Public Servant Lifestyle

Sauron’s forces lay siege to Minas Tirith, while Sam and Frodo continue their seemingly impossible mission to destroy the One Ring.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

The final part of The Lord Of The Rings trilogy hits the big screen - but can Frodo save Middle Earth from the power of the One Ring?

The Fellowship’s journey is coming to an end. Sauron’s forces have attacked Gondor’s capital of Minas Tirith in his final siege against mankind. Watched over by a fading steward, the once great kingdom has never been in more desperate need of its king. But will Aragorn find the strength to become what he was born to be and rise to meet his destiny?

As Gandalf desperately tries to move the broken forces of Gondor to act, Théoden unites the warriors of Rohan to join in the fight. Even in their courage and passionate loyalty, the forces of men – with Éowyn and Merry hidden among them – are no match against the swarming legions of enemies raining down on the kingdom.

With each victory comes great sacrifice. Despite their great losses, The Fellowship charges forward in the greatest battle of their lifetime, united in their singular goal to keep Sauron distracted and give Frodo a chance to complete his quest. Traveling across treacherous enemy lands, Frodo must rely increasingly on Sam and Gollum as The Ring continues to test his allegiance and, ultimately, his humanity.

Sacrifice

New Line Cinema presents The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, the conclusion of the compelling journeys at the heart of J.R.R. Tolkien’s revered trilogy. Produced, co-written and directed by Peter Jackson, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King tells the story of an epic heroic quest of men, their relationships and rivalries, and reveals how through courage, commitment, and determination even the smallest of us can change the world.

Peter Jackson says: “The past seven years my life has been consumed with writing, directing and producing The Lord of the Rings trilogy. It has been an exhausting journey, not unlike that of our fictional protagonists, Frodo and Sam; there has not been much sleep, no time for a normal life and there were days when we all wondered if we would make it to the end.

Two years of pre-production were followed by two hundred and seventy four days of principal production, which in turn have been followed by three years of post-production. Each stage of the process of making these films has presented unique challenges; I remember asking myself, whenever things got particularly hard, would I rather be doing something other than making The Lord of the Rings? And the answer was always no.

“This is because I have been lucky enough to work with some of the most talented cast and crew any filmmaker could wish for, anywhere in the world. Through the long years of production it was apparent that we all had one thing in common: a great and enduring love of the books, which in turn, resulted in an unfailing commitment to do our best work on these films. I will always be grateful to New Line Cinema for giving me the opportunity to bring my version of The Lord of the Rings to the screen.”

Tolkien

He continues: “Professor Tolkien once observed that 'the Pot of Soup, the Cauldron of Story', has always been boiling, and to it have continually been added new bits, dainty and undainty. I am happy to let these films go off into the world and for them to become whatever this generation, or future generations, make of them. Whether my contribution is ultimately judged 'dainty or undainty,' it has now been made.

The trilogy is truly out of my hands now and in the hands of those for whom these films were made; the people who love these books and who have always loved film.”

“In addition to the huge battles, you have these intimate stories, the emotional story, and that’s where most of the power of The Return of the King really lies.” – Producer/Director/Co-writer Peter Jackson.

It is the juxtaposing of the intimate against the immense and the emotional resonance of the journey’s end that connect Tolkien’s classic novel to our hearts and give it such enduring power. It is also what makes this final instalment of Peter Jackson’s epic motion picture trilogy a landmark cinematic achievement.

With the release of The Return of the King, Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne, co-chairmen and co-chief-executive-officers of New Line Cinema and executive producers of the film, reflect back on the immensity of Peter Jackson’s achievement. “Michael and I had made a leap of faith on some levels,” Shaye comments. “Films were not made this way – with three instalments shot back-to-back. But we had a lot of faith in Peter’s commitment, and our faith was ultimately rewarded. We rolled the dice and it came up sevens. Peter has made three extraordinary motion pictures.”

A company that made its name on innovation and risk-taking, New Line took a gamble on Jackson’s vision for Tolkien’s mammoth book. “We were confident enough in Peter and the timelessness of Tolkien’s story to know that audiences would want to see these films,” Michael Lynne adds. “So, in many ways, it was a risk, but one well worth taking.”

Though Shaye and Lynne knew Jackson would deliver an epic on an unprecedented scale, the real surprise of the trilogy emerged in the emotional gravity Jackson and his ensemble cast would bring to the trilogy. “The cast of The Lord of the Rings have, in some cases, delivered the performances of their careers,” says Shaye and Lynne. “The mutual trust and respect shared by Jackson and his cast bears out the promise that he is very much an actor’s director. The action is spectacular, but the performances contained in these films are truly breathtaking.”

Loyalty, Destiny & Hope: The Heart of The Return Of The King

“You have a massive war on an external level, and on an internal level you have two little Hobbits, Frodo and Sam, on their hands and knees literally crawling up a mountain. The relationship between those two characters is the heart of the movie.”- Peter Jackson.

More than any other instalment in The Lord of the Rings saga, The Return of the King illuminates the enduring themes at the heart of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel. “All of the storylines we have followed, the journeys that these characters are taking - what they care about, what they’ve been fighting for, even what some of their friends have died for - lead to this film,” comments Peter Jackson. “None of these characters is going to come out of this story unchanged. They’ll never be the same again. The Return of the King is the most emotional of the three films.”

Though the stage is vast in scale, the true heart of The Return of the King is in the dramatic struggles of each character introduced in the epic trilogy. “There is an emotional resolution to each and every character whom we've grown to know and love throughout the telling of these stories,” comments producer Barrie M. Osborne. “Will they succeed or will it end in tragedy? I think it will bring people to tears and joy both.”

The Reluctant King

The title, The Return of the King, refers to Aragorn, played by Viggo Mortensen. The heir to the Kingdom of Gondor, Aragorn has hidden from his heritage, living out his life instead disguised as Strider, one of the mysterious Rangers – wanderers who perform discreet military operations against Sauron. Yet the throne of Gondor is empty. The Kingdom is in decline. As Sauron threatens to eradicate all the races of Middle-earth, the moment has come for him to step forward and face his urgent destiny to lead. “How do you assume the mantle of a king?” Jackson asks. “How do you take that on yourself? How do you say ‘I am the one that you must follow’? I think that is what he’s struggling with, because he has seen what power can do.”

