Another LOTR post

Dear Blog Diary,

It is my belief that Lord of the Rings Fellowship has the best opening exposition of any film in history.

Could do a trilogy of movies just based on the story of the ring, but they lay it all out, the humans elves dwarves etc., and it sets the stage perfectly.

Now, the first scene we’re given is Gandalf coming into the Shire being greeted by Frodo.

First off, as an adult — you notice things.

Gandalf traveled miles across Middle Earth, multiple days journey and camping…just to go to Bilbo’s birthday party.

That’s just a good friend.

But secondly, of course we the audience knows what will happen. The ring must be destroyed and a war will be fought over it. Thousands will die as kingdoms clash…

…but the first time you see Gandalf, that’s just a dude going over to his homie’s house to smoke weed on his birthday party.

And Bilbo pulls out the nice stuff! Smoke rings and Gandalf blows a smoke ship because Gandalf is a G like that.

It’s astonishing to me the human moments you take away. LOTR is probably the most brilliant world building of any piece of art in history, and yet it’s the human aspects we often overlook.

Faramir’s last words to his father the King of Gondor, “If I do return, think better of me father.”

That’s just a guy who so much wants his dad’s approval, and that’s after he already did the heroic thing in letting Frodo go.

Family issues.

Gollum had been in the caves, tormented by the ring for 500 years to the point where he literally didn’t know what a potato was. “What’s tators, precious?”

In our terms, he was in isolation with the ring since Michelangelo made the Pieta.

He was a normal (basically) hobbit when he found that ring. Probably drank ale and had second breakfast like the rest of them. Potatoes. That’s how fucked up Gollum really is.

Loneliness, or isolation, lack of community.

You ever notice Aragorn draws out the armies of Mordor by attacking Sauron, when in reality he doesn’t even know if Frodo is alive? Certain death for him, when in reality maybe Frodo fell from a cliff and now the ring is who knows where.

Faith.

It’s often the things we overlook as trivial mundane experiences that make up our entire worlds. It’s often the big things we look for that aren’t the most beautiful aspect of life.

Marco Pierre White said “Perfection is lots of little things done well.”

When it comes to LOTR, I do believe it’s the little things that mean everything.

Ironically, the ring is a little thing. Frodo is little guy.

I rest my case.

Much love,

E

#ARTiculate