20 Years On, Lord Of The Rings Will Never Be Equalled
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- čas přidán 17. 12. 2023
- After talking with MauLer, Gary and Disparu about Lord of the Rings on stream the other night, I was hit by a sad realisation - we'll probably never see anything this good again. This was it - this was the peak of mainstream cinema. Join me for this retrospective as I explain why.
- Zábava
Don’t forget that Jackson and Tolkien portrayed strong women WITHOUT trampling the strong male characters. Eowyn, Galadriel, and Arwen are examples of noble, beautiful, feminine, and respected characters.
fully agreed. I wish the drinker would have brought up that point in this video.
Yeah well, modern audiences would argue that since their not the main characters that it's not good enough.
@@slightlyaboveaveragebutaverage or that there aren’t enough, and they’re all white.
The whole idea is to trample men though. None of this has anything to do with the equality it’s about superiority.
@@slightlyaboveaveragebutaveragefunny enough I was rewatching the Dukes of Hazzard & it was way beyond its time, not only does it have a lot of female characters who are smart, strong and capable also either good or villains, they also have black peoples who are the same too.
Which would probably fuck with their minds of modern audiences because of the “racist” car
2000: "I knew Tolkien personally, I'm here to carefully, respectfully depict his work"
2020: "never heard of him, I'm here to fix his work"
Yeah, probably just some gammon anyway. Time for me to shine!
Your strawman comment style is facile and childish
strawman?@@quatore-5886
@@quatore-5886The OP describes the modern entertainment industry perfectly.
@@quatore-5886 g o ba ck to y ou r mary sue
Remember Galadriel (the real one)'s scene in Fellowship of the Ring where Frodo offers her the Ring? We see her power where the Ring combined with her innate strength could make her a Dark Queen who could overthrow Sauron, her vulnerability where her temptation for the Ring could destroy all that she and her allies have been working for millennia to preserve, and the final triumph of good over evil within herself where she "passes the test" and declines the Ring.
In literally ONE MINUTE we see Galadriel have more of a character arc in that short "Fellowship of the Ring" scene than in hours of screen time from "The Rings of Power."
Usually, with things like that I say something like "Yeah, thats a little stretched - its not that bad". But it literally is like that xD
Zero Character development in one whole season haha.
Spot on! 😉🙂
Totally agree. I have to admit that as someone who is sober for a long time, that short scene always reminds me strongly of how difficult it is to refuse something so tempting. A weird analogy for most, probably, but that's how I feel about it.
@@JayBigDadyCy Not at all, mate... I can totally understand where you're coming from/what you mean - the strength of that temptation, that people with no understanding couldn't possibly comprehend, which is so all-encompassing/overpowering😉🙂
Superb analysis and well written. When I have a cognitive thought like that I can never seem to put those thoughts into words without writing a novel. GGs
Honestly, the greatest trilogy of all time. I’ll never budge on that.
Yeah... Fuck the star wars trilogy.... Tolkien is tha best of the best
@@darkmistico Star Wars is not even 2nd. That would be The Dark Knight. And The Godfather is on par with Star Wars, even if the 3rd part sucks. On the other hand, Star Wars is the franchise I love the most. But that's also thanks to the prequels and games like Jedi Outcast. It's the entirety of Anakin's story and Sheev's rise that makes it great, not just the OT.
No need to budge sir. You are absolutely correct in your assessment!
*pushes up glasses* *breathes in* THE BOOKS WERE BETTER
@@Sandlund93 the star wars game Knights of the old republic when it came out.. it blew my mind.... imagine playing that fucking Masters of Teräs Käsi the shitty fighting game and then they give u a masterpiece like KOTOR
“Hollywood used to depict heroic actions. Now they can only see heroic identities.” Well stated.
I think that's emblematic of Western society as a whole: we're conditioned to think of people as representative of their demographics, rather than individuals responsible for their own damn actions and prejudices.
And yet, even MORESO tied to that very deeply, is that in the great epics of the Icelandic Sagas and the gorgeous humanity striving within the Romance of the Three Kingdoms from China.... There's a divorce now between those two concepts.
The sagas, both as historical accounts of real events and romanticisation of those events, still heavily wrought narratives that idolized the "one" or the "hero," someone who had cast aside self or desire in order to save everyone else... to this day altruism remains the highest ideal written down in *every* culture throughout history, ........
....if we exclude bathroom stalls and other graffiti.
It's not important because we worship "that guy, Duke Nukem" or the Lord I follow. It's important because no matter how fucking stupid we get, this still seems to get written down and rears its incompatible head.
It's important to read everything you can find, because propaganda and folklore exist in different spaces if not presentations; there becomes more narrative and less ethos when you're reading/hearing propaganda, compared to lore, folklore.... These identities, these... heck, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms doesn't pull any punches, narrative would suggest the chosen ones were ultimately selfish assholes who failed when it counted, and the manipulators consolidated the realm. For the good of the people, and accidentally themselves? Yet the ethos from the original narrative was indeed the entire point.
The stories state very plainly these were extremely real people who sacrificed everything they had to create the world they felt was most beneficial to all, what we'd call "right, just."
But the joke, the fact, and the truth lies in that *WE* really are all of these people. We're the selfish asshole. We're the struggling sibling trying to keep her parent's broken family afloat. We're the broken Dad doing everything he can to protect his children, the Mother who doesn't know what to do save for the counsel of her loving Grandma.
We're the damn stupid bullshit tales and stories that we listen to every day, and they mean *everything*
because we give everything.
*waves her hand tired, is very sick and exhausted* Jared, thanks for talking with me. Hollywood has gone out of its way to remove its heroes from their actions, in sort of a bizarre way of absolving everyone from anything. You are your actions because they were your choices, but if *EVERYTHING* around you tells you what/who you are instead of your demonstration of who/what you are?
*waves tiredly* Here we are.
Again I'm sorry, I'm.... very tired. We're.... at this weird horrifying point where everyone is screaming at all us that reality isn't what it is. Anyone who says reality isn't what it is, Christians, dolphins, anyone, are evil. Except for those who agree reality is what it is. (No exceptions)
@@JohnGardnerAlhadis Which itself is a bit problematic: Western society is far, far too individualistic. We're so obsessed with individual freedom and identity that we're more than willing to sacrifice any sense of collective freedom and identity, and it shows in the media we make.
@@smilingearth5181 How did you arrive at that conclusion? The issues we see today are people being too wrapped up in which victim group they belong to, or which minority demographic they "represent", these are examples of collectivist thinking, and you claim the issue is individualism?
If your argument is that we've gotten away from collective identities that matter such as national identity or collective values then I agree with you, but this statement is way too broad.
@@smilingearth5181 believing that individuality is causing these issues of people wanting to lump each other into categories and talk about how wins in the oppression competition between these groups is truly baffling to me. The issue is the opposite, people aren't viewing each other and themselves as individuals anymore. Instead they look at everyone they come across in life, sort them into whatever group they think they belong to, and then base their interactions with them off stereotypes and beliefs that they think befit that person's 'group' so to speak.
If people would stop that dumb shit and realize that not every black person is a democrat, not every white person is a racist klan member, not every asian person is a mathematician, etc the world would be a better place. Then people could be seen by their merits, values, and their personal contributions to the world instead of by what boxes they check on some stupid arbitrary form someone creates in their head.
“Evil cannot create anything new, but can only corrupt and ruin what good forces have invented or made.” -Tolkien
Tolkien adapted that from Satan
@@jub7345 ?
When did he say that tho?
@@mjolnir_swesomething about a quote from the Bible about how Satan can’t create only corrupt and destroy
@@jub7345 Actually I believe Peter Jackson adopted that philosophy from Satan
Handmaking chainmail has got to be one of the most insane costume design endeavors in cinema history.
Nah not really since it's an actual art form that exists and you could hire an armor smith to make it or to train your people to make it.
Live Testing the chainmail while on the actor, that's the insane part.
Chain emails were one of the most insane endeavors in human history, I will say that.
It's not really that difficult, I was able to make one in about 2 weeks in middle school, just working an hour or two a day. Of course it was the most Basic, non riveted 4in1 type but still.I bet Expirienced armoursmith could make movie quality one in about 2-3 days, maybe even faster.