Ambivalent about his lineage and the ancestors who fell in disgrace through their quest for power, Aragorn struggles with personal doubts that he is truly the one. “He is the heir to the throne; he is the sole person capable of assuming this position in Minas Tirith, but he is unsure of his worthiness to lead mankind,” comments Jackson. “Aragorn needs to believe in the nobility of his own people.”

Mortensen identifies Aragorn with the image of the prodigal leader whose true nature is initially hidden, “from his companions and, for a while, from the world at large,” he explains. “A person such as Aragorn, much like King Arthur or Moses, for example, is raised by non-blood relatives, hidden until he is ready to learn of his true identity and the great responsibility that is his birthright. Aragorn, who was brought up by the Elves in Rivendell and tutored by Elrond, must eventually fulfil a destiny that requires him to understand the complex and tragic history of Middle-earth, and to ensure a future born of hope and justice for all beings of that world.”

Yet to Aragorn, the throne represents the very quest for power that tempted and ultimately destroyed his ancestors. Power would alter everything that makes him who he is. What Aragorn finds in his journey is that the call to lead is not for power at all. “What's at stake is a city which is falling to an enemy,” explains co-screenwriter Philippa Boyens. “Many people will die as a result. Aragorn decides that if it is in him, and it is going to save people's lives, he will do it. He steps up to the mark. His motives are pure, which is one of the reasons he's not corrupted by The Ring. Because it's not power for power's sake.”

With Sauron’s forces also comes recognition that death is encroaching with the irrevocable passage of time. Aragorn’s journey requires a confrontation with the very souls that betrayed his ancestors in the treacherous Paths of the Dead. It’s a road from which he may not return, yet he enters it without hesitation to stave off not only mass death but the intractable destruction of those he loves. “For me, the story is about confrontation with death, about the consequences of death for us and for those we love,” Mortensen reflects. “That’s a significant reason why the story continues to resonate with modern audiences.”

Gandalf (Ian McKellen) must confront the repercussions of his own role in the quest. No longer a benevolent outsider, Gandalf, too, actively joins the fight on the side he believes must triumph. “In a way, Gandalf is a general in this war,” comments Boyens. “He initiated this and caused it to happen, and he must bear the responsibility for that. It was an awesome gamble. That is power wielded in another way and it bears a different, but equally profound cost.”

The Ubiquity Of Good And Evil

Frodo is The Ringbearer, the one who has been entrusted with the pivotal quest - to carry The Ring to Mount Doom, the only place where it can be unmade. Yet The Ring around Frodo’s neck becomes heavier with each step, eroding him the longer he wears it until nearly robbing him of his very essence. “Essentially, you see his complete deterioration to the point that Frodo ceases to be Frodo anymore,” comments Elijah Wood.

Yet his proximity to Gollum reveals not only what The Ring has done, but what it will do to him. “Frodo has a true understanding now of what The Ring is,” says Boyens. “He understands the nature of what it is that he carries, and that it will try to destroy him. The Ring's weapons are things like despair. But he also has this understanding from Sam that they have to keep going forward, no matter what. They have no choice but to persevere.”

The most enlightened beings in Middle-earth – such as Gandalf and Galadriel – are conscious of the ubiquity of good and evil – in neighbours, strangers, adversaries, and, most importantly, themselves. They are reluctant to even touch The Ring. The totem and its connection to power warped Gollum and is working its influence on Frodo. “Gollum is the dark side of humanity,” says Andy Serkis, who portrays him in the films. “But I tried to look at him in a non judgmental way – not as a snivelling, evil wretch, but from the point of view of, ‘There but for the grace of God go I.’ We can choose to demonize anyone with uncontrollable obsessions, but if we don’t seek to understand them, then we can never hope to grow as human beings.”

Frodo’s constant companion throughout the quest is Sam. “Frodo and Sam are affected in different ways, and yet the two of them have to be together to see this through,” comments Jackson. “Frodo is The Ringbearer. He is the only one that can carry this Ring, yet every footstep that he takes closer to Mordor, closer to Mount Doom, becomes harder and harder for him.”

Sam never abandons Frodo, even as The Ring drives a rift between them. The presence of his old friend presents an alternate reminder of his home in Hobbiton, and what he was before The Ring came into his life. Putting their friendship and Frodo’s well being above even his own life, Sam’s loyalty and determination alter the balance of power in subtle but powerful ways. “There’s a wonderful line that Tolkien wrote about Sam and it is, ‘His will was set and only death would break it,’” comments Jackson. ”I think we’ve moved most of our characters to that point.”

Unlikely Heroes

Éowyn (Miranda Otto) and Merry (Dominic Monaghan) are left behind at the Rohan outpost of Dunharrow – Éowyn, because she is female, and Merry, because he is a Hobbit. “Éowyn is very dissatisfied with her role as a female in the land of Rohan,” comments Jackson. “She has a warrior spirit. She wants to defend her people. She wants to defend her uncle, who is the king, about whom she is fiercely passionate. So, we see her in a rather devious way sneak off to battle; and, of course, she must confront the true horrors of battle once she’s in the thick of it.”

Éowyn’s kindred spirit and companion into battle is Merry, who is likewise transformed by this war. “To see war from his eyes is just horrific,” comments Monaghan. “To see Merry in that situation, covered in blood, sweat and tears, and living the terrible reality of war is really traumatic. But in Merry’s heart he has every bit as much of a right to be there as anyone else. He’s fighting for the same things they are – to save his friends and to save his world.” At a crucial moment in the battle, their unexpected courage and fierce loyalty help turn the tide against their enemies.

Fathers And Sons

"In film three, a huge part is the conflict between fathers and sons,” comments Boyens. “Just as Gollum's schizophrenia is buried in the story and you have to dig it out, you have this story of fathers and sons."

In The Lord of the Rings, the actions of every father come back to rest at the feet of his son. Likewise, sons or daughters are often put into direct opposition with their parental figures. Éowyn’s surrogate father, Théoden, forbids her from going to war. Yet she ultimately plays a critical role in his army. And Théoden himself is haunted by his own son’s death while Théoden was under Wormtongue’s poisonous influence.

In his love for Arwen and desire for her to stay with him, Aragorn is in direct opposition to the will of his surrogate father, Elrond, who raised him. This conflict comes to bear in Aragorn’s fated decision to ride to the Paths of the Dead, for it is Elrond who must re-forge Narsil, the Sword of Kings and essentially give Aragorn his blessing to use it. And Gandalf, who is very plainly a father figure to entire Fellowship, sends his vulnerable 'son', Frodo, on the most brutal and unforgiving mission - to destroy The Ring in Mount Doom - yet cannot come to his side when Frodo direly needs him.

