LOTR outpaces nearly every other film ever created because in addition to all of the filmmaking wizardry (acting, writing, lighting, score, set pieces, cinematography, costume designs, CGI, fight sequences, etc.), you can tell how much HEART, INTELLIGENCE, and PASSION went into every aspect. That can't be rushed, it can't be faked, and it can't be bought.

As a musician, the music is ridiculously amazing for a very specific reason. Each race gets a different theme (Shire, orcs, Rohan, etc.) but it was taken further than that. Each race also gets specific and exclusive instruments the theme is played on. Hobbits get woodwind instruments, Orcs get low horns, Rohan gets strings etc. Then, when moments involving multiple races are involved (like at the end when Aragorn is crowned king), they play a theme for one race but with another race's instruments (like the Hobbit theme played on strings instead of woodwinds). Fucking amazing.

The fact that Peter lobbed for the lighting people to put some christmas lights behind the camera for Galadriels close ups to give the apparence of stars reflected in her eyes just shows you how insanely precise and passionate he was as a director.

The best moment for me that makes me tear up, is “my friends, you bow to no one.” Or “they knew one thing, that there is good in this world and it’s worth fighting for”

It’s worth mentioning how EVERYONE involved was equally serious about and dedicated to this film. From the music, to the acting, animators, camera men, sets, script, directing, and more ALL knew their parts and came together PERFECTLY. Once in a lifetime production in these films.

Let's not forget that the movies got 11 oscar nominations and got 11 wins! It is indeed a masterpiece

For me. It was always the music. The Rohirrim Charge. That moment is absolutely everything. Bravery. Strength. Determination. Death. Tragedy. Love. Passion. Pride. Vengeance. I have never come across a soundtrack that managed to make me feel so many things all at once. It is almost overstimulated. Absolutely incredible and by far one of the greatest scenes in movie history. But even outside of action. The Shire soundtrack. Absolute and complete peace. Happiness. Contentment. Wonder. Overwhelming joy. Like if heaven could have it’s own theme song. This trilogy was a gift not only to film. But to the world as a whole. And I will continue to watch it and love it until the end of my days.

I saw these films in the cinema as an adult and I thought they were fun and well made and I was invested in the characters. But in the third film when Sam says to Frodo, ‘I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you!’ I burst into tears. Best line of any movie, period, and everything up to then built to that moment. It’s that scene that turns this trilogy into an absolute masterpiece. Never has pure love been depicted so well.

This film embodied something that can never be replicated: True Sincerity. It is the last film that called for true heroism. For brotherly love. It is the last film, that truly gave a damn. A film, that inspired actual hope. It will be another generation (or two) before we see something even remotely close to this again. Lightning in a bottle doesn't even come close to how amazing and important it is.

It’s art…like the Mona Lisa you can view it over and over and still appreciate it.

Favorite tearing up moment "My friends...you bow to no one". There's no way of describing how this moment makes you look back to the almost 12 hours of movies and describes perfectly the joy of what you just witnessed. Absolute masterpiece of a scene!!!

Anytime I feel down, I think of Samwise the Brave and his incredible speech at the end of two towers. A speech of hope, meaning and passion, that reminds me that I can get through anything. It's funny what little things like that can effect in a person.

Completely agree. Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy is a timeless and ageless masterpiece. I'll be forever grateful to Jackson and everyone who worked on them. It's also always so fascinating to see documentaries from the production. They gave us such amazing memories and movie experiences but the time when producing these must have been such life-changing experience for cast and crew. I have so much respect for them as you can see all the heart and passion that was poured into these movies.

I’m just saying when theoden gets to the part of the speech where he says “ride, ride for ruin and the worlds ending” and then everyone starts screaming death I get chills no matter how many times I’ve seen it

Fantastic video! At 7:26 the fire in Grond's mouth does actually have a meaning (from the Silmarillion). The battering ram was named after Morgoth's hammer, but its shape was that of a gigantic wolf that ate a silmaril. The burning pain of the gem caused it to go on a rampage, and the fire (beyond just looking really cool) represents that.