When I worked on the set of Netflix barbarians all the important aromour and weapons were made by professional armour and swordsmiths for the sake of "accuracy" and then they made a Black woman a Blacksmith of barbaric german village xDD
@@Misqus You are insane. Give us one example of a more impressive reality since.
@@SirMonkeySuit what?
@@Misqus That time with Weta proved how far they were ahead and still to this day are the pinnacle. That isn't a debate.
My dad and I went to the midnight show for the 3rd film. Probably one of the only times he's truly shown me who he is, just a lonely kid who needed a friend to enjoy something he did. We got A&W burgers at 4am and I still think of that night when I watch LOTR every few months. ✨💜🗡️🛡️
damn, I felt that
the moment you realize your parents are just kids themselves who were thrust into adulthood with ever increasing responsibilities and ever decreasing friendships
how lonely growing up can be
how awesome such small moments are and yet so rare
@@captainwasabi13 he's just a little boy somewhere down in there
Thats both heart warming but saddening that thats how it is for a lot of people, including myself.
I was home on leave in 1970 and had blown a number in my backyard. Mom wanted to talk so we sat on the front porch for a few hours. I fell in love with her that night. I always loved my mother, of course, but that night I loved my sister and best friend from the depths of my heart. She died in 2005 at 83. I'll always miss her until we're together again.
@@indy_go_blue6048 we only see them for who they are after we've grown a bit✨ I'm sure she knows how much she meant to you💙
"My friends, you bow to no one." Not only does that make me cry every time, but it succinctly sums up the entire LOTR trilogy. Truly the apex of filmmaking.
I just got misty eyed reading this.
I am guaranteed to sob, every time.
I feel it in my chest every fricking time!
I bawled my eyes out throughout ROTK but that was where the ugly cry began, lol.
I say that that is the best line ever delivered in film.
My wife just died due to her illness and after she got diagnosed more than 5 years ago she prepared notes about how her funeral should be like. She said that these were her favorite movies even as a child and as she struggled with her illness she was captured by the way all of the characters in the movies fight so bravely against the dark which reminded her of herself. She noted that even tough not everyone could celebrate victory in this realm, good prevailed because of this bravery. Her favorite quote was the conversation between Gandalf and Pippin:
“PIPPIN: I didn't think it would end this way. GANDALF: End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it. PIPPIN: What? Gandalf? See what? GANDALF: White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise. PIPPIN: Well, that isn't so bad. GANDALF: No. No, it isn't.”
So thank you Lotr for inspiring my late wife to have fought so brave for a couple more years…
I hope she found her green fields
I'm sorry to read your story, thanks for sharing it. I hope you're doing okay. Take care :-)
This brought a tear to the eye as it really does show how inspiring the characters struggles can be.
My condolences, buddy. Her soul sailed off to the next adventure. Stay strong!!!!, a loss like this will never heal, but it will get better over time, believe me.
WOW..an epic journey in the real...may your wife rest in peace.
I remember being absolutely spellbound by liv Tyler’s portrayal of Arwen. (Yes she’s an elf) but gosh what a woman. Strong and brave, yet beautifully feminine. Shame that’s no longer in movies.
Oh Lord, she was awful. Never believable as anything other than a super typical late '90s female actress. I didn't know who she was when I saw the movie, and had never read the books. My evaluation was solely on her ability to act in what is essentially a period film. Almost as awful as Keira Knightley in Pride and Prejudice.
@@jhssuthrnmama idk man I just thought she was hot 🤷 she’s an elf princess I mean she’s supposed to be kind of a damsel in distress.
In my head when I think about how an elf woman is supposed to look and Liv embodies that on screen. As for acting it didn’t really matter I thought she was good.
What you’re saying is you found her attractive.
@@HC-kn2sq yes. But I thought she played a good elf too. Is she the best actress in the whole world? No. But I thought she did well
I was 7 in the theater with my cousins watching the two towers. Afterwards we went home and played LOTR and defended helms deep in the treehouse my mom built. That was peak 2000s childhood, and what a time it was.
that must be a terrific memory
@@smpdevelopments it’s one of those moments you don’t think about as a kid but looking back it’s one of the highlights.
@@coookalo that's so awesome
"We were not interested in putting our message into it. We were focused on putting Tolkien's message into it."-Peter Jackson
Very wise words my friend.
Based.
Amen! Can we get that playing on a loop?
And "Rings of Power" was made with the _exact polar opposite_ of that spirit.
Shame he went against his own word and rewrite Return of The King
Movie apologism in a nutshell. PJ literally had Aragorn decapitate a diplomatic messenger during parley.
"Hollywood used to depict heroic actions, now they can only see heroic identities." - Drinker, 2023
Hit the nail right on the head with that one, mate.
Steven Seagal is far and away the greatest action movie star in history. There will never be another actor who effortlessly portrays the tough guy while introducing the world to a wide range of Oriental fighting styles.
I don’t know if “heroic” identities is quite the right word though
Love how triggered you get by just having a non white straight male in a lead...b
@@Zenigundam I'm not sure if you're high, delusional or trolling. I'm going to go with trolling.
@@Zenigundam definitely trolling, fail trolling at that
As a Kiwi, involved in the same industry I've met so may people over the last 20 years who worked on all aspects of these films, all of them speak with a sense of pride at what they achieved.
It was a big deal here.
Kiwi are the best! Big fan of your country❤
@@roovodi awww thanks. 🍺
Lambert, it was a big deal everywhere, you all were just blessed to have Pete and a beautiful country. Don't let the lefties destroy you!
Another important thing worth mentioning when talking about the success of LOtR movies: if you watch the end credits to the extended cuts, you'll see a seemingly endless wall of names to thank all members of various LOtR fanclubs from all over the world for their contribution in terms of consultation. So, the director actually cared to make this thing work and asked the right people for help.
Still the greatest trilogy ever made. Thank you Peter Jackson.
I’ll take the original Star Wars trilogy but it’s definitely a close second.
Sorry for replying, but it won't let me leave comments normally. Anyway. Batman: The Animated Series with Kevin Conroy was the 90s kids childhood.
Back to the future has some words with you.
Anyone countering this in the comments is wrong. LOTR >>>> Star Wars OT/Back to the Future/Godfather (mostly because of 3), and it isn't close.
The only issues I might have with PJs trilogy are:
*The Witch King breaking Gandalfs staff, when in lore Gandalf the White is much stronger than the Witch King of Angmar, and then WK just buggers of instead of finishing Gandalf off
*The Army of the Dead being way too OP and taking much of the tension and sacrifice of Rohan away during the siege of Gondor
You know what’s stood out to me recently regarding the LOTR trilogy versus many modern movies and TV shows? How dirty the cast is while filming. Viggo Mortensen would live in his costume, go fishing in it, wearing it in and looking like a man who has been in the bush his whole life. Sean Bean would hike up the mountains in full costume to film early in the morning because he was afraid of flying. So when they got to filming, the actors were covered in grit and sweat, and you could see their blood was pumping in the way a long camping trip will do to you.
It looked, it felt, so real.
This, exactly.
Along with the realism and subtle detail of the clothes they wore- because they were effectively clothes, not costumes.
Supposedly much of the detail can't be seen on camera... but it absolutely is, in the subtle ways it affects how the actors move, the ways the fabric moves, the different way light scatters on embroidery and detail on armor. Our brains pick all of that up. Lord of the Rings feels real because it is real, because the tiny details our brain expects are there.
i think Legolas was the only clean ish one out of the fellowship but it makes sense. you even see him walking onto of snow when the rest are up to their necks . Ahsoka has that issue where its all to clean and perfect and looks wrong. you know it shouldnt be like that, like with poor cgi faces (despite the other issues it has)
Yeah. Contrast that with Wheel of time, where not only the costumes are ugly as fuck, but there is a time lapse of three fucking months of tracking in the wild but their costumes are as spotless as if they came out of the cleaner, not a speck of dust or mud on them.