But perhaps the most prominent and heart-wrenching relationship is that of Denethor (John Noble) and his sons, Boromir (Sean Bean) and Faramir (David Wenham). Denethor, who is charged with watching over Gondor in absence of its King, is despondent over the death of his favourite son, Boromir, and believes that Faramir, his only surviving son, has failed him by not taking The Ring for Gondor when he had the chance. “Boromir was Denethor’s favourite in the sense that he was a mirror of his father,” says Noble. “He was a strong warrior and a born leader; whereas Faramir was more introspective and academic perhaps in the image of Gandalf. The death of Boromir was unbearable for Denethor. It was as if he’d been killed himself.”

In guilt or perhaps madness, Denethor sends Faramir into a fight he can’t win – to lead troops into battle against the Orcs in the fallen city of Osgiliath. And Faramir willingly goes. “Faramir is very straightforward and not political at all,” comments Wenham. “His father distrusts him, in a way. He has put Faramir in the excruciating position of doing something that doesn't come naturally to him. He’s being forced to lead an enormous group of men into very difficult and harsh circumstances. Yet Faramir loves and trusts his father, and essentially rides to his death in obeisance to win his father’s approval. He realises there’s no hope in going back into Osgiliath, but he would gladly give his life for the future of Gondor, and for Middle-earth.”

“It's a waste, a foolish act,” comments Boyens. “Yet the act itself is enormously heroic. It is being driven by pain and suffering of this young soldier who is trying to gain a father's love. Gandalf says to him, ‘Your father does love you, and he's going to remember it before the end. So don't throw your life away.’ Within the context of war, futility often springs from very personal causes that people play out with other people's lives.”

The Fellowship Of Humanity – Acceptance And Tolerance

The two kingdoms of Rohan and Gondor have spent a lifetime in uneasy co-existence. Yet as both fall under siege, combining their resources and power becomes their only option for survival.

As Rohan and Gondor ultimately join together against their common, and overwhelming, enemy, so does an unlikely trust spring out of the hardships experienced by Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), a Dwarf, and Legolas (Orlando Bloom), an Elf. Though they set out on the quest in opposition, as they rely increasingly on each other for both survival and companionship, they form a bond that transcends race and prejudice.

“At our best, we, like the Fellowship, realize individually and collectively that peaceful co-existence can be achieved only through vigilance and conscious compassion,” says Viggo Mortensen. “Compassion for oneself and others, especially for those determined to do us harm. An effort to identify with others leads to an understanding that there is no absolute difference between us.”

“To me, the characters in this film exemplify the positive aspects of life,” reflects director of photography Andrew Lesnie. “It’s not necessarily promoting one particular ideology, religion or philosophy, but saying that you accept that there are differences in the world and you are prepared to embrace those differences. If enough people manage to approach the world in a positive, loving way, you may actually change the nature of the human race on a regular basis. And this story is an example of a group of people who triumph by following that aim.”

The Power Of Hope And Unity

The presence of hope may level the playing field between Sauron’s massive forces and the coalition united against him. Yet even Gandalf recognizes that this monumental quest on the shoulders of a small Hobbit carries little more than a 'fool’s hope' of success.

In times of war, a tremendous price is paid for every victory. But as long as hope lives, the chance for good to prevail will continue to exist. Though Aragorn grapples with his own confidence in the worthiness of mankind, Arwen (Liv Tyler) maintains unshakeable faith in the future of the world, sacrificing her own immortality to support Aragorn in his quest. “Tolkien was passionate about the goodness that can reside in men,” Boyens comments. “This notion is embodied perhaps most strongly in Arwen, who never gives up hope that mankind has a future.”

What drives the characters forward is not an urge to prove themselves worthy. They are interdependent, fighting, as Boyens explains, for each other. “Their faith is being put to the test,” she adds. “Their faith in each other, in good, in the ties that bind.”

In crafting the screenplay, writers Boyens, Jackson and Fran Walsh were constantly reminded of these universal touchstones to the human experience. “These are themes that are very close to what we live every day,” Boyens explains. “How do you feel about the people you love? What comes next after this life? How do you say goodbye? All of those emotional threads are very powerfully written by Professor Tolkien in the story. The eternal nature of the struggle of good versus evil is portrayed in little silver threads that run through the story, like Sam who, as Frodo sleeps, looks up into the thick industrial skies over Mordor and sees a star.”

“It is the humanity of the characters that rewards the reader,” says producer/co-writer Fran Walsh. “And we hope we’ve been able to translate that for the film audience.”

“These are extraordinary times that Gandalf and the rest are living through, and extraordinary demands are being made on people’s spirit,” Ian McKellen adds. “All the characters can be seen in that way whether they have magical powers or not. They are reflecting back on our experience of being human. For everyone is being measured. Can they survive? Can they live up to their responsibilities?”

A Timeless Story That Still Resonates

Though written a half-century ago, The Lord of the Rings remains relevant while history churns on. Many readers, particularly during times of darkness in the world, believe that Tolkien was commenting on wars and militaristic behaviour in his mammoth book.

“I can’t be the only one of my generation that was born in 1939 to think that here was some sort of parable of the real world politically and militarily that Tolkien was living in,” McKellen says. “Tolkien had himself served in the First World War and wrote The Lord of the Rings during the Second World War while his son was fighting in northern France. I don’t think there are any Saurons around today but in 1939, there was one. Sitting in the middle of Europe. A spider who wanted to control it, and the world joined together in a mighty coalition to defeat him.”

Christopher Lee, who plays Saruman, adds that men of genius, intellect and power who take the dark path – like Saruman - will always require their opposite to take them on. “Tolkien places Gandalf in opposition to Saruman – two sides of the same coin,” says the actor. “Here you have the universal conflict between good and evil, and the powers behind those two elements. That will have a relevance for every audience, everywhere, because we all know, or have heard of, such people and conflicts in our world.”

“I think The Lord of the Rings will live forever because it’s truthful,” adds executive producer Mark Ordesky. “And because the issues it deals with will be pertinent forever. It doesn't matter what generation and what age is experiencing it. The story will always have something relevant to say to that audience.”

Over the centuries, clearly human archetypes appear and recur throughout Greek, Roman and Norse mythologies, from Eastern and Judeo-Christian ideologies to the works of William Shakespeare. The human truth contained in these experiences is what makes them universal, not the time or place. “Myth – just like religion – is dead unless you keep reinvigorating and reapplying it,” says Viggo Mortensen. “I think that what Tolkien did with some of the elements from the sagas and Celtic legends that I know and love was to forge something new, reinvent a lot of these archetypal stories and characters for his generation. Now, Peter Jackson is doing that for ours.”

