One is a 4 DVD set that includes a bunch of LotR stuff in addition to the movie (which, apparently, is on 2 discs). The other is the same thing bundled with a National Geographic special and a pair of bookends. I got the former.

Me too. Most of Empeg watched it round at Hugo's last night. IMO it's well worth it when compared to the original version -- a lot of the extra scenes introduce more of the Silmarilliony back-story stuff. The seventeen making-of's I can take or leave though: I just wanted the longer main feature. You have to change discs after the Council of Elrond.

Peter