Title: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Writers: Fran Walsh, Phillipa Boyens, Peter Jackson, and J.R.R. Tolkien (novel “The Hobbit”)
Director: Peter Jackson
Year: 2001
Actors: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellan, Orlando Bloom
Story: Based on the novel of the same name by J.R.R. Tolkien, the film follows a hobbit from the Shire and eight companions as they begin their journey across Middle Earth to Mount Doom, facing many perils, to destroy the One Ring so that it doesn’t fall into the grasp of Sauron, a powerful evil lord with the intent to conquer Middle Earth. This film is the first in the trilogy.
Plot: The film begins with a narration by Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) explaining the creation of the One ring by Sauron (Sala Baker), who forged the ring to control the leaders of Elves, Dwarves, and Men through their Rings of Power in order to conquer Middle Earth. After the creation of the One Ring, Elves and Men formed the Last Alliance to defeat Sauron. The king of Gondor, Elendil, is killed by Sauron and his sword, Narsil, broken. However, Elendil’s son, Isildur, takes up Narsil and slices the hand of Sauron off. The ring is Sauron’s source of power, so he and his army disappears. Isildur picks up the One Ring and Lord Elrond (Hugo Weaving) of Rivendell tries to convince him to throw it into the fire of Mount Doom to destroy it and Sauron, as Sauron’s life is tied to the ring. Isildur succumbs to the evil power of the ring and refuses, taking it for himself. Then, orcs attack him along the road and kill him, his body falling into the river Anduin and causing the ring to go missing for over two thousand years.
The ring is later found by the creature Gollum, who takes the ring under the Misty Mountains for five hundred years before the ring leaves him. The ring is then found by Bilbo (Ian Holm), a hobbit from the Shire, during his journey to the Lonely Mountain. Bilbo takes the ring back to the Shire and keeps it for sixty years, where the story begins. The wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellan) rides into the Shire in his wagon, where everyone is getting ready for Bilbo’s 111th birthday. Gandalf goes to Bilbo’s hobbit hole to talk to him, and Bilbo informs him that he is becoming weary and plans to leave the Shire. After the party, Gandalf manages to convince Bilbo to leave the ring with his nephew, Frodo (Elijah Wood). Gandalf tells Frodo to keep the ring safe while he is away.
After discovering that the ring is the One Ring, Gandalf sends Frodo and his gardener, Sam (Sean Astin), to the town of Bree, where Gandalf will meet them after going to Isengard to inform Saruman (Christopher Lee), the head of the wizards. While in Isengard, Gandalf learns that the nine ringwraiths, the corrupt souls of the men that bore the rings of power, are after Frodo and the One Ring, which they learned about from Gollum. Gandalf also learns that Saruman has joined forces with Sauron and refuses to join when asked by Saruman, causing him to be imprisoned and unable to meet the hobbits in Bree.
Frodo and Sam are joined by two more hobbits, Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd), along the way. The hobbits encounter some ringwraiths, but manage to escape and make it to Bree. In Bree, they meet a man named Strider (Viggo Mortenson), who was sent by Gandalf to lead the hobbits to Rivendell in case he couldn’t make it. On their way to Rivendell, the hobbits are attacked by the Ringwraiths and Frodo is stabbed in the shoulder by a morgul blade, which will turn Frodo into a wraith if not treated. Striders manages to fight off the Ringwraiths and they make quickly for Rivendell. Along the way, Arwen (Liv Tyler), the daughter of Elrond, comes and carries Frodo back to Rivendell on her horse.
In Rivendell, Frodo is healed by Elrond, and Gandalf returns to inform Elrond of Saruman’s betrayal. Elrond holds a council with representatives of each race to discuss the fate of the ring. During the council, it was revealed that Strider is actually Aragorn, heir to the throne of Gondor. The council decides that the ring needs to be taken to Mordor and thrown into the fire of Mount Doom, as it is the only way to destroy it. Frodo volunteers to take it and eight others volunteer to join him, and they become the Fellowship of the Ring. Gandalf, Aragorn, and the other three hobbits are part of the eight. The other three include: Boromir (Sean Bean), son of the steward of Gondor; Legolas (Orlando Bloom), elf prince of Mirkwood; and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), a dwarf.
