The Lord of the Rings (1): The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

DVD

Region 1 (NTSC) ( )

After a long and happy life in the Shire, Bilbo has decided to depart his lifelong home and travel again. His intention is to leave all his possessions to his nephew, Frodo. These possessions will contain the ring from his youthful adventuring life. In dramatic fashion, he leaves the Shire in the middle of his own birthday party. But Gandalf has a growing suspicion that there is more to this ring than previously thought. Frodo is instructed to keep it safe and not use it over much.

Several decades pass before Gandalf returns with dread news. It seems that this ring is the great ring of legend that is linked to the power of the Dark Lord Sauron. Enemies and armies are mustering and it's rumored that the ring's location has been discovered. Now it is up to Frodo to get the ring out of the Shire before he is caught. Together with some of his best friends, Frodo sets out not quite sure where he is going. They are pursued by mysterious riders dressed in black robes. In an attempt to stay off the road they stray into the woods and have several close calls with old trees and barrow wights but they eventually reach Bree.

There they were supposed to meet Gandalf for further instruction but he is absent. Instead the meet Strider, an odd and haggard ranger who is a friend of Gandalf. Pursued even in town by the black riders they narrowly escape and continue on through swamp and across country. During the night the black riders attack and stab Frodo but are later driven off. Then the group must race on to Rivendell as Frodo's wound will not heal without the magic of the elves.

Frodo is healed in Rivendell and is reunited with Gandalf and Bilbo who has been staying with the elves for many years. An inter-species counsel is held to determine what to do with the ring. Ultimately, it is decided that it must be destroyed and Frodo is appointed to carry it into Mordor. Gimli the dwarf, Legolas the elf, and Boromir the human join the traveling group. Gandalf also comes to lead them on the journey.

Their travel plans meet many impediments and the eventually have to travel through the mines of Moria. This is a long abandoned city that was rumored to be destroyed by orcs. Within they find Gimli's dead relatives and a whole bunch of monsters. Gandalf is slain and the group only barely manages to escape. From there, they travel to the woodland kingdom of Galadriel. The elves have heard of their coming and are good hosts to the party. Receiving going away gifts they climb into their boats and travel downriver.

At this point, the party is at a loss. Strider doesn't know what Gandalf was planning to do or where they ought to go next. There are several options and the party is divided over which direction to take. Ultimately, they decide to leave it up to Frodo as he is the ringbearer. Frodo goes off to consider is options and is accosted by Boromir. At first the human only wants to plead his case but it soon becomes clear that he has begun to lust after the ring and wants to take it as a weapon of war. Fleeing, invisible, from the large man, Frodo resolves to go to Mordor alone. Along the river, Sam recognizes his plan and stops him. The two decide that they will continue the journey together. ( )

Il Signore degli Anelli ( La compagnia dell'anello) Usa 2000 col 178. Peter Jackson. Con Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Cristopher Lee, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, John Rhin-Davies , Liv Tyler, Cate Blankette, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monagham, Orlando Bloom. Il giovane hobbit Frodo (Wood) eredita dal cugino Bilbo un monile magico e il mago Ganfall (McKellen) gli rivela che è l'unico anello creato in epoca remota dal malvagio Sauron di Mordor per soggiogare gli Elfi, un tempo posseduto dal deforme Gollum (Serkis) e oggi creduto perduto: se Sauron nè tornasse in possesso, lo userebbe per dominare la Terra di Mezzo. Su consiglio dell'Elfo Elrond (Weaving) Frodo raduna i compagni hobbot San (Astin) e decide di partire con Gandalf per riportare l'anello nella Voragine del Fato, a Mordor, e distruggerlo. Alla "compagnia" si aggiungeranno il guerriero Aragorn (Mortensen) , il nano Gimili (Rhin Davies), l'elfo Legolas (Bloom). Gli eroi saranno ostacolati in ogni modo, e prima dell'attacco degli orchi urok-hai del malvagio Saruman (Lee) dovranno combattere contro il potere corruttore stesso dell'anello. Dopo la tragica scomparsa di Gandalf, Frodo sceglierà le compagnie per proseguire da solo col fido Sam. Prima parte della titanica trasposizione della trilogia fantasy di J.r.r. Tolkier (pensata nel 1917 e pubblicata nel 1954/55 e tradotta in Italia solo nel 1970) che ha impegnato per tre anni di lavorazione il regista Peter Jackson (anche sceneggiatore con la moglie) 18 mesi di riprese (e altrettanti di post - produzione) e più di 300 milioni di dollari complessivi di budget. Il tema centrale è lo scontro eterno tra Bene e Male, ma Jackson sottolinea con intelligenza anche quello della condanna del potere, aggirando le annose polemiche su Tolkien e sulle sue inquietanti strumentalizzzioni politiche.
Il gioco di rimandi culturali è ampio e complesso, dal ciclo di Re Artù a Shakespeare, inglobando la mitologia e le suggestioni del romanzo fantastico e dei fumetti, ma la qualità del film sono soprattutto nella ricchezza dei temi visivi e narrativi. Senza farsi tentare dalle mode estetiche il regista recupera il fascino e il respiro dei classici e l'iconografia della pittura storica tra ottocento e novecento, dando prova sia di un romanticismo struggente, sia di un vero senso epico. La versione integrale di questa parte, montata per la distribuzione in dvd, dura 208 minuti, seguitò da "Il signore degli anelli" - Le due torri -. ( )

The forces of good decide what to do with an evil magic ring.

Everything I have to say about it is identical to what I had to say about The Two Towers, so I won't repeat myself. (Aren't you glad you spent you time reading that sentence? And this one?)

Concept: C
Story: C
Characters: A
Dialog: D
Pacing: C
Cinematography: B
Special effects/design: A
Acting: C
Music: B

Enjoyment: A plus

GPA: 2.8/4

(Oct. 2010) ( )