One To Rule Them All: In the wake of the final part in the trilogy, Eleri Evans looks at the film phenomenon that has become Lord Of The Rings : Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and Return of the King.
The Lord of the Rings was recently voted the nation's favourite book. Despite incredible competition from some of the greatest works of English literature, J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy turned out to be the most loved of them all. How come? Does this make the challenge of adapting it even greater? Peter Jackson's epic interpretation has broken box office records, scooped countless awards and has inspired a huge following from an ever-growing fan base. In the wake of the release of the third and final film, Close-Up takes a look at the institution that is The Lord of the Rings.
The material Jackson had to work with when he began this enormous six year project was extensive to say the least. The novel itself is huge without even including the sketches, ideas, maps, languages and notes that Tolkien made about his creation - Middle Earth. The undeniable popularity of the books has as much to do with the success of the films as the narratives, yet the extraordinary filming process used in order to bring it to life are fundamental to the final mammoth project we see realised on the screen.
The methods Jackson used pre-production meant that he had a clear understanding of his vision before allowing the cameras to role. First storyboards were drawn for each scene and filmed onto video with voice-overs, providing a rough illustrated version of the screenplay. This was then turned into a virtual reality sequence that allowed Jackson to experiment with camera angles before he was even on set. Consequently before shooting he was able to give his cast detailed visual descriptions of the scenes as well as an emotional understanding of them before they even began.
The cast were universal in their appreciation of Jackson's technique and deeply admired the extreme clarity of vision and guidance he provided. Much has been made of the relaxed atmosphere on set which is ultimately due to Jackson's painstaking research into casting, choosing not just the people he envisioned in the roles but those suited to the feel of the film in temperament and personality.
Jackson wished, above all, to be respectful and faithful to the world Tolkien had created and though subtle changes were made to the narrative, they were more often changes in pace rather than in content. His decision to remove the character of Shelob from the second episode to the last, for example, was not a decision based on the story but the way in which the character developments were illustrated. If we learnt too much too quickly about the relationship between Sam and Frodo then little exposition would be left for the final chapter.
Indeed, the pace of the films are remarkable. If you consider the lengthy chapters in the novel dedicated to the meeting at Rivendell and compare that to the economy Jackson used in the same scene in the first film then it is quite easy to see how his editing technique is both respectful and accurate.
This sense of responsibility that Jackson felt towards Tolkien is perhaps most obvious in his use of landscape and space. The New Zealand scenery used in the trilogy is both breathtaking in its beauty and thoughtful in the manner in which it is used. Jackson went on a multitude of field trips in order to scout his homeland for the best sites for certain events in the film's narrative. Most notably his choice for Rohan was painstakingly researched before the perfect location could be found, and his faithful replication of an entire village is simply astounding. Scenes in the novel are not only recreated with an astonishing accuracy but are brought to life with the power of a hugely dedicated cast and crew.
There are obvious thematic advantages in bringing a book of this kind to the screen. The book itself is so enormous in every conceivable way that it seems impossible not to find a theme that will mean something to someone Like many great stories the pivot on which the trilogy balances is undeniably the war between good and evil. Perhaps it is something about human nature and our attempts to understand ourselves that draws us towards stories of this age old battle. The fact that in such stories the good always win and the evil are always vanquished is a cornerstone of human optimism. A story which fulfils this wish cannot fail to inspire. In The Lord of the Rings it is impossible not to know who are the good and who are the bad, you know whose side you are on from the onset of the story and you are with them all the way. Perhaps we all wish that things were indeed, quite literally, that black and white.
The coming together of so many cultures and civilizations to oppose a common foe is a theme universal in its emotion. Anyone who has ever wished for peace will take pleasure in the optimism and simplicity of this film. A closer look at the love story between Arwen and Aragorn reveals, bizarrely, a multi-ethnic romance in which they attempt to transcend the cultural differences of their worlds. In doing so they are not only unified as a couple but they unify their cultures. Frodo and Sam's story is one of brotherly love, courage and victory against all odds.
