The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is a 2001
fantasy-
drama film[2] directed by
Peter Jackson based on the
first volume of
J. R. R. Tolkien's
The Lord of the Rings (1954–1955). Set in
Middle-earth, the story tells of the Dark Lord
Sauron, who is seeking the
One Ring. The Ring has found its way to the young
hobbit Frodo Baggins (
Elijah Wood). The fate of Middle-earth hangs in the balance as Frodo and eight companions that form the
Fellowship of the Ring, and begin their journey to
Mount Doom in the land of
Mordor, the only place where the Ring can be destroyed.
Released on 10 December 2001, the film was highly acclaimed by critics and fans alike, especially as many of the latter judged it to be the most sufficiently faithful adaption of the original story out of Jackson's
film trilogy. It was a major box office success, earning over $870 million worldwide, and the second highest-grossing film of 2001 in the U.S. and worldwide (behind
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone) which made it the 5th highest-grossing film ever at the time. Today it is the
20th highest-grossing worldwide film of all time. It won four
Academy Awards and five
BAFTAs, including Best Film and Best Director BAFTA awards. The
Special Extended DVD Edition was released on 12 November 2002 and is now discontinued. In 2007,
The Fellowship of the Ring was voted number 50 on the
American Film Institute's list of 100 greatest American films. The AFI also voted it the second greatest fantasy film of all time during their
AFI's 10 Top 10 special.
Plot
In the
Second Age of
Middle-earth, the
One Ring is forged by the Dark Lord
Sauron in order to conquer the lands of
Middle-earth. A
Last Alliance of Elves and Men is formed to counter Sauron and during a battle on the foot of
Mount Doom,
Prince Isildur, son of
King Elendil, who is slain by Sauron in the battle, picks up his father's
broken sword and slashes at Sauron's hand, separating him from the Ring and vanquishing his army. However, due to Sauron's "life force" being bound to the Ring, the Dark Lord is not completely defeated unless the Ring itself is destroyed, but Isildur, corrupted by the Ring's power, refuses to do so. Sometime later, Isildur is ambushed and killed by
Orcs, and the Ring is lost in a river. 2500 years later, the Ring is claimed by the creature
Gollum, who possesses it for centuries until it is found by
Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit from the
Shire.
Sixty years later, following his 111
th birthday party, Bilbo leaves the Ring to his nephew,
Frodo Baggins, and heir then goes away to live with the elves in
Rivendell. Meanwhile, the
Wizard Gandalf the Grey rides to
Minas Tirith to search for answers regarding Bilbo's magic ring, only to learn that it is, in fact, Sauron's One Ring. Gandalf returns to
Bag End and tells Frodo that the ring is in fact Sauron's one Ring, also briefly mentioning that he searched for the creature Gollum but the enemy found him first and tortured him, he eventually let out two words "Shire" and "Baggins". Now realising that he is in danger if he stays also realizing the ring cannot stay in the shire, Gandalf tells him to leave the Shire immediately with the Ring. Gandalf catches
Samwise Gamgee eavesdropping by a window and decides to send him along with Frodo. Gandalf rides to
Isengard to meet with
Saruman the White, who reveals to Gandalf that the
Nazgûl, Sauron's chief servants, have left
Minas Morgul to capture the Ring and kill whoever carries it. Gandalf attempts to flee to warn Frodo, but Saruman, who wants the Ring for himself stops him and shows Gandalf he's on Sauron's side. Gandalf and Saruman soon engage in a fight in which Saruman wins and imprisons Gandalf atop his tower
Orthanc. Gandalf is then forced to watch as Saruman, following Sauron's orders, commands the Orcs sent by Sauron to construct weapons of war and produce a new breed of Orc fighters called the
Uruk-hai.