This series was a complete joke. Adapted properly, the wheel of time has the potential to eclipse LoTR, GoT and Star Wars, in term of cultural impact and money making.
Amazon gave it the panderverse treatment, with a director who actively hated the fans and the source and sought to use it to prop up THE MESSAGE, and currently, it sits somewhere between Xena and Hercules.
What a waste.
Good analysis, Kowalski. 🐧👍
Only noticed recently but when Princess Leia comes out of the trash compactor her white dress is spotless!
*Even if only one person reads this, its worth it.* I hold this film series as the crem de la crem of *Western* cultural output: Why? Because i was born in the ashes of a collapsed *Soviet* dictatorship. I moved to the *West* when i was 10 years old. This was 2003, that was also the same year i saw a movie the same year it was released(Troy). Why is that noteworthy? Because where i had lived in *Eastern Europe*, poverty and misery extended to all parts of life, even the availability of art. We had at home a black/white TV the size of a microwave oven. All the state owned local TV stations could only afford to show old 80s and 90s movies, this planted a lot of nostalgia but at the time it was tedious.
As we moved, we bought a small color TV with VHS function, but we could not afford many movies, those we got first were Shrek and LotR: he Two Towers - i did not understand much but was BLOWN away by the imagery, *this was before we had internet so i didnt even know this was based on books or that its a sequel and nobody told me*, i probably watched the movies half a hundred times on that microwave sized VHS TV. But then one day i walked across a billboard that had all the characters i was familiar with, *i randomly bought the first cinema ticket of my life and it was the premiere for Lotr: Return of the King*. Just a dumb kid stumbling in to a packed theater with front row seats swinging a big ass Pepsi bottle i brought as refreshment. I did not know that the 7 or 8 dollar price equivalent ticket would give me a seat to THE movie of the century. This movie franchise, paired with the books and mythology of Sir J.R.R Tolkien that it was built on, is the perfect example of reaching the peak of *Western* cultural accomplishment. It is a thing of beaty, its everything i love about the *West* and its traditions, culture, values. This will of course seat it front row in the line of *Things that should be censored*, since the parasitic socialist types have discarded the East in order to tear apart greener pastures.
Keep this work, unadultered, in your hearts. Dismiss any new *agitprop* made to change its status as a symbol of good things in your mind, dont let cynisism replace it. Take care!
It’s unfortunate that these neomarxists have taken over so many important institutions in the US. My parents escaped communist Bulgaria once upon a time and through the years I learned a lot about communist history and ideology. I honestly don’t go to the theaters anymore. So many movies I can predict beforehand to be some DEI driven nonsense. These people can’t even tell good stories anymore. Now all that matters is depicting their stupid class struggle and of course, “socialist realism” with their nonsensical realities and characters. Not sure when these corrupt idiots will be defeated. They’re deeply entrenched in their power positions and there is not much we can do.
I've been a fan of the Drinker for about 2 years now. This is my favorite video he's put out. It actually made me emotional. I didn't know anything about the Lord of the Rings as an American growing up in San Francisco. Star Wars was king but everyone hated the prequels. I absolutely enjoyed them because I was a kid, born in 1986 but everyone else hated them. I remember hearing about The Lord of the Rings, some old British book. I had no clue what it was about, and honestly, thought it was some fairy nonsense. One night at my first girlfriends house, her very intimidating undercover SFPD father put on The Fellowship of the Ring. It's still one of the most amazing feelings I've ever had watching a film. I had no idea the world of Middle Earth existed until that second and I was in, hook line and sinker. This video voices all the feelings I had much better than a drunk like me can articulate and is why I follow the Drinker. You're doing God's work you crazy Scottish bastard. Well done, as usual.
same I've watched it multiple times.
Aragorn is THE icon on how a man should be.
Caring enough to put others before himself, but Headstrong enough to get the job done above all else.
Brave enough to lead and take on odds that don’t favour him, but vulnerable enough that he will openly shed a tear for those he loves.
Showing empathy for those that would be seen as lesser than him, whilst putting those feelings aside for himself to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of the group.
Reserved enough to wait until it’s the ideal time to act, but also heroic to the point he will just throw himself in harms way if it meant that someone under his protection is safe.
Best human character in all of fantasy fiction. Viggo IS Aragorn.
💯
He even made sure he KNEW how to use a sword, for the part. Viggo is the GOAT.
Aragorn is black now, and im so happy for it. They fixed the problematic books with that, and in rings of power. ROP literally fixed the racist trash from the books
Nobody is falling for that bait lil man
Please, no one bother replying to the melt above us. He definitely lacks the brain cells required for a proper discussion
Having Ian McKellen and Christopher Lee on set was almost like having source material consultants.
Christopher was the true Tolkien scholar, having met Tolkien on multiple occasions in the past in addition to knowing all the ins and outs, top to bottom, of the author's lore.
@@emirlsanchos6302 Christopher Lee was a real opera and metal bad-ass. I learned about his achievements long after his death. His role in these movies is immortalizing him more than his role in the Star Wars prequels or any other of the over 260 roles (he's a Guinness record holder up until this day).
While they ignored them!
Years ago, Christopher Lee was sort of earmarked to play Gandalf if live-action LotR movies were ever made. Peter Jackson was unaware of this unspoken agreement, however, and Ian McKellan was cast in the role instead. It was sort of a happy accident. I'm sure Lee would have killed it as Gandalf, but what we actually got was no less epic. And who else could have played Saruman so well?
@@Lennis01 Uh, earmarked by who? I was around long enough to know of message boards in the nineties, it was Sean Connery first and last that people talked about.
Were possibly the best 3 years of my life so far. Every year eagerly anticipating the next epic masterpiece.
I was 14 when Fellowship of the Ring came out. Loved it and it devastated me emotionally in the best possible way. Listened to the Return of the King CD nonstop. Best film and story ever!
I watched the trilogy recently with my 15-year-old daughter, who has grown up on Marvel superhero movies. She was totally blown away by LOTR. She literally said: "why don't they make films like this anymore?"
She never complained about a lack of "strong female characters". From the minute Eowyn came on screen she was in love with the character, and cheered when she killed the witch king of Angmar.
That's great to hear.
Well to answer her question, you can just say, "Because there's no talent left in hollywood."
I keep ruminating on when to watch the trilogy with my daughters - the oldest is 8 years old now, hard to say when it's time. I also wonder when I might read the stories with her. Reading the Hobbit should be alright anytime, I guess, if she's patient. I wonder - will the beauty here be recognized by future generations? I'm happy to say, at least for now, that my eldest daughter loves Calvin & Hobbes (recently introduced), so she's off to a good start.
I have a 3 year old and 1 year old daughters and I cant wait to watch the extended trilogy with them when they are older. We will make a weekend of it, order pizza, get the missis to stay at her parents and introduce them to the greatest movie trilogy of all time.
It’s shockingly my wife’s favorite series outside of Harry Potter, we watch the extended trilogy twice a year
Eowyn’s iconic “I am no man” moment is one of the most hype moments in cinema in my opinion. And it’s mysteriously not cringey or annoying. I wonder why 🤔
One of the things has to be- from the time we first saw her, she's not some obnoxious chick. She's an underdog, and someone who her brother and uncle both warned her "Don't go joining us out on the battlefield. This stuff is dangerous. Live in case we don't for the sake of the people." When facing the Witch King, she wasn't acting holier then thou. No. She was *terrified* you could see it in her face, her eyes. This is someone we can support because she's just a normal woman.
@@roukerasati9611 Not only that, she brings Merry along with her. Two characters, who have no right to be in the battle in the first place, Theoden explicitly forbids them from riding with him. But in the end, they are the ones who defend his broken body from the Witch King and bring down one of the most terrifying villains in the story.
I think that line epitomized the prophesy that “no man can kill” that Ring Wraith until she revealed “I am no man!” Dead. Loved that scene.
Agree with what's being said here. Her character earned the audience's respect through how she was written to how she was acted. Furthermore, the rest of the trilogy didn't try to push a pro-female message, so a little bit of that "you go girl" in and overall brilliant trilogy didn't annoy anyone.
