Beautiful, fantastic, this one, but all three movies really, are in my heart with an added joy that someone finally took the Fantasy genre seriously. For some reason, nobody ever did. Now this is serious stuff, I love every bit of it.
It starts with a bit of narration, to bring us up to speed: it’s in elvish and also its english translation.
It tells the story of how the world changed: “it began with the forging of the great rings. Three were given to the Elves: immortal, wisest and fairest of all beings. Seven to the dwarf lord, great miners and craftsmen of the mountain halls. And nine… nine rings were gifted to the race of men, who above all else desire power. For within these rings was bound the strength and will to govern each race. But they were all of them deceived. For another ring was made. In the land of Mordor, in the fires of Mount Doom, the Dark Lord Sauron forged in secret a master ring to control all others. And into this ring he poured his cruelty, his malice, and his will to dominate all life. One ring to rule them all. One by one, the free lands of Middle Earth fell to the power of the ring. But there were some who resisted. A last alliance of men and elves marched against the armies of Mordor and on the slopes of Mount Doom they fought for the freedom of Middle Earth… Victory was near but the power of the ring could not be undone” . Sauron killed many, but at some point he struck a human king, and so it was “when all hope had faded that Isildur, son of the king, took up his father’s sword”. Sauron breaks it, but still Isildur uses the remains to strike at him and he cut his fingers off, and without the ring on him Sauron was defeated.
“The ring passed to Isildur who ha this one chance to destroy evil forever. But the hearts of men are easily corrupted. And the ring of power has a will of its own. It betrayed Isildur to his death. And some things that should not have been forgotten, were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth. And for two and a half thousand years the ring passed out of all knowledge. Until, when chance came… it ensnared a new bearer. The ring came to the creature Gollum who took it deep into the tunnels of the Misty Mountains. And there, it consumed him. The ring brought to Gollum unnatural long life. For 500 years it poisoned his mind. And in the gloom of Gollum’s cave, it waited. Darkness crept back into the forests of the world. Rumour grew of a shadow in the East, whispers of a nameless fear. And the ring of power perceived its time had now come. It abandoned Gollum. But something happened then the ring did not intend. It was picked up by the most unlikely creature imaginable. A hobbit. Bilbo Baggins, of the Shire. For the time will soon come when hobbits will shape the fortunes of all”
______________
60 years later.
We see the Shire, and it’s beautiful, green, peaceful, Frodo sits under a tree reading, Gandalf arrives for Frodo’s uncle Bilbo’s birthday party. The village is beautiful, people are lifting up the Happy Birthday banner for Bilbo, half the Shire has been invited to the party, and Frodo is sure that Bilbo is “up to something” but Gandalf tells him nothing.
Frodo: “Before you came along we Bagginses were very well thought of. Never had any adventures or did anything unexpected”
Gandalf: “if you’re referring to the incident with the dragon, I was barely involved. All I did was give your uncle a little nudge out of the door”
-“whatever you did, you’ve been officially labelled a disturber of the peace”
Still, the children like him and his fireworks, so he lets go a few to make them happy.
Bilbo is now 111 years old but hasn’t aged a day since he got the ring.
They have tea, then a smoke together, making smoke rings - or a smoke boat, in Gandalf’s case.
That night, big fireworks for the party, and music and of course lots of food.
Frodo is having lots of fun, and makes Sam dance with Rosie. Bilbo tells the story of the three trolls to a group of children.
“Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took” steal and light the biggest firework in the shape of a dragon that should have been the big finale, probably, so Gandalf has them clean all the dishes.
Bilbo’s speech is pure Tolkien: “I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve” and they’re all confused.
Now’s the time, Bilbo says “this is the end, I’m going now, I bid you all a very fond farewell. Goodbye” and he disappears.
Only Gandalf knows he has such a ring, and reminds Bilbo he promised to leave the ring behind, to Frodo. When Bilbo changes his mind and starts stroking the ring, saying “it’s mine, my precious” Gandalf worries.
Bilbo finally lets it go before going out. He wants to leave, see the mountains again, finish his book and probably never return. Gandalf senses the dark power of the ring so he leaves it on the floor for Frodo to find when he gets home. Bilbo’s gone to stay with the elves and has left everything to Frodo. Gandalf wants to do research on the ring and leaves immediately.
Gollum knew Bilbo took his ring so he reveals Bilbo’s name. Gandalf finds the story of Isildur, high king of Gondor, and the finding of the ring of power. Gandalf reads that the writing is no more visible, but can be seen with fire, so he hurries back to Frodo and throws the envelop in the fire, and indeed markings appear. “The language is that of Mordor, which I will not utter here. In the common tongue, it says: One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them”.
