- "Why do they keep going after Frodo?" - Because Frodo is the ring bearer and evil is drawn to the rings power. - Gandalf is what we would understand as an angel, along with Saruman, and 3 other wizards you don't see in this trilogy. - Elves are basically immortal from an aging standpoint, although they can die from unnatural causes (like being stabbed). Galadriel is roughly 8,000 years old and is Elrond's mother-in-law. - The music for this trilogy is so much better than you probably realize. Entire essays could be written about its composition, but I'll try to give a really brief run-down here. Every race is given their own "theme song". Hobbits have a tune that hops around on the notes and is very cheery, Elves have long drawn-out single notes that take a long time etc. But beyond the themes, each race is given specific instruments the theme is played on (Hobbits get woodwinds like flutes, elves are vocal choruses, orcs get low horns). This means that your brain registers what is happening subconsciously without any dialog. In future movies you might notice that themes are sometimes played on a different races instruments when something involving both is happening. Beyond these, there are crazy tricks that involve music theory happening. But it gets so technical that I don't understand it enough to explain it properly. Basically, Howard Shore is a genius who turned the movies score into a giant, ever-evolving single piece of music.
Something that I love about the music is that the fellowship has a theme, and as it grows, so do the amount of instruments that play the theme, until it's a full orchestra when they walk over the mountain. After Gandalf's death, and then Boromir's the theme is not played in the full setting again. :)
Galadriel is older than the sun and moon, quite literally. In the days of old, the world was lit by two trees in Valinor. Morgoth (the Balrogs' lord and Sauron's former boss) brought about the demise of those trees. This ties in with the "strands of hair" thing, by the way! Galadriel's hair was considered one of the great glories of the world--her name is actually a nickname that refers to it--and it was thought that some of the light of those trees still lingered in her hair; her uncle Feanor, a great craftsman but too ambitious, wanted a few strands for some items of power, but she refused because she could see he was up to no good. That's why her giving those strands of hair to Gimli was such a big deal. He probably didn't understand what it meant--but Legolas did, which is why he smiles so.
The music is soo incredible! My husband and I have it playing almost every day in little ways such as one song being a alarm or humming the Hobbit theme to our child. We also quote many lines on a daily basis. We’re obsessed with these movies!! And my husband has been to the Shire in New Zealand
Looking up the familial relations in Lord of the Rings can be quite interesting since I believe Elrond is also related to Galadriel from his father's mother, Idril who was the daughter of Turgon, king of Gondolin and son of Fingolfin, who was the brother of Finarfin, Galadriel's father. Galadriel is also the great aunt of Gil-Galad, High King of the Nolder during the Second Age. Lastly, Aragorn and Arwen are actually somewhat related. I say somewhat since Arwen is Elrond's daughter while Aragorn is descended from Elros through a great, great granddaughter of Elros, Elrond's twin brother. I believe the familial relation is that of cousins many times removed by generations that it is not even weird especially since Aragorn is not even directly descended from Elros if we were to follow the male line of ancestry.
17:15-17:35 THANK YOU for noticing this. A lot of first-time viewers miss that about these movies. In the most spoiler-free way I can tell you, Tolkien uses "fate" and "chance" as positive forces in Lord of the Rings. For LOTR in general, fate/chance/faith is for heroes, planning/scheming is for villains. Gandalf sums that up pretty well when he says it is encouraging that Frodo was meant to have the Ring. Even some random events that seem misfortunate for our heroes at first come around to have major positive outcomes. Of course, what those outcomes are, you'll need to wait and see. Thanks for the fun reaction! And no need to apologize for the nervous fidgets; I get those all the time with these movies.
Your comment about Boromir was spot on. He is desperate to save his homeland and his people (Gondor). The ring could sense this and was able to temporarily corrupt him with the idea that he could steal the ring and use it. Of course it was a lie--he would have been totally corrupted like the ringwraiths had he gotten the ring. In the end he redeemed himself. It's one of the most satisfying character arcs and deaths you will ever read or see.
True. And it's also not that the ring pulls on the darker parts of people... it just corrupts anything it can get a hold of. Desire, Passion, Power, etc. It's why hobbits are so hard for the ring to really have an effect on in the shorter term... cuz they just want their old toby, food, drink, a comfortable day's work, etc. There's no desire for power, status, ruling attitudes, etc. amongst the hobbits.
Really? I find myself as inspired by Theoden and his redemption and death. Theoden’s death scene is one of the best in cinema. Of course, Tolkien’s dialogue makes it so epic: “I go now to my fathers, in whose mighty company I shall not now feel ashamed.” I don’t think Shakespeare himself could have written anything better than that.
"Why is it always Frodo?" Because all of the fell beasts such as the watcher in the water outside Moria are - whether consciously or not - drawn to the power of the Ring. It manipulates the thoughts of the more sophisticated races but the more instinctual of creatures are simply drawn to it, not unlike moths to a flame.
Life-span of races in Middle-Earth: - normal humans - same as humans in RL - humans like Aragorn who have some elven ancestors (not Isildur who was human too, even more back) - slightly longer than normal humans, but lifespan get shortened and shortened with each generation - hobbits - slightly more than humans, average about 90-100 or so, Bilbo was exception due to the Ring - dwarves - about 200-300 years - elves - immortal, don't age at all, Galadriel is more than 8000 years old, even when they are killed physically, they are ways they can get back - Maiar (angels, demons...) - like Gandalf, Saruman, Sauron, balrog - immortal
The Lord of the Rings is quite possibly the greatest fantasy story put to paper. And the films are spectacular. This is one series i wish i could watch for the first time again and again
Agreed. I think I like the overall universe of Star Wars better, just because of the true vastness and sci fi style, but when it comes to the actual story and the film quality, LOTR is far superior
From the books: "Legolas watched them for a while with a smile upon his lips, and then he turned to the others. ‘The strongest must seek a way, say you? But I say: let a ploughman plough, but choose an otter for swimming, and for running light over grass and leaf, or over snow - an Elf.' With that he sprang forth nimbly, and then Frodo noticed as if for the first time, though he had long known it, that the Elf had no boots, but wore only light shoes, as he always did, and his feet made little imprint in the snow." It just generally fits with the idea of elves as being light and nimble and a little bit magical.
You're not wrong about the music. Great cinema always combines great music with the storytelling. Howard Shore definitely deserved that Oscar win for Best Music when it came out. Still arguably one of the greatest music scores of all time.
"How long do elves live?" Well, Galadriel is older than the sun and moon. They don't die of old age or disease. Hobbits normally live to around 100, 111 is a special landmark birthday. Bilbo's grandfather was nicknamed "The Old Took," he lived to 130.
When I first saw Fellowship in the theater, I had never heard of Lord of the Rings. I was hooked at the prologue. The run time is long but it sure flies by.
This movie has it all. Perfect score/music, perfect acting, perfect scenery, and perfect use of CGI. They spent almost 3 years filming all the movies at once. The cast and crew were very passionate about this project. And Sam calls Frodo, Mister, because that's just being polite, and the Gamgees have always served the Baggins at Bag End.
"Is there a window for hobbits?" As a matter of fact, yes. Bree is one of the few, if not the only, places in Middle Earth where "big folk" (humans) and hobbits live together. A guarded gate would most certainly have a way of a big person talking directly to a small one. It doesn't come across in the movie, but there are actually some hobbit-scale rooms at the Inn of the Prancing Pony.
'who want's a life that long?' is a very interesting topic in tolkien's writing. The men have the 'gift' of mortality, and the elves have immortality, which has stirred up a lot of trouble in the past of tolkien's world, but an elf's sorrow is forever, who want's that?
I love Sean Bean's delivery of the line "They have a cave troll." It's like... "because of COURSE they have a f***ing cave troll because nothing can ever just be easy, can it?"
The fact that Bilbo was able to actually give up the Ring, tells everything about the remarkable resilience of the Hobbits to the corruptive effects of the Ring. Any being, conciderably more powerful than Bilbo, would not have been able to do that. The Nazghuls, the Wringwraiths, are those nine great Men who were given the Nine Rings of Powers in the opening scene. Those Nine Rings (as much as the other Rings of Power) are bound to the One Ring. Those Nine worked a bit too well, as those Men who received them, slowly but inevidably turned into wraiths, becoming neither living nor dead. Men in this world are meant to die, and truly leaving the circles of the World behind them their souls passing to the unknown destination. However, those Rings they wear made them wraiths, unseen to the physical world living under complete servitude under Sauron´s will, not being able to die. This is massively against the very nature of Men, so their existance is just one prolongued, eternal suffering as long as the One Ring exists. The Elves, the Firstborn (they were awoken first by the one true God in this World) are immortal. They are bound to the circles of the World , even in those cases they die by result of abattle or even from grief, their spiritst still stays within the circles of the World. They are meant to endure as long as the World itself endures. They dont grow old and weary, die from diseases etc like Men do. So just imagine how impossible a romantic relationship with an immortal being and very mortal Man may seem? Watching you loved one to bloom for a while, but then withering in time, that seems like a blink of an eye to you, while you yourself linger on.
