Visually, the films were magnificent. The wonderful work of Lee and Howe who painstakingly drew designs from the simplest of
objects like the pipes to the Arganoth and the Mines of
Moria were fantastic. I had been getting the
Tolkien calendars since the 70's and Lee and Howe's work were often used in these calendars.
Middle Earth looked wonderful and familiar to me.
As a visual director, there were a lot of shots that were spectacular. When
Gandalf and
Pippin rode
Shadowfax and we could see
Minas Tirith in the distance, I actually cried in the movie theatre. (The guy sitting next to me was looking at me quizzically
) When the Fellowship left
Rivendell and they come through some boulders one by one with
Sam leading Bill the Pony was another scene that I loved. The distance shots of Rivendell (again taking Tolkien's original illustration and expanding on it),
Helm's Deep,
Hobbiton, etc were great.
I read that one of Tolkien's favorite chapters was "The Ride of the
Rohirrim". I've read LOTR for decades before the movies came out. But watching the movies and seeing
Rohan come to the aid of
Gondor after just fighting a devastating battle at Helm's Deep brought this chapter to life. When they arrive at the
Pelennor fields, and see the vastness of the enemy, I could remember reading
Merry's thoughts, "....They were too late! Too late was worse than never! Perhaps
Theoden would quail,
bow his old head, turn, slink away to hide in the
hills." You could see this in the actors' faces. But then Theoden arose in his stirrups. "Arise, arise, Riders of Theoden! Fell deeds awake: fire and slaughter! spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor!" Because I was so familiar with the
books, this scene had new meaning and depth with the visual depiction and the great acting.
Ironically, because the movies were so very good at the visuals, and had some impressive interpretations and adaptations of certain scenes, that when a scene or character was changed, it was almost jolting (like the wimpification of
Frodo,
Faramir's character assassination, Frodo sending Sam home on the Stairs of
Cirith Ungol (Major Cringe and anger).
But, there are many, many things that are done very well, especially visually bringing Middle Earth to life.
