The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.   
Director: Peter Jackson.  Producers: Barrie M. Osborne, Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Tim Sanders.  Screenplay: Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, based on the novel by J. R. R. Tolkien.  Performers:  Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Sean Bean, Ian Holm, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Liv Tyler,  Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, and Andy Serkis.   Wingnut Films / New Line Cinema, 2001. [Rated: PG-13; 178 min.]

Jackson's adaptations, produced by New Line Cinema, of Part 2: The Two Towers and of Part 3: The Return of the King are scheduled for release in Dec. 2002 and 2003, respectively.

"I am interested in themes about friendship and self-sacrifice. 
This is a story of survival and courage, about a touching last stand
that paved the way for the ascent of humankind."
— Peter Jackson, qtd. in Taking on Tolkien: Peter Jackson Brings the Fantasy to Life
New Line Productions, Inc., 2002

Other Media Adaptations of Tolkien's Works:
--Poems and Songs of Middle-earth, The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring, and The Lord of the Rings, recordings of J. R. R. Tolkien reading from his own works, have all been released by Caedmon.
--The Silmarillion: Of Beren and Luthien, read by Christopher Tolkien, was also released by Caedmon.
--Tolkien's illustrations from Pictures by J. R. R. Tolkien have been published in various editions of his books, and have appeared on calendars, posters, and postcards.
--The Hobbit, an animated version released by Rankin-Bass, was aired on television in 1977.
--The Lord of the Rings, a theater film directed by Ralph Bakshi--based on The Fellowship of the Ring and parts of The Two Towers--was released in 1978.
--The Hobbit, a Bunraku-style puppet version by Theatre Sans Fil of Montreal, was produced in Los Angeles in 1984.

Web Sources on Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring

[Reviewed by Student]
Internet Movie Database - IMDb.com: 
An increasingly valuable searchable database of cross-referenced information on U.S. and foreign film and television, film adaptations of literature, awards, and reviews (especially links to external reviews).
URL: http://www.imdb.com/
...The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings
Follow internal links to Complete film crew & cast, cross-referenced filmographies, plot summary, photo gallery, trailers, filming locations, awards, film reviews - including hyperlinked list of External Reviews. - news articles, & more.
URL: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0120737
...Peter Jackson, the director
URL: http://us.imdb.com/Name?Jackson,+Peter
...The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (to be released in 2002)
URL: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0167261

[Reviewed by Student]
The Lord of the Rings.  New Line Productions, 2002.
Flash Version URL: http://www.lordoftherings.net/index.html
The official New Line Productions movie site is definitely commercial in intent but also informative and fascinating.  Extensive multimedia website features not only the latest film trailers and interviews with director Peter Jackson and cast members [click on "The Film"], but also an introduction to Tolkien's trilogy and an interactive map of Middle-earth [click on "The Legend"].  [C.A.]
Non-Flash Version: http://www.lordoftherings.net/index_flat.html  
(...but you can download the Flash plug-in from this site)
The Lord of the Rings Fan Club is also sponsored by New Line Productions, 2002.
URL: http://www.lotrfanclub.com/
including "From Fantasy to Reality: Peter Jackson Brings Lord of the Rings to Life for Tolkien Fans"
URL: http://www.lotrfanclub.com/jackson.html

The Lord of the Rings.  Sir Ian McKellen's Home Page.  Sir Ian McKellan, 1997-2002.
"On this site, there is a great deal of information about the filming of the Lord of the Rings trilogy."
URL: http://www.mckellen.com/cinema/lotr/
...Grey Book--"named for Gandalf the Grey"- is McKellen's journal of his impressions while filming The Lord of the Rings, to "convey the fascination and excitement of bringing Tolkien's masterpiece to the big screen."
URL: http://www.mckellen.com/cinema/lotr/journal.htm

MRQE: Movie Review Query Engine.  Stewart M.Clamen, 144574 Canada, Inc., 1993-2002. Affiliated with Internet Movie Database (IMDb.com, U.S.).
Root URL: http://www.mrqe.com/   
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)  
Extensive list of links to Reviews of the film.