Technically the dwarves are the first born (although they are not called that way), but it wasn't intended that way and so they were put to sleep again until the elves came to live. ;-) And another "technically" there are 3 powerfull rings that are not bound to the one, but they are the only ones that were built without sauron which is the reason for it. 😉
@@nirfz Dwarves were not directly created by Eru, hence they lack real life until Eru accepted them to his plan and granted the Dwarves the real life. True, they were made first, but it didnt take the mantle of being the Firstborn of Eru from the Elves, nonetheless.
Have you ever stared at someone you loved or at something intently and noticed the room brighten or a halo around it? That's kinda how Tolkien portrays his elves, the high elves, it seems. They are beings of great spiritual power (greater than humans, anyway) and are described this way. This is why Celeborn and Galadriel appeared as they did. And this is why Arwen in particular glowed so brightly when Frodo saw her for the first time. Frodo was slipping into darkness making Arwen's shine appear more brightly. At least, that's how I understood it. And, yes, you are in for a ride. Enjoy. :)
Specifically Frodo was seeing Arwen’s “Fëa” I.e. her soul/spirit, as he was slipping into the “Unseen World” where such things can be seen (Similar with how he saw the Nazgül, who can only be seen in the “Seen World” when they wear capes, and Sauron being able to see you in the Unseen when you wear the ring)
@@dcaslick No, but Celeborn has lived in his lady's light for thousands of years. He may have not seen the trees, but his wife is the closest equivalent to them in Middle Earth.
The Eye is Sauron. Saruman explained it, he can’t take full form yet, but he was able to take the form of a giant flaming eye Good, you’re recognizing that the ring influnces people. Makes them act not like themselves. Corrupts them. They can’t help it. And the more time spent with or around it the worse that influence and corruption gets. _Remember that._
On Arwen: Her Pendant is just symbolic of her Elfdom, her mortality is to do with her being Half-Elf and of Elrond’s bloodline. In a past age, Half-Elves who fought in the war against Morgoth (Sauron’s previous master and original Dark Lord) were rewarded by the Valar (Spirits who created the world and basically function as a pantheon of “Demi-gods” in The Undying Lands) with a choice in their mortality, to do counted among Elves or Men. Those who chose to be Elves were immortal, were permitted to enter The Undying Lands/their spirits be re-embodied there, and pass this choice on to their descendants. Those who chose to be Men lived long mortal lives, he who’s spirits had to leave the world when they die. Elrond chose to be Elf, His Brother Elros choice to be man (who Aragorn in descended from) It makes it even more poignant of a choice for Arwen, as when she dies she’ll be dead forever and will never see her loved ones again.
Arwen will be with Aragorn after death, which means they live an afterlife with Iluvatar...but yes, she'll never be able to see her elven relatives again, as elves and humans spend different afterlifes.
You know the Balrog was bad news when Legolas, who is thousands of years old and has seen and done so much, visibly shits his pants when Gandalf announces what's coming for them.
deeper lore version for you: Galadriel's gift to Gimli has a deeper meaning behind it, like most things in this movie and reflects the expanded lore of the middle earth universe. Galadriel is one of the 2-3 most powerful and wise elves remaining in Middle Earth since the time the land was young. She was born in a place called Valinor, or the Undying land... which is basically the place of residence of the Valar, the local pantheon, the local "gods" as you may call them. Back then, the world was not illuminated by the sun, the moon and the stars, but rather by 2 trees of gold and silver, Telperion and Laurëlin that lit the world before the sun and moon were born from their last flower and fruit as they were basically killed by Melkor. It is said that Galadriel's hair had somehow captured some of the shine of those two trees. Her uncle Fëanor, who was a great king of the Elven people and also arguably their greatest craftsman to ever live, asked/demanded that she give him a lock of hair, so that he could use it to fashion 3 gems that would shine of the same light as the trees. Sensing his pride and arrogance (but mainly Melkor’s shadow had sort of infected/warped the might flaming spirit of Fëanor) she refused his demand, tree times. He stopped asking and made the gems anyway, managing to complete the task he had set for himself even without her hair. Around these 3 gems, the possession of which became the driving force for many of the great events in the world, entire wars that lasted for centuries exploded, and other events. The gems actively shaped the fate of the races of middle earth to the point that the aforementioned Valar got involved directly. During these times, events surrounding the gems brought about the traditional enmity between Dwarves and Elves... the same enmity that Gimli still feels towards them. That enmity however does not survive his encounter with the wise Galadriel, whom Gimli basically falls platonically in love with. By giving him 3 of her hair, Galadriel is opening a door, offering an olive branch that might one day close the gap that divides these two races. Legolas, himself being an Elven prince and centuries old, knows of the story through his father Thranduil and grandfather Oropher, as it shaped the lives of all Elves, and his subtle smile is possibly the first act of acknowledgment and reconciliation. it is also a way for Peter Jackson, the director of the film, to give a nod to all of the fans who know these facts and backstories... a way to make us feel seen, and to make us appreciate just how deeply the makers of the film respect the books and larger universe created by Tolkien. The thing with the hair may seem weird, but there is a significance to it in real life as well as in the lore of the story. In real life, it was not uncommon for wives, fiancés, or even girlfriends to give their men (who were going off to war), a lock of their hair as a keepsake, particularly in WWI, which Tolkien fought in. The lore part of it comes into play in The Silmarillion, Tolkien's tales of the creation of Arda, the Undying Lands of Valinor, and Middle Earth. Galadriel is many, many thousands of years old, and was born in Valinor before the sun and moon were even created. At the time, the world was lit by two trees, one gold and one silver which would shine at different times from each other, but would shine together once a day when one would fade and the other brighten. Galadriel's hair was said to look like the light of the mingled light from the two trees, which may have inspired Fëanor, a master craftsman and heir to the high king of the Noldor, to craft the Silmaril's which were three jewels that captured the light of the two trees, one golden light, one silver light, and one co-mingled light. Fëanor had a bit of a thing for Galadriel and begged her for her hair three different times, which she rejected because she could perceive the inner darkness of his heart and rejected him, which made them "un-friends" after that. There is a lot more to the lore than that, so this is the super crib-notes version. But the point is, it was VERY significant that she granted Gimli three of her hairs to a dwarf, when she would not to the son of her king(Finwë is Galadriel’s Grandfather and one of Three Kings, Ingwë is the high King of Valinor. Finwë’s Brother)many MANY thousands of years ago.
The reason these films are perfectly produced is that they were not made as sequels, but rather as one long eight hour movie that was then chopped into three sections. And the production crew paid close attention to detail, and went out of their way to make sure the smallest thing fit the story. Add to that a cast who truly meshed into a whole, and who enjoyed hanging out together as people much less work together as actors, and the resultant films are perfect. It really should be seen as a whole production, and not as a film trilogy.
I miss the movies of this era with the scale models and practical effects complimented by CGI, also real actors in first rate mask and costume. All the crafts coming together beautifully.
If you intend to read the books *spoiler* There is a reason Sam was listening outside the window, and why Pippin and Merry go with Frodo. Almost the entire 1st book was left out. Pippin, Merry, Sam, and another friend- Fatty Bolger, were watching Frodo incase he tried to dissappear like Bilbo. The town of Bree is the only place where Hobbits and humans live together. But the Bree Hobbits tend to live in houses instead of " proper " Hobbit Holes. Samwise Gamgee, is the current Baggins estate grounds keeper/gardener, having taken over the post from his father The Gaffer Gamgee.
20 years later, and the Nazgul are still bloody terrifying. Such a simple character design, but the way they were shot and the way the performers inside them moved really brought them to life. Ian Holm's performance after Bilbo tries to snatch the Ring away from Frodo is absolutely heartbreaking. I just wish they'd used a line from that scene in the book, Bilbo saying "Don't adventures ever have an end?" There's been debate among Tolkien experts for a very long time about what a Balrog looks like, both the size and whether or not they actually have wings. But when people saw this depiction of a Balrog they pretty much all said "Yep, that works!" And I LOVE that we actually got to see Boromir attempting to protect Merry & Pippin at the end. In the books, they only find him dying after the hobbits had been taken. When we watched that scene in the theater, that first arrow hit left the audience so silent you could hear a pin drop. You noted how it didn't feel like such a long movie. I went to midnight screenings on opening night for all three movies, and as we were coming out of this one I overheard a couple of kids talking about it. Three thirty in the morning, these 10ish year old kids were not only still wide awake, they were wishing it had actually been LONGER. :)
When you look into the lore, you realize how significant it is that Bilbo was able to drop the ring before leaving his house, by his own will at that. no matter how much he wanted to keep it and how much influence Gandalfs words had, he made the decision to drop the evil he's carried for decades and simply leaves on a new journey. 'Hobbits really are amazing creatures, as I have said before. You can learn all that there is to know about their ways in a month, and yet after a hundred years they can still surprise you at a pinch." - Gandalf
Your excited fidgeting was the cutest thing! Lol These movies are the best so expect to me more and more impressed with the next 2 movies. The score in these movies are my favorites from any movies I’ve ever seen. The character growth is also amazing
Well spotted with Legolas on the mountain. All the others are up to their knees trudging through the snow (and Aragorn and Boromir were actually carrying the Hobbits) but the Elf is daintily walking on top of it. Its part of being an Elf. They're very light on their feet and very agile. Like a mountain goat. They;re also showoffs.
