If you want to play this, or any of my other scenes back in 5.1 you'll need to download the video with a program like youtube-dl and play back the file locally. RUclips still keep the 5.1 track but don't play it back anymore for some reason.
Ingenius. Viewers who havent seen it yet will be like, what??? What happened?? Wheres tge rest of the Opening??? GAAH!!!Now I have to go get the movie!!! WELL PLAYED, cutting it off, in the middle of a juicy part of the opening!! Gonna send this to an unindoctrinated friend, to goad her into watching it.
You weak minded fool. You see me as some sort of monkey in a zoo, dancing for your memes. Well guess what, I'm a man and I'm alive. You'll never know what it means to love something. To love it so much you write essays about it, defend it's honor to strangers on the internet, and bask in it's glory every chance you get. You'll never love anything because you're incapable of love. I may be autistic, but at least I'm not a robot. I am the shire. I am you shall not pass. I am Peter Jackson's tiny butthole. And to be honest, I don't want to be anything else. So suck my d American.
particularly because they are making a series set in the second age that will cover everything in the prologue and more. This is not just "back story" but an epic story to equal Lord of the Rings.
In all honesty it makes me tear up. As a child I've always found a love for the villains in movies. Sauron was different, his level of presence, intimidation and raw strength were almost inspiring to me.
@@stephenwitwick3926 a compelling argument, however, that scene is so memorable as it depicts real history. The magic behind this scene is that it's all in one's imagination.
How is it possible that inspite of seeing something a thousand times, you still don’t get bored of it? The Lord of the Rings is untouchable. Unparalleled. There is no movie that comes close to it.
"But there were SOME... who resisted..." Proceeds to show thousands, upon thousands of soldiers, marching in unison against the encroaching darkness. Absolutely love that line, its delivery and the scene's transition.
"A last alliance of men and Elves, marched against the armies of Mordor. And on the slopes of mount doom they fought for the freedom of Middle earth." So badass. Nothing quite like different people banding together to fight a greater evil. I also like that the humans look just as magnificent as the Elves, armored from head to toe and ready to fight the darkness
This is still a masterpiece intro. In less than 5 minutes, you understand the history, the major conflict, the plot, and the major players of the piece, while being immediately engaged by the epic battle scene, which helps hold your attention through the subsequent slow part of the film that introduces the hero.
I grew up with my dad telling me these stories before I could really comprehend the writing myself. When we went to go see Fellowship in theatres, this scene alone told me it was going to be the greatest thing I've ever seen. When we got out of the theatre, I asked my dad what he thought of the film. He said something I'll never forget: "It was everything I've ever wanted to see."
Similar story. My dad bought me the books and I remember not really understanding them and then when the movie came out.i was blown away! Especially the beginning. The scene has been embedded in my memory for the past 20 years!
I was introduced to the Silamrillion before anything else, in 1996 when a friend of mine who was an epic metal music fan, had some illustrations of Silmarillion characters on his room's wall. I asked him with interest about these pictures and he first told me about Tolkien and how much his work has influenced rock music. Later he gave me his cover of the Silmarillion and it consumed me from the first pages... made my imagination burn like wildfire. Of course the next year i also read the Hobbit, Lotr etc... in 2000 at a time when internet was not yet what it is now, i heard in the news the announcement about the "most ambitious project in cinema history, the bringing to life Tolkien's Lotr" and it was like a thunder strike me... between 2000 to 2001 i was looking everything i could find about the upcoming movie, pictures, posters, the cast etc etc.. i even sneaked into my university's computer room to use their fast (then) internet connection and download the teaser treiler (the one with requem of a dream music). In 2001 Christmass... it was SO hard to find tickets for the movie that me and my friend ended up siting in the first row, having the huge screen almost in our face. When this prologue started and all the way up to the battle in mount doom, i caught myself crying from excitement and that happened again in the whole Moria sequence... there is no other movie trilogy in my life that made me feel like wanting to go as many times as possible to the cinema and see it again and again. I saw each one 5 times and i stoped only when i didnt had any other friends left without already seeing them!! The only other movie that i can remember giving me chills and somewhat coming close but not exactly there, was Blade Runner 2049....
I had the same reaction. I was 33 and had waited all my life at that point for a faithful portrayal. I was awestruck. I couldn't believe what I had seen and I was SO proud to be a fan of these stories. Jackson and company did us right.
@@swesleyc7 What does the existence of trans people (who basically have no presence in most if not all main stream movies) have to do with the fact that studios don't want to spend any money on properties that aren't already part of a massive franchise?
To be fair, they never made movies like this before either and it's a miracle that these movies got made in the first place, seeing how producers and such wanted to condense the entire story into a single two hour movie and Peter Jackson and his crew had to fight tooth and nail to even get a two movie deal
Orcs standing back behind Sauron "Well look who finally shows up after 7 years of fighting. About god dam time you got your ass out there. We were out here.........oh shit"
I was 9 years old, The Two Towers was being released in theaters in a couple of weeks, and one of my dad’s co-workers lent us his DVD of Fellowship so my dad and I could watch it. My mom was working all day, and it was just the two of us. We got through this opening scene, and my dad paused the movie, looked at me, and said: “Go to the bathroom, get your drinks, get your snacks, we aren’t stopping this movie again until it’s over.” It was the fastest 3 hour movie ever. I’m almost 30 now, and these movies legit changed my life. The greatest film series ever.
I bought the VHS when I was 10, because my friend's mother said it was cool, I had no idea what I was watching. The same year said mother took us to the cinema where we watched The Two Towers, a year later Return Of The King. Thanks to my friend's mom I had the privilege to experience 2/3 movies in the theatre... bless this woman!
@@xenomorphlover the extended edition blue rays have a very strange blue color grading. In some scenes I love it but most look strange. The 4K HDR versions look stunning even if the HDR isnt top notch.
@@bingobongo1615 are the extended blu rays really that much of an upgrade? My blu rays already look incredible so i can't imagine them looking significantly better. Btw, is the movie divided into 2 blu rays like with the 1080p blu rays?
In 5 minutes, this intro covers nearly 3000 years, sets the stage, introduces multiple characters with strengths and flaws (majority who are dead later on and the narrator we don’t even know till later on), and why we should be rooting for certain characters This intro did in 5 minutes what the Ring of Power couldn’t do in neither intro, episodes, and even a billion dollar budget
Absolutely excellent storytelling. Several characters are introduced. Their qualities are shown (Elrond being a formidable commander, Gollum being obsessive over the ring)Too bad they couldn’t adapt to show how the One Ring was really cut from Sauron’s hand.
This was peak cinema experience I tell you. Being an 11 year old, not knowing what to expect and you see that battle scene. Words can not begin to describe....
I was 11 also.. same exact thing. It was the most epic and amazing thing I had ever seen.. Avengers and some other movies came close, but as far as fantasy.. this is the Masterpiece.
I was also 11 and was totally unawared of what the movie was about or that it was based on a book trilogy. But since then I'm a Tolkien fan and always will be and this movies remain very close to my heart.
What I always took was, the elves were immortal, unless killed. Yet they chose to fight beside mortal men, against Sauron, they knew the evil he was. That was what always struck me.
That's right. But the "Last Alliance" is only the name given to the particular events of this march on Mordor. Elves and Men (specifically, the remnants of Numenor and the other men to which the Dunedain were allied) had been in informal "alliances" for centuries, so the Elves' choice to fight was merely the culmination of their earlier choice to throw in their lots together in friendship, trade, and culture. I guess when you live together, it's only fair that you die together.
