#246: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Extended Edition)

Release Date: December 21st, 2001

Format: Theater (Regal La Habra in La Habra, CA)

Written by: Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, and Fran Walsh

Directed by: Peter Jackson

4 Stars

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is a monumental achievement and one of the most influential films of the 21st century. It proved that there was a tolerance, nay, a desire from mainstream American audiences for long-form fantastical storytelling beyond Star Wars. Its critical and especially financial success kicked the door wide open for major studio investment in “tent pole” productions like the Harry Potter franchise and the Marvel universe, not to mention helping stoke the flames of the emerging “Golden Age” of prestige television (does Game of Thrones get picked up by HBO if not for LotR?).

Fellowship is my favorite entry of the trilogy. Writer/director Peter Jackson does a wonderful job of balancing the film’s narrative pacing while still indulging in Tolkien mythology. But what makes Fellowship so special is Middle-earth. Along with millions of other Lord of the Rings fans, I love the worldbuilding in this film. I think it’s why the Extended Edition has supplanted the original theatrical cut over the last two decades as the preferred version of the film. We just want to spend more time with the Fellowship as they journey far and wide, from the quaint foothills of the Shire to the ethereal cliffs of Riverdell to the dark depths of the Mines of Moria.

It’s not unlike what attracted audiences to the first Star Wars in 1977. Peter Jackson, like George Lucas, presents a world that seems to have a history and a geography that extends well beyond the confines of what we see on screen. These two filmmakers allow us to explore worlds not just with our eyes, but with our imaginations.