The Tower bit is explained ONLY in the Unfinished Tales Book: In [manuscript] C The Black Riders arrived at the Gate of Isengard while Gandalf was still a prisoner in the tower. In this account, Saruman, in fear and despair, and perceiving the full horror of service to Mordor, resolved suddenly to yield to Gandalf, and to beg for his pardon and help. Temporizing at the Gate, he admitted that he had Gandalf within, and said that he would go and try to discover what he knew; if that were unavailing, he would deliver Gandalf up to them. Then Saruman hastened to the summit of Orthanc - and found Gandalf gone. Away south against the setting moon he saw a great Eagle flying towards Edoras. See, the thing is he was always master of studying the enemy and even being able to think like they do to always know exactly the best ways to handle ever situation and so on, but the thing is he didn't just become the enemy, he at this time in a sense for once actually grew afraid of him, probably Sauron did what Sauron did with Finrod Felagund(Galadriel’s elder brother who by the way was very important in the legendarium) which basically widdled Saruman with various visions of the past and future until it wore him down.
they used an insane number of tricks to make Hobbits look smaller than all the Big folk. when you're done the Trilogy you should seek out the documentary on it, it's amazing stuff & they pioneered it.
When the Hobbits are in the Prancing Pony & there's a bunch of Big Folk walking around them, they built these sort of powered stilts for them. You can only see their legs, it's quite convincing.
Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
Here's a little about the author, J.R.R. Tolkien. He was not a writer by profession and only wrote a handful of stories during his life. He was a combat veteran of WWI, a devout Catholic, a Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon and a Fellow of Pembroke College, both at the University of Oxford. He was also a Merton Professor of English Language and Literature and Fellow of Merton College. Tolkien was also a close friend of C. S. Lewis, the author of the "The Chronicles of Narnia" series. His novels "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" series are somewhat of an autobiography, when you study his life you will find many parallels with his stories. His works are the basis of almost all modern fantasy, from Dungeons & Dragons to Game of Thrones. Without Tolkien, we would not have the high fantasy we all know and love.
That observation you made about Gandalf not wanting to interfere is spot on - and not everyone picks that up - he really doesn't want to - at least not overtly. 😉
0:35 If I remember correctly the second movie is about this long, and the third one is like an hour longer. 2:20 Hobbits live about 100 years, but the One Ring unnaturally extends the lifespan of those who wear it. 4:25 Thankfully they didn't know about the Hobbits or the Shire. They looked in all the wrong places that whole time. 6:15 Director Peter Jackson got his start in horror films. So scenes that were mildly scary in the books, now in the hands of a master horror director, become super scary here. 10:40 She's 2,901. Elves are immortal. 31:25 I was 22 when these came out. Surely they're not that old.
I could not agree more, that the music is as much part of the story telling as any actor. The method (I'm putting my music major hat on for a tick) of composition used here, the leitmotif, draws directly from the epic story telling of Wagner. Aragorn's love story with Arwen connects with the opera Tristan and Isolde. If you can give that one a good look you may really enjoy that. Of course the elephant in the room of an epic story requiring epic attention, is The Ring of the Niebelungs. People make pilgrimages to Bayreuth to see that opera shown in the theatre Wagner built for the purpose of this story alone. Three films for the Lord of the Rings comes almost up to the 4 nights of opera for the "other" ring cycle.
With the next movie, we will have some trivia about a toe... 😆 Just about every person who sees how long the extended versions are complains about the length and at the end, they are like, "What?! It's OVER?!"
I think it’s testament to Peter Jackson that so many of your questions were answerable in the books. Eg: “how is he standing on top of the snow?” He got a lot of the details right and you were astute enough to ask the right questions. You were also spot on when you pointed out that it seemed that Gandalf kept his distance with decision making. He was a Maia, a kind of an angelic being and he was there to oversee the attempt to defeat Sauron.
How amazing is watching people reacting to The Lord of the Rings saga for the first time. By the way, Elves are immortals in terms of lifespan (they can be killed). Enjoy!
A quick observation for you. You asked, “why always Frodo?!” That’s just it, because it’s Frodo, the ring bearer. That ring attracts hardship, violence, selfishness, evil. It is literally trying to get back into its creators hands. Great observation earlier by the way in that it was playing on some inner weakness of Boromirs. Great reaction, hope you enjoy the rest!
Elves are so light on their feet they can literally walk on snow. in the book Legolas gets in a cheeky little poem about it: `The strongest must seek a way, say you? But I say: let a ploughman plough, but choose an otter for swimming, and for running light over grass and leaf or over snow-an Elf.’
The Nazgul have really poor eyesight but a heightened sense of smell. The leader wanted Frodo to put the ring on so he could either take the ring or stab him in the heart and make him another wraith. He missed and stabbed him in the shoulder.
Hi Liiv! Sauron had first to come back with enough strength and power before sending his servants to search for the Ring. Before this time, Gollum and Bilbo could possess and use the Ring and stay unnoticed. But in Frodo's time, it is over. The Ringwraiths are active again, Sauron is back into Mordor, and his eye his gazing upon all Middle Earth. Using the Ring becomes very risky then.
The Ring does pick on people... as Gandalf said "I would use The Ring from a desire to do Good..." That's why Boromir was so drawn to it... Men are pulled by the allure of power, to be sure. Boromir was a Noble Man, in EVERY meaning of the word "noble" The Ring could sense how powerful and righteous he is. That is why he was able to be corrupted by it.
These are some of my favorite movies. I'm pretty sure they are all about the same length. I do wish you would have done 2 separate vids for each movie like most reactors, but I'll take what I can get.
"Bilbo looks worse every time we see him now" Seconds later...lol Subscribed! I'm excited to see the rest of your reactions, especially glad you're watching the extended editions! So many people ask questions, especially for the next too movies that are answered in the extended editions.
Liiv, the only thing better than a good story is a good ending. This entire trilogy is freaking amazing but ROTK will just blow you away at how everything wraps up so neatly. :)
25:24 In general, the more powerful a person is, the more they desire the ring. Gandalf and Galadriel, two of the most powerful beings in Middle-Earth, have a serious craving for it. Note how, in Bilbos house, Gandalf is afraid to even touch it, for fear he will not be able to let it go again. Bilbo was able to give up the ring because of all beings in that world Hobbits are the least power-hungry
Loved the reaction. Was a bit sad you made it all one video so you couldn’t show as much. The extended edition of these movies are so long and contain so many good scenes worthy to be in the video. May I recommend doing the other two movies in parts? Maybe split them up into two or three parts each if you have the energy? Anyway just a request many others have done it like that on RUclips.
12:38 Elves are immortal. They have the potential to live until the end of the world. Lord Elrond is 6,517 years old in this scene. Of course they are not invulnerable or invincible. They can be killed in combat or by weapons in general, but they can also be resurrected.
I love to see that the «magic» of this movie is still strong and captivating. I saw this in a movie theatre when I was twelve and I completely sucked into the world and everything. This movie adaptation is perfect. The music does a lot, I agree but also the practical effects, costumes, sets, camera angles. CGI only enhances the shots. The cast is perfect and the story written by professor Tolkien stands the test of time. Enjoy the other two movies. I can’t wait for your reaction. Thanks for sharing your journey with us. Edit: And I agree with you, movies nowadays often lose their magic because everything is CGI. Your review was spot on.
19:23 This is one of my favorite techniques that Jackson implements throughout all of the films in the trilogy. In the lead up to battles, there's always an incredible score that swells and swells, and when the armies clash the music cuts so all you hear is the chaos of battle. It's so effective in drawing you in to the scene
You may want to break up the other movie reactions into 2 parts each. This is my favorite movie series and my favorite movie score. I'm glad there was so much done with practical effects. Weta Workshop made real armor, weapons, chain mail, etc and blended it with (at the time) cutting edge CGI. The cast and crew worked extremely hard and their passion and determination shines through.
This trilogy is an absolute masterpiece! Each film just gets better and better as it goes. These movies are long (though it doesn’t feel like it ) and a lot of stuff happens so most reactors will break it up into 2 or 3 parts so it’s not one fast clip to the next. Especially for the last one. Really enjoyed your reaction to this!
Did you know: When Gandalf leaves Frodo to find out what he can about the ring, then comes back to him at Bag End again, he is actually gone for 27 years.
Sam calls him “Mr. Frodo” because (1) Sam is Frodo’s gardener so Frodo is his employer and it’s just respectful to say “Mr/Sir”, and (2) Frodo is a Baggins which is a well respected and prominent family in the Shire (kind of like nobility) whereas Sam is of humble lineage.
I wouldn't use nobility as a description, that implies titles; 'gentry' would be closer. As you say, respected and prominent, almost certainly the major local landholder with a number of tenant farmers and employees. The local 'squire' for all intents.
