LOTR outpaces nearly every other film ever created because in addition to all of the filmmaking wizardry (acting, writing, lighting, score, set pieces, cinematography, costume designs, CGI, fight sequences, etc.), you can tell how much HEART, INTELLIGENCE, and PASSION went into every aspect. That can't be rushed, it can't be faked, and it can't be bought.
Exactly. It made all other movies look like jokes... when each 1 of the 3 movies came out... it swept the Oscars... never seen anything like it.. it BLEW MY MIND as a 12-16 yr old. Not just nerds.. EVERYONE loved it
As a musician, the music is ridiculously amazing for a very specific reason. Each race gets a different theme (Shire, orcs, Rohan, etc.) but it was taken further than that. Each race also gets specific and exclusive instruments the theme is played on. Hobbits get woodwind instruments, Orcs get low horns, Rohan gets strings etc. Then, when moments involving multiple races are involved (like at the end when Aragorn is crowned king), they play a theme for one race but with another race's instruments (like the Hobbit theme played on strings instead of woodwinds). Fucking amazing.
@@mateusmarques5343 Elves have background music that is vocal based (choruses) as do most moments that involve spiritual/other-worldly events (think Eagles arriving etc.) Dwarves weren't really in the original trilogy so I can't say much for them.
@@joshuawiedenbeck6944 from what I could see the soundtrack of the elves there are instruments like harps, violins, choirs with angelic voices. And we could see some of the dwarves soundtrack in the episode of the Bridge of Khazaduum, where the lyrics are sung in the dwarven language, called Khuzdul, where I noticed a lot of elements of the vikings corals
A Spanish CZcamsr called Javier Altozano actually said the same thing! Even the scale of the music is different in each race, even the chords are different depending if they are good or bad ones
The fact that Peter lobbed for the lighting people to put some christmas lights behind the camera for Galadriels close ups to give the apparence of stars reflected in her eyes just shows you how insanely precise and passionate he was as a director.
The best moment for me that makes me tear up, is “my friends, you bow to no one.” Or “they knew one thing, that there is good in this world and it’s worth fighting for”
There’s a couple significant parts like that for me. There’s that “you bow to no one”, “I can’t carry it for you…but I can carry you”, and then that moment right at the end of the film when Frodo turns and smiles when leaving Middle Earth. Every time I watch these films, the last hour of Return of the King hits me like a truck
It’s worth mentioning how EVERYONE involved was equally serious about and dedicated to this film. From the music, to the acting, animators, camera men, sets, script, directing, and more ALL knew their parts and came together PERFECTLY. Once in a lifetime production in these films.
and yet Tolkien's Lore states that Aragorn is a descendant of the Numenor line and elves, the reason in the books Aragorn can't grow any facial hair ... So why the hell is he having a beard in the trilogy like some commoner! shaving blades would have thrown production over the budget?
@@jordinagel1184 The fact that he is a descendant of Elves and as a result can't grow a beard is a huge thing in the book and an actual mark of Numenorian people ...Tolkien would have disagreed with you... it is equally bad as in ring of powers dwarf woman not having a beard and even worse!
@@wistfulgraphyou're right, the trilogy got 17. The next closest is Star Wars with 10. So, RotK alone makes LotR's the most successful trilogy (oscar wise). And this was during a golden age of film making. If LotR was released now, or during the time of Star Wars, I'm sure they would've secured more oscars (in my biased opinion)
Favorite tearing up moment "My friends...you bow to no one". There's no way of describing how this moment makes you look back to the almost 12 hours of movies and describes perfectly the joy of what you just witnessed. Absolute masterpiece of a scene!!!
but in the appendices in the books, when Sam's children grow up, he leaves and goes to the Undying lands to meet up again with Frodo. He is permitted to do so, because he did carry the ring for Frodo for a short time, making him a ringbearer. @@annettehunt900
Personally, the most powerful scene in any film. I burst my heart out. Tears and tears of absolute JOY and CONTENTMENT. Never before I felt anything like that. It is indeed a masterpiece.
I saw these films in the cinema as an adult and I thought they were fun and well made and I was invested in the characters. But in the third film when Sam says to Frodo, ‘I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you!’ I burst into tears. Best line of any movie, period, and everything up to then built to that moment. It’s that scene that turns this trilogy into an absolute masterpiece. Never has pure love been depicted so well.
This film embodied something that can never be replicated: True Sincerity. It is the last film that called for true heroism. For brotherly love. It is the last film, that truly gave a damn. A film, that inspired actual hope. It will be another generation (or two) before we see something even remotely close to this again. Lightning in a bottle doesn't even come close to how amazing and important it is.
@@devinreese1397 You realize a masterpiece isn't a competition? Everyone can have a masterpiece. LOTR is one of them. Those authors may have theirs too. No one is saying this is the singular masterpiece.
This! I watched the trilogy for the first time this summer and the thing that stood out to me the most was how sincere and romantic it was. Everyone involved threw themselves entirely into the weighty drama, the interpersonal love stories, the sheer weight the story demands in a way I just haven't seen in other films.
For me. It was always the music. The Rohirrim Charge. That moment is absolutely everything. Bravery. Strength. Determination. Death. Tragedy. Love. Passion. Pride. Vengeance. I have never come across a soundtrack that managed to make me feel so many things all at once. It is almost overstimulated. Absolutely incredible and by far one of the greatest scenes in movie history. But even outside of action. The Shire soundtrack. Absolute and complete peace. Happiness. Contentment. Wonder. Overwhelming joy. Like if heaven could have it’s own theme song. This trilogy was a gift not only to film. But to the world as a whole. And I will continue to watch it and love it until the end of my days.
Anytime I feel down, I think of Samwise the Brave and his incredible speech at the end of two towers. A speech of hope, meaning and passion, that reminds me that I can get through anything. It's funny what little things like that can effect in a person.
Completely agree. Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy is a timeless and ageless masterpiece. I'll be forever grateful to Jackson and everyone who worked on them. It's also always so fascinating to see documentaries from the production. They gave us such amazing memories and movie experiences but the time when producing these must have been such life-changing experience for cast and crew. I have so much respect for them as you can see all the heart and passion that was poured into these movies.
I’m a grown ass Dad of 3 girls, and the lighting of the beacons hits me on a way where it’s so epic i get a bit Emotional. I don’t know why, I think it could be Gandalf saying ‘hope is kindled’ and that music is hope. The music is hope and it makes me shed a tear. I don’t understand it, it just comes out of me.
Nothing will ever top this. The music, the cast, the love for the story, the locations, the passion, it was all there. Absolutely beautiful and will forever hold an extremely special place in my life.
Fantastic video! At 7:26 the fire in Grond's mouth does actually have a meaning (from the Silmarillion). The battering ram was named after Morgoth's hammer, but its shape was that of a gigantic wolf that ate a silmaril. The burning pain of the gem caused it to go on a rampage, and the fire (beyond just looking really cool) represents that.
The forces of Mordor had brought forth a great battering ram known as Grond named in honor of the Warhammer. Which the original dark lord Morgoth had wielded in battle in times long since passed. This Hammer of the Underworld had been forged in the foundries of Barad-dûr. specifically for the purpose of bringing down the Great Gate of Minas Tirith. The siege work itself was sixty feet in height and one hundred and fifty long. Created of harsh metals it maintained a permanent flame in its wolf-like maw. Evidencing the vile sorcery used in its creation and would require a great many trolls to even operate it. Despite the stout nature of the Great Gate, it was no match for the greatest piece of siege equipment used within the Third Age of Middle Earth. According to our primary source on the battle, “thrice the great ram boomed. And suddenly upon the last stroke, the Gate of Gondor broke. As if stricken by some blasting spell it burst asunder: there was a blast of searing lightning, and the doors tumbled in riven fragments to the ground.”
I’m just saying when theoden gets to the part of the speech where he says “ride, ride for ruin and the worlds ending” and then everyone starts screaming death I get chills no matter how many times I’ve seen it
Same here. And then also for ROTK when Aragorn says, “for all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you STAND men of the west”. (I think I got that right 🥰) I get teary just thinking about it.
These films are seriously my favourite thing to exist in life. I've watched them about 40 times. I've listened to the whole score about 3000 times. I talk about it with my friends constantly. As a beginner filmmaker, this truly inspires me to no end. So grateful to have these movies in my lifetime, truly special.
@@DR.DisInfect nah, you can watch them as you like, but if i were you i would watch them in this order. The hobbit trilogy isnt as good, but perhaps its more fun. And leave the lotr trilogy for the end, its a masterpiece and watch the extended version. For me its a lifetime experience but i am a lotr geek
@@jangolub8240 I know the ending to hobbit leads into the beginning of lotr so I also thought it best to start from the beginning time wise and save the best for last is something I always like to do ever since I was a kid eating vegetables first to get them out of the way lol
The Music is an Opera by itself. A masterful opera on par with Wagner. The Casting: they were born to play those characters, and to this day I don't know how they managed to choose them so masterfully. The Story: They summarized the essence of Tolkien and what He wanted to convey: Friendship, Hope, Redemption, Love for Nature and the simple things. The Visuals: They perfectly blended Practical Effects and CGI at a time when they really didn't have the technology we have today and still looks better than 90% of today's movies. A 10/10 Movie
I'm still at awe at how close we were to not having Viggo as Aragorn. It's hard to think about the most perfect trilogy not having one of the most perfect performances of a hero of all time.
I absolutely agree. He even listened to the actor's suggestions and it's rare that film directors do that. Some ideas he put in the movies, others he discarded, but I love that he allowed that level of creativity from his talent.
and by perfect, the actors were all white and representative of the source material. In this age, Aragorn would be Idris Elba and Pippin a Transgender character. The attention to detail was amazing, but this movie would never fly now in this age.
@@dizzydazed8055I agree the films wouldn't fly in this day and age, but that's not because of the films and source material itself. It's because of the wackos at Hollywood and the small group of people who get offended over anything that wasn't meant to offend :)
One thing that always resonated with me, is the detail that went into the crafting of the weapons, costuming, and all of the items that were used. Many of the details weren't even apparent to the movie viewer, but the creators wanted to make something that was a piece of art, that fit their idea of what that item should be.
I’ve seen these movies over 50 times a piece. I love them so much. Visuals 10/10, Acting 10/10, Special Effects 10/10, Production 10/10, Story 10/10, and lastly and arguably most importantly, Soundtrack 11/10.
@@buzzwithdrip6347 The original world in which these races were created. What do you expect them to be? I guess an Orc should burst out in tears like a human does? But let me entertain your thought, out of the whole Trilogy. The Acting suffers because of one scene? Answer this then, you sure Frodo turning around after Aragorn calls his name in response to thinking Gandalf died isn't top tier acting? Get a life.