Against the vast, sprawling canvas of war is an intensely human story. “It was about inner courage and about close friendships and about the possibility of wisdom somewhere in the world, by defeating the forces of stupidity and evil,” reflects McKellen. “I think the story goes on being relevant not necessarily because of its subject matter but simply because of the brilliance by which it is told, and Peter Jackson’s film is also the work of a brilliant storyteller. That’s why these films are as popular as the books have been and continue to be.”

“Like Tolkien, Peter is taking us on a journey that is as big as our own history,” adds Weta Workshop’s Richard Taylor. “It is an historical document to some degree. But in all history, there are intimate and heartbreaking stories. Love, hate, viciousness and jealousy fuel the world and ultimately create the history that has come from the writings of Tolkien. And Peter, in turn, has filmed these characters and these moments that give the story the intimacy that it so deserves.”

Each individual journey taken by the characters of The Return of the King, the losses they suffer, the sacrifices they make, continue to resonate in today’s world. “There is not an easy or permanent answer to the troubles of today or tomorrow,” says Mortensen. “A sword is a sword, nothing more. Hope, compassion and wisdom borne of experience are, for Middle-earth as for our world, the mightiest weapons at hand.”

Buying Frodo A Chance: The Story Of The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King

“If you want to know where the third film is going, just wait and see where Elijah goes. And what happens to poor Mr. Frodo.” — Sean Astin (Frodo)

In the final moments of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, the Battle of Helm’s Deep has ended, but the battle for Middle-earth has just begun. “Helm’s Deep was just a skirmish,” says Peter Jackson. “This is the real battle. It’s the battle where the future is decided. Is Sauron going to prevail? Is mankind to prevail?”

The Fellowship remains divided, with Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) united with Théoden (Bernard Hill) in Rohan, while Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) witness the destruction of Saruman’s Tower of Isengard at the hands of the Ents. Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) continue to edge closer to Mount Doom, with Gollum (Andy Serkis) leading them towards an uncertain fate.

Hope Comes To Gondor

As The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King begins, Pippin’s (Billy Boyd) curiosity places his hands on the Palantir at Isengard, a device that links him to Sauron’s eye, convincing the Dark Lord that Pippin is The Ringbearer. “After Pippin takes the Palintir, Gandalf realizes Pippin is in grave danger and decides that the only safe place they can go to is Minis Tirith,” says Billy Boyd. “So, Pippin finds himself in another country and a new adventure.”

It is the first time that Merry and Pippin have been separated since their journey began. “They are two friends who operate almost as one,” comments Philippa Boyens. “But even when ripped apart, they stay true to each other, because of what they've learned from each other, which is one of the gifts of friendship.”

Shadowfax

Entering the White City, Gandalf and Pippin ride Shadowfax hundreds of steps upward to the seventh level, a thousand feet above the ground. In the Court of Kings, the once White Tree of Gondor, a symbol of its rule and the emblem on its flag, has withered. Since the disgrace of Aragorn’s ancestors, Minas Tirith has fallen into decline and is now under the care of Denethor (John Noble).

“The leadership of Gondor is in the hands of the Stewards who are supposed to be the caretakers of the throne,” comments Jackson. “Denethor, who is actually the father of Boromir and Faramir, is the current Steward. And John Noble plays him notably well. He’s a man under immense pressure because Mordor has now grown strong again and is mounting its final offensive against Gondor.”

Denethor himself has lost faith that humanity will prevail. “Denethor is a great tragic character in the mold of King Lear,” says Noble. “He knows he is simply caretaking until the return of the rightful King. His nobility and sanity are challenged by his fear of, and lust for, The One Ring; the impending return of Aragorn; the death of Boromir; and finally, the wounding of Faramir. And eventually, his depression and paranoia lead to horrific consequences.”

Loss & Mortality In Rohan And Rivendell

Across the plains at Edoras, the Rohan capital, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) offers himself into the service of King Théoden (Bernard Hill) in the coming war, joined by his compatriots Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) and Legolas (Orlando Bloom).

For Arwen, across Middle-earth in Rivendell, the choice to live as a mortal with Aragorn instead of living in immortality with her family, was one she has already made. “Arwen maintains hope and faith in her future with Aragorn,” says Liv Tyler. “She would rather die hoping than live forever without the man she loves. And even as the darkness around her grows, she holds on to that hope.”

“Her ability to survive in this world is slowly starting to diminish,” describes Jackson. “She is getting weaker and weaker. It really becomes a race against time as to whether Aragorn and Frodo will triumph against Sauron before she succumbs to this darkness, this weakness which is set upon her.”

For her father, Elrond (Hugo Weaving), her choice to stay is like a death sentence. “He has to accept the consequences of what may mean her ultimate demise,” comments Hugo Weaving. “Aragorn is a human being and his daughter is an Elf. If she stays with him, she will ultimately be living without him because Aragorn will die.”

Elrond cannot stay neutral. He forges Andúril, made from the shards of his ancestor Isildur’s ancient sword, Narsil, which was used to cut The Ring from the Dark Lord’s hand. “The shards of Narsil have been in Rivendell for thousands of years,” explains Weaving. “Aragorn needs to have that sword in order to fight Sauron. As Aragorn’s adoptive father, Elrond acts as a catalyst to spur Aragorn into taking up the sword.”

Aragorn, Legolas And Gimli In The Paths Of The Dead

Emboldened, Aragorn believes he must ride through the Paths of the Dead in the White Mountains above Dunharrow, a route no man has ever taken and lived. “There are beings trapped between this world and the next who had sworn allegiance to Isildur a long time ago but were corrupted by Sauron,” explains Mortensen. “At a moment of great need for Gondor, they betrayed not only Isildur but also the great alliance of Men and Elves, the forces of good, that were fighting against Sauron. After the fight was over they were condemned to live as ghosts in this place until summoned by an heir of Isildur.”

As the rightful heir to the throne, Aragorn is the only one capable of releasing the spirits from their living death, to regain their honour by fighting alongside him in Minas Tirith. But he must overcome his plague of self-doubt to even enter their realm. “If you’re not focused or your motives aren’t pure then you will fail, even if you are descended from a line of Kings,” Mortensen explains. “It’s a choice that Aragorn makes that isn’t popular with anyone. There are many who feel that he is betraying them. No one has ever ridden into these mountains and lived. It’s especially difficult because he is one of their best fighters, and they have never needed fighters more than now.”

