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

SCENEGaladriel

FILM FORMAT35mm

YEAR2001

CERTIFICATE IDNFV-000001823

FILM NOTES

New Line Cinema unveiled The Fellowship of the Ring in December 2001, adapting Tolkien for the screen at a scale Hollywood had rarely attempted for fantasy. Directed by Peter Jackson and filmed across New Zealand, it launched a trilogy that reshaped blockbuster filmmaking and proved literary epics could anchor a franchise. The trailer campaign itself became a cultural event, building anticipation months ahead of release and giving audiences their first extended look at Middle-earth, its cast, and its tone before the film ever reached theaters.

This cell preserves a frame of Galadriel, played by Cate Blanchett, drawn from that trailer material. Galadriel stands among the most sought after figures in the saga, the Lady of Lothlorien whose brief but pivotal presence carries weight far beyond her screen time. A trailer cell like this one functioned as advance promise, a single strip meant to tease character and atmosphere before the story unfolded. For collectors, it marks an early glimpse of her role in the Fellowship's world, tied directly to the film's promotional launch.

Authentication Findings 8 checks

Consistent with a 35mm Fujicolor theatrical 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; spacing appears even and the punched edges appear clean.
Soundtrack: A variable-area optical track is visible running along one edge beside the picture area, appearing as a single-track format; Dolby Digital inter-perforation data blocks are also visible in the gaps between perforations on that same edge.
Edge print: Text reading reversed as 'FUJICOLOR' is printed along the top edge, consistent with emulsion-up orientation.
Base & colour: Base appears with a warm neutral tint; dye image shows rich colour saturation without obvious fading or red shift.
Projection history: Several fine longitudinal lines are visible running the length of the strip, consistent with projection wear; no splices or cue marks are visible in this capture.
Picture: Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot, and the subject matter is consistent with a theatrical release print of the film on record.
Era check: The combination of Fujicolor stock, Dolby Digital inter-perforation data blocks alongside a variable-area optical track, and positive colour print format is consistent with a 2001-era theatrical release print.

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 000063683

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