The emotional final moments of Elijah Wood on ‘The Lord of the Rings’ set
In December 2001, director Peter Jackson unveiled the first in his trilogy of fantasy epics, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. His movie beautifully brought to life the power and magic of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic tales onto the big screen and captured the imagination of millions across the entire globe.
Jackson’s adventurous adaptation charts the epic and treacherous quest of the hobbit Frodo Baggins, who is tasked to travel across Middle Earth to destroy the ring that, in the wrong hands, would be used to wipe out all of civilisation. The series of films became one of the highest-grossing film franchises of all time, amassing over $3billion worldwide. The franchise garnered a total of 17 Academy Awards out of 30 nominations over its multiple films, even winning ‘Best Picture’ for the third in the trilogy, The Return of the King.
The series was shot in Jackson’s home country of New Zealand, capitalising on its diverse and breathtaking landscape and shot with expansive and stunning photography to bring Middle Earth to life. What has made the films stand the test of time and so special was Jackson’s vision to shoot most of the film in camera and only rely on CGI sparingly and only when crucial.
Jackson employed thousands of locals as extras to star as orcs, soldiers, and villagers, dressing them in fantastic costumes and even building entire villages and towns, all finished with incredible detail for the action to occur. This, supported by a star-studded cast that perfectly portrayed the famous characters in the novels and aided by a spectacular score composed by Howard Shore, made Jackson’s films more than a blockbuster franchise but a cultural phenomenon.
With all this in mind, to pull off such a colossal series of films was no mean feat. With millions and millions of dollars at stake, thousands of people working in front and behind the camera, plus the added risk of potentially ruining one of the world’s most beloved novels, I’m sure Jackson and his cast certainly felt the pressure.
Recently, a clip resurfaced from a behind-the-scenes moment in which Jackson calls “cut!” on Elijah Wood’s Frodo and his very last scene in the scene. In this briefly caught heartwarming exchange, the weight of the monumental journey Jackson and his lead actor had gone on together to create the movie was there for all to see.
“Man, I’ll never forget it,” Wood explains in the clip, describing that final moment on set, “It’s imprinted upon my memory for the rest of my life. He (Jackson) burst into tears. And he just said ‘Thank you’ over and over again.” It’s an incredibly touching moment that happens between the two, encapsulating just how much The Lord of the Rings meant to them both.
Check out the full clip below.
