Jump to content

FILM: The Fellowship Of The Ring - Peter Jackson (2001)


BloodBoal

Recommended Posts

QTY942b.png

 

The Fellowship Of The Ring - Peter Jackson (2001)

 

The theatrical cut.

Wanted to revisit that one, since I haven't watched it since the Extended Edition was released, I believe. And what better day to rewatch it than today, on the film's 15th anniversary? Many people have claimed that this is one of the films that come the closest to being perfect, and I can only agree with them. Everything in it just works: the acting (thanks to a perfect cast), the editing (everything flows so smoothly), the writing (so many memorable lines!), the special effects (they still hold up pretty damn well to this day) and of course, the music... It's also one of the last films with scenes that could be called truly iconic and instant classics. I still vividly remember seeing it for the first time on the big screen, as the massive escape from Moria sequence was about to begin, with Gandalf shouting: "Quick! To the Bridge Of Khazad-Dûm!", followed by that wide shot of the Fellowship running in the Hall Of Dwarrowdelf, accompanied by that stirring rendition of the Fellowship's theme, and with Orcs appearing everywhere. That's what I call an instant classic, and I don't remember experiencing anything like that with any other film since then. Movie magic at its finest!

 

One thing I'd like to mention is Ian Holm as Bilbo. Much has been said about Martin Freeman as Bilbo, how he was perfect for the role, how he made us forget about Holm... While I do love Freeman in the role... Watching Holm again as the old, humble Hobbit reminded me how pitch-perfect he is in this film. Martin Freeman is a good Bilbo, but Ian Holm IS Bilbo. He manages to convey so much with just subtle facial expressions, little mannerisms, the way he delivers his lines... Even if you know nothing of his adventures, Holm tells you everything you need to know via his performance. As far as I'm concerned, he'll remain the perfect embodiment of Bilbo Baggins, a very respectable Hobbit. Of course, there's the other obvious perfect bit of casting that should be mentioned: Sean Bean as Boromir. It's a bit of an ungrateful role, really: you have this character who is a bit of a dick, introduced midway through the film, and the actor is supposed to make us care for his death at the end of the same film. And as everyone knows, Bean pulled it off superbly. I'm not sure how, but he did it nonetheless. And as a result, his death scene remains to this day one of the best death scenes in movie history... I won't mention the rest of the cast, as we all know the fantastic job they all did, but I really wanted to mention the two above, as they're really the ones that make the biggest impact in this film, to me (along with Ian McKellen as Gandalf. It goes without saying).

 

The designs... The guys at WETA did a fantastic job creating a world that looks both familiar and alien. It feels like everything in this world is somehow similar to elements found in our own world, but with just a subtle spin given to it that makes all the difference. Everything is so carefully crafted that just by looking at the costumes, armors, etc. of a certain group of characters, you immediatly know if they are good or evil, if they are Elves or Men, Orcs or Goblins, etc... And you can even easily tell the various "subgroups" within each race (like the Rivendell Elves and the Galadhrims...). In terms of sophisticated designs, I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it in other fantasy films.

 

The score... Ah, the score... It's just perfect, isn't it? Well, not quite. It is damn excellent obviously, but the more I rewatch this film, the more I wish some of the first half was a bit more varied. Case in point: I do wish Shore had given us more variations on the Nazgûl theme instead of always returning to the same similar-sounding statements. This is a minor nitpick, sure, but still, knowing how good the composer is when it comes to themes variations, you can't help but wish this first half had a bit more of that. Now that it's out of the way...The score is still one of the finest to have been written for a film, and I would probably call it the best "journey score" there is. I have never heard another score that conveys so well a sense of going on a journey, with a clear beginning, a clear idea of the destination, well-delimited stages for the journey and a clear climax and resolution. It all progresses so naturally, so logically. Rarely do you hear scores with such a clear narrative structure, a clear thematic development. It truly is the benchmark when it comes to telling a cohesive and coherent story through music.

 

There isn't much more I could say that haven't been said a hundred times over already about this film ("Never stopped you before!", some might say!)... Ah, yes. About the theatrical cut: as I said, I think the last time I watched it was probably in 2002, before the Extended Edition had been released, and I have to say, this cut works wonderfully. There aren't any major differences between this cut and the EE one, really. In fact, I'd say the added scenes don't make the film worse or better: they just make it longer. By that, I mean, that none of the additions feel unnecessary, nor do they feel vital (the gift-giving scene being the exception, I suppose), but of course, they're more than appreciated when you're a fan. The theatrical cut still remains a more-than-satisfying experience if you prefer to spend less time in front of your TV.

 

While my personal preference will always go to The Return Of The King, there is no denying that objectively, The Fellowship Of The Ring is a better film. There isn't a single thing that feels like it doesn't belong there. It all fits beautifully to participate in telling one of the best stories ever told. With this film, a whole new generation of moviegoers was given it's own Star Wars, one of the last true epics to grace the screen, the likes of which we'll probably never see again...

