Ian McKellen as Gandalf in LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
© 2001 New Line Cinema

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Gandalf Likes RINGS

Actor Ian McKellen, who has been an active participant in giving his side of the LORD OF THE RINGS production all along the way, has now weighed in on the first finished film of the trilogy, FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING.

On his official website, the actor started off correcting something he had mentioned before, saying, "THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING does after all begin with a prologue sequence, which sets the scene and story of The One Ring before the adventures proper begin. This is done so expeditiously and excitingly that it is almost like a film of its own with glimpses of the Dark Lord and the forging of The One Ring. It is narrated by a female voice (guess whose) and leads you into the world of Middle earth confidently as if Peter Jackson had taken you by the hand and personally led you there. There you remain for about 2 hours 45 minutes, although I thought it was less than an hour, the journey was so entrancing. It's the film equivalent of 'not being able to put it down till I'd finished.' The promise of two more movies to come completes one's satisfaction rather than thwarts it.

The actor adds, "Everything on screen honours Tolkien's imagination and cinematically matches it. The achievement of WETA's special effects is that they are not evident, seemingly as actual as the New Zealand landscapes which double for Middle Earth. The designs of make-up, costume and varying sizes (from hobbits to elves) do not draw attention themselves they simply belong within a world that never existed which is yet fully alive. All this, with performances to match, allows the story to be the star of the film and of that I couldn't be more pleased."