@@mrgaudy1954 Theyre only immortal if they make the journey to cross the sea to the Undying lands. If they die in middle earth, then they're dead for good
@@reek4062Chill. An adaptation doesn't need to be an 1:1 copy of the source material to be good. Jackson made a good *adaptation*, he had a lot to explain in a relatively shirt time (Nature of movies as well as not having the previous setup of The Hobbit) and managed to do so in a well paced scene that hooked the audience and set well enough the world and premise of the story. If want to see what r*ping Tolkiens world and characters is, go watch RoP. I don't know why I'm trying to reason with you, tho. Someone who unironically thinks characters were r*ped because the adaptation didn't straight up copy them and uses "Jackson fsns" as if liking the movies as well as the books isn't compatible suerely gives off unreasonable fanatic vibes, but hey I could be wrong, prove me.
“The World is changed, I feel it in the Water, I feel it in the Earth, I smell it in the Air….Much that once was, is Lost. For none now live…who remember it” 😔
i needed to see this, i had to wash my eyes with epicness after watching some cringe scenes of "rop", the acting of that show, the dialog.... then they have the AUDACITY to compare this to the greatest trilogy of all time?! SHAME! get the pitchforks!
@@prax456 Hate watching it gets tiresome after an episode or two. Even then, the viewership for ROP is still decreasing. People were curious about the first two, which was expected, but eventually they're gonna get tired of hating it and just watch other things like LOTR or HOTD.
@@RedHood001-KA I have my gripes with it but I'll be real, the orcs look great, scenery is perfect, soundtrack is good, casting is good but I feel the forced ethnicity, dialogue could be better but it could be a lot worse. It doesn't match the Tolkien timeline completely and it's hard for anything to live up to the standards of peter jacksons work but you have to take into account it's made for the average fan who watches the films and plays games, people for be it whatever reason can't or won't read the novels. Mostly everyone in my family including my grandfather who's an avid Tolkien fan says it's better than having nothing. I honestly can say so far It's rated higher than the hobbit films for me. I couldn't care less about purists being mad down to every detail because in the end most of them will still watch it, even if it's to "Find things that are wrong with it"
Couple years ago i achieved a dream of mine - got myself a very large tv and a good surround sound system for my living room.I immediately played this movie. The blast wave from Sauron’s defeat at 3:44 that radiated from the tv through my ass and heart send the greatest shivers i’ve ever felt in my entire life. Such art is hard to come by i tell u.
I remember back in 2001/2002 I was a kid And we got a brand new Aiwa surround system And played LOTR and that scene I had the same reaction that i still haven't forgotten It was just unique experience
a lot of it is real. Peter jackson had like a mile of chain mail made. By two guys. Who after they were done had no fingerprints, and were at liberty to "start a prosperous career in crime" (Peter Jackson quote).
"And into this ring he poured his cruelty, his malice, and his will to dominate all life." Idk why but the way she delivers that single line...it makes Sauron sound so badass and bottomlessly evil. Perfect introduction for the perfect fantasy villain.
I like how with the old trilogy, you can see the grit and the hard work of movie making. Not only do the battle scenes feel gritty, messy, and real, but there is a number of shots here that have a very simple feel to them. If it was made today, it would be polished as all hell, and cgi would be used in every possible place.
You mean like the Hobbit? God I hate the battle of the five armies. CGI vomit… and I generally liked the hobbit movies (I may even love the first one) despite their flaws but the battle scene was horrible.
I love how in the book it's shown to be Sauron's absolute last desperate attempt to turn the tables and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. And it ALMOST works.
"A last alliance of Tolkien fans marched against the armies of Amazon Prime, and on the slopes of Mount Bezos, they fought for the freedom of Middle Earth."
This is not a film opening , this is art, poetry, class, staying loyal on the source material without personal adgendas and delivering a masterpiece, thank you for that
To be completely honest with you, if I saw a 4 meter tall dude rumored to be a demigod of war and darkness walking towards me with a mace of my body size, I'd probably start backing off too.
I remember seeing this intro in theatres. It was beyond everything we could have hoped for, especially with the Rankin/Bass adaptations being the most complete thing we had to see beforehand. This was, and still is, one of the greatest achievements ever seen on-screen.
The first time I saw this I was 8 years old and it just came out on VHS. This opening scene traumatized me and gave me nightmares for so long. I can still remember just how terrified I was when the first orc face came across the screen. Now I can’t get enough of it.
People who didn't see these movies as a kid will never know how freaking disturbing and terrifying the orcs were. I actually think our reaction as children was close to how you might feel if you encountered orcs in real life.
The best opening scene of any movie of all time. The Choir Opera, as the horde of orcs charge in. Met with the swift- unison uppercut of the elvish blades .... gives me chills beyond belief.
@@toshoshi1551 Yeah but that you had to sit through several minutes of the old man stumbling around the cemetery. LOTR just starts right outta the gate BAM! one of the best opening sequences in all of cinematic history. Just sucks you in like a vacuum and never lets you go!!
Howard Shore's score is vastly underrated in the first movie. I still get goosebumps every time I hear those high violins come in during the title sequence.
@@bhoyetderf1434 To be honest, there were great moment and even great visuals in the Hobbit trilogy. For example, and for me, I like the troll scene in the first Hobbit movie. The most of the combined cgi/live scenes were also splendid (like the fight with Nazguls in Dol Goldur). The main disappointment was the battle: even the elf and dwarf army was too man-made, soldiers moved in unnaturally ordered way. It was more a computer game than a LOTR movie. Legolas in the full-cgi scenes... ahucch. :/Yeah, as Bilbo said:"what have we done?"
My favorite - by far - is Elrond. That stern look on his face, combined with the barrage of Arrows that actually move his hair, it’s perfect. Utterly perfect. Could watch it for days.
1:53 will forever give me goosebumps and put a massive smile on my face no matter how many times I watch it, just kate blanchetts voice and then seeing the armies of men and elves marching to war with the music kicking in is incredible, sets the feeling of the world up so perfectly.
Grace and balance of the elves with the will and determination of the men. More fiction should serve to see the two in harmony and unity, even if self-serving.
I love how bravely the men march forward with discipline and strength. No faltering or trembling in their steps. And the elves stand fast, ready to use martial prowess perfected over many centuries against the waves of orcs crashing towards them.
Seeing this as a young teenager in 2001 was a game changer. There was seriously nothing like this before. It made me wonder if seeing Star Wars in 1970s had the same effect.
Everything about the trilogy was perfect imo. The audio, visuals, set-pieces, costume design, the casting. I'm not sure there was anything it lacked overall.
More background about the Palantíri stones would have been helpful, to explain better how Saruman was in contact with Sauron and more importantly how Denethor had been corrupted, because he too had a Palantíri and had been spying on Sauron, but Sauron was aware of this and used it to bend Denetor's will. None of this is made clear in the Theater or Extended versions, so Denethor just comes across as a power-hungry old douche, when in fact he was not himself and had been aged and twisted by Sauron's power. This was the biggest omission of context in the movies, imho.
1:53 this is one of my favourite shots of the triologie. I dont know why, but for me this looks really old like a flashback to the second age should look. How the leader looks sideways at his allies and how these mans hold their swords in front of himself...Just magnificent.
It's because it oozes heroism and sacrifice. "Some who resisted" and then an army marching to battle, weapons drawn, to fight and die against evil. It's just a perfect little scene.
Came back here after seeing the new Rings of Power series trailer. Man I'm so disappointed with what Amazon has put out. Makes me realize the importance of what peter Jackson has created even more. It's a timeless master piece, nothing will ever come close.