National Geographic's Beyond the Movie: The Lord of the Rings.  National Geographic Society, 2001.  "Discover the history, myth, and cultural forces that inspired The Lord of the Rings and explore the parallels between the imaginary world of Middle-earth and our own." 
URL: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngbeyond/rings/
Author & History - descriptive Timeline
URL: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngbeyond/rings/timeline.html
Language & Culture
URL: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngbeyond/rings/language.html
Myth & Storytelling
URL: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngbeyond/rings/myth.html
Real World Parallels: Discussion Forum
URL: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngbeyond/rings/cgi-bin/forum/forum.cgi?forum=ngbtm

[Reviewed by Student]
Pierce, Nev.  Rev. of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.  BBCi [London]: Films: Reviews. 11 Dec. 2001.  British Broadcasting Corporation, 2001.
URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2001/12/11/lord_of_the_rings_fellowship_of_the_ring_2001_review.shtml

TolkienMovies.com.  Tolkien Network, 1998-2002.
"Welcome to TolkienMovies.com, founded in August of 1998 and recognized by the Wall Street Journal and Movieline.com as a leading source for Lord of the Rings movie news, pics, rumors, and more."
URL: http://www.tolkien-movies.com/

Tolkien Online: The One Ring
The definitive almost-everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-Tolkien site, includes features about Peter Jackson's film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. [C.A.]
URL: http://www.tolkienonline.com/
Website Review:  Sauter, Michael.  "Tolkien Online."  Bio Scope: Reviews.  Biography 5.12 (Dec. 2001): 38 (1pp).  EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, Article Number 5541928.
Review excerpt:  A "lavishly over-stuffed Web site, devoted to the teeming fantasy world of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings,"  including the "daily offering of excerpts from Tolkien's literature and letters; the massive archive of news, reviews, articles, and essays; and the ever-growing gallery of strikingly original artwork, by Tolkien and some of his best-known interpreters."

"Every time we shot a scene, I reread that part of the book right before, 
as did the cast. It was always worth it. Always inspiring." 
-Peter Jackson, qtd. in From Fantasy to Reality:
Peter Jackson Brings Lord of the Rings to Life for Tolkien Fans
The Lord of the Rings Fan Club, New Line Productions, 2002.

The Complete List of Film Changes, by "Ancalagon The Black" (Tolkien Online 1999-2002), describes, evaluates, and documents differences between Jackson's film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings and Tolkien's books.  "Film Changes" is an ongoing and exhaustively detailed project --being revised after the release of the first film, and still evolving in anticipation of the release of films 2 and 3 in the trilogy.  An enlightening case study in film adaptation of literature is emerging! [C.A.]
Index URL: http://www.tolkienonline.com/movies/changes_index.cfm [last accessed Aug. 2002]
Original 'Fellowship' List [of changes]:
URL: http://www.tolkienonline.com/movies/changes_fotr.old.cfm
The Complete List of Film Changes Revisited - The Fellowship of the Ring
contains "The Prophecy" [the only essay so far, as of August 2002]:
URL: http://www.tolkienonline.com/movies/changes_fotr.01.cfm
General Changes:
URL: http://www.tolkienonline.com/movies/changes_general.cfm

On Director Peter Jackson

Ain't It Cool News' Harry Knowles takes us on a tour of Peter Jackson's house and its collection of film memorabilia.  Tolkien Online: The One Ring, 1999-2002.
Plus links to more chapters from Knowles's diary on the set of Lord of the Rings.
URL: http://www.tolkienonline.com/docs/1719.html

The Bastards Have Landed [tbhl]: Home of the Official Peter Jackson Fan Club
Despite the name, useful information on director Peter Jackson. [C.A.]
URL: http://tbhl.theonering.net/index.shtml

Fischer, Paul.  "'Hobbit Man' Talks Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings Saga Has Created a Fanatical Following, But the New Zealand Director, Peter Jackson, Says He Is No "slavish Tolkien interpreter."  iofilm: Fresh Views on Film. insideout.co.uk, ltd., 1997-2002.
URL: http://www.insideout.co.uk/feats/interviews/p/peter_jackson.shtml

