The Making of the Movie Trilogy (The Lord of the Rings)

Book Description

The official inside story on the making of the award-winning movie trilogy

The Lord of the Rings: The Making of the Movie Trilogy is a lavishly illustrated, behind-the-scenes, definitive account of the creation of an epic film experience. Hailed by critics worldwide, part one of the movie trilogy was a box-office smash, one of the most successful films of the decade. Peter Jackson's "fierce, imaginative movie takes high-flying risks and inspires with its power and scale," wrote Newsweek. "In every way this is moviemaking on a grand scale," wrote the San Francisco Chronicle, while Time proclaimed the "grandeur, moral heft and emotional depth" of the film, which received thirteen Academy Award(R) nominations.
Including more than 300 photographs from all three films, most unique to this book, and exclusive interviews with all the cast and crew, Brian Sibley's fascinating book takes every fan inside the process of adapting J.R.R. Tolkien's masterwork for the screen. For the first time in history, three major movies were made at the same time, a triumphant and monumental undertaking that took the world by storm. Here can be found details about the hundreds of dedicated artists, craftspeople and cast and crew members who labored for years -- adding authenticity at every stage -- to bring one of the greatest stories ever told to an eager film audience. Sibley takes us inside the process of filmmaking to show us how the magic is made -- from the director, writers and actors to wardrobe, makeup, miniatures, music and digital special effects, it's all here.

"It was tiring, physically and mentally, but never dull. Three movies, one big story, and so much variety: one day shooting scenes of intimate heart-wrenching drama, the next, vast battle scenes involving hundreds of extras. Every day brought an opportunity to create something new on this enormous canvas that is The Lord of the Rings." -- Peter Jackson

Customer Reviews:

Few nice pictures and that's all.......2007-01-10

I bought this book and I was interested but it really disappointed me! It doesn't give you any information neither details about the making of the movie rather than the author's babbling (honestly)! The only good thing is some nice pictures and they are not many.

lots of behind the scenes info and photos.......2006-12-10

This contains much of the behind-the-scenes information that the "special feature" of the DVD versions contain. There is significant new material, however. I enjoyed the book very much as it describes the amazing job of the team that produced the movies that we love.

trepel 0 7 spy kid 3spys.......2006-07-05

there was 3 yung spys andthey spy,ed on Alie andthe way they spy,ed on her was they sneak acros the house & in side and they went in the vent and put the camra on and spy,ed ontel tomor,o &then they left be for she got up THE END

Great Book!.......2006-03-10

If your a fan of behind the scenes stuff and movie making, this is the book for you. These movies are unlike any other, so seeing what when on during their 18 month filming, premires, etc. is great! Highly recommended!

Ten Thousand More?.......2006-03-06

I loved the movie, but what I am curious about the most is why Lord Aragon allowed the "Ghost Army" to leave when they were facing another Ten Thousand plus army as they did the first? That didn't make any sense!!!!!

The Return of the King Visual Companion: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion (The Lord of the Rings)

Average customer rating:

A Great Addition to any Lord of the Rings Collection
think twice
The Return of the King Visual Companion
A great book to go along side that of Colin Duriez
Almost as good as the books by Colin Duriez on Tolkien

The Return of the King Visual Companion: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion (The Lord of the Rings)
Jude Fisher
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Adaptations | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Cinematography | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Two Towers Visual Companion: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion (The Lord of the Rings)
The Fellowship of the Ring Visual Companion (The Lord of the Rings)
The Lord of the Rings Complete Visual Companion
The Making of the Movie Trilogy (The Lord of the Rings)
The Lord of the Rings Official Movie Guide

ASIN: 0618390979
Release Date: 2003-11-05

Book Description

From the New York Times best-selling author of The Two Towers Visual Companion comes a lavishly illustrated keepsake guide to The Return of the King. As Frodo, Sam, and Gollum slowly make their way into the depths of the Dark Lord's realm of Mordor in their desperate quest to destroy the One Ring, the scattered members of the fellowship, now scarred and battered from the Battle of Helm's Deep, must journey to the Gondorian stronghold of Minas Tirith for a last stand against the might of Sauron and his evil minions.