Gandalf tells Frodo it is the ring of power, and he says that it has awaken, answering its master’s call, because Sauron was not destroyed, his life force is bound to the ring and the ring survived. Sauron has returned, and with the ring he would destroy everything.
Frodo would like to hide it, but there is someone who knows the ring’s there: Gollum, who said his name after he was tortured.
Scared, Frodo gives Gandalf the ring but Gandalf dares not take it. Since it can’t stay in the Shire, the only solution is for Frodo to take it away. To Bree, meet Gandalf at the Inn of the Prancing Pony. Gandalf wants first to ask the head of his order for what he must do now, since “he is both wise and powerful”
“Samwise Gamgee” was eavesdropping, so he knows it all. Gandalf has him go along with Frodo. He also tells Frodo to never put the ring on or the agents of the Dark Lord will find him. Gandalf rides away fasst, and they start walking.
At Isengard, Gandalf the Grey meets Saruman the White. He tells him everything, and Saruman knows a lot about Sauron’s current strength and the army he is building, he has seen a lot using a palantir, a seeing-stone. Saruman also knows “the Nine have left Minas Morgul”. Saruman says that a hobbit cannot “contend with the will of Sauron”, because “there are none who can”
No one can win against Mordor, so “we must join with him”. They fight, and Saruman takes Gandalf’s staff and locks him to the top of his tower.
Sam loses sight of Frodo and panics for a second, because Gandalf told him Not to lose Him.
Merry and Pippin run into them while they were stealing vegetables. When Frodo feels something in the air, they hide under the tree’s roots before a Nazgul can find them.
They are soon seen while running, but they manage to catch the ferry and it stops. They reach Bree and the Inn (small appearance of the director as a man in the rain).
Gandalf is not there though so they don’t know what to do. “Strider” the ranger keeps staring at him, and Frodo keeps feeling the ring in his mind. Pippin tells everyone the name Baggins; Frodo tries to stop him (bit late for that) and he falls on the floor and the ring lands on his finger. Now Sauron and his Nazgul see him. Strider (ok, Aragorn) takes Frodo to a room to talk, the other three run in and Sam is not scared by the long sword :)
Aragorn hides them for the night and leads them to Rivendell during the day, the House of Elrond.
Sauron tells Saruman (through the palantir) to build him an army, so he starts taking down trees for the furnaces.
Aragorn does not know about hobbit’s tradition of “second breakfast”.
They rest for the night at the Great Watchtower of Amon Sul. He gives them weapons, too.
The three hobbits cook with fire, and are found out. The three brave hobbit try to protect Frodo, but they are no more than leaves in the wind. Frodo is lead to put the ring on, and sees them as white wraiths. Since he resists and doesn’t let them take it, they stab him in the shoulder. Aragorn arrives to save them, jumping in front of him and fighting both with his sword and with a torch.
The Morgul blade is poisonous so he needs elvish medicine. Aragorn picks him up and runs.
Gandalf catches with his hand a flying bug and whispers to it. Orcs keep creating new orcs, a new and Saruman-improved version of them, and also keep forging weapons.
Arwen has been looking for Aragorn, knowing five wraiths are after him, and seeing how bad Frodo is, she takes him with her and rides fast towards her father’s home. The wraiths find her, there are eight right behind her; she rides faster and skillfully, and as soon as she crosses the river, they stop - like they did at the ferry - but this time they cross it, there’s little water after all, so she chants and horses made of water trample the wraiths and wash them away.
Frodo is much worse, looks like he’s dying that second; Arwen thinks (or prays or vows, whatever) : “what grace is given me, let it pass to him. Let him be spared. Save him”
(and this always puzzled me, what does it mean? it’s a common prayer or she means to pass to him her immortality? how many times can she do that?)
Next, Frodo wakes up to Gandalf by his bed - “it’s October the 24th, if you want to know”
Gandalf apologises for not meeting them at Bree, “I was delayed”, and we see how, by Saruman throwing him back and forth and trying to convince him to join their side, but Gandalf knows that “there is only one lord of the ring, and he does not share power”
Frodo meets Elrond, the one who saved him, then he sees uncle Bilbo again, at Rivendell to finish his book. He looks older now, without the ring. The book is, of course, “There and back again, a hobbit’s take by Bilbo Baggins”
Frodo and Sam are quite ready to go home, now that they’ve completed their mission and brought the ring to Rivendell, but Elrond is very worried about Sauron’s increasing forces, especially when Gandalf tells him “Saruman has crossed orcs with goblin-men, breeding an army in the caverns of Isengard”, so they can move in sunlight.
