In this audacious, transporting, spectacularly cinematic first Lord of the Rings installment, zealously dedicated director Peter Jackson (Heavenly Creatures) has brilliantly brought the monumental ambience, distinctive characters and indelible spirit of J.R.R. Tolkien's book to life. A weighty, layered, complexly detailed epic fantasy of good versus evil, the plot follows hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) on a frightful adventure across Middle-Earth to destroy a powerful evil ring in the volcano from which it was smelted. An escort of mythical creatures (elves, dwarfs, wizards) protect him on his journey from hoards of demonic minions sent by those who want the ring in order to rule the world. Living up to both its hype and its ambition, this multi-Oscar-nominated film (which took several techie awards) wears its outsized grandiosity well. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD extras include a trio of detailed programs: the 16-minute "Welcome to Middle-Earth" Houghton Mifflin in-store special, the 21-minute "Quest for the Ring" Fox TV special, and the 40-minute Sci-Fi Channel special "A Passage to Middle-Earth," as well as 15 (!) featurettes (ranging from two to five minutes in length), the Enya music video "May it Be," previews of The Two Towers and the Electronic Arts video game, and DVD-ROM features. Bottom line: until the big four-disc special edition comes along on Nov. 12, this is a very handsome extras package for one of the best fantasy films ever made.] (R. Blackwelder)
The Lord of the Rings:The Fellowship of the Ring
New Line, 178 min., PG-13, VHS: $22.95, DVD: $29.95, Aug. 6 Volume 17, Issue 4
The Lord of the Rings:The Fellowship of the Ring
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