Customer Reviews:

A Great Addition to any Lord of the Rings Collection.......2006-12-16

We have all the Lord of the Rings books and movies. This, along with the other visual companions is a great piece. Very nicely laid out and full of information.

think twice.......2004-06-24

if you already bought the visual companion to fellowship and two towers then this book is a disappointment. too many photos from the previous two films. Not enough images from return of the king. especially missing when they shouldn't be are photos of grond, shelob the spider, the king of the oathbreakers and orc general gothmog. the photo guide is better value.

The Return of the King Visual Companion.......2004-06-23

More interesting and informative than the younger reader movie novelisations, THE RETURN OF THE KING is a great book for LOTR fans and helpful companion to the film. With both in-depth character exposition and battle updates incorporated throughout the relating story points, the writing itself is imaginative and enthralling. The main focus is on Rohan and Gondor, with other areas left to previous exposition (Fellowship Of The Ring). The movie photos are numerous and impressive, unlike the standard pre-production movie book shipped out before the movie is released with subsequent limitations (No completed CGI shots and the storyline is compromised for 'easy reading'). Another great LOTR book from HarperCollins and a must-have for the film enthusiasts.

A great book to go along side that of Colin Duriez.......2004-04-21

I agree with the previous reviewer. This is by far the best of the illustrated books on Tolkien - Jude Fisher is the pen name of one of the top experts on Tolkien, Lewis and other such great authors - and if you want pictures, this is it. But if you want intellectual depth and insight, you should also buy the brilliant books by Colin Duriez, who has by now written several on the Inklings, including his new great book on the friendship of Lewis and Tolkien. Go for a Fisher/Duriez combination! Christopher Catherwood, author of CHRISTIANS MUSLIMS AND ISLAMIC RAGE (Zondervan 2003) and CHURCHILL'S FOLLY (Carroll & Graf 2004)

Almost as good as the books by Colin Duriez on Tolkien.......2004-03-16

If you want depth, get Colin Duriez's exciting new book on the friendship with CS Lewis. If you want a delightful picture book, this one is by far the best.

The Art of the "Return of the King" ("Lord of the Rings")

Average customer rating:

Artistic Depth and Richness
lotr freak!!!
Fantastic LOTR book!
Okay But Could've Been Better
New insights into "Return of the King"

The Art of the "Return of the King" ("Lord of the Rings")
Gary Russell
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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The Art of The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings)
The Art of The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings)
The Art of The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook
The Lord of the Rings Weapons and Warfare

ASIN: 0007135653

Book Description

With Peter Jackson's Acadamy Award-winning epic motion picture trilogy drawing to a spectacular and triumphant close, Gary Russell's detailed research takes us back into the world of Middle-earth, to relive all the visual drama and excitement of The Return of the King.

The Art of The Return of the King illustrates the creative development of the film from sketch to special effect and features 600 images, most appearing nowhere else. This fully authorized book includes pencil sketches by Alan Lee and John Howe, costume designes by Ngila Dickson, magnificent full-color paintings by Jeremy Bennett, and prop designs, concepts, sculptures and digital artwork from Weta Workshop and Weta Digital. From Minas Tirith to Mount Doom, from the Army of the Dead to Shelob the monstrous spider, all the spectacular landscapes, characters and creatures are covered in stunning detail, including concepts that did not make it into the final film.

To accompany this wealth of imagery, detailed and informative commentaries appear by all the featured artists and designers, together with a special afterword by Peter Jackson. Their personal thoughts and explanations offer unique and fascinating insight into how The Return of the King was brought to life. An artistic journey begun in 1997 reaches its glorious conclusion within these pages, giving the reader a unique chance to witness the creative process that led to one of the most spectacular movies of all time.

Customer Reviews:

Artistic Depth and Richness.......2007-01-09

Most excellent in scope and creative backdrop for the Myth that Sanctifies. As in the other two books marking out the Trilogy from the birthing chamber of the mind and heart of the Artisans, this third edition follows nicely in the footsteps of excellence, adding richness and depth and further insight and stimulation of the imagination. I recomned this work, as well as the prior two, as a glimpse or pulling back of the curtain if you will, of the work, creativity and passionate concepts of the dedicated and visionary Artists that midwifed the Divinely inspired work of J. R. R. Tolkien and typological world of Middle Earth.

lotr freak!!!.......2006-04-28

Title: Lord of The Rings The Return of The King by J R.R. Tolkien, ISBN 0-345-33973-8, Houghton Mifflin, 1955, 506pp.