From The Lord of the Rings.  New Line Productions, 2002.
Flash Version URL: http://www.lordoftherings.net/index.html
...Peter Jackson (Director/Writer/Producer)
URL: http://www.lordoftherings.net/film/filmmakers/fi_pjack.html
...Q&A with Peter Jackson
URL: http://www.lordoftherings.net/film/filmmakers/fi_pjack_qanda.html
...Taking on Tolkien: Peter Jackson Brings the Fantasy to Life
URL: http://www.lordoftherings.net/film/filmmakers/fi_pjack_tolkien.html

Peter Jackson Online. Loz Moss (U.K.), 2000-2002.
"Peter Jackson Online, your Unofficial guide to all things related to the Kiwi Wunderkind."
URL: http://www.escapee.fsnet.co.uk/index.html
...Biography: http://www.escapee.fsnet.co.uk/bio.htm 
...Interviews: http://www.escapee.fsnet.co.uk/interviews/index.htm 
...Links: http://www.escapee.fsnet.co.uk/links.htm 

Peter Jackson's Film Lord of the Rings.  The Tolkien Society (England), 2001.
URL: http://www.tolkiensociety.org/media/movie_00.html

Perenson, Melissa J.  "Interview: Director Peter Jackson Proves to Be the Lord of The Fellowship of the Rings."  SciFi.com.  Science Fiction Weekly, 1998-2002.
URL: http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue244/interview.html

On Film Adaptation of Literature (General)

Film Adaptation of Literature.  Film Studies: Humanities Instructional Resources (Humanities Dept., Central Oregon Community College), 2002.
URL: http://www.cocc.edu/humanities/HIR/Film/filmadaptation.htm
...see also Film Links
URL: http://www.cocc.edu/humanities/HIR/Film/links.htm

Fiction into Film (Prof. John Lye, Dept. of English, Brock Univ.), 2002.
URL: http://www.brocku.ca/english/courses/2F55/fiction.film.html

Film Reviews (with Excerpts) & Related Articles
on Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring

Note: COCC Library Online Databases (access restricted to Central Oregon Community College students, staff, community) include subscriptions to EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, Gale's Literature Resource Center, LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe, and WilsonSelectPlus databases: full text articles may be obtained from these & other online databases.  
URL: http://www.cocc.edu/library/databases.html Pathway: Humanities 

Baggins, Harry.  “Wizards of the Rings: There Must be a Moral in Here Somewhere.”   American Spectator 35.1 (Jan/Feb. 2002): 88.  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002: Article No. 6096189.
Excerpt: “…some important ideas from Tolkien have been preserved” in the film adaptation: “The ring at the center of Tolkien's saga confers upon its wearer magical powers. But those who avail themselves of this power become corrupted, a myth that goes back to Plato. Yielding to temptation is a hazardous business; no one is entirely safe. Power corrupts!”  Baggins also compares Tolkien’s epic to J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books.

Briney, Daniel. Rev. of Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings [film]. 12 Jan. 2002. CultureDose.com, ed. John Nesbit, 2002.  [Accessed] Oct. 2002.
URL:  http://www.culturedose.com/review.php?rid=10002252

Churchill, Bonnie.  “Bringing the ‘Ring’ Legend to the Screen.”  Christian Science Monitor 14 Dec. 2001: 17.  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002: Article No. 5668713.
Abstract:  Article includes director Peter Jackson’s comments on making and casting the film, with additional comments by Sir Ian McKellan (who plays the wizard Gandalf).

Corday, Alina.  “Master of Middle Earth.”  Smithsonian 32.10 (Jan. 2002): 76 (6pp).  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002; Article No. 5749860.
EBSCOHost Abstract:  “Profiles author J.R.R. Tolkien, in light of the release of the motion picture 'The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring,' which is based on his series 'The Lord of the Rings.' Work of Tolkien at Oxford University; Popularity of his books; Belief of Tolkien that his work would be unsuccessful; Success of Tolkien as a linguist; Biographical information.”
Notes: This title is held locally [by COCC Library]