The Music is an Opera by itself. A masterful opera on par with Wagner. The Casting: they were born to play those characters, and to this day I don't know how they managed to choose them so masterfully. The Story: They summarized the essence of Tolkien and what He wanted to convey: Friendship, Hope, Redemption, Love for Nature and the simple things. The Visuals: They perfectly blended Practical Effects and CGI at a time when they really didn't have the technology we have today and still looks better than 90% of today's movies. A 10/10 Movie

I’m a grown ass Dad of 3 girls, and the lighting of the beacons hits me on a way where it’s so epic i get a bit Emotional. I don’t know why, I think it could be Gandalf saying ‘hope is kindled’ and that music is hope. The music is hope and it makes me shed a tear. I don’t understand it, it just comes out of me.

These films are seriously my favourite thing to exist in life. I've watched them about 40 times. I've listened to the whole score about 3000 times. I talk about it with my friends constantly. As a beginner filmmaker, this truly inspires me to no end. So grateful to have these movies in my lifetime, truly special.

Nothing will ever top this. The music, the cast, the love for the story, the locations, the passion, it was all there. Absolutely beautiful and will forever hold an extremely special place in my life.

What really made the trilogy amazing is that Jackson was open to discussion and revision just to make sure the films were perfect.

Favorite character: Gimli. Heart of gold. Favorite moment: I can't carry it for you! But I can carry you!!! Favorite theme: You're right. Nearly impossible. Greatest body of musical work ever created. Favorite location: The East Wall/Argonath Favorite kingdom:Rohan Favorite story line: Gimli and Legolas overcoming their cultures and becoming life long friends. Moment that inspires me: I will take it! I will take the ring to Mordor Favorite movie: impossible

Man u got me tearing up when he talked about Sam's undying loyalty and friendship. This movie was and will always be a master piece.. Sad thing is the first time i watched it i did think it would be the only movie to reach these levels, should have treasured those moments more.

I know a few people have called out “My friends, you bow to no one”, and that scene does bring a tear to my eye, but the one that really gets me is at the end of Fellowship when Frodo saves Sam from drowning and Sam says “I made a promise, Mr. Frodo. A promise! ‘Don’t you leave him, Samwise Gamgee.’ And I don’t mean to…I don’t mean to.” That shit gets me every time. True, undying loyalty and friendship.

The LoTR trilogy was indeed something special, and something we may never see the likes of again in filmmaking. Tolkein's books were masterpieces, full of humanity, fantasy, and imagination. Peter Jackson was just hitting his stride as a filmmaker and had a real love and reverence for the source material... he lived and breathed how best to translate the Tolkein's books into films. Plus all of the brilliant costume, make-up, weapons, and technical artists. Everything came together to produce those 3 movies we love so much.

One thing that always resonated with me, is the detail that went into the crafting of the weapons, costuming, and all of the items that were used. Many of the details weren't even apparent to the movie viewer, but the creators wanted to make something that was a piece of art, that fit their idea of what that item should be.

I’ve seen these movies over 50 times a piece. I love them so much. Visuals 10/10, Acting 10/10, Special Effects 10/10, Production 10/10, Story 10/10, and lastly and arguably most importantly, Soundtrack 11/10.

My favorite moments for sure are Sam's monologue at the end of Two Towers, and Frodo's monologue at the end of Return of the King. The reason being that it's clearly not just some book/movie character talking, but it's Tolkien himself, talking about his life and the horrors he went through in the Great War. Those are the moments that can get me to tear up, because unlike the rest of the fantasy, they are very real.

The reason I love this movie franchise is because they all clearly care about the story. Current movies all focus on the actors, trying to get more people to watch them. Current movies are just about the action, or the comedy, and cut out all the story. People of my generation can’t go 5 minutes without a quip or a battle, but these movies care about the story, care about conveying emotion, care about showing the world and building the world.

