The Lord of The Rings

The Fellowship of the Ring
The Two Towers
2001/2 - Dir.:Peter Jackson
Shown at The FeckenOdeon on 15th November, 2003

When J. R. R.Tolkien wrote his amazing "Lord of the Rings" trilogy in the 1930s and 40s he could hardly of dared to dream that one day the fantastic world he created in the imaginations of his readers could ever be successfully re-created on the cinema screen. It took a terrific leap forward in special effects technology and the determination of the fledgling film industry of New Zealand to bring to vivid life the Hobbits, Goblins, Orcs, Elves and Ents hitherto only glimpsed as sketches. Many people have carried round their own treasured mental images of Middle Earth since reading the books as young people. Some have been reluctant to see the films for fear of spoiling their personal memories of a very special story. They need not have worried. Director Peter Jackson and his team have been meticulously faithful to the text and, using the very latest techniques (some invented specifically for these films), have produced what many consider to be the greatest fantasy films ever made. They are thrilling, beautiful, moving, frightening and totally breathtaking.
The Story so far
This film picks up the story from the end of Tolkein's "try out" book "The Hobbit". Even at this early stage the plot is a little entangled so we're deeply indebted to The Tolkien Society for writing this neat summary and for including a link to our website on their own excellent site at www.tokiensociety.org):-"In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-Earth still it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell, by chance, into the hands of the Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins. On his eleventy-first birthday, Bilbo disappeared, bequeathing to his young nephew, Frodo, the Ruling Ring, and a perilous quest: to journey across Middle-Earth, deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom."
These two films were shown on the eve of the release of the third film in the trilogy to allow people to refresh their memories before plunging into "The Return of the King". Hobbiton suppers were served at The Rose & Crown between the films.