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justanothercinemaniac · 7 years

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Epic Movie (Re)Watch #198 - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Spoilers Below

Have I seen it before: Yes

Did I like it then: Yes.

Do I remember it: Yes.

Did I see it in theaters: No.

Format: Blu-ray

1) The prologue.

The studio originally wanted to cut the prologue, but I’m glad they didn’t because it works REALLY well at establishing the world and lore of Middle Earth moving forward. I’m someone who has never read any of the books, so my only experience with this world IS the movies. And the prologue works not only to set up the intense backstory of this story, it also sets up the ring as a character all its own. But more on that later.

2) Ian McKellen as Gandalf.

McKellen was nominated for an Oscar because of his performance in this film (but oddly not because of the sequels, even though the performance loses none of what makes it special). This trilogy has a number of stand out cast members in it and McKellen is one of them. He is able to fully embrace all of Gandalf’s qualities. He is wise, occasionally angry, has immense patience but does lose it at times, and just has this massive beating heart. The way he interacts with the other characters - namely Frodo and Bilbo - shows just how important he is to them. You get invested in him and their relationships. It’s an absolutely wonderful role.

3) The Shire.

The trilogy is able to consistently portray a song sense of place across Middle Earth, so it is important that The Shire starts the trend. Through production design, writing, character, and even music (Howard Shore’s score plays an incredible part in all three films), there is a true sense of peace to The Shire. It feels like home, the one place which is untouched by the darkness which spreads through Middle Earth (in the films at least). And creating such a sense of safety which the audience then leaves from makes the following conflict all the more intense.

4) According to IMDb:

Gandalf's painful encounter with a ceiling beam in Bilbo's hobbit-hole was not in the script. Sir Ian McKellen banged his forehead against the beam accidentally. Peter Jackson thought McKellen did a great job "acting through" the mistake, and kept it in.

5) Ian Holm as Bilbo Baggins

Upon first meeting Bilbo you understand the warmth that lies beneath him, but the jadedness is what comes through strongest. He’s fed up with the simple living of The Shire, of the proper hobbits, and he longs for adventure. It’s a feeling I think most people have had at least once in their lives and it gets you invested in the character. Holm is a great character actor and does as fine a job here as he did in, say, Alien or The Fifth Element. You understand upon meeting him how important he is to Frodo, Gandalf, the story even, and he’s memorable even with minimal screen time (although minimal screen time in a trilogy of films all around three hours long is still a fair amount of screen time).

6) Elijah Wood as Frodo.

Frodo is really the main hero of this journey. He’s the one who carries the titular thing and definitely the one who goes through the biggest change from beginning to end (which is saying something considering some of the character development in these films). In this film, Wood is able to play Frodo with an incredible amount of warmth in him. You understand that he is a good person who is happy, but he forsakes that happiness to do the right thing (taking the ring to destroy it). Wood plays Frodo’s progressing grief and (in future films) descent into madness absolutely incredibly. You have to believe him through ever emotionally state and Wood performs in a way where you do.

7) This is a great representation of Gandalf’s complexities as a character.

Gandalf [after Bilbo accuses him of wanting the steal the ring]: “Bilbo Baggins! Do not take me for some conjurer of cheap tricks! I am not trying to rob you! [Calmer now] I am trying to help you.”

Don’t mess with Gandalf. He may act kind to his friends, those he holds in good standing, but if you piss him off he will get so mad the room literally darkness around him. Juxtaposing this threatening anger with deep compassion for his friend is a great way of showing the audience just who the grey wizard is.

8) The trilogy deals with tone shifts REALLY well, to the point where you don’t even realize that there is a shift. But we are able to move from light happy Shire territory to dark evil “one true ring” territory effortlessly. I dig that.

9) I had a whole conversation with @theforceisstronginthegirl WHILE I WAS WATCHING THE MOVIE to figure this out. Because, besides invisibility, I didn’t really understand what the ring DID. I knew it worked as a horcrux which could bring Sauron back, but besides that? Now I understand the ring is more representative of the temptation of evil. There is power in evil. The power to influence, even the power itself is tempting. And the ring represents this. That works really well, I think. Better than - say - giving you superpowers through an evil ring.