Nobody will ever make a trilogy as good as this. Aesthetically, Amazon can spend billions but they'll never reach the authenticity of these films. Only thing that was a let down visually was the lava at the end of RotK. But that was it. Everything else looked so good. Amazon and The Hobbit are too pretty, too squeaky clean. Every time I see the dwarves in The Hobbit at the end of the 3rd film I keep asking myself how nobody went blind because their armors were so shiny. Movies need to learn from the nitty gritty dirty aspect of this film to make it seem real. Enough Avatar bullshit

What peter Jackson did at helms deep at night is magical and it's pretty much what James Cameron did for the lighting for titanic sinking. It makes it easy for the viewers to see yes, but it does so much more. It gives us a feeling of sometimes dread, sometimes fear, or suspense. Lighting is a very helpful tool but it is the story that NEEDS to also be genuine and good to lead the way

Howard Shore had divine intervention when writing the score. He made sure to give all the musicians a background story for the scene they were playing behind. It’s beautiful just how invested he was. ❤

What makes this film a masterpiece is that it was a labor of love from every single person involved in it. Everybody wanted to be in this movie from the make up department to the Director. They all love this project. Plus they have very little intrusion from production companies, that usually end up ruining projects.

I've literally watched all three movies every year, and I'm as invested in them as I was the first time I saw the movies. Perfect books, perfect movies, perfect and magic world. Jackson took a huge gamble, some would even call it stupid, attempting to make these movies. But passion and love of the original work paid off.

God I LOVE IT SO. And I'm always gobsmacked how Jackson basically came outta nowhere! This self-taught filmmaker, director of DEAD ALIVE and THE FRIGHTENERS(!) made something so meaningful, rich, and flat-out astounding. I hope to meet him someday, and tell him just how much this all means to me.

This movie seemed to be blessed in its production. My favorite story being when Rohans flag is torn off by the wind, and floats naturally and perfectly outside the city wall, and the camera crew just filmed it.

When you listed your favorite things in the end, I actually started crying. Im no LOTR nerd or whatever (its fine if you are), but the movie has a place so close to my heart, and was a crazy big part of my childhood. I looked up to the characters in the movie. LOTR was a part of raising me to who I am today (wow, that sounded sad when I read it out loud). I just- I dont have any words really. Its- yeah, it really is a masterpiece. What would i do without these films.

1:06 The “process” alone makes the *LOTR* Trilogy superior to anything made before or since!!! Passion, vision, & a great source to work from! Tolkien would be pleased 👏🏾💯🎬🍿💍

I went to Lotr Two Towers and Return Of the King in theaters on premiere weekend with my father and my brother. My father grew up reading all of Tolkien’s books and I know watching the movies in the theater with his sons was amazing for him. LOTR is my favorite fantasy story

Throughout my extensive years of existence, the musical composition of "The Lord of the Rings" holds a unique power that metaphorically brings me to my knees, evoking tears. What sets LoTR apart and makes it more unforgettable than any other film is undoubtedly its exceptional music. I make it a tradition to indulge in this trilogy every Christmas (extended version), and each viewing feels as enchanting as the first. Among the many remarkable scenes, the lighting of the beacons stands out as my absolute favorite. There's an indescribable something about it, a blend of hope, loss, innocence, past, present, and future encapsulated in that singular moment. It's the sole scene that never fails to bring tears to my eyes, creating a profoundly emotional connection with the essence of the series.

*It’s TRULY astounding how with ALL the different moments in the Battle for Minas Tirith/Pelennor Fields…at NO POINT did it ever feel over saturated. You got Ring Wraiths on Fell Beasts, catapults, trebuchets, 200,000 orcs, hundreds of trolls, a Wizard, a siege towers, a MASSIVE battering ram, the greatest scene/charge in cinematic history, an old crazy man trying to set him and his son on fire, GIANT ELEPHANTS, pirate ships, and an ARMY OF THE DEAD. All being played with the most epic musical score of ALL TIME. This doesn’t even include the Battle of the Black Gate!!! The fact that Peter Jackson was able to blend all of that in to one battle/movie so cohesively is absolutely UNBELIEVABLE. The entire trilogy is a legendary accomplishment the likes of which we may never see again; and we can cherish this mastery of cinema forever!🙏🏼😭*

I would consider me a man's man. But there are parts in TLOTR trilogy that make me overwhelmed with emotions, almost to tears. Every time I watch it.

