Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers [5 Discs] [Blu-ray]

Director: Peter Jackson

Overview

The second film in Peter Jackson's series of screen adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien's internationally popular Lord of The Rings trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers literally begins where The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring ended, with the Fellowship splitting into three groups as they seek to return the Ring to Mordor, the forbidding land where the powerful talisman must be taken to be destroyed. Frodo (Elijah Wood), who carries the Ring, and his fellow Hobbit Sam (Sean Astin) are lost in the hills of Emyn Muil when they encounter Gollum (Andy Serkis), a strange creature who once carried the Ring and was twisted by its power. Gollum volunteers to guide the pair to Mordor; Frodo agrees, but Sam does not trust their new acquaintance. Elsewhere, Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) are attempting to navigate Fangorn Forrest where they discover a most unusual nemesis -- Treebeard (voice of John Rhys-Davies), a walking and talking tree-shepherd who doesn't much care for Hobbits. Finally, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), and Legolas (Orlando Bloom) arrive in Rohan to discover that the evil powers of Saruman (Christopher Lee) have robbed King Theoden (Bernard Hill) of his rule. The King's niece ?owyn (Miranda Otto) believes Aragorn and his men have the strength to defeat Saruman, his henchman Wormtongue (Brad Dourif), and their minions. ?owyn soon becomes infatuated with Aragorn, while he struggles to stay faithful to the pledge of love he made to Arwen (Liv Tyler). Gandalf (Ian McKellen) offers his help and encouragement as the Rohans, under Aragorn's leadership, attempt to face down Saruman's armies, but they soon discover how great the task before them truly is when they learn that his troops consist of 10,000 bloodthirsty creatures specially bred to fight to the death. Most of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers was shot in tandem with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King during a marathon 18-month shooting schedule, overseen by Peter Jackson.

Product Details

Release Date:	11/06/2012
UPC:	0794043163210
Original Release:	2002
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	New Line Home Video
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo]
Language:	English
Time:	3:43:00
Sales rank:	71,405

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Elijah Wood	Frodo Baggins
Ian McKellen	Gandalf the Grey
Viggo Mortensen	Aragorn
Sean Astin	Samwise 'Sam' Gamgee
Liv Tyler	Arwen
Cate Blanchett	Galadriel
Billy Boyd	Pippin Took
Dominic Monaghan	Merry
Orlando Bloom	Legolas
John Rhys-Davies	Gimli,Treebeard
Christopher Lee	Saruman
Miranda Otto	Eowyn
Bernard Hill	Theoden
Bruce Hopkins	Gamling
Andy Serkis	Gollum
Hugo Weaving	Elrond
Brad Dourif	Grima Wormtongue
Karl Urban	?omer
David Wenham	Faramir
Craig Parker	Haldir
Bruce Allpress	Aldor
John Bach	Madril
Jed Brophy	Sharku/Snaga
Sam Comery	?othain
Calum Gittins	Haleth
Paris Howe Strewe	Th?odred - Prince of Rohan
Nathaniel Lees	Ugl?k
Robyn Malcolm	Morwen
Sala Baker	Man Flesh Uruk
Robert Pollock	Mordor Orc
Olivia Tennet	Freda
Ray Trickitt	Bereg
Stephen Ure	Grishn?kh
Lee Hartley	Hero Orc
Phil Grieve	Hero Orc
Billy Jackson	Cute Rohan Refugee Child
Howard Shore	Composer
Marton Csokas	Celeborn