 

9.5/10

 

gEg5tyf.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 11
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Pretty much agree with everything you say, more or less!

 

I still vividly remember that Moria part too, but equal for me is the trek down the collapsing stairs, with the rousing rendition of the Fellowship theme as they all make it past the last part... another instant classic scene of the movies

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The film is a striking achievement, rich with detail in every single aspect and as beautifully crafted as the very finest epics of cinema. Where it shines most though is in its vivid sense of pathos and mythological heft, the execution of the script being a marvel of archetypal characterisation and dramatic sweep. Truly a fully immersive high fantasy film that leaves its fans spellbound and feeling as though they were transported to a literary world brought to life for three hours. 

 

The theatrical cut remains the most effective version of film. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I watched the FotR theatrical cut for the first time either yesterday or the day before on ITV (I hadn't seen the film in the cinema due to being too young) and was also surprised how well it worked. I found the small edits in the Aragorn-Lurtz fight and a few other places was mystifying and a bit jarring, as I'm so used to the EE version, though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, BloodBoal said:

While my personal preference will always go to The Return Of The King, there is no denying that objectively, The Fellowship Of The Ring is a better film.

 

Ah brother, we are again of one mind here! ROTK is my personal favourite as well, but FOTR is definitely the best of the bunch in quality.

 

I watched this at the Live to Projection concert just a week or two ago (still haven't posted that review...woops) and was quite taken by what an achievement was. Your comments were all spot on.

 

But I think what really struck me was the diversity in its look. In an age where everything has to look as sharp, realistic and as crystal clear as possible (ex. Rogue One), FOTR is probably the last major fantasy film that feels like it belongs to another age. Just the way it visually combines that old school fantasy look (a la Excalibur) and modern tools and techniques. Scenes that come to mind are Bilbo's party and Galadriel's mirror scene. I love the glow to it, feels otherworldly. I like that they come more as beautiful paintings rather than hyper-realistic images. You'll never get shots like that in today's fantasy films (as the Hobbit shows us). There is such scope to it all, that it's hard not to be swept away into Middle-Earth. Though the subsequent LOTR films continue to capture that with success, none match FOTR in that regard.

 

party1.jpg

 

maloizvestnye-fakty-o-personazhah-trilog

 

LOTR-FOTR_0759.jpg

 

c12afecd701114d8c3476d6ece3dab23.png

 

Galadriel13.jpg

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just hate that after FOTR, PJ started digitally color grading the shit out of the LOTR films, and even went back and re-colored FOTR for the EE.  It looked PERFECT the first time around!

 

Also he started to rely on more more CGI, seemingly using ideas he was coming up with on the fly, in the later films, whereas everything in FOTR comes across like it was well thought out, planned expertly, and they never tried to bite off more than they could chew.  They used CGI where they had to, and had brilliant practical effects for anything else.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, KK said:

But I think what really struck me was the diversity in its look. In an age where everything has to look as sharp, realistic and as crystal clear as possible (ex. Rogue One), FOTR is probably the last major fantasy film that feels like it belongs to another age. Just the way it visually combines that old school fantasy look (a la Excalibur) and modern tools and techniques. Scenes that come to mind are Bilbo's party and Galadriel's mirror scene. I love the glow to it, feels otherworldly. I like that they come more as beautiful paintings rather than hyper-realistic images. You'll never get shots like that in today's fantasy films (as the Hobbit shows us). There is such scope to it all, that it's hard not to be swept away into Middle-Earth. Though the subsequent LOTR films continue to capture that with success, none match FOTR in that regard.

 

Yes!

 

If I had to prove to someone that film looks better than digital (at least, for stories such as these, meant to depict an ancient, otherworldly universe), I would pick this movie as a perfect example of that. It just wouldn't work as well, had it been shot digitally. Film adds a little something to the picture that simply can't be replicated when shot digitally.

 

There's also a perfect balance between the various kinds of special effects used in that film (miniatures, digital effects, etc.) that participates in making the world look and feel so real.

 

And about scenes looking like beautiful paintings, the whole farewell to Lorien sequence is absolutely gorgeous in that regard.

 

lothlorien-6.jpg

 

2_1_02_45_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800

 

farewelllorien8.jpg

 

 

54 minutes ago, Jay said:

I just hate that after FOTR, PJ started digitally color grading the shit out of the LOTR films, and even went back and re-colored FOTR for the EE.  It looked PERFECT the first time around!

 

Also he started to rely on more more CGI, seemingly using ideas he was coming up with on the fly, in the later films, whereas everything in FOTR comes across like it was well thought out, planned expertly, and they never tried to bite off more than they could chew.  They used CGI where they had to, and had brilliant practical effects for anything else.

 

Yep. Though The Two Towers doesn't really suffer from that much. For the most part, it feels like a continuation of the visual style of FOTR.

 

41 minutes ago, Prerecorded Briefing said:

Too many words. This movie any good?

 

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup: out of :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree that it's really ROTK where the color grading got out of control, and he continued that trend with the Hobbit movies

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Guidelines.