Middle-Earth's Secrets: Tolkien's Lord of the Rings- Return of the King

This magical and highly entertaining guide features a complete analysis of The Return of the King, with remarkable new insights into Tolkien and his work by renowned international authorities, including author Patrick Curry (Defending Middle-Earth). This powerful program take you deeper into this great book than ever before.
Using the 3-D mapping techniques and the celebrated art of the Brothers Hildebrant, visit fantastic locations throughout Middle-Earth- including Minas Tiritha and Harad, the eastern ally of Mordor. Learn more about the characters of Aragorn, Eowyn, Gollum and other as the hidden themes and influences that shaped Tolkien's remarkable work are fully revealed.

[@Ohne_Silikone]

I like how Sam in a way is hesitant to give back the ring to Frodo, not because he wants it, but because he wants to carry the burden for his friend and master. Maybe it is his caring nature or maybe it is the ring that compels him to this offer. I like to think that the ring tries to get a hold of Sam through his goodness. I mean, what else is goodness to evil than a weakness, a character flaw to be utilised against the person who shows it and eventually to be corrupted in its own image? That is what the ring does best: corrupting goodness.This also is the first time we see Frodo admitting he is not longer strong enough to be separated from the ring, ultimately admitting being defeated by it. For all his shortcomings, in his humility Sam is one of the noblest characters in the book. I think it is too easy to say that Sams ease in giving back the ring is due to the short amount of time he has been bothered with it. Others were ready or tempted to kill for it, just upon seeing it, like smeagol and maybe also Faramir.

[@christihysell2237]

L9 ppl

[@benhuether5474]

This is almost as entertaining as the movies because it goes over all the details in Tolkien's masterpiece.

[@TallManVanitas]

I'm curious since I haven't gotten to the third book yet, and I thought this about the movies as well: How lucky did Gandalf, Aragorn, and co. have to be to lead their march on the Black Gate not knowing for sure whether or not Frodo and Sam were even in Mordor? What if they did this attack and they were still nowhere near Cirith Ungol or Mount Doom? Did Gandalf somehow know where they were so he could time this attack accordingly, or were they just going in blind?

[@paulballard6771]

Thank you for sharing this was great for me to understand the path the heros took, geography and more!!! Thanks

[@hglundahl]

52:23 "he did think Saruman was doing very well" I happen to think so too. So is Grima Wormtongue.

[@rebeccaherschman3069]

thanks for posting! I've always hated how Tolkien was criticized for being euro-centric in his writing...but why wouldn't he be? people didn't travel much then and all he must of heard about was maybe the Boers from his elders (and probably not good things) maybe Indian people also. you write what you know and he probably never left Europe.

[@conniestone6251]

He was born in South Africa and moved to UK at around 4 years old (I think). He also fought for WW1 in France and surrounding...

[@SonGara]

Strange that they didn't get Christopher Tolkien for these documentaries.

[@kylereric9711]

pro trick : you can watch movies at Flixzone. Me and my gf have been using it for watching loads of movies during the lockdown.

[@jessekingston8142]

@Kyler Eric definitely, I have been using flixzone for years myself =)

[@DankoMe]

did anyone realize that the Graham Mctavish (actor playing Dwalin in P.jackson trilogy) is actualy reding the story line??? :-D

[@communist-hippie]

didnt think about that :)

[@rachelmarks8601]

I came here looking for this comment 😂

[@Ohne_Silikone]

Frodo just needs to be corrupted in the end because otherwise the ring would not be THE ring. Not to succumb to It would make Frodo larger than life, the rings power smaller and Frodo's feat smaller as a result. Sauron made the ring unbeatable in the end. Yet like Sauron it was beaten by itself. Like Sauron failed to imagine the power of good and (self)sacrifice, destroying him at the back door. The ring was to be destroyed by the all powerful greed it inspired.

[@probro9898]

I'm sure they visited Rivendell on the way back, where they met Bilbo again

[@OrchestrationOnline]

In fact that's in the book.

[@kacydanek2771]

Just awesome what you guys have done on Tolkien's LOTR! How about the Hobbit now? Thank You!