Genre: Fantasy

Major Characters:
* Frodo Baggins, hobbit, son of Bilbo Baggins, ring bearer
* Sam Gamgee, hobbit, Frodo's gardener and companion
* Gandalf the White, the wizard who started the quest of the ring
* Aragorn, human, heir to the throne of Gondor
* Legolas, elf, aids Aragorn in his struggle against Sauron
* Merriadoc Brandybuck, hobbit, journeys with Frodo on his quest
* Peregrine Took, hobbit, journeys with Frodo on his quest
* Gimli, dwarf, aids Aragorn in his struggle against Sauron
* Gollum, hobbit (?), leads Sam and Frodo to mount doom
* Faramir, human, son of Denathor
* Denathor, human, steward of Gondor
* Theoden, human, king of Rohan
* Eomer, human, nephew of Theoden, heir to the throne of Rohan
* Eowen, human, daughter of Theoden
* Sauron, supernatural, maker of the one Ring

Plot: In this book, Frodo and Sam, led by Gollum, slowly make their way closer to Mount Doom. They are faced with every type of bad fortune, lack of water, food, and will to survive. The constant threat of orc attack looms dark over their whole quest. And to add to these atrocities, they are ever plagued by the lurking presence of Gollum.
Many times over the course of the book, Gollum seems to have disappeared. However, he always defies the odds and return to stalk the companions. His need for the "precious" makes him more dangerous. In the end, however, it is his greed that saves Middle Earth.
Despite these setbacks, Fordo and Sam slowly make their way towards their destination. When they finally reach Mount Doom, Frodo cannot give up the ring. His will slowly deteriorated, until he was more like Gollum than Sam. He claims the Ring as his own and puts it on.
Gollum then pounces on him and bites off his finger. Removing the ring from Frodo's finger, Gollum celebrates. While dancing with his "precious", Gollum teeters on the edge of the lava and falls. In this way, the quest is finished by the one who was trying to stop it.
Meanwhile, Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas must travel through the land of the dead to gather an army. They travel to the realm of the ghosts and try to convince them to join them. At first his efforts are futile. The King of the Dead will only serve the King of Gondor.
Aragorn then reveals the blade of Isildur, the blade of his fore fathers. Only then do the dead begin to sway. Finally, the army of the dead joins them, and aids them in their plight. But time is running short for Gondor.
Sauron's army is advancing on Gondor. Gandalf, the White, rides toward Gondor. With him he brings Merry, one of the original companions. On reaching Gondor, they find a broken old man tyrannically holding the throne. Denathor, the steward of Gondor, refuses to relinquish his throne to the rightful king.
Merry, on seeing the sorrow that the old king feels, pledges his allegiance to him. He is made into a guard. His small stature, which in no way applies to his courage, does not stop him from fighting. And when the orcs attack, he fights with the bravest of the soldiers.
King Theoden rides with his party of men to aid Gondor. Thousands of his bravest soldiers ride with him, including Merry the hobbit, Eomer, his nephew and heir, and Eowen, his daughter. Merry and Eowen, who are riding together, face the Witch King, Sauron's general. Together, they kill him, sending his troops into mayhem.
Aragorn returns to his home and claims his throne. He makes Faramir, Denathor's son, the steward of Gondor, after his father's suicide. He marries Arwen, an elf whom he loves and lives his life in peace. The true king of Gondor returned to his throne.
The hobbits return to their home, and find it ruled by Saruman. They must then begin a new quest, a quest to save their home. They force the wizard to leave. As he leaves, he is murdered by Wormtongue, his slave.
Then, when all is well, Sam gets married and Merry and Pippin return to their old life style. Frodo, however, cannot readapt to his life. He goes with Gandalf to live with the elves. He gives his home, and his most prized possession, his and Bilbo's book, to Sam.

Evaluation: I enjoyed this book greatly. I found that the masterful writing was rivaled only by the intricate plot. His use of figurative language is exquisite. His character development made me feel that they were real people. His description of the setting made me feel like I was there.
This book inspired me as a young reader to read more books, and jumpstarted my reading career. After reading this book, I began to read many books including non-fiction. Since first reading this book, I have reread it ten or more times. While reading, I could not put it down, and would read any chance I was given hardly stopping even to take notice of my family and even teachers.

