J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" saga has been released on film with The Fellowship of the Ring released during the Christmas 2001 season, The Two Towers was released around Christmas 2002, and The Return of the King is expected to be released around Christmas 2003. The three books in the trilogy were filmed concurrently, as though they were all one giant motion picture production. The official web site for The Lord of the Rings trilogy (the original novel) may be found at www.lordoftherings.net.

Several of the cast members are well known names with Elijah Wood starring as Frodo, the reluctant Ring bearer, and Sean Astin portraying Frodo's devoted friend, Sam Gamgee. Other cast members are less well known, at least to myself. Sir Ian Holm stars as the elder hobbit, Bilbo, the original finder of the "lost" ring of Sauron. The remaining traveling companions accompanying Frodo and Sam throughout their journeys include actors Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan star as Pippin and Merry. Sir Ian McKellen rounds on the initial characters as Gandalf.

The first to join the party of hobbits includes Stuart Townsend as Aragorn. Liv Tyler portrays the elf maiden Arwen, whom Gimli, played by John Rhys-Davies, and Eomer nearly do battle in a quarrel over who is the fairest lady that lives. While Eomer contended that Arwen was fairest, Gimli challenged any who would not acknowledge Lothlorien's queen, Galadriel, played here by Cate Blanchett, as the fairest. Finally, we have Orlando Bloom as Legolas, the elf befriended by our dwarven comrade, and Sean Bean as Boromir, son of Gondor's current regent.

Being that there are so many other sites devoted to the trilogy written by J.R.R. Tolkien, I will make little effort to expound upon the story line or characters. In my opinion, this has been quite adequately done on various other sites referenced in my links pages and below.

The Official Movie Home Page
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
The Encyclopedia of Arda
Mithril The Lord of the Rings
The Grey Havens