[@WOLFROY47]

we the people, have the real power, to change things for the better, that was tolkiens message, and we saw it at woodstock

[@matthewmann8969]

The one to tie up all the loose ends to the Lord Of The Rings Trilogy Movies and Books alike. And a great job I might add with the way they done it I think in the movie like in the Extended Addition they should have shown Saruman and Grima Wormtoungue going out with a bang too bad they did not do that in the theatrical version of it which was kinda dumb not too with all the fake out endings they had. But oh well Lord Of The Rings all The Films and Novels had more Positives then Negatives to add to the universal classical packages. The Eagles fighting the flying hell beasts was pretty awesome too in many ways the way they used there talons and beaks to attack as well as there Ariel movements with there flying techniques. And Wing Attacks. The Witch King was a total bad ass in the Movie he looks like he goes down easily but in The Books they explain it in more clear detail of course.

[@FurryAminal]

Why do people associate heavy metal and rock with Tolkien? The cacophony of it is more in common with the Orcs than with the Elves, Valar and Maia.

[@nicholasmilano9184]

There's some pretty elvish black metal out there. Check out early work of the band Ulver!

[@nicholasmilano9184]

but I agree that the music in this movie is pretty whimpy and not emotive

[@Tripserpentine]

+FurryAminal because orcs and other corrupted creatures are also creations of Tolkien.

[@EscapeMCP]

Spinal Tap??

[@soulveiw]

Because he was a big favourite of 70's rockers. The lord of the rings found it's way into many songs notably Ramble on by Led Zeppelin.

[@7seasaw]

The slobbery guy squinting in the bright light looks a bit like a civilized gollum.

[@marklee1194]

Odd how the filmmakers used footage from MacBeth (1997).

[@cpmf2112]

The ring was just too strong in that place for anyone to willingly be able to throw it in.

[@girv98]

I never thought it was possible for someone to pronounce Shelob wrong.

[@hglundahl]

James Girven Indeed, two English words, it is not as if it were Sindarin.

[@ishmaelforester9825]

Errors in pronunciation derived from reading are to be expected.

[@hglundahl]

Will happen.

[@mandolingrass]

Hans-Georg Lundahl Who is Will Happen?😂

[@tomardans4258]

Ishmael Forester: But there is a pronunciation guide in the Appendices, and these are supposed to be experts.

[@BradSpiceFX]

A-oh-meer, A-oh-when, Th-ay-oh-den

[@esgietheqroue]

Selleborn.

[@theofficialphoenixtv5765]

Was this made before the movies came out?!

[@TheShadowWolfie]

TheOfficialPhoenixTV Yes.

[@prkchpsnaplsaws2322]

It's e-seal-door ... not "is-ul-door"

[@donnyskinglongliveme]

Does anyone know who that rock band are?

[@WOLFROY47]

why not use the term karma, if you plant potatoes you dont reap tomatoes, and what goes around, comes around

[@SoledadGooner]

Graham Mctavish!

[@magelulutheFF]

Horrible music, terrible illustrations, wince-worthy pronunciations, but quite interesting commentaries. Thanks for sharing.

[@sethisawesome]

Man don't hate on the brothers Hildebrant. Some of the leading Tolkien artists with a style all their own.

[@campuscodi]

The documentary was produced in the 90s. There was no movie or other types of graphic work to use. This was a very very niche documentary back then so they obviously didn't have any kind of budget to order new custom work or use something else than stock medieval music.

[@johncronin9540]

sethisawesome I'm dating myself, but I never knew Jimmy Durante was a hobbit ;)

[@Tw0tson]

all of this lol

[@bunsonbaker4156]

I like the illustrations. It’s a different imaginative take on middle earth. Still very fantasy feeling.

[@tomardans4258]

I’m very tired of these ‘experts’ mispronouncing names. They’re all explained in the appendices.

[@stvbrsn]

All the dubious and outright incorrect pronunciations aside... Did he just say "blue havens?" That's just intolerable. I mean sure, they may be located in a gap in the Blue Mountains but come on, that's a ridiculous error to be making.

[@pwmiles56]

Dreadful lighting! Patrick Curry is a real nice guy btw, I've met him - scholar and teacher

[@RapaciousUT]

I really can't recommend this documentary, which was released the same year as the film "Return of the King" by Peter Jackson. They really needed some simple fact-checking from the text and review of Tolkien's pronunciation guides. The lack of those simple things indicates that it was just an attempt to cash in on the popularity of the feature films.

[@capnpaco]

Moon Sims Given the academic feel of the documentary, the slow pace, and the clear respect for the listener's attention span, I don't get the sense that it was meant to cash in on anything.