@@Nic-ye2yz its not Tolkien, its degenerate Marxist propaganda hiding under de IP, deceiving viewers that this is coming from Tolkien, but is a complete cultural vandalism at heart. If you know the scource material, you should have known this. Why else ask...
The Rings of Power will never even remotely come close to the original trilogy. Everything was literally perfect: The acting, emotions, action scenes, costumes, music, the story. You felt the weight of their struggles and desperation. Everyone and everything was dirty and worn. Unmatched to this day. All of it.
but but, haven't you seen that amazing line of the "rock and boat" that that guy was saying to little Guyladriel? cmon that line was amazing af, just pure goosebumps of cringe
If this ain’t the best intro of all time, then it’s the best narration of all time. Her delivery just makes this so much more epic. Incredible performance. I can’t even pick a favorite line. “The world has changed…” “much that once was is now lost. For none now live remember it.” “But they were all of them deceived” “into this ring he poured his cruelty his malice and his will to dominate all life” goosebumps
I went to the very first screening at midnight in New Zealand, so I get bragging rights on being among the first in the world to see it (along with half the population who also went lol). There had been so much hype going in, but I don't think anyone had envisaged just how jaw-droppingly epic and beautiful it would be. I also went to the midnight screenings of Part 2 and 3. I'll never forget the pure magic of experiencing those three films on the big screen. Nothing has come close since.
Greatest intro to a film of all time. Greatest trilogy of all time and the fellowship of the ring is the greatest fantasy film ever, it can never be toppled.
This scene was absolutely mesmerizing at 10 years old. One of the greatest prologues of all time. The narration, visuals, and music are all perfect. I was hooked immediately. The entire trilogy is a masterpiece, but this scene hits my nostalgia the hardest because it's what started it all.
I don't know why, but the way her speech changes from soft and slow to hard and quick when she begins talking about the forging of the one ring always stuck in my brain since the first time I saw this movie as a kid.
Did you guys notice how there's sound separation of several arrows when they pass Elrond? That's not in the original. Here you actually hear several arrows at 2:22!
My dad showed me the books when I was young and explained them to me. When we got to see the trilogy together in theaters we were so happy we bounded over the lotr and it will always hold a special place with me we still talk about the series alot
Oh wow! Does anyone notice how the gold pops far more than in the non-HDR/previous masters of these movies? You can absolutely tell in their armor, swords etc how gold simply stands out far more. Really feels like an increased range of colors.
@@benshaw3891 Did you guys also notice how there's sound separation of several arrows when they pass Elrond? That's not in the original. Here you actually hear several arrows!
Really needed to see this to clear my mind after watching "rings of power". What a timeless masterpieces the Jackson movies where. Fascinating to see again and again that true art can't be brute-force generated by a big company throwing giant amounts of money at something.
2001. 10 years old, watching this on opening night at the movie theatre. Just absolutely incredible. I can't even describe the feeling. The CGI. The camera shots. So inovative and mind blowing. The world building. Just a masterclass of book-to- film adaptation.
From everything I've heard and seen, it seems that Amazon's tv show (NOT actually set during Lord of the Rings, but several centuries earlier) is going to be another politically correct, forcibly 'diversified' leech sucking off a beloved franchise.
@@jamesdettmann94 Well, it's not written by Tolkien or his son, so I guess it's not canon no matter what. Just like how the movies aren't canon -although they are close to canon, or at least closer than Amazon's crappy show.
if you pause around 02:09 and onward and just changed the playback speed to around 0.25, You could see the army with a golden clad armor charged head on - those are the High Elven King Gil Galad's army led by his commander Elrond, it's just so epic to see this. This prologue is still by far the best. Still way better than Amazon RoP, even their very short prologue can't top this one and this scene was made by PJ like 20 or so years ago, its a timeless piece of film making.
yeah its tragic that PJ couldn't of made a LOTR series with the kind of budget wasted on ROP. The only thing i find making me want to watch the next ep is meteor man
@@dabblerdeluxe775 it will be interesting to see PJ reaction to Amazon RoP as read the article when he was interviewed that he will be neutral when watching it , only time will tell
Cate Blanchett's narration is so awesome. She just pulls you right into the story, along with the awesome imagery. Morefred Clark isn't even in the same ballpark playing Galadriel. So horribly miscast (like most everyone in the show), even though the writing for Rings of Power is abysmal, she just can't act. "But they were all of them, deceived, for another ring was made..." Epic.
I had read the books, heard that the movies were coming, was super-anxious if they would do the story justice. And than I was sitting in the movie theater, watched these first seconds … and thanked the gods. Melon-sized goosebumps. It is just so good. Eternal thanks to Peter Jackson. Close to tears whenever I watch this. ❤
Do you notice, when Galadrial is examining her ring, right before it cuts to the Dwarf Lords, her eyes widen a bit? Do you think...it's realization? Since the elves apparently felt Sauron's taint and knew to take their rings off.
I doubt it. It seems to be they've only just gotten the rings and were admiring them. I think the breeze and wide eyes are to symbolise the feeling of power she felt. The One Ring wasn't made until about 10 years after the others
It's absolutely a brilliant prologue, but I still can't help but feel a little frustration (as I think Tolkien would have) over the essentially negative portrayal of Isildur. As written, he is a flawed characteer - and he takes a fatal decision - but not an antagonist.
it is a stylistic choice that I think makes sense given the medium of film. Men in LOTR are seen as the most corruptible and are therefore easiest to be swayed by the power of the ring. By showing how it corrupted Islidur (and almost Boromir) provides a nice contrast to the struggle that Aragon must go through in order to prove that he is worthy of being King.
@@theotheronethere4391 Yes, and on those grounds, it's at least a defensible adaptation choice. I do think (based on his own comments in reviewing a proposed LOTR script) that Tolkien still would have taken umbrage at it. Of course, that doesn't mean Tolkien was always the best judge of screen adaptation requirements.
@@theotheronethere4391 Also lends weight to Aragorn worrying about not being able to move beyond his ancestors' mistakes, so like you say it definitely works
It's crazy to think that this majestic opening was conceived as an afterthought by Jackson and his co-writers at the end of the year long shoot. It wasn't planned or scripted.
When I saw this in an IMAX theater, I was only eight years old, but I KNEW the whole trilogy was going to be good because there was magic from the first few seconds. Sometimes you just know a thing for no reason. Everyone in that theater could feel it, too. And we were not wrong. "But there were some who resisted. A last alliance of men and elves marched against the armies of Mordor, and on the slopes of Mount Doom, they fought for the freedom of Middle Earth."
2:43 always got me, her narration combined with those simple words. Added all the weight needed to mystify and intrigue the viewer, even one who didn’t read the books.
If you want to play this, or any of my other scenes back in 5.1 you'll need to download the video with a program like youtube-dl and play back the file locally. RUclips still keep the 5.1 track but don't play it back anymore for some reason.
I play this on kodi with kodi set to audio passthrough. My dsp says click! And recognizes a dolby digital stream.
Thanks for this update. I came here specifically to ask how it could be in 5.1 when RUclips doesn't play in anything but stereo.
Ingenius. Viewers who havent seen it yet will be like, what??? What happened?? Wheres tge rest of the Opening??? GAAH!!!Now I have to go get the movie!!!
WELL PLAYED, cutting it off, in the middle of a juicy part of the opening!! Gonna send this to an unindoctrinated friend, to goad her into watching it.
ISILDURRRRR
@@lemn8 😅
This is the kind of movie that when you see more than two minutes, you want to finish the whole trilogy.
..knowing you have just watched it the day before.