@@SirMonkeySuit get a life ? I give one criticism and you seem much offended ok here's this, the acting is awesome but there are moments when I felt Frodo could've done better than Twilight mono level expressions, i consider these movies fantastic and return of the king being one of the greatest movies and achievements in art ever, but there's still so much to complaint here comparing it to books even though I prefer movies for various good changes they did. And acting suffers in more than one scene Legolas literally every time, before the for Frodo scene Legolas is like I couldn't care less, Legolas is the worst fellowship member imo
The LoTR trilogy was indeed something special, and something we may never see the likes of again in filmmaking. Tolkein's books were masterpieces, full of humanity, fantasy, and imagination. Peter Jackson was just hitting his stride as a filmmaker and had a real love and reverence for the source material... he lived and breathed how best to translate the Tolkein's books into films. Plus all of the brilliant costume, make-up, weapons, and technical artists. Everything came together to produce those 3 movies we love so much.
The reason I love this movie franchise is because they all clearly care about the story. Current movies all focus on the actors, trying to get more people to watch them. Current movies are just about the action, or the comedy, and cut out all the story. People of my generation can’t go 5 minutes without a quip or a battle, but these movies care about the story, care about conveying emotion, care about showing the world and building the world.
Man u got me tearing up when he talked about Sam's undying loyalty and friendship. This movie was and will always be a master piece.. Sad thing is the first time i watched it i did think it would be the only movie to reach these levels, should have treasured those moments more.
No the sad thing is,you & so many idiots keep calling the films a masterpiece but it is the story that is the masterpiece,the films are just a poor reflection of it. You & your kind think you are LotR fans but all you lot show is disrespect to the work & memory of JRR Tolkien! 🤔
@@paulchurchill5045 In fact, the actual "idiot" is always the one who calls others "idiots." childish comment. Even Christopher Tolkien, who was so protective of his father’s purity, never said anyone was an idiot.
Nobody will ever make a trilogy as good as this. Aesthetically, Amazon can spend billions but they'll never reach the authenticity of these films. Only thing that was a let down visually was the lava at the end of RotK. But that was it. Everything else looked so good. Amazon and The Hobbit are too pretty, too squeaky clean. Every time I see the dwarves in The Hobbit at the end of the 3rd film I keep asking myself how nobody went blind because their armors were so shiny. Movies need to learn from the nitty gritty dirty aspect of this film to make it seem real. Enough Avatar bullshit
@@stevenwilson5556 Indeed, no way Frodo and Sam would actually survive being on that rock for even 10 seconds haha. IMO, the only visual letdown would be the obvious blue screen each time Merry and Pipin are shown on top of Treebeard as he's walking around.
If you refer to the 13 dwarves being in shining armour, that bit is from the book. "Out lept the King under the Mountain, and his companions followed him. Hood and cloak were gone; they were in shining armour".
@@ralyman2 That was a bit off, but I did generally like how they represented Treebeard. The whole visual language behind LotR Peter Jackson created was unbelievably good
I know a few people have called out “My friends, you bow to no one”, and that scene does bring a tear to my eye, but the one that really gets me is at the end of Fellowship when Frodo saves Sam from drowning and Sam says “I made a promise, Mr. Frodo. A promise! ‘Don’t you leave him, Samwise Gamgee.’ And I don’t mean to…I don’t mean to.” That shit gets me every time. True, undying loyalty and friendship.
My favorite moments for sure are Sam's monologue at the end of Two Towers, and Frodo's monologue at the end of Return of the King. The reason being that it's clearly not just some book/movie character talking, but it's Tolkien himself, talking about his life and the horrors he went through in the Great War. Those are the moments that can get me to tear up, because unlike the rest of the fantasy, they are very real.
Favorite character: Gimli. Heart of gold. Favorite moment: I can't carry it for you! But I can carry you!!! Favorite theme: You're right. Nearly impossible. Greatest body of musical work ever created. Favorite location: The East Wall/Argonath Favorite kingdom:Rohan Favorite story line: Gimli and Legolas overcoming their cultures and becoming life long friends. Moment that inspires me: I will take it! I will take the ring to Mordor Favorite movie: impossible
Even the short exposition in the beginning of the first movie was done masterfully, with the English/Elvish voice over by Kate Blanchett (Galadriel). Such types of things are almost always a bore and done badly but this was one shining example of how to do one right.
The first movie is my favorite of the trilogy, even tho my favorite act is the helm's deep battle. In the movies my favorite character was Gimli. But after reading the books, i thought rhe Hobbit was kind of silly and the first half of the first book of the fellowship felt the same, but the second book was my favorite overall, specially the last chapter and because of it, in the books my favorite character is Sam, i even own a Funko pop if him because of it.
@@ImpoForrest i mean, it may be a bit of a hyperbole but you cant deny that this soundtrack is a damn masterpiece, not just the quality of the music itself but also the implementation into the story, the perfect use of leitmotif and their evolution. It is a pretty exemplary and effective use of Music (and Movie Soundtrack specifically)
God I LOVE IT SO. And I'm always gobsmacked how Jackson basically came outta nowhere! This self-taught filmmaker, director of DEAD ALIVE and THE FRIGHTENERS(!) made something so meaningful, rich, and flat-out astounding. I hope to meet him someday, and tell him just how much this all means to me.
What makes this film a masterpiece is that it was a labor of love from every single person involved in it. Everybody wanted to be in this movie from the make up department to the Director. They all love this project. Plus they have very little intrusion from production companies, that usually end up ruining projects.
When you listed your favorite things in the end, I actually started crying. Im no LOTR nerd or whatever (its fine if you are), but the movie has a place so close to my heart, and was a crazy big part of my childhood. I looked up to the characters in the movie. LOTR was a part of raising me to who I am today (wow, that sounded sad when I read it out loud). I just- I dont have any words really. Its- yeah, it really is a masterpiece. What would i do without these films.
What peter Jackson did at helms deep at night is magical and it's pretty much what James Cameron did for the lighting for titanic sinking. It makes it easy for the viewers to see yes, but it does so much more. It gives us a feeling of sometimes dread, sometimes fear, or suspense. Lighting is a very helpful tool but it is the story that NEEDS to also be genuine and good to lead the way
I bought the special edition DVD for the fellowship that came with a ticket to the second film when I was in 8th grade. The only seats were the FRONT ROW. You have no fucking idea how awesome helm's deep is in front row.
@@Moz29 not on defense of that... Shit, but GoT had a much more dark and gritty colour palette per-say, so anytime they show a night scene, you don't get to see shit
@@Moz29 poor G. Martin... Never gonna be up to Tolkien, and the GoT producers never get near Peter Jackson... Its a shame, they appeared to have great potential in the start, but GoT lacked substance, LotR is a story about eternal truths, like courage, good and evil, corruption, temptation, sacrifice, effort... GoT is just cynical
I've literally watched all three movies every year, and I'm as invested in them as I was the first time I saw the movies. Perfect books, perfect movies, perfect and magic world. Jackson took a huge gamble, some would even call it stupid, attempting to make these movies. But passion and love of the original work paid off.
Howard Shore had divine intervention when writing the score. He made sure to give all the musicians a background story for the scene they were playing behind. It’s beautiful just how invested he was. ❤
1:06 The “process” alone makes the *LOTR* Trilogy superior to anything made before or since!!! Passion, vision, & a great source to work from! Tolkien would be pleased 👏🏾💯🎬🍿💍
I agree with everything you've said except the last part. I don't think JRRT would have liked them. I think there would have been moments or aspects he loved and appreciated. But for him to like them I feel would have been near impossible. Still, they are my favourite movies and also I feel objectively the best ever
would he ??? Tolkien's Lore states that Aragorn is a descendant of the Numenor line and elves, thats why in the books Aragorn can't grow any facial hair ... So why the hell is he having a beard in the trilogy like some commoner! I guess shaving blades would have thrown production over the budget?
I went to Lotr Two Towers and Return Of the King in theaters on premiere weekend with my father and my brother. My father grew up reading all of Tolkien’s books and I know watching the movies in the theater with his sons was amazing for him. LOTR is my favorite fantasy story
This movie seemed to be blessed in its production. My favorite story being when Rohans flag is torn off by the wind, and floats naturally and perfectly outside the city wall, and the camera crew just filmed it.
Throughout my extensive years of existence, the musical composition of "The Lord of the Rings" holds a unique power that metaphorically brings me to my knees, evoking tears. What sets LoTR apart and makes it more unforgettable than any other film is undoubtedly its exceptional music. I make it a tradition to indulge in this trilogy every Christmas (extended version), and each viewing feels as enchanting as the first. Among the many remarkable scenes, the lighting of the beacons stands out as my absolute favorite. There's an indescribable something about it, a blend of hope, loss, innocence, past, present, and future encapsulated in that singular moment. It's the sole scene that never fails to bring tears to my eyes, creating a profoundly emotional connection with the essence of the series.
@@devinreese1397 I wouldn't call it the greatest masterpiece, though I agree with the sentiment. But my thoughts are not facts. Yes, those creators are great. But this is a masterpiece, it's Tolkien and PJ's masterpiece.
*It’s TRULY astounding how with ALL the different moments in the Battle for Minas Tirith/Pelennor Fields…at NO POINT did it ever feel over saturated. You got Ring Wraiths on Fell Beasts, catapults, trebuchets, 200,000 orcs, hundreds of trolls, a Wizard, a siege towers, a MASSIVE battering ram, the greatest scene/charge in cinematic history, an old crazy man trying to set him and his son on fire, GIANT ELEPHANTS, pirate ships, and an ARMY OF THE DEAD. All being played with the most epic musical score of ALL TIME. This doesn’t even include the Battle of the Black Gate!!! The fact that Peter Jackson was able to blend all of that in to one battle/movie so cohesively is absolutely UNBELIEVABLE. The entire trilogy is a legendary accomplishment the likes of which we may never see again; and we can cherish this mastery of cinema forever!🙏🏼😭*
The score is my absolute favorite. I play it for my toddlers in the car when they’re upset and you can see an instant change in their mood. The Shire makes them change from fussy and inconsolable to quiet and thoughtful looking.
As the years go by, as the Fandom keeps growing - I have to remind myself how lucky I was that my dad took me to see all 3 films in theatre when I was a boy. I wish the newer/younger fans could experience that like it was when they first came to theatres. It was ELECTRIC. This trilogy holds a very very special place in my heart for so so many reasons. It's something I share with my dad, and I will never take that for granted. It's like this trilogy is apart of my family and I feel a sense of true love towards LoTR. No other film(s) come close for me.