Covert, Colin.  "A Ringing Endorsement."  Star Tribune [Minneapolis, MN], Metro ed., 19 Dec. 2001: Variety 1E.  Rpt. LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe.
Excerpt:  "Hair-raising adventure, rollicking comic relief, a dream cast, gorgeous locations, sumptuous production design, a rousing musical score -  it's all here."  "Although the heroes are valiant, they're realistically flawed."  "The actors raise the story from a thrill-packed melodrama to a truly emotional tale."  "The script is a gem of dense storytelling and offhand wit. There has been some trimming and changes of emphasis, but Tolkien's spirit is well served . . . ."  "Of course, a story set in a magical medieval realm necessarily depends on sets, costumes and special effects. Here, 'Lord of the Rings,' filmed in various locations in New Zealand, succeeds beyond one's wildest imaginings. Each culture is a convincing world of its own."

Davidson, Paul.  Lord of the Rings: Creating the Locations of The Fellowship of the Ring.  FilmForce, 3 July 2001.  IGN Entertainment, Inc., 2002.
URL: http://filmforce.ign.com/lotr/articles/301051p1.html  

Ebert, Roger.  Rev. of  The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings.  Chicago Sun-Times December 19, 2001.  suntimes.com, Digital Chicago, 2002.
URL: http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_reviews/2001/12/121901.html [accessed August 2002]
Excerpt:  "In a statement last week, Tolkien's son Christopher, who is the 'literary protector' of his father's works, said, 'My own position is that The Lord of the Rings is peculiarly unsuitable to transformation into visual dramatic form.'  That is probably true, and Jackson, instead of transforming it, has transmuted it, into a sword-and-sorcery epic in the modern style, containing many of the same characters and incidents."  Ebert objects that ". . . the Hobbits themselves have been pushed off center stage"; and though Jackson's film is "a well-crafted and sometimes stirring adventure," "a true visualization of Tolkien's Middle-earth it is not." 

Fuller, Graham.  "Trimming Tolkien."  Sight and Sound 12.2 (Feb. 2002): 18+. 
Subtitle:  "The Fellowship of the Ring may be a huge success for Peter Jackson, but what would Tolkien have thought of it, asks Graham Fuller."
Abstract/Excerpts:  The first installment of Peter Jackson's film adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings "is the Misty Mountain top of contemporary mainstream cinema," "streamlining the narrative without deviating from it and evocatively rendering the book's eerie and elegiac atmosphere."  While the film has its drawbacks, it does do "justice to the single most important theme in the book": "Death and Immortality."  In Tolkien's words, "'Large human stories are practically always about one thing, aren't they?  Death, inevitably death.  All men must die, and for every man his death is an accident, an unjustifiable violation.'"  "Death and resurrection--or the magical evasion of death--permeate the film."

Germain, David. "At the Movies: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring." The Associated Press  Entertainment News, 14 Dec. 2001.  Rpt. LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe.
Excerpt:  "Dense with detailed lore Tolkien-ites crave yet packed with action and luminous visual effects for the Tolkien uninitiated, this is one of the finest fantasy films ever made. 'Fellowship' is a thrilling, eye-filling epic built from a seamless blend of full-size sets, miniatures and digital effects, dazzling costumes and makeup, and glorious New Zealand landscapes."  "Masterfully paced, the movie builds slowly, introducing the mythology, habitats and lifestyles of Tolkien's creatures. It may be a bit of information overload for moviegoers who have not read Tolkien, but once the second exhilarating half of the film kicks in, few viewers will stop to ponder the difference between an orc and an uruk."

Giles, Jeff.  “Lure of the Rings” [Newsweek Exclusive]: “How a Little-Known New Zealand Director Landed the Most Ambitious Franchise in Movie History.”  Newsweek 10 Dec. 2001: 72 (5pp).  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002: Article No. 5597731.
Abstract:  Giles visits New Zealand to profile director Peter Jackson and investigate his ambitious film project, The Lord of the Rings.

