the latest space operas from Lucasfilm. The legendary status of the Tolkien books precludes me from caring how faithful a movie version of them needs to be; indeed, it's arguable whether a film has any obligation to remain faithful to a literary version of a story. In that same light, the extended version of FELLOWSHIP, is merely that, more material added to an already intricate storyline. It doesn't hurt to have it; and it doesn't hurt to miss it. Jackson has crafted one of the screen's best epics using current, state-of-the-art techniques, and that, based on the recent glut of blockbuster competition, is apparently difficult to do these days! He's captured the spirit of Tolkien and provides his audience with one of the best epic spectaculars in years!