The greatest Masterpiece ever made!

As the years go by, as the Fandom keeps growing - I have to remind myself how lucky I was that my dad took me to see all 3 films in theatre when I was a boy. I wish the newer/younger fans could experience that like it was when they first came to theatres. It was ELECTRIC. This trilogy holds a very very special place in my heart for so so many reasons. It's something I share with my dad, and I will never take that for granted. It's like this trilogy is apart of my family and I feel a sense of true love towards LoTR. No other film(s) come close for me.

It’s the “fly you fools” as he falls into shadow that gets me everytime.

I just watched the extended versions for the first time last week, 11 hrs of my life... worth it

That was nearly the whole of New Zealand cast in the extras lol Yep a true a masterpiece of film making.

The opening of "The Two Towers" is one of the best scenes in movie history! Gets me hype everytime. Watching Gandalf grab his sword while falling, and battling the fire demon! Awesome!

This trilogy was clearly a pure project of passion. Fran, Philippa and Peter had the vision, and they managed to sprinkle their enthusiasm all over the cast and crew. From the delivery of the actors, to the sincerity of Howard's score, the Weta people who worked day and night to invent the Massive engine, sculpt creatures and forge weapons and armor, getting Alan Lee and John Howe on board (two artists who were already deep into Tolkiens visual world), the costume and makeup department who researched, sew, glued and stitched the world together. The guys who sat for months handcrafting chainmail, and that one dude who skipped Christmas to single handedly model Barad Dur for the collapse scene. Every single person on this project clearly felt that they were part of a behemoth of a project that would likely never be replicated, and so they all brought their A-game, left nothing up to chance, and got this absolute classic done. And they all sincerely seem to believe it was all worth it. They worked for years together towards a very clear common goal. A fellowship if you will.

I love every minute of these films and they will never be equalled.

I love Peter's answer on the lighting at night. Game of Thrones completely dropped the ball there, I couldn't see shit in the big battle.

The score is my absolute favorite. I play it for my toddlers in the car when they’re upset and you can see an instant change in their mood. The Shire makes them change from fussy and inconsolable to quiet and thoughtful looking.

What a beautiful video. Got really emotional, especially describing Samwise as the best friend, ever! My favorite scenes actually happen in Two Towers: Seeing Gandalf fight the Balrog while falling, breathtaking! Or Treebeard calling the Ents to war was just cinematically stunning.

It’s more of a masterpiece now seeing what a travesty Rings of Power is. The only thing ROP did is make me fall in love with LOTR all over again.

This trilogy made a huge impression on me and I'm grateful it came out in my lifetime. I've seen all the appendices clips a hundred times because the behind the scenes making of the film was just as magical as the film itself. Masterpiece.

just finished the trilogy... it definitely lived up to its expectations and deserves that masterpiece title

I'm just so grateful that the people involved in this masterpiece were true fans of JRR Tolkien and his world of middle earth. They wanted to make the trilogy for themselves and fellow fans to be able to see middle earth brought to life on the big screen. Peter Jackson made this trilogy out of passion and love for the books, not purely for money or fame, etc. That's why they are so good, and the show rings of power on amazon, is not. One was created out of love and respect for the books, and one was created for the money.

I have watched the Lord of the Rings films more times than any other film/s! The trilogy seemingly never gets old. Enjoy it each time as much as the 1st. Unlike most fans of Tolkien. I became a fan of his work after watching the films. Reading the Silmarillion, History of Middle Earth, The Fall of Numenor, etc, after the films peaked my interest. I still hold out hope that someday Tolkien's work about the 1st Age/Time of the Trees. Will be made into films! I appreciate your passion for the films. Think I'm going to go watch them now. Lol.