10) Sean Astin as Samwise Gamgee.

While Frodo does start very grounded, the ring does end up effecting him in many ways. Not Sam though. Sam is consistently good and human throughout all three films, always doing the right thing, always having the best intentions for his friends in mind. The Fellowship needed Sam for the same reason the films do and that is because he is the heart of both. He’s the small town hobbit who has no aspirations for pride or adventure, only to do the right thing. And he stays this way from beginning to end. He is a good man and, in many ways, Frodo’s rock throughout the journey to Mordor. Sean Astin plays Sam just brilliantly, taking any sense of ego out of the performance and just letting Sam breathe as a character. He’s absolutely wonderful and has a great connection with Elijah Wood’s Frodo, helping you get invested in that relationship also. All in all, Sam is just great.

10.1) Yes, I ship Sam and Frodo. Not in a way where I’m like, “I’m so mad they didn’t get together in the end!” But like in a way where I understand how deep their relationship is already and can easily see them being with each other.

11) Christopher Lee as Saruman

Even before we learn he’s evil, Saruman is a dick. Calling Gandalf stupid and referring to Hobbits as “half-lings”. Lee is able to make the white wizard absolutely chilling and threatening, a guy you know you don’t want to mess with from moment one. Lee actually knew author JRR Tolkein and I believe had hoped to play Gandalf. Even though he didn’t, he still read the novels once a year every year until his passing. So he brings a lot of respect and understanding to the part which shows through. While Lee has always been a great villain actor, he’s almost chameleonic as Saruman I think. He knows the character inside and out; his motivations, how far he’ll really go, and that makes for a wonderful performance.

12) Merry and Pippin.

Portrayed by Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd respectively, both films characters go through a wonderful transformation in films two and three. However, this is a post about Fellowship, and in Fellowship we get a strong sense of who these characters are in the beginning (making their future development all the stronger). They are used for a lot of comedic relief in the film and are very good at it. Each of the Hobbits brings their own brand of warmth and heart to the first film, with this duo being no different. Each actor is great in their part and plays off the other incredibly well. Merry and Pippin are a set, they’re linked. And you understand the strength of that bond right away.

13) The Black Riders.

These movies do an excellent job with their monsters/villains. The Black Riders are a great representation of that. Their design is wicked strong and immediately threatening, playing upon classic fears of the unknown as they are literally shrouded in darkness. Every time they appear on screen there is an immediate feeling of threat. They’re just freaking awesome.

14) Hey look, it’s director Peter Jackson!

(GIF source unknown [if this is your GIF please let me know].)

15) Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn

Probably my favorite character in THIS film (Éowyn is my favorite character in the whole trilogy, but she’s not in this movie), Viggo Mortensen is crazy strong as the mysterious ranger. He reportedly was so in character during filming that director Peter Jackson referred to him as "Aragorn" for over half an hour without him realizing it. He has the grizzled rogue thing down but without the irresponsibility which can be attributed with the characters. There is this clear sense of both duty, grief, fear, and even shame for his ancestors which are always at conflict with each other that makes the character WILDLY interesting. Honestly, he’s just really freaking good in the part.

16) Ah, to eat like a hobbit.

Aragorn: “Gentlemen, we do not stop ’til nightfall.”

Pippin: “What about breakfast?”

Aragorn: “You’ve already had it.”

Pippin: “We’ve had one, yes. But what about second breakfast?”

[Aragorn just walks away]

Merry: “I don’t think he knows about second breakfast, Pip.”

Pippin: “What about elevensies? Luncheons? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper?”

17) One thing I like in this film that was unfortunately lost in The Hobbit films is the reliance on practical creature makeup. ESPECIALLY with the Orcs. I could theoretically walk down the street and see an Orc because it was actors in REALLY elaborate makeup. They felt real, grounded, even though they’re fantasy creatures. In prefer that to CG.

