The Lord of the Rings: Key Facts

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Full title: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King)

Lead Cast: Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins, Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn, Sean Astin as Samwise Gamgee, Ian McKellen as Gandalf

Supporting Cast: Sean Bean, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Billy Boyd, Brad Dourif, Bernard Hill, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Dominic Monaghan, John Noble, Paul Norell, Miranda Otto, Craig Parker, John Rhys-Davies, Andy Serkis, Harry Sinclair, Liv Tyler, Karl Urban, Hugo Weaving, David Wenham

Writers: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson (adapted from the novels by J.R.R Tolkien)

Producers: Peter Jackson, Barrie M. Osborne, Fran Walsh

Genre: Epic fantasy

Language: English

Awards

2002 Academy Awards:

The Fellowship of the Ring won Best Cinematography, Best Makeup, Best Original Score, and Best Visual Effects.

2003 Academy Awards:

The Two Towers won for Best Sound Editing, Best Visual Effects, and Best Editing.

2004 Academy Awards:

The Return of the King won Best Picture, Best Director (Peter Jackson), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Makeup, Best Original Score, Best Original Song (“Into the West” by Annie Lennox), Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects.

Dates of release: The Fellowship of the Ring: December 19, 2001; The Two Towers: December 18, 2002; The Return of the King: December 17, 2003

Setting (time & Place): Middle-earth, during the third age of Middle-earth

Major conflict: The major conflict is the battle for Middle-earth between its diverse inhabitants, including humans, elves, dwarves, hobbits, and wizards, and the dark forces of Sauron.

Rising action: The war for Middle-earth is largely fought on traditional battlefields between two opposing armies, but the real battle is fought within the hearts of its inhabitants. Symbolizing this internal struggle is Frodo’s quest to destroy the ring of power, which can be accomplished only if he is able to withstand the great temptation the ring represents.

Climax: The climax of the film occurs at Mount Doom, as Frodo debates whether to let the ring fall into the fires that created it, thereby destroying it, or to keep the ring for himself.

Falling action: The falling action is long and drawn out and includes Sam and Frodo’s rescue from the lava-drenched plains of Mordor, Frodo’s convalescence, the coronation of Aragorn, the hobbits’ return to the Shire, and the departure of Frodo, Bilbo, and Gandalf with the elves.

Foreshadowing: Bilbo’s restlessness and his reluctance to give up the ring foreshadow the formidable challenge the ring will pose for Frodo.