İ was determined to do it even before i started :D
If I see even five minutes of one, I’m contractually obligated to watch all three again (extended editions duh)
You weak minded fool. You see me as some sort of monkey in a zoo, dancing for your memes. Well guess what, I'm a man and I'm alive. You'll never know what it means to love something. To love it so much you write essays about it, defend it's honor to strangers on the internet, and bask in it's glory every chance you get. You'll never love anything because you're incapable of love. I may be autistic, but at least I'm not a robot. I am the shire. I am you shall not pass. I am Peter Jackson's tiny butthole. And to be honest, I don't want to be anything else. So suck my d American.
@@carlslovechild sneed
Anyone else still getting goosebumps after 20 years watching this....
Definitely me- I will never forget the very first time I heard this intro 😯
particularly because they are making a series set in the second age that will cover everything in the prologue and more. This is not just "back story" but an epic story to equal Lord of the Rings.
I watched all three two Thanksgivings ago. Gotta read it this summer and watch the whole trilogy again.
Absolutely!!!!!
Gay
The drums thumping as Sauron enters the battlefield gives me chills every time.
It’s a nice pause
the sheer intimidation factor of his armor suit and stature are insane
@storietellermusic he was not human
He's an angel @@lethalus3494
In all honesty it makes me tear up. As a child I've always found a love for the villains in movies. Sauron was different, his level of presence, intimidation and raw strength were almost inspiring to me.
This is easily the most memorable opening scene in film history.
No question.
@@chrisjordanfarrow staaaaap
@@chrisjordanfarrow Sorry man, not even close
@@chrisjordanfarrow Probably just as iconic but not as likely to hook you as this
Saving Private Ryan?
@@stephenwitwick3926 a compelling argument, however, that scene is so memorable as it depicts real history. The magic behind this scene is that it's all in one's imagination.
I just came here after the Ring of Power announcing to say: no one can top Cate Blanchett's voice in this epic monologue opening. Truly outstanding 👏👏
Cannot Agree More
Had to get that refresher just to be sure but yeah, we cant ignore the difference
True, I thought the same
The new voice has the epicness of a kindergartener reading a newspaper.
Same
How is it possible that inspite of seeing something a thousand times, you still don’t get bored of it? The Lord of the Rings is untouchable. Unparalleled. There is no movie that comes close to it.
For real. I seen it when it came out in theatres, and here I sit (half) watching it for probably the 50th time
Definitely. The Two Towers is probably the weakest of the 3 and it's still better than just about every other film.
@@lethalus3494except of course, the other 2 lord of the rings movies
It's a masterpiece. It's like great music that will reveal something new each time you listen.
truer words have never been spoken😊
"But there were SOME... who resisted..."
Proceeds to show thousands, upon thousands of soldiers, marching in unison against the encroaching darkness. Absolutely love that line, its delivery and the scene's transition.
It’s good
Tens, maybe hundreds, of thusands among probably millions is still not a majority.
"A last alliance of men and Elves, marched against the armies of Mordor.
And on the slopes of mount doom they fought for the freedom of Middle earth."
So badass. Nothing quite like different people banding together to fight a greater evil. I also like that the humans look just as magnificent as the Elves, armored from head to toe and ready to fight the darkness
With "some", she meant some peoples of Middle-Earth.
@@atanvardo5730 she thought that many many people
Every time I hear Kate Blanchett voice narrate the beginning of the story it gives me the deepest chills I've ever felt
I agree
Cate.
I know exactly what you mean, even though I don't feel it myself.
Especially with that opening theme song ! Fucken epic!
Dick chills
The way the actress says "I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air" is truly thrilling and immersive.
Yes this line always gets me
Treebeard originally says it, in The Return of the King book. But I agree, better for Galadriel to say it, and it's a truly great line!
One ring to rule them all
And better than the entire two seasons of Rings of Power.
It's ayurvedic theory of end of the world
This is still a masterpiece intro. In less than 5 minutes, you understand the history, the major conflict, the plot, and the major players of the piece, while being immediately engaged by the epic battle scene, which helps hold your attention through the subsequent slow part of the film that introduces the hero.
One of the best openings just like Watchmen's. So we'll executed.
If you think the movie’s beginning is slow, try the first 200 pages of the book before they even get to Rivendell 😂
@@ZaddyGohan 🤣 I think they reached Rivendell 1/3 of the 1,100 book.
It will forever be a masterpiece. We will never see movies of this caliber again.
truly I think Tolkien would have been proud of it
I grew up with my dad telling me these stories before I could really comprehend the writing myself. When we went to go see Fellowship in theatres, this scene alone told me it was going to be the greatest thing I've ever seen.
When we got out of the theatre, I asked my dad what he thought of the film. He said something I'll never forget: "It was everything I've ever wanted to see."
Similar story. My dad bought me the books and I remember not really understanding them and then when the movie came out.i was blown away! Especially the beginning. The scene has been embedded in my memory for the past 20 years!
I was introduced to the Silamrillion before anything else, in 1996 when a friend of mine who was an epic metal music fan, had some illustrations of Silmarillion characters on his room's wall. I asked him with interest about these pictures and he first told me about Tolkien and how much his work has influenced rock music. Later he gave me his cover of the Silmarillion and it consumed me from the first pages... made my imagination burn like wildfire. Of course the next year i also read the Hobbit, Lotr etc... in 2000 at a time when internet was not yet what it is now, i heard in the news the announcement about the "most ambitious project in cinema history, the bringing to life Tolkien's Lotr" and it was like a thunder strike me... between 2000 to 2001 i was looking everything i could find about the upcoming movie, pictures, posters, the cast etc etc.. i even sneaked into my university's computer room to use their fast (then) internet connection and download the teaser treiler (the one with requem of a dream music). In 2001 Christmass... it was SO hard to find tickets for the movie that me and my friend ended up siting in the first row, having the huge screen almost in our face. When this prologue started and all the way up to the battle in mount doom, i caught myself crying from excitement and that happened again in the whole Moria sequence... there is no other movie trilogy in my life that made me feel like wanting to go as many times as possible to the cinema and see it again and again. I saw each one 5 times and i stoped only when i didnt had any other friends left without already seeing them!! The only other movie that i can remember giving me chills and somewhat coming close but not exactly there, was Blade Runner 2049....
@@CODINE80 that's one hell of a story
I had the same reaction. I was 33 and had waited all my life at that point for a faithful portrayal. I was awestruck. I couldn't believe what I had seen and I was SO proud to be a fan of these stories. Jackson and company did us right.
I remember then I saw Lord of the Rings for first time with my dad
In Boramir’s voice:
“This trilogy has no remake. This trilogy needs no remake”.
And yet it will get one. One day.
There will never be another trilogy like this ever again. Movies like these just don't get made anymore. True perfection
That's because men can be women and imagination is dead within Hollywood
@@swesleyc7 What does the existence of trans people (who basically have no presence in most if not all main stream movies) have to do with the fact that studios don't want to spend any money on properties that aren't already part of a massive franchise?
To be fair, they never made movies like this before either and it's a miracle that these movies got made in the first place, seeing how producers and such wanted to condense the entire story into a single two hour movie and Peter Jackson and his crew had to fight tooth and nail to even get a two movie deal
And there was even quite a lot left out which would have made it even better.
@@Karambat one tranny in Lotr ruins it, they ruin everything they touch actually, their very existence ruins the world.
"But the power of The Ring could not be undone..." I love that line.
It just makes you go,Oh fuck
Especially coupled with the thumping as he steps onto the battlefield.