There are also larger themes, much like the Arthurian legends in their scale and style, such as the rise of a reluctant king to his destiny as ruler of his people. Tolkien tried hard not to relate his writing with any political ideology stating that they were just stories, there for entertainment and not there for analysis, and yet certain connections will always be made. Tolkien's love of the country and disgust with the progress of industry is obvious in the scenes in which Saruman is vanquished and the trees reclaim their forest.
Thematic considerations aside, the appeal of these films does not simply rely on an appreciation of the book. Jackson's eclectic choice of unknown and world renowned actors creates an interesting, if not compelling, collaboration of performances. Some of the older figures in the films such as Gandalf and Saruman are beautifully performed by Ian McKellen and Christopher Lee, staples of the stage and screen for decades and dependable in their abilities. To combine that with the fresh talents of Orlando Bloom (Legolas) and Sean Astin (Sam) gives the film a special edge.
The Lord of the Rings has as much to do with spectacle as anything else, however. The mammoth scale of this whole enterprise is unprecedented in film history and the amazing special effects creations of the WETA Company are beyond anything the film going public has ever seen before. Every year production companies try to out-do the box office hit of the previous year simply by creating a film on a grander scale. This achievement (somehow) proves it to be a better film. Film purists, on the other hand, attempt to deny the force that special effects have in shaping their opinion.
Surely, however, it is impossible deny that part of the cinematic experience is the power of its enormous visual and sonic scale. This is not to say that special effects should take precedence over the multitude of other considerations, such as dialogue or plot, but neither should it be underestimated. Undoubtedly, due to technological advances, special effects have become a potent force in contemporary cinema and should be taken into consideration. What Peter Jackson has created is a film trilogy sympathetic in its balance. The spectacle of cinema is given room to perform its magic, but this does not take away from the thematic and emotional content.
In the final film, as Frodo and Sam near Mordor, we witness their internal emotional conflict and hugely poignant scenes of their friendship and endurance. Outside an entirely different battle rages. Upward of ten thousand creatures wage war against each other backed against sweeping vistas. A battle of epic proportions is being fought - it is simply the humanity's last chance. The combination of the emotion of the film and the achievement of its scale makes it, quite literally, a breathtaking experience. The final film brings all aspects together, and those who have been anxiously awaiting its arrival will be more than pleased with the result. It is as if all of the components of the previous films have been multiplied and intensified to produce an attack on the senses that cinema is only too capable of.
Peter Jackson's sympathetic and grand realisation of the novel's potential seems sufficient to inspire a huge following. But what of the fanaticism it has induced? Though there has always been a Tolkien fan base never has it been so fanatical and never has it been so vocal. At premières world wide, people stood for hours in the cold in goblin costumes waiting not for Ian McKellen to arrive, but for Gandalf. What is it about these films, and we've established that it is not the books this time but the films, that inspires this crazed mentality?
The way in which the trilogy was filmed back to back and released annually has done much to generate the frenzied atmosphere that has been circulating since the release of the first film. Peter Jackson seems to have come across a method of fuelling anticipation more than any other director and it is indeed an interesting method. Though we have witnessed similar behaviour before, never has it been on this scale.
Peter Jackson has not made three films over the past few years as any other director may have done, he has created a masterpiece, imagined his vision, altered methods of filming in form and in content, realised the potential of a unique literary creation and above all inspired an unprecedented fan base of unequalled fanaticism.
Though it is often difficult to differentiate between what is Tolkien's brilliance and what is Jackson's, one thing at least is clear - it is impossible to argue that this is not an amazing cinematic creation in its own right. It is interesting to consider, however, that this is not simply because of what this means to the history of cinema, but the sociology of cinema as well. When you go to see The Return of the King and you sit next to a gentleman donning elfin ears and a cape, put some thought into the precedent Jackson may have set for the future, and what this kind of aggressive love of the film industry will mean in the years to come.
Eleri Evans
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