"One ring to rule them all."
Hobbits are gentle and close to nature, an almost child-like group who live off the land.
With an average height of 3’6", the furry-footed creatures dwell deep in furnished holes on the sides of hills.
They love the simple things in life: smoking pipes, eating, and, of course, storytelling. They live to around 100 years old,
with the age of 33 marking the start of adulthood.
Elves, on the other hand, are noble, elegant, magical beings whose time is running out and who seem to possess
a bittersweet sense that they are now about to pass into myth. Although they could be slain or die of grief, elves are
immortal in that they are not subject to age or disease.
Dwarves are short but very tough, with a strong, ancient sense of justice and an abiding love of all things beautiful.
Small in stature, they live to be about 250 years old.
Wizards are supremely powerful but can use that power for good or for evil, depending on where their hearts lie.
Men in The Fellowship of The Ring are a fledgling race just coming into their own.
Ents are even more fantastical creatures. They are leaf-covered beings who try to protect their brethren, the trees.
Orcs are misshapen creatures that fight for Saruman.
Ringwraiths are sinister, black cloaked creatures that are neither living nor dead but cursed to live in the twilight world of
Sauron.
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"The world is changed."
Just imagine a river racing and swelling into a monsterous white foamed wave. Now picture the foam turning into white galloping
stallions racing to meet an enemy. That is just one of the incredible effects scenes that you will be treated to when watching
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING. The great thing about the special effects and cgi effects
in this movie is that they blend in so well that they do not overpower the movie but instead enhance it's beauty.
"Keep it secret, keep it safe."
Three hours of incredible fantasy brings to the screen the realization of a timeless story. Generations of more than 100 million people
around the globe, in 40 different languages, have grown up with a single legend - the epic tale of a perilous quest to save humanity.
Since the novels were written the legend has inspired an entire genre of movie and fiction. It has influenced some of the greatest
artists of our time and has made dreamers out of children and adults. Recently named the most popular book of the 20th century,
the timeless story has never been told in its entirety on the screen. Now for the first time since Ralph Bakshi's animated attempt we
have a chance to see THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY in live action. The quest to destroy a magical ring and the forces
of darkness begins with the first installment THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING. It has arrived and it is an incredible film. Before
this first feature is even released the second and third film are already finished shooting.. There is very little doubt that THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE
RING will be a success.
"My precious."
Peter Jackson has managed to fulfil his childhood dream to bring THE LORD OF THE RINGS to the screen. This long time
J.R.R. Tolkien fan has made history by being the first film director to ever direct three major feature films simultaneously. Jackson
was able to line up film distributors to put up over $270 million dollars up front to have all three films shot and ready to be distributed
one year apart for the next three years. Coming up will be THE TWO TOWERS and then THE RETURN OF THE KING.
They will released in December of each consecutive year. This is probably the single riskiest gamble in film history. A gamble that will
most certainly pay off considering the excellent quality of this first feature. Too bad we have to wait until next year to see part two but
I think we're going to be in a for a treat over the coming three years.
"The hearts of men are easily corrupted."
I am not going to be wasting any space telling you the story line of THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
since it follows the novel religiously. I really loved the screening I attended and if the applause at the end of film is any indication, then
Tolkien's creation will make all his fan's very happy.
"The enemy of the free people of Middle Earth was defeated."
The story opens with a prologue that shows us the creation of the rings and the evil that follows. Rings were given to different races
but there was one ring that was made to control all the rings. The Lord of the rings in the title is the Dark Lord, Sauron who forged the
One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom, so that he could find and seize control of all the other rings. The races began falling to this ring
until there is a massive and final battle between the forces of good and evil. We are treated to an incredible sequence at the beginning
to show us the incredible battles. It will leave you impressed. The master ring is taken and eventually lost. It ends up 2000 years later
in the hands of Gollum (Andy Serkis).
"You shall be the fellowship of the ring."