The Ring was lost for over 3000 years after Isildur (the guy at the beginnning) cut it from Sauron's hand. Its complicated, but what happened was that Sauron had come back and began to build up his power again. All he needed to regain full strength was his Ring. Gandalf did not know the Ring Bilbo had was that one until he tested it the fire. Sauron tortured Gollum because he was the last person known to have had it. He'd only been searching for it for a few years, in total. The power of the RIng was tied to Sauron himself. Until Sauron returned to his base in Mordor and started to build power again, the Ring was dormant, it didn't really do anything. Which is why Bilbo had it for so long without any problems. When his power began to rise though, it became more powerful and he began searching for it.
Answers fir a couple of questions. 1 Hobbits generally live a bit longer than the "Big Folk" (Men). The oldest Hobbit at this time was the Old Took, who passed, when Bilbo was young, at 130. 2. The two younger Hobbits, Merry ( Meriadic Brandybuck) and Pippin (Peregrine Took) were both in their "Tweens" (20s), as Hobbits come of age at 33. So they are basically teenagers in human terms. Merry the smart one. Both are related (cousins) to Frodo, one from each side of his family. (Bilbo's mother was a Took) Sam is Frodo's gardener, so and employee as well as a friend. 3. Elves are basically immortal although they can be killed or die of sadness. The Lady Galadriel is over 9000 years old and was born the "The Time of the Trees", BEFORE the First Age of Middle Earth. Currently it is the last years of the Third Age... 4. The reason a big deal is made of Bilbo discarding/relinquishing the ring is that in its 3000 years of existence only 2 persons willingly managed to do that. Bilbo the first and you have already met the second person who will do it, "soonish". No spoilers there...
Thank you for your great reaction to this amazing masterpiece. There is something special about this trilogy, and I am looking forward to your reactions to the other two movies.
"How long elves live, who would want a life that long". The bittersweet immortality of elves in a nutshell. There is a reason the mortality of humans was considered a gift from the Creator (although men often considered it a curse)
Galadriel is Arwen's grandmother and the Hobbits are throwing stones because they are deadly accurate with them. You notice any orc hit by one is knocked out if not killed outright,
Vigo Mortensen bought Arwen's white horse and gave it to Liv Tyler's stunt rider as a gift. In the books, there was a 17 year gap between when Bilbo left the Shire and when Frodo left. The movie doesn't give a good explanation for why Bilbo aged so much. Once he was out of the influence of the ring, he aged normally from that point on. Frodo was in his fifties when he left the Shire, but hobbits really don't come of age until they are 30 or so.
"I know this movie is old" she says. OUCH! I remember these coming out... NOT that long ago. 😋😂 Ok it is a while ago, but... I'M OLDER than these. Anyway, loved the reaction I always love seeing these movies through fresh eye. They did a great job bringing the book to life, and the books had so much world building behind them.
Just found your channel because youtube recommends all LOTR reactions because I'm a huge nerd. I very much enjoyed your take and how perceptive you are, and am so glad that you enjoyed watching this. Subscribing to see your reactions to the rest of the films!
@@jeremyfrost2636 I'll take your suggestion and do just that, thanks! I was looking at her channel and there is a few great movies that I haven't seen in a long time that would be nice to revisit via reaction, like Dead Poets Society. Also on the list to watch this week.
@@jeremyfrost2636 By the view count, most people did. That's gotta change, that movie is a classic and I want there to be incentive to do other similar classics on her channel.
I can't wait for you to see the Return of the King! I've seen it over and over and every time it hits harder. Thank you for watching the extended edition, it makes a huge difference imho.
Honestly, these movies are as close to cinematic perfection as you can get. Watching them in cinema all those years ago was an experience I will never ever forget. Can't wait to see your reaction to the other two!
Sauron is an immortal spirit being born at the creation of the world, something akin to angels called the Maiar, but his body was killed when Isildur cut the Ring off him. it took him an entire Age of Middle Earth to regain his Will & gain a new body. it's only a few decades ago that he had enough of his essence recovered to direct his servants to find the Ring. yeah I suspect Bilbo's finding the Ring had something to do with it, not sure if Tolkien ever said so explicitly but it fits.
"How long do Hobbits live?" Okay! So! Hobbit lifespans! The average hobbit lifespan is about 100 years, give or take. So they age a bit slower than humans, but not by too much. Prior to Bilbo, the oldest hobbit ever lived to about 130. So 111 isn't unheard of. But what made Bilbo's case remarkable is that he was 111 and still looked like he was in his 50s or 60s. The joke around the shire was that Bilbo was "Well preserved." Also, Hobbits come of age at 33. So a 33 year old hobbit is the equivalent of an 18 year old human. Fun fact, in the books, Frodo shared a birthday with Bilbo (September 22). And the day Bilbo turned 111 was the day Frodo turned 33. That's part of why he chose that day to leave. Because Frodo was then old enough to inherit his estate. Had Bilbo disappeared sooner, it all would have had to go to other relatives that he didn't like. Also, in the book, 17 years pass between Bilbo's party and Frodo taking the ring out of the shire. He left when he was 50. The same age Bilbo was when he left for his adventure. Also... Pippin is the youngest of the four Hobbits. He's 29. So he's essentially still a kid by hobbit standards.
"Yes, he (Bilbo) does look a lot older, doesn't he?" In the book seventeen years pass between the time of Bilbo leaving the Shire and Frodo & company arriving at Rivendell. How much time Peter Jackson intended to have pass is uncertain. He does play fast and loose with elapsed time in the movies.
I'm a bit late, but Gandalf does answer why they didn't find the ring when Bilbo had it: the ring was dormant. Sauron slowly built up his power when the ring was missing because so long as it endured, so will be, and only when he felt strong enough did he call out to it, which awoke the ring while it was in Frodo's possession.
I've always wondered If someone (mostly speaking of reactions) caught a little and bad pun they've included in this movie. When samwise is grabbed by Gandalf he says "please sir, dont turn me on something unnatural" cause he was freaked by the idea of being a frog. The Gandalf says "no, i tought something better". The scene cuts to another with Gandalf, Frodo and a pony. After some seconds Sam comes running at the back. Pretty sure it was meant to make us think that Samwise was turned to a pony, but no one ever fell for this.
@17:30 He doesn't want to intervene because he is a "maiar" (Tolkiens version of angels), he has been sent on a mission by the valar (gods) in the body and form of an old man to guide the people of middle earth, he has great power but has been tasked not to use it :)
![FIRST TIME WATCHING The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring [EXTENDED EDITION] (Part 1)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/FAnS964OJI8/mqdefault.jpg)
- "Why do they keep going after Frodo?" - Because Frodo is the ring bearer and evil is drawn to the rings power.
- Gandalf is what we would understand as an angel, along with Saruman, and 3 other wizards you don't see in this trilogy.
- Elves are basically immortal from an aging standpoint, although they can die from unnatural causes (like being stabbed). Galadriel is roughly 8,000 years old and is Elrond's mother-in-law.
- The music for this trilogy is so much better than you probably realize. Entire essays could be written about its composition, but I'll try to give a really brief run-down here. Every race is given their own "theme song". Hobbits have a tune that hops around on the notes and is very cheery, Elves have long drawn-out single notes that take a long time etc. But beyond the themes, each race is given specific instruments the theme is played on (Hobbits get woodwinds like flutes, elves are vocal choruses, orcs get low horns). This means that your brain registers what is happening subconsciously without any dialog. In future movies you might notice that themes are sometimes played on a different races instruments when something involving both is happening. Beyond these, there are crazy tricks that involve music theory happening. But it gets so technical that I don't understand it enough to explain it properly. Basically, Howard Shore is a genius who turned the movies score into a giant, ever-evolving single piece of music.
Something that I love about the music is that the fellowship has a theme, and as it grows, so do the amount of instruments that play the theme, until it's a full orchestra when they walk over the mountain. After Gandalf's death, and then Boromir's the theme is not played in the full setting again. :)
Galadriel is older than the sun and moon, quite literally. In the days of old, the world was lit by two trees in Valinor. Morgoth (the Balrogs' lord and Sauron's former boss) brought about the demise of those trees.
This ties in with the "strands of hair" thing, by the way! Galadriel's hair was considered one of the great glories of the world--her name is actually a nickname that refers to it--and it was thought that some of the light of those trees still lingered in her hair; her uncle Feanor, a great craftsman but too ambitious, wanted a few strands for some items of power, but she refused because she could see he was up to no good.
That's why her giving those strands of hair to Gimli was such a big deal. He probably didn't understand what it meant--but Legolas did, which is why he smiles so.
The music is soo incredible! My husband and I have it playing almost every day in little ways such as one song being a alarm or humming the Hobbit theme to our child. We also quote many lines on a daily basis. We’re obsessed with these movies!! And my husband has been to the Shire in New Zealand
Indeed
Looking up the familial relations in Lord of the Rings can be quite interesting since I believe Elrond is also related to Galadriel from his father's mother, Idril who was the daughter of Turgon, king of Gondolin and son of Fingolfin, who was the brother of Finarfin, Galadriel's father. Galadriel is also the great aunt of Gil-Galad, High King of the Nolder during the Second Age. Lastly, Aragorn and Arwen are actually somewhat related. I say somewhat since Arwen is Elrond's daughter while Aragorn is descended from Elros through a great, great granddaughter of Elros, Elrond's twin brother. I believe the familial relation is that of cousins many times removed by generations that it is not even weird especially since Aragorn is not even directly descended from Elros if we were to follow the male line of ancestry.