The ring can’t stay at Rivendell. They can’t protect it from both Sauron and Saruman.
People start to arrive, Boromir, Legolas, the dwarves…
Elrond is worried, they’re about to leave their lands, their time is over, he says, but without elves who will help? Gandalf has hope in men, but Elrond remembers “I was there, 3000 years ago, the day the strength of men failed”.
Boromir takes a look around the place (I love the paintings on the walls, from real artists, from Alan Lee if I’m not mistaken, it’s been a long time but I don’t think I am)
He sees “the shards of Narsil”, “the blade that cut the ring from Sauron’s hand”, and it is still sharp… but Boromir shows no respect for it.
Aragorn is Isildur’s heir, so he thinks he’ll be as weak. There’s a romantic scene on a bridge between Arwen and Aragorn: she told him years ago she’d give up immortal life to stay with him, and she still feels the same and chooses mortal life. (she keeps saying that).
At the meeting, there’s lots of people summoned to discuss the threat of Mordor. Boromir immediately talks of using the ring. Aragorn doesn’t agree. Legolas knows already who he is, that he is “Aragorn, son of Arathorn”, heir to the throne of Gondor; now Gondor has no king, but is ruled by Boromir’s father. Learning that the ring has to be destroyed, Gimli son of Gloin uses his axe, breaking it. The ring must burn in the fires of Mount Doom, where it was created.
Everyone starts shouting, they don’t trust each other, so Frodo volunteers to bring it there, and one by one Aragorn and Gandalf, Legolas and Gimli and Boromir offer their help to show him the way and protect him, and of course the other hobbits. Nine companions.
Bilbo gives his old sword Sting to Frodo, and also his armor made of mithril. Boromir teaches Merry and Pippin to fight with the sword. Gandalf tells Gimli he would pass through Moria only if he had no other choice. They take the pass of Caradhras because “the passage south is being watched” by Saruman. When Frodo falls in the snow and loses the ring, Boromir picks it up but then gives it back.
Everyone is submerged in snow but Legolas walks upon it. The hobbits are being carried by the men. Saruman’s magic tries to bring the mountain down on them. Gandalf tries to chant back but is not successful. Boromir suggests going through Gondor, but it would be too close to Isengard. Gimli again suggests going under the mountain, through the mines of Moria. Gandalf fears it, but lets Frodo choose. At the door of Moria, it says “the doors of Durin lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter” and Gandalf can’t find the right thing to say, even tries pushing it. After a while, Frodo asks “what is the elvish word for friend?” , Gandalf answers “mellon” and the door opens.
Gimli expects a paradise, but finds hell. Everybody’s dead. They think about getting out, but outside in the water there’s a monster who grabs Frodo. Everybody fights then Boromir carries Frodo inside the mine and they have no choice anymore. A four-day journey to the other side.
Frodo notices someone is following them, Gandalf knows it’s Gollum, he already knew.
Gandalf chooses the path that doesn’t smell so bad. Gimli finds Balin’s grave and cries. Curious Pippin touches stuff causing a skeleton and it’s armor to fall down a well, causing lots and lots of noise. They had been so quiet until now…
Gandalf is pissed: “Fool of a Took. Throw yourself in next time, and rid us of your stupidity”
As a result, they start hearing the drums, the noise, Frodo’s sword lights blue, orcs are coming.
They all fight and yell, until a big troll arrives. Legolas throws two arrows at once, jumps on its head and fires from there. Sam even uses a frying pan. The troll is after Frodo, but again Aragorn jumps between Frodo and the enemy, only he’s knocked out this time. The troll stabs Frodo, the hobbits attack with rage and all together they finally kill it. But Frodo’s not dead, because of his mithril armor. They hear screeching and run to the bridge of Khazad-dum (the only scene in the movie that didn’t ‘feel natural’ is their race across the hall seen from above).
Hordes of goblin are after them, and surround them, but then something scares them and they flee. A Balrog approaches, “a demon of the ancient world”. They run; when the big stairs are broken, Boromir alone jumps carrying Merry and Pippin, then Aragorn throws Sam to him. Gimli jumps because “nobody tosses a dwarf” and Legolas catches him by the beard. More stairs are broken, Aragorn and Frodo lean towards the others and they all run. To the bridge. Gandalf stays behind, their swords can’t do anything against a Balrog.
Gandalf remains behind on the bridge: “I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor” (and again, this scene with the lighted staff is an artist’s painting come to life - Love it)
“You shall not pass” and indeed he doesn’t, he falls down but its whip catches Gandalf: “fly, you fools”.