18) Holy shit, I just realized that these are the trolls from The Hobbit.

(GIF source unknown [if this is your GIF please let me know].)

19) Liv Tyler as Arwen

Unfortunately, there are only three really significant female characters in the entire trilogy (Arwen, Galadriel, and Éowyn) and they never interact with each other. Fortunately, they’re all pretty awesome. You understand just how important she is from her very first frame. Like other elf actors like Hugo Weaving and Cate Blanchett, Tyler does a good job conveying Arwen as something a little more than human. A little more evolved. Although I wish Arwen did more in terms of fighting during the trilogy, the audience is made to understand that she is not only competent but dangerous. Her first moment in the film she puts a sword to Aragorn’s throat after sneaking up on him (ah, flirting) and she easily tricks the nine Ring Wraiths into a watery (if temporary) demise. I just wish we’d had more of her fighting or interacting with other women.

20) Much like The Shire, Rivendale has a palpable sense of peace and safety to it which relates to a strong sense of place. You get a taste for elf culture as the film allows the audience (and its characters) to slow down and get their wits about them.

21) Hugo Weaving as Elrond.

Weaving is a remarkably talented character actor who is great in this part. As mentioned before, he is able to make the elf leader seem a little more than human. A little wiser, a little more evolved. He is very controlled which suggests a great amount of power behind him. You understand his concerns, his fears, his love for his daughter, his duty to his people, all through Weaving’s performance. He is just really great in the part.

22) There is a strong immediate juxtaposition between the more ambitious Boromir and the cautious Aragorn in their very first scene with each other. They don’t even really talk to each other but you understand what makes them different IMMEDIATELY.

23) I really like Aragorn + Arwen because we understand that there is not only a deep love between them but a great respect. They see each other as equals and in their scenes together are consistently honest, respectful, and compassionate. It’s just a great relationship.

24) The Council of Elrond

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This scene is just dripping with such juicy and interesting conflict. It is defined by such a unique culture clash between elves, men, and dwarves which escalated so wonderfully. All these different people with different ideologies and motivations fighting amongst themselves, including our first encounter with Gimli and Legolas’ blossoming fun conflict. It’s just awesome!

24.1) Ah yes, The Lord of the Memes.

24.2) I could talk about why Frodo is such a great hero, why he’s the one who takes the ring, but instead I will refer you to this excellent meta that’s been going around Tumblr.

24.3) I love Elrond’s sass face when Sam shows up, then his look of utter surprise when Merry & Pippin show up to his super secret council meeting.

24.4) And finally.

Elrond: “You shall be the fellowship of the ring.”

25) The way Bilbo freaks out when the ring is once again so close to him, when that evil tempts him, is so telling of just how dark this item of power is.

26) There are a number of small moments in this film which gets you invested in the group dynamic of the fellowship, making its dissolving at the end of the film all the more powerful. One of the earliest examples of this is when Boromir teaches Merry & Pippin how to handle swords before it devolves into a friendly row.

27) John Rhys Davies as Gimli

Davies is a character actor who is probably most well known for his role as Sallah in Raiders of the Lost Ark (outside of this film, that is). He blends wonderfully into the part of Gimli and I think is one of the most underrated actors in the film. Davies makes Gimli fun, gruff, occasionally heartbreaking (when he weeps over his cousin Balin) with an incredible fighting spirit that allows him to steal a number of scenes. He gets more room to shine in The Two Towers than this film, but that doesn’t mean he’s not consistently great.

28) The Mines of Moria.

As I’ve mentioned before, this film does well to convey a great sense of place in all of its locations. The Mines of Moria are no different. As soon as we enter this place we understand the danger which lurks here. It’s threatening and frightening, marking the Fellowship’s first great challenge. You know they’re not going to come through the other side unscathed.

29) I always liked this speech.

Gandalf [after Frodo says it’s a pity Bilbo didn’t kill Gollum]: “Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo’s hand. Many that live deserve death. Some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or ill before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many.”

