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 epic fantasy filmmaking, drawing on practical effects, location photography in New Zealand, and an ensemble cast to bring Middle-earth to the screen with a seriousness the genre had rarely seen. Its theatrical trailer generated considerable anticipation ahead of release.

This cell, titled Gandalf, Legolas and Gimli, captures three consecutive frames from the trailer's mountain pass sequence, almost certainly the treacherous slopes of Caradhras. The Fellowship's wizard, elf, and dwarf are visible against snow and rock, with the vertical title card marking this as a trailer presentation frame — a rare piece of promotional rather than feature footage.