Yes! My favorite line
To me it is "But there were some, who resited"
Orcs standing back behind Sauron "Well look who finally shows up after 7 years of fighting. About god dam time you got your ass out there. We were out here.........oh shit"
I was 9 years old, The Two Towers was being released in theaters in a couple of weeks, and one of my dad’s co-workers lent us his DVD of Fellowship so my dad and I could watch it. My mom was working all day, and it was just the two of us. We got through this opening scene, and my dad paused the movie, looked at me, and said: “Go to the bathroom, get your drinks, get your snacks, we aren’t stopping this movie again until it’s over.” It was the fastest 3 hour movie ever. I’m almost 30 now, and these movies legit changed my life. The greatest film series ever.
Your dad is a national hero
Yo me too I am also 30 and was 9 when the two towers came out. I saw all 3 on the big screen
It was the return of the king for me good times
You have an awesome dad.
I bought the VHS when I was 10, because my friend's mother said it was cool, I had no idea what I was watching.
The same year said mother took us to the cinema where we watched The Two Towers, a year later Return Of The King.
Thanks to my friend's mom I had the privilege to experience 2/3 movies in the theatre... bless this woman!
The best trilogy ever created.
Without a shred of doubt
@@XDarkBrotherhoodHD if only it could be say the same with amazons transgender and black elfs tv show
@@AlejandroP1980s You can't judge beforehand. That's just being narrow-minded.
@@TheLapari we will see. But I'm worried
@@TheLapari im from the future i saw it is shitty beforehand and afterhand
And one 4K Bluray LOTR version was gifted to the fans, who above all else desire quality
🤣....I think I'll stick to the 1080p blu rays which already look incredibly look on a 4k tv...
Do the 4Ks have the commentary tracks from the original Extended Edition DVDs?
@@xenomorphlover the extended edition blue rays have a very strange blue color grading.
In some scenes I love it but most look strange.
The 4K HDR versions look stunning even if the HDR isnt top notch.
@@bingobongo1615 are the extended blu rays really that much of an upgrade? My blu rays already look incredible so i can't imagine them looking significantly better. Btw, is the movie divided into 2 blu rays like with the 1080p blu rays?
@Austin Madore I own the 4K version and it's not good
In 5 minutes, this intro covers nearly 3000 years, sets the stage, introduces multiple characters with strengths and flaws (majority who are dead later on and the narrator we don’t even know till later on), and why we should be rooting for certain characters
This intro did in 5 minutes what the Ring of Power couldn’t do in neither intro, episodes, and even a billion dollar budget
amen, I hope Amazon go bust
Absolutely excellent storytelling. Several characters are introduced. Their qualities are shown (Elrond being a formidable commander, Gollum being obsessive over the ring)Too bad they couldn’t adapt to show how the One Ring was really cut from Sauron’s hand.
@@chrisbarrett2117 wait….are you telling me Isildur whacked Sauron finger off and Sauron kicked him in the balls saying, “Tis only a flesh wound!”
@@mysticdragonwolf89 Not quite, Sauron was defeated before Isildur came before him, he just looted the ring from his corpse.
What's crazy is that at the end of the series they will have to somehow replicate this scene
This was peak cinema experience I tell you. Being an 11 year old, not knowing what to expect and you see that battle scene. Words can not begin to describe....
I was 13, and I felt exactly the same way. By the time this prologue was over, I knew i was in for something special!
I was 11 also.. same exact thing. It was the most epic and amazing thing I had ever seen.. Avengers and some other movies came close, but as far as fantasy.. this is the Masterpiece.
I was also 11 and was totally unawared of what the movie was about or that it was based on a book trilogy. But since then I'm a Tolkien fan and always will be and this movies remain very close to my heart.
@@dignifieddan.4198 мне было 6-7 лет когда у меня появились диски с трилогией, ждём "Кольца Власти"
That is why I sort of envy Tolkien "Virgins" when the movies came out.
What I always took was, the elves were immortal, unless killed. Yet they chose to fight beside mortal men, against Sauron, they knew the evil he was. That was what always struck me.
I think they’ve got an immortal spirit also; this travels back over the sea if they get killed.
That's right. But the "Last Alliance" is only the name given to the particular events of this march on Mordor. Elves and Men (specifically, the remnants of Numenor and the other men to which the Dunedain were allied) had been in informal "alliances" for centuries, so the Elves' choice to fight was merely the culmination of their earlier choice to throw in their lots together in friendship, trade, and culture. I guess when you live together, it's only fair that you die together.
@@mrgaudy1954 Theyre only immortal if they make the journey to cross the sea to the Undying lands. If they die in middle earth, then they're dead for good
No no , the men agreed to fight alongside the elves , the enmity between elves and Sauron is quite old .
@@peterlee6304 That's not exactly correct. Their bodies may die, but their spirits remain, like a shadow people.
Jackson had 5 minutes to make a good first impression. In less than 3 he captured the world.
He r@ped Tolkien's characters, and the Jackson fans cheered.
@@reek4062Chill. An adaptation doesn't need to be an 1:1 copy of the source material to be good. Jackson made a good *adaptation*, he had a lot to explain in a relatively shirt time (Nature of movies as well as not having the previous setup of The Hobbit) and managed to do so in a well paced scene that hooked the audience and set well enough the world and premise of the story. If want to see what r*ping Tolkiens world and characters is, go watch RoP.
I don't know why I'm trying to reason with you, tho. Someone who unironically thinks characters were r*ped because the adaptation didn't straight up copy them and uses "Jackson fsns" as if liking the movies as well as the books isn't compatible suerely gives off unreasonable fanatic vibes, but hey I could be wrong, prove me.
@@reek4062 literally killed Haldir 😅
@@reek4062stop spamming nonsense, child
@@reek4062 absolute tool 💤💤💤
Now I have to watch the whole trilogy again...
Have to? You mean get to!
@@studmuffin3264 facts, It’s an privilege to witness
For the 100th time, same here 😆
@@deb-1558 only 100??? Please i lost count.
Every time we try to leave, it ropes us back in!
2:22 - 2:27 is so EPIC ..the arrows flying by Elronds head and the swords of his army’s frontlines spinning as they clash is just so epic!
It's absolutely magnificent.
Favorite scene
I call them missiles in Neokosmo.
The elven version of the mexican wave
Just so fucking dope how disciplined the elves are collectively
“The World is changed, I feel it in the Water, I feel it in the Earth, I smell it in the Air….Much that once was, is Lost. For none now live…who remember it” 😔
Amen!
And it has changed .
2021. I hope that this magnificent trilogy will return to theaters in celebration of its 20th anniversary. Would be wonderful!
Covid: no
it will mate, your hopes came true
Well, your wish came true but sadly, it's in theatrical version and also there is still Coronavirus.
They will ruin it, Peter Jackson was the absolute best in the business.
They have!
It is refreshing seeing everyone come back here to remind themselves of this masterwork of an opening to the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
It also reminds us how bad the recent Amazon version is.
i needed to see this, i had to wash my eyes with epicness after watching some cringe scenes of "rop", the acting of that show, the dialog.... then they have the AUDACITY to compare this to the greatest trilogy of all time?! SHAME! get the pitchforks!
@@nightfalls5462 But... you're still watching it?
@@prax456 Hate watching it gets tiresome after an episode or two. Even then, the viewership for ROP is still decreasing. People were curious about the first two, which was expected, but eventually they're gonna get tired of hating it and just watch other things like LOTR or HOTD.