30) Ah yes, the mine skirmish.

There’s a wicked sense of dangerous fun which marks this action sequence, which is potentially the best in the film. You get a sense of each character’s fighting spirit, with even the Hobbits jumping into battle passionately after they believe Frodo has been struck down. It’s just really entertaining.

31) The Bridge of Khazad Dum.

This is a scene of pure stakes. I was taught that if a character can leave a scene without being devastated, than the stakes are too low. That’s exactly what’s happening here. Gandalf can’t let the Balrog pass and destroy the quest and if the only way the Balrog doesn’t get what it wants is through death. This is why the scene is so iconic, because it’s so freaking simple. The creature design of the Balrog is absolutely amazing and Howard Shore’s score just packs a strong punch when Gandalf dies.

Because that’s the other memorable thing about this scene: Gandalf freaking dies. It’s absolutely heartbreaking even when you know it doesn’t take. This is partially because of Howard Shore’s score, but mostly because of the incredible performances the actors give while their characters grieve their departed friend. It’s just freaking great.

32) In continuing the film’s strong sense of place, the Elf Woods are very strong. There is something just a little bit off about it. It’s not the safe place Rivendale was but instead much more unsettling and mysterious. It’s otherworldly, just like its queen…

33) Cate Blanchett as Galadriel

Cate Blanchett is - I think - the greatest actress around today. And her performance in this film is no less great, even if it is supporting. You understand her wisdom, her heart, but there is something dangerous about Gladriel that lurks just beneath the surface. You know you don’t want to get on her bad side even when all she’s doing is being kind to you. Blanchett is able to be all these things with the appearance of ease, which I think is what makes her so great. When you’re watching Cate Blanchett act, you don’t think, “Oh, that’s Cate Blanchett.” Instead, she fully immerses herself in the character and leaves any sense of ego out of it. I freaking love Cate Blanchett.

34) The moment where Boromir opens up to Aragorn is really strong for me. It’s a moment of great connection between the two, where Boromir is able to put his pride aside and actually communicate the insecurities he has. The fears. How he wants to be a great man, a great leader. And Aragorn doesn’t judge, doesn’t argue, he just listens. He makes it safe for Boromir to speak. I dig that.

35) I never got the whole “Frodo offers the ring to Galadriel and doesn’t rescind the offer when she’s obviously tempted” thing. Like every time I watch I’m just like…

“Frodo, put the ring back. Don’t let crazy Cate Blanchett have the ring.”

36) I’m reaching the end of the post, so I should talk about Orlando Bloom as Legolas.

As with the other elves I’ve mentioned, Bloom is able to make Legolas feel something a little more than human. However, he’s also the closest to human elf we’ve seen so far. There’s a bit more fear to him, he’s occasionally more brash, and just genuinely interesting. Legolas ends up having a great kinship with Gimli and is just a lot of fun to watch.

37) The scene where Boromir gives into temptation and tries to take the ring from Frodo is incredibly powerful. It largely shows how poisoning the evil of the ring is and how even good men can give into that weakness. But the fact that his last moments are regretful ones over his actions just makes his eventual death all the more heartbreaking, especially because he asks Aragorn for forgiveness.

38) The final fight with the orcs is a solid climax with some real consequences, organically splitting up the group for future installments. The action is well choreographed and fun, making the scene just genuinely interesting.

39) Ending the movie the way it does is great because it is based on one of the simplest and most important ideas in storytelling: choice. Frodo CHOSES to leave the Fellowship, Sam CHOOSES to swim after him even though he can’t swim (one of many reasons I kinda low-key ship these two). Their choices have consequences which effect the rest of the trilogy and just lets them both grow as characters. I love it.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is an incredible start to a great film trilogy. We are introduced to Middle Earth in a great way with incredibly strong performances marking the lengthy run time. There is a great sense of epic scale to it as well as great heart, leaving the audience with a memorable adventure that feels full even though there’s more to come. All in all, just a great film.

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