THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (2001, New Zealand/USA, 178m, PG) ****½
Action, Adventure, Fantasy
dist. New Line Cinema (USA), Entertainment Film Distributors (UK); pr co. New Line Cinema / WingNut Films / The Saul Zaentz Company; d. Peter Jackson; w. Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson (based on the novel “The Fellowship of the Ring” by J.R.R. Tolkien); pr. Peter Jackson, Barrie M. Osborne, Tim Sanders, Fran Walsh; ph. Andrew Lesnie (Colour | 2.39:1); m. Howard Shore; ed. John Gilbert; pd. Grant Major; ad. Dan Hennah.
cast: Elijah Wood (Frodo), Ian McKellen (Gandalf), Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn), Sean Astin (Sam), Liv Tyler (Arwen), Cate Blanchett (Galadriel), John Rhys-Davies (Gimli), Billy Boyd (Pippin), Dominic Monaghan (Merry), Orlando Bloom (Legolas), Christopher Lee (Saruman), Andy Serkis (Gollum (voice)), Sean Bean (Boromir), Ian Holm (Bilbo), Hugo Weaving (Elrond), Sala Baker (Sauron), Sarah McLeod (Rosie Cotton), Megan Edwards (Mrs. Proudfoot), Noel Appleby (Everard Proudfoot), Alan Howard (Voice of the Ring (voice)).
The first part of Peter Jackson’s ambitious adaptation of Tolkein’s classic fantasy is a true spectacle. The future of civilization rests in the fate of the One Ring, which has been lost for centuries. Powerful forces are unrelenting in their search for it. But destiny has placed it in the hands of a young Hobbit named Frodo Baggins (Elijah), who inherits the Ring and steps into legend. A daunting task lies ahead for Frodo when he becomes the Ringbearer – to destroy the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom where it was forged. Jackson succeeds in translating an influential and imaginative, if dense and dry, novel into something palatable allowing time for a broader audience to understand the environment and characters. he is helped by some excellent technical work – not least in production and sound design, location filming and the evocative music score. The actors deliver authentic performances, with McKellen and Lee standouts as opposing wizards, and there are occasional injections of humour to compensate for the darker material. The spectacular set pieces occasionally feel manufactured, and the CGI is variable. But given the project’s scope, Jackson achieved a great deal in pulling off a film that pushed the boundaries of cinema expertise. The film can not perhaps be judged in isolation as the story continued with THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS (2002) and concluded with THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (2003). Extended versions run 208m and 228m (with extended credits!).
AA: Best Cinematography (Andrew Lesnie); Best Makeup (Peter Owen, Richard Taylor); Best Music, Original Score (Howard Shore); Best Effects, Visual Effects (Jim Rygiel, Randall William Cook, Richard Taylor, Mark Stetson)
AAN: Best Picture (Peter Jackson, Barrie M. Osborne, Fran Walsh); Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Ian McKellen); Best Director (Peter Jackson); Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published (Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson); Best Art Direction-Set Decoration (Grant Major (art director), Dan Hennah (set decorator)), Best Costume Design (Ngila Dickson, Richard Taylor); Best Film Editing (John Gilbert); Best Music, Original Song (Enya, Nicky Ryan, & Roma Ryan for the song “May It Be”); Best Sound (Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick, Gethin Creagh, Hammond Peek)
