The Lord of the Rings

So yesterday and today, to kill time until Christmas break ends I watched all three Lord of the Rings movies pretty much in a row. Fellowship and Two Towers yesterday and Return of the King today. And I now believe that is the only way said movies can be fully appreciated.

I used to be a major fan boy of Lord of the Rings. Before I was ever into cinema seriously, I considered those movies to be THE GREATEST three movies ever made in the history of movies. Nothing could top them. I saw them immediately when they hit theatres and would purchase them when they were out on DVD. I read the books as if they were the Bible and every thought running through my head was about Lord of the Rings. I didn't care what else was being nominated at the Oscars (even if it was better than Rings) I just wanted them to win.

Thanks to God above I am not like that anymore. The movies probably would break into the latter part of my Top 50, but I am in no way obsessed with them anymore. I have also broadened my tastes when it comes to cinema, so I kind of know better now.

However, after finishing the entire trilogy I saw them in a different light. Not through the eyes of a nerd, but through the eyes of a lover of the art of film. And these films (all three of them) are nothing short of masterpieces.

First off I must say that as much as I love C.S. Lewis and the Narnia books, the blatant allegory in several of them tends to bother me now that I'm older. I loved that, while it had Christian themes, Lord of the Rings isn't allegory (Tolkien himself said they weren't). Tolkien just wanted to tell a story and that's what makes it great.

Peter Jackson (who has really made some mediocre crap) was in his top form with these movies. I think one thing that I was never able to appreciate before about his directorial style was his eye for setting up shots. The way he positions characters inside the scenery is great. Almost every shot in the movies are interesting to look at.

Another thing that I always blamed on Jackson was the feeling that I got that these stories weren't connected. Each film felt different to me and I never really liked it. However, I think that one must watch them consecutively as I did, because this time around each film felt connected. Like all part of the same story (as they are).

These films are also some of the most emotional of all time. They are amazing in that respect because Jackson never descends into cheesiness or emotional manipulation. He can pull the feelings and moods out of scenes and slam you with emotional impact. Even the scene in Return when Frodo and Sam climb Mt. Doom and Sam carries Frodo up the mountain. It's a scene that I expected to cringe at this time around, but I actually wanted to weep. It was that powerful (and NOT cheesy).

What is also great is that (in most films) you don't often see characters come to the end of themselves as people. At least, not in a believable way, but we see each and every one of the characters reach their limits and we believe it. We almost reach our limit emotionally watching them go through the things they do. At the end, when the Hobbits return to the Shire, it feels different to us as well as them. That is a sign of amazing filmmaking and storytelling.

You're probably rolling your eyes now, but I guarantee you. This isn't coming from the head of a fan boy as I noticed a lot of flaws this time around (some bad dialogue, unnecessary scenes and couple of stinker performances), but this blog is coming from the head of someone who loves movies and (hopefully) has a very diverse taste.

I guess a certain element of my love for the series comes from nostalgia because I have a lot of fond memories from when they came out, but now I regard them as masterpieces of American cinema and they will become classics in fifty years time.

If you haven't seem them I strongly suggest it and if you have then give them a re watch if you ever have time. You'll benefit, I promise.

Just wanted to be a nerd for a bit. Done now.