17:15-17:35 THANK YOU for noticing this. A lot of first-time viewers miss that about these movies. In the most spoiler-free way I can tell you, Tolkien uses "fate" and "chance" as positive forces in Lord of the Rings. For LOTR in general, fate/chance/faith is for heroes, planning/scheming is for villains. Gandalf sums that up pretty well when he says it is encouraging that Frodo was meant to have the Ring. Even some random events that seem misfortunate for our heroes at first come around to have major positive outcomes. Of course, what those outcomes are, you'll need to wait and see.
Thanks for the fun reaction! And no need to apologize for the nervous fidgets; I get those all the time with these movies.
Your comment about Boromir was spot on. He is desperate to save his homeland and his people (Gondor). The ring could sense this and was able to temporarily corrupt him with the idea that he could steal the ring and use it. Of course it was a lie--he would have been totally corrupted like the ringwraiths had he gotten the ring. In the end he redeemed himself. It's one of the most satisfying character arcs and deaths you will ever read or see.
I heard once in a video that for a second, you can hear Sauron/The Ring's voice coming out of Boromir;s mouth, like Sauron posessed him for a moment.
True. And it's also not that the ring pulls on the darker parts of people... it just corrupts anything it can get a hold of. Desire, Passion, Power, etc. It's why hobbits are so hard for the ring to really have an effect on in the shorter term... cuz they just want their old toby, food, drink, a comfortable day's work, etc. There's no desire for power, status, ruling attitudes, etc. amongst the hobbits.
That as well as Denethor pressuring boromir to get the ring (and faramir later on with frodo).
SHE CUT OUT THE WHOLE SCENE GALANDRIEL REVEALS THE HATE THE MODERN FEMINIST FEELS,,,,,, WHAT DISHONESTY
Really? I find myself as inspired by Theoden and his redemption and death. Theoden’s death scene is one of the best in cinema. Of course, Tolkien’s dialogue makes it so epic: “I go now to my fathers, in whose mighty company I shall not now feel ashamed.” I don’t think Shakespeare himself could have written anything better than that.
"Why is it always Frodo?"
Because all of the fell beasts such as the watcher in the water outside Moria are - whether consciously or not - drawn to the power of the Ring. It manipulates the thoughts of the more sophisticated races but the more instinctual of creatures are simply drawn to it, not unlike moths to a flame.
Life-span of races in Middle-Earth:
- normal humans - same as humans in RL
- humans like Aragorn who have some elven ancestors (not Isildur who was human too, even more back) - slightly longer than normal humans, but lifespan get shortened and shortened with each generation
- hobbits - slightly more than humans, average about 90-100 or so, Bilbo was exception due to the Ring
- dwarves - about 200-300 years
- elves - immortal, don't age at all, Galadriel is more than 8000 years old, even when they are killed physically, they are ways they can get back
- Maiar (angels, demons...) - like Gandalf, Saruman, Sauron, balrog - immortal
15:57 Elves are not only immortals they're light too. Here is Legolas walking over the snow while his companions are sinking in it.
The Lord of the Rings is quite possibly the greatest fantasy story put to paper. And the films are spectacular. This is one series i wish i could watch for the first time again and again
I disagree. It is the greatest there is beyond any shadow of a doubt.
@@Tar-Numendil You guys say that because you didn't read Stormlight Archive books or listened to graphic audio version
These movies edge out Star Wars for my favorite film trilogy. Just the most epic and believable story telling
Agreed. I think I like the overall universe of Star Wars better, just because of the true vastness and sci fi style, but when it comes to the actual story and the film quality, LOTR is far superior
@@DanielConwayRacing yeah Star Wars can get a little silly in the story department but it’s universe is incredibly diverse and detailed
Agreed.
Some people also like the Godfather trilogy, but I still like this one the best.
@Kashgari20K you’re so edgy
The agents of the Dark Lord began looking for The Ring when Gollum let slip the name of "Baggins" in the "Shire"
And it only gets better! Legolas walks on the snow because he’s a wood elf and is basically the physics defying character.
From the books:
"Legolas watched them for a while with a smile upon his lips, and then he turned to the others. ‘The strongest must seek a way, say you? But I say: let a ploughman plough, but choose an otter for swimming, and for running light over grass and leaf, or over snow - an Elf.'
With that he sprang forth nimbly, and then Frodo noticed as if for the first time, though he had long known it, that the Elf had no boots, but wore only light shoes, as he always did, and his feet made little imprint in the snow." It just generally fits with the idea of elves as being light and nimble and a little bit magical.
@@dereknolin5986 and went and found the sun lol
He does more epic things than walk on snow.
😆
You're not wrong about the music. Great cinema always combines great music with the storytelling. Howard Shore definitely deserved that Oscar win for Best Music when it came out. Still arguably one of the greatest music scores of all time.
"How long do elves live?" Well, Galadriel is older than the sun and moon. They don't die of old age or disease.
Hobbits normally live to around 100, 111 is a special landmark birthday. Bilbo's grandfather was nicknamed "The Old Took," he lived to 130.
This trilogy is as close to perfect as it gets. Return of the King is still my favorite movie almost twenty years later.
When I first saw Fellowship in the theater, I had never heard of Lord of the Rings. I was hooked at the prologue. The run time is long but it sure flies by.
This movie has it all. Perfect score/music, perfect acting, perfect scenery, and perfect use of CGI.
They spent almost 3 years filming all the movies at once. The cast and crew were very passionate about this project.
And Sam calls Frodo, Mister, because that's just being polite, and the Gamgees have always served the Baggins at Bag End.
I thought they film all 3 in 438 days. Making it 1 year and half for filming. Crazy to think Miramax wanted to make LOTR one two hour movie.
@@supratrd900 and Helm's Deep was a 4 month shoot all by itself.
"Is there a window for hobbits?" As a matter of fact, yes. Bree is one of the few, if not the only, places in Middle Earth where "big folk" (humans) and hobbits live together. A guarded gate would most certainly have a way of a big person talking directly to a small one. It doesn't come across in the movie, but there are actually some hobbit-scale rooms at the Inn of the Prancing Pony.
The innkeeper does state that he has "some nice hobbit-sized rooms".
Fun fact: The actress who plays Arwen is also named Liv.
Tolkien wrote lotr as a vehicle for the languages he created as Oxford Professor…pretty awesome
'who want's a life that long?' is a very interesting topic in tolkien's writing. The men have the 'gift' of mortality, and the elves have immortality, which has stirred up a lot of trouble in the past of tolkien's world, but an elf's sorrow is forever, who want's that?
A fun fact. The casting of John Rhys-Davis as Gimli the dwarf is especially amusing, as he is in fact 6 foot 2.
I love Sean Bean's delivery of the line "They have a cave troll." It's like... "because of COURSE they have a f***ing cave troll because nothing can ever just be easy, can it?"
The fact that Bilbo was able to actually give up the Ring, tells everything about the remarkable resilience of the Hobbits to the corruptive effects of the Ring. Any being, conciderably more powerful than Bilbo, would not have been able to do that.
The Nazghuls, the Wringwraiths, are those nine great Men who were given the Nine Rings of Powers in the opening scene. Those Nine Rings (as much as the other Rings of Power) are bound to the One Ring. Those Nine worked a bit too well, as those Men who received them, slowly but inevidably turned into wraiths, becoming neither living nor dead. Men in this world are meant to die, and truly leaving the circles of the World behind them their souls passing to the unknown destination. However, those Rings they wear made them wraiths, unseen to the physical world living under complete servitude under Sauron´s will, not being able to die. This is massively against the very nature of Men, so their existance is just one prolongued, eternal suffering as long as the One Ring exists.
The Elves, the Firstborn (they were awoken first by the one true God in this World) are immortal. They are bound to the circles of the World , even in those cases they die by result of abattle or even from grief, their spiritst still stays within the circles of the World. They are meant to endure as long as the World itself endures. They dont grow old and weary, die from diseases etc like Men do. So just imagine how impossible a romantic relationship with an immortal being and very mortal Man may seem? Watching you loved one to bloom for a while, but then withering in time, that seems like a blink of an eye to you, while you yourself linger on.
Technically the dwarves are the first born (although they are not called that way), but it wasn't intended that way and so they were put to sleep again until the elves came to live. ;-)
And another "technically" there are 3 powerfull rings that are not bound to the one, but they are the only ones that were built without sauron which is the reason for it.
😉
@@nirfz Dwarves were not directly created by Eru, hence they lack real life until Eru accepted them to his plan and granted the Dwarves the real life. True, they were made first, but it didnt take the mantle of being the Firstborn of Eru from the Elves, nonetheless.
