“Achieves what the best fairy tales do: the creation of an alternate world, plausible and persuasive, where the young — and not only the young — can lose themselves. And perhaps, in identifying with the little Hobbit that could, find their better selves.”

— Richard Corliss, Time

Idyllic New Zealand makes for an ideal Middle-earth in Peter Jackson’s first Lord of the Rings film. This extended edition, rarely shown on the big screen, boasts 30 minutes of additional footage that elaborates on the Hobbits and sets up plot points for the subsequent movies. The film won Academy Awards for Cinematography, Visual Effects, Makeup, and Original Score.

 

Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm) entrusts a mysterious ring to his nephew Frodo (Elijah Wood). Turns out it’s the One Ring, which controls all other Rings of Power and enables its wearer to move between the Seen and Unseen realms. The evil Dark Lord Sauron (Sala Baker) seeks it to return to power, so Frodo and friends set out on a perilous journey to Mordor in an attempt to destroy the Ring.

 

The stellar cast includes Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, Liv Tyler, Cate Blanchett, Sean Astin, Sean Bean, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, John Rhys-Davies, Christopher Lee, and Andy Serkis.

INFORMATION

Genre – Fantasy

Director – Peter Jackson

Released – 2001

Runtime – 3hr 48min

Rated – PG-13

Studio – Warner Bros.

Country – United States

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