Starring: Elijah Wood Sir Ian McKellen Liv Tyler Viggo Mortensen Sean Astin Cate Blanchett John Rhys-Davies Billy Boyd Dominic Monaghan Orlando Bloom Sir Christopher Lee Hugo Weaving Sean Bean Ian Holm Andy Serkis
Directed by: Peter Jackson
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien (Novel)
Screenplay: Fran Walsh Philippa Boyens Peter Jackson
Release date: 19th December 2001
Running time: 178 mins (Theatrical version) 208 mins (Extended Special Edition)
When the One Ring of power comes to light after years in the shadows, it is entrusted to the unlikeliest of heroes - Frodo Baggins, a Hobbit. Accompanied by a fellowship of men, dwarves, elves and hobbits, Frodo and the wizard Gandalf are charged with destroying the ring before the dark lord Sauron can regain possession of it and use it to conquer Middle Earth.
Almost every literature to film
adaptation has been slapped with the tag 'Not as good as the book.' This is usually a valid if somewhat unfair criticism since writing a book and making a film are two very different medias. Whereas a book has hundreds of pages and days sometimes weeks of the readers attention to lay out it's story, films are granted 2-3 hours at best after which the audience will share their judgments.
Fans of Tolkiens work can be especially protective. With this in mind, various studios deliberated for years over what kind of film Rings should be, and who they would get to helm it. When Peter Jackson pitched his vision of Middle Earth to New Line Studios, they wisely recognized the combination of faithful fan and director with a clear vision of not only he wanted to accomplish with these films, but what needed to be done with them to please faithful fans.
And although there have been some quiet gripes from some corners, Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy is a beautifully rendered epic, upholding the finest traditions of cinema. Sweeping locations, swashbuckling action scenes, top drawer acting and seamless special effects all add to the magic that Rings offers. Much of the books narrative has been faithfully reproduced. Some elements such as Tom Bombadil have been removed but only for pacing reasons. Imagine the sharp veer off the rails it would have taken to include his scenes. An exclusion that may irk some fans of the book, but a necessary one to ensure general audience interest.
The first part of the trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring is a triumphant first act. Setting Frodo off on his quest we get plenty of chance to share in his adventures before the fellowship is even formed. Pursued by the genuinely creepy Black Riders, Frodos journey to Rivendell feels like a race that picks up pace as the first half goes on, with only a few stops for breath.
Once the fellowship is formed, the audience is treated to an ensemble of diverse characters that mesh perfectly as one unit. Touching on racial and class differences as well as burgeoning ambition and different agendas, the internal struggles of the Fellowship present as much a danger to Frodo and the Ring as the evil forces that hunt them.
Of course much of this success is to be credited to Tolkien who crafted this world and the peoples that inhabit it, but special mention must go to Jackson for his clear view of what he wanted to do, Weta workshop for their flawless attention to detail that helps give the on-screen Middle Earth so much depth, and to the cast who mirror their characters by displaying distinct personalities but never at the expense of other characters or plot.
Each part is played beautifully, in a subtle, often moving, sometimes inspiring way. You can feel the camaraderie between the Hobbits, the dignity of Legolas the Elf, the bluster of Gimli the Dwarf, the pride of Boromir, the quiet humility of Aragorn and the knowing power of Gandalf.
So sucked in to this group do we get that the audience is treated as member of the Fellowship. Whilst the next two parts got to the bigger, more epic scenes that appeal to the senses, Fellowship of the Ring appeals to the heart, re-igniting a sense of adventure that many never knew they had. Fellowship is those days you spent as a child exploring forests, only imagining what kind of world your childish imagination would be stepping into. It's a reminder of the times we spent with our friends before life sent us down different paths, it's a bar raiser, proving that blockbuster films can be something beyond special effects and big budgets. Most of all, it's the perfect start to a perfect example of film-making.
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![The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Two Disc Theatrical Edition) [DVD] [2001]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78527831.jpg "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Two Disc Theatrical Edition) [DVD] [2001]")
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