Cheap Secrets of Middle-Earth - Inside Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" (4-Pack) (Video) Price

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Customer Reviews of Secrets of Middle-Earth - Inside Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" (4-Pack)

Urrrmmmm ... no.
I'm gonna have to back up D. Kamionkowski and jp9999 on this one. Don't get this (I made the mistake of getting it, and I now tell friends that I'm trying to convert into Ringers to stear clear). <
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>The one for THE HOBBIT was the only good one of the bunch. That DVD actually felt like they researched the book they were looking into, and words were consistantly pronounced correctly. And frankly, I liked the narrator on that one much better than the narrator on the LotR side. This one actually seemed as though he was a fan (or was really good at coming across as one). <
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>The three for LotR whoever, are very lacking. D. Kamionkowski already pointed out some of the plot points that were incorrect, but what really got me was the mispronouncation of words. What really gets on my nerves is when people use incorrect syntax or grammer, or they mispronounce words, and this set drove me straight up the wall. The narrator kept pronouncing words that began with the letter "c" as though it were pronounced like an "s", instead of pronouncing it like a "k" (which Tolkien said to do in the appendix). It gets really irritating when you hear it pronounced "Selaborn" and "Sirith Ungul", and it should be pronounced "Kelaborn" and "Kirith Ungul". And what's even more fun than that is the pronouncation of "Minis Tirith". Whenever you get the voiceover, it's pronounced correctly (with the first "i" in "Minis" pronounced as a short "i"), and then, when he's actually in front of the camera it's pronounced incorrectly (with the "i" pronounced long). I ended up wanting to scream at the screen, "Just pick one!! If you're going to pronounce it wrong, then pronounce it worng ALL of the time!!" <
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>Overall, it really did feel like they didn't check their facts before this set was made and really wanted to cash in on the new-found popularity of LotR.

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Misinformation Galore- -Do Not Buy
The only thing this series revealed to me was the ignorance of the producers on the subject of The Lord of the Rings. I was left with the distinct impression that they either have not read the trilogy or did so many years ago. The number of inaccuracies in plot and setting exposition is astonishing, leaving one with the impression that this was (yet another) attempt to cash in on the resurgence in Tolkien mania that Peter Jackson's rendition has created. Here are some examples of blatant errors: <
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>1) Their synopsis states that Pippin met up with Frodo and Sam at Bucklebury Ferry, leading me to conclude that the edition they read was missing the two chapters detailing Frodo, Sam and Pippin's adventures on the way from Bag End to the Ferry. It is Merry that they meet up with shortly before reaching the Ferry (of whom they made no mention). <
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>2) Their graphical mapping of Gandalf's path from Bree to Rivendell bypasses Weathertop completely, despite Gandalf's battle with the Nazgul which Strider and the hobbits saw from far off. <
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>3) They claim Frodo's vision of Glorfindel as a shining figure at the Fords was due to the fact that he was wearing the Ring, when the text indicates that he was not wearing the Ring. <
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>4) In the most obvious and glaring error, in the 2nd DVD, they describe Minas Morgul in a way that indicates that they have confused it with the Tower of Cirith Ungol. Their description of Minas Morgul places it on the eastern slopes of the Ephel Duath, inside Mordor, when anyone familiar with the story knows that it is on the western slopes of the Ephel Duath, outside of Mordor. Their physical description of it, as well as reference to Sam's thoughts upon seeing it, match the Tower of Cirith Ungol, of which they make no mention. <
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>The impact of these errors is compounded by narrator Graham McTavish' incessant mispronunciations of place and character names, which was striking in a production that spent so much time discussing the influence of Tolkien's linguistic pursuits on his development of Middle-earth. <
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>Call me nitpicky if you will, but you would think that a production which purports to such authoritativeness would do a better job on basic plot and setting details. I was struck by how many fewer "authorities" were involved in the Two Towers DVD than were included in the Fellowship DVD, suggesting the possibility that some become aware of the illegitimacy of the project and disassociated themselves from it. Note as well that the Tolkien hiers have not sanctioned this production, and it is easy to see why. <
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>I'm only glad that I didn't buy this, but rather viewed a copy on loan from our local public library: thus, all I have invested in this series was the 3 hours to watch and the additional 10 minutes spent writing this review as a public service. <
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>Avoid this production- -if you are an aficionado, you will be disgusted by the constant mistakes, and if you are seeking to become an aficionado, you will be misinformed and will require the purchase of other more authoritative works to disabuse you of the misconceptions perpertrated by the producers of this series.

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AWESOME for fans of the books & artwork
If you are a Tolkien book geek you will love these dvd's! These documentaries are a bit dry, but the prolific shots of the Brothers Hildebrandt's artwork is a treat for any fan of their Middle Earth works. They step you through the books, relating Tolkien's influences at the time and drawing connections between his symbolism and imagery. This is a scholarly piece and not to be considered simply "entertaining." If your fandom does not extend far past the recent movies, you may not find these very interesting at all. BUT if you have been a fan forever (or recently, but are now obsessed with the Books) you will find it an excellent viewing. True geeks will probably not find a lot of "new" information inside, but the interviews and the detailed play-by-play will keep you watching anyhow.

In Summary: If you have read all of the books (not just the Trilogy) and have ever had to stop and drool at a brothers Hildebrandt coffee table book, this is a definite must see! If you loved the movies, but aren't up for a bunch of literary scholars sitting around gabbing, pass it by.