Éowyn (Miranda Otto), Théoden’s strong-willed niece, has complex reasons for wanting Aragorn to remain with the Rohirrim. “She can’t believe that he would go because it’s almost suicidal,” says Otto. “Why not stay and fight with them? It represents the loss of hope for the Rohan people. She really believes that Aragorn is the man to lead them to victory. I also think she’s still holding on to hope that perhaps there will be something between them because she is in love with him. When Aragorn leaves, Eowyn loses so many things; it’s complete despair, really.”

Gimli and Legolas insist on joining Aragorn on his quest. No matter what comes, they will not leave his side. “Gimli always had respect and an affection for Aragorn,” comments John Rhys-Davies. “This has now turned into recognition and reverence that he is King, that he is a great leader who can unite the people at this moment of great need for a leader.”

The three disparate warriors – Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli – have become like brothers. “They have gone from paranoia and suspicion to, by the end, the deepest camaraderie that you can get,” Rhys-Davies continues. “I think by the end, it’s pretty clear that they would happily sacrifice themselves for the others. They have gone through the furnace, and they have not broken.”

Eowyn & Merry At Dunharrow

Théoden and the Riders of the Riddermark head toward Minas Tirith. Though the Rohirrim need every soldier, they insist on leaving both Eowyn and Merry (Dominic Monaghan), who has been named a Squire of Rohan, behind. Though Eowyn is a skilled warrior, she is restrained from fighting alongside her brother Eomer (Karl Urban) simply because she is a woman.

“Eowyn doesn’t want to be left behind,” Miranda Otto notes. “She feels an affinity with Merry, in that Théoden bestows on him a uniform and calls him a squire but has absolutely no intention of letting him be in the front line. Like her, he’s being told that he can’t fight for what he loves. He’s worried about his friends and he has come this far on the journey with The Fellowship, why should he be left behind now?”

Disguised as a man, Eowyn takes Merry along with her. “You don’t really see war through the eyes of a Hobbit too much in the movie, but Merry becomes a warrior,” says Dominic Monaghan. “He finds himself with an army that he then has to go into battle with.”

They are headed for a fight that will eclipse the Battle of Helm’s Deep in both ferocity and personal losses, the Battle of Pelennor Fields, outside the once great capital city of Gondor, Minas Tirith. “Peter had this very strong instinct that what we needed to do with Pelennor Fields, besides showing it from a Hobbit's point of view, was to push it to a point of despair,” comments Philippa Boyens. “The Riders of Rohan are summoned to the aid of Gondor, and Merry is right in the thick of that, as is Eowyn, as is Éomer, as is Théoden.”

“In a sense, we are the Hobbits,” comments Jackson. “They represent the innocent person who has no experience of war, no experience of conflict, who suddenly finds himself in the middle of it all.” himself in the middle of it all.”

Courage & Honour At Pelennor Fields

Gandalf is orchestrating the defence of Minas Tirith. “Sauron is on the offensive and is coming out to meet the forces of Middle-earth who oppose him – an extraordinary coalition led by Aragorn and Théoden, King of Rohan, and Gandalf,” describes Ian McKellen.

Gandalf commands that the defenders fire their massive catapults out at the marauding Orcs. Gondorian archers rain arrows down upon the enemy from all seven levels of Minas Tirith’s battlements. But nothing, not even the Great Gate of Gondor, can withstand their massive battering ram, Grond. Orcs spill into the first circle of the city. “There is only a certain amount of time that the city is going to be able to hold out,” says Jackson. “The enemy’s massive battering rams are able to breach the city, which is built in seven tiers, and the defenders have to retreat layer by layer.”

The captain of the Nazgûl, a spectre called the Witch-king, makes his way into the city to confront Gandalf. Yet as his sinister Fell Beast looms over Gandalf, from a distance comes the sound of war-horns: Rohan has arrived. “The Rohirrim are the cavalry, essentially,” says Bernard Hill. “That kind of chivalry, that kind of honour, that kind of horsemanship. They go to Minas Tirith to add what they can to the fight.”

The Battle at Pelennor Fields is what The Fellowship initially set out for Rohan to ensure – that the two divided kingdoms of Rohan and Gondor would unite in this desperate moment. “Gandalf is fighting a very difficult battle,” Jackson describes. “He is underpowered. He doesn’t have enough men. He doesn’t have the means to defend the city. And then the Rohirrim appear, and for a brief moment they turn the tide.”

Though vastly outnumbered by Orcs, Théoden and his forces – Eowyn and Merry among them - charge. Joining the Orcs are a race known as the Haradrim, who ride massive elephant-like Mûmakil. Hope is waning despite Gandalf’s strategic leadership.

“Minas Tirith is a decisive battle that has to be won,” comments Ian McKellen. “This is a siege that has to be lifted. It is crucial to the survival of everybody involved that they don’t go under. It’s a very worrying moment indeed. This could be the end of Middle-earth.”

As the enemy forces begin to overtake even the Rohirrim, Eowyn and Merry seize the moment to avenge their losses and do what they can for their friends.

But while Orcs clash with Men, the most important element in Gandalf’s strategy is making its way toward Mount Doom. “All the massing armies, Aragorn, Gandalf’s brilliant strategy, everything that happens is solely about, ‘Can we buy Frodo a chance?’” says executive producer Mark Ordesky.

A Fool’s Hope: Frodo, Sam And Gollum In Mordor

Frodo must contend with the increasing weight and influence of The Ring, and an attack by the giant spider, Shelob. So much must be overcome by Frodo and Sam, yet their journey is far from complete – the monumental task of destroying The Ring lies ahead – yet Frodo is beginning to fade. “Frodo is becoming much more influenced by The Ring than we’ve seen him yet,” says Wood. “He can’t think for himself. He’s confused by the influence of The Ring. He can’t remember the Shire. He is essentially losing all the characteristics that make him who he is. It almost strips him of his soul to a certain degree.”

Barely capable of walking, hardly able to see, Frodo must rely increasingly on Sam to help him realize his task. “It gets to the point where Frodo can’t physically walk on his own and Sam must carry him,” says Wood. “In a lot of ways, Sam is a true hero, because he is the one that is actually able to hold it all together and take his friend, who is unable to see what is right and what is wrong, and almost drive him to do what he must do. As much as Frodo is the hero, it is Sam that maintains his own strength and clarity to allow Frodo to carry out the task.”