The Lord of the Rings is a novel written by Tolkien. The adaptations are unfaithful action movies which throw the characters and tone of the book out of the window.
@@reek4062 My dad gave me his Hobbit and LoTR books. I know both sides of the coin. But I'm sorry, you're in the minority with that opinion. I agree there are changes and concessions from page to screen. But I challenge any director and screen play writer to fit everything into a trilogy. You'd have to make a 10 season tv series and even then it'd be a challenge.
This trilogy was clearly a pure project of passion. Fran, Philippa and Peter had the vision, and they managed to sprinkle their enthusiasm all over the cast and crew. From the delivery of the actors, to the sincerity of Howard's score, the Weta people who worked day and night to invent the Massive engine, sculpt creatures and forge weapons and armor, getting Alan Lee and John Howe on board (two artists who were already deep into Tolkiens visual world), the costume and makeup department who researched, sew, glued and stitched the world together. The guys who sat for months handcrafting chainmail, and that one dude who skipped Christmas to single handedly model Barad Dur for the collapse scene. Every single person on this project clearly felt that they were part of a behemoth of a project that would likely never be replicated, and so they all brought their A-game, left nothing up to chance, and got this absolute classic done. And they all sincerely seem to believe it was all worth it. They worked for years together towards a very clear common goal. A fellowship if you will.
I'm just so grateful that the people involved in this masterpiece were true fans of JRR Tolkien and his world of middle earth. They wanted to make the trilogy for themselves and fellow fans to be able to see middle earth brought to life on the big screen. Peter Jackson made this trilogy out of passion and love for the books, not purely for money or fame, etc. That's why they are so good, and the show rings of power on amazon, is not. One was created out of love and respect for the books, and one was created for the money.
The opening of "The Two Towers" is one of the best scenes in movie history! Gets me hype everytime. Watching Gandalf grab his sword while falling, and battling the fire demon! Awesome!
What a beautiful video. Got really emotional, especially describing Samwise as the best friend, ever! My favorite scenes actually happen in Two Towers: Seeing Gandalf fight the Balrog while falling, breathtaking! Or Treebeard calling the Ents to war was just cinematically stunning.
@@nirajbhatt7069 Very true. For me, it's a weird contradiction because it feels rushed but at the same time it feels like nothing has really happened and after 4 episodes, they're still just setting up individual plot lines. I don't really know how to describe it, it's just rather bizarre and disconnected
This trilogy made a huge impression on me and I'm grateful it came out in my lifetime. I've seen all the appendices clips a hundred times because the behind the scenes making of the film was just as magical as the film itself. Masterpiece.
My favorite scene and character moment is EASILY "I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you!" It's just SO powerful and I just LOVE it. And my favorite line is "for frodo" (especially in the extended edition because in that version they think that frodo and sam are dead so it's not to buy them a little more time, it's to honor them in one last stand)
My favorite moment is Sam's speech about the great stories. I still tear up when I hear, "When the sun shines it'll shine out the clearer." I always get emotional.
I have watched the Lord of the Rings films more times than any other film/s! The trilogy seemingly never gets old. Enjoy it each time as much as the 1st. Unlike most fans of Tolkien. I became a fan of his work after watching the films. Reading the Silmarillion, History of Middle Earth, The Fall of Numenor, etc, after the films peaked my interest. I still hold out hope that someday Tolkien's work about the 1st Age/Time of the Trees. Will be made into films! I appreciate your passion for the films. Think I'm going to go watch them now. Lol.
I also became a fan after watching the films, then I read the books and the Silmarillion, the latter being my favorite book! A Silmarillion adaptation would be so epic if done right. I think it would work best animated instead of live action, and it could be a TV show where each chapter is an episode or something. There are so many stories and characters in that book that it would be hard to adapt, but if done right it would be truly amazing!
I totally agree with you, is one if not the best trilogy in history, one of my favorite lines is when Gandalf tells Merry: death is just another path, one that we all must take
A huge part of the success for this trilogy is the consistency of crew. Having the same team across all three films all shot together guarantees a consistent level of quality that people overlook. Regardless of being good or bad, it’s the same type of good or bad across the trilogy.
The entire trilogy is riveting, from Tolkien's stories, the actors immersion in their characters, the musical score, the cinematography, locations, emotions invoked, it really is something. It is always refreshing to to watch them over and over.
I watched part of Two Towers because of the "Legolas, what does your elf-eyes see?" meme, and it's still a masterpiece 20 years on. Damn time flies so fast.
Rain always helps to hide light sources. Wet hot American summer filmed many daytime scenes at night. The 13th warrior shows both "light" night when it's raining, but also dark caves by fire light and pitch black rooms at night. It just has to look good.
Fellowship is my personal favourite as i love the peaceful start to the slow and steady building of malice as more and more of the plot is revealed steadily. The ringwraiths are done perfectly as you see how utterly outmatched the hobbits are and even with aragorn aiding them they still nearly lose frodo. Rivendell feels like the calm before the storm and boy does the moment gandalf gives his all to protect the party just hit home, i dont think ive ever felt that sad for 1 chatacter in half a movie. Lotr is amazing and im blessed to have been here to see it done masterfully on camera
These films are fucking fantastic. From the writing, acting, direction and music. The props and costumes are of such a quality you feel so much like you're in middle earth. Once in a life time fantasy films
The part that gets me the most in the movie, is the wide, vast landscape, waiting to be explored, to cozy grasslands, to dark fortresses. The lighting is truly brilliant. And the battles! The bravery, I can't comprehend the magnitude of it, it's absolutely astounding. The action is not overwhelming, but it still has a sense of excitement that makes me want to replay the scene over and over again.
The music in this movie is so moving that once I am really dying, I'll be listening to these melodies conducted by some distant, overseas music demiurge of Howard Shore. And I'll walk into the plains of eternity elevated by this masterpiece.
You just made me remember the first film I was taken to in the theater and that was Disney's Snow White. I have no memory of it but my mom says they had to leave the theater because all the dark and scary moments with the evil queen were scaring me and I kept crying and screaming. My earliest memory of going to see a movie is I think, The Swiss Family Robinson at the drive-in. My dad was a bit of a movie buff when us kids were little so we often got dragged to the drive in. The drive-ins would often have a "double-feature" The first movie would usually be some Disney re-release then followed by some kind of bloody western for dad while the kids slept in the backseat. Oh yeah, Lord of the Rings is cool.
the story is so incredible because even though it’s a “we have to save the world” story, it’s more so about friendship, and hope and perseverance and honor
This trilogy houses the best films ever made. The writing, the directing, the music, the acting, the scenery are all true masterpieces and together created something that has yet to be replicated. Every time I go back and watch I'm more impressed than the time before.
I am glad to see that more and more people started to appreciate and praise Jackson´s timeless movies. Especially that abomination called "Rings of Power" showed us again how precious Jackson´s work was, because he made timeless movies for everyone by taking the source material seriously and by putting in lots of love for detail. He understood and respected Tolkien and worked together with true artists to make the best out of it. Again we could see, not even a billion dollar makes a good show out of a soulless project. Amazon´s abomination will be forgotten soon enough but even after decades, generations will still remember this beloved trilogy.
Thankyou for this. You are so right. As more time goes by I'm realizing that Peter Jackson should actually be ranked alongside Tolkien himself. These films are sacred to my family.
You are correct, there will never ever be a movie like LOTR again, and it’s sad that movie producers are producing films for quick money and not take any passion for film anymore. when I go to the theaters nowadays, I feel like I’m watching very hollow, empty, lifeless movies which don’t capture my attention. Something about a movie which is entirely a green screen is so off putting to me, I can’t describe it but it feels so un-simulating.
Never say never. They are doing it for a quick buck for sure - yet topgun was the best performing (or one of the best) this year? What do fans actually want vs what the industry thinks we want is very different. Ironically the current amazon series has gone the complete opposite direction and the only thing saving it on review sites is sanitisation of reviews/ratings. Makes me think that all hope is not lost and we may see another great movie(s) like this again before our age comes to an end.
@@joel6376 It's pretty pathetic when Amazon's dismal ratings have to be propped up with fake or paid positive reviews. They're at best making another marvel movie with a LOTR aesthetic, but a really bad marvel movie like Captain Marvel, which is basically what they turned Galadriel into, or Hunger Games. But those can at least be decent for what they are. This new rings of power is abysmal in how it inserts so much of the contemporary culture and banality and messaging into it. Agreed the new Top Gun was actually a great remake/ sequel--it gave regular people what they want instead of some pre-approved narrative.
There are other amazing movies by outstanding producers that go above and beyond. But LOTR will never be topped, there are still good producers out there that make masterpieces on screen though.
The one thing that I feel we all should be eternally grateful for is the period in which the films were made. There hasn't been, and I'm quite certain won't be, a better time for the films to have been made. The beginning of 2000's still has that "good retro vibe"; the films are just pure, the mix of practical and CG effects are perfectly balanced - only in the most dire situations will the computer be used. And whilst some scenes do suffer from the outdated effects (especially if you start pixel-peeping in the new 4k editions), I still don't think any other films have stood the test of time as excellently as the LOTR trilogy. The films epitomise all the good in film-making by pouring all their hearts and souls into creating something other-worldly, we truly are lucky to be able to witness this magic in all its glory.
I'm not a smart man and don't know much about film making, but your descriptions about all that's right with Jackson's LOTR explained my feelings about the movies and why I treasure them so much precisely. Sadly, it's also hard to imagine how a movie, or series of movies could ever be this fine again.
I said it with ya at the end. This is probably one of the only times I was absolutely stoked by the trailer and blown away by the film. I was charmed and humbled by the Hobbits, felt a sting of guilt at the ease of corruption in men only to be filled w mix of prideful sorrow at Borimir’s death (when he swore his allegiance to Aragon) Was in awe at how powerful Gandalf the Grey was when he fought the Balrog, also stunned at his “death” near the escape from Moria. I could go on. Trilogy has never left me. It is, for me, a cinematic masterpiece that will continue to live on for generations to come.