She was a strong female character, not a female strong character.
you said what we felt. we watch all three as a family every new years eve. Good work man thank you.
My favourite characters from the screen adaptation trilogy were Arwen and Aragorn because in my perception they were and are the role models of being an authentic woman by being strong yet nurturing and kind, respectively of being an authentic man by being brave, strong, a warrior yet being thoughtful, protective, humble. So, basically two healthy portrayals of man and woman. 🙂
100%. Modern Hollywood has this obsession of making “strong female characters” which just do ridiculously over the top physical feats - ironically being sexist by portraying strength in a purely masculine way
Absolutely
Arwen and Aragorn were a 19th century couple: Aragorn brings home the bacon and Arwen was the tradwife with the kids. Eowyn and Faramir were a 20th century couple. She was the strong woman fighting the patriarchy and he was the peaceful warrior with the feminine side. *Both* couples were just fine. People are different.
@@fazdoll I prefer Faramir and Eowyn to Aragorn. They both feel much more human to me. Eowyn's strength is presented side by side with her vulnerability, and Faramir is a put-upon son desperately trying to win the approval of his father, sometimes even through actions that he knows to be wrong or unwise. By contrast, Aragorn is a pretty unwavering "good guy": always does the right thing, and usually seems to know what's best. I mean, was it really a struggle for him to "put aside the Ranger"? If it's the move that will save Middle-Earth, you can be sure that he'll do it, no matter what it costs him. However, Arwen, though she doesn't have much screentime, is given a good bit of poignance through her decision to relinquish her immortality out of love for Aragorn.
Perfect story, acting, production, etc…probably the most well executed movie adaptation ever.
Best of all? They didn't include the ghastly songs and poems that so ruined the BBC's excellent radio production, years before it.
We have to give Tolkein a ton of credit for his incredible story and rich history and depth of character. As well as Peter Jackson for his amazing direction and NONE of the garbage "meta" "jokes" like the MsheU
@@strategery101 also Sir Christopher Lee and Sir Ian McKellen were hitting with the "This is what the book says"
@@flyboy6392 Absolutely. They personally loved this story as well. And you can tell from their passion in the acting. Christopher Lee has said how he first read the books in the 50s and fell in love with them
@@flyboy6392 I think Peter Jackson loved Tolkein so having others on set with the same love of the material was probably something special. I get the feeling the love of Tolkein meant they were trying to stay as close to Tolkein as they could.
To the creators of Lord of the Rings Trilogy... My friends, you bow to no one!
Apropos
Perfect comment!!!
Peter Jackson’s crew and Weta Workshop.
Absolutely legendary, all star combination of a team that can not be beat.
Jackson also made The Hobbit trilogy. So yeah...
Yet bend over for every $
The depth of your discernment and the eloquence of your delivery are a Gift. We all felt "IT" when we read the great epics, and thrilled at their faithful cinematic representation. You help us understand what we felt, and teach us how to say it.
I’m proud to say i had the fortune to meet Brent Robb at Waikato University in the late 90s who then went on to work for Peter Jackson ( production coordinator) after he graduated with his media studies degree. A few of us caught up for a beer early in 2000 and Brent was so excited about the project and how much he loved working with Liv Tyler especially. It wasn’t long after that I got news Brent was sick and again after that news , he had passed away . I regret not making the effort to attend his funeral. Rest in Peace Brent .
This film made my father, who was a mechanic and a man’s man through and through, ask a million questions to his teenage son that he had very little in common with. For me, it was a rare moment where my father and I really connected for the first time and where he took interest in something I loved.
🥲
Ahhhhh, that's so cute!
Man I had the same experience, and that’s why these movies are so special for so many people
Thats cool. I can ask my dad whether Ungoliant and Shelob are aliens or demons and have a 15 minute discussion about it.
That's the sweetest thing I've read all day.
Just rewatched the trilogy not two weeks ago. I still tear up when Aragorn, King of Men and most perfect male role model to ever exist, says to the Hobbits "My friends, you bow to no one" and kneels before them. Everything he's done and he still honors and elevates others. They don't make 'em like they used to; movies, or men in movies.
The moment I watched this, the scene of him bowing came up... Perfect timing 😁
Showing such humility also elevated Aragorn
"He who exalts himself shall be humbled. He who humbles himself shall be exalted."
I agree completely - that beautiful score coming in surely doesnt hinder the emotion in that scene or the viewer either
Yup that part gets me bad every time
Bro, I usually never comment on anything, but this is me halfway through the video telling you thank you for this epic analysis. You hit the nail on the head with everything.
"Hollywood used to depict heroic actions. Now they can only see heroic identities." BARS 🗣🗣🗣🔥🔥🔥
You want to talk about the LOTR actor's dedication and NOT mention Sean Bean? A man who was afraid of flying, so would get up super early, get into costume, and then HIKE to the set locations in the mountains? The man is a beast, and responsible for the first time I wept in a cinema after watching Boromir die.
Agree, the more human character, Sean is GOAT
I think the reason Boromir is such a successful character, with such a potent and powerful death, is because he's the true "everyman" insert; making human mistakes with the RIGHT intentions - finding the BEST of himself at the end - giving EVERYTHING he is for what he believes, for his position
It is _ourselves_ we see dying in that forest... and it hurts
Hearing the cast and crew watched Sean In costume as Boromir hiking as they flew past over him is hilarious.
@@unbearifiedbear1885so true! He is very relatable because he is the most fallible. He doesn’t have any magic or special abilities. I love his character for much the same reason I love Theodin. I still get misty eyed every time I see the final scene with Boromir in Fellowship. His courage and strength even while he’s dooming over the fate of men, only for Aragorn to finally recognize him as a brother, it’s all just pitch perfect, and sadly something current media is incapable of producing.
If there's one death I wish I could reverse in LOTR, it would be Boromir's. I understand it's important for the story, but man would it have been a treat to see 3 movies of Sean Bean in Middle Earth! I feel like he's such an underrated and forgotten actor
Part of the reason Tolkien's story worked was because it's themes are timeless: finding strength in unexpected places, men who are not afraid to cry over the death of a friend, people with old quarrels learning that they have things in common, and the price of war no matter how necessary it is.
It's the classic hero's journey, used since the beginning of recorded history to inspire and uplift.
THIS
I watched the extended versions, and the scene with Theoden crying after burying his son, you just felt that anguish of a father. It reminds me that war may have a lot of unknown names and faces, but those who died we loved by someone and they lost that person.
You forgot the most important part, and that is Sean Bean is still Sharpe...
and that whether a single goblin or one giant feckin elephant are both still only count as one
While I was not a part of the generation that grew up with LotR, I truly appreciate its place in cinema history. I read the book two summers ago and watched the films for the first time after finishing it. They're some of my favorite movies to turn on and marvel at. The cinema near me showed all three for their flashback days here at the end of summer, and finally seeing them in their full form on the screen brought tears to my eyes. Pure bliss. They don't make them like they used to.
Beautiful article. I am a 90s kids and rewatches this movies every year and it never seems to get old. The perfect movie.
I worked on the films over several years and it was exactly like this. We knew we were working on something huge and special and we were ALL so committed to doing it justice. It's all we talked about at craft tables, it's all we thought about while shooting and it felt like the whole country was behind it. We'd trek all over the country to be involved in anyway we could. I remember standing on a wall for hours with Rohan Royal Guard armour cutting into my shoulder so much I could barely think but it did not matter because what we were doing was spectacular. Holy crap the night shoots were a long slog but it was incredible fun, ever under the rain towers! Genuinely tough but everyone supported everyone else in making something miraculous. I could talk for hours about moments with the lead cast, or the sets, or our beautiful countryside, or the extras, or the crew and how much we all just pitched in to create this thing but it would literally take hours. Loved this piece drinker! Thanks!
Fantastic! What a great job you all did.
Thank you for your contribution to these wonderful movies. It means a lot to me, these films are so special to my heart.
Do it. Make a video with some of the stories, doesn't have to be hours long.
Then do more when we keep pestering you for it.
It's so bloody awesome all you kiwis crushed it soooo hard. My friends, you bow to no one.
We thank you for your service.