Harrison, Eric.  "Magical Journey: 'Lord of the Rings' Brings to Life a Fantasy-Filled [Work?] Whose Powerful Message on the Nature and Power of Evil Remains Vital."   The Houston Chronicle 19 Dec. 2001: 1.  Rpt. LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe.
Excerpt:  "Jackson's film feels like an honest attempt to use the power of cinema to engage the imagination and senses in deep-ranging and seriously engaged myth. It's the real thing. It makes all the other derivative works look like what they are - pale imitations."

Howe, Desson. "Praise the 'Lord.'"  Washington Post, 21 Dec. 2001: WE43.
URL: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=style/movies/
reviews&contentId=A6800-2001Dec20&notFound=true
Excerpt:  "[Peter] Jackson, who [co-]scripted the adaptations of all three novels (including The Two Towers, scheduled for next year and The Return of the King, slated for 2003) with Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, has outdone himself.  The story is compelling business for readers or nonreaders of Tolkien."

An Insider’s Guide to Lord of the Rings.  E! Online: Features: Specials.  E! Online, Inc. 2002.
"Force of Hobbit: ...E! Online's exclusive coverage of the making of the trilogy."
URL: http://www.eonline.com/Features/Specials/Lordrings/
...Movie Reviews:  http://www.eonline.com/Reviews/index.html
...Peter Jackson Q & A  [Interview]:  "Three Years and $300 Million Later, A Director's Dream Comes to Fruition," by Jeanne Wolf: http://www.eonline.com/Features/Specials/Lordrings/Fellowship/Jackson/index.html

Johnson, Malcolm.  "'Fellowship' a Beautiful (Though Fitful) Journey."  The Hartford Courant 19 Dec. 2001: D1.  Rpt. LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe.
Excerpt: "Tolkien has countless devotees who worship his tales for many reasons. He brought his deep passion for Anglo-Saxon sagas and a close devotion to nature to his writing, together with his powers to imagine races of some lost time, including his beloved Hobbits . . . . For non-initiates, however, the adventures may seem too quaint and plotless."  The film "sends off mythological resonance, with evocations of Wagner's 'Ring' cycle, the epic of Beowulf and Grendel and the Song of Roland."  "Above all, however, this faithful tribute to Tolkien unfolds as a celebration of the natural beauties of the director's native New Zealand."

Lancaster, Kurt.  “Why Fantasy ‘Rings’ True.”  Christian Science Monitor 19 Dec. 2001: 9.  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002: Article No. 5710266.
Excerpt:  Lancaster believes that “Tolkien's works are among the literary masterpieces of the 20th century.”  “Unfortunately, among much of the literati, there's a belief that fantasy literature is something less than what the classics of the Western canon teach. You know, fantasy is just escapism. But it's also about the search for truth and for our place in the world, a yearning that has only heightened since Sept. 11.”
EBSCOHost Abstract:  “Discusses how fantasy books like Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone, and The Lord of the Rings, allow people to escape from the profit-driven and commercial world, and hopes that the motion picture versions of these books will inspire people to read.”

Lane, Anthony.  “The Hobbit Habit.”  Rev. of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings, dir. Peter Jackson.  New Yorker 10 Dec. 2001: 98-105.

La Salle, Mick.  "Film Brings 'Rings' Alive: Tolkien Classic Gets Tender Loving Care."  The San Francisco Chronicle 9 August 2002, Final Edition: Daily Datebook, D8. Rpt. LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe.
Excerpt: "J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece, the three books that make up The Lord of the Rings, is about two profound things: the horror of power without spiritual understanding, and the nature of courage. . . . To even begin to conceive of a cinematic version of the series is daunting. But The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring gets it right."  ". . . [P]art of what makes this film especially powerful is what happened on Sept. 11. The themes feel sad and close. . . . a fallen planet, . . . men unable to control their lust for power, . . . wizards of unimaginable knowledge who have sold their souls for profit. Most of all, we see a world in fear, and a shadow from another land that threatens the end of everything."