Other than the obvious that has been discussed a lot (musical score, cinematography, heroic action scenes, dialogue, art design etc etc) there is just such an unbelievable depth to everything in the movies. Think about how many characters there are, how they're nearly all fleshed out properly, get ample screentime + lines, how good the worldbuilding is and we understand all the different locations and cultures without needing exposition, and then think about all the different main plots (Frodo & Sam's quest, the war of the ring) and then all the subplots (Theoden's redemption arc, Arwen's dilemma, Faramir's dynamic with his father) and then all the even smaller subplots. Every scene has a purpose, every character has agency, and everything ties back into a coherent whole. It's actually insane the amount of stuff that happens in just 12 hours (extended editions). Having read the books as well, they not only brought life to Tolkein's work but elevated it too I could go on but I think ultimately that's what gives it it's endless rewatchability. There's always something new to discover or appreciate with every viewing
Kia ora, we’re new subscribers but long time fans of LOTR from Aotearoa New Zealand 🇳🇿. We just came across your channel and totally agree with most of your evaluation of such an epic masterpiece. With all due respect, being “kiwi” we’re obviously more biased by association. Respect definitely goes firstly to JRR Tolkien (that’s a given). Obviously Peter Jackson next, for having the foresight and balls to attempt such a task, especially when you make all three movies without knowing the outcome and response to the first movie. We cannot talk for all NZers however, many of us are very proud of Peter’s pride and love for New Zealand and, we always will be. We could be wrong and please correct us if we are, in our personal opinion, Gollum is our hero in the movie because, if he did not stop Frodo from leaving the volcano with the ring, the Nazgûl would have retrieved the ring, end of story. Noho ora mai (be safe, farewell) from New Zealand aka Middle Earth
I am always impressed by how Jackson went from making kind of underground horror movies to Lord of the rings, his vision must have been insane to have people throw money at him to do this.
For me the first movie will always be the best. Viggo Mortensen said it better than I can. The trilogy is amazing, but the subtleties were somewhat lost by the ever increasing CGI elements as Peter Jackson became a bit of a kid in a toy store. Side note, Ian McKellen might be the best casting of all time. What a performance.
First film was the most straight-forward and had by far the best adwenture feel, so many great locations. Also Boromir. It's the best theatrical movie in trilogy. But extended RoTK is the best out of the 3 films imo, as it has the most build-up, some of the greatest scenes in anything, bigger glimpse into Mordor, it has the greatest climax, and i found it the most emotional film in the trilogy.
This. The two subsequent films are way inferior. First movie at least plays very well with the sense of wonder, being precisely subtle with magic and action. The Two Towers and Return of the King are a bad videogame (and, technically, you won't notice the difference either, and... armors made of plastic?). Overexaggeration. Another very bad mistake is how the films abuses not only on CGI, destroying the actors perfomances, but how it abuses of indoors filming. All in all many things in the films seem fake, unnecessary and infantile. 7/10, 3/10 and 4/10 quals for the three films.
The reason for the flame in the mouth, is that as the ram splinters pieces of wood, sparks from the mouth will "spray" onto those splintered bits to make them more brittle and easier to crash through. A process that was done here, as well as historically.
@10:58 I’m not art critic or expert but that one shot of Gandalf is just beautiful. The dichotomy of light/dark as in good/evil, Gandalf looking towards the dark because he feels all is lost, but once he actually turns to the light and decides to fight they remain victorious over evil. Maybe I’m talking out of my ass but there ya go.
Everything you said is absolutely true. My brother and I have long stopped counting how many times we've seen this masterpiece in its entirety. It will NEVER grow old.
This movie took me to Middle-earth. I don't know if it's the world Tolkien created, but it made me relive the mythology. Compared to that, the Ring of Power seemed to be watching a school play.
Agreed with everything but kind of sad you've left out Sam's "I can't carry it for you but I can carry you" moment at the end because that is certainly up there in the highlight's. And "fly you fools" also get's an honorable mention from me.
As far as I can tell, Grond's fire is intended to strike fear into the hearts of men. I have only read the books once, but I've played the games a lot. BFME 1 and 2 heavily emphasize the mechanic of bolstering your heroes' morale and striking fear into your enemies. It makes sense that the sole purpose of Grond's fire is to exacerbate fear. I'm not only breaching the door, I'm using metal and fire to do so, and you're next. Pure, unadulterated fear.
and the Fire can be a representation of "spells of ruin laid on it during its forging in Mordor" and it says "The Gate of Gondor broke. As if stricken by some blasting spell it burst asunder: there was a blast of Searing Lightning, and the doors tumbled in riven fragments to the ground"
As far as I can remember, it's also because the gate was covered in Mithril, at least in the book, and the fires was some magic that would weaken it. No other ram could even scratch the door.
I absolutely agree with you! An inspiration of a trilogy. A masterpiece of a novel, a masterpiece of a screenplay adaptation, a masterpiece of casting, a masterpiece of directing,production,costume design, set design. Props, stunts, editing, lighting, sound, score and every other thing it takes to make a film that will forever be the gold standard. And it was done without the need for profanity, nudity or gratuitous violence or gore. It just doesn’t get any better than Lord of the rings. I enjoyed this video very much. Thank you for your time and efforts in creating it.
Favorite episode? Watching all 3 in succession. That's how you can appreciate the grandeur of the entire storyline, the epic film making mastery, the perfect soundtrack and great acting all round from the main casts to the extras with one or two lines or even without. It was utterly brilliant from start to finish. I tip my hat off to everyone involved in making this trilogy. I am so thankful to be able to enjoy all 3 parts in the cinema and then repeat them again and again in blue ray (director's cut).
Fair play mate you've encompassed every emotion I feel to LOTR I had growing watching it. I'm so glad I was old enough to remember going to the cinema when the trilogy came out
Calling the LOTR trilogy a masterpiece is like... you know, there is no way of saying it other than *duh* it's a masterpiece because It's Lord of the Fucking Rings
Omg I loooove this, thank you. So well done video essay, well put! What a masterpiece of all time, kudos to Peter Jackson and his vision, and to all of the staff that worked on this trilogy!
I just love LOTR so much. When I was a toddler my childhood books were the Hobbit and the LOTR trilogy read to me by my dad (he would often change the scary scenes to be suitable for a 4-year-old). And when I was a child I would spend my weekends rewatching the extended editions of every movie. We took a family trip to New Zealend and visited different filming locations. When I was 12 I tried to learn Sindarin (I was such a little nerd). I genuinely have never felt a stronger love for any series. Hell, even my favourite songs used to be the soundtrack from the movies lmfao
LOTR outpaces nearly every other film ever created because in addition to all of the filmmaking wizardry (acting, writing, lighting, score, set pieces, cinematography, costume designs, CGI, fight sequences, etc.), you can tell how much HEART, INTELLIGENCE, and PASSION went into every aspect. That can't be rushed, it can't be faked, and it can't be bought.
Well put
Exactly. It made all other movies look like jokes... when each 1 of the 3 movies came out... it swept the Oscars... never seen anything like it.. it BLEW MY MIND as a 12-16 yr old. Not just nerds.. EVERYONE loved it
LORD OF THE FILM-MAKING.
@@taylorjensen2787 that was back when Oscars weren't a complete joke which everyone ignores.
LOVE.
You forgot LOVE.
They loved the production!
As a musician, the music is ridiculously amazing for a very specific reason. Each race gets a different theme (Shire, orcs, Rohan, etc.) but it was taken further than that. Each race also gets specific and exclusive instruments the theme is played on. Hobbits get woodwind instruments, Orcs get low horns, Rohan gets strings etc. Then, when moments involving multiple races are involved (like at the end when Aragorn is crowned king), they play a theme for one race but with another race's instruments (like the Hobbit theme played on strings instead of woodwinds). Fucking amazing.
And about the instruments used to compose the soundtrack of dwarves and elves?
@@mateusmarques5343 Elves have background music that is vocal based (choruses) as do most moments that involve spiritual/other-worldly events (think Eagles arriving etc.) Dwarves weren't really in the original trilogy so I can't say much for them.
@@joshuawiedenbeck6944 from what I could see the soundtrack of the elves there are instruments like harps, violins, choirs with angelic voices. And we could see some of the dwarves soundtrack in the episode of the Bridge of Khazaduum, where the lyrics are sung in the dwarven language, called Khuzdul, where I noticed a lot of elements of the vikings corals
@@mateusmarques5343 Interesting. I hadn't noticed the Dwarven stuff before.
A Spanish CZcamsr called Javier Altozano actually said the same thing! Even the scale of the music is different in each race, even the chords are different depending if they are good or bad ones
The fact that Peter lobbed for the lighting people to put some christmas lights behind the camera for Galadriels close ups to give the apparence of stars reflected in her eyes just shows you how insanely precise and passionate he was as a director.
Wait seriously!? Damn that’s dedication!😎
Not stars but the light of laurelin and telperion the trees of valinor.
That was Andrew Lesnie's idea. The late great cinematographer.
Yeah, until he destroyed Faramir's character to add "dRaMaTIsM" or had Frodo actually trust Gollum more than Sam.
Steady, son. Respectfully, remember. @@AlbertoGarcia-wd7sc
The best moment for me that makes me tear up, is “my friends, you bow to no one.” Or “they knew one thing, that there is good in this world and it’s worth fighting for”
And that line wasn't even in the books!
There’s a couple significant parts like that for me. There’s that “you bow to no one”, “I can’t carry it for you…but I can carry you”, and then that moment right at the end of the film when Frodo turns and smiles when leaving Middle Earth. Every time I watch these films, the last hour of Return of the King hits me like a truck
But then there's "I am no man."
Ah well. You can't have everything.
@@itsthemumu8585 That smile was the first time Frodo smiled since carrying the ring iirc
@@loukes116 that’s why it hits so damn hard. Peter Jackson knew what he was doing with the long ending
It’s worth mentioning how EVERYONE involved was equally serious about and dedicated to this film. From the music, to the acting, animators, camera men, sets, script, directing, and more ALL knew their parts and came together PERFECTLY. Once in a lifetime production in these films.
and yet Tolkien's Lore states that Aragorn is a descendant of the Numenor line and elves, the reason in the books Aragorn can't grow any facial hair ... So why the hell is he having a beard in the trilogy like some commoner! shaving blades would have thrown production over the budget?
@@Berndr I’ll tell you why, “who tf cares”
Seriously, it’s such a minute detail, how would that even be important
@@jordinagel1184 The fact that he is a descendant of Elves and as a result can't grow a beard is a huge thing in the book and an actual mark of Numenorian people ...Tolkien would have disagreed with you... it is equally bad as in ring of powers dwarf woman not having a beard and even worse!