Boromir carries Frodo away, and they get out of Moria. Pippin cries desperately, Sam cries too, Frodo was already crying. Still, they need to move on and “reach the woods of Lothlorien”. They move on at speed. Gimli tells the hobbits a great sorceress lives in those woods, “an elf-witch of terrible power, all who look upon her fall under her spell and are never seen again.” Meanwhile Galadriel speaks to Frodo’s mind. Gimli says “here’s one dwarf she won’t ensnare so easily” ( :lol: in this short version there is no gifts giving so we don’t see how ensnare he is ^_^ )
They’re surprised by a group of elves that leads them to the Lady of the Wood, she’s waiting for them.
Lothlorien is beautiful. They are greeted and offered rest. Boromir is troubled, the lady spoke to his mind too, about the fall of Gondor and that there is still hope, but he cannot see it.
Galadriel walks barefoot leading Frodo to her mirror. Frodo looks and sees all hobbits enslaved, even Sam, and fights to keep the ring from Sauron’s eye when it appears. Should Frodo fail, that would become reality (no pressure, huh? poor Frodo)
“the fellowship is breaking” she says it’s already begun, and “he will try to take the ring” and then “one by one it will destroy them all”. Because, you know, the ring is evil. So Frodo offers it to her, she’s tempted but resists, she’ll go to the west with the elves. She tells him that he must find a way to go on and do it alone. He’s afraid, but determined.
Saruman teaches us that Orcs were once elves. Now the improved orcs are called Uruk-hai (although it was never clear to me how can everybody know that…)
They serve Saaruman, bred to kill, and on the hunt for Frodo. Saruman wants the ring and the others dead.
When they leave Lothlorien, they receive gifts from Galadriel: to Frodo, the light of Elendil… and here in this short version it doesn’t show the other gifts.
They all wear green cloaks with a leaf-pin. They travel by boat. They pass the Argonath, gigantic statues of kings. They’re near Gondor, I’d say. Aragorn plans to cross the river, walk, and approach Mordor from the North.
Frodo walks around, Boromir is looking for wood, they talk, but the power of the ring and Boromir’s own desperation make him try to forcefully take the ring from Frodo, but he puts it on and runs away. Boromir is very regretful: Aragorn instead passes the test, but when Sting lights blue, he tells Frodo to run and prepares for battle.
He starts alone, then Legolas and Gimli arrive. The orcs aim for Frodo though, and run for him.
When Merry and Pippin understand what Frodo plans and see the orcs, they try to lead them off his trail and after themselves. They’d be dead if it wasn’t for Boromir, who ran like the saviour, or so they think. Boromir thought very bravely like a great warrior, two arrows in him and he still fights, but the third big arrow leaves him with no strength. The orcs take Merry and Pippin, the only hobbits they can see. Aragorn comes running, called by the horn of Gondor that Boromir blew to call for help, and kills the biggest uruk-hai, the one that killed Boromir, but the others have fled. Boromir confesses to him, cries in desperation for the fate of his people, but Aragorn swears he will not let the white city fall. Boromir calls him My king and dies.
Frodo leaves on a boat but Sam, after much running, arrives and won’t be left behind. He can’t even swim but he enters the river anyway, not willing to part from him. He made a promise not to. Frodo helps him on the boat and they go together.
They put Boromir on a boat and leave him to the waterfall. Aragorn will not go after Frodo, he understands, so they will go after Merry and Pippin, to save them.
Directed by Peter Jackson, Screenplay by Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens
I’d like to write everyone but it’s too long and I don’t even understand all the terms, but it was all great, the places, the cities, the clothes, the jewellery, the make up, the lights, the armors and weapons, and everything really.
Special mention for whoever made those amazing illustrations come to life. The line in the credits “conceptual designers: Alan Lee and John Howe” says it all, I saw so much of their work in the movies, in all three, it was fantastic and it added magic to the magic.
The cast is listed in the credits in alphabetical order. Good, since they are all important. I list them as I remember, that’s all, like : all the hobbits, the companions, the elves…
Frodo - Elijah Wood
Sam - Sean Astin
Merry - Dominic Monaghan
Pippin - Billy Boyd
Bilbo - Ian Holm
Aragorn - Viggo Mortensen
Boromir - Sean Bean
Legolas - Orlando Bloom
Gimli - John Rhys-Davies
Gandalf - Ian McKellen
Galadriel - Cate Blanchett
Elrond - Hugo Weaving
Saruman - Christopher Lee
Arwen - Liv Tyler
Gollum - Andy Serkis
Celeborn - Marton Csokas
Rosie Cotton - Sarah McLeod
Isildur - Harry Sinclair
and
“cute hobbit children: Billy and Katie Jackson” - Bilbo told them the troll story.