While travelling to
Bree, Frodo and Sam are soon joined by their friends and fellow Hobbits
Merry and
Pippin. After encountering a Nazgûl on the road, they manage to reach Bree only to discover that Gandalf has not arrived. Instead, Frodo meets a man called "
Strider", a friend of Gandalf who agrees to lead them to
Rivendell. They continue travelling and spend the night on the hill of the ruined watchtower
Weathertop, where they are attacked by the Nazgûl. Strider fights off the monstrous assailants, but Frodo is grievously wounded with a
morgul blade which will cause him to turn into a wraith if not attended to with the proper care. While chased by the Nazgûl, Frodo is taken by the
elf Arwen to the Elven haven of
Rivendell, and healed by her father,
Elrond (The second in Command of the Elven Host at the battle of
Mount Doom 3,000 years before). Arwen also uses her magic to cut off the pursuing Nazgûl at the
Ford of Bruinen, summoning a surge of water that sweeps them away.
In Rivendell, Frodo finds his friend Gandalf, who explains why he did not meet them at Bree and that he had escaped Orthanc and Saruman's clutches with the help of an
eagle. Later, Elrond calls a
council of all the races/creatures still loyal to middle earth to decide what should be done with the Ring. Elrond warns against keeping the Ring in Rivendell for long, knowing that they will unite or fall and the Elven realm could come under attack from both Mordor and Isengard. The Ring can only be destroyed by throwing it into the fires of
Mount Doom, where it was forged. After a big arguement between the Races of what must be done. Knowing that while everyones bickering among themselves saurons power is growing. Frodo volunteers to take the Ring to Mount Doom and is accompanied by his Hobbit friends and Gandalf, as well as Strider, who is revealed to be
Aragorn, the rightful heir to the throne of
Gondor. Also travelling with them are the
Elf Legolas, the
Dwarf Gimli and
Boromir, the son of the
Steward of Gondor. Together they comprise the
Fellowship of the Ring.
The Fellowship set out and try to pass the mountain
Caradhras, but they are stopped by Saruman's wizardry. At Gimli's insistence, they decide to seek safety and travel under the mountain through the dwarf
Mines of Moria led by his cousin balin. Frodo agrees, but while travelling through the mines, they find out that orcs have overrun it and the dwarfs are all dead, slain in battle, the fellowship are attacked by Orcs and a
Cave Troll in Balin's tomb, the troll stabs Frodo which is then finally killed by legolas, though he escapes death with his
mithril chain mail given to him by Bilbo, and encounter a
Balrog, an ancient
demon of fire and shadow, at the
Bridge of Khazad-dûm. Gandalf confronts the Balrog on the bridge, allowing the others to escape the subterranean realm, but the monster drags him into the abyss below. After mourning Gandalf's loss, the group flees to the Elven realm of
Lothlórien, where they are sheltered by its rulers,
Galadriel and her husband
Celeborn. That night, Frodo meets Galadriel, who tells him that it is his destiny to bear the Ring and ultimately destroy it. Before they leave, Galadriel gives Frodo the
Phial of Galadriel, and the other members also receive gifts from them. Taking the straight path to Mordor, they travel on the River
Anduin towards
Parth Galen. Meanwhile, Saruman assembles a force of Uruk-hai, led by the commander Lurtz, to hunt down the Fellowship.
After landing at Parth Galen, Boromir (driven mad by the rings corruption and evilness) tries to take the Ring from Frodo, believing that it is the only way to save his realm. Frodo manages to escape by putting the Ring on his finger and vanishing. Boromir curses Frodo, but then realizes his mistakes and attempts to find him. Aragorn finds him first, and Frodo convinces Aragorn that he must go on alone, due to Galadriel's warning that the Ring would eventually corrupt the rest of the Fellowship. Right at that moment, Lurtz and his company of Uruk-hai arrive, and Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli attempt to hold them off while Frodo escapes. Merry and Pippin lead the Uruks away from Frodo and are nearly killed, when Boromir suddenly appears and intervenes. Although Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Boromir manage to kill and maim several Uruk-hai, Boromir blows the horn of Gondor for aid, Aragorn runs to him and fights a moving, two way battle with Legolas and Gimli in tow. Boromir is overrun, and eventually succumbs to Lurtz's three big black arrows. As Boromir falls to his knees, the Uruk-hai capture Merry and Pippin. Lurtz prepares to kill him, but Aragorn arrives just in time and engages Lurtz in a brutal fight. Aragorn eventually runs Lurtz through with his sword, cuts his arm off and decapitates him. Aragorn attempts to aid the dying man, but Boromir refuses, his wounds obviously too grievous. He admits to attempting to take the Ring, apologizes for his actions, and accepts Aragorn as his king. He dies with Aragorn by his side.