@@Berndr that’s just, like, your opinion, man
Seriously, no need to be such a hardass over it
@@Berndr that’s just, like, your opinion, man
Seriously, no need to be such a hardass over it
Let's not forget that the movies got 11 oscar nominations and got 11 wins! It is indeed a masterpiece
If you were nominated alongside this movie 🎬
You be proud to lose
that was the return of the king only
@@wistfulgraphyou're right, the trilogy got 17. The next closest is Star Wars with 10. So, RotK alone makes LotR's the most successful trilogy (oscar wise). And this was during a golden age of film making. If LotR was released now, or during the time of Star Wars, I'm sure they would've secured more oscars (in my biased opinion)
just because something gets an oscar or even 11 of them doesn't make the film good,
lotr is boring trash
@@voluntarism335this guy who makes a GTAV tv mod deciding which media is good or trash 😂😂😂
Favorite tearing up moment "My friends...you bow to no one". There's no way of describing how this moment makes you look back to the almost 12 hours of movies and describes perfectly the joy of what you just witnessed. Absolute masterpiece of a scene!!!
That one makes me tear up but when Frodo leaves I can’t handle it. He’s leaving Sam. Bawled like a baby in the movie theater
When Frodo leaves with Gandalf and bilbo…😢😢
but in the appendices in the books, when Sam's children grow up, he leaves and goes to the Undying lands to meet up again with Frodo. He is permitted to do so, because he did carry the ring for Frodo for a short time, making him a ringbearer. @@annettehunt900
@@annettehunt900if it helps, Sam eventually joins Frodo in the undying lands 😢😊
Personally, the most powerful scene in any film. I burst my heart out. Tears and tears of absolute JOY and CONTENTMENT. Never before I felt anything like that. It is indeed a masterpiece.
I saw these films in the cinema as an adult and I thought they were fun and well made and I was invested in the characters. But in the third film when Sam says to Frodo, ‘I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you!’ I burst into tears. Best line of any movie, period, and everything up to then built to that moment. It’s that scene that turns this trilogy into an absolute masterpiece. Never has pure love been depicted so well.
I still tear up!
'Always.' easily tops this.
@@lunahri4173nope
But what is the problem with him carrying the ring on behalf of Frodo and Demru? What is the dilemma in that?
Sam's monologue in two towers, ending with that there's some good in this world worth fighting for has a similar effect on me
This film embodied something that can never be replicated: True Sincerity.
It is the last film that called for true heroism. For brotherly love.
It is the last film, that truly gave a damn. A film, that inspired actual hope.
It will be another generation (or two) before we see something even remotely close to this again.
Lightning in a bottle doesn't even come close to how amazing and important it is.
@@devinreese1397 You realize a masterpiece isn't a competition? Everyone can have a masterpiece. LOTR is one of them. Those authors may have theirs too. No one is saying this is the singular masterpiece.
@@moonlitskylight5740 well said
This! I watched the trilogy for the first time this summer and the thing that stood out to me the most was how sincere and romantic it was. Everyone involved threw themselves entirely into the weighty drama, the interpersonal love stories, the sheer weight the story demands in a way I just haven't seen in other films.
Ughhh.. do you flick your bean to it
I would follow you til the end, my brother.
It’s art…like the Mona Lisa you can view it over and over and still appreciate it.
It's an opera from Wagner... but better.
@@devinreese1397 Grow up.
@@devinreese1397 trying to sound intelligent, who cares what you've read...
@@devinreese1397 no you can't, this is youtube, but I really don't care...
@@devinreese1397 knowing sanskrit proves your intelligent?
For me. It was always the music. The Rohirrim Charge. That moment is absolutely everything. Bravery. Strength. Determination. Death. Tragedy. Love. Passion. Pride. Vengeance. I have never come across a soundtrack that managed to make me feel so many things all at once. It is almost overstimulated. Absolutely incredible and by far one of the greatest scenes in movie history.
But even outside of action. The Shire soundtrack. Absolute and complete peace. Happiness. Contentment. Wonder. Overwhelming joy. Like if heaven could have it’s own theme song.
This trilogy was a gift not only to film. But to the world as a whole. And I will continue to watch it and love it until the end of my days.
The charge of the rohirrim is the best scene ever. The music is just THE standard imo
❤❤
Anytime I feel down, I think of Samwise the Brave and his incredible speech at the end of two towers. A speech of hope, meaning and passion, that reminds me that I can get through anything. It's funny what little things like that can effect in a person.
We all know Sam is the true hero of the trilogy
@@thatlamppostguy In fact Sam is the true hero of the books too.
@@Plinious yes very true actually
Completely agree. Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy is a timeless and ageless masterpiece. I'll be forever grateful to Jackson and everyone who worked on them.
It's also always so fascinating to see documentaries from the production. They gave us such amazing memories and movie experiences but the time when producing these must have been such life-changing experience for cast and crew. I have so much respect for them as you can see all the heart and passion that was poured into these movies.
Peter Jackson's Lord of the Ring Trilogy??? JRR Tolkien is turning in his grave! 🤔
@@paulchurchill5045 Yes. Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy because I meant the film series he directed.
@@paulchurchill5045 JRR Tolkien is the Author buddy. The films are based on the books. Are u ok?
@@paulchurchill5045 Thats the Author. The trilogy is based on the books. You are not the brightest bulb in the shed thats for sure
I’m a grown ass Dad of 3 girls, and the lighting of the beacons hits me on a way where it’s so epic i get a bit Emotional. I don’t know why, I think it could be Gandalf saying ‘hope is kindled’ and that music is hope. The music is hope and it makes me shed a tear. I don’t understand it, it just comes out of me.
I hope you show your girls lord of the rings!!
That whole sequence is one I can just see in my mind as I listen to the soundtrack. Superb.
Yeah I know, it's somehow always raining when the music plays right...
This happens to me when I see the ride of the Rohirrim
Best scene, agreed!!
Nothing will ever top this. The music, the cast, the love for the story, the locations, the passion, it was all there. Absolutely beautiful and will forever hold an extremely special place in my life.
Fantastic video! At 7:26 the fire in Grond's mouth does actually have a meaning (from the Silmarillion). The battering ram was named after Morgoth's hammer, but its shape was that of a gigantic wolf that ate a silmaril. The burning pain of the gem caused it to go on a rampage, and the fire (beyond just looking really cool) represents that.
The forces of Mordor had brought forth a great battering ram known as Grond named in honor of the Warhammer. Which the original dark lord Morgoth had wielded in battle in times long since passed. This Hammer of the Underworld had been forged in the foundries of Barad-dûr. specifically for the purpose of bringing down the Great Gate of Minas Tirith. The siege work itself was sixty feet in height and one hundred and fifty long. Created of harsh metals it maintained a permanent flame in its wolf-like maw. Evidencing the vile sorcery used in its creation and would require a great many trolls to even operate it. Despite the stout nature of the Great Gate, it was no match for the greatest piece of siege equipment used within the Third Age of Middle Earth.
According to our primary source on the battle, “thrice the great ram boomed. And suddenly upon the last stroke, the Gate of Gondor broke. As if stricken by some blasting spell it burst asunder: there was a blast of searing lightning, and the doors tumbled in riven fragments to the ground.”
I’m just saying when theoden gets to the part of the speech where he says “ride, ride for ruin and the worlds ending” and then everyone starts screaming death I get chills no matter how many times I’ve seen it
If you don’t shed a few tears when Théoden passes on to his fathers, in whose mighty company he shall not be ashamed, then homie, you ain’t a man.
Reading this scene in the books I get the same thrill, everytime.
Same here. And then also for ROTK when Aragorn says, “for all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you STAND men of the west”. (I think I got that right 🥰) I get teary just thinking about it.
These films are seriously my favourite thing to exist in life. I've watched them about 40 times. I've listened to the whole score about 3000 times. I talk about it with my friends constantly. As a beginner filmmaker, this truly inspires me to no end. So grateful to have these movies in my lifetime, truly special.
I've never watched but I am starting tonight should I also watch the hobbit movies?
@@DR.DisInfect watcb the hobbit first
@@jangolub8240 really? That's what I wanted to do seriously but thought I needed to watch in order they were released
@@DR.DisInfect nah, you can watch them as you like, but if i were you i would watch them in this order. The hobbit trilogy isnt as good, but perhaps its more fun. And leave the lotr trilogy for the end, its a masterpiece and watch the extended version. For me its a lifetime experience but i am a lotr geek
@@jangolub8240 I know the ending to hobbit leads into the beginning of lotr so I also thought it best to start from the beginning time wise and save the best for last is something I always like to do ever since I was a kid eating vegetables first to get them out of the way lol
The Music is an Opera by itself. A masterful opera on par with Wagner.
The Casting: they were born to play those characters, and to this day I don't know how they managed to choose them so masterfully.
The Story: They summarized the essence of Tolkien and what He wanted to convey: Friendship, Hope, Redemption, Love for Nature and the simple things.
The Visuals: They perfectly blended Practical Effects and CGI at a time when they really didn't have the technology we have today and still looks better than 90% of today's movies.
A 10/10 Movie
I'm still at awe at how close we were to not having Viggo as Aragorn. It's hard to think about the most perfect trilogy not having one of the most perfect performances of a hero of all time.
11/10, this is beyond human, more like divine-inspired
What really made the trilogy amazing is that Jackson was open to discussion and revision just to make sure the films were perfect.
I absolutely agree. He even listened to the actor's suggestions and it's rare that film directors do that. Some ideas he put in the movies, others he discarded, but I love that he allowed that level of creativity from his talent.
and by perfect, the actors were all white and representative of the source material. In this age, Aragorn would be Idris Elba and Pippin a Transgender character. The attention to detail was amazing, but this movie would never fly now in this age.
@@dizzydazed8055I agree the films wouldn't fly in this day and age, but that's not because of the films and source material itself. It's because of the wackos at Hollywood and the small group of people who get offended over anything that wasn't meant to offend :)
so true, he neve rlet his ego get in the way
One thing that always resonated with me, is the detail that went into the crafting of the weapons, costuming, and all of the items that were used. Many of the details weren't even apparent to the movie viewer, but the creators wanted to make something that was a piece of art, that fit their idea of what that item should be.
Theoden's breastplate has gold stitching on the inside. The inside! It never appears on screen, but it's still there!
I’ve seen these movies over 50 times a piece. I love them so much. Visuals 10/10, Acting 10/10, Special Effects 10/10, Production 10/10, Story 10/10, and lastly and arguably most importantly, Soundtrack 11/10.
acting 10 ? uhhhh
@@buzzwithdrip6347 Yeah? The acting is superb
@@SirMonkeySuit you sure ghimli crying in moria is top tier acting ?
@@buzzwithdrip6347 The original world in which these races were created. What do you expect them to be? I guess an Orc should burst out in tears like a human does?
But let me entertain your thought, out of the whole Trilogy. The Acting suffers because of one scene?
Answer this then, you sure Frodo turning around after Aragorn calls his name in response to thinking Gandalf died isn't top tier acting?
