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Tolkien's
father died when he was four, and his mother when he was 12.
The orphaned Tolkien and his brother went to live with their
aunt in Birmingham.
The
'prequel', The Silmarillion, which tells the ancient history
and legend of Middle-earth, was published in 1977, four years
after Tolkien's death.
J.R.R.
Tolkien was great friends with C.S. Lewis, the author of the
Narnia novels.
The
first two parts, The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers,
were published together in 1954. The final part, The Return
of the King, arrived in the shops a year later.
Tolkien
served in the British Army during the First World War, and suffered
shell shock afterwards.
J.R.R.
Tolkien was born on 3rd January, 1892, in Bloemfontein, South
Africa. He moved to England with his mother when he was three
years old.
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For
the first hour, "The Fellowship of the Ring" is a flawless
introduction to the world of Middle-earth, expertly outlining the
backstory and evoking a tangible sense of danger as Frodo the hobbit
(Wood) sets out on his quest to destroy the all-powerful one ring
- sought-after weapon of the Dark Lord Sauron. With the wizard Gandalf
(McKellen) as his guide - and a protective fellowship drawn from various
Middle-earth races - Frodo must do battle with orcs and other beasties,
as well as fend off danger from within, as the ring works its evil
charm on him and those around him.
The
film's problem comes in cramming so much story into even three hours,
and from the moment Liv Tyler's elf princess pops up, the pacing
seems slightly off - skipping from one breathless chase scene to
the next. Also, while the scenes with the rank, fearsome orcs are
superbly realised, Jackson finds representing the spirit of good
much more difficult - soft-focus photography and bright light are
his unsatisfactory ploys. This is all the more disappointing when
compared to the other groundbreaking effects work on display.
The
casting, however, could not have been better. Wood is perfect as
Frodo, the vulnerable, slightly weedy central figure whose resolve
will no doubt grow with the films, while Billy Boyd and Sean Astin
nearly steal the picture as the accident prone comic relief. Nearly,
but not quite. That is left to Viggo Mortensen as mysterious warrior
Aragorn.
Brooding,
intense, and handy with a blade, Mortensen is the film's greatest
strength - Han Solo to Wood's Luke Skywalker. The "Star Wars"
comparison is an apt one, for if the next installment, "The
Two Towers", can build on this hugely impressive franchise
starter, George Lucas better look to his laurels.
"The
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" opens in UK cinemas
on Wednesday 19th December 2001.
Reviewed
by , 91Èȱ¬ Films.
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