At the core of the story in THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING are the cultures that make up Middle-earth: Hobbits, Dwarves,
Humans, Elves, Wizards, Trolls, Ents, Orcs, Ringwraiths and Uruk-Hai. You will get a chance to see them all and much more. These
races will come to together to fill the screen with excitement over the next three years. The fellowship comprises of nine adventurers.
There are four Hobbits (Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin), two men (Aragorn and Boromir), one elf (Legolas), a dwarf (Gimli)and the
wizard, Gandalf. Together they must reach their goal while surviving incredible dangers. Some will live and some will die but for the
sake of Middle Earth they must succeed.
"I've put this off too long."
The story begins with the wizard Gandalf arriving to meet with his Hobbit friend Bilbo Baggins. Gandalf is played by renowned screen
and stage star Ian McKellen and Bilbo Baggins, an aged hobbit with a history of bravery is played by Ian Holm. Bilbo is
secretly holding The Ring. Gandalf arrives to tell him that it is time to hand over the ring to Froddo Baggins. Frodo Baggins, the shy but
forthright hobbit must assume the responsibility for destroying The Ring. For the actor to play Frodo, the filmmakers chose 20-year-old
Elijah Wood to play Frodo. This young actor is full of energy, innocence and charisma.; he seems to have been made for the
part. Bilbo is slowly succumbing more and more to the Ring's allure and Gandalf can't even touch it so they pass it on to Frodo who is
quickly thrust into his dangerous adventure. Some of his best friends join Froddo's quest.
"Hobbits are really amazing creatures."
The scenes in the Hobbit village are really nice and magical. The furry footed creatures live in furnished holes in the side of green
hills. One scene involves fireworks which will amaze you. The scenes with the Hobbits next to the oversized wizard, Gandalf work
beautifully. The special effects people have resorted to old cinematic tricks to show the size difference. Blue screening was used but
they mostly used an old trick called forced perspective. The trick was to set up the actors at different distances from the camera
but they act to empty space so that the camera makes it seem that they are actually facing and talking to each other. Simple but very
effective. Of course the film has so many characters of different sizes that the director Peter Jackson had to make use of
many more tricks such as blue screening and scale doubles wearing different masks to represent the small and extra tall characters.
I can tell you that all the sizes work great. Seeing Gimli, the stout-hearted axe-man who comes to represent the Khazad, the dwarves
of Middle-earth, played by John Rhys-Davies is something else. He looks so short, but if you have seen this actor you will know
how tall he really is. You will remember him from RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK as well as the television show
SLIDERS.
"They were once men."
New Zealand director Peter Jackson who is well known for directing the spooky comedy THE FRIGHTENERS,
performed a marvellous job as director of this first part to the trilogy. He has strived for years to get this story on film and with lots of
co-operation from the studios he has finally been able to realize his dream. That this Hobbitt like director was even able to get this
project off the ground is a testament to his great desire to see Middle Earth brought to life. A great feat considering that he has only
directed five films to date and none have been great commercial hits. Happily, I can say that THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS
will be a major success and Jackson will make plenty of financial gain for the film companies involved. Dare I say that his trilogy may
actually give the Star Wars franchise a good run for it's money. I know I certainly enjoyed LORD OF THE RINGS a lot more
than I did THE PHANTOM MENACE , actually that is an understatement since I was not a really big fan of Lucas' latest
shingding. I think you will agree.
"I was there when the strength of men failed."
The film will only have three main female leads, Arwen (Liv Tyler), her mother Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) and the Big Black
Spider that likes to kill everybody. She is not in the first film, so we will have to wait to see this character. Liv Taylor's Arwen character was
barely noticeable in the first book, but Director Jackson in his most contentious liberty with the story, pumped up her part as he was
impressed with Tyler's abilities.
"They will find you and you will beg for death before the end."
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING is a panorama of incredible fantasy painted not with oils or
pastels but with computers and celluloid. It will leave you amazed and I dare say somewhat impressed. It is a film that you should not
miss. See it more than once, you deserve it.
"Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands."
"The fellowship has failed."
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