Extended Edition Movies That Are Worth the Watch
Avid moviegoers who just can't get enough of their favorite flicks can enjoy extended versions, which are available on DVD and Blu-ray. These longer versions include scenes that where edited out from the movie theater release and added back, and some feature special documentaries on how the film was made. Here are five blockbuster films that offer extended versions.
Avatar: Extended Collector's Edition
Comprised of three discs that feature 45 minutes of unfinished material, Avatar: Extended Collector's Edition hits the shelves in the U.S. and Canada in November 2010. It includes 16 minutes of finished, new material and an interesting feature on an environmental campaign in Brazil called "A Message from Pandora." One of the highlights is the Earth opening, which totals almost five minutes of the finished new material. Reportedly, the studio paid around one million dollars for the Earth scene to be included in the collector's edition.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Released in 2013, the Blu-ray version of this hugely popular film includes 13 minutes of never-before-seen footage. What really makes this three-disc offering special is almost nine hours of in-depth reports on the production of this film and the execution of amazing special effects. Most of the new footage centers on the beginning of the movie.
The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
This five-disc Blu-ray set released in 2012 contains three BD50s and three DVDs in a case with impressive cover art. For movie making junkies, Disc 3 has some intriguing segments about the making of Return of the King with a "From Book To Script" section, and Disc 4 has seven documentaries that essentially presents an emotional farewell to The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Titanic Extended Edition
Originally released on DVD in 2005 and now available in other formats, this collection is a must-have for fans of one of the world's most popular movies, which won 11 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Director. The collection features 29 scenes that were not in the theatrical release, an alternate ending, production and special effects features, details on the execution of stunts, and the music video of "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion.
The Dark Knight Trilogy: Ultimate Collector's Edition
If you can't get enough of the Caped Crusader, you'll love this exhaustive six-disc Blu-ray set released in 2013, which features three Batman films — Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises — and a slew of special features. Especially insightful is the conversation with directors Christopher Nolan and Richard Donner, who detail the challenges of bringing Batman to the big screen. An added bonus for devotees is the 64-page shortened version of the book, The Art of Making the Dark Knight Trilogy.
Great movies always leave audiences craving for more entertainment. Thanks to extended versions we can enjoy our favorite movies even more.