"Return of the King Raises the Bar"

I never had anything against the Lord of the Rings movies, but I never really loved them either as much as mainstream society does. In fact I didn’t go out of my way to see them at all either. In fact I didn’t see either of the first two installments till this past year. Of course I will always check out the low-budget independent films, but let’s face it this kind of movie is why theaters were built in the first place. Inside the movie theater you can be carried away to worlds that never existed, or whiteness things you could never see in your natural life.

The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, is a unique film, because unlike most sequels it is just a continuation of the story that began in the original film. Many film franchises the money and cast are inked before any sort of logical story is created. Luckily director Peter Jackson had the books to work from, and had the sense to film it in New Zealand, likely the only place in the world a film like this could be shot. Clearly way to big for any Hollywood back lot. Hollywood has wanted to make a movie like this since the start of the industry.

In the evolution of films every important director that comes along tries to take movie making to the next level. It was easier to do such things back in the start of the industry because all it would take would be a simple shot, or actually moving the camera, to writing believable dialogue when the talkies came along, but more and more the can you top this game became more challenging. I don’t claim to be an expert on these films, since my knowledge in the mythology of the story is limited, heck I still get Mary and Pippin (sp?) mixed up. However since movies in the early days were confined by what could actually be done they either would embarrass themselves with horrible effects, or write the script to accommodate what could not be done visually. Every so often films dealing with fantasy or futuristic visions came along which required the director to challenge himself and the industry to make some sort of advancement on the screen.

Films like Metropolis and from A Trip to the Moon (actually a short silent film) were amebas on the evolution chain of film production, and along the way ever trick in the book was added. Alfred Hitchcock, and Orson Welles taught the industry how to set up camera angles in order to elevate emotion in the viewer. George Lucas although inferior to the prior mentioned along with Steve Spielberg kicked the effects industry into high gear. Ironically Lucas’s dip into CGI seemed almost like a back step compared to what he has achieved various effects in both prequels would have been impressive for PS2 game or a cartoon, but cinematically for me it didn’t live up to the Future is now hype that was around it. In people have gone buck wild with CGI thinking not only that it doesn’t limit them, but that they should over use it whether the plot calls for it or not, until the money runs out I guess. I usually just shake my head because it resulted in using it for explosions and extras, a money saver, but far less convincing if not laughable in films.


Jackson however was pleased because of his filming locations, and his effects team has to be the best in the business. The character of Gollum is pulled off through both this and the Two Towers with believability but in this final installment he is required to do much more. A few flaws here and there, but I think it might be CGI its peak. Each film more computer images seeped into production. Certainly the fight scenes were another challenge, with the amount of them it could become redundant and cliché like the Star Wars films have become, but for the most Jackson makes them come to life, and seem like a new concept.

The story wraps up the trilogy so during the whole time you are feeling a sense of closure coming, and wondering who is going to make it out alive. I could quibble with the low causality rate of the heroes of the film, but I don’t how you could kill off the core characters here, nor do I know their fates in the books. The film’s achievements I guess you have to see on the big screen to fully appreciate. Even standing alone Return of the King is landmark film flickering on the movie screen near you is everything a movie could possibly be it’s easily a landmark film in cinematically, epically, and culturally. I am not saying it is the best film ever made, but it captivates the audience and shows up how far film making has come and generally all that has been learned.

The film will likely stand the test of time because it is simply timeless. If you have to look at them a 3 separate films either Return of the King or Fellowship of the Ring will always be included in film historians most important and historic pictures list. Not that Two Towers was bad, but at least it will likely fall victim to being a bridge movie. Peter Jackson had an incredibly hard job filming these movies at the same time something likely to not be tried again for a long time. So much could have gone wrong with this films, but Jackson came out on top, and hopefully he receives an Oscar for his work with this landmark film. I don’t see Jackson topping this film ever although he is slated to remake King Kong, I wonder if Jackson is spent after this and will suffer form interpersonal pressure to recreate lightening in a bottle. The project was certainly blessed with movie magic, and seeing it on the small screen doesn’t do it much justice even the best HDTV televisions can’t contain a film like this. Hopefully the academy will realize that although a huge commercial film, it is still a landmark movie and if not best picture, best director for Jackson should be a no brainier.