The nice thing about The Lord of the Rings is that if done right, it can be 6 different entries! For this one, we're just doing Fellowship of the Ring the movie version. We'll get to the other 5 versions at another time.
Ah, one of my favorite movies. I'm sure we all have something that we watch that feels like you're cuddling and wrapping yourself in warmth and love. Really, its hard to explain to people who don't get that feeling when watching something, but for me this movie is one of them. It was 11 years ago and I had never seen the Lord of the Rings trilogy when a friend in one of my theatre classes pushed the first movie into my hands (the directors cut no less) and informed me that I had to see it.
Immediately.
I sat around with the discs for awhile, not really thinking this was my sort of thing (I liked science fiction and blasters, but this was fantasy...) but finally, I thought, okay maybe I'll give it a shot, I have nothing else to do...
It sounds dramatic to say that this movie changed my life but, this movie changed my life. I first learned how to code websites and manipulate graphics and become interested in design because of this movie. I met some of the most awesome people in the world, many of who I'm still in contact with, like my best friend, all because of this movie. Meeting these people brought new experiences, new ways of thinking and new paths in my life. All just because I watched this movie; it moved me that much.
Of course, all of that is just why it gives me such feels, it doesn't even go into why this movie is good. Everything about this movie is done with skill and precision that the over-all end effect is transformative. The acting and the effects and the model building, the scripts and the costumes and everything is just so on point that it creates something so overwhelming and magical that it can move audiences. The very beginning where Frodo meets Gandalf will always be one of those scenes that hits me hard and affects me viscerally. The music and the scenery give me such a feeling of peace and being at home, that it shows how good the entire cast and crew were in making the audience be right there in the middle of the story.
Fellowship of the Ring also includes arguably one of the best entrances of any character in movie-dom. I'm sure people may argue me but seriously, watch Strider's entrance into the movie here at the Prancing Pony and tell me it isn't awesome. It sets up exactly what kind of character he is with just a few images (not to mention, as I said, just plain awesome).
The effects in this movie are gorgeous. It's clear that the effects team spent years working on CGI, models, and green screen to make Tolkien's fantastical world work on the screen and look exactly how it is imagined in the mind. Point of interest, CGI flame had not been used prior to when this film was being developed. The effects team had to work to create CGI flames themselves as there was no set standard or way of doing it so they worked until they were able to make it themselves. The brilliant effects add to the gorgeous locations that the creative team used to bring Tolkien's word's to life (and if you haven't seen the gorgeous establishing shots Fellowship of the Ring used, well, looks like you need to watch this movie, huh?)
And of course, the amazing chemistry and camaraderie between the cast makes the characters come to life. We believe the hobbits are these close friends up against a terrible task because the actors playing the hobbits are so close and such good friends themselves. It makes the movie even more fun to watch (also makes a good recommendation for watching all the extras on the extended editions. They're worth it; they're hilarious.)
If you haven't seen this movie yet (honestly is there anyone in the world who hasn't and hasn't been under a rock?), you need to. Even if fantasy isn't your thing, even if the idea of small people with hairy feet just sounds silly to you, even if you have no intention of ever going and visiting New Zealand and taking a tour of Hobbiton and all the places they filmed... You really need to see this movie. It is a classic and it is essential for anyone who just enjoys good filmmaking and storytelling.
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