I totally agree with you, is one if not the best trilogy in history, one of my favorite lines is when Gandalf tells Merry: death is just another path, one that we all must take

The music in this movie is so moving that once I am really dying, I'll be listening to these melodies conducted by some distant, overseas music demiurge of Howard Shore. And I'll walk into the plains of eternity elevated by this masterpiece.

My favorite scene and character moment is EASILY "I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you!" It's just SO powerful and I just LOVE it. And my favorite line is "for frodo" (especially in the extended edition because in that version they think that frodo and sam are dead so it's not to buy them a little more time, it's to honor them in one last stand)

These films are fucking fantastic. From the writing, acting, direction and music. The props and costumes are of such a quality you feel so much like you're in middle earth. Once in a life time fantasy films

I watched part of Two Towers because of the "Legolas, what does your elf-eyes see?" meme, and it's still a masterpiece 20 years on. Damn time flies so fast.

The entire trilogy is riveting, from Tolkien's stories, the actors immersion in their characters, the musical score, the cinematography, locations, emotions invoked, it really is something. It is always refreshing to to watch them over and over.

Fellowship is my personal favourite as i love the peaceful start to the slow and steady building of malice as more and more of the plot is revealed steadily. The ringwraiths are done perfectly as you see how utterly outmatched the hobbits are and even with aragorn aiding them they still nearly lose frodo. Rivendell feels like the calm before the storm and boy does the moment gandalf gives his all to protect the party just hit home, i dont think ive ever felt that sad for 1 chatacter in half a movie. Lotr is amazing and im blessed to have been here to see it done masterfully on camera

The how about a friend line is the most well earned moment of character development in all of cinema.

The music........ it instantly takes you over to these lands. 😍

A huge part of the success for this trilogy is the consistency of crew. Having the same team across all three films all shot together guarantees a consistent level of quality that people overlook. Regardless of being good or bad, it’s the same type of good or bad across the trilogy.

This trilogy houses the best films ever made. The writing, the directing, the music, the acting, the scenery are all true masterpieces and together created something that has yet to be replicated. Every time I go back and watch I'm more impressed than the time before.

You just made me remember the first film I was taken to in the theater and that was Disney's Snow White. I have no memory of it but my mom says they had to leave the theater because all the dark and scary moments with the evil queen were scaring me and I kept crying and screaming. My earliest memory of going to see a movie is I think, The Swiss Family Robinson at the drive-in. My dad was a bit of a movie buff when us kids were little so we often got dragged to the drive in. The drive-ins would often have a "double-feature" The first movie would usually be some Disney re-release then followed by some kind of bloody western for dad while the kids slept in the backseat. Oh yeah, Lord of the Rings is cool.

I am glad to see that more and more people started to appreciate and praise Jackson´s timeless movies. Especially that abomination called "Rings of Power" showed us again how precious Jackson´s work was, because he made timeless movies for everyone by taking the source material seriously and by putting in lots of love for detail. He understood and respected Tolkien and worked together with true artists to make the best out of it. Again we could see, not even a billion dollar makes a good show out of a soulless project. Amazon´s abomination will be forgotten soon enough but even after decades, generations will still remember this beloved trilogy.

Only trilogy I saw all 3 movies in the theatre. Incredible!

The part that gets me the most in the movie, is the wide, vast landscape, waiting to be explored, to cozy grasslands, to dark fortresses. The lighting is truly brilliant. And the battles! The bravery, I can't comprehend the magnitude of it, it's absolutely astounding. The action is not overwhelming, but it still has a sense of excitement that makes me want to replay the scene over and over again.