I was 11 when the fellowship of the ring came out. My dad surprised me and pulled me out of school early to go see it with a coworker/friend of his. He told me at the time I had a dentist appointment he was taking me to. It seemed weird but I believed it, right up to the point where we were walking into the movie theater lobby. I thought there was a tiny little dentist office in there somewhere. My dad has never done anything like that before or since, it's something I would have expected of my mom maybe. And then we walked into the actual theater. I'll never ever forget it. People dressed up in costume as wizards hobbits and elves, cheering when the opening sequence started, people literally crying at the end. Man what a memory that was, one of the best I have of my whole life. Needless to say I've been an enormous LOTR nerd ever since. Youre right Drinker, that was it. Movies will never again come close to that level of epic
That's an awesome story. I might do that with my own kids sometime. Thanks.
Sounds like a good father. Gave you something more valuable for your life than that day of school would have
My dad once had my principal pull me out of class so he could ask me over the phone if I wanted Mercenaries World in Flames for the PS2. I did.
Man I wish I had that typa experience, I guess my generation has godzilla minus one though which ain’t so bad
I find it strange how people were dressing up as characters of the lord of the rings before they even saw the Jackson films. 🤔
thanks for sharing! 😃
Never forget seeing The Two Towers at a midnight showing in Leeds with a smuggled in 6pack hardly anyone in there on Monday night was brilliant! All 3 cracking films
Just had the amazing opportunity to see all three extended versions of this trilogy in theaters, and by god it was the most spectacular thing I have ever seen. Everything about the Lord of the Rings Trilogy is perfect, and it deserves to be cherished, remembered, and loved for all time
This trilogy is a miracle. Hardcore Tolkien fans can nitpick the films to death but the confluence of factors that lined up perfectly for these films to happen is staggering.
I consider myself a hard-core LoTR-book-fan, but I would rather punch some nit-picker in his face than listen to him ripping apart this master-piece-without-an-equal of a movie
For anal retentives who are literarily defunct. They cannot read anymore.
@@arturleperoke3205 Yeah, you look REAL scary.
Yup, I have run into a few that try to pick apart these movies and they suck. You cannot turn the book's into movies with some changes, you just do not have the time unfortunately. I think Peter Jackson did an amazing job and making the best movies you can while still retaining the spirit of what Tolkien created. I don't care what his estate says, especially since they seem ok with the Rings of Power that basically rapes Tolkien lore.
@@D3voidofsoul Tolkien never wrote ANY stories that had Galadriel or Celebrimbor in it. In point of fact you CAN adapt the story, because it reads as almost LITERALLY a script with a storyboard described. Jackson just chose not to. Faramir is a different character completely and anybody whose read the book knows there are entire scenes of dialogue that were removed.
And the studio that made this claimed that they made NO money, so they didn't pay a dime in royatlies to EITHER the Tolkien estate OR Jackson, who both had to sue them to get a nickel.
Then they went on to make gambling machines out of their characters, so the estate had to sue them again and finally gave the green light for Rings of Power, figureing the company couldn't 'rape' the source material -beause there was none. And certainly not nearly as much as they had done to The Hobbit.
They were well made movies there's no doubt in that, but now people are just online using them as a springboard to bitch about Rings of Power. Which is ironic because the creators of Rings of Power said they were SPECIFICALLY using the Lord of the Rings as a model- both for visuals, and for dumbing down the literary merits for a grade school audience.
So most people either hate rings of power because they've now grown up, or else they just have a mysogynistic axe to grind.
Even the ANIMATED movie stands out for the fact that its as singular as the books. Happily, or hopefully, the world won't end soon and given the capabilities there WILL be another version of Lord of the Rings which will be much closer to the original, if not based on it directly. In the nineties there were all kinds of scripts done FOR FREE by fans that were ranked as for how close they were to the original.
Anyway, nuff said.
The feelings of love, warmth and sheer wonder that these films evoke in me will never be beaten. Masterpieces.
The last TRUE classics to be made. 20 years later not even close to being equaled
All these years later and they still invoke those feelings in me. Few things do anymore.
This story lived in my heart for almost half a century before it saw the theaters (discounting the bakshi horror). I didn’t think any movies could live up to that kind of expectation, but this one did.
Not true. It absolutely can be beaten. Unless people simply refuse to admit the truth.
This makes me so sad. 😟
What golden times these were.
How could our timeline go so wrong?
I miss the happyness I felt back then.
You have put in to words everything I have ever thought about Hollywood. I like your style. I am now subscribed.
I saw the Two Towers and Return of the King.
On Boxing Day premieres. I was 12 at RTotK and it was the first movie I ever cried at.
Story time. I first watched this trilogy very recently in 2019. I was in university and had a pretty bad break up. I didn’t have a lot of friends because i was actually studying abroad in the UK. This is when i saw these 3 movies. These movies taught me the beauty and power in brotherhood comradely. My ex was vegan so the “Meat is back on the menu boys “ is still the funniest moment fit in a fantasy movie.
You dodged a bullet there.
*LOOKS LIKE MEAT IS BACK ON THE MENU BOYS!*
Plenty of time in the gym, eating meat, and with the homies will cure a broken heart.
There are still some good men in this world, just need to find them and make friends of them, safe travels lad
Stay focused king
My dad randomly picked up the fellowship of the ring in high school, back in the 60's. It sucked him in and he became a Tolkien fan, and it changed his life and how he felt about literature. He made sure all three of his kids were raised on this classic trilogy. I remember him reading me The Hobbit to fall asleep to when i was 5 years old. When the movies came out, my good ol' dad took all of us kids to see them, and even though there was no Tom Bombadil, we were completely blown away. I was 13 when Fellowship came out and seeing Gandalf and Aragorn played so damn well and so well cast blew my little mind. My dad passed in 2019, and left us all some very good memories. R.I.P dad. Thanks for reading me to sleep all those years ago.
This is beautiful. May he rest in peace!
Believe it or not, when Return of the King ended in my cinema in my home isle of Trinidad, many of the patrons clapped.
That goes to show what a classic the 📼 films were and still is.
Kinda weird, it was just a book.
@@spankynater4242 There are books that change your life, that make you discover ideas, places that do not exist, characters that motivate you and define you as a person, especially when you are very young.
@@spankynater4242 It was more than a book; it was the embodiment of a way of life. Tolkien viewed Sam as the true hero of the story.
“At last they rode over the downs and took the East Road, and then Merry and Pippin rode on to Buckland; and already they were singing again as they went. But Sam turned to Bywater, and so came back up the Hill as day was ending once more. And he went on, and there was yellow light, and fire within; and the evening meal was ready, and he was expected. And Rose drew him in, and set him in his chair, and put little Elanor upon his lap.
He drew a deep breath. ‘Well, I’m back,’ he said.”
"I go to my fathers, in whose mighty company I shall not now feel ashamed." Breaks me every time.
Now more than ever!
The Charge of the Rohirrim will forever be the greatest scene in cinematic history.
Viggo Mortensen actually deflected a dagger with his sword because the guy accidentally let go of the dagger. Viggo took his swordplay that seriously... he's a damned legend
yeah the Lurtz actors Makeup made it so he couldn't see properly, think he was supposed to throw the dagger to the side or at a tree and instead launched it right at Viggo by mistake.
The guy nearly concussed himself doing headbutts with the Maori stuntmen after they did a Haka for him out of respect, purely because he didn't want to disrespect them.
The prop dagger? How brave
No Daisy Red Ryders allowed on set!!!
czcams.com/video/qgjPa5JkecA/video.html
@@cmln2413 bravery was never the point, the point was that he had the wherewithal to accurately swat it away, he could have been injured even if it was a prop.
....Helen Keller is face-palming hard right now. Good job.
@@cmln2413A prop made of metal, it might not be sharp but still equals a rock being thrown at you.
my brain might slowly being losing it's attention span but it can still sit through a 4 hour lord of the rings film because of how good it is
I swear to god - the attention span thing has crept up on us as a society… parents don’t even watch movies anymore - they browse for a movie for ages just to go on their phones and “listen” to it.