Related Titles:
Books:
Lord of The Rings The Two Towers J.R.R. Tolkien
Lord of The Rings The Fellowship Of The Ring J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit J.R.R. Tolkien

Movies:
Lord of The Rings Return of The King (2004)
Lord of The Rings Two Towers (2002)
Lord of The Rings Fellowship of The (2001)

Fantastic LOTR book!.......2005-06-17

The final in the "Art Of" series, Gary Russel does a good job of tying up the loose ends, mainly concerning the conceptual design and final presentation. Daniel Falconer's concept art is of particular interest here, and Randy Cook as well, showcasing their excellent and experimental work well here. I really enjoy taking a few hours off, sitting down and reading a really good movie book cover to cover on a warm summer day and this one fits the bill admirably. With character and costume sections covered well, this book has become one of the best. A good price tag means you're not looking too hard for any flaws (And there are none) aswell. Informative and always fascinating, this is perfect coffee table reading. A Must-have for LOTR fans who want every single piece of movie making history.

Okay But Could've Been Better.......2004-07-07

I always thought that an ideal Art of book should include powerful imageries that capture the movie's best scenes in initial stages. Yet this book leaves out many of those elements in favor of blurred panoramic art pieces that I found rather wasteful to the content of the book.Don't get me wrong, I like this book. Most of the artworks are astounding, it's just that I found many of the splash pages should've been devoted to more breathtaking images such as the Fell Beasts attacking Minas Tirith or Sam fighting off Shelob.

New insights into "Return of the King".......2004-05-10

Any sweeping epic is going to have tons of concept art, and "The Lord of the Rings" is no exceptional. In the third collection of movie art, Gary Russell introduces us to the images and models that helped Middle-Earth come alive, and the excellent people behind them.

"Return of the King" introduces us to new civilizations, new monsters, and lots of new enemies and allies -- even more than "Two Towers" did. So the concept art ranges from armor and clothing (Faramir's regal armor, the Haradrim, Eowyn's masculine disguise, the archaic "Dead" armor), the perfect pirate ships, different kinds of Mumakil (prehistoric elephants), weaponry (different sketches of the Grond battering ram), and monsters like the hideous spider Shelob, whose sketches take up a full six pages.

On a more sweeping scale, there are full-fledged paintings, mattes, models and special effects shots. Among the artists are the excellent Alan Lee and John Howe, who both paint and sketch their usual beautiful material. Jeremy Bennett also does a good job, although his stuff is substantially rougher. As for models? Try the ghoulish head of the dead king, different Fell Beast models, the Mumakil, and much more.

It's nice to see the concept art in all its stages. For example, one Witch-King sketch from 1996 shows (Ben Wootten apologetically says) D&D-influenced armor. At the same time, an early sketch of Gandalf confronting one of the Black Riders is shown in nearly identical form in the finished movie. Okay, Pippin isn't there -- but the pose and setting are similar.

The comments from the many artists also give a greater insight into how the various things in the film evolved. Some things (like battering ram Grond) were pretty thoroughly described in the original novel. With other things, like the Fell Beast, the concept artists had to be a little more creative. So it's intriguing to see how their designs shifted and changed, ranging from the grotesque to the silly to the final designs used in the movie.

"The Art of Return of the King" is a good insight into the making of the epic film, and the concept art behind everything from spiders to siege towers. Well worth having.

The Return of the King Photo Guide (The Lord of the Rings)
Average customer rating:

No Ending to The Return of the King Story

A perfect Return of the King guide!!!

A post-ROTK release book review

Passage picture book

Great collection of pictures

The Return of the King Photo Guide (The Lord of the Rings)

Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Adaptations | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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The Fellowship of the Ring Photo Guide (The Lord of the Rings)

The Two Towers Movie Photo Guide (The Lord of the Rings)

The Return of the King Visual Companion: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion (The Lord of the Rings)

The Two Towers Visual Companion: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion (The Lord of the Rings)

The Lord of the Rings Complete Visual Companion

ASIN: 0618390987
Release Date: 2003-11-05

Book Description

The Lord of the Rings film trilogy reaches its phenomenal conclusion as Frodo, Sam, and Gollum struggle toward the fires of Mount Doom through Shelob's Lair. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli must choose the Paths of the Dead to bring desperate aid to the besieged city of Minas Tirith in Gondor, where Gandalf and Pippin have gone to rally the steward Denethor. Merry, forbidden to accompany his friends or the army of Rohan in their long march to war, joins a mysterious rider banished to a similar fate. Spectacular imagery illuminates the story as it proceeds to the Battle of Pelennor Fields and beyond.