Sam finds Frodo, and Frodo reluctantly lets Sam join him. Meanwhile, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli set out to rescue Merry and Pippin. As Frodo and Sam gaze out at the land before them, they grieve over the others. Frodo says that he his now glad that Sam is with him and the two hobbits set off towards Mordor through the mountainous region of
emyn muil.
Cast
Before filming began on 11 October 1999, the principal actors trained for six weeks in sword fighting (with
Bob Anderson), riding and boating. Jackson hoped such activities would allow the cast to bond so chemistry would be evident on screen as well as getting them used to life in
Wellington.
[3] They were also trained to pronounce Tolkien's verses properly.
[4] After the shoot, the nine cast members playing the Fellowship got a tattoo, the Elvish symbol for the number nine, with the exception of
John Rhys-Davies, whose stunt double got the tattoo instead.
[5] The film is noted for having an
ensemble cast,
[6] and some of the cast and their respective characters include:
- Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins: A hobbit who inherits the One Ring from his uncle, Bilbo Baggins. He is mostly accompanied by his best friend and fellow hobbit, Samwise Gamgee. Elijah Wood was the first actor to be cast on 7 July 1999.[7] Wood was a fan of the book, and he sent in an audition dressed as Frodo, reading lines from the novel.[8] Wood was selected from 150 actors who auditioned.[9]
- Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey: An Istari wizard and mentor to Frodo, who helps him decide what to do with the Ring. He becomes the leader of the Fellowship after it is decided to take the Ring to Mount Doom and destroy it. Sean Connery was approached for the role, but did not understand the plot,[8] while Patrick Stewart turned it down as he disliked the script.[10] Before being cast, McKellen had to sort his schedule with 20th Century Fox as there was a two-month overlap with X-Men.[9] He enjoyed playing Gandalf the Grey more than his transformed state in the next two films,[5] and based his accent on Tolkien. Unlike his on-screen character, McKellen did not spend much time with the actors playing the Hobbits, instead working with their scale doubles.[3]
- Sean Astin as Samwise "Sam" Gamgee: A Hobbit gardener and friend of Frodo. When caught eavesdropping, Sam is made to become Frodo's companion and from then on becomes very loyal. Astin, then a father of one, bonded with the eighteen-year old Wood in a protective manner similar to Sam and Frodo.[3]
- Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn: Dubbed Strider, he is a Dúnedain ranger and the heir to the throne of Gondor. He travels with the Fellowship on their journey to Mordor. He is unsure of whether to become King following the failure of his ancestor, Isildur, to destroy the Ring. Nicolas Cage turned down the role because of "family obligations",[11] whilst Vin Diesel, a fan of the book, auditioned for Aragorn. Stuart Townsend was cast in the role, before being replaced during filming when Jackson realised he was too young.[8] Russell Crowe was considered as a replacement, but he turned it down after a similar role in Gladiator.[8] Producer Mark Ordesky saw Mortensen in a play and it was Mortensen's son, a fan of the book, who convinced him to take the role.[3] Mortensen read the book on the plane, received a crash course lesson in fencing from Bob Anderson and began filming the scenes on Weathertop.[12] Mortensen became a hit with the crew by patching up his costume[13] and carrying his "hero" sword around with him offscreen.[3]
- Sean Bean as Boromir: A prince of the Stewards of Gondor, he journeys with the Fellowship towards Mordor, although he is tempted by the power of the Ring. He feels Gondor needs no King, but becomes a friend of Aragorn. Bruce Willis, a fan of the book, expressed interest in the role, while Liam Neeson was sent the script, but passed.[8]
- Orlando Bloom as Legolas: Prince of the Elves' Woodland Realm and a skilled archer who accompanies the Fellowship on their journey to Mordor. Bloom initially auditioned for Faramir, who appears in the second film, a role which went to David Wenham.[8]
- Billy Boyd as Peregrin "Pippin" Took: A Hobbit who travels with the Fellowship on their journey to Mordor, along with his best friend Merry. He is loyal but a prankster, often being a nuisance for Gandalf. Together with Meriadoc Brandybuck (see below), he serves as a comic relief.
