If you asked anyone to name one successful film trilogy, most people will answer with Peter Jackson’s excellent ‘Lord of the Rings’ films. There’s a reason why they’re still so popular twenty years after their release. Yup, hard to believe that it’s been twenty years since Middle-Earth first appeared on our screens.
When it had been announced that there was to be a live action ‘Lord of the Ring’s film series people were very quick to say that it was going to be nearly impossible to bring Tolkien’s amazing world of Middle-Earth to life in live action. It had previously been done in animated format back in the 1970’s but they were unable to finish due to running low on money.
At over two hours long, the animated version of ‘Lord of the Rings’ is considered one of the longest animated films in existence alongside Disney’s ‘Fantasia’.
Then in 2001 film maker Peter Jackson proved everyone wrong; much like ‘The Philosopher’s Stone’, ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ was met with huge success overnight. Ten years on, an extended cut of the trilogy was released on dvd and blue-ray and was just as successful as the normal theatrical releases of the films.
I didn’t get into the ‘Lord of the Rings’ films until the extended editions came out as I had been considering watching ‘The Hobbit’ films which were in production at the time. All I can say is that the films were worth every penny!
The film starts off with what’s basically a brief history of how the story began; with the making of the One Ring in which the Dark Lord Sauron uses to control the peoples of Middle-Earth. When the peoples realize that they were deceived by Sauron a Last Alliance between Elves and Men is formed to try and destroy Sauron.
On the battlefield of Mount Doom, the High King of Anor, Gondor Gil-galad and Noldor, King Elendil is killed by Sauron…who is in turn then supposedly killed by Elendil’s son Isildur. At Sauron’s death Isildur notices the One Ring that Sauron has left behind. Lord Elrond (Hugo Weaving) tells Isildur to destroy the ring but Isildur refuses to do so (idiot; when an elf gives you advise, listen to them!). Sadly, Isildur’s mistake of not destroying the One Ring leads him to his death.
Three thousand odd years or so later, Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm) is celebrating his 111th birthday; a great age for any Hobbit. Little do the rest of the simple Hobbits from the Shire know that it’ll be Bilbo’s last and greatest birthday in the Shire.
Once Bilbo’s birthday celebrations are at an end, he gives his nephew Frodo (Elijah Wood) his ring that makes Bilbo disappear. It is here that Frodo’s real adventures begins.
Upon release, the ‘Lord of the Rings’ films were hailed for their stunning visual and special effects. Even Howard Shore’s excellent film score was also hailed as epic. As a result many similar epic fantasy films tried- and failed- to copy the success of Peter Jackson’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ films.
‘The Hobbit’ films themselves also tried ten years later but despite its starry cast, it failed to capture the magic that was the original ‘Lord of the Rings’ films. As for Amazon’s up and coming TV series? Let’s just say that that’s going to turn out to be not so great. If not, horrible from what I’ve been seeing over the last couple of years about it.
As I said, I really enjoyed watching this film and the other two ‘Lord of the Rings’ films and I regret not seeing them in the cinema when they were originally released. I bet they would’ve been amazing to see on the big screen.
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