Customer Reviews:

No Ending to The Return of the King Story.......2004-12-13

The pictures illustrated are very good but unfortunately I found that my copy of "The Return of the King" ends at the picture of Frodo and Sam climbing up Mt. Doom with Gollum trailing behind. It doesn't go any further...what happens to the ring, the results of the battle at the Black Gate, the coronation, etc. are all missing from the book. If I were to show it to children/adults they would be wondering what happen's next. Climbing up Mt. Doom is not a way to end a story.

A perfect Return of the King guide!!!.......2004-08-20

I really enjoyed all 3 of the Lord of the Rings movies, but the Return of the King was my favorite of the trilogy, and this book is the perfect compliment to the movie. The 48-page guide beautifully lays out 71 fantastic photographs from the movie which include Frodo, Sam, Gandalf, Merry, Pippin, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Faramir, Denethor, Eowyn, Theoden, bad guys, plus many more. As I paged through this book, the film was brought to life, and the 46 direct quotes from the movie script was a perfect addition to the pictures. I was brought along to Gondor, Edoras, Dwimorberg Mountain, Shelob's Lair, and all the rest of the locations and battles that the characters experienced throughout the Return of the King. This is truly a wonderful book, and I am very sure you will enjoy it as well!

A post-ROTK release book review.......2004-02-19

I wanted to review this book for people who have already seen the theatrical edition of Return of the King. The biggest thing that this photo guide adds is a major clue into what may be in the extended edition DVD of Return of the King, which will be released sometime in the fall of 2004. For example, there are some wonderful pictures of Sam and Frodo, and of Pippin and Merry, that are not in the final theatrical cut of the film, and therefore, it seems that we can expect these in the extended cut. The only criticism I have is simply that, other than these new pictures, it is of course a rehashing of the story, written somewhat like a children's book. But, like I said, it is worth it for the new photos.

Passage picture book.......2004-01-19

"The Return of the King Photo Guide" is a treat for those wanting to revisit the rich Middle-Earth depicted in Peter Jackson's movie adaptation of "Lord of the Rings." The pictures are excellent, and if anyone has problems following the complicated storyline, this is something for them to check out.

In "Return of the King," the treacherous Gollum is leading Sam and Frodo into the Dark Lord's land of Mordor. With the fate of Middle-Earth -- and his beloved Arwen's life -- on the line, Aragorn fully accepts his fate as Gondor's future king, and recruits the help of a long-dead army. And Gandalf takes the hobbit Pippin to the ravaged land of Gondor, the last stronghold against Sauron.

The actual climax and precise endings of the film are left up to the readers' imaginations (this isn't exactly a storybook), although the final sentence hints at the bittersweet events of the ending. The prose is fairly standard, nothing special; quotes from the film are littered through it, some directly from the books.

The pictures are what make this book stand out, with phenomenal shots of Minas Tirith, Pippin in his silver and black Gondorian armor, a helmeted Gondorian guard, an angelic shot of Eowyn, two Elven smiths reforging Aragorn's sword, and Frodo fending off Shelob with the phial Galadriel gave him. What's more, there are scenes that never made it to the final film, such as Aragorn tending the wounded Faramir in the Houses of Healing, or Frodo and Sam looking at a broken statue crowned with flowers. (Somewhat disappointing are the lack of pictures of the monstrous spider Shelob, or the ghostly army of the dead)

While it won't satisfy those longing to know the grand finale, "The Return of the King Photo Guide" will be eagerly devoured by fans of the films, with its wonderful pictures and semi-storybook outline. Definitely should be purchased for the photographs, and newbie fans may find it helpful too.

Great collection of pictures.......2004-01-02

This is the third in the series of photo guides for The Lord of the Rings movies. With 48 pages, the selection of pictures is extensive and sometimes includes pictures of scenes not included in the theatrical release. Although intended for children, it is a good companion to the books and movies.

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