The LORD OF THE RINGS Films | A Complete Retrospective

The world is changed. Over a period of 8 years, a group of filmmakers created one of the greatest film trilogies of all time.

Now, 20 years later, we recount their journey and discover how exactly these films came to be.

From development, to production, to the building excitement among fans. Covering the good, the bad, and everything in between.

This is... THE LORD OF THE RINGS - A COMPLETE RETROSPECTIVE

MAIN SOURCES:

The Lord of the Rings - The Appendices Parts 1 to 6
Charlie Rose interviews Peter Jackson in 2002:
Charlie Rose interviews Peter Jackson, Elijah Wood, and Viggo Mortensen in 2002:

THE COMPLETE TIMELINE:

00:00 - The World is Changed…
00:03:18 - 1978: The Ralph Bakshi Film
00:03:59 - 1980: Rankin/Bass Return of the King
00:04:31 - 1995: The Turn of the Tide
00:06:17 - 1997: Development Begins for Miramax
00:07:44 - 1998: Production Leaves Miramax
00:09:49 - 1998: The Last Shot with New Line
00:11:24 - 1998: Adapting The Lord of the Rings
00:18:31 - 1998: Storyboards/Pre-Vis
00:19:43 - 1998: Weta Workshop
00:20:23 - 1999: Weta Workshop, cont.
00:23:25 - 1999: The One Ring
00:24:07 - 1999: Designing Middle-Earth
00:25:40 - 1999: Miniatures
00:26:36 - 1999: New Zealand’s Locations
00:27:47 - 1999: Casting
00:31:13 - 1999: The Beginnings of Gollum
00:33:09 - 1999: Principal Photography Begins
00:33:43 - 1999: Recasting Aragorn
00:34:50 - 1999: The Second Units
00:35:52 - 1999: Daily Prosthetics by Weta Workshop
00:36:51 - 1999: Daily Script Revisions
00:37:11 - 1999: The Stairs to Cirith Ungol Vol. 1
00:38:37 - 2000: A Wizard is Never Late
00:39:00 - 2000: Scale
00:42:18 - 2000: The First Teaser Trailer
00:44:10 - 2000: New Cast Members
00:44:31 - 2000: Andy Serkis joins as Gollum
00:46:02 - 2000: The Filming of Helm’s Deep
00:47:19 - 2000: The Glorious Sets and Locations
00:48:29 - 2000: Howard Shore joins
00:49:22 - 2000: The Stairs to Cirith Ungol Vol. 2
00:50:03 - 2000: The Last Week of Production
00:52:29 - 2001: A New Teaser Trailer
00:53:51 - 2001: Editing - Film One
00:55:35 - 2001: Fellowship - Trailer #1
00:57:20 - 2001: Pick-Ups - Film One
00:58:22 - 2001: Weta Digital - Film One
00:59:55 - 2001: Fellowship - Trailer #2
01:01:02 - 2001: Music - Film One
01:02:37 - 2001: Sound Design - Film One
01:03:40 - 2001: Film One Complete
01:05:36 - 2001: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (Theatrical)
01:18:56 - 2001: Reception to Fellowship of the Ring
01:20:04 - 2002: The Oscars
01:20:57 - 2002: Editing - Film Two
01:24:04 - 2002: Excitement Builds for Film Two
01:25:03 - 2002: The Two Towers - Trailer #1
01:26:58 - 2002: Weta Digital - Film Two
01:29:09 - 2002: The Taming of Smeagol
01:32:57 - 2002: The Two Towers - Trailer #2
01:34:13 - 2002: Music - Film Two
01:35:19 - 2002: Sound Design - Film Two
01:36:34 - 2002: The Battle to Finish Film Two
01:38:12 - 2002: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (Extended)
01:41:59 - 2002: Film Two Complete
01:44:19 - 2002: THE TWO TOWERS (Theatrical)
02:01:55 - 2002: Reception to The Two Towers
02:02:55 - 2003: The Oscars
02:03:38 - 2003: Editing - Film Three
02:05:08 - 2003: Return of the King - Trailer #1
02:05:53 - 2003: Pick-Ups - Film Three
02:09:13 - 2003: Weta Digital - Film Three
02:12:46 - 2003: Return of the King - Trailer #2
02:14:02 - 2003: Music - Film Three
02:15:41 - 2003: Sound Design - Film Three
02:16:52 - 2003: THE TWO TOWERS (Extended)
02:20:01 - 2003: The Battle to Finish Film Three
02:22:50 - 2003: Film Three Complete
02:24:40 - 2003: THE RETURN OF THE KING (Theatrical)
02:45:05 - 2003: Reception to Return of the King
02:46:32 - 2004: The Oscars
02:49:07 - 2004: The Last Shot
02:49:52 - 2004: THE RETURN OF THE KING (Extended)
02:54:26 - The End of All Things

Outro Music: Running in the 80s 1.5x speed

[ThePrimeTheater]

Yes, this is a re-upload. The original version of this got taken down after five days, and I've spent the last 5 months trying to get it back up.

But it's here now! And I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's here to stay.

Also, if you wind up getting too many ads on the video, I'm sorry, there are still SOME copyright claims on this that control the ad frequency, so I have no power over that (nor do I get the money.)