18 months ago, I did a marathon, playing all three extended cuts of the movies in a single day and I had zero issues getting through that one either. Weird, because I struggle to get through a single 35 minute episode of modern tripe...
@@TheSmuey i keep meaning to do this.
Lots of people are being diagnosed with “ADHD” these days. I think it’s more of minds just being corrupted and distracted by cellphones, texting, social media, extreme politics, and a lot of other garbage that wasn’t around back in the 80’s and 90’s.
@@ihaveafettfetish9348absolutely true,they say history repeats itself but this is a phenomenon unseen,but the only factor also unseen is internet and phones
Man just watched the whole extended trilogy last week!! And i thought exactly the same thing!! Your review almost brought a tear to my eye..
"...masculine bravery and heroism, two things that modern Hollywood seems to be f##king allergic to now ..."
This line alone hit me in the chest as truth more than a middle earth broadsword plunged into my anemic torso by Viggo Mortensen trying to get to the catering truck after a long day. :)
I can never be said enough how much of absolute manly man Viggo was on and off the set. Went fishing between takes, wore his sword and costume into town, deflected a knife thrown at his face... The list is endless, and he just... Did it.
Even a little girl watching this, he started rustling Jimmies I didn't know I had yet🤣
A real knife, you know. There was an error in the set, and the knife was headed to his face, thrown at full force. The blade struck the knife so hard that the sparkles are real. That was the sign that some superior power was watching over the movie and the actors. Or that Viggo was really Aragorn in another universe. The actor interpreting the Uruk-Hai almost passed away knowing what peril was just avoided.
It's probably thanks to his familiarizing with the sword so much that he survived
Don't forget Sean Bean climbing up a mountain in costume to get to the filming location because he didn't want to take the helicopter again
He also speaks like 7 languages
"Since it is so likely that (children) will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage. Otherwise you are making their destiny not brighter but darker." - CS Lewis
The "Everyone's so blandly agreeable, so non-confrontational and careful not to say anything offensive" at 6:20 is entirely by design. The "Communist" East (China & Russia/USSR) embarked on the "puzzyfication" of the Progressive West starting before WW2, and we've seen it come to fruition with modern "woke" culture.
Already is dark, i was watching a report, yesterday in modernity with Paul jhosef watson, that in western countrys young adults are nervous even ordering food, they cant face even a remotee challenge, and feel threaten by everithing, and worst, now, thanks to the constant feminism things, only one in three men are having sex, and majority of men no longer even desire any kind of relashionship, is the end, a cicle will start and there is nothing to stop it, is mouse utopia
This might explain why zoomers are such a mess.
those cruel enemies are now hiding under rainbow flag
That is a beautiful quote, and one I never knew of before now. And it's very, very true.
Thank you for summing up how I have felt about Hollywood for some time. This is absolutely spot on.
My father used to read Lord of the rings to me as a child, then as an adult I took him to the movie theatre to watch the trilogy. To see his face light up watching them, to hear him talk about it like he was a child again is a memory I will always cherish.
Same! It was a really magical moment getting to see those films in theaters with my dad. It's still a good time when we sit down to watch the Extended Editions during Christmas time.
Same, though because we knew the books, certain things in the movie were sad to see changed, the one that really got us was Isealdor's sword, in the books Arogorn reforges and renames it himself in the first book when he first sees it in Rivendell but in the movies the elves reforge it for him and he doesn't get it till towards the end of the 3rd movie. In the books that sword scared the orcs so bad that in the second book during the battle of helms deep, just pulling the sword out scared a whole battalion of orcs away from the battle
How old were you when he read them to you? Was it too young or? I have kids and want to read it to them someday.
@@djvranish my dad read The Hobbit to me when I was 5 or 6.
@@wcw2793 My family does the same too. Every Christmas we Watch the Extended edition's on Blu-Ray. Good thing for the holidays considering each movie is around 3 and a half hours long. lol 🙂
"They've never held anything more dangerous than a pair of safety scissors, and they probably needed therapy afterwards" 😂😂😂 Perfect assessment.
No but seriously…look at them - I’m genuinely not being mean however they actually look like they might burst into tears and break down at any second, even though they look happy, there’s something off about it, like it’s way too forced and you can tell they genuinely hate the characters they’re supposed to be portraying and would rather talk about the diversity angle. The whole thing is just so…strange.
I purchased a whole new home entertainment system with TV and proper sound system, and I gotta say I was blown away like watching the film the first time. In my honest and humble opinion the greatest movies/trilogy ever made.
Bravo Drinker, this was an excellent commentary. I think I'll revisit these films over the weekend, thanks for the idea !
I am a black woman and was introduced to LOTR by my dad. I have said for many years those are some of the best movies of all TIME period…I love them and understand the meaning of it all and the lack of diversity in the movie was never an issue or a topic until recently. I have not even bothered watching the new show and don’t really plan on it.
thanks for saying it out loud. I couldn't agree more x
The hijacking of legitimate historical grievance by the modern wokist cult is one of the worst crimes ever committed against African Americans
I hope people can shake off the mind virus before it's too late 🙏🏻❤
The new show is interesting as a stand alone production. I watched it and was entertained. I had to make myself believe that it was completely unconnected from LOTR, though, and still got annoyed at too much modern messaging.
So glad you understand!
WE don't care. It's NOTHING to do with US. It's about pushing a certain political agenda that keeps us all poor and miserable, ONE govt with ALL the power and an exclusive bunch of people hogging all the money right at the Top.
Like about 10,000 other New Zealanders, I worked on these movie and was lucky enough to be in front of the camera, as a "scale double". I am in the credits :) While my work was only in a few scenes and brief, the experience was amazing and you could see that everyone had a real drive to deliver the perfect product for the guy at the top, Peter Jackson. He had high expectations of everyone and they delivered because 1) they got paid well and treated well for their time, skills, and merit; 2) he was an excpetional leader and managed people really well; a true example of how CEOs' should run their companies and treat people to get the most out of them. Of everyone, he led by example and probably worked the hardest and put the most hours every day. He staked his reputation and the outcome on that trilogy and it paid off making him a worldwide name. 12/10 would work for him again. *Mr. Drinker*, you need to review some of PJ's earlier movies: "Bad Taste" and "Meet The Feebles" were the first two, "The Frightners" is awesome, and was the movie that established Weta Digital. "Braindead" is just OTT and so funny.
_Meet the Feebles_ may just be my favorite Jackson film.
"I got one leg missing... how do I get around?"
You don’t know how jealous I am that you got that experience haha
Thank you for your service!!! Everyone loves Kiwis for this and for FOTC!
Super cool brother :)
What an amazing experience.
What a master piece , stunning visuals fantastic players , and a score I feel don't get mentioned praised enough , Howard Shore brought the film to life , Enya and Annie Lennox songs are truly magical .
This is the best drinker video ever made, it fills me with hope and well we all need some hope sometimes.
“Hollywood used to predict heroic actions, now they can only see heroic identities.”
Holy f*ck Drinker, what a line.
Depict, not predict.
Actions are what define a person. Otherwise you're just an image. Screenwriters used to know this because it's what makes you empathize with a character.
I'm definitely gonna be incorporating "anyone with more braincells than a retarded jellyfish" into my vocabulary from now on, too. The man certainly has a way with words...
"Hollywood used to depict heroic actions. Now they can only see heroic identities." Damn, that carries some weight.
the quality of the writers go downhill so drastically. Clearly most competent authors are got ridden from studio for "diversity" quota
Sometimes I wish I was born a couple years earlier to experience these movies when they came out but at the same time out of me and my 21 classmates in high school there's only two of us that have watched the trilogy and we both love it.
"Hollywood used to depict heroic actions. Now they can only see heroic identities" earned you a subscriber, good sir.
❤️YOU DO NOT HAVE TO FEAR DEATH IF YOU BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST, AND TRUST IN HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART, BECAUSE HE ATONED FOR YOU FOR ALL YOUR INSULTS, THAT YOU WOULD OBTAIN PEACE WITH ALMIGHTY GOD, AND GO TO HEAVEN BY HIS GRACE!🎉
@@josepoika5388amen❤
@@josepoika5388tolkien was a devout catholic and the christian influence in lotr is obvious snd beautiful.
