“One ring to rule them all. One ring to find them. One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them in the land of Mordor where the shadows lie.” The One Ring of power has resurfaced and threatens to destroy Middle Earth. It has been dormant for over five hundred years and has come to be in the possession of a hobbit, Frodo Baggins. Aided by the wizard Gandalf, Frodo sets out on a quest to destroy the One Ring. With a fellowship of eight companions at his side, Frodo is off to the dark land of Mordor on a journey that may prove to be too big for him.
I first saw the theatrical version of The Fellowship of the Ring and then I read the books, and this extended version of the film is really for anyone who loved the books because it features an extra hour of footage and scenes that were not in the theatrical version, but are so important to the story.
In another age in history, the dark lord Sauron forged a master ring to control all others. One Ring to rule them all. After an epic battle where Sauron was defeated, the ring disappeared and lay dormant for over five hundred years. Now it has awakened and, with Sauron’s life force attached to it, the dark lord has too. The ring now is desperate to return to the hand of its master, but if it does then all free peoples of Middle Earth will be enslaved and clouded in darkness forever. Thankfully the ring is far far away from its dark home of Mordor. It is in the Shire in the possession of a young hobbit named Frodo Baggins. Upon learning about Frodo’s possession of this magic ring, his friend the wizard Galdalf tells him of its power, how dangerous it is, and that he must take it to Rivendell, home of the elves where it can be safe. However, after battling through rain, cold, marshlands, and armed pursuers, Gandalf is told that the ring cannot stay in Rivendell and that the only way to be rid of it is to destroy it. “It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came.” Frodo puts himself forward and vows to take the ring to the land of fire and destroy it, but he will not have to go alone. In Rivendell, a fellowship is formed consisting of the hobbits Sam, Pippin and Merry, two men Aragorn and Boromir, the dwarf Gimli, the wizard Gandalf, and the elf Legolas. Named the Fellowship of the Ring, these nine companions set out on the perilous journey to Mordor with the fate of Middle Earth in their hands.
As I mentioned, this extended edition of the movie is about four hours long and goes over two discs. Some of the scenes that have been added are critical ones that were not featured in the theatrical version: The fellowship receiving their gifts in Lothlorian, the journey through the Midgewater Marshes, the discovery of mithrill in the Mines of Moria, and extended battle sequences.
And as if the film wasn’t jaw-droppingly brilliant enough, there are two extra discs of special features that tell you everything from the construction of the sets to the personal antics of the cast. I think watching the cast talk about their experiences is more interesting than the film sometimes. It’s actually really funny the way they talk about one another and the sorts of relationships that formed between the unlikeliest of people. The filming of the movie was just as epic an adventure as the movie itself was.
The Lord of the Rings had everything it its favour: breathtaking scenery, a beautiful soundtrack, a wonderful story, a perfect script, loveable characters, amazing costumes, and mesmerising lighting. Everything about it was so beautifully done. Not to mention the line up of amazing actors that it has. Seriously, I had ever heard of some of these people until I’d seen Lord of the Rings. It has everyone: Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Bean, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Liv Tyler, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett, and Ian Holm. A real line up of some greats.
If you are real fan of the books, then this extended version of The Fellowship of the Ring is the one you should be watching. These films have no expiration date. I realised when I was watching this last night that principal photography began in the year 2000, making the Lord of the Rings a decade old already! It’s amazing how time flies and yet it doesn’t feel so. These films will continue to be epic and incredible and stunning for many more decades to come. I guarantee it.
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