@@RedHood001-KA I have my gripes with it but I'll be real, the orcs look great, scenery is perfect, soundtrack is good, casting is good but I feel the forced ethnicity, dialogue could be better but it could be a lot worse. It doesn't match the Tolkien timeline completely and it's hard for anything to live up to the standards of peter jacksons work but you have to take into account it's made for the average fan who watches the films and plays games, people for be it whatever reason can't or won't read the novels. Mostly everyone in my family including my grandfather who's an avid Tolkien fan says it's better than having nothing. I honestly can say so far It's rated higher than the hobbit films for me. I couldn't care less about purists being mad down to every detail because in the end most of them will still watch it, even if it's to "Find things that are wrong with it"
Couple years ago i achieved a dream of mine - got myself a very large tv and a good surround sound system for my living room.I immediately played this movie. The blast wave from Sauron’s defeat at 3:44 that radiated from the tv through my ass and heart send the greatest shivers i’ve ever felt in my entire life. Such art is hard to come by i tell u.
Exactly my dream
There aren't many movies that can touch both your heart and your ass at the same time... But LOTR is one of them.
Hahahah. Good for you.
Another good sound is the "whhump" sound of the fell beast's wings in the swamps as its looking for Frodo in The Two Towers.
I remember back in 2001/2002
I was a kid
And we got a brand new Aiwa surround system
And played LOTR and that scene
I had the same reaction that i still haven't forgotten
It was just unique experience
If this looks good, on TV with a real 4K player it will look even better
Yes, because it is designed to play in such a TV. 4k Oled HDR will give you phenomenal results
It is fantastic in 4K, a dear friend got it fir her Christmas present and loves it.
ive got an apple tv 4k , trust me its worth every penny
@@quantumgravity92 Jesus. I might as well drop HBOMAX for Apple. They have LOTR but they don't have 4K like WTF
I've got the 4k box set. Incredible
For a movie that's 20 years old the cgi still looks amazing
a lot of it is real. Peter jackson had like a mile of chain mail made. By two guys. Who after they were done had no fingerprints, and were at liberty to "start a prosperous career in crime" (Peter Jackson quote).
It's because it was used *wisely*
Because it’s literally real, Peter Jackson and his crew just saw a bunch of elves and orcs fighting and some shit and he just started recording
A great deal of it is real. The trilogy received the Oscars for makeup and costuming.
@@NightWanderer31415 exactly. The hobbit trilogy was overkill.
Back when opening monologues to movies were engaging and had real emotion to them.
This had a lot of effort put into it
"And into this ring he poured his cruelty, his malice, and his will to dominate all life."
Idk why but the way she delivers that single line...it makes Sauron sound so badass and bottomlessly evil. Perfect introduction for the perfect fantasy villain.
Dude was the epitome of every bad guy who ever lived & is going to live 😂
I like how with the old trilogy, you can see the grit and the hard work of movie making. Not only do the battle scenes feel gritty, messy, and real, but there is a number of shots here that have a very simple feel to them. If it was made today, it would be polished as all hell, and cgi would be used in every possible place.
You mean like the Hobbit?
God I hate the battle of the five armies. CGI vomit… and I generally liked the hobbit movies (I may even love the first one) despite their flaws but the battle scene was horrible.
you mean like rings of pwer lol
It's been called a 100 million dollar indie movie for good reason.
Yup, sounds like you’re describing the Hobbit haha
@@siegfriedgottz698 ring of power looks fucking dope though everything else aside IMO
Sauron's armour is one of the most iconic pieces of cinematography,
2:40 I always loved how everyone just stopped fighting, “Like shit Sauron is actually on the battlefield” 😂
When you are faced with elven magic what more could you do
Raid boss is here!
@@shortyprogaming you counter it with Morgul magic and the power of the strongest Maiar multiplied by the power of the One.
I love how in the book it's shown to be Sauron's absolute last desperate attempt to turn the tables and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. And it ALMOST works.
@@shortyprogaming Sauron isn't an elf
"A last alliance of Tolkien fans marched against the armies of Amazon Prime, and on the slopes of Mount Bezos, they fought for the freedom of Middle Earth."
🤣🤣 let's go for tolkien
I started reading this at the same time this line came up. Perfection.
You can have my 5 inch Smith and Wesson knife.
Well said.😎👍
Your mean “super fans” not armies. 😂
This is not a film opening , this is art, poetry, class, staying loyal on the source material without personal adgendas and delivering a masterpiece, thank you for that
20 years later and I still get goosebumps with this opening.
Imagine being so alpha that merely walking into the battlefield makes an entire army stop what it's doing and start backing away.
Not just one army
Elves and Men
and he's not even morgoth LOL
To be completely honest with you, if I saw a 4 meter tall dude rumored to be a demigod of war and darkness walking towards me with a mace of my body size, I'd probably start backing off too.
@@TTF1997 Especially one that was a lieutenant of Melkor.
Don’t forget the dwarves where there too
I remember seeing this intro in theatres. It was beyond everything we could have hoped for, especially with the Rankin/Bass adaptations being the most complete thing we had to see beforehand. This was, and still is, one of the greatest achievements ever seen on-screen.
The first time I saw this I was 8 years old and it just came out on VHS. This opening scene traumatized me and gave me nightmares for so long. I can still remember just how terrified I was when the first orc face came across the screen. Now I can’t get enough of it.
@Nathaniel Vargas Seeing Sauron the first time was scary af.
I was always super interested and terrified of Moria and the goblins
@@inspectorlunge3887 you misspelled badass
People who didn't see these movies as a kid will never know how freaking disturbing and terrifying the orcs were. I actually think our reaction as children was close to how you might feel if you encountered orcs in real life.
"The elves: Immortal, wisest, and fairest of all beings..."
The valar and maiar would like to know your location.
Well yea but Galadriel is pretty biased though
well, galadriel and Elrond are wise as a Maiar tho
Wizened but not yet truly wise.
Children of Eru Iluvatar.
.....in Middle Earth, she means. She forgot to mention that part. Haha
I just cannot believe how well this trilogy has aged. It’s so immersive and still looks pretty to the eye! A masterpiece!
"Much that once was...is lost. For none now live who remember it."
Readers of the Silmarillion know just how immeasurably weighted that sentence is.
@@brandonheald9624 LOL I’m half way through it, and every five minutes in the movies I’m like “I get that reference”
@@brandonheald9624 absolutely
so sayeth Ælfwine (or Eriol ) 0:16
Except for Elrond, Galadriel, Celeborn, Glorfindel & Cirdan. Or Tom Bombadil, Treebeard and the Ents. Yep no one remembers it.
The best opening scene of any movie of all time. The Choir Opera, as the horde of orcs charge in. Met with the swift- unison uppercut of the elvish blades .... gives me chills beyond belief.
Agreed. Saving Private Ryan is the only opening I would put on the same level.
@@toshoshi1551 Yeah but that you had to sit through several minutes of the old man stumbling around the cemetery. LOTR just starts right outta the gate BAM! one of the best opening sequences in all of cinematic history. Just sucks you in like a vacuum and never lets you go!!
@@toshoshi1551 fuck no
@@toshoshi1551 Yea that movie is definately up there too. Good call. And the fact it actually happened that way. Brings a whole new level of realism.
It’s fknin insane 🔥😂
Howard Shore's score is vastly underrated in the first movie. I still get goosebumps every time I hear those high violins come in during the title sequence.
All the music is great
When a three minutes battle looks much better than the entire Battle of Five Armies movie.