Very well said
@@josepoika5388Ohh, F off with your beliefs. Stop making this about religion when it shouldn't be.
Orlando Bloom blogged some of his behind the scenes. It was amazing the respect and dedication he had for his role. He bonded with the horse prior to shooting and was sad when his bow broke because it had been with him through all the filming. It wasn't just Bloom, it was practically everyone on set from actors to set designers. People put their heart and soul into this film which is why it's still iconic.
So true! And they lived together in a small town for 18 months, on the other side of the world, so the bonding which took place was real.
Not to mention that hilarious "They're taking the hobbits to Isengard" song and subsequent meme lol.
You can just feel the heart and soul poured into the movies. Watching all the extras and behind the scenes stuff just further emphasizes how absolutely committed the whole crew was to portraying Tolkien’s vision as best they can. It wasn’t about them, it was about Tolkien.
Especially cause he didn't get a lot of dough for it
It was the trickle-down effect from great leadership: PJ, Phillipa Boyens, and Fran Walsh. They cared deeply, they hired others who cared that deeply, and they led everyone else to care that deeply.
As a teenager I read the Hobbit in Catalan for the first time in 1985 and just then the full Lord of the Rings translation was edited and it touched me like nothing had touched me before. Then role playing games arrived in Barcelona (the real ones with paper and pencil) and with it the ability to explote Tolkien's lore playing it. That got me through the college years and then life drifted. Years later the movies arrived and I was back home, I wept in the theaters each time the movie started, I went to the theaters around 20 times for the set of three movies, both in Catalan and in English, I could not decide which one was better. Years passed again and all kind of videogames and merchandise arrived, which I did not follow, but then a new TV series was announced exploring more of Tolkien's world and which I expected with my open heart, to then find out that they have made mock of me and my life.
Just rewatched the trilogy. This was Hollywood at its absolute pinnacle. Nothing has been of this quality since.
I remember the silence in the theater when king Theoden gave his speech. It was packed, but you could hear a pin drop. I was ten years old at the time, clutching the armrests of my seat. Then they started shouting "Death! Death!", and couldn't help but whisper in a low voice along with them "Death! Death!". Then the charge began and the music changed, and there were violins. And in that moment I got tears in my eyes; not tears of sadness, but of awe at the heroism on display. I wanted to be there, to be a Rohirrim charging into battle, following the king.
I read the books soon after watching the last film. To this day they are my favorite books, and my favorite movies.
Edit: it looks like this comment resonated with many of you. Thank you everyone! I'm happy to see that my experience was shared by so many of you.
You sure write like you have read those books. You write well. God bless
And Tolkien considered that his weakest scene.
Hail the professor! Long may his works be remembered.
@@adamjenkins7653 a brilliant man cannot be right about everything, can he?
I'll take the modest popularity of this comment as an opportunity to invite everyone to read the rest of his work. Poems, short stories, and of course The Silmarillion. It's a treasure trove of beauty. Tolkien was a genuinely good man, and through fantasy he conveyed truth about the world in a more meaningful way that our modern obsession with "realism" could ever dream about.
When I read Tolkien, I thought that I was a big fan of the fantasy genre. After reading other authors, I realize that I actually dislike fantasy as a genre. But I like Tolkien. Because it's not just fantasy, but a higher rendition of reality. Tolkien uses knights, dragons and dark lords to speak clearly of truth that is often muddied in our complicated lives. It's not just fantasy books, but actual wisdom like is found in the stories of old. Perhaps that is how fantasy ought to be, after all.
@@cfban
Yeah, that's a good point. Tolkien was trying to write a Myth for Britain much like King Arthur, iirc. He wasn't doing D&D.
I tell people that Tolkien's trilogy of LOTR books are my 67th, 68th and 69th favorite books after the Bible. I sometimes wish I was old enough to have seen the films in theaters, but I was like 2 or 3 when Fellowship dropped lol.
not to forget to add that Christopher Lee personally met Tolkien and WASNT afraid to voice his concerns and grievances with director's decisions in the film. We almost had an Aragorn vs Sauron showdown, luckily this got scrapped after protests.
Glad to see this comment- so many interviews where he talks about how had to 'educate' Jackson throughout the process. I particularly love the iconic one about the sound someone makes when they're stabbed....since he'd done it himself😂 what a man
I remember a post-wrap interview with him after Return Of The King was finished where he expressed dismay at learning his character's death scene was cut from the theatrical version. Despite the extended editions, Christopher figured it wasn't the same if it wasn't witnessed on the big screen.
Christopher Lee was also meant to be playing Gandalf rather than Saruman, at least according to *Tolkien himself.* Though, it still worked out in the end.
@@jackdimambro484he hadn’t been stabbed himself, he did the stabbing. He was the real life inspiration for James Bond, which his nephew wrote.
@@TheCreamRisesToTheTop shit yeah you're actually totally right, my bad
You sir deserve more than CZcams. Brilliant content!
Love it so much. Thank you for sharing, Bryan.
"I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you". Greatest line of all time and the best words you can give a friend when they hit rock bottom
"But you've left out one of the chief characters. Samwise the brave! I want to hear more about Sam....
...frodo would never have gotten far without Sam.." :)
That line taught me a valuable lesson, instead of wanting to have a friend like Samwise Gamgee; I should strive to BE a friend like Samwise. 😌
Probably the stupidest moment in film history. Jackson is a poor director. That scene was dripping with overwrought melodrama unfit for even the cheapest soap opera. But PJ is incapable of anything remotely resembling subtlety.
@@junglemoose2164: Please! Peter Jackson accomplished more with these three movies than the vast majority of film makers will or have accomplished in their entire lives. He’s a genius.
Dammit, goosebumps.
Vigo basically was Aragorn, and not in an obnoxious method acting way. He embodied the character, lived in his shoes and had respect for the material, and it resulted in an amazing performance. We almost never get that anymore.
Always thought he was wrong for the role. Aragorn in the books was a big man with a commanding build and voice. Mortensen’s voice is whispery and weak and he’s not exactly a commanding figure. You could tell how he struggled in his supposedly inspiring talk to the troops before the battle. I always thought the role would have been much better played with an actor like Liam Neeson.
I am one critic who still felt LOrRs could have been much better than Peter Jackson's world. I still think real dwarves should have been used to really express the physical struggle of Dwarves and Hobbits at a level the miniaturized actors could never show. Some of the script changes were also a disappointment…and the music soundtrack wrecked many scenes, which should have been just scenes of silence. Many of the battle scenes were excellent, but the movie should have gone darker and scarier than it did, instead of placating to young children. I also would have liked the cinematography to be more Harry Potterish…more fantastical. LOTr was the greatest fantasy book of all times and with any decent attempt...could not fail…and could only be great. Then the question would become "How great will the movie be in comparison to the book?" And in my opinion, the movie was 70% to the book's greatness level.
@@wplains He also kicked a helmet so hard that he broke some bones but played it out like he was angry and frustrated that he lost sight of the hobbits, The man has some amazing talent and there no actor better for the role then Vigro.
@@TecknoNinja Sorry I don’t agree. But you’re welcome to your opinion, of course.
@@wplains I truly shudder at the thought of Liam Neeson as Aragorn. I loved the books and knew them well, and for me Mortenson was perfect in the role. A type like Neeson could never have been the king the trilogy needed.
Rewatched it Xmas eve. Cried a bit. It's so perfect. Nothing since has come anywhere close.
I saw all these at the cinema and i was never disappointed for a second watching them.
And after i watched them i wanted to go back in and watch them all over again!
I have not gotten that feeling from pretty much anything else i have ever seen at a cinema.
Also the risky but genius decision to film all three at once. This helped continuity, the teamwork in front and behind camera, and above all kept costs down as actors could not bump up their fees for the "sequels". This meant every cent of the budget went up on screen and there was no decline in quality across the three.
Too bad little effort was put in the script.
If I recall correctly they filmed only Two Towers and Return of the King back to back...
@@Dan_Dos_ all three filmed at the same time
@@reek4062 Well you're a wet blanket.
