Frodo and co off to Mount Doom on the big screen (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (DVD))

Member Name: mickeyhunt

Product:	The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (DVD)
Date:	08/09/09 (20 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A remarkably faithful retelling of the story on film with all the required grandure

Disadvantages: Bum numbing if watched at the cinema

I am reading the books again and have just finished The Fellowship part, so decided to watch the film again and thought I would review it.

I have to say up front, that I am quite a fanatic about films made of books that I have read and not being accurate. I get quite irate, although I fully understand that changes have to be made, but I will often bemoan the fact that they made such bad changes and ruined the film. With this film I don't have the same feelings. I absolutley love the book and have already reviewed it. When I watch the film, although I do see the changes I know how difficult a proposition this book was to transform into a series of films. Other production companies have attempted it in the past and have gone bust.

This film covers the first book of the three and is about the Ring of power and its journey with Frodo to Rivendell and then with the 9 companions - the Fellowship from Rivendell through many dangers to the falls at Rauros. The Fellowship is made up of Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Aragorn, Legolas, Boromir, Gimli and last but not least Gandalf.

The Fellowship is a fantastic film. It is very long, at least 3 hours if not more if you watch the extended versions. There are chunks of the story that are cut out, such as the journey through the forest at the beggining and Tom Bombadil and the Barrow Downs. They have combined some events for example when the Hobbits leave with Gandalf. In the book they wait for Gandalf and when he does not come at the appointed time then they set off alone. To have followed the book here would have added unnecessary lenght to the film. I think that the Peter Jackson was so obvioulsy a fan of this book and when he and the writers had their grand vision they sat down and clearly laid out what the true gist of the book was and what was needed to achieve the telling of the story. This film and the other two blows all the Harry Potter films out of the water. The planning and care with which this story was filmed has produced a film that really brings the book to life.

I think that the trade off of the quality of the screenplay and the grand cinematic touch against the changes that have to be made to bring this book to a manageble level is more than acceptable. The overall aim of the book is fully preserved with those key characters and events being retained. If you have not read the book for a while, then you will probably not notice or mind, because the magic of the film just picks you up and carries you along on the adventure. If you have just read the book then it is more apparent, but still not a problem. I think that the actors who play the key characters are perfect and have so imposed themselves on those roles, that when I read the book all I now see are those actors.

Another point scored is the music. This fits the film like a glove. It is composed by Enya and Howard Shore. It has that Irish lilt, but not too much. I particularly love the song May it Be, which was released in the charts and is on the bonus DVD. The soundtrack underpins the action and gives the film that extra layer of gravitas.

All in all this film is magnificent (as is the whole series) and finally brings this huge breathtaking saga fully to life. I know the film received lots of Oscars, but none for acting. This has often been levelled at the film by critics, but I think that it would have been difficult to single out one person in such a stellar cast of characters with in such a grand story. The fact that this won best film really says it all.

Summary: A wonderful saga that will appeal to all.