“I didn’t expect it to have my rapt attention for a movie I’ve seen I don’t know how many times!” Joe said when we came out of the cinema after watching the re-release of The Fellowship of the Ring . This time the extended version. To commenorate the 25th anniversay of the film’s release. We all agreed, what a difference seeing it on the ‘big screen’. I had missed the first film at the cinema, but made up for that by going to see The Two Towers three times. Once on my own, then with Henry, then with Joe, who was seven at the time. Just about old enough, it was a 12A rating.
It was obvious that there had been a lot of mere babies from 2001 who had grown into young adults who were now making up for a lost experience at the cinema - last night’s screening of The Fellowship of the Ring was full of young people. Obviously anticpated too, due to the adverts targeted at a younger audience.
Anyway, back to the film. I have to say this is my favourite film of all time. The cinematography, the costumes, the scenery, music, attention to detail…yes, the detail is incredible, and you really have to appreciate this by seeing it on a huge screen, which can be filled with a shot of the ring in the palm of Frodo’s hand, showing all its lines and ingrained dirt. The detail was what we talked about most of the way home from the cinema. “I noticed the lines on people’s faces,” said Henry, “and the costumes! I even saw the stitching on Sam’s collar I’d never seen before.” I’d seen that too. In fact, having become so well acquainted with the storyline and scenes, and many of the character’s lines, I was free to let my eye rove over the background and take in even more. Henry commented that in Boromir’s death scene he had noticed a ‘dead’ orc’s foot move.
“Immerse yourself in the experience” you are told at the beginning of the cinema screening. Well, you certainly do that. I asked Joe how they managed to create such a masterpiece. “Pre-production length” he replied, “Giving them time to work on the miniatures and costumes, and not rely on too much CGI like they do nowadays, because of cost-cutting.” It is the time taken to develop the characters, without rushing scenes that I love. I feel like I’m there with them.
As we were leaving our seats last night, a young man behind us said to his friend, “That was long!” and got the reply: “ It has to be; it’s only the greatest story ever told!” I’ll second that. I’m going to see The Two Towers tonight, so let’s see how I feel after 23 years has passed.