The lord of the rings the fellowship of the ring-Cast-Elijah Wood,Sean Astin,Ian Mckellen,Viggo Mortenson,Orlando Bloom,John Rhys Davies,Dominic Monaghan,Billy Boyd,Ian Holm,Cate Blanchette,Liv Tyler. Director-Peter Jackson. Genre-Fantasy,Adventure. Story-Based on the first part of what has been called one of the most important pieces of 20th-century literature. Though the lotr trilogy has been previously adapted for the silver screen in the past, such as the animated production of the lord of the rings the fellowship of the ring from 1973, they typically have been disappointing efforts, particularly for J.R.R. Tolkien's legion of fans. Now, New Zealand-born filmmaker Peter Jackson put his everything for his ambitious Lord of the Rings trilogy, a 300 million production with all three films being shot back-to-back and which were released over a three-year period. Thankfully, not only does Jackson get it right, but he has also crafted one of the finest films ever, one that easily appeals to all audiences.
For those unfamiliar with the book, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring revolves around Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood ), a hobbit who lives a relatively peaceful life in the village of Bag End... that is, until fate and extraordinary cir tances send him on an important quest. In a beautifully-conceived prologue, it is revealed that in the distant past, the Dark Lord Sauron forged a ring with which he could rule Middle Earth. However, even though Sauron was defeated by an alliance of the humans, elves, and dwarves, the ring was never destroyed, allowing Sauron to survive and slowly recuperate over several millennia. After about 3000 years, the ring came into the possession of hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm ), who kept it for sixty years.
However, the ring holds a dark power, and it soon begins to exert its evil influence on Bilbo. Under the advice of his long-time wizard friend Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen ), the ring falls to Bilbo's young heir Frodo, who must destroy it by casting it into the fires where it was forged, atop Mt. Doom in the dark land of Mordor. Unfortunately, not only must Frodo avoid Sauron's soldiers, who are scouring Middle Earth for the ring, but he must also avoid the corrupting influence of the ring on both himself and those around him.
At first, Frodo is joined by Gandalf, his best friend Sam (Sean Astin ), and cousins Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd). However, it soon becomes apparent that destroying the ring is the responsibility of all of Middle Earth, and so a 'Fellowship of the Ring' is formed, with the addition of humans Aragorn (Viggo Mortenson ) and Boromir (Sean Bean ), elf Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and dwarf Gimli (John Rhys-Davis). And so this party of nine sets out on a difficult journey to Mt. Doom, where they must not only contend with the evil forces of Sauron, but also divisions within the fellowship that threaten to tear it apart.
A mythic quest, magic spells, elves, a dark lord of evil... true, these elements are nothing new, as they have been seen before in countless other fantasy stories genre. However, it was the literary works of Tolkien, such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy, that gave birth to the modern fantasy genre, giving it mainstream respectability and influencing a countless number of writers who would follow in his footsteps . Tolkien, a major scholar of Old and Middle English at Oxford University, had a passion for languages and a keen understanding of mythology and lore, and during the Thirties and Forties, he channeled his energies into what would eventually become the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Drawing inspiration from ancient lore and age-old themes, Tolkien crafted an entire world on paper, with its own history, culture, and languages, crafting a literary masterpiece of unmatched richness and unparalleled depth. Like the recent Harry Potter phenomenon, Lord of the Rings achieved cult status first in the United Kingdom, and it would not be until the 1950s that it would reach the s s of the United States and achieve a similar standing.
As a film, The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring is an astounding achievement. Jackson, who has great respect and admiration for the material, has crafted a rousing action-adventure that, despite its three-hour running time, never feels long or bloated. With the lush natural settings of New Zealand, breathtaking matte work, and the judicious use of CGI, the film transports the audience to Middle Earth, a world filled with wonder and spectacle. Some of the standout sequences include the opening battle scene that sets the stage for the story, Frodo's mountaintop run-in with a band of Ring Wraiths, the underground city of Moria and a run-in with the Balrog fire demon, and the climactic battle between the fellowship and an army of orcs. Yet despite such grand and epic sequences, the film's heart wisely stays close to Frodo's coming of age, and his gradual understanding of the heavy responsibility that has been thrust upon him.
To bring the characters to life, Jackson has banded together an all-star cast. As Frodo, Wood imbues the character with the right balance of innocence, vulnerability, and conviction, reflecting the transformation that the young hobbit undergoes during the course of the film. Holm is also quite good as the elderly Bilbo, who yearns to do so much with the little remaining time that he has, while Astin is likable as Frodo's ever-loyal sidekick. McKellan brings a stately presence to the production with his portrayal of Gandalf, while Mortensen conveys the honor and dignity of Aragorn. Among the supporting cast, standout performances include the fallen wizard Saruman(Christopher Lee), the elf leader Elrond( Hugo Weaving),Mortenson's love interest Arwen (Liv Tyler), and Galadriel (Cate Blanchett).