The one thing that I feel we all should be eternally grateful for is the period in which the films were made. There hasn't been, and I'm quite certain won't be, a better time for the films to have been made. The beginning of 2000's still has that "good retro vibe"; the films are just pure, the mix of practical and CG effects are perfectly balanced - only in the most dire situations will the computer be used. And whilst some scenes do suffer from the outdated effects (especially if you start pixel-peeping in the new 4k editions), I still don't think any other films have stood the test of time as excellently as the LOTR trilogy. The films epitomise all the good in film-making by pouring all their hearts and souls into creating something other-worldly, we truly are lucky to be able to witness this magic in all its glory.

My favorite moment is Sam's speech about the great stories. I still tear up when I hear, "When the sun shines it'll shine out the clearer." I always get emotional.

the story is so incredible because even though it’s a “we have to save the world” story, it’s more so about friendship, and hope and perseverance and honor

I love these movies and the music will never not bring chills! LOTR books and movies are the best, nothing else comes close.

Thankyou for this. You are so right. As more time goes by I'm realizing that Peter Jackson should actually be ranked alongside Tolkien himself. These films are sacred to my family.

You are correct, there will never ever be a movie like LOTR again, and it’s sad that movie producers are producing films for quick money and not take any passion for film anymore. when I go to the theaters nowadays, I feel like I’m watching very hollow, empty, lifeless movies which don’t capture my attention. Something about a movie which is entirely a green screen is so off putting to me, I can’t describe it but it feels so un-simulating.

Everything you said is absolutely true. My brother and I have long stopped counting how many times we've seen this masterpiece in its entirety. It will NEVER grow old.

I absolutely agree with you! An inspiration of a trilogy. A masterpiece of a novel, a masterpiece of a screenplay adaptation, a masterpiece of casting, a masterpiece of directing,production,costume design, set design. Props, stunts, editing, lighting, sound, score and every other thing it takes to make a film that will forever be the gold standard. And it was done without the need for profanity, nudity or gratuitous violence or gore. It just doesn’t get any better than Lord of the rings. I enjoyed this video very much. Thank you for your time and efforts in creating it.

I said it with ya at the end. This is probably one of the only times I was absolutely stoked by the trailer and blown away by the film. I was charmed and humbled by the Hobbits, felt a sting of guilt at the ease of corruption in men only to be filled w mix of prideful sorrow at Borimir’s death (when he swore his allegiance to Aragon) Was in awe at how powerful Gandalf the Grey was when he fought the Balrog, also stunned at his “death” near the escape from Moria. I could go on. Trilogy has never left me. It is, for me, a cinematic masterpiece that will continue to live on for generations to come.

@10:58 I’m not art critic or expert but that one shot of Gandalf is just beautiful. The dichotomy of light/dark as in good/evil, Gandalf looking towards the dark because he feels all is lost, but once he actually turns to the light and decides to fight they remain victorious over evil. Maybe I’m talking out of my ass but there ya go.

Other than the obvious that has been discussed a lot (musical score, cinematography, heroic action scenes, dialogue, art design etc etc) there is just such an unbelievable depth to everything in the movies. Think about how many characters there are, how they're nearly all fleshed out properly, get ample screentime + lines, how good the worldbuilding is and we understand all the different locations and cultures without needing exposition, and then think about all the different main plots (Frodo & Sam's quest, the war of the ring) and then all the subplots (Theoden's redemption arc, Arwen's dilemma, Faramir's dynamic with his father) and then all the even smaller subplots. Every scene has a purpose, every character has agency, and everything ties back into a coherent whole. It's actually insane the amount of stuff that happens in just 12 hours (extended editions). Having read the books as well, they not only brought life to Tolkein's work but elevated it too I could go on but I think ultimately that's what gives it it's endless rewatchability. There's always something new to discover or appreciate with every viewing

I'm not a smart man and don't know much about film making, but your descriptions about all that's right with Jackson's LOTR explained my feelings about the movies and why I treasure them so much precisely. Sadly, it's also hard to imagine how a movie, or series of movies could ever be this fine again.

