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National Film Vault

OFFICIAL FILM AUTHENTICATION BY CROWN GRADING
A
AUTHENTIC
CROWN CERTIFIED
Film cell NFV-000001798 Tap to enlarge
MOVIEThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Movie Trailer
SCENEAragorn
FILM FORMAT35mm
YEAR2001
CERTIFICATE IDNFV-000001798

FILM NOTES

FILM NOTES

New Line Cinema's The Fellowship of the Ring arrived in December 2001 as the opening chapter of Peter Jackson's adaptation of Tolkien's trilogy, a project many in the industry doubted could be pulled off at all. Shot simultaneously with its two sequels in New Zealand, the film redefined what fantasy cinema could achieve on a mass scale, blending practical craftsmanship with early digital innovation. Its trailer campaign helped build one of the most anticipated theatrical rollouts of the era, introducing audiences to Middle-earth before the film itself premiered.

This cell preserves a strip of that promotional reel, framed around Aragorn, the ranger and heir to Gondor's throne whose journey anchors much of the trilogy's emotional and political weight. Trailer cells like this one served as the public's first glimpse of key figures, chosen to establish presence and stir anticipation ahead of release. For collectors, Aragorn represents one of the franchise's most sought-after characters, and a trailer-sourced frame carries the added significance of belonging to the film's earliest promotional identity.

Authentication Findings 8 checks

Consistent with a 35mm colour release trailer print carrying Return of the King title cards.

Gauge
35mm; the strip holds three frames, each with four perforations visible on both the top and bottom edges.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges; spacing appears even and the punched holes appear cleanly formed with no torn or missing perforations visible.
Soundtrack
Not visible in this capture; the area beside the picture frames is obscured by the decorative filmstrip border overlay.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture; no manufacturer text, key numbers or safety film legend can be read along either edge.
Base & colour
The base appears to carry a warm, slightly amber-tinted dye image consistent with a colour print stock; no obvious fading or red shift is apparent.
Projection history
No scratches, splice marks or cue marks are visible in this capture.
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be the same held or near-identical frame rather than consecutive action, and the title text 'THE RETURN OF THE KING' with 'CHRISTMAS 2003' is legible on each frame, consistent with a title card from a Lord of the Rings trailer.
Era check
A 'Christmas 2003' release card for The Return of the King is consistent with trailer material distributed alongside a 2001-era Fellowship of the Ring print, as trailers routinely carried sequel date cards.
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 000063658
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