“What gives him comfort from Sam is his everyday strength and ordinariness, in a way,” adds Philippa Boyens. “For someone who has begun to be overtaken by an extraordinary evil, and who is battling this thing every day, Sam becomes Frodo's touchstone to reality, to normalcy, to decency, to goodness. And that's something that he cherishes.”

Like his fellow Hobbits, Sam also reveals hidden strengths in the final chapter of the story. “Sam is so much the sidekick who relentlessly remains there for Frodo,” comments executive producer Ordesky. “He is always the one the jokes are about; he is thought to be the fat one and the not-quite-so-smart one. Yet the extraordinary character of Sam comes into his own in The Return of the King.

“He starts out as really Frodo's sidekick, a jovial guy that is also an extremely loyal friend,” adds producer Osborne. “And by the end, he becomes the rock. He is the person that Frodo can rely on. He drives him forward on their mission, and this humble friend actually takes on heroic proportions.”

End Game: Frodo’s Test

Wearing the armour of his forebears, with the White Tree of Gondor on his chest and bearing the Sword of Kings, Aragorn leads the remainder of his men to the west toward what must surely be their deaths. They face unlikely odds, yet hope still remains. “There is a realization amongst all our characters that the best way to help Frodo - since they can’t physically be with him, they can’t take the journey to Mount Doom with him – is to provide a diversion,” says Jackson. “Sauron and his forces are searching for them. He knows something is afoot. And it’s up to everybody else to take Sauron’s eye away from his own land long enough to enable Frodo and Sam’s journey to be fulfilled during the last difficult stretches.”

Thousands of feet above them lies the volcanic peak of Mount Doom, and the lava-filled pit in which Sauron first forged The Ring. It’s the only place in the world where it can be unmade. Yet as Frodo and Sam make their painful way up the mountain, a third creature follows along, increasingly desperate for his “precious” … Gollum.

It will require immense strength of will for Frodo to carry his great quest through to the end. Yet always there with him is Sam. “They stand together against all odds,” comments Wood. “Although they are only little people who would never normally be given such a responsibility, the fact that they reach the top of the mountain is a reminder, perhaps, that any of us can do anything if we only put our mind to it.”

But at what cost will good win, asks Jackson. “Who will have to suffer, what will be lost, what kind of pain will have to be endured by the characters that people have grown to love? There are great victories, but there are losses as well,” says Mortensen. “Everyone will have suffered, some will not have survived. There’s a price to every choice that is made by each character.”

“Everybody that we know in some form or another comes out of it differently,” says Jackson. “It is an immensely affecting experience for them, and I hope for the audience as well.”

Stepping Up To The Challenge: The Final Production In The Trilogy

“The people who have watched the first two movies have stuck with us, and everyone is waiting now to get to the last one, including us, the filmmakers.” - Peter Jackson

From the earliest development through the release of the first and second films in the trilogy, and the continuing production of the final film, producer/director/co-writer, Peter Jackson has poured his heart into every aspect of making The Lord of the Rings a reality. “It was like an immense jigsaw puzzle that we had to somehow fit together and end up with something that felt like it was worthy of the title The Lord of the Rings, and yet still worked as a movie,” Jackson comments.

Richard Taylor compares the journey of the filmmakers with that of the characters in the story. “In some ways, this large group of people that helped Peter bring Middle-earth to life in the form of these films have been on their own journey, leaving the Shire innocent in some ways, a little cautious, not quite sure of what was out beyond the edge—but journeying on with faith in each other, and really climbing to the peaks and through the deepest valleys.”

Adapting The Novel

His favourite book in Tolkien’s 1,000-page epic, Jackson calls The Return of the King the most filmable of the three. “It’s the culmination of everything that we’ve set up,” says Jackson. “All the different stories lead to this film. This is really, in a sense, climactic from beginning to end.”

For over a half-century, J.R.R. Tolkien’s works have continued to have a profound effect on generations of readers. Revived and re-appreciated throughout the decades, the books have garnered new life since the release of the first film, vaulting back onto bestseller lists and driving a new generation of young readers to bookstores and libraries. With Frodo Baggins and the Fellowship comes a message that even the smallest person can change the course of the world, and the revelation that friendship and individual courage may hold at bay even the most devastating forces of darkness.

Five years ago, Jackson and his co-writers Frances Walsh and Philippa Boyens set pen to paper for the first time in their attempt to adapt a sprawling work of imaginative fiction into a film narrative structure. For the writers, the visual spectacle of the third film never eclipsed the need to focus most intensely on the emotional resolution to each individual character’s quest. “We've tried to be faithful to the spirit of the end of the story,” comments Boyens. “The final passage of this incredible story is one of the gifts, I think, to all readers in literature.” “Nobody comes out of this story unchanged,” Jackson adds. “They’ll never be the same again.”

One of the most pivotal guiding forces behind The Lord of the Rings has been conceptual artist Alan Lee, who created the seminal illustrations of Middle-earth for Harper Collins’ award-winning illustrated edition of The Lord of the Rings. Perhaps more than anyone in the production, Lee understood the challenges Jackson and his co-screenwriters would face in adapting Tolkien. “If you're not accustomed to the book, that form of storytelling and language could seem a little odd,” the conceptual designer notes. “But they have thrown themselves into this world. I think they have done quite courageous writing. They're putting poetry into an epic, spectacular movie.”

Breathing Life Into Middle-Earth

Jackson made an early decision to bring Lee in to work with Oscar-nominated production designer Grant Major in creating a realistic, multi-faceted Middle-earth that would give the film an historic feel rather than a mythical one. Likewise, John Howe, who is regarded as one of the most successful Tolkien illustrators in the world, also joined the design team. Together, they formed the cornerstone for the visual harmony that would inform the design for all three films.

“Alan Lee and John Howe are the two people who have defined what Middle-earth looks like,” comments miniatures director of photography Alex Funke. “They’ve both devoted their lives to images of Middle-earth. There is no question that you can ask Alan Lee that he can’t answer. He knows; he’s been there. He’s a fantastic resource. Not only is he a brilliant artist, but he can draw something and then sketch how it has to be built and hand that to the construction department.”

Lee remained on set throughout production, giving input and often picking up a paintbrush to add an authentic finishing touch to a set. “There are some sets that I'd been drawing one day that would be in the process of being constructed the very next day,” Lee comments. “A few days later, they're finished. A couple of days later they were being filmed, and then dismantled. It was a very quick and exciting process.”

