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National Film Vault

OFFICIAL FILM AUTHENTICATION BY CROWN GRADING
A
AUTHENTIC
CROWN CERTIFIED
Film cell NFV-000001734 Tap to enlarge
MOVIEThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Movie Trailer
SCENELegolas and Gimli
FILM FORMAT35mm
YEAR2001
CERTIFICATE IDNFV-000001734

FILM NOTES

New Line Cinema brought Middle-earth to the screen in 2001 with The Fellowship of the Ring, the opening chapter of Peter Jackson's adaptation of Tolkien's trilogy. Filmed in New Zealand and released to enormous anticipation, the trailer campaign itself became a cultural event, previewing a scale of fantasy filmmaking rarely attempted before. The film's success reshaped the genre and launched one of cinema's most enduring franchises, making early promotional material a lasting touchstone for collectors of the series.

This cell preserves a moment from that trailer pairing Legolas and Gimli, two members of the Fellowship whose contrasting natures, elf and dwarf, archer and axe-wielder, became a defining thread of the story's camaraderie. Trailer cells like this one circulated ahead of the film's release, offering audiences their first framed glimpses of characters who would soon become icons. For collectors, this pairing carries particular weight, marking the early promise of a friendship that unfolds across the trilogy.

Authentication Findings 8 checks

Consistent with a 35mm positive promotional trailer strip for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three frames
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced, cleanly punched with no visible torn or deformed holes
Soundtrack
Not visible in this capture; the area beside the picture frames is obscured by the strip's edges and lighting
Edge print
Text reading 'THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING' and 'CHRISTMAS 2001' is visible printed across the picture area; edge codes along the strip margins are not legible at this size
Base & colour
Base appears with a slight blue-teal tint consistent with a safety polyester or acetate base; dye image appears warm with strong colour saturation, no visible fading
Projection history
No visible scratches, splice marks, or cue marks observed in this capture
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be the same or near-identical frame, consistent with a promotional trailer strip rather than consecutive action frames
Era check
The positive colour print with promotional title text overlaid and the 2001 Christmas release wording is consistent with a theatrical trailer release strip from that period
Read from the original intake capture shown below. Observations only — film is authenticated, not graded.
This original motion picture film element has been examined and authenticated by Crown Grading in partnership with National Film Vault, and encapsulated for archival preservation.
Why so little survivesRelease prints were leased to theaters, not sold. When the run ended they went back to the distributor to be destroyed, and most were. What collectors hold today came from the prints that escaped that order, and no new 35mm prints of these films are being struck.
CROWN SERIAL 000063594
Original Film Capture As received
The film strip as photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size