The celebrated Lord of the Rings trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson, released between 2001 and 2003, set a new standard for fantasy-themed filmmaking. If you were there at the time, you will remember how huge the franchise was.
As the score – beautifully written by Howard Shore – marks its 25th anniversary, the Royal Albert Hall presents all three films in their theatrical versions, accompanied by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, Trinity Boys Choir, and soloist Grace Davidson.
The conductor for the trilogy is Ludwig Wicki. The films are based on JRR Tolkien’s novels from 1954-1955, and marked the first attempt to bring them to the screen as live action.
Aside from the stellar casting, The Lord of the Rings trilogy benefits from the superb work of the Wētā Workshop, whose concept design, props, costumes, miniatures/bigatures and special effects are visible in almost every frame.
The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) follows the story from the origin of the One Ring through the assembly of the nine companions who will take it on a perilous journey to be destroyed, to the point where the story splits into three.
Four hobbits (Frodo – Elijah Wood, Sam – Sean Astin, Merry – Dominic Monaghan, and Pippin – Billy Boyd), an elf (Legolas – Orlando Bloom), a dwarf (Gimli – John Rhys-Davies), two men (Aragorn – Viggo Mortensen, and Boromir – Sean Bean), and a wizard (Gandalf – Ian McKellen) make up The Fellowship of the Ring, undertaking a perilous journey towards Mordor while resisting the power of The Ring.
Elijah Wood was just 18 when the films were made back-to-back in New Zealand, giving the young Frodo a wide-eyed, iconic innocence. The link back to prequel The Hobbit – also filmed in three parts by Jackson in 2012-2014 – is not just in McKellen’s Gandalf, but also Ian Holm’s ageing Bilbo Baggins, celebrating his 111th birthday.
Now and again, the dialogue is a little bit clunky (“no one tosses a dwarf” and “let’s go hunt some orc” come to mind), but in the main, Fellowship has a literate script and strong character development.
The Two Towers (2002) sees the Fellowship fracture and the companions set on their own paths. Merry and Pippin unexpectedly encounter an old friend. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli find themselves in a battle to save the world of men, and Frodo seeks guidance from a ‘friendly’ foe despite Sam’s objections.
It’s a film of action, humour, and magic. Some excellent new supporting players include Brad Dourif, John Noble, Bernard Hill, and Miranda Otto. Frodo continues to suffer, and Aragorn comes close to death more than once.
In The Two Towers, we meet the people of Rohan for the first time, as well as Boromir’s brother, Faramir (played by David Wenham). The Ring continues to tempt as it heads closer to Sauron and Mordor, and Saruman (Christopher Lee) continues to plot the downfall of all that is good.
Musically, Shore’s score is full of themes and leitmotifs (more than 50 for characters, cultures, places) that grow and develop – the solo violin, the choir, the flute solo, the boy soprano. Watching an orchestra navigate this rich and expressive music is a true privilege.
By The Return of the King (2003), the remaining eight companions are familiar faces, and we are fully invested in their journey. Gimli mellows – finding “a friend” in the elf Legolas. Aragorn takes the advice to “cast off the Ranger and be who you were born to be”. Gandalf saves the day more than once – although we are denied the closure of a final confrontation between him and Saruman, the white Wizard who turned to evil. Even Pippin redeems himself from being the “fool of a Took”.
The effects, extras, and choices of filming all serve to make The Return a glorious closing chapter. Andy Serkis’s Gollum has his backstory and vile transformation spelt out; his duplicity leads Frodo to near death.
With its multiple endings, The Return gives us a chance to say goodbye at length to old friends. A perfect marriage of music and spectacle has taken us through nine hours of epic filmmaking, from the carefree days of the Shire to the fiery heart of Mordor.
Creatures of myth, magic, madness, and malevolence populate this trilogy. The Fellowship sets the scene, The Two Towers lays on the tension, and The Return lets each companion of the Ring prove themselves. Places such as Gondor, Minas Tirith, Rivendell, Moria, Lothlórien and Edoras are made real.
The decision to take the character of Arwen (played by Liv Tyler) from the Tolkien appendices and make her a core character offers drama and a love angle that serves as a respite from the battles.
As the Elves, led by Elrond (Hugo Weaving), feel their power giving way to the world of Men, there is a sense of faded glory in the settings, conversations, and alliances.
Tolkien’s world in book form was richly detailed to the point of near obsession. In Jackson’s vision for the film, we find a dedication that made the yearly release of these instalments highly anticipated and savoured.
The Royal Albert Hall weekenders allow the three to be viewed across a matter of days, offering the chance to experience this epic undertaking in a beautiful setting. We were completely enthralled by the film, again, and with every nuance teased from that score, whether bombast or quiet underscoring, the Orchestra, choirs and soloist were nothing less than glorious.
Five stars all day long. What an impressive achievement for all concerned: the films hold up beautifully, offering action, friendship, humour and tension; the music is faithfully performed with commitment and gusto.
The Lord of the Rings was shown at the Royal Albert Hall between 30 Apr and 10 May. Future Films in Concert include Brassed Off, Matilda, La La Land and the original Star Wars trilogy.
For more about The Lord of the Rings films, see the Tolkien Gateway.
For more about Howard Shore’s The Lord of the Rings score, see Sound of Life.