Few could claim to have never experienced Sagan om Ringen (Lord of the Rings) in the two decades since its cinematic debut in 2001. These films redefined the fantasy genre and elevated the careers of director Peter Jackson, achieving widespread acclaim a decade before Game of Thrones entered the cultural landscape. While numerous DVD editions and a Blu-ray box set (2010) have been released, a full 4K remaster has been notably absent – until now. senses is evaluating the Lord of The Rings Trilogy in UHD 4K, featuring Dolby Vision HDR visuals and Dolby Atmos audio.
Given the films’ ubiquitous presence, this review will concentrate on the technical specifications and the contents of the box set. For synopses of the films’ plots, refer to resources such as this Wikipedia entry.
Peter Jackson actively participated in the 4K remastering of his J.R.R. Tolkien adaptations. The video below details the process and the objective of achieving visual uniformity and a contemporary aesthetic.
LOTR box’s physical content
The box contains a keep case holding nine Ultra HD Blu-ray discs. These include the Theatrical and Extended editions of each film: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Sagan om ringen: Ringens Brödraskap), The Two Towers (Sagan om de två tornen), and Return of the King (Sagan om Konungens Återkomst). This box contains only the 4K versions; playback requires a UHD player and a 4K-capable display. Current-generation consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X include built-in UHD readers (on models equipped with disc drives).
Unlike the comprehensive “ultimate edition” releases such as Game of Thrones: Complete Collection on UHD 4K, this set lacks stylish covers and accompanying booklets. (A more elaborate edition is planned for release next year, as noted in the footnote.)
Picture – Lord of the Rings 4K
The entire Sagan om Ringen (Lord of the Rings) trilogy was filmed concurrently, primarily from October 1999 to December 2000, with additional pick-up shots from 2001 to 2004. The films were shot on 35mm film (Super 35mm format), then scanned and digitally post-processed. Special effects were rendered in 2K, and the final output was transferred back to 35mm for theatrical distribution. The high quality of the original 35mm master, relatively free from damage, proved ideal for scanning and upscaling to 4K.
Photos: THE LORD OF THE RINGS, THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, THE TWO TOWERS, THE RETURN OF THE KING and the names of the characters, items, events and places therein are trademarks of The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Middle-earth Enterprises under license to New Line Productions, Inc.
The visual result is, predictably, impressive. The Sagan om Ringen (Lord of the Rings) trilogy, known for its visual scope, has arguably never looked better, surpassing even its theatrical presentation. Black levels in nocturnal scenes are profoundly deep, devoid of artifacts or posterization. The colors of the New Zealand landscapes are vibrant within the Dolby Vision dynamic range, creating an immersive viewing experience without unnatural color saturation. Sharpness is generally excellent, imparting an almost three-dimensional quality to some scenes (viewed on Panasonic’s flagship OLED HZ2000 and their UB9000 UHD player). However, the creators digitally smoothed the image to reduce the natural film grain inherent in the 35mm original. While this provides a “cleaner” and more modern look, aligning visually with the digitally-shot Hobbit trilogy, the removal of grain also diminishes subtle details, particularly noticeable in expansive landscape shots that lack expected razor sharpness.
Are there any drawbacks? A few. The ambitious digital processing, aimed at noise reduction, appears to have introduced some judder during the transfer to 24 frames per second, visible during certain panning shots, especially in slow camera movements in daylight. The visual effects, while generally holding up well for a 20-year-old film series, are more obviously dated in high resolution. Digital touch-ups and “smearing” that were less apparent on film and lower-resolution media now resemble localized detail censoring.
Despite these minor issues, the 4K presentation represents a significant improvement over the noise reduction artifacts present in the Blu-ray trilogy (2010). Overall, this is a brilliant transfer by Jackson and the teams at New Line and Warner, with consistently high picture quality and world-class HDR enabled by Dolby Vision.
Sound – Lord of the Rings 4K
The original Lord of the Rings mixes were in 5.1 Dolby Digital and later 6.1 DTS. This UHD 4K release features a reworked eight-channel, uncompressed Dolby Atmos mix, incorporating height and atmosphere. The sonic enhancements are immediately apparent. The familiar opening sequence is delivered with enhanced sensitivity: Cate Blanchett’s narration, layered over Howard Shore’s soundtrack, provides the historical context with masterful filmmaking. Quiet, ambient passages are punctuated by powerful bass and battle cries during the Mount Doom sequence. The implosion of Sauron (not a spoiler) generates a palpable ultra-low frequency pressure wave, delivering a satisfying home theater experience.
The audio work is expertly crafted and worthy of this film series.
Extra material?
None. Warner has prioritized picture and sound quality by providing both theatrical and extended versions and maximizing disc space. The 100 GB discs average 50 mbps, with peaks around 95 mbps for maximum fidelity.
While the extended versions (totaling 11.2 hours) are preferable for many fans, the inclusion of the extensive bonus content from the DVD releases would have been welcome. However, remastering this older, lower-quality behind-the-scenes footage may have been cost-prohibitive. Fans likely own previous editions. If you value the extra content, retain those versions or seek out the extended trilogy on DVD. Alternatively, consider waiting for the UHD 4K box set planned for next year, which will include “new extra material” (potentially new deleted scenes).
Summary – Lord of the Rings 4K
Every filmmaker of significant accomplishment has a signature film, or films. For Peter Jackson, the Sagan om Ringen (Lord of the Rings) trilogy is undoubtedly his defining work. The trilogy achieves a remarkable balance: captivating storytelling, a cinematic journey that unfolds deliberately while maintaining momentum, compelling performances from a perfectly cast ensemble, an evocative score, and visual brilliance in both cinematography and effects. This achievement elevated Peter Jackson from cult filmmaker to Oscar winner. While his subsequent films have benefited from substantial resources, none have reached the heights of this trilogy.
Lord of the Rings is a landmark in film history, comparable to The Godfather and Star Wars in their respective eras, providing a magical start to the 21st-century film landscape. New viewers are in for a fantastic experience. Existing fans will find this a worthwhile upgrade.
This box set contains three exceptional films, with the first and third being particular highlights. While the edition itself is not perfect, it is highly recommended for any collection.
Footnote: A larger collector’s box in UHD 4K, Middle-Earth: Ultimate Collectors’ Edition, is scheduled for release in summer 2021. This set will include all six films (Lord of the Rings + Hobbit films) in both theatrical and extended versions, along with new extra material and Blu-ray copies. Currently confirmed only for the USA, its release in other regions is anticipated due to high demand.
