10 Things You Never Knew About The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
From Kiwi rivers to record-breaking DVDs, the Fellowship's behind-the-scenes saga is even bigger than Middle-earth.
Arrow River, New Zealand — Mat Cross, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.
Where to watch The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring ↓Storyboards Started With History, Not Fantasy
Peter Jackson kicked storyboarding into gear in August 1997 and told his design teams to build Middle-earth with historical plausibility instead of pure fantasy flash. The result was a world that felt lived-in from day one.
Tolkien Illustrators Took Over The Look
In November 1997, veteran Tolkien artists Alan Lee and John Howe were tapped as the trilogy's primary conceptual designers. Their tie-in experience gave Middle-earth its iconic visual DNA.
19,000 Costumes And 40 Outfits Per Person
Costume designer Ngila Dickson led 40 seamstresses to craft 19,000 costumes for the production. Each actor and their double got around 40 versions to wear down naturally for an aged look.
A Real New Zealand River Became The Ford Of Bruinen
The Arrow River in Otago stood in for the Ford of Bruinen where Arwen faces down the Nazgûl. New Zealand doubled as Middle-earth in the most literal way.
Four Ensembles Powered Howard Shore's Score
Howard Shore composed the score with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Voices, and the Maori Samoan Choir. The global ensemble gave the music its epic weight.
Enya Gave The Ring Two Secret Songs
Enya wrote and performed 'AnÃron' and the end title theme 'May It Be' for the film. She also let her label Reprise Records handle soundtrack releases for all three movies.
The Trailer Broke The Internet In 2000
An April 2000 special trailer was downloaded over 1.7 million times in its first 24 hours. That smashed the previous record held by 'The Phantom Menace'.
The DVD Was Unbeatable For A Year
The theatrical DVD sold 14.5 million copies and became the best-selling DVD ever. It held the crown until 'Finding Nemo' swam past it the next year.
The Extended Cut Ran Almost Four Hours
The November 2002 extended edition added 30 minutes of new material and effects plus 20 minutes of fan-club credits. The total runtime stretched to 228 minutes.
December Box Office Was Never The Same
The film opened to $47.2 million in the US, setting a new December opening record. It knocked 'Ocean's Eleven' off the top spot.