Get a life.
@@SirMonkeySuit get a life ? I give one criticism and you seem much offended ok here's this, the acting is awesome but there are moments when I felt Frodo could've done better than Twilight mono level expressions, i consider these movies fantastic and return of the king being one of the greatest movies and achievements in art ever, but there's still so much to complaint here comparing it to books even though I prefer movies for various good changes they did.
And acting suffers in more than one scene
Legolas literally every time, before the for Frodo scene Legolas is like I couldn't care less, Legolas is the worst fellowship member imo
The LoTR trilogy was indeed something special, and something we may never see the likes of again in filmmaking. Tolkein's books were masterpieces, full of humanity, fantasy, and imagination. Peter Jackson was just hitting his stride as a filmmaker and had a real love and reverence for the source material... he lived and breathed how best to translate the Tolkein's books into films. Plus all of the brilliant costume, make-up, weapons, and technical artists. Everything came together to produce those 3 movies we love so much.
We may very well see more from Tolkiens world, but we need another Jackson and his love to do it justice. That is the rarity.
The reason I love this movie franchise is because they all clearly care about the story. Current movies all focus on the actors, trying to get more people to watch them. Current movies are just about the action, or the comedy, and cut out all the story. People of my generation can’t go 5 minutes without a quip or a battle, but these movies care about the story, care about conveying emotion, care about showing the world and building the world.
Man u got me tearing up when he talked about Sam's undying loyalty and friendship. This movie was and will always be a master piece.. Sad thing is the first time i watched it i did think it would be the only movie to reach these levels, should have treasured those moments more.
Same, man
Same, I was like wtf, am I too high, or this movie and character have an unique part in me. I think it's the second one.
No the sad thing is,you & so many idiots keep calling the films a masterpiece but it is the story that is the masterpiece,the films are just a poor reflection of it.
You & your kind think you are LotR fans but all you lot show is disrespect to the work & memory of JRR Tolkien! 🤔
@@paulchurchill5045 nice fail, troll
@@paulchurchill5045 In fact, the actual "idiot" is always the one who calls others "idiots." childish comment. Even Christopher Tolkien, who was so protective of his father’s purity, never said anyone was an idiot.
Nobody will ever make a trilogy as good as this.
Aesthetically, Amazon can spend billions but they'll never reach the authenticity of these films. Only thing that was a let down visually was the lava at the end of RotK. But that was it. Everything else looked so good. Amazon and The Hobbit are too pretty, too squeaky clean. Every time I see the dwarves in The Hobbit at the end of the 3rd film I keep asking myself how nobody went blind because their armors were so shiny.
Movies need to learn from the nitty gritty dirty aspect of this film to make it seem real.
Enough Avatar bullshit
Lava looked fine to me. Not sure what was bad about it other than maybe it would have been unbelievably hot to be so close to it.
@@stevenwilson5556 Indeed, no way Frodo and Sam would actually survive being on that rock for even 10 seconds haha. IMO, the only visual letdown would be the obvious blue screen each time Merry and Pipin are shown on top of Treebeard as he's walking around.
If you refer to the 13 dwarves being in shining armour, that bit is from the book. "Out lept the King under the Mountain, and his companions followed him. Hood and cloak were gone; they were in shining armour".
@@ralyman2 That was a bit off, but I did generally like how they represented Treebeard. The whole visual language behind LotR Peter Jackson created was unbelievably good
I agree being that close to the lava would've killed them. Just like RoP and Galadriel taking a face full of pyroclastic flow and living...
I know a few people have called out “My friends, you bow to no one”, and that scene does bring a tear to my eye, but the one that really gets me is at the end of Fellowship when Frodo saves Sam from drowning and Sam says “I made a promise, Mr. Frodo. A promise! ‘Don’t you leave him, Samwise Gamgee.’ And I don’t mean to…I don’t mean to.” That shit gets me every time. True, undying loyalty and friendship.
That scene is my most emotional too, I just sob. Sam would sooner march to his death than break a promise,,,and. Frodos “Oh Sam” response
My favorite moments for sure are Sam's monologue at the end of Two Towers, and Frodo's monologue at the end of Return of the King. The reason being that it's clearly not just some book/movie character talking, but it's Tolkien himself, talking about his life and the horrors he went through in the Great War. Those are the moments that can get me to tear up, because unlike the rest of the fantasy, they are very real.
Best part about that is that Sean Astin ad-libbed the monologue in Two Towers. He was basically channeling Tolkien.
Frodos goodbye note to Sam 😢😢
Favorite character: Gimli. Heart of gold.
Favorite moment: I can't carry it for you! But I can carry you!!!
Favorite theme: You're right. Nearly impossible. Greatest body of musical work ever created.
Favorite location: The East Wall/Argonath
Favorite kingdom:Rohan
Favorite story line: Gimli and Legolas overcoming their cultures and becoming life long friends.
Moment that inspires me: I will take it! I will take the ring to Mordor
Favorite movie: impossible
Even the short exposition in the beginning of the first movie was done masterfully, with the English/Elvish voice over by Kate Blanchett (Galadriel). Such types of things are almost always a bore and done badly but this was one shining example of how to do one right.
The first movie is my favorite of the trilogy, even tho my favorite act is the helm's deep battle.
In the movies my favorite character was Gimli.
But after reading the books, i thought rhe Hobbit was kind of silly and the first half of the first book of the fellowship felt the same, but the second book was my favorite overall, specially the last chapter and because of it, in the books my favorite character is Sam, i even own a Funko pop if him because of it.
“Greatest body of music ever created” we can appreciate how amazing the music is but this is a bit much
@@ImpoForrest i mean, it may be a bit of a hyperbole but you cant deny that this soundtrack is a damn masterpiece, not just the quality of the music itself but also the implementation into the story, the perfect use of leitmotif and their evolution. It is a pretty exemplary and effective use of Music (and Movie Soundtrack specifically)
God I LOVE IT SO.
And I'm always gobsmacked how Jackson basically came outta nowhere! This self-taught filmmaker, director of DEAD ALIVE and THE FRIGHTENERS(!) made something so meaningful, rich, and flat-out astounding. I hope to meet him someday, and tell him just how much this all means to me.
What makes this film a masterpiece is that it was a labor of love from every single person involved in it. Everybody wanted to be in this movie from the make up department to the Director. They all love this project. Plus they have very little intrusion from production companies, that usually end up ruining projects.
When you listed your favorite things in the end, I actually started crying. Im no LOTR nerd or whatever (its fine if you are), but the movie has a place so close to my heart, and was a crazy big part of my childhood. I looked up to the characters in the movie. LOTR was a part of raising me to who I am today (wow, that sounded sad when I read it out loud). I just- I dont have any words really. Its- yeah, it really is a masterpiece. What would i do without these films.
What peter Jackson did at helms deep at night is magical and it's pretty much what James Cameron did for the lighting for titanic sinking. It makes it easy for the viewers to see yes, but it does so much more. It gives us a feeling of sometimes dread, sometimes fear, or suspense. Lighting is a very helpful tool but it is the story that NEEDS to also be genuine and good to lead the way
I bought the special edition DVD for the fellowship that came with a ticket to the second film when I was in 8th grade. The only seats were the FRONT ROW. You have no fucking idea how awesome helm's deep is in front row.
Remember GOT final season, the white walker fight at night, couldn't see anything. Compare to helms deep made many years before it.
@@Moz29 not on defense of that... Shit, but GoT had a much more dark and gritty colour palette per-say, so anytime they show a night scene, you don't get to see shit
@@bobjohnson1633 no other film was worth being watched on the movie theater after LotR
@@Moz29 poor G. Martin... Never gonna be up to Tolkien, and the GoT producers never get near Peter Jackson...
Its a shame, they appeared to have great potential in the start, but GoT lacked substance, LotR is a story about eternal truths, like courage, good and evil, corruption, temptation, sacrifice, effort... GoT is just cynical
I've literally watched all three movies every year, and I'm as invested in them as I was the first time I saw the movies. Perfect books, perfect movies, perfect and magic world. Jackson took a huge gamble, some would even call it stupid, attempting to make these movies. But passion and love of the original work paid off.
Howard Shore had divine intervention when writing the score. He made sure to give all the musicians a background story for the scene they were playing behind. It’s beautiful just how invested he was. ❤
I may be wrong, but think Howard Shore is Canadian..?
the score is absolutely insane, it doesn't get talked about enough
It’s the “fly you fools” as he falls into shadow that gets me everytime.
1:06 The “process” alone makes the *LOTR* Trilogy superior to anything made before or since!!! Passion, vision, & a great source to work from! Tolkien would be pleased 👏🏾💯🎬🍿💍
I agree with everything you've said except the last part. I don't think JRRT would have liked them. I think there would have been moments or aspects he loved and appreciated. But for him to like them I feel would have been near impossible. Still, they are my favourite movies and also I feel objectively the best ever
@@MrSRA13 Very true, but I think he would have appreciated the huge *effort* all the various departments put in!!!
Christopher Tolkien himself didn’t like them because of how much they focused on confrontations
would he ??? Tolkien's Lore states that Aragorn is a descendant of the Numenor line and elves, thats why in the books Aragorn can't grow any facial hair ... So why the hell is he having a beard in the trilogy like some commoner! I guess shaving blades would have thrown production over the budget?
@@Berndr I have no issue with that facial hair, but I get ur point 😂🤷🏾♂️
I went to Lotr Two Towers and Return Of the King in theaters on premiere weekend with my father and my brother. My father grew up reading all of Tolkien’s books and I know watching the movies in the theater with his sons was amazing for him. LOTR is my favorite fantasy story
This movie seemed to be blessed in its production. My favorite story being when Rohans flag is torn off by the wind, and floats naturally and perfectly outside the city wall, and the camera crew just filmed it.
Throughout my extensive years of existence, the musical composition of "The Lord of the Rings" holds a unique power that metaphorically brings me to my knees, evoking tears. What sets LoTR apart and makes it more unforgettable than any other film is undoubtedly its exceptional music. I make it a tradition to indulge in this trilogy every Christmas (extended version), and each viewing feels as enchanting as the first. Among the many remarkable scenes, the lighting of the beacons stands out as my absolute favorite. There's an indescribable something about it, a blend of hope, loss, innocence, past, present, and future encapsulated in that singular moment. It's the sole scene that never fails to bring tears to my eyes, creating a profoundly emotional connection with the essence of the series.
The greatest Masterpiece ever made!
@@devinreese1397 How much do you want to spam this?
@@devinreese1397 Because you literally spam it under every comment.
