The Lord of the Rings Director Peter Jackson Picks His Favorite Movie in the Trilogy

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Peter Jackson’s trailblazing “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy remains one of cinema’s most remarkable accomplishments, leaving an indelible mark on both audience and critic perspectives regarding fantasy filmmaking. With each sequel enhancing its predecessor, it weaves a grand narrative that revolutionized Hollywood’s approach to adaptation and visual effects. In a recent interview with Letterboxd, the Oscar-winning director shared his personal favorite among these groundbreaking films, providing an intriguing glimpse into Jackson’s self-perception of his trilogy’s quality.

During an interview, Jackson openly stated that he hasn’t re-watched the trilogy since its debut. He explained, “I find it difficult to watch my own movies. However, I might appreciate them more as time passes, so I may rewatch them someday.” When asked about his preferred installment, the director selected The Two Towers, but added that his choice could change if he were to watch them again. This is one of the few instances where Jackson has publicly shared his personal opinions on the trilogy, which consumed almost a decade of his life from its initial pitch in 1995 to the release of the final film in 2003.

The director’s restrained reaction to each film’s remarkable success is quite understandable. “The Fellowship of the Ring” opened new horizons for audiences with innovative visual effects and deep character development, raking in $871.5 million globally and winning four Academy Awards, including Best Cinematography and Best Original Score. “The Two Towers” broadened its scope with the epic battle of Helm’s Deep and the debut of Gollum, cinema’s first convincing performance-captured character, grossing $926 million and taking home two Oscars for Best Sound Editing and Best Visual Effects. Lastly, “The Return of the King” made cinematic history by surpassing the billion-dollar mark with $1.15 billion, being only the second film to ever reach this milestone at that time, after James Cameron’s “Titanic”.

A Trilogy That Changed Hollywood Forever

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The influence of Jackson’s trilogy adaptation transcends mere box office success. The series amassed a total of 30 Academy Award nominations, securing an incredible 17 Oscars. The pinnacle of this impressive feat was achieved when The Return of the King broke Oscar records by winning all 11 awards for which it was nominated, among them Best Picture and Best Director. This clean sweep tied The Return of the King with two other films – 1959’s Ben-Hur and Titanic – for the record of most wins by a single film.

Simultaneously shooting all three movies for 438 days straight in New Zealand, Jackson pioneered a method in blockbuster filmmaking known as filming multiple films concurrently. Furthermore, the trilogy’s unique combination of practical effects, miniatures, and computer-generated imagery set a new standard for epic storytelling. This groundbreaking style of production laid the foundation for future series such as Harry Potter and The Hobbit, while the trilogy’s success opened doors for other epic fantasy adaptations like Game of Thrones.

The enormous size of this production led New Line Cinema to invest around $285 million right away, a significant risk for them in those days. However, its success ignited a change in Hollywood’s approach when adapting well-known literary works. It demonstrated that if you show respect for the source material and employ creative filmmaking methods, fantasy novels can be turned into films that are both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, pleasing both dedicated fans and casual viewers alike.

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The Lord of the Rings trilogy is currently available for streaming on MAX.

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2025-01-14 10:09