Makeup/Real Prosthetics combined with minimum CGI > Full CGI. It's why LOTR looks better than the Hobbit despite the Hobbit being over a decade newer
I disagree hobbit battle was amazing too
Agree. Hobbit was just full of cgi effects.. It looked fake
@@bhoyetderf1434 To be honest, there were great moment and even great visuals in the Hobbit trilogy. For example, and for me, I like the troll scene in the first Hobbit movie. The most of the combined cgi/live scenes were also splendid (like the fight with Nazguls in Dol Goldur). The main disappointment was the battle: even the elf and dwarf army was too man-made, soldiers moved in unnaturally ordered way. It was more a computer game than a LOTR movie. Legolas in the full-cgi scenes... ahucch. :/Yeah, as Bilbo said:"what have we done?"
My favorite - by far - is Elrond. That stern look on his face, combined with the barrage of Arrows that actually move his hair, it’s perfect. Utterly perfect. Could watch it for days.
1:53 will forever give me goosebumps and put a massive smile on my face no matter how many times I watch it, just kate blanchetts voice and then seeing the armies of men and elves marching to war with the music kicking in is incredible, sets the feeling of the world up so perfectly.
Same!!!
Same lol
Grace and balance of the elves with the will and determination of the men.
More fiction should serve to see the two in harmony and unity, even if self-serving.
Seeing the men march toward that horde ready to throw down to save humanity …. Legendary
I love how bravely the men march forward with discipline and strength. No faltering or trembling in their steps. And the elves stand fast, ready to use martial prowess perfected over many centuries against the waves of orcs crashing towards them.
Still gives me chills even after seeing the original release in theaters
Can we just appreciate how fucking efficient this exposition is? I mean they cover like 500 pages of lore in 5 minutes!
2:51
The sound design in this trilogy is insane. I love that heavy steel sound effect...makes you feel that Sauron is truly huge and powerful.
Seeing this as a young teenager in 2001 was a game changer. There was seriously nothing like this before. It made me wonder if seeing Star Wars in 1970s had the same effect.
I have said this exact same thing!
Everything about the trilogy was perfect imo. The audio, visuals, set-pieces, costume design, the casting. I'm not sure there was anything it lacked overall.
The movies were too short ;)
Y, more time, more depth
Tom Bombadil and Goldberry.
More background about the Palantíri stones would have been helpful, to explain better how Saruman was in contact with Sauron and more importantly how Denethor had been corrupted, because he too had a Palantíri and had been spying on Sauron, but Sauron was aware of this and used it to bend Denetor's will. None of this is made clear in the Theater or Extended versions, so Denethor just comes across as a power-hungry old douche, when in fact he was not himself and had been aged and twisted by Sauron's power. This was the biggest omission of context in the movies, imho.
it lacks saruman's death from the book
1:53 this is one of my favourite shots of the triologie. I dont know why, but for me this looks really old like a flashback to the second age should look. How the leader looks sideways at his allies and how these mans hold their swords in front of himself...Just magnificent.
It's because it oozes heroism and sacrifice. "Some who resisted" and then an army marching to battle, weapons drawn, to fight and die against evil. It's just a perfect little scene.
Thanks, I feel just the same. Magnificent is the word. Wonderful work.
The "some who resisted" line always gives me goosebumps. Totally agree that the scene"oozes" heroism.
Pretty sick how the men are just walking towards sprinting Orcs too!
Gives me goosebumps every time.
Every. Single. Line. In this is chilling. Best opening of any movie, period.
Came back here after seeing the new Rings of Power series trailer. Man I'm so disappointed with what Amazon has put out. Makes me realize the importance of what peter Jackson has created even more. It's a timeless master piece, nothing will ever come close.
Rings of Power = woke garbarge
Let's hope the actual content is better than the trailer puts out!
@@YouSuprised why?
@@Nic-ye2yz its not Tolkien, its degenerate Marxist propaganda hiding under de IP, deceiving viewers that this is coming from Tolkien, but is a complete cultural vandalism at heart. If you know the scource material, you should have known this. Why else ask...
@@ashirvadin it wont be. Don't spend hope unto a deception.
2:18 Elrond:
"Tangado haid! Leithio i philinn!"
"Hold positions! Fire the arrows!'
I’ve always thought that sequence was cool
In Neokosmo they’re called missiles.
@@kryoruleroftheninthcircleo4151 i see, cool
"Leithio" is what Thranduil says in the hobbit trilogy too !
The way Elronds hair moves because of the arrows passing by his head is awesome
This and The Godfather's opening always make me wanna watch the whole movie. There is no other movie that has the same effect. Just marvelous...
The Rings of Power will never even remotely come close to the original trilogy.
Everything was literally perfect: The acting, emotions, action scenes, costumes, music, the story.
You felt the weight of their struggles and desperation. Everyone and everything was dirty and worn.
Unmatched to this day. All of it.
it was also a better part of our lives too
bUt WhErEs aLl tHe bLaCK pEoPlE tOlKiEn wAs sO rAcIsT
but but, haven't you seen that amazing line of the "rock and boat" that that guy was saying to little Guyladriel? cmon that line was amazing af, just pure goosebumps
of cringe
I would argue that the costumes were far from perfect, but I agree that these films are the best of all time.
@@robertlukacs4954 the costumes for which?
If this ain’t the best intro of all time, then it’s the best narration of all time. Her delivery just makes this so much more epic. Incredible performance.
I can’t even pick a favorite line. “The world has changed…” “much that once was is now lost. For none now live remember it.” “But they were all of them deceived” “into this ring he poured his cruelty his malice and his will to dominate all life” goosebumps
Can't forget "But there were some who resisted".
One of the greatest opening scenes in cinema history. Wouldn't mind at all if it dragged on for longer.
It's been a bit over 20 years and my god, this scene and the entire movie stills holds up.
Just imagine being in cinema and watching this in 2001 on the big screen. Awe and goosebumps 🙂
I did. It was unforgettable. (It was 2000)
I was there, Thanos. I was there 21 years ago
I went to the very first screening at midnight in New Zealand, so I get bragging rights on being among the first in the world to see it (along with half the population who also went lol). There had been so much hype going in, but I don't think anyone had envisaged just how jaw-droppingly epic and beautiful it would be. I also went to the midnight screenings of Part 2 and 3. I'll never forget the pure magic of experiencing those three films on the big screen. Nothing has come close since.
I watched it 7 times in the cinema
@@MrSonofhades lmao the one liners in this movie are too fucking good, always cracks me up
The way their faces went to full fear when he took to the battlefield. What a presence!
Greatest intro to a film of all time. Greatest trilogy of all time and the fellowship of the ring is the greatest fantasy film ever, it can never be toppled.
The Indiana Jones trilogy is better
@@reek4062I couldn't disagree with you more.
@@reek4062loser
This trilogy is a masterpiece.
I am back again to watch this gem to cleanse my mind of Rings of Power season 2.
Had to come here after watching rings of power to remember what quality is
This scene was absolutely mesmerizing at 10 years old. One of the greatest prologues of all time. The narration, visuals, and music are all perfect. I was hooked immediately. The entire trilogy is a masterpiece, but this scene hits my nostalgia the hardest because it's what started it all.
I don't know why, but the way her speech changes from soft and slow to hard and quick when she begins talking about the forging of the one ring always stuck in my brain since the first time I saw this movie as a kid.
Did you guys notice how there's sound separation of several arrows when they pass Elrond? That's not in the original. Here you actually hear several arrows at 2:22!
