National Film Vault

OFFICIAL FILM AUTHENTICATION BY CROWN GRADING

AUTHENTIC

CROWN CERTIFIED

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MOVIEThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Movie Trailer

SCENEGandalf and Gimli

FILM FORMAT35mm

YEAR2001

CERTIFICATE IDNFV-000001815

FILM NOTES

New Line Cinema released The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in December 2001, the first installment of Peter Jackson's adaptation of Tolkien's trilogy and a landmark in modern fantasy filmmaking. Shot entirely in New Zealand with groundbreaking practical effects and early digital work, it reset expectations for what a book-to-screen epic could achieve, launching a franchise that would sweep award ceasons and box offices alike. The trailer campaign preceding release became its own cultural moment, teasing scale and character before audiences had seen a single completed film.

This cell carries the name Gandalf and Gimli, though only Gandalf appears in the frames, the wizard whose presence anchors the fellowship's early promise. As a trailer piece, this fragment belongs to the promotional run meant to introduce audiences to Middle-earth's central figures before the film's premiere, making it a marker of anticipation itself. Gandalf remains one of the most sought-after characters among collectors, his image tied to guidance and gravity within the story. A pairing named for two companions, even represented here by one, speaks to the fellowship's core theme of alliance across differences.

Authentication Findings 8 checks

Consistent with a 35mm colour release print of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring trailer

Gauge: 35mm, four perforations per frame visible on both edges; the strip holds three frames
Perforations: Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced; punched edges appear clean with no visible tearing
Soundtrack: A variable-area optical track is visible running along one edge beside the picture area, appearing as a narrow undulating clear band
Edge print: Text visible along the upper edge reads approximately '00-OD' with a small circular logo; full key numbers are not legible at this resolution
Base & colour: Base appears with a slight warm-blue tint consistent with safety stock; dye image reads as a colour positive with no visible fading or red shift
Projection history: Light horizontal abrasion lines are visible across the frame area, consistent with a print that has passed through a projector gate
Picture: Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot, consistent with a release print of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring trailer
Era check: The variable-area optical soundtrack, colour positive print on safety base, and perforation layout are all consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print from the 2001 era

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 000063675

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