As everyone most certainly knows by now, my favourite movie ever is one very recently made: "The Fellowship of the Ring", first part of TolkienâÃÂÃÂs famous "Lord of the Rings"-trilogy (often referred to as LOTR).
To summarize even only this first part would take so much time and paper that I am afraid that will not be possible. I will try to write down the history of the Ring, though, up to the point where the movie starts.
The one Ring, created by the evil Lord Sauron to dominate the lands of Middle Earth is what this story is all about. In a great battle, where a last alliance of Men and Elves tried to fight the evil in Mordor, land of Sauron, the ring was cut off its evil MasterâÃÂÃÂs hand by Isildur, son of the king, Elendil. Sauron was defeated, and the Darkness was destroyed. Yet the Ring remained.
It was taken from SauronâÃÂÃÂs hand by Isildur, and while it was to be destroyed in the Fires of Mount Doom, the Ring of Power broke IsildurâÃÂÃÂs spirit, who kept it, and allowed evil to remain. The Ring gave to Isildur great strength and courage, but it has a will of its own, and it betrayed Isildur to his death. For several centuries, the Ring was forgotten and stayed hidden, until it was found by the creature SmÃÂéagol, whoâÃÂÃÂs will was too weak and who killed his brother in order to keep the Ring to himself. He took it deep into the caves of the Misty Mountains, and from then on he was known as Gollum. The Ring of Power stayed in GollumâÃÂÃÂs possesion for over 500 years, waiting for its MasterâÃÂÃÂs call to return. Sauron, who had been defeated in the great Battle, was still alive. All that had been his had been destroyed, but the Ring had remained unharmed, and so had SauronâÃÂÃÂs spirit, which was bonded to the Ring. When Sauron had gathered up enough strength to rebuild his empire, the Ring understood that its time had come and it left Gollum. While it lay hidden in the caves of the Misty Mountains, Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit from the Shire found it by chance, and kept it, oblivious of its great power and importance. It stayed in BilboâÃÂÃÂs possesion, for a long time, and no one knew he had it. No one except his cousin Frodo and Gandalf, the Grey Wizard.
The movie tells of what happens when Sauron finds out that his Ring is in the Shire, a land almost unknown to the rest of Middle Earth.
Frodo sets out with the Ring, headed for Rivendell, an Elf-city, where he and his companions are given the task to bring the Ring back to Mordor and destroy it in the Fires of Mount Doom.
"The Fellowship of the Ring" is only the first part of the trilogy, and I do not doubt that I will love the second and third just as much. I am currently reading the last part of the books in English and canâÃÂÃÂt wait to see how the other two books will look on-screen.
The main cast of this first part consists of: Elijah Wood: Playing Frodo Baggins HOBBIT Billy Boyd: Playing Pippin (Peregrin) Took HOBBIT Dominic Monaghan: Playing Merry (Meriadoc) Brandybock HOBBIT Sean Astin: Playing Sam (Samwise) Gamgee HOBBIT Ian McKellen: Playing Gandalf the Grey WIZARD Ian Holm: Playing Bilbo Baggins HOBBIT Viggo Mortensen: Playing Aragorn MAN Orlando Bloom: Playing Legolas ELF Sean Bean: Playing Boromir MAN John Rhys-Davies: Playing Gimli DWARF This Fellowship (all except Bilbo) sets out from Rivendell in order to destroy the Ring in Mordor.
I like the way how Peter Jackson chose actors with little fame to star in his movie, it was great to see some new faces instead of the same action-actors over and over again.
To me, there is no greater movie in the Fantasy-genre than this one, it is an instant-classic, no remakes will be needed for this one! While some of the special effects are positively stunning and the views are breathtakingly beautiful, the great thing about this movie is that it isnâÃÂÃÂt focused on these things. It is focused on the characters, and their parts in the great history of the Ring. Compared to the story-line, the special effects are mere bagatelles and the beautiful views seem almost evident.
When I hear that the whole cast has been in New Zealand for over one year and a half, filming all of the three parts at the same time, I canâÃÂÃÂt help but wish that I had been there myself. IâÃÂÃÂve read several articles about the shooting of the movie and even more interviews with the actors, and all say the same thing: It was a magical episode in their lifes and they will never forget it.
Star Wars has lost its charm, I can hardly wait to see part two of this magical trilogy!