The fellowship faces many difficulties on their journey. After discovering that the Gap of Rohan is being watched, they are forced to try to pass the over the mountain Caradhras. While traveling up the mountain, Frodo stumbles and drops the ring. Boromir picks it up and shows signs of temptation towards the ring. The fellowship then had to leave the mountain after Saruman uses magic and the mountain against them. They enter the mines of Moria instead. Here, they are attacked by goblins and a Balrog, an ancient demon of lava, but they all make it out with the exception of Gandalf. Gandalf fell into the depths while fighting the Balrog. Dispondent, the fellowship make their way to Lothlorien, an elven safe haven and home of Galadriel.
They manage to enter Lothlorien with some trouble and they speak to the lords of Lothlorien, Galadriel and Celeborn (Marton Csokas). The fellowship stays there to rest and Galadriel shows Frodo in her mirror what will happen if he fails to destroy the ring. The Elves provide the fellowship with boats, cloaks, and other gifts and the fellowship leaves via the river Anduin.
The fellowship travels down the river as far as they can. While they are stopped, the fellowship notices that Frodo and Boromir are missing. The missing two are in the woods. Boromir could no longer resist the temptation of the ring and tries to convince Frodo to take the ring to Gondor. When Frodo disagrees, Boromir lunges for him, but Frodo escapes using the ring’s power of invisibility. Aragorn finds Frodo and refuses when Frodo offers him the ring. Frodo realizes that he can no longer travel the fellowship and Aragorn lets him leave. The fellowship is then attacked by Uruk-hai, orc hybrids created by Saruman. Boromir is fatally wounded while trying to defend Merry and Pippin, and the two hobbits are kidnapped by the Uruk-hai. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli find Boromir, who regrets trying to take the ring and dies. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli decide to chase after the Uruk-hai to try to save Merry and Pippin. Meanwhile, Sam catches Frodo trying to leave and follows him to go to Mordor.
[3. Identify the type of lighting used in the film (traditional three-point, high-key, or low-key) and assess the impact of the lighting used to establish the theme.]
[ a. How did this technique contribute to the theme?]
This film uses different kinds of lighting I believe. It appears to use mostly notably high-key and low-key lightings. For example, the scenes in Lothlorien or with Galadriel are always very bright. High-key lighting was probably used for those scenes. This is to portray that the city and Galadriel are good. Light is a symbol of goodness. In the same way, Moria is very dark, so low-key lighting was probably used. This shows that evil lurks within the mines. As darkness is a symbol of evil, it goes with the them of the movie: good vs. evil. I’d imagine that three-point lighting was used for the rest of the scenes, especially because so much of the film takes place outside.Three-point lighting allows for a more realistic picture, creating shadows and a three-dimentional image.
[b. What are the benefits of the style of lighting used?]
Like I said, the three-point lighting makes the movie look more realistic. High-key lighting was definitely beneficial because it made scenes in Rivendell and Lothlorien exceptionally pretty. It also makes Galadriel look more ethereal. Galadriel is supposed to be the most beautiful of elves, so this lighting was beneficial. Low-key lighting was beneficial in adding suspense to the scenes in Moria. It adds to the concern we feel for the fellowship.
[c. How was the lighting technique suited to the genre of the film? For example, documentary films tend to rely on natural light as a way of creating an overall tone of authenticity.]
The lighting was suited for a fantasy film because fantasy is the most likely genre in which you will see good versus evil. Fantasy movies are also the most likely genre to have ethereal races, such as elves. The high-key and low-key lighting were excellent for showing these.
[d. Compare how the scene would play if different choices had been made.]
The movie has a magical feel to it. That is the wonderful thing about fantasy films. I believe that had Peter Jackson not gone with these lighting choices, the magic of it would have been lost. It would have felt like any other normal movie.
References:
Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C. P. (2014). Film: From watching to seeing (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
MoviesHistory. (2009, April 19). The lord of the rings: the fellowship of the ring – official trailer [2001]. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIgkpEgCV-I
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120737/?ref_=nv_sr_5
Simply Me 