Have you ever stared at someone you loved or at something intently and noticed the room brighten or a halo around it? That's kinda how Tolkien portrays his elves, the high elves, it seems. They are beings of great spiritual power (greater than humans, anyway) and are described this way. This is why Celeborn and Galadriel appeared as they did. And this is why Arwen in particular glowed so brightly when Frodo saw her for the first time. Frodo was slipping into darkness making Arwen's shine appear more brightly. At least, that's how I understood it. And, yes, you are in for a ride. Enjoy. :)
Specifically Frodo was seeing Arwen’s “Fëa” I.e. her soul/spirit, as he was slipping into the “Unseen World” where such things can be seen (Similar with how he saw the Nazgül, who can only be seen in the “Seen World” when they wear capes, and Sauron being able to see you in the Unseen when you wear the ring)
@@Dan-B "It´s lika Gandalf don´t want to intervene, let it pan out".
Amazing perception. Subscribing, for now😉
Celeborn is not a High Elf. He never saw the Two Trees or is descended from those who have.
@@dcaslick No, but Celeborn has lived in his lady's light for thousands of years. He may have not seen the trees, but his wife is the closest equivalent to them in Middle Earth.
@@magiv4205 Galadriel making love to a dark elf 😏
17:25 - Gandalf is an "Angel". He is there to support people, not to direct them. He only uses his powers against the creatures of evil.
The Eye is Sauron. Saruman explained it, he can’t take full form yet, but he was able to take the form of a giant flaming eye
Good, you’re recognizing that the ring influnces people. Makes them act not like themselves. Corrupts them. They can’t help it. And the more time spent with or around it the worse that influence and corruption gets. _Remember that._
On Arwen: Her Pendant is just symbolic of her Elfdom, her mortality is to do with her being Half-Elf and of Elrond’s bloodline.
In a past age, Half-Elves who fought in the war against Morgoth (Sauron’s previous master and original Dark Lord) were rewarded by the Valar (Spirits who created the world and basically function as a pantheon of “Demi-gods” in The Undying Lands) with a choice in their mortality, to do counted among Elves or Men. Those who chose to be Elves were immortal, were permitted to enter The Undying Lands/their spirits be re-embodied there, and pass this choice on to their descendants. Those who chose to be Men lived long mortal lives, he who’s spirits had to leave the world when they die. Elrond chose to be Elf, His Brother Elros choice to be man (who Aragorn in descended from)
It makes it even more poignant of a choice for Arwen, as when she dies she’ll be dead forever and will never see her loved ones again.
Arwen will be with Aragorn after death, which means they live an afterlife with Iluvatar...but yes, she'll never be able to see her elven relatives again, as elves and humans spend different afterlifes.
@@rikk319 That’s a safe assumption, but nothing was written about what happens to Men after they leave the world.
You know the Balrog was bad news when Legolas, who is thousands of years old and has seen and done so much, visibly shits his pants when Gandalf announces what's coming for them.
deeper lore version for you: Galadriel's gift to Gimli has a deeper meaning behind it, like most things in this movie and reflects the expanded lore of the middle earth universe. Galadriel is one of the 2-3 most powerful and wise elves remaining in Middle Earth since the time the land was young. She was born in a place called Valinor, or the Undying land... which is basically the place of residence of the Valar, the local pantheon, the local "gods" as you may call them. Back then, the world was not illuminated by the sun, the moon and the stars, but rather by 2 trees of gold and silver, Telperion and Laurëlin that lit the world before the sun and moon were born from their last flower and fruit as they were basically killed by Melkor. It is said that Galadriel's hair had somehow captured some of the shine of those two trees. Her uncle Fëanor, who was a great king of the Elven people and also arguably their greatest craftsman to ever live, asked/demanded that she give him a lock of hair, so that he could use it to fashion 3 gems that would shine of the same light as the trees. Sensing his pride and arrogance (but mainly Melkor’s shadow had sort of infected/warped the might flaming spirit of Fëanor) she refused his demand, tree times. He stopped asking and made the gems anyway, managing to complete the task he had set for himself even without her hair. Around these 3 gems, the possession of which became the driving force for many of the great events in the world, entire wars that lasted for centuries exploded, and other events. The gems actively shaped the fate of the races of middle earth to the point that the aforementioned Valar got involved directly. During these times, events surrounding the gems brought about the traditional enmity between Dwarves and Elves... the same enmity that Gimli still feels towards them. That enmity however does not survive his encounter with the wise Galadriel, whom Gimli basically falls platonically in love with. By giving him 3 of her hair, Galadriel is opening a door, offering an olive branch that might one day close the gap that divides these two races. Legolas, himself being an Elven prince and centuries old, knows of the story through his father Thranduil and grandfather Oropher, as it shaped the lives of all Elves, and his subtle smile is possibly the first act of acknowledgment and reconciliation. it is also a way for Peter Jackson, the director of the film, to give a nod to all of the fans who know these facts and backstories... a way to make us feel seen, and to make us appreciate just how deeply the makers of the film respect the books and larger universe created by Tolkien.
The thing with the hair may seem weird, but there is a significance to it in real life as well as in the lore of the story. In real life, it was not uncommon for wives, fiancés, or even girlfriends to give their men (who were going off to war), a lock of their hair as a keepsake, particularly in WWI, which Tolkien fought in. The lore part of it comes into play in The Silmarillion, Tolkien's tales of the creation of Arda, the Undying Lands of Valinor, and Middle Earth. Galadriel is many, many thousands of years old, and was born in Valinor before the sun and moon were even created. At the time, the world was lit by two trees, one gold and one silver which would shine at different times from each other, but would shine together once a day when one would fade and the other brighten. Galadriel's hair was said to look like the light of the mingled light from the two trees, which may have inspired Fëanor, a master craftsman and heir to the high king of the Noldor, to craft the Silmaril's which were three jewels that captured the light of the two trees, one golden light, one silver light, and one co-mingled light. Fëanor had a bit of a thing for Galadriel and begged her for her hair three different times, which she rejected because she could perceive the inner darkness of his heart and rejected him, which made them "un-friends" after that. There is a lot more to the lore than that, so this is the super crib-notes version. But the point is, it was VERY significant that she granted Gimli three of her hairs to a dwarf, when she would not to the son of her king(Finwë is Galadriel’s Grandfather and one of Three Kings, Ingwë is the high King of Valinor. Finwë’s Brother)many MANY thousands of years ago.
The reason these films are perfectly produced is that they were not made as sequels, but rather as one long eight hour movie that was then chopped into three sections. And the production crew paid close attention to detail, and went out of their way to make sure the smallest thing fit the story. Add to that a cast who truly meshed into a whole, and who enjoyed hanging out together as people much less work together as actors, and the resultant films are perfect. It really should be seen as a whole production, and not as a film trilogy.
I miss the movies of this era with the scale models and practical effects complimented by CGI, also real actors in first rate mask and costume. All the crafts coming together beautifully.
If you intend to read the books *spoiler*
There is a reason Sam was listening outside the window, and why Pippin and Merry go with Frodo. Almost the entire 1st book was left out. Pippin, Merry, Sam, and another friend- Fatty Bolger, were watching Frodo incase he tried to dissappear like Bilbo.
The town of Bree is the only place where Hobbits and humans live together. But the Bree Hobbits tend to live in houses instead of " proper " Hobbit Holes.
Samwise Gamgee, is the current Baggins estate grounds keeper/gardener, having taken over the post from his father The Gaffer Gamgee.
Why would you tell her this and take away the meat of the books? Let her discover the books and the differences for herself.
@@andrew348 Most people don't read the book. And reread the first sentence, IT'S A SPOILER ALERT.
20 years later, and the Nazgul are still bloody terrifying. Such a simple character design, but the way they were shot and the way the performers inside them moved really brought them to life. Ian Holm's performance after Bilbo tries to snatch the Ring away from Frodo is absolutely heartbreaking. I just wish they'd used a line from that scene in the book, Bilbo saying "Don't adventures ever have an end?" There's been debate among Tolkien experts for a very long time about what a Balrog looks like, both the size and whether or not they actually have wings. But when people saw this depiction of a Balrog they pretty much all said "Yep, that works!" And I LOVE that we actually got to see Boromir attempting to protect Merry & Pippin at the end. In the books, they only find him dying after the hobbits had been taken. When we watched that scene in the theater, that first arrow hit left the audience so silent you could hear a pin drop. You noted how it didn't feel like such a long movie. I went to midnight screenings on opening night for all three movies, and as we were coming out of this one I overheard a couple of kids talking about it. Three thirty in the morning, these 10ish year old kids were not only still wide awake, they were wishing it had actually been LONGER. :)
When you look into the lore, you realize how significant it is that Bilbo was able to drop the ring before leaving his house, by his own will at that. no matter how much he wanted to keep it and how much influence Gandalfs words had, he made the decision to drop the evil he's carried for decades and simply leaves on a new journey.
'Hobbits really are amazing creatures, as I have said before. You can learn all that there is to know about their ways in a month, and yet after a hundred years they can still surprise you at a pinch." - Gandalf
Your excited fidgeting was the cutest thing! Lol
These movies are the best so expect to me more and more impressed with the next 2 movies. The score in these movies are my favorites from any movies I’ve ever seen. The character growth is also amazing
Well spotted with Legolas on the mountain. All the others are up to their knees trudging through the snow (and Aragorn and Boromir were actually carrying the Hobbits) but the Elf is daintily walking on top of it. Its part of being an Elf. They're very light on their feet and very agile. Like a mountain goat.