With so many practical and digitally created locations and characters to be realized, all three films were storyboarded before production began by artist Christian Rivers. These illustrations were ultimately assembled into an animatic pre-visualisation of The Return of the King, which rigorously informed the work of every department – from the production design to cinematography to the groundbreaking physical and visual effects work performed by Weta Digital.

To realize the enormousness of Jackson’s vision for The Lord of the Rings, Jackson entrusted his frequent collaborators, Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger of New Zealand-based Weta Workshop. Taylor in turn immediately employed a crew of over one hundred and twenty technicians divided into six crucial departments: Creatures, Special Effects, Make-up and Prosthetics, Armour and Weapons, Miniatures and Model Effects.

In their 65,000 square foot Weta Workshop, Taylor and his team created over 48,000 separate items – from prosthetic limbs to hand-forged swords; 2,000 stunt weapons; 1,600 pair of Hobbit feet; and 200 handcrafted Orc masks. Weta was also responsible for the design, manufacture and operation of the creature animatronics.

The crew numbered 148 at the height of production, with another 45 technicians on set dressing five hundred actors in Weta product, with over 200 background players in full body prosthetics.

Weta set up a foundry with two full-time armour smiths, Stu Johnson and Warren Green, to hand-beat and hand-make the armour from steel. From these original suits, moulds were made and 48,000 separate pieces of armour were created for all of Tolkien’s Middle-earth civilizations, including Elves, Orcs, Uruk-hai, Rohirrim and Gondorians. A department of four full-time chain mail technicians assembled more than 12 million circular links to make up the “hero” chain mail suits (those photographed most closely) featured in the trilogy.

One thousand, six hundred pair of Hobbit feet were made to be used throughout production. The prosthetic feet took hours to apply to actors Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd. The swords that Weta Workshop created are all inscribed with messages in Tolkien-conceived languages.

Every prop item was created from scratch. The One Ring was made by Jens Hansen, a renowned jewellery designer whose studio is in the art community of Nelson, New Zealand. Though Hansen passed away prior to the start of principal photography, his son Thorkild Hansen took over during production.

A pivotal item in The Return of the King is The Flame of the West, the Andúril, the re-forged sword of Aragorn’s forefathers. Designed by John Howe, the Andúril was hand-ground out of plate-spring steel, then inlaid with brass and acid etched by master sword smith Peter Lyon.

Weta Digital, a separate arm of Weta, also took on the challenge of creating the groundbreaking computer-generated creatures and effects for The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Taylor and visual effects supervisor Jim Rygiel received two Academy Awards for their work on the first film and an additional Oscar for the groundbreaking effects in the second – most predominantly for creating the first completely performance-based digital character with Andy Serkis’s Gollum.

For The Return of the King, Weta Digital’s major challenges would come in the form of not only the giant spider, Shelob, but also Sauron’s armies and their creatures, such as the massive winged Fell Beasts, the Wargs and elephant-like Mûmakil, in addition to the continuing pivotal role of Gollum. The film also stages the colossal battle at Pelennor Fields, created through a complex fusion of live action, miniatures and Weta Digital’s proprietary Massive software, which gives each digital character a mind and will of its own.

Before a single 35mm frame was shot, Weta created the major structures and landscapes of Middle-earth entirely in miniature, through which Jackson manoeuvred using a miniature 'lipstick' camera, in order to conceptualize what would eventually be shot in live action on full-size sets. Once the sets were completed and shooting was to begin, it was as if he had already been there.

Cameras Roll On Live Sets, Miniatures & Motion Capture Stages

Jackson broke ground with his decision to shoot all three films at once, something that had never been undertaken in the history of filmmaking. The production requirements for such a project demanded the deployment of a logistical operation on par with an intricate and wide-reaching military campaign. An army of artists – including digital experts, medieval weapons designers, stone sculptors, linguists, costumers, make-up artists, blacksmiths and model builders – as well as a cast that ran the gamut from newcomers to internationally renowned veterans, and over 26,000 extras – converged in Wellington, New Zealand.

Each element of the live action sets had to be reflected in excruciating detail with the variety of miniatures and “bigatures” the miniature unit created to compliment it. Realism and a depth of detail from the largest constructions to the smallest designs were rigorously pursued. “From the very beginning, Peter said, ‘We have to feel this place exists,’” says co-producer Rick Porras. “That’s a pretty significant thing to say for a movie in which everything is created. Twenty thousand objects were created for this film, from glassware to wardrobe. Everything. The bar was set incredibly high. And I think one thing that got us through was the fact that we had such a wonderful art direction team. But at the centre of all those spokes on the wheel was Peter.”

For a year and a half, Jackson and his devoted production team of over 2,400 filmed all over the spectacular landscapes of New Zealand. Following the initial 276-day production, cast and crew reunited in Wellington, NZ, for supplementary shooting for The Return of the King, only this time, when they wrapped production, their journey was finally complete.

Stylistic Harmony: Locations, Sets And Miniatures

“In our visual journey, we’ve gone from the beautiful, rich greens of the Shire through the autumnal colours of the leaving of the Elves and the flaxen colours of the Riddermark. If we draw on what we believe are the analogies of Tolkien’s writings - the coming of the industrial revolution, the sweeping aside of the beautiful countryside, and the pursuit of material wealth - then our journey must ultimately conclude at Mordor, in the heavy, charcoal blacks of this industrial wasteland.” – Richard Taylor, Creature, Miniature, Armour, Special Make-Up Effects Supervisor.

Production designer Grant Major oversaw the creation of life-sized sets for such varying locations as the haunting and grim Paths of the Dead, the fading but majestic Minas Tirith, the sprawling Pelennor Fields and the depths of Mordor. The mandate from the beginning was to breathe life into a totally real world with a depth of realism and functionality that would hold up under the closest scrutiny. “Tolkien describes the locations very vividly in the book,” comments Peter Jackson. “You can just imagine them in your mind’s eye, so finding them was almost like casting an actor.”

“Peter has continued through these three films to let Middle-earth be a character in its own right,” comments Taylor. “So, through the art of the film, through the visual effects, the physical effects, the art department, so much effort has been put into trying to create Middle-earth as a character. Audiences will hopefully understand why this small group of people would so vehemently and passionately fight to preserve what is good in the world of Middle-earth.”

