The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

User Rating:

8.7/10   

Director:

Peter Jackson

Writers (WGA):

J.R.R. Tolkien (novel)
Fran Walsh (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

19 December 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy

Tagline:

The Legend Comes to Life

Plot:

In a small village in the Shire a young Hobbit named Frodo has been entrusted with an ancient Ring. Now he must embark on an Epic quest to the Cracks of Doom in order to destroy it.

Plot Keywords:

Ring | Hobbit | Doom | Middle Earth | Quest

Awards:

Won 4 Oscars. Another 75 wins & 84 nominations

Cast

Alan Howard	...	The Ring (voice)
Noel Appleby	...	Everard Proudfoot
Sean Astin	...	Sam Gamgee
Sala Baker	...	Sauron
Sean Bean	...	Boromir
Cate Blanchett	...	Galadriel
Orlando Bloom	...	Legolas Greenleaf
Billy Boyd	...	Peregrin 'Pippin' Took
Marton Csokas	...	Celeborn
Megan Edwards	...	Mrs. Proudfoot
Michael Elsworth	...	Gondorian Archivist
Mark Ferguson	...	Gil-Galad
Ian Holm	...	Bilbo Baggins
Christopher Lee	...	Saruman
Lawrence Makoare	...	Lurtz

Also Known As:

The Fellowship of the Ring (USA) (short title)
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: The Motion Picture (USA) (promotional title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for epic battle sequences and some scary images. (also special extended edition)

Runtime:

178 min | 208 min (special extended edition)

Country:

New Zealand | USA

Language:

English | Sindarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS-ES | Dolby Digital EX | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Finland:K-11 (re-rating) | Finland:K-15 (original rating) | Malaysia:U | Ireland:PG | South Korea:12 | Netherlands:16 (extended edition) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Denmark:11 | Denmark:15 (special extended edition) | Finland:K-15 (special extended edition) | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Germany:16 (special extended edition) | Hong Kong:IIB | Iceland:12 | Israel:PG | Italy:T | Japan:PG-12 | Mexico:B | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:M (special extended edition) | New Zealand:PG | Norway:11 | Peru:14 | Philippines:G | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 (certificate #38473) | Greece:K-13

Filming Locations:

Arrowtown Recreational Reserve, Arrowtown, Otago, New Zealand

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

Bilbo says the words, "I'm not at home," when some relatives bang on his door. "Not At Home" is also a chapter title from The Hobbit.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In Lothlorien, when Boromir and Aragorn are sitting and talking about Minas Tirith, the wind is blowing their hair, yet the leaves in the background remain still.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Galadriel: The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. Much that once was is lost, for none now live who remember it. It began with the forging of the Great Rings. Three were given to the Elves, immortal, wisest and fairest of all beings...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Zodiac Killer (2005)

Soundtrack:

Aníron

Middle Earth comes alive...in breathtaking detail.

When I first saw the trailers for "The Fellowship of the Ring," I had never had any interest in reading the lengthy tome of a trilogy. But seeing the possibility of the movie, I immediately went out and read the whole thing, insisted on receiving it for Christmas, and enjoyed every minute of it. The feelings I had while reading the series were heightened seeing it come to life in the stunning movie. I thought it was a fabulous work of art.

I thought that having Galadriel tell what was basically the prologue of the book was a good idea, as it helped those who had never read the story. It also immediately involved me in the film; I felt I had an insider's advantage on the rest of the audience. Cate Blanchett has a wonderfully deep and emotional voice; the way she speaks Galadriel is almost as effective as her appearence as the Elven queen. Also, showing the last battle of Isildur and Sauron helped unfog a part of the novel that had me a trifle confused.

The entire movie is full of beautiful sets and landscapes. The Shire was almost exactly as I'd pictured it. Hobbiton is cute and very whimsical. Mordor was frighteningly well done, extremely real. Rivendell had a little bit of a European-tourist-trap look, but was beautiful all the same. The entire backdrop of the movie (the mountains, Moria, Isengard) was perfect; it's amazing that "Fellowship" was filmed in one country.

Now to the characters. All I can say is, "Wow." I was a little apprehensive about the casting at first; I'd created such real images of the characters in my imagination, I almost didn't want them spoiled for me. However, I was not disapointed in the least. Elijah Wood, though not one of my favorite actors, was believable. You could tell from the first glimpse that Frodo was special; Wood's pale, sharp features contrast sharply with the more ruddy, robust look of the rest of the hobbits. He also cries like a little girl. But his weaknesses and strengths make his Frodo an apt choice for the starring character. The rest of the Hobbiton gang was well-chosen, too. Sean Astin ("Rudy" forever to me) was loyal and a bit bumbling, just like the Gamgee of Tolkien's telling. Pippin and Merry were congenial, slow-witted lads, but very brave nonetheless. Viggo Mortensen is outstanding. He has the ability to make Aragorn both menacing and kind. He physically represents Strider to the nines with his strength and virility; the action sequences of his are very passionate and exciting. Some may have complained about Arwen's character being slightly expanded; I thought it a good change. In the books, you have to read the whole trilogy and then rifle through the appendix in "The Return of the King" to learn the history between Aragorn and Arwen. Liv Tyler is ethereal and breathtaking, but at the same time displays the courage and magic that make the Elves the beings they are. Speaking of Elves, I can't help but gush over the handsome and ever-so-talented Orlando Bloom as noble Legolas. Bloom captured the archer's very movements; he treads lightly and fights fearlessly. Legolas's bowmanship was amazing; he looked so natural loosing his arrows machine-gun style. He was my favorite character in the books, and his essence transcends the film. Gimli was pompous and brave, as well. He is well-represented in the movie. Boromir was hopelessly lost, but at the same time valiant and strong. Sean Bean gave an emotionally-charged performance as the tortured warrior. Hugo Weaving was very good as Elrond. He was noble and cold at the same time. And Gandalf. What more can be said of Ian McKellan's showcase portrayal of the wizard? He was magnificent. He could be Gandalf, the kind old conjurer who set off pyrotechnics for hobbit-children. Then he could turn around and stun the life out of you with Gandalf the powerful wizard, facing the balrog with defiance and an iron will. His Oscar nomination is well-deserved.

Peter Jackson is a brave soul to take on a project that could have backfired in so many places. Instead of bringing us uninspired kitsch, he serves up raw emotion, graphic battles of good and evil, chilling and wonderful characters, and enough special effects (realistic, mind you) to make John Cameron's mouth water. Knowing that "The Two Towers" was my favorite of the books, I eagerly anticipate the second helping of "The Lord of the Rings."