McDonagh, Maitland.  "Ring of Fire." Rev. of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings, dir. Peter Jackson, 2001. TV Guide Online: Movie Reviews: CineBooks Database.  TV Guide Magazine Group, Inc., 2002. 
From Critical Review by ENG 104 student:  "A film review of Peter Jackson’s theatrical interpretation of Lord of The Rings," from a source "very well renowned and critically acclaimed for giving both detailed and accurate reviews of films. It also takes a very non-biased approach to evaluating The Lord of the Rings. This particular reviewer points out what s/he both liked and disliked in the movie. Particularly how Peter Jackson does a wonderful job of drawing in the audience to understanding the movie well. Still the reviewer also points out that some aspects may be a bit hard to follow for those new to the fantasy/mythology side of filmmaking."
URL: http://tvguide.com/movies/database/ShowMovie.asp?MI=42295

McKellan, Ian.  Rev. of “The Lord of the Rings” (Motion Picture).  Human Events 7 Jan. 2002: 14.  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002: Article No. 5828975.

Miller, John J.  “The Truth Beyond Memory.”  National Review 31 Dec. 2001: [Sect. Books, Arts & Manners] 43 (3pp).  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002: Article No. 5750720.
EBSCOHost Abstract: “Discusses the release of the film `The Fellowship of the Ring,' based on the `Lord of the Rings' trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. View that the popularity of the film adaptations will annoy some of Tolkien's detractors; Assertion that the film offers entertainment, but the book showcases the most fundamental concerns of the world; Tolkien's intention to create an imaginary world that is fundamentally real.”

“Of Hobbits, War & Bush.”  Editorial.  Commonweal 11 Jan. 2002: 5.  Rpt.  EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002: Article No. 5865123.
Excerpts:  Within the context of the war aged by the U.S. against terrorism, this editorial considers “The Lord of the Rings . . . essentially a meditation on the origins and nature of evil.”  “The magical ‘ring’ of the title, which must be kept away from demonic forces and eventually destroyed, cannot be used against the ‘evildoers’ lest it destroy those who wield it.”  “Legends and fairy-tales, [Tolkien] argued, reveal the true nature of reality and humankind. Technology, scientific progress, and military or political triumph cannot change that reality--we forget that truth at our peril.”

O'Hehir, Andrew.  Rev. of "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring."  Sight and Sound 12.2 (Feb. 2002): 49-51. Rpt. WilsonSelectPlus database, W. H. Wilson Co., 2002; Accession No. BHUM02005354.
WilsonSelectPlus Abstract:  "Jackson has translated Tolkien's fantasy novel into a commanding screen adventure with a sense of human fear and danger and grit under its nails. While Tolkien fundamentalists will have problems with the film, the changes made are dramatically sensible and could be viewed as improvements."

Pierce, Nev.  Rev. of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.  BBCi [London]: Films: Reviews. 11 Dec. 2001.  British Broadcasting Corporation, 2001.
URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2001/12/11/lord_of_the_rings_fellowship_of_the_ring_2001_review.shtml
Excerpt: "Funny, scary and, totally involving, Peter Jackson's assured adaptation of JRR Tolkien's The Lord of The Rings turns the book's least screen-worthy volume into a gripping and powerful adventure movie."

Poudrier, Almira F.  “The Virtue of the Weaponed Hero.”  Humanist 61.4 (July/Aug. 2001): 35 (3pp).  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002: Article No. 4776698.
EBSCOHost Abstract: “Discusses the connection between weapon and hero. Analysis of the poem `Lord of the Rings,' by J. R. R. Tolkein; Status of weapons during the Middle Ages; Why the gun as the weapon of choice is beginning to lose its charm; Superheroes of animation and comic books who do not use guns.”
Excerpts: King-in-exile Aragorn [AKA: Strider], the wandering hero, is unbreakably identified with a broken sword “and its renewal shall mean the restoration of the rightful king to the throne.”   “In fact, all the book’s major characters carry weapons, even the humble hobbits.”  “Although Tolkien's story is a very modern one, the association of hero and killing tool is a very old one,”  and “the power of the weaponed hero”  is still felt in our modern world.  “We love them, we fear them, and we can't ignore them. Those who wish to get rid of guns in movies need to come up with other stories, heroes with other types of weapons or no weapons at all…. this process is already underway, and with some other much-welcomed changes, such as the rising prominence of the female cast as hero.”