@@devinreese1397 I wouldn't call it the greatest masterpiece, though I agree with the sentiment. But my thoughts are not facts. Yes, those creators are great. But this is a masterpiece, it's Tolkien and PJ's masterpiece.
*It’s TRULY astounding how with ALL the different moments in the Battle for Minas Tirith/Pelennor Fields…at NO POINT did it ever feel over saturated. You got Ring Wraiths on Fell Beasts, catapults, trebuchets, 200,000 orcs, hundreds of trolls, a Wizard, a siege towers, a MASSIVE battering ram, the greatest scene/charge in cinematic history, an old crazy man trying to set him and his son on fire, GIANT ELEPHANTS, pirate ships, and an ARMY OF THE DEAD. All being played with the most epic musical score of ALL TIME. This doesn’t even include the Battle of the Black Gate!!! The fact that Peter Jackson was able to blend all of that in to one battle/movie so cohesively is absolutely UNBELIEVABLE. The entire trilogy is a legendary accomplishment the likes of which we may never see again; and we can cherish this mastery of cinema forever!🙏🏼😭*
The score is my absolute favorite. I play it for my toddlers in the car when they’re upset and you can see an instant change in their mood. The Shire makes them change from fussy and inconsolable to quiet and thoughtful looking.
As the years go by, as the Fandom keeps growing - I have to remind myself how lucky I was that my dad took me to see all 3 films in theatre when I was a boy. I wish the newer/younger fans could experience that like it was when they first came to theatres. It was ELECTRIC. This trilogy holds a very very special place in my heart for so so many reasons. It's something I share with my dad, and I will never take that for granted. It's like this trilogy is apart of my family and I feel a sense of true love towards LoTR. No other film(s) come close for me.
The Lord of the Rings is a novel written by Tolkien. The adaptations are unfaithful action movies which throw the characters and tone of the book out of the window.
I was a bit older. I can remember the build up everyone knew we were going to be in for something but I didn’t realize how amazing it was going to be.
@@reek4062 My dad gave me his Hobbit and LoTR books. I know both sides of the coin. But I'm sorry, you're in the minority with that opinion. I agree there are changes and concessions from page to screen. But I challenge any director and screen play writer to fit everything into a trilogy. You'd have to make a 10 season tv series and even then it'd be a challenge.
I just watched the extended versions for the first time last week, 11 hrs of my life... worth it
I love every minute of these films and they will never be equalled.
This trilogy was clearly a pure project of passion. Fran, Philippa and Peter had the vision, and they managed to sprinkle their enthusiasm all over the cast and crew. From the delivery of the actors, to the sincerity of Howard's score, the Weta people who worked day and night to invent the Massive engine, sculpt creatures and forge weapons and armor, getting Alan Lee and John Howe on board (two artists who were already deep into Tolkiens visual world), the costume and makeup department who researched, sew, glued and stitched the world together. The guys who sat for months handcrafting chainmail, and that one dude who skipped Christmas to single handedly model Barad Dur for the collapse scene.
Every single person on this project clearly felt that they were part of a behemoth of a project that would likely never be replicated, and so they all brought their A-game, left nothing up to chance, and got this absolute classic done. And they all sincerely seem to believe it was all worth it. They worked for years together towards a very clear common goal. A fellowship if you will.
I'm just so grateful that the people involved in this masterpiece were true fans of JRR Tolkien and his world of middle earth. They wanted to make the trilogy for themselves and fellow fans to be able to see middle earth brought to life on the big screen. Peter Jackson made this trilogy out of passion and love for the books, not purely for money or fame, etc. That's why they are so good, and the show rings of power on amazon, is not. One was created out of love and respect for the books, and one was created for the money.
I would consider me a man's man. But there are parts in TLOTR trilogy that make me overwhelmed with emotions, almost to tears. Every time I watch it.
I watch a lot of movies with my good buddies, I won't watch these for that reason, unless in a dark theater.
That was nearly the whole of New Zealand cast in the extras lol Yep a true a masterpiece of film making.
Certainly the whole country was behind them.
The opening of "The Two Towers" is one of the best scenes in movie history! Gets me hype everytime. Watching Gandalf grab his sword while falling, and battling the fire demon! Awesome!
What a beautiful video. Got really emotional, especially describing Samwise as the best friend, ever! My favorite scenes actually happen in Two Towers: Seeing Gandalf fight the Balrog while falling, breathtaking! Or Treebeard calling the Ents to war was just cinematically stunning.
It’s more of a masterpiece now seeing what a travesty Rings of Power is. The only thing ROP did is make me fall in love with LOTR all over again.
The new show is based on Lord of the rings and is a racist communist propaganda piece
Even though RoP is a series and not a movie, it still feels rushed. We dont get to know one character and boom here are two more.
@@nirajbhatt7069 Very true. For me, it's a weird contradiction because it feels rushed but at the same time it feels like nothing has really happened and after 4 episodes, they're still just setting up individual plot lines. I don't really know how to describe it, it's just rather bizarre and disconnected
ROP made The hobbit trilogy look like a masterpeice also makes me want to play the ROTK game agian
This trilogy made a huge impression on me and I'm grateful it came out in my lifetime. I've seen all the appendices clips a hundred times because the behind the scenes making of the film was just as magical as the film itself. Masterpiece.
My favorite scene and character moment is EASILY "I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you!" It's just SO powerful and I just LOVE it. And my favorite line is "for frodo" (especially in the extended edition because in that version they think that frodo and sam are dead so it's not to buy them a little more time, it's to honor them in one last stand)
My favorite moment is Sam's speech about the great stories. I still tear up when I hear, "When the sun shines it'll shine out the clearer." I always get emotional.
I have watched the Lord of the Rings films more times than any other film/s! The trilogy seemingly never gets old. Enjoy it each time as much as the 1st. Unlike most fans of Tolkien. I became a fan of his work after watching the films. Reading the Silmarillion, History of Middle Earth, The Fall of Numenor, etc, after the films peaked my interest. I still hold out hope that someday Tolkien's work about the 1st Age/Time of the Trees. Will be made into films! I appreciate your passion for the films. Think I'm going to go watch them now. Lol.
I also became a fan after watching the films, then I read the books and the Silmarillion, the latter being my favorite book! A Silmarillion adaptation would be so epic if done right. I think it would work best animated instead of live action, and it could be a TV show where each chapter is an episode or something. There are so many stories and characters in that book that it would be hard to adapt, but if done right it would be truly amazing!
Lord of the ring films are some of the most overrated films out here .
@@oliverbanes5121 lol you belong in the toxic plains of Mordor with the rest of the troll goblins. Weak, dawg. Weak.
@@oliverbanes5121 You are so strange that you came across this video, and even stranger if you search for this type of LOTR topic in a search bar.
@@oliverbanes5121nuh uh
I totally agree with you, is one if not the best trilogy in history, one of my favorite lines is when Gandalf tells Merry: death is just another path, one that we all must take
Pippin, not Merry
A huge part of the success for this trilogy is the consistency of crew. Having the same team across all three films all shot together guarantees a consistent level of quality that people overlook. Regardless of being good or bad, it’s the same type of good or bad across the trilogy.
The entire trilogy is riveting, from Tolkien's stories, the actors immersion in their characters, the musical score, the cinematography, locations, emotions invoked, it really is something. It is always refreshing to to watch them over and over.
I watched part of Two Towers because of the "Legolas, what does your elf-eyes see?" meme, and it's still a masterpiece 20 years on. Damn time flies so fast.
I love Peter's answer on the lighting at night. Game of Thrones completely dropped the ball there, I couldn't see shit in the big battle.
Rain always helps to hide light sources. Wet hot American summer filmed many daytime scenes at night. The 13th warrior shows both "light" night when it's raining, but also dark caves by fire light and pitch black rooms at night. It just has to look good.
GoT was better, when they didn't show the battle XD
just finished the trilogy... it definitely lived up to its expectations and deserves that masterpiece title
Fellowship is my personal favourite as i love the peaceful start to the slow and steady building of malice as more and more of the plot is revealed steadily. The ringwraiths are done perfectly as you see how utterly outmatched the hobbits are and even with aragorn aiding them they still nearly lose frodo. Rivendell feels like the calm before the storm and boy does the moment gandalf gives his all to protect the party just hit home, i dont think ive ever felt that sad for 1 chatacter in half a movie. Lotr is amazing and im blessed to have been here to see it done masterfully on camera
The music........ it instantly takes you over to these lands. 😍
These films are fucking fantastic. From the writing, acting, direction and music. The props and costumes are of such a quality you feel so much like you're in middle earth. Once in a life time fantasy films
The part that gets me the most in the movie, is the wide, vast landscape, waiting to be explored, to cozy grasslands, to dark fortresses. The lighting is truly brilliant. And the battles! The bravery, I can't comprehend the magnitude of it, it's absolutely astounding. The action is not overwhelming, but it still has a sense of excitement that makes me want to replay the scene over and over again.
The music in this movie is so moving that once I am really dying, I'll be listening to these melodies conducted by some distant, overseas music demiurge of Howard Shore. And I'll walk into the plains of eternity elevated by this masterpiece.
You just made me remember the first film I was taken to in the theater and that was Disney's Snow White. I have no memory of it but my mom says they had to leave the theater because all the dark and scary moments with the evil queen were scaring me and I kept crying and screaming.
My earliest memory of going to see a movie is I think, The Swiss Family Robinson at the drive-in. My dad was a bit of a movie buff when us kids were little so we often got dragged to the drive in. The drive-ins would often have a "double-feature" The first movie would usually be some Disney re-release then followed by some kind of bloody western for dad while the kids slept in the backseat.
Oh yeah, Lord of the Rings is cool.
That's brilliant! Thanks for sharing :)
I went to see fellowship when I was 6 years old - the nazgul reduced me to tears and I forced my dad to let us leave
the story is so incredible because even though it’s a “we have to save the world” story, it’s more so about friendship, and hope and perseverance and honor
This trilogy houses the best films ever made. The writing, the directing, the music, the acting, the scenery are all true masterpieces and together created something that has yet to be replicated. Every time I go back and watch I'm more impressed than the time before.
I am glad to see that more and more people started to appreciate and praise Jackson´s timeless movies. Especially that abomination called "Rings of Power" showed us again how precious Jackson´s work was, because he made timeless movies for everyone by taking the source material seriously and by putting in lots of love for detail. He understood and respected Tolkien and worked together with true artists to make the best out of it. Again we could see, not even a billion dollar makes a good show out of a soulless project. Amazon´s abomination will be forgotten soon enough but even after decades, generations will still remember this beloved trilogy.
