National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

New Line Cinema released Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in December 2001, adapting the first volume of Tolkien's beloved trilogy. The film marked a turning point in fantasy filmmaking, demonstrating that large-scale literary adaptations could achieve both critical acclaim and enormous commercial success. Its theatrical trailer generated significant anticipation, offering audiences their first sustained look at Middle-earth rendered through Jackson's vision.

This cell, titled Legolas and Frodo, captures three duplicate frames from the trailer's Pass of Caradhras sequence, showing Fellowship members navigating a harsh mountainous landscape. Legolas, Frodo Baggins, and Aragorn are visible among the group, with the title card overlay reading "The Fellowship of the Ring" present across each frame — a detail that firmly situates this film strip within the trailer's promotional release.