r/lotr • u/ringmav • 15h ago

Movies BD commentary for first timers?

So i usually do a yearly LOTR marathon in December and my kids watch them with me. Now, this year, i want to do it but with commentary. I know theres like 3 or 4 commentaries on them (its been a while since i’ve seen them with) but which one would be the most entertaining for commentary first timers like my kids? They range from 13- 20 years old. What do you guys recommend?

2 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

1 comment sorted by

3

u/Malachi108 14h ago

For the youngsters, pick the actors commentary. It has the four Hobbit actors goofing around quite a lot. Though many other actors are present on that commentary, everyone was not in the same room, as many other voiceover bits are clearly recorded elsewhen and spliced in.

I personally find the director/writer commentaries the most interesting. PJ, Walsh, and Boyens explain a lot of story decisions that many book fans to this day find questionable. A lot conflicts between characters are "we need dramatic tension at this point in the story" and a LOT of movie-original scenes where the characters are talking about current events are "we need the audiences to really understand what is going on".

The art team and the production team commentaries are fun if you've seen the Appendices so often that you know everyone by face and voice. If you can recognize Dan Hennah, Grant Major, Rick Porras, Randy Cook, and Jim Rygiel by their voice alone, then you already know what they did on the Trilogy, so you'll have a good time.