To find the right locations, location scouts Dave Kolmer and Robert Murphy scoured New Zealand, taking photos and videos of possible sites. Once the choices were narrowed down, Jackson, along with director of photography Andrew Lesnie, first assistant director Carol Cunningham and a number of key crew set out on 'recces' (helicopter scouting trips) to find their locations. “We’d look at it from an artistic point of view, first of all,” Jackson describes. “Does this feel like it came from the pages of Tolkien’s book? Then, we looked at it from a logistical point of view. Where do we park the trucks? Where can we feed the crew? Sometimes there weren’t roads and we had to build them. But first and foremost, it had to look as it was described in the book.”

“I think the cast was inspired by these amazing locations,” comments director of photography Lesnie. “New Zealand, for its size, boasts a staggering range of very melodramatic locations. Many of them could have been recreated in the studio, but it would not have inspired the performances given by the actors.”

Minas Tirith

One of the most complex locations in The Return of the King is Minas Tirith, a seven-tiered city of kings where a huge portion of the film unfolds. “We were looking a little bit towards an equivalent for Ancient Rome or Ancient Byzantium,” comments Alan Lee. “It would be an extraordinary structure.”

Both Minas Tirith and the set for Helm’s Deep from The Two Towers were constructed at the Dry Creek Quarry, with its massive natural rock formations, just outside of Wellington. “The city of Minas Tirith is one of the things that I’ve been looking forward to in The Return of the King,” says Peter Jackson. “We created the city in two different ways. We built this huge set in a quarry. It was like a backlot. In all these nooks and crannies there were corners of it built. Then, we ripped it down and within a few weeks we built and shot the Helm’s Deep castle, and ripped it down and within a couple of weeks we built Minas Tirith.”

The city would reflect the Northern European-style sophistication of the Gondorians, who are a race of warriors but whose city would also reveal their sense of beauty and majesty. The architecture of Minas Tirith emerged from the drawings of Alan Lee. “Alan created a number of pencil sketches that began to develop the culture of Minas Tirith as well, not just the architecture, but to figure out how the different aristocracies and different segments of society would live,” says Richard Taylor.

It took production designer Grant Major’s construction crew of hundreds of people roughly six months to build. “Peter had so much he wanted to do in Minas Tirith,” comments art director Dan Hennah. “He wanted to see Faramir’s men marching down the streets on their way to certain death. He wanted the grandeur of that shot in the streets so you can have a hundred men with horses and a crowd for them to march through. And Gandalf gallops through the streets with Pippin in the saddle. To do that, you need some scale; you need some length to it. And then, when the extras turn up and line the streets, you’ve got a city. It’s real. And it’s a wonderful thing to be part of the creation of something real.”

Shelob’s Lair

For the lair itself, round and diamond-shaped chiselled rock were constructed from polystyrene to create interactive tunnels through which the actors and technicians could freely move. “The tunnels are real,” says Hennah. “We made lots of tunnels to run around in, cliffs to jump over and holes to dive through.”

John Howe initiated the concepts for the Lair, revealing the eroded rock that would house an ancient, venomous creature that would leave acid trails wherever she went. Dripping from the walls are intricate webs which the art department built out of F2 type glues set in water, which were then removed and applied to the walls to appear like the sticky spiders’ silk of Shelob’s web.

Mordor & Mount Doom

The major location of The Return of the King is the looming wasteland of Mordor, which Jackson and his team found in Mount Ruapehu, a “staggeringly amazing, graphic, violent landscape that is an incredibly difficult location to film, hard to access and subject to violent conditions,” describes director of photography Lesnie.

The epic journey of the Fellowship ends in Mordor, and the landscape had to pulse with the evil of Sauron. “We’ve got to feel this sense of dread and awe when we look across towards Mount Doom,” comments Alan Lee. “If we don't manage to capture that in the movie, we will have failed to a certain extent.”

A huge amount of symphonized elements went into the creation of Mordor – from CG elements to detailed miniatures of the Crack of Doom, at the mouth of an ancient volcano where The Ring of Power was forged. “We had shot lava tests for a couple of years on the miniature stage, trying to generate the element that will ultimately realize the conclusion of this film,” states Richard Taylor. “We wanted to generate the feeling that the world of Middle-earth is coming for The Ring; that the journey of Sam and Frodo, and ultimately Gollum, are drawing to an end on this precipice overhanging this huge cauldron of lava in the depths of Mount Doom.”

For the Black Gate, which Hennah describes as “the Berlin Wall times 500,” a full-size set was constructed on the soundstage to represent the highest point of the gate, to allow live shots of patrolling Orcs; and for Gandalf’s confrontation with the Mouth of Sauron, the base of the gate was also built into a full-size set. The totality of the Black Gate was filmed in miniature.

Though miniatures were created for the steps of Cirith Ungol and the entrance to Shelob’s lair, crucial scenes between Sam and Frodo required full-size sets. The sequence ultimately was created by weaving the two techniques.

Paths Of The Dead

At a pivotal moment in Aragorn’s quest, he makes the choice to go through the Paths of the Dead to awaken the disgraced soldiers entombed there. Realism was the guiding factor in creating these sets. “When you walk into a place and you can feel that its spiritual element is foreboding; that’s what we were trying to create in the Paths of the Dead,” comments Dan Hennah. “This is an area where you tread cautiously.”

Alan Lee’s concept for the Paths of the Dead envisioned huge rock structures that would spectrally shift and change into massive cities where the long undead soldiers live out their days. A large exterior set was built in Deerpark Heights, near Queenstown, with a huge black orb marking the entrance. The production team carved destroyed buildings, consisting of several stairs, doors, towers and domes, in the black polystyrene walls. For an avalanche sequence that takes place in the Paths set, Weta churned out thousands of synthetic human skulls.

Miniature Liberation Army

As large and intricate as the live action sets were, the physical element represented only a fraction of what would appear in the final film after being married with miniature and digital elements. Miniatures director of photography Alex Funke lovingly calls the film’s miniatures unit “The Miniature Liberation Army.” “We have a nice, compact little unit that rotates around thirty key people,” Funke describes. “Then, we bring in extra people or actual model makers, because the workload in the art department is always the one that fluctuates the most.”

The Two Towers and The Fellowship of The Ring are both now available as 4-disc extended DVD releases.

The Return Of The King is available now on DVD.

©MMIII New Line Productions, Inc. The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King, and the names of the characters, events, items and places therein are trademarks of the Saul Zaentz Company, d/b/a Tolkien Enterprises under license to New Line Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

PSP Ltd is not responsible for the contents of external websites.

More information available in DVD / Home Video