Robertson, Barbara.  “The Fellowship of the Ring: Innovative Computer Graphics Techniques Help Weta Digital Create Tolkien’s Middle-earth.”   Computer Graphics World 24.12 (Dec. 2001): 18 (6pp).  EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002: Article No. 5729189.

Special Report: The Lord of the Rings. Film Features. [Manchester] Guardian Unlimited [U.K.], Guardian Newspapers Ltd., 2002. 
URL: http://film.guardian.co.uk/lordoftherings/0,11016,583094,00.html

Steele, Bruce C.  "The Knight's Crusade."  Advocate 25 Dec. 2001: 36 (8pp).  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002: Article No. 5935300.
EBSCOHost Abstract: "Profiles Ian McKellan, gay actor played the role of Gandalf in the movie 'Lord of the Rings' in the United States.  comparison on the wisdom and power of Gandalf with McKellen; Prominence as a gay rights spokesman; Interest of McKellan on political issues."
Excerpt:  "Gandalf's mission is to battle an evil immortal darkness named Sauron and to destroy the One Ring that is the basis of Sauron's power.  The crusade of Sir Ian [McKellen] is to battle the evil of Homophobia and to destroy the Great Ignorance that is its basis."

[Reviewed by Student]
Sterritt, David.  “’Rings’ on Screen Is Big, Ambitious, and Not So Magic.”  Christian Science Monitor 19 Dec. 2001: 1.  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002: Article No. 5710230.
Excerpt:  Sterritt finds Peter Jackson’s film disappointing.  “It's often said that second-rate books make the best movie adaptations, since filmmakers aren't afraid to twist them into new cinematic shapes. Jackson illustrates the other side of this equation, plodding in the master's footsteps when he should be taking Tolkien's ideas into exciting new realms of sight and sound.”

Travers, Peter.  "Movies."  Rev. of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings, directed and co-written by Peter Jackson.  Rolling Stone 17 Jan. 2002: 55 (2pp).  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002: Article No. 5899385.
Excerpts:  “…The Fellowship of the Ring, Episode One in Peter Jackson's three-part screen version of the massive tome that is J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, really gets those pages dancing.”  “Fellowship is the real deal, a movie epic that pops your eyes out, piles on thrills and fun, and yet stays intimately attuned to character”; and director Peter “Jackson is the wizard who gets it right.”

"I started with one goal: to take movie-goers into 
the fantastical world of Middle-earth
in a way that is believable and powerful."
-Peter Jackson, qtd. in From Fantasy to Reality
Peter Jackson Brings Lord of the Rings to Life for Tolkien Fans
The Lord of the Rings Fan Club, New Line Productions, 2002.

Turan, Kenneth.  "Fulfilling a Grand Quest: The First Installment of 'The Lord of the Rings' Trilogy Triumphs with Skill and Passion."  Los Angeles Times, Home ed., 19 Dec. 2001: Calendar 6-1.  Rpt. LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe.
Excerpt: "An unprecedented three feature films shot simultaneously in 274 days spread over 15 months at a cost of nearly $300 million are enough to get anyone's attention. . . . Those figures fascinate but, as directed by Peter Jackson, 'The Fellowship of the Ring' makes you forget all about them. Made with intelligence, imagination, passion and skill, propulsively paced and shot through with an aged-in-oak sense of wonder, the trilogy's first film so thrillingly catches us up in its sweeping story that nothing matters but the vivid and compelling events unfolding on the screen."  Jackson's re-creation of "Middle-earth, a fantasy world with strong parallels to our own," is as  "satisfyingly complex" as J. R. R. Tolkien intended. The key reason for the success of The Lord of the Rings trilogy "is the extraordinary density with which [Tolkien] imagined this world." "An Oxford scholar and a neo-Luddite who never owned a car, Tolkien was a procrastinator and a perfectionist, which is why it took him 14 years to finish his 1,000-plus-page masterwork;" "complete with more than 100 pages of complex appendixes, including maps and detailed genealogies, and Tolkien, a celebrated philologist, invented several complete languages for his characters."  Tolkien wanted readers "'simply to get inside this story and take it in a sense of actual history.'"  Jackson "accomplishes this on screen with just as much verve and spirit as Tolkien did on the page--" though the film version cuts some popular characters like Tom Bombadil and expands the roles of the story's few women characters.  "The care taken with even the smallest detail by Jackson's production team" renders the fantastic world of Middle-earth "realistic."  Turan also applauds Jackson's attention to character, his  insights into "the intricacies of human nature"--so rare in "an action-adventure epic with a massive budget"--and his shrewd casting.  Ian McKellen "as the wizard Gandalf . . . is the film's irreplaceable central figure. Radiating power and wisdom, tossing out piercing looks as deftly as he wields his magical staff, McKellen's exceptional presence makes the actuality of 'Fellowship' unassailable."