I’ve noticed that too there’s a lot more sound added, or otherwise emphasized like when Sauron’s helm rolls a little
Make it more awesome
Great catch
Well this opening is the one from the extended version. And they often slightly change sounds and scenes when they went back so that might be why
My dad showed me the books when I was young and explained them to me. When we got to see the trilogy together in theaters we were so happy we bounded over the lotr and it will always hold a special place with me we still talk about the series alot
Man I love how brave Elendil is, looked the dark lord up and down and thought "let's go"
Elendil was a force to be reckoned with
Oh wow! Does anyone notice how the gold pops far more than in the non-HDR/previous masters of these movies? You can absolutely tell in their armor, swords etc how gold simply stands out far more. Really feels like an increased range of colors.
Yeah I agree, the gold is more obvious in this version.
I strongly agree with you
@@benshaw3891 Did you guys also notice how there's sound separation of several arrows when they pass Elrond? That's not in the original. Here you actually hear several arrows!
@@Glatroz yes !!!
@@Glatroz that's a nice addition,It feels like you're actually there
During the intro in Rings of Power, I was reminded of the level of nuance of Cate Blanchett's narration and how she just pulls you in with her words.
Experiencing this for the first time was a thing to remember for life.
Really needed to see this to clear my mind after watching "rings of power".
What a timeless masterpieces the Jackson movies where.
Fascinating to see again and again that true art can't be brute-force generated by a big company throwing giant amounts of money at something.
The Jackson movies paved the way for Rings of Power.
@@reek4062That’s like saying Shakespeare paved the way for Jersey Shore
I remember watching this intro at the cinema with my brother and brother in law. We had no idea what we went into lol. What an experience!
Same, best cinematic experience ever. Read the books almost immediately after.
That must have been like a dream to see this in early 2000s
This scene is better then the whole series of rings of power 😂
Rings of power is garbage
Let’s not go there.
Okay.
Rings of Power? What's that?
The sound design in this scene was absolutely outstanding in IMAX.
Pure epicness. Still going to be a masterpiece in the next half century like Ben Hur or Lawrence of Arabia were and still are.
2001. 10 years old, watching this on opening night at the movie theatre. Just absolutely incredible. I can't even describe the feeling. The CGI. The camera shots. So inovative and mind blowing. The world building. Just a masterclass of book-to- film adaptation.
Here after Amazon dropped their trailer. Can’t imagine it will compare to this masterpiece!
From everything I've heard and seen, it seems that Amazon's tv show (NOT actually set during Lord of the Rings, but several centuries earlier) is going to be another politically correct, forcibly 'diversified' leech sucking off a beloved franchise.
Anything tv fantasy it'll never be compared to an amazing movie as this.
Amazon, HBO and any TV business and company can eat my ass
@@pageachatter229 it isn't canon if nobody watches it
@@jamesdettmann94 Well, it's not written by Tolkien or his son, so I guess it's not canon no matter what. Just like how the movies aren't canon -although they are close to canon, or at least closer than Amazon's crappy show.
if you pause around 02:09 and onward and just changed the playback speed to around 0.25, You could see the army with a golden clad armor charged head on - those are the High Elven King Gil Galad's army led by his commander Elrond, it's just so epic to see this. This prologue is still by far the best. Still way better than Amazon RoP, even their very short prologue can't top this one and this scene was made by PJ like 20 or so years ago, its a timeless piece of film making.
yeah its tragic that PJ couldn't of made a LOTR series with the kind of budget wasted on ROP. The only thing i find making me want to watch the next ep is meteor man
@@dabblerdeluxe775 though on that very short prologue from Amazon RoP, I do like that quick shot of the dragon ( fell beast) killing a giant eagle :)
@@rio20d at least we won't have to deal with that entire "why can't the eagles just go to mordor" discussion.
@@dabblerdeluxe775 it will be interesting to see PJ reaction to Amazon RoP as read the article when he was interviewed that he will be neutral when watching it , only time will tell
@@rio20d Yeah he is doing some animated war of rohirrim movie last i checked. I wish we could get more live action again
Two important characters in Rings of Power just die casually in the intro. That's quite funny ahah
Cate Blanchett's narration is so awesome. She just pulls you right into the story, along with the awesome imagery. Morefred Clark isn't even in the same ballpark playing Galadriel. So horribly miscast (like most everyone in the show), even though the writing for Rings of Power is abysmal, she just can't act. "But they were all of them, deceived, for another ring was made..." Epic.
THIS is how you open to an AMAZING franchize! Thank you! I think I just found my new wallpaper!
time-stamp for wallpaper chosen?
@@TheBooklyBreakdown Tbh, any of the shots with Sauron in his Armour.
Had to watch this after starting ROP s2. thank you!
I had read the books, heard that the movies were coming, was super-anxious if they would do the story justice. And than I was sitting in the movie theater, watched these first seconds … and thanked the gods. Melon-sized goosebumps. It is just so good. Eternal thanks to Peter Jackson. Close to tears whenever I watch this. ❤
As a kid ill never forget the BOOM that rung out in the cinema when sauron fell it rattled my bones and was one of the best experiences ive had lol
Seriously though, one of the most memorable experiences of my childhood was seeing these in the theater. Just magical.
Do you notice, when Galadrial is examining her ring, right before it cuts to the Dwarf Lords, her eyes widen a bit? Do you think...it's realization? Since the elves apparently felt Sauron's taint and knew to take their rings off.
I doubt it. It seems to be they've only just gotten the rings and were admiring them.
I think the breeze and wide eyes are to symbolise the feeling of power she felt.
The One Ring wasn't made until about 10 years after the others
Galadriel.
I can't even begin to imagine how awful Sauron's taint is...
Haha. You said taint.
classic way to depoct that an object has power - the same method is used when Harry Potter picks up his chosen wand
It's absolutely a brilliant prologue, but I still can't help but feel a little frustration (as I think Tolkien would have) over the essentially negative portrayal of Isildur. As written, he is a flawed characteer - and he takes a fatal decision - but not an antagonist.
it is a stylistic choice that I think makes sense given the medium of film. Men in LOTR are seen as the most corruptible and are therefore easiest to be swayed by the power of the ring. By showing how it corrupted Islidur (and almost Boromir) provides a nice contrast to the struggle that Aragon must go through in order to prove that he is worthy of being King.
@@theotheronethere4391 Yes, and on those grounds, it's at least a defensible adaptation choice. I do think (based on his own comments in reviewing a proposed LOTR script) that Tolkien still would have taken umbrage at it. Of course, that doesn't mean Tolkien was always the best judge of screen adaptation requirements.
@@theotheronethere4391 Also lends weight to Aragorn worrying about not being able to move beyond his ancestors' mistakes, so like you say it definitely works
It's crazy to think that this majestic opening was conceived as an afterthought by Jackson and his co-writers at the end of the year long shoot. It wasn't planned or scripted.
When I saw this in an IMAX theater, I was only eight years old, but I KNEW the whole trilogy was going to be good because there was magic from the first few seconds. Sometimes you just know a thing for no reason. Everyone in that theater could feel it, too. And we were not wrong.
"But there were some who resisted. A last alliance of men and elves marched against the armies of Mordor, and on the slopes of Mount Doom, they fought for the freedom of Middle Earth."
Had to come back to this after hearing the title announcement for the amazon series. Order is once again restored
Galadriel’s first words, the music, the title card fading in…. Shivers. Right down my spine.
2:43 always got me, her narration combined with those simple words. Added all the weight needed to mystify and intrigue the viewer, even one who didn’t read the books.
After the trailer of the series, those who came to listen to the voice of galadriel
Yes :)
Yes‚ her voice is much more charismatic
after 20 years, still the best opening ever, story telling, music, cgi, bested all holywood movies nowaday
A last alliance of loyal fans marched against the armies of Amazon and on the slopes of RUclips, they fought for the legacy of J.R.R. Tolkien