They;re also showoffs.
The Tower bit is explained ONLY in the Unfinished Tales Book: In [manuscript] C The Black Riders arrived at the Gate of Isengard while Gandalf was still a prisoner in the tower. In this account, Saruman, in fear and despair, and perceiving the full horror of service to Mordor, resolved suddenly to yield to Gandalf, and to beg for his pardon and help. Temporizing at the Gate, he admitted that he had Gandalf within, and said that he would go and try to discover what he knew; if that were unavailing, he would deliver Gandalf up to them. Then Saruman hastened to the summit of Orthanc - and found Gandalf gone. Away south against the setting moon he saw a great Eagle flying towards Edoras.
See, the thing is he was always master of studying the enemy and even being able to think like they do to always know exactly the best ways to handle ever situation and so on, but the thing is he didn't just become the enemy, he at this time in a sense for once actually grew afraid of him, probably Sauron did what Sauron did with Finrod Felagund(Galadriel’s elder brother who by the way was very important in the legendarium) which basically widdled Saruman with various visions of the past and future until it wore him down.
Get ready for a couple of revolutionary epics in "The Two Towers" & "Return of the King".
Frodo/Sam are not just friendship goals, they decent caring people goals.
My favorite movies! I've watched them many times, but I still get chills and cry with certain scenes.
they used an insane number of tricks to make Hobbits look smaller than all the Big folk. when you're done the Trilogy you should seek out the documentary on it, it's amazing stuff & they pioneered it.
Force perspective ☺️
When the Hobbits are in the Prancing Pony & there's a bunch of Big Folk walking around them, they built these sort of powered stilts for them. You can only see their legs, it's quite convincing.
"I pass the test. I will diminish & go into the West & remain Galadriel." gives me shivers every time.
Elves are INSANELY light on their feet, thats why he doesn't sink in the snow
Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
Here's a little about the author, J.R.R. Tolkien. He was not a writer by profession and only wrote a handful of stories during his life. He was a combat veteran of WWI, a devout Catholic, a Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon and a Fellow of Pembroke College, both at the University of Oxford. He was also a Merton Professor of English Language and Literature and Fellow of Merton College. Tolkien was also a close friend of C. S. Lewis, the author of the "The Chronicles of Narnia" series. His novels "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" series are somewhat of an autobiography, when you study his life you will find many parallels with his stories. His works are the basis of almost all modern fantasy, from Dungeons & Dragons to Game of Thrones. Without Tolkien, we would not have the high fantasy we all know and love.
Every new LOTR watcher I see goes “This is going to be a long watch” at the beginning, and then at the end everyone goes “Wait, it’s already over?”😂
That observation you made about Gandalf not wanting to interfere is spot on - and not everyone picks that up - he really doesn't want to - at least not overtly. 😉
0:35 If I remember correctly the second movie is about this long, and the third one is like an hour longer.
2:20 Hobbits live about 100 years, but the One Ring unnaturally extends the lifespan of those who wear it.
4:25 Thankfully they didn't know about the Hobbits or the Shire. They looked in all the wrong places that whole time.
6:15 Director Peter Jackson got his start in horror films. So scenes that were mildly scary in the books, now in the hands of a master horror director, become super scary here.
10:40 She's 2,901. Elves are immortal.
31:25 I was 22 when these came out. Surely they're not that old.
I could not agree more, that the music is as much part of the story telling as any actor. The method (I'm putting my music major hat on for a tick) of composition used here, the leitmotif, draws directly from the epic story telling of Wagner. Aragorn's love story with Arwen connects with the opera Tristan and Isolde. If you can give that one a good look you may really enjoy that. Of course the elephant in the room of an epic story requiring epic attention, is The Ring of the Niebelungs. People make pilgrimages to Bayreuth to see that opera shown in the theatre Wagner built for the purpose of this story alone. Three films for the Lord of the Rings comes almost up to the 4 nights of opera for the "other" ring cycle.
With the next movie, we will have some trivia about a toe... 😆
Just about every person who sees how long the extended versions are complains about the length and at the end, they are like, "What?! It's OVER?!"
The entire trilogy was filmed in New Zealand over 3 yrs from 98' to 2000
And the pre-production efforts, such as preparing the Shire, took a full two years before the first camera take.
I think it’s testament to Peter Jackson that so many of your questions were answerable in the books. Eg: “how is he standing on top of the snow?” He got a lot of the details right and you were astute enough to ask the right questions. You were also spot on when you pointed out that it seemed that Gandalf kept his distance with decision making. He was a Maia, a kind of an angelic being and he was there to oversee the attempt to defeat Sauron.
How amazing is watching people reacting to The Lord of the Rings saga for the first time. By the way, Elves are immortals in terms of lifespan (they can be killed).
Enjoy!
A quick observation for you. You asked, “why always Frodo?!” That’s just it, because it’s Frodo, the ring bearer. That ring attracts hardship, violence, selfishness, evil. It is literally trying to get back into its creators hands. Great observation earlier by the way in that it was playing on some inner weakness of Boromirs. Great reaction, hope you enjoy the rest!
Elves are so light on their feet they can literally walk on snow. in the book Legolas gets in a cheeky little poem about it: `The strongest must seek a way, say you? But I say: let a ploughman plough, but choose an otter for swimming, and for running light over grass and leaf or over snow-an Elf.’
I envy you going on this journey for the first time. The movies get even better imo.
oh Liv. this journey has just started. cant wait for the rest of the movies. and great edit. keep up your great work
The Nazgul have really poor eyesight but a heightened sense of smell. The leader wanted Frodo to put the ring on so he could either take the ring or stab him in the heart and make him another wraith. He missed and stabbed him in the shoulder.
Hi Liiv! Sauron had first to come back with enough strength and power before sending his servants to search for the Ring. Before this time, Gollum and Bilbo could possess and use the Ring and stay unnoticed. But in Frodo's time, it is over. The Ringwraiths are active again, Sauron is back into Mordor, and his eye his gazing upon all Middle Earth. Using the Ring becomes very risky then.
You explained it in a way that I could not.
The Ring does pick on people... as Gandalf said "I would use The Ring from a desire to do Good..."
That's why Boromir was so drawn to it... Men are pulled by the allure of power, to be sure. Boromir was a Noble Man, in EVERY meaning of the word "noble"
The Ring could sense how powerful and righteous he is. That is why he was able to be corrupted by it.
These are some of my favorite movies. I'm pretty sure they are all about the same length. I do wish you would have done 2 separate vids for each movie like most reactors, but I'll take what I can get.
You are in for a ride! Super excited for you to see the other two! Enjoy the dive into Middle-Earth Liv, it's going to be such an adventure💙
"Bilbo looks worse every time we see him now" Seconds later...lol Subscribed! I'm excited to see the rest of your reactions, especially glad you're watching the extended editions! So many people ask questions, especially for the next too movies that are answered in the extended editions.
6:13 - Because, they’re the Nazgûl. Ringwraiths. Neither living nor dead.
Liiv, the only thing better than a good story is a good ending. This entire trilogy is freaking amazing but ROTK will just blow you away at how everything wraps up so neatly. :)
25:24 In general, the more powerful a person is, the more they desire the ring. Gandalf and Galadriel, two of the most powerful beings in Middle-Earth, have a serious craving for it. Note how, in Bilbos house, Gandalf is afraid to even touch it, for fear he will not be able to let it go again. Bilbo was able to give up the ring because of all beings in that world Hobbits are the least power-hungry
Loved the reaction. Was a bit sad you made it all one video so you couldn’t show as much. The extended edition of these movies are so long and contain so many good scenes worthy to be in the video. May I recommend doing the other two movies in parts? Maybe split them up into two or three parts each if you have the energy?
Anyway just a request many others have done it like that on RUclips.
12:38 Elves are immortal. They have the potential to live until the end of the world. Lord Elrond is 6,517 years old in this scene. Of course they are not invulnerable or invincible. They can be killed in combat or by weapons in general, but they can also be resurrected.
I love to see that the «magic» of this movie is still strong and captivating. I saw this in a movie theatre when I was twelve and I completely sucked into the world and everything. This movie adaptation is perfect. The music does a lot, I agree but also the practical effects, costumes, sets, camera angles. CGI only enhances the shots. The cast is perfect and the story written by professor Tolkien stands the test of time. Enjoy the other two movies. I can’t wait for your reaction. Thanks for sharing your journey with us. Edit: And I agree with you, movies nowadays often lose their magic because everything is CGI. Your review was spot on.
Same here! Amazing to think it's been over 20 years since then. I love seeing new people fall in love with these stories. 💜
19:23 This is one of my favorite techniques that Jackson implements throughout all of the films in the trilogy. In the lead up to battles, there's always an incredible score that swells and swells, and when the armies clash the music cuts so all you hear is the chaos of battle. It's so effective in drawing you in to the scene
Fun Fact: the actor that played Gimli was the tallest of the company of the ring.