- Dominic Monaghan as Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck: A Hobbit and a friend (and distant cousin) of Frodo. He helps him find a raft-ferry to escape the Nazgûl, and later travels with the Fellowship on their journey to Mordor, along with his best friend Pippin. Monaghan was cast as Merry after auditioning for Frodo. Together with Pippin (see above), he serves as a comic relief.[8]
- John Rhys-Davies as Gimli: A Dwarf who accompanies the Fellowship to Mordor after they set out from Rivendell. He is initially xenophobic towards Elves, but changes his attitude in the course of the story, particularly after meeting Lady Galadriel. Billy Connolly was considered for the part of Gimli.[8] Rhys-Davies wore heavy prosthetics to play Gimli, which limited his vision, and eventually he developed eczema around his eyes.[3]
- Christopher Lee as Saruman the White: The fallen head of the Istari Order, who succumbed to Sauron's will via his use of the palantír. After capturing Gandalf, he creates an army of Uruk-hai to find and capture the Ring from the Fellowship. Lee is a major fan of the book, and reads it once a year. He has also met J. R. R. Tolkien.[12] He originally auditioned for Gandalf, but was judged too old.[8]
- Sala Baker portrays Sauron: The main antagonist and title character of the story, who created the One Ring to conquer Middle-earth. He lost the Ring to Isildur, and now seeks it in order to initiate his reign over Middle-earth. He cannot yet take physical form, and is spiritually incarnate as an Eye.
- Hugo Weaving as Elrond: The Elven master of Rivendell, who leads the Council of Elrond which ultimately decides to destroy the One Ring. He lost faith in the strength of Men after witnessing Isildur's failure 3,000 years before. David Bowie expressed interest in the role, but Jackson stated, "To have a famous, beloved character and a famous star colliding is slightly uncomfortable."[9]
- Marton Csokas as Lord Celeborn: An Elf and the co-ruler of Lothlórien along with his wife Galadriel.
- Cate Blanchett as Galadriel: An Elf and the co-ruler of Lothlórien along with her husband Lord Celeborn. She shows Frodo a possible outcome of events in her mirror and gives him the Light of Eärendil. Tilda Swinton was also a possibility to the role, but she turned it down, since she was going to play a similar role as Jadis, the White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.
- Liv Tyler as Arwen: An elf, Arwen escorts Frodo to Rivendell after he is stabbed by the Witch-king. She is the daughter of Elrond and Aragorn's lover, to whom she gives the Evenstar necklace. The filmmakers approached Tyler after seeing her performance in Plunkett & Macleane, and New Line Cinema leaped at the opportunity of having one Hollywood star in the film. Actress Helena Bonham Carter had expressed interest in the role.[8] Tyler came to shoot on short occasions, and bonded most with Bloom.[3] She was one of the last actors to be cast, on 25 August 1999.[14]
- Ian Holm as Bilbo Baggins: Frodo's uncle who gives him the Ring after he decides to retire to Rivendell. At Rivendell, he gives Frodo a mithril mail-shirt and his own sword, Sting, which can detect the presence of nearby orcs by emitting a bluish glow. Holm previously played Frodo in a 1981 radio adaption of The Lord of the Rings, and was cast as Bilbo after Jackson remembered his performance.[8] Sylvester McCoy was contacted about playing the role, and was kept in place as a potential Bilbo for six months before Jackson went with Holm.[15]
- Lawrence Makoare as Lurtz: The commander of Saruman's orc forces who leads the hunt for the Fellowship as they head to Mordor.
- David Weatherley as Barliman Butterbur: Owner of the Inn of the Prancing Pony
- Martyn Sanderson as the Gatekeeper of Bree