The reason for the flame in the mouth, is that as the ram splinters pieces of wood, sparks from the mouth will "spray" onto those splintered bits to make them more brittle and easier to crash through. A process that was done here, as well as historically.

Kia ora, we’re new subscribers but long time fans of LOTR from Aotearoa New Zealand 🇳🇿. We just came across your channel and totally agree with most of your evaluation of such an epic masterpiece. With all due respect, being “kiwi” we’re obviously more biased by association. Respect definitely goes firstly to JRR Tolkien (that’s a given). Obviously Peter Jackson next, for having the foresight and balls to attempt such a task, especially when you make all three movies without knowing the outcome and response to the first movie. We cannot talk for all NZers however, many of us are very proud of Peter’s pride and love for New Zealand and, we always will be. We could be wrong and please correct us if we are, in our personal opinion, Gollum is our hero in the movie because, if he did not stop Frodo from leaving the volcano with the ring, the Nazgûl would have retrieved the ring, end of story. Noho ora mai (be safe, farewell) from New Zealand aka Middle Earth

What really impresses me the most about the LOTR movies is the level of dedication that went into the planning and production. Everything from the story, the characters, the world building and the raw emotion that went into them. Even from a technical standpoint the dedication is mind blowing, like the chain link armor that was made by hand and the catapults that were built for the battle scenes. Even the makeup and prosthetics for the orcs, goblins and Uruk-hai are practically perfect!

Brother, the way you used the music at the beginning as you're explaining was really good. The strain with the sorrowful music was great. 👏

It’s just the best. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts

For me the first movie will always be the best. Viggo Mortensen said it better than I can. The trilogy is amazing, but the subtleties were somewhat lost by the ever increasing CGI elements as Peter Jackson became a bit of a kid in a toy store. Side note, Ian McKellen might be the best casting of all time. What a performance.

I wasn't ready for you putting the music of the lightning of the beacons and I had instant chills.

Such a great video. You sum up a lot of key aspects from the lord of the rings really well. Thankyou

6:00 The Shadowfax introduction scene is a prime example of this.

I just love LOTR so much. When I was a toddler my childhood books were the Hobbit and the LOTR trilogy read to me by my dad (he would often change the scary scenes to be suitable for a 4-year-old). And when I was a child I would spend my weekends rewatching the extended editions of every movie. We took a family trip to New Zealend and visited different filming locations. When I was 12 I tried to learn Sindarin (I was such a little nerd). I genuinely have never felt a stronger love for any series. Hell, even my favourite songs used to be the soundtrack from the movies lmfao

Few works of fiction have ever conveyed the power of hope & love so well. They’re truly timeless and art at the highest level.

Easily the best. Thank you for putting the passion we all share for this work of art into words.

As far as I can tell, Grond's fire is intended to strike fear into the hearts of men. I have only read the books once, but I've played the games a lot. BFME 1 and 2 heavily emphasize the mechanic of bolstering your heroes' morale and striking fear into your enemies. It makes sense that the sole purpose of Grond's fire is to exacerbate fear. I'm not only breaching the door, I'm using metal and fire to do so, and you're next. Pure, unadulterated fear.

Agreed with everything but kind of sad you've left out Sam's "I can't carry it for you but I can carry you" moment at the end because that is certainly up there in the highlight's. And "fly you fools" also get's an honorable mention from me.

Omg I loooove this, thank you. So well done video essay, well put! What a masterpiece of all time, kudos to Peter Jackson and his vision, and to all of the staff that worked on this trilogy!

There's no aspect of this trilogy I would change. I think you did a fine job in summarizing why LOTR is a masterclass when it comes to storytelling and film making. Dude, when I was KID, my mom saw the movie without me and I BEGGED her to take me to the theater to see it even though she would have to pay to see it a second time. But I didn't care if my mom had to see it a second time. I knew LOTR was something spectacular even at a young age and I'm so glad I got to witness these films on the big screen when it came out.