You may want to break up the other movie reactions into 2 parts each.
This is my favorite movie series and my favorite movie score. I'm glad there was so much done with practical effects. Weta Workshop made real armor, weapons, chain mail, etc and blended it with (at the time) cutting edge CGI. The cast and crew worked extremely hard and their passion and determination shines through.
22:34 "How'd you like some ice cream, Doc?" That's why the Elves are always shining.
This trilogy is an absolute masterpiece! Each film just gets better and better as it goes. These movies are long (though it doesn’t feel like it ) and a lot of stuff happens so most reactors will break it up into 2 or 3 parts so it’s not one fast clip to the next. Especially for the last one. Really enjoyed your reaction to this!
Did you know: When Gandalf leaves Frodo to find out what he can about the ring, then comes back to him at Bag End again, he is actually gone for 27 years.
Sam calls him “Mr. Frodo” because (1) Sam is Frodo’s gardener so Frodo is his employer and it’s just respectful to say “Mr/Sir”, and (2) Frodo is a Baggins which is a well respected and prominent family in the Shire (kind of like nobility) whereas Sam is of humble lineage.
I wouldn't use nobility as a description, that implies titles; 'gentry' would be closer. As you say, respected and prominent, almost certainly the major local landholder with a number of tenant farmers and employees. The local 'squire' for all intents.
Bilbo's jump scare face is so me at my family's Thanksgiving dinner or at my Vegas Buffet and a fatty customer is taking too to move.🤭
The Ring was lost for over 3000 years after Isildur (the guy at the beginnning) cut it from Sauron's hand. Its complicated, but what happened was that Sauron had come back and began to build up his power again. All he needed to regain full strength was his Ring. Gandalf did not know the Ring Bilbo had was that one until he tested it the fire. Sauron tortured Gollum because he was the last person known to have had it. He'd only been searching for it for a few years, in total.
The power of the RIng was tied to Sauron himself. Until Sauron returned to his base in Mordor and started to build power again, the Ring was dormant, it didn't really do anything. Which is why Bilbo had it for so long without any problems. When his power began to rise though, it became more powerful and he began searching for it.
Answers fir a couple of questions.
1 Hobbits generally live a bit longer than the "Big Folk" (Men). The oldest Hobbit at this time was the Old Took, who passed, when Bilbo was young, at 130.
2. The two younger Hobbits, Merry ( Meriadic Brandybuck) and Pippin (Peregrine Took) were both in their "Tweens" (20s), as Hobbits come of age at 33. So they are basically teenagers in human terms. Merry the smart one. Both are related (cousins) to Frodo, one from each side of his family. (Bilbo's mother was a Took) Sam is Frodo's gardener, so and employee as well as a friend.
3. Elves are basically immortal although they can be killed or die of sadness. The Lady Galadriel is over 9000 years old and was born the "The Time of the Trees", BEFORE the First Age of Middle Earth. Currently it is the last years of the Third Age...
4. The reason a big deal is made of Bilbo discarding/relinquishing the ring is that in its 3000 years of existence only 2 persons willingly managed to do that. Bilbo the first and you have already met the second person who will do it, "soonish". No spoilers there...
12:38 "essentially Immortal, Elrond is ALOT older than that. It's a LONG explanation
Thank you for your great reaction to this amazing masterpiece. There is something special about this trilogy, and I am looking forward to your reactions to the other two movies.
"How long elves live, who would want a life that long". The bittersweet immortality of elves in a nutshell. There is a reason the mortality of humans was considered a gift from the Creator (although men often considered it a curse)
Galadriel is Arwen's grandmother and the Hobbits are throwing stones because they are deadly accurate with them. You notice any orc hit by one is knocked out if not killed outright,
Vigo Mortensen bought Arwen's white horse and gave it to Liv Tyler's stunt rider as a gift. In the books, there was a 17 year gap between when Bilbo left the Shire and when Frodo left. The movie doesn't give a good explanation for why Bilbo aged so much. Once he was out of the influence of the ring, he aged normally from that point on. Frodo was in his fifties when he left the Shire, but hobbits really don't come of age until they are 30 or so.
"I know this movie is old" she says.
OUCH!
I remember these coming out... NOT that long ago. 😋😂 Ok it is a while ago, but... I'M OLDER than these.
Anyway, loved the reaction I always love seeing these movies through fresh eye. They did a great job bringing the book to life, and the books had so much world building behind them.
wow! So happy you are starting this trilogy...love your reactions! And love love love The Lord Of The Rings!
Pity she really doesn't understand anything of what she saw! 👎👎👎
THE GREATEST TALE EVER TOLD I READ THIS WHEN I WAS 13 OR 14 AND KNEW THEN IF THEY EVER MADE IT INTO A MOVIE IT WOULD BE AWSOME
Just found your channel because youtube recommends all LOTR reactions because I'm a huge nerd. I very much enjoyed your take and how perceptive you are, and am so glad that you enjoyed watching this. Subscribing to see your reactions to the rest of the films!
Go back and watch her Star Wars reactions too, they're great. Take it from a fellow nerd.
@@jeremyfrost2636 I'll take your suggestion and do just that, thanks! I was looking at her channel and there is a few great movies that I haven't seen in a long time that would be nice to revisit via reaction, like Dead Poets Society. Also on the list to watch this week.
@@riolkin She did Dead Poets Society? I missed that.
@@jeremyfrost2636 By the view count, most people did. That's gotta change, that movie is a classic and I want there to be incentive to do other similar classics on her channel.
Sam calls him Mr Frodo because he was the baggins gardener. The Baggins could be as close as you can call it in the hobbit race as nobility.
Gentry would be my description. The sort rural folk would call 'The Squire'.
Can't wait for the rest of this trilogy!
I can't wait for you to see the Return of the King! I've seen it over and over and every time it hits harder.
Thank you for watching the extended edition, it makes a huge difference imho.
Honestly, these movies are as close to cinematic perfection as you can get. Watching them in cinema all those years ago was an experience I will never ever forget. Can't wait to see your reaction to the other two!
Fellowship of the Ring reaction never gets old...
Unlike those youngli- oops wrong movie 😅
Sauron is an immortal spirit being born at the creation of the world, something akin to angels called the Maiar, but his body was killed when Isildur cut the Ring off him. it took him an entire Age of Middle Earth to regain his Will & gain a new body. it's only a few decades ago that he had enough of his essence recovered to direct his servants to find the Ring. yeah I suspect Bilbo's finding the Ring had something to do with it, not sure if Tolkien ever said so explicitly but it fits.
"How long do Hobbits live?"
Okay! So! Hobbit lifespans! The average hobbit lifespan is about 100 years, give or take. So they age a bit slower than humans, but not by too much. Prior to Bilbo, the oldest hobbit ever lived to about 130. So 111 isn't unheard of. But what made Bilbo's case remarkable is that he was 111 and still looked like he was in his 50s or 60s. The joke around the shire was that Bilbo was "Well preserved."
Also, Hobbits come of age at 33. So a 33 year old hobbit is the equivalent of an 18 year old human. Fun fact, in the books, Frodo shared a birthday with Bilbo (September 22). And the day Bilbo turned 111 was the day Frodo turned 33. That's part of why he chose that day to leave. Because Frodo was then old enough to inherit his estate. Had Bilbo disappeared sooner, it all would have had to go to other relatives that he didn't like. Also, in the book, 17 years pass between Bilbo's party and Frodo taking the ring out of the shire. He left when he was 50. The same age Bilbo was when he left for his adventure.
Also... Pippin is the youngest of the four Hobbits. He's 29. So he's essentially still a kid by hobbit standards.
In the town of Bree scene you will see a man giving the hobbits an ugly look. That’s film director Peter Jackson!
Yes, the man eating a carrot.
"Yes, he (Bilbo) does look a lot older, doesn't he?" In the book seventeen years pass between the time of Bilbo leaving the Shire and Frodo & company arriving at Rivendell. How much time Peter Jackson intended to have pass is uncertain. He does play fast and loose with elapsed time in the movies.
I'm a bit late, but Gandalf does answer why they didn't find the ring when Bilbo had it: the ring was dormant. Sauron slowly built up his power when the ring was missing because so long as it endured, so will be, and only when he felt strong enough did he call out to it, which awoke the ring while it was in Frodo's possession.
"So he's of the bloodline but he's not a son.... If he was he'd be very old"
True Tolkin fans hearing her say that are laughing so hard right now
I've always wondered If someone (mostly speaking of reactions) caught a little and bad pun they've included in this movie. When samwise is grabbed by Gandalf he says "please sir, dont turn me on something unnatural" cause he was freaked by the idea of being a frog. The Gandalf says "no, i tought something better".
The scene cuts to another with Gandalf, Frodo and a pony. After some seconds Sam comes running at the back.
Pretty sure it was meant to make us think that Samwise was turned to a pony, but no one ever fell for this.
@17:30
He doesn't want to intervene because he is a "maiar" (Tolkiens version of angels), he has been sent on a mission by the valar (gods) in the body and form of an old man to guide the people of middle earth, he has great power but has been tasked not to use it :)
Elves are so light of foot that they can walk on top of fresh snow.