32 Precious Facts About the Filming of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy

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John Summers • Contributor
May 16, 2024 9:00 PM EDT

Embark on a journey through Middle-earth with this collection of 30 interesting facts about The Lord of the Rings, brought to you by the Imgur user with the ridiculously long name: Idontalwaysbutwhenidoiaccidentallythewholething. These facts delve into the depths of J.R.R. Tolkien's literary masterpiece, the epic film adaptations by Peter Jackson, and the life of the author himself. From hidden details in the movies to lesser-known tidbits about the books and their creator, this compilation is a treasure trove for fans of the beloved fantasy saga.

As we explore these fascinating insights, we'll uncover the dedication, creativity, and passion that went into bringing the world of hobbits, elves, and orcs to life. Whether you're a longtime admirer of Tolkien's work or a newcomer to the wonders of Middle-earth, these facts will enhance your appreciation for the enduring legacy of The Lord of the Rings. So, prepare to be enchanted by the magic, the lore, and the behind-the-scenes stories that make this series a timeless classic.

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  • 01
    Peter Jackson gave one of the rings used in the movies to both Elijah Wood and Andy Serkis as a gift when the shoot was finished. They both thought they had the only one
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 02
    When Bilbo drops the ring before leaving Hobbiton the floor was magnetic to prevent the ring from bouncing. This was done to demonstrate the importance and weight of the ring
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 03
    Orlando Bloom did most of his own stunts and broke a rib in the process
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 04
    Viggo Mortensen also did his own stunts. He insisted on using only the real steel sword, instead of significantly lighter aluminum sword or safer rubber sword which were manufactured for battle scenes and stunts
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 05
    nine roborap ca Eight of the nine members of the Fellowship got a small tattoo of the word 'nine' spelled out in Tengwar, which is the Elvish script created by Tolkien. They got them at a tattoo parlor in New Zealand, to commemorate the experience of the movie
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 06
    ဘာသာ Elijah Wood's tattoo is on his lower stomach. Sean Astin and Billy Boyd have the tattoo on their ankles (to commemorate all those hours in the hobbit feet). Orlando Bloom, has his on his forearm. Ian McKellen's and Dominic Monaghan's are on their shoulder. Sean Bean, has his tattoo on his right shoulder. Viggo Mortensen has his tattoo on his left shoulder
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 07
    When Pippin is being hit with the apples after asking about second breakfast it's Viggo Mortensen throwing the apple at his head. They had to shoot the scene 16 times to get it just right, and Billy Boyd says he believes Mortensen enjoyed himself immensely
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 08
    18 Cl While filming, Viggo Mortensen got so into character that during a conversation Peter Jackson referred to him as Aragorn for over half an hour without him realizing it
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 09
    Hobbiton was made a year before production began to make it look like it was a natural, lived-in place, complete with real vegetable patches. The greens department regulated the length of the grass by having sheep eat it
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 10
    In one take of the Bucklebury Ferry scene, Elijah Wood overshot his jump and ended up in the river instead of on the Ferry
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 11
    Viggo chipped a tooth while filming a fight sequence. He wanted Peter Jackson to superglue it back on so he could finish his scene, but the director took him to the dentist on his lunch break, had it patched up and returned to the set that afternoon
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 12
    ORDERINGS THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING When the trailer was released on the Internet on 7 April 2001 it was downloaded 1.6 million times in the first 24 hours
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  • 13
    The scene where Gandalf calls for his horse and Shadowfax comes galloping across the fields and straight up to his master was achieved in the very first take
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  • 14
    There were so many extras used in the sequences at Helms Deep, and the filming went on for so many months that almost all the extras and principal actors got t-shirts reading "I survived Helms Deep".
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 15
    When Merry and Pippin are being carried off on the back of the Uruk-hai Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan were actually being carried on the backs of two stuntmen wearing oversized costumes and a false enormous head to give the impression of height disparity
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 16
    (Moria Goblin) As the Orcs have black blood, it was only natural that the inside of their mouths should be black as well. To achieve this, the Orc actors had to swill a liquorice-based mouthwash prior to each of their scenes,
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 17
    When Frodo and Sam are in Osgiliath, Sam says, "By rights, we shouldn't even be here." This was a nod to the deviation the screenplay had taken from the book's storyline. In the book, Sam and Frodo never passed through Osgiliath at all
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 18
    One frame of Gollum would take around eight minutes to render while one frame of Treebeard could take up to 48 hours to render
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  • 19
    The Battle of Helm's Deep features hundreds of spears made of cardboard tubes so that none of the charging horses would be injured
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 20
    The sound of the fell beasts that the ringwraiths ride is actually the noise of a donkey
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 21
    The "bigiature" model of Helm's Deep stood 7 feet tall and measured 20 feet square
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 22
    The first shot of Sam's arm coming into frame holding Sting towards Shelob is actually Peter Jackson's arm
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 23
    The dead oliphaunt carcass used in this film is reportedly the largest prop ever built for a motion picture. According to members of the prop department director Peter Jackson still thought it could have been bigger
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 24
    According to a magazine article, Peter Jackson hated the Army of the Dead he thought it was too unbelievable. He kept it in the script because he did not wish to disappoint diehard fans of the book trilogy
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 25
    ORDERINGS THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING 503 LORDRINGS THE TWO TOWERS THE CURNEY CONTINUES JORDRINGS THE RETURN OF THE KING THE JOURNEY ENDS The Lord of the Rings trilogy became the most nominated film series in Academy Award history with 30 nominations, surpassing both the Godfather trilogy (28) and the Star Wars franchise (21)
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 26
    The scene where Aragorn's army assembles in front of the Black Gate of Mordor was shot in a desert that was used by the army as a training field. Because it was still littered with mines and bombs that hadn't gone off, the army had to sweep the field with metal detectors to make it safe for the actors and extras
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 27
    In the scene when Denethor attempts to burn Faramir on the pyre the pyre could not truly be on fire because Gandalf's horse would not go near it. To solve this, the crew reflected a real fire onto a pane of glass in front of the camera so that it looks as though the pyre is burning
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 28
    The model of Shelob was based on a New Zealand funnel web spider
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 29
    During the battle of Minas Tirith, one of the orcs resembles the Star Wars character Darth Maul
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 30
    While filming Saruman's death scene (extended DVD version) Peter Jackson tried to tell Christopher Lee how to react and breathe after he was stabbed in the back. Lee, a WWII veteran with British special forces, assured the director that he knew what a man sounded like when stabbed in the back
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 31
    Viggo Mortensen and Billy Boyd were standing off-camera during Sam's wedding scene, pretending to be wedding guests in order to help Sean Astin's performance. After Sarah McLeod threw her bridal bouquet to Boyd Mortensen gave Boyd a passionate kiss
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth
  • 32
    Special care was taken to make sure that the destruction of Sauron's tower of Barad-dûr did not resemble the destruction of the World Trade Center. For this reason, it disintegrates from the ground up, and the sound was made from breaking glass, so that it would not sound or look as if it were exploding
    via beautifulrulebreakingmoth

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