Shoo. Shoo. Begone!
Let people enjoy something beautiful without you spilling mud around it!
@@reek4062 Wrong trilogy, bud. This isn't about the mediocre Hobbit films but is about the multi Oscar winning LOTR trilogy.
The "Behind the Scenes" material for these movies are almost as amazing to watch as the movies themselves.
I am blown away by the dedication, the talent and the love they put behind every detail that went into this trilogy!
A lot of effort went into the score, the sets, costumes, visuals and the acting and performances. Unfortunately, little effort went into the most important thing of them all: the script.
The chainmail guy alone was worth watching the behind the scenes. The fact he sat at a table for hour upon hour to hand make everything is unreal.
Dune 2 had genuinely been the closest I've ever come to the experience of watching LOTR trilogy as a fully developed adult. It's not a friendly, feel-good movie, but the same passion from everyone creating it.
Dune 2 is good but it's just not even comparable to the LOTR
I was 9 years old when my mother brought me to see Fellowship of the Ring in theaters. I had no clue what it was but the tv trailers looked so awesome. I loved star wars as a young kid and just read Harry Potter months earlier and saw the movie Sorcerer's Stone before LOTR. At the time, I was all in on Harry Potter as most kids were. But, Lord of the Rings grabbed me tight; I will never forget how cool I thought everything was. The characters, the enemy, the story. I could not understand it all as a kid but loved every bit of it.
Today, the original LOTR (Extended) trilogy is the only set of films I will go back and watch every year. I cannot get enough. I will also rewatch Harry Potter and Star Wars and have a deep love for those franchises, but nothing comes close to the story of how the beings of Middle Earth overcame overwhelming odds and destroyed evil incarnate. Every time I rewatch I feel like I am watching for the first time even though I know what happens. My favorite trilogy and films by far.
My late grandpa was one of the old-school Tolkien fans, an avid reader with basically a whole library in his basement, and he _never_ watched movies. Hated them with a passion. But we did manage to drag him out of his study to watch these 3 movies in theaters before he passed away.
He complained the whole time after each one was over, telling us all about how much they left out or changed or whatever... but still, to our surprise, he came back each year to watch the next.
These films truly are the peak of all cinema. The undefeated greatest movies of all time. And personally, I'm glad they were something my old Middle-Earth-lovin' movie-hatin' grandpa was satisfied to see in their entirety.
Also, he died before The Hobbit came out, so I'm glad for his sake he dodged that bullet!
What an awesome guy :D
The hobbit is a great watch these days… the standard has fallen so far the hobbit is pretty much a masterpiece.
@@LizardSkin nah, The Hobbit is still a travesty.
I don’t think he’d approved of 48fps and a story once fitted in a pamphlet stretched into an 18 hour movie.
@@LizardSkin Ouch... so true it hurts. Kinda like looking back on the Star Wars Prequel trilogy in the light of the Sequels, except they actually had some great things about them
Sam’s speech when Frodo was about to give up is a masterpiece itself.
Which one? Lol I feel like each film had an epic Samwise speech
@@NeilTo30Twin Towers for me.
@NeilTo30 the one that goes "PO-TA-TOES!"
LOTR is full of epic speeches, from "not all that wander are lost", to "I can't carry the ring for you, but I can carry you!", or " End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take."
@@TheCivildecay Totally agree, I would add my personal favourite and meaningful:
"So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." It's just so f***** inspiring
It's amazing that I came across this very video tonight, when for the previous two nights my husband and I were watching LotR and discussing how great it is. I first watched it 20 years ago at the movie theatre and still remember every line from the first part, even though I never watched it afterwards. God, I remember how HUGE it was when it came out. I've always loved JRRT and felt like it did the trilogy justice. This is what happens when a first-class novel meets a delicate director and everything else falls in place.
This video will never be equalled. Literally couldn't have said any of it better. It's as if you pulled the words right out of my head.
You know The Drinker loves something when the "Go away now" is spoken politely
word!!!
In my opinion The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy is undoubtedly the best movie trilogy ever created. It is a masterpiece. Everything about them is so well done - the story, the characters, the pacing & the direction, the special effects, the music, the atmosphere, the costumes & scenography. No other movies gave me so much emotions as well, I teared up during every single one of them and I don't often cry at movies. Thank You J.R.R. Tolkien, and thank You Peter Jackson and all of those who worked on the LotR trilogy. 💚
I cried at the end of the trilogy. I was simply sad that the films were done.
I agree 100%. I cannot think of another trilogy of movies that even comes close.
It’s a shame that The hobbit trilogy didn’t live up to the greatness of LOTR. It had the potential to be the second greatest thing. It should’ve been. The book is actually great, and I promise you that your imagination does a better job at bringing that story to life than the movies.
@@DarthCoviderI disagree here. The Hobbit movies are as awesome as LotR, except there are no dumb moments in it.
I like the hobbit. But I didn't when they were released. In retrospect I was being unfair to them because nothing could compare to the LOTR trilogy which came before it. And it still doesn't. But it's better than I gave it credit for at the time.
Loved this video. I agree with everything whole-heartedly. Your conclusion was spot-on and gave me a warm feeling. Thanks for making this.
This is one of the reasons why I want to go into the film industry. I’m tired of seeing so many terrible corporate cash grabs that focus on sending a message than an actual good story and treating the audience like toddlers.
When you spoke about the men being believable, I was reminded of the story about Christopher Lee being directed by Peter J. on his acting while being stabbed. Lee responded "Have you any idea what kind of noise happens when somebody’s stabbed in the back? Because I do." People who live an actual life bring something special to their roles.
Christopher Lee was the link between Tolkien's old world and the present day. The knowledge and experience of older generations is priceless.
There will NEVER again be a cinematic trilogy as truly epic as the LotR trilogy... and i feel so sorry for anyone who never got to see these masterpieces at the cinema at the time. They were just something else. The extended editions added an extra level to the already fantastic movies. Thank you Peter Jackson, and thank you J R R Tolkien!
I feel like, if there's something that can maybe hold a candle to LotR, it'll be the Dune adaptation by Villeneuve
Well, they did show each film in theaters again the past couple of years for the 20th anniversary, so hopefully they got to.
@@ricardofilho2626Dune is great, but it’s also a cynical and deconstructionist story. Unlike Lord of the Rings, there isn’t heroism, friendship, or honor; Paul becomes a despot little different than the man who overthrew.
Return of the king at the movies dude..... wow
@@charlesevanshughes3638 sure, you're totally correct. I'm talking more about scale and epicness and respect for the source material, as well as great craftsmanship and an unique vision by it's director. I think Dune stands to the sci-fi genre as Lord of the Rings stands to the medieval fantasy genre and I'm so happy with what Villeneuve has done. He has a lot of love for practical effects and his adaptation feels very grounded. Like I said, it's the only thing I think can maaaaaybe hold a candle to LotR, which is in itself a towering achievement
As one of those nerds who had the entire extended edition memorized by my early teens, I am saddened and disgusted with what Hollywood tried doing with Rings of Power. My friends and I watched the entire first season, hoping and praying it would redeem itself, and it managed to be even worse than I feared it would be. I have watched the movies at least twice a year since I was5 and will continue to do so, nothing produced nowadays has anywhere near the level of rewatch ability as LotR!
Thank you for this video and for all of your content. It is such needed in our modern day and age. God bless you, man! :)
"The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. Much that once was is lost, for none now live who remember it." And thus greatest movie trilogy of all time begins....
Those words had me hooked from the very start in ways I could never have understood as a young 12 year old sitting in a cinema, after having stood for 2 hours in a que to get the ticket and then wait for another week before I could sit my butt in front of the big screen. Ah, those were the times!
"And I'm okay with that, because this story has already been told, and it was told really well" is my favourite sentence of this video.
It was a rare source of positivity by The Critical Drinker, especially since he seems exceedingly jaded these last few episodes.
The book told the story extremely well. The PJ movies however did not.
I'm patiently waiting for the 4k 25th anniversary extended editon. If it ever comes out.
H@reek4062 how could PJ have made them better tho ?
Indeed, its a comforting notion :)