MOVIEThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Movie Trailer
SCENELegolas and Frodo
FILM FORMAT35mm
YEAR2001
CERTIFICATE IDNFV-000001762
FILM NOTES
New Line Cinema released The Fellowship of the Ring in December 2001, the opening chapter of Peter Jackson's adaptation of Tolkien's trilogy and a defining moment in modern fantasy filmmaking. Shot across New Zealand with then-groundbreaking effects work, the film reset expectations for what large-scale literary adaptation could achieve on screen, earning both critical acclaim and box office dominance while launching one of cinema's most enduring franchises.
This trailer cell draws its interest from the pairing of Legolas and Frodo, two members of the Fellowship whose arcs anchor much of the saga's emotional and narrative weight, with Aragorn present alongside them as the group's guiding figure. Trailer cells like this one served to introduce audiences to the ensemble before the film's release, offering an early glimpse of the central characters who would carry the story forward. For collectors, this grouping represents a foundational point in the franchise's promotional history, tying together key figures from the Fellowship itself.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on each edge; spacing appears even and the punched holes appear cleanly cut with no visible torn or ragged edges.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along one edge beside the picture area, consistent with a dual bilateral or variable-area mono configuration; Dolby Digital pixel blocks appear present in the inter-perforation gaps on the opposite edge, and a narrow DTS timecode stripe appears alongside the optical track.
Edge print
Text reading 'CHRIS' and what appears to be a partial key number is visible on the lower edge; full text is partially obscured but includes a sequence number fragment.
Base & colour
Base appears with a slight blue-green tint consistent with a modern safety polyester stock; dye image reads as warm and fully saturated with no visible fading.
Projection history
No visible splices; faint longitudinal lines consistent with projection wear are visible on at least one frame.
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot, and the title text 'The Fellowship of the Ring' visible on-screen matches the film on record.
Era check
The combination of a variable-area optical track, Dolby Digital inter-perforation data blocks, DTS timecode stripe, and polyester base is consistent with a theatrical release print from the early 2000s, matching the 2001 release date on record.
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 000063622
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