Thankyou for this. You are so right. As more time goes by I'm realizing that Peter Jackson should actually be ranked alongside Tolkien himself. These films are sacred to my family.
You are correct, there will never ever be a movie like LOTR again, and it’s sad that movie producers are producing films for quick money and not take any passion for film anymore. when I go to the theaters nowadays, I feel like I’m watching very hollow, empty, lifeless movies which don’t capture my attention. Something about a movie which is entirely a green screen is so off putting to me, I can’t describe it but it feels so un-simulating.
Never say never. They are doing it for a quick buck for sure - yet topgun was the best performing (or one of the best) this year? What do fans actually want vs what the industry thinks we want is very different. Ironically the current amazon series has gone the complete opposite direction and the only thing saving it on review sites is sanitisation of reviews/ratings. Makes me think that all hope is not lost and we may see another great movie(s) like this again before our age comes to an end.
@@joel6376 It's pretty pathetic when Amazon's dismal ratings have to be propped up with fake or paid positive reviews. They're at best making another marvel movie with a LOTR aesthetic, but a really bad marvel movie like Captain Marvel, which is basically what they turned Galadriel into, or Hunger Games. But those can at least be decent for what they are. This new rings of power is abysmal in how it inserts so much of the contemporary culture and banality and messaging into it. Agreed the new Top Gun was actually a great remake/ sequel--it gave regular people what they want instead of some pre-approved narrative.
There are other amazing movies by outstanding producers that go above and beyond. But LOTR will never be topped, there are still good producers out there that make masterpieces on screen though.
The one thing that I feel we all should be eternally grateful for is the period in which the films were made. There hasn't been, and I'm quite certain won't be, a better time for the films to have been made. The beginning of 2000's still has that "good retro vibe"; the films are just pure, the mix of practical and CG effects are perfectly balanced - only in the most dire situations will the computer be used. And whilst some scenes do suffer from the outdated effects (especially if you start pixel-peeping in the new 4k editions), I still don't think any other films have stood the test of time as excellently as the LOTR trilogy. The films epitomise all the good in film-making by pouring all their hearts and souls into creating something other-worldly, we truly are lucky to be able to witness this magic in all its glory.
I'm not a smart man and don't know much about film making, but your descriptions about all that's right with Jackson's LOTR explained my feelings about the movies and why I treasure them so much precisely.
Sadly, it's also hard to imagine how a movie, or series of movies could ever be this fine again.
I said it with ya at the end. This is probably one of the only times I was absolutely stoked by the trailer and blown away by the film. I was charmed and humbled by the Hobbits, felt a sting of guilt at the ease of corruption in men only to be filled w mix of prideful sorrow at Borimir’s death (when he swore his allegiance to Aragon) Was in awe at how powerful Gandalf the Grey was when he fought the Balrog, also stunned at his “death” near the escape from Moria. I could go on. Trilogy has never left me. It is, for me, a cinematic masterpiece that will continue to live on for generations to come.
Gandalf actually did die fighting the Balrog but not from the fall, and he was brought back to life by the God of Middle Earth Eru Ilúvatar.
The how about a friend line is the most well earned moment of character development in all of cinema.
As is "my friends, you bow to no one."
Other than the obvious that has been discussed a lot (musical score, cinematography, heroic action scenes, dialogue, art design etc etc) there is just such an unbelievable depth to everything in the movies. Think about how many characters there are, how they're nearly all fleshed out properly, get ample screentime + lines, how good the worldbuilding is and we understand all the different locations and cultures without needing exposition, and then think about all the different main plots (Frodo & Sam's quest, the war of the ring) and then all the subplots (Theoden's redemption arc, Arwen's dilemma, Faramir's dynamic with his father) and then all the even smaller subplots. Every scene has a purpose, every character has agency, and everything ties back into a coherent whole. It's actually insane the amount of stuff that happens in just 12 hours (extended editions). Having read the books as well, they not only brought life to Tolkein's work but elevated it too
I could go on but I think ultimately that's what gives it it's endless rewatchability. There's always something new to discover or appreciate with every viewing
It’s just the best. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts
Kia ora, we’re new subscribers but long time fans of LOTR from Aotearoa New Zealand 🇳🇿. We just came across your channel and totally agree with most of your evaluation of such an epic masterpiece. With all due respect, being “kiwi” we’re obviously more biased by association. Respect definitely goes firstly to JRR Tolkien (that’s a given). Obviously Peter Jackson next, for having the foresight and balls to attempt such a task, especially when you make all three movies without knowing the outcome and response to the first movie. We cannot talk for all NZers however, many of us are very proud of Peter’s pride and love for New Zealand and, we always will be. We could be wrong and please correct us if we are, in our personal opinion, Gollum is our hero in the movie because, if he did not stop Frodo from leaving the volcano with the ring, the Nazgûl would have retrieved the ring, end of story. Noho ora mai (be safe, farewell) from New Zealand aka Middle Earth
Incredible! Thank you so much :)
I am always impressed by how Jackson went from making kind of underground horror movies to Lord of the rings, his vision must have been insane to have people throw money at him to do this.
No matter how many times I see Return of the King, I will cry. Every. Single. Time.
For me the first movie will always be the best. Viggo Mortensen said it better than I can. The trilogy is amazing, but the subtleties were somewhat lost by the ever increasing CGI elements as Peter Jackson became a bit of a kid in a toy store. Side note, Ian McKellen might be the best casting of all time. What a performance.
First film was the most straight-forward and had by far the best adwenture feel, so many great locations. Also Boromir. It's the best theatrical movie in trilogy.
But extended RoTK is the best out of the 3 films imo, as it has the most build-up, some of the greatest scenes in anything, bigger glimpse into Mordor, it has the greatest climax, and i found it the most emotional film in the trilogy.
This. The two subsequent films are way inferior. First movie at least plays very well with the sense of wonder, being precisely subtle with magic and action. The Two Towers and Return of the King are a bad videogame (and, technically, you won't notice the difference either, and... armors made of plastic?). Overexaggeration.
Another very bad mistake is how the films abuses not only on CGI, destroying the actors perfomances, but how it abuses of indoors filming.
All in all many things in the films seem fake, unnecessary and infantile.
7/10, 3/10 and 4/10 quals for the three films.
@@r.maelstrom4810 what do you mean by bad video games? Also the armor and everything in all 3 movies looks fantastic
@@PolishGod1234 Actually, the latter half of RotK is so poorly executed that it renders the film the worst of the trilogy.
@@JesseBrown-qf6zp nah, the latter half of RotK is my favourite out of all 3 movies in trilogy
The reason for the flame in the mouth, is that as the ram splinters pieces of wood, sparks from the mouth will "spray" onto those splintered bits to make them more brittle and easier to crash through. A process that was done here, as well as historically.
I love these movies and the music will never not bring chills! LOTR books and movies are the best, nothing else comes close.
Such a great video. You sum up a lot of key aspects from the lord of the rings really well. Thankyou
@10:58 I’m not art critic or expert but that one shot of Gandalf is just beautiful. The dichotomy of light/dark as in good/evil, Gandalf looking towards the dark because he feels all is lost, but once he actually turns to the light and decides to fight they remain victorious over evil. Maybe I’m talking out of my ass but there ya go.
Only trilogy I saw all 3 movies in the theatre. Incredible!
Everything you said is absolutely true. My brother and I have long stopped counting how many times we've seen this masterpiece in its entirety. It will NEVER grow old.
This movie took me to Middle-earth. I don't know if it's the world Tolkien created, but it made me relive the mythology.
Compared to that, the Ring of Power seemed to be watching a school play.
Agreed with everything but kind of sad you've left out Sam's "I can't carry it for you but I can carry you" moment at the end because that is certainly up there in the highlight's.
And "fly you fools" also get's an honorable mention from me.
As far as I can tell, Grond's fire is intended to strike fear into the hearts of men. I have only read the books once, but I've played the games a lot. BFME 1 and 2 heavily emphasize the mechanic of bolstering your heroes' morale and striking fear into your enemies. It makes sense that the sole purpose of Grond's fire is to exacerbate fear. I'm not only breaching the door, I'm using metal and fire to do so, and you're next. Pure, unadulterated fear.
Plus it’s named after the enormous mace Morgoth used to smite Fingolfin. As if it weren’t intimidating enough.
and the Fire can be a representation of "spells of ruin laid on it during its forging in Mordor" and it says "The Gate of Gondor broke. As if stricken by some blasting spell it burst asunder: there was a blast of Searing Lightning, and the doors tumbled in riven fragments to the ground"
As far as I can remember, it's also because the gate was covered in Mithril, at least in the book, and the fires was some magic that would weaken it. No other ram could even scratch the door.
I absolutely agree with you! An inspiration of a trilogy. A masterpiece of a novel, a masterpiece of a screenplay adaptation, a masterpiece of casting, a masterpiece of directing,production,costume design, set design. Props, stunts, editing, lighting, sound, score and every other thing it takes to make a film that will forever be the gold standard. And it was done without the need for profanity, nudity or gratuitous violence or gore. It just doesn’t get any better than Lord of the rings. I enjoyed this video very much. Thank you for your time and efforts in creating it.
Favorite episode? Watching all 3 in succession.
That's how you can appreciate the grandeur of the entire storyline, the epic film making mastery, the perfect soundtrack and great acting all round from the main casts to the extras with one or two lines or even without. It was utterly brilliant from start to finish. I tip my hat off to everyone involved in making this trilogy.
I am so thankful to be able to enjoy all 3 parts in the cinema and then repeat them again and again in blue ray (director's cut).
Fair play mate you've encompassed every emotion I feel to LOTR I had growing watching it. I'm so glad I was old enough to remember going to the cinema when the trilogy came out
Calling the LOTR trilogy a masterpiece is like... you know, there is no way of saying it other than *duh* it's a masterpiece because It's Lord of the Fucking Rings
Brother, the way you used the music at the beginning as you're explaining was really good. The strain with the sorrowful music was great. 👏
Omg I loooove this, thank you. So well done video essay, well put! What a masterpiece of all time, kudos to Peter Jackson and his vision, and to all of the staff that worked on this trilogy!
I just love LOTR so much. When I was a toddler my childhood books were the Hobbit and the LOTR trilogy read to me by my dad (he would often change the scary scenes to be suitable for a 4-year-old). And when I was a child I would spend my weekends rewatching the extended editions of every movie. We took a family trip to New Zealend and visited different filming locations. When I was 12 I tried to learn Sindarin (I was such a little nerd). I genuinely have never felt a stronger love for any series. Hell, even my favourite songs used to be the soundtrack from the movies lmfao