But, enjoy the video, it's back! And it's about 23 seconds longer than it was in April!😀 Also, subscribe if you haven't, it helps a lot. 👍

[chickenporkadob]

after 23yrs, it still holds up and still better than current movies.

[toreadoress]

The fact that this trilogy exist considering how many step backs there were with Miramax cutting it to 1 movie, then being rejected by every single other studio and in the last possible moment New Line not only picked it up but even offered to be 3 movies for each book instead of 2, took a studio breaking gamble giving P.J. big enough budget and creative control + filming back to back is nothing less than a miracle.

Which also makes me think how many other potentially great ideas and masterpieces never saw the day of light because they didn't have the same amount of luck and were rejected by studios.

[OwenDW]

I grew up in Wellington during the filming, what an incredible time to be a kiwi. Everyone was either in, or new someone who worked on the production, from caterers to roofers.
I myself went to the cricket match mentioned in the video with my Dad and got to see Peter Jackson in person. We contributed to the sound of 10, 000 Uruk-Hai marching on Helms Deep. I also bet my Dad $5 that NZ would beat England and they did. Fantastic day out.

[vipisor]

I’ve started watching this documentary without high hopes, given how many there are throughout Youtube, but you, Sir, have done an unbelievable job. The narration, the knowledge, the edit, the mix between movie scenes and your story…absolutely amazing. Thank you for this and thank you for reminding me of the greatness of these movies and their impact in cinematography.

[TJSaw]

The greatest book ever written.
The greatest movie ever made.
The greatest movie soundtrack ever composed.
The greatest film crew ever assembled.
The greatest fandom to ever exist.

The Lord of the Rings - the one tale to rule them all.

[nifferwolf]

This trilogy is an absolute masterclass of cinema. The film industry peaked with these movies.

[tim]

I was able to see Return of the King in Imax when it first released when I was 10. It was the first one my parents allowed me to see in theaters.

I'm 30 now and I still remember it vividly. Including the standing ovation by the crowd as the credits rolled.

[zoestraw]

The pub scene, and then Frodo's monologue about picking up the threads of an old life, both really hit me. One of the things that the ending of Return really captures is how traumatic and life changing everything that the Hobbits went through was, and that no matter how desperately they want to go back to their simple humble lives, they can't ever go back to the innocence they had before they left. Their trauma, in a way, isolates them from the community they had longed to return to, and that can be a very heart wrenching realization. I'm a person with CPTSD related to some really horrific things in my past, and I work to be a positive presence in the lives of those who I care about, but sometimes it can be difficult to not be envious of people who haven't been through major hardships like that. My experiences shaped me, for better or worse, and you have to move forward incorporating those things into your life.

I'm always crying like a baby by the end of Return as we're wrapping up the Hobbbits stories because of how bittersweet the return to the Shire is, as the scope of how deeply they are affected by their journeys takes hold and they still put together whatever lives they can have in spite of it. It's something handled with such grace and nuance, it's thoughtful and sweet while having a strong undercurrent of melancholy. I love it so much.

[AliaEvera]

Oh my god, I can only imagine the relief and happiness Peter and his crew must've felt when New Line gave them the chance to make 3 movies 🥺

[cameronwebb]

The LOTR films are the definition of lighting in a bottle. The quality and scale of the world-building and art direction is unmatched. I doubt we'll see anything like it on screen ever again 😢

[bowman]

Casting in LOTR? It was absolutely perfect! I can think of no miscasting at all. Each actor will forever be their LOTR character. The Wetta Workshop were incredible! Kudos to all of the 2nd Unit directors. They clearly did a fine job.

[jamesconsiglio]

I am 67 years of age ... Had read the stories many times over before seeing the trilogy loved them so much bought the DVDs have watched them well over a hundred times and will watch hundreds more ...I wish I could thank each and every person involved in the making of the most amazing stories ever put to film ...thank you so much ...

[anubusx]

Andy Serkis should've got an Oscar.

[Jonintheronin]

It's crazy how much of the extened editions of these films are burned into memory for me. I can't remember these movies without the extra footage.

[gottagetitgaming]

I didn't think the last few minutes of this video was going to hit me just as hard as watching the end of the third film in the theater, but I was ugly crying once again. In my lifetime I will never see a better story told on the big screen. Damn, these movies were just so amazing.

[jocollantes]

The story is special to me, I was gifted my first Tolkien book on my bday, which happens to be the same date as Frodo & Bilbo's bday. I was ten then and much later saw the movie in theater my freshman year in Uni. I can't thank Peter Jackson and the production enough for capturing the soul of this story. Special gratitude to Howard Shore for the excellent sountrack of the Shire, music that have got me thru some difficult times in my life. You know from the moment those notes glides in, I'm instantly transported to a bright, lighthearted space.. it calls to mind the simple yet enduring strength of our four hobbitses and never fails to spark my hope.

[hypebeasto-kun]

Andy Serkis acting his heart out in peter Jackson's living room should've guaranteed his spot as a finalist if not won it. One of the most talented actors of the era. Pure talent.

[josephl]

Howard Shores' contribution is invaluable. There is no LoTR without his creation, it just wouldn't be what it is.

[BrendonN]

This recap was a MASSIVE success 😂 Gonna watch again and drink whenever I hear the word massive. Thank you for making this.