Growing up, I was a big fan of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" (my first copy was a one-volume paperback tie-in edition released in conjunction with Ralph Bakshi's 1978 animated film, although I also owned the film storybook).
I remember when the BBC Radio dramatization first aired in 1981 (we listened to it on CBC Radio), and purchased it on cassette in the late 1990s (and again on CD in the early 2000s), for listening to in the car on long road trips.
Once I learned that the trilogy was being filmed in New Zealand, I checked theonering.net regularly for updates, and collected newspaper clippings with any shred of news. Anticipation among fantasy fans was running high.
I saw the movie over the holidays with childhood friends. We were blown away, mostly at how seriously the material had been handled. I saw it again at least once, and couldn't fathom how long I'd have to wait until the next installment.
Casting was perfect, as were the costumes. The cinematography was magical, with strategic use of color and special effects. The score by Howard Shore was also finely done, and I loved the songs "Aníron" and "May It Be" by Enya.
"The Fellowship of the Ring" was a game changer. Prior to its release, fantasy films weren't taken seriously by the industry, but its success had an immeasurable impact on both moviemaking and pop culture.
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