Turner, Pamela S.  “Visit the Birthplace of The Lord of the Rings.”  Christian Science Monitor 27 Nov. 2001: 17.  Rpt.  EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002: Article No. 5556704.
EBSCOHost Abstract:  “Describes sites in Oxford, England which were frequented by J.R.R. Tolkien, author of 'The Lord of the Rings,' including the Eagle and Child Pub.”
Excerpt:  “What would Tolkien think of the new, high-budget film? No doubt, the spectacular computer-generated effects would impress. But in the end, Tolkien would probably prefer his own private vision of Middle-earth.”

Wood, Ralph C.  “Tolkien the Movie.”  Christian Century 2 Jan. 2002: 35.  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002: Article No. 5883370.
Excerpts:  This film serves as a post-September 11 reminder “that war is not an antiseptic affair of bombs dropped from on high, but that the battle against evil is dirty and dangerous and unending.”  “Yet in making iniquity obvious and uncomplicated, the film departs from Tolkien's heroic fantasy in lamentable ways.”  Plus, neither the film nor most of its critics acknowledge “Tolkien's claim that his heroic fantasy is ‘a fundamentally religious and Catholic work.’"  Even so, Wood is “grateful for this powerful cinematic version of  The Fellowship of the Ring” [presumably because it will inspire more people to read Tolkien’s trilogy].

Zacharek, Stephanie.  "The Movie of the Year."  Salon.com Movie Reviews, 18 Dec. 2001.  
[URL: http://www.salon.com ]  Rpt. LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe.
Excerpt:  ". . . [A]we, beauty and excitement, three of the things we go to the movies for, are the very things we're cheated of the most. The great wonder of 'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' is that it bathes us in all three . . . ."  Zacharek declares, "it's one of the best fantasy pictures ever made."  "In adapting the story of hobbit Frodo Baggins and his mission to guard and ultimately destroy a ring that has the power to bring cursed evil upon the world, director Peter Jackson has given us an epic in the true sense . . . ."  "He explains the essential back story in a fleet, graceful expository passage at the beginning . . . ."  ". . . [T]he picture is a marvel of pacing, built on the premise that the proper flow of tension and suspense is the most powerful special effect of all, not to mention the cheapest."  "The vistas are huge and wondrous, the special effects sparkling: But Jackson also trains the eye on details that . . . define the movie's rich, dreamy look."  Jackson makes the movie "work on a much more intimate level as well, by allowing the faces of the characters to tell the story in its most emotional terms."  

J. R. R. Tolkien & The Fellowship of the Ring,
being the first part of The Lord of the Rings (Novel & Film)
Tolkien Bibliography 1. Print Sources by & about Tolkien | 2. Web Sources & Online Articles
3. Sources Recommended by ENG 104 Students
 Tolkien Fellowship Study Guides: 1. Prologue & Book One | 2. Book Two
Peter Jackson's Film Adaptation: Web Sources, Film Reviews & Related Articles
ENG 104 Home

You are here: Peter Jackson's Film Adaptation:
Web Sources, Film Reviews & Related Articles
URL of this webpage:  http://www.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/eng104/Jackson.htm
Last Updated: 26 July 2003

Copyright © 1997-2003, Cora Agatucci, Professor of English
Humanities Department, Central Oregon Community College
Please address comments on web contents & links to: cagatucci@cocc.edu

For technical problems with this web, contact webmaster@cocc.edu