The Lord of the Rings Official Movie Guide
by Brian Sibley, J.R.R. Tolkien

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Book Reviews of The Lord of the Rings Official Movie Guide

Book Review: An impressive book about an impressive movie project
Summary: 5 Stars

Many aspects of the movie-making process are covered, from the script writing to the creation of the costumes, and the reader gets an impression of the unbelievable detail in the design of the many many movie props which were created for the movie. It also describes how many distinguished actors and artists became involved in this project and how even those few who were initially reluctant (like John Howe, who was not sure if such a huge project could succeed) were engulfed by the enthusiasm of the film crew. The book gives the reader a very good feeling of the size of this movie project and what it means to film three movies of epic proportions at the same time. Also, anyone who reads this book will develop a deep respect for Peter Jackson, a director who still cares about the character development, the story line and the actors and who is able to coordinate such a huge project.

This book can only enhance the experience that the Lord of the Rings movies are probably going to be, as it not only gives the reader a "behind-the-scenes" look, but it also shows a lot of detail which the movie-goers will most likely not notice consciously, but which was instrumental in creating a realistic atmosphere.

My only criticism is that the book is too short, as I may have expected even more detailed descriptions of different aspects of the filming process. However, many of these issues are probably better described in making-of specials on TV or on the DVD.

I would recommend this book to any Tolkien enthusiast who is already looking forward to the movies (or later to those who have seen the movies and liked them) and who wants to get more information about the filming process. The many high-quality pictures (which are often funny, for example when you see Peter Jackson next to Gandalf and Saruman) are already worth the price of the book. To those who do not know Tolkien's world yet, I would probably rather recommend the "Fellowship of the Ring Visual Companion", though sooner or later you will want to buy this book as well.

Summary of The Lord of the Rings Official Movie Guide

If it's facts and background trivia you are after, then this is the best place to be--the perfect starting point for those new to Tolkien or eager to find out more about how epic movies are put together. Dedicated Lord of the Rings fans who have been following the epic moviemaking process via the Internet won't find anything here they didn't already know, but this is still a very good companion no matter what level of knowledge or understanding you have of the greatest work of fantastic fiction ever written. --Jonathan Weir, Amazon.co.uk

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