Technical Credits

Philippa Boyens

Stephen Sinclair

Fran Walsh

J.R.R. Tolkien

Peter Jackson

Philippa Boyens	Screenwriter
Stephen Sinclair	Screenwriter
Fran Walsh	Screenwriter,Producer
Barrie M. Osborne	Producer
Harvey Weinstein	Executive Producer,Executive Producer,Producer,Producer
Robert Shaye	Executive Producer,Producer
Mark Ordesky	Executive Producer,Producer
Michael Lynne	Executive Producer
Victoria Burrows	Casting
John Hubbard	Casting
Amy MacLean	Casting
Liz Mullane	Casting
Ann Robinson	Casting
George Marshall Ruge	Stunts
Joe Letteri	Special Effects
Randall William Cook	Special Effects
Jim Rygiel	Special Effects
Richard Taylor	Special Effects
Alex Funke	Special Effects
David Farmer	Sound/Sound Designer
Narelle Ahrens	Sound Effects
Christopher Boyes	Sound Effects,Sound/Sound Designer
Brent Burge	Sound Effects
Jason Canovas	Sound Effects
Dan Abrams	Special Effects
Daniel Andrews	Stunts
J.R.R. Tolkien	Screenwriter
Peter Jackson	Screenwriter,Producer
Hammond Peek	Sound/Sound Designer
Michael Hedges	Sound/Sound Designer
Ethan Van der Ryn	Sound/Sound Designer
Michael Semanick	Sound/Sound Designer

Scene Index

Disc #1 -- Lord of the Rings: The Appendices - Part Three: The Journey Continues...
1. From Book To Script: Finding the Story [10:33]
1. Emyn Muil [2:07]
3. Dead Marshes [10:33]
5. The Black Gate [7:40]
7. North Ithilien [11:11]
9. Henneth Annûn [9:55]
13. Ephel Dúath Foothills [2:18]
1. Eastemnet Gullies
1. J.R.R. Tolkien: Origins of Middle-Earth [3:44]
1. From Book to Script: Finding the Story [6:55]
1. Designing Middle-earth [2:53]
1. Weta Workshop [2:08]
1. The Taming of Sméagol [3:02]
6. Andy Serkis Animation Reference [2:53]
1. Gollum's "Stand In" [2:29]
1. Emyn Muil [2:07]
3. Dead Marshes [10:33]
5. The Black Gate [7:40]
7. North Ithilien [11:11]
9. Henneth Annûn [9:55]
13. Ephel Dúath Foothills [2:18]
1. Eastemnet Gullies
1. Emyn Muil [2:00]
1. The Dead Marshes [1:44]
1. Rohan [3:02]
1. Edoras [1:46]
1. Ithilien [2:08]
1. Fangorn Forest [1:31]
1. Helm's Deep [2:12]
9. Chapter 9 [1:24]

Menu

Disc #1 -- Lord of the Rings: The Appendices - Part Three: The Journey Continues...
Introduction
Play All
J.R.R. Tolkien: Origins of Middle-Earth
Designing And Building Middle-Earth
Designing Middle-Earth
Weta Workshop
Design Galleries
Designing and Building Middle-Earth
Design Galleries
The Peoples of Middle-Earth
The Enemy
Uruk-hai
Slideshow
Easterlings
Slideshow
Wargs And Riders
Slideshow
Grishnákh
Slideshow
Haradrim
Slideshow
Wild Men
Slideshow
Fell Beasts
Slideshow
Mûmakil
Slideshow
Gandalf The White
Enter Gallery
Rohan
King Théoden
Slideshow
Éomer
Slideshow
Éowyn
Slideshow
Théodred
Slideshow
King's Royal Guard
Slideshow
Riders of Rohan
Slideshow
Grima (Wormtongue)
Slideshow
Third Age Elven Warriors
Slideshow
Treebeard
Slideshow
Ents
Slideshow
Faramir
Slideshow
Ithilien Rangers
Slideshow
The Realms of Middle-Earth
Emyn Muil
Slideshow
Dead Marshes
Slideshow
Rohan
Edoras
Slideshow
Meduseld: The Golden Hall
Slideshow
Théodred's Bedroom
Slideshow
Stables
Slideshow
Plains of Rohan
Slideshow
Helm's Deep
Slideshow
Fanghorn Forest
Slideshow
Ithilien
Slideshow
Henneth Annûn
Slideshow
Osgiliath
Slideshow
Isengard
Slideshow
Gollum
The Taming of Sméagol
Andy Serkis Animation Reference
View Sequence
Gollum's "Stand In"
Design Gallery
Slideshow
Middle-earth Atlas
Enter The Map
Choose A Path
Frodo & Sam
Osgiliath
Merry & Pippin
Eaves of Fangorn
Fangorn Forest
Wellinghall
Derndingle
Isengard
Aragorn, Legalas & Gimli
Eastemnet Gullies
Plains of Rohan
Fanghorn Forest
Edoras
Helm's Deep
White Mountains
Gandalf
Zirakzigil
Fanghorn Forest
Edoras
Helm's Deep
New Zealand as Middle-Earth
Play All
Emyn Muil
The Dead Marshes
Rohan
Edoras
Ithilien
Fangorn Forest
Helm's Deep
Set Up Options
English Subtitles
Spanish Subtitles
Subtitles: None
Index
Documentaries:
Additional Features:
View Sequence
Middle-earth Atlas
Enter The Map
Choose A Path
Frodo & Sam
Osgiliath
Merry & Pippin
Eaves of Fangorn
Fangorn Forest
Wellinghall
Derndingle
Isengard
Aragorn, Legalas & Gimli
Eastemnet Gullies
Plains of Rohan
Fanghorn Forest
Edoras
Helm's Deep
White Mountains
Gandalf
Zirakzigil
Fanghorn Forest
Edoras
Helm's Deep
New Zealand As Middle-earth
Play All
New Menu Item
Galleries: The People of Middle-Earth (Alphabetical Order)
Index 3 of 11
Easterligs
Slideshow
Ents
Slideshow
Éomer
Slideshow
Éowyn
Slideshow
Faramir
Slideshow
Index 4 of 11
Fell Beasts
Slideshow
Gandalf the White
Slideshow
Gollum
Enter Gallery
Slideshow
Grima (Wormtongue)
Slideshow
Grishnákh
Slideshow
Haradrim
Slideshow
Index 5 of

Editorial Reviews

Co-writer and director Peter Jackson continues his Oscar-winning, box-office blockbuster adaptation of the classic fantasy novel from author J.R.R. Tolkien with a second installment that plunges the fictional setting of Middle-earth into a vicious war. Welcome additions to the action in the sophomore adventure include the CG-created Gollum, moving front and center as a major character who is simply amazing in his ability to entertain and move the viewer emotionally. The most pathetic creature in the trilogy, he's a schizophrenic nightmare but heartbreakingly human and poignantly, dazzlingly realized by a combination of actor Andy Serkis's physical skill and Jackson's special effects experts. Gollum puts the similar Jar Jar Binks character of the second Star Wars trilogy to shame. Also thrilling are a climactic battle between Ents (living "trees") and the evil wizard Saruman (Christopher Lee) that brings to mind any number of breathtaking sequences from The Wizard of Oz (1939), and the final clash between humans and invading enemy forces at Helm's Deep, a lengthy but thrilling clash of bows and shields that recalls the superb fight sequences from Braveheart (1995). Less persuasive are some storytelling elements that fall victim to the filmmakers' effort to condense the story into a three-hour running time: several gaps in the action occur and a few developments are left unexplained or vague, such as how the forces of Éomer (Karl Urban) grow from a few dozen to thousands, how the defenders of the realm of Gondor manage to defeat their attackers, why the Ringwraiths have suddenly switched mounts from horses to dragons (why did they use horses at all in the first film?) -- and why Tolkien felt the need to give every location, character, and object in his work at least three utterly confusing names (those who haven't read the books may be left wondering what the difference is between Éomer and Faramir or Gimli and Grima). However, the simple fact that a novel as dense and detailed as this one hasn't been turned into a labored bore is a miracle; that Jackson has fashioned such a triumphant success is a real artistic achievement. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) may be imperfect in its occasionally frustrated effort to squeeze every significant plot element into the mix, but it's a visual marvel and a definite raising of the artistic bar for its entire genre. No filmmaker will ever be able to create a sci-fi or fantasy epic again without comparison against it.