National Film Vault
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FILM NOTES
New Line Cinema released The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in December 2001, adapting the first volume of J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved trilogy. Peter Jackson's production represented an extraordinary gamble for the studio, filming all three chapters simultaneously in New Zealand. The theatrical trailer introduced audiences worldwide to Middle-earth and generated enormous anticipation, becoming a landmark moment in early internet-era film marketing.
This cell, titled Merry and Pippin by the operator, actually frames Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee traversing a harsh, rocky mountain landscape, with the title card for The Two Towers visible across the frames. The discrepancy between the confirmed title and the depicted characters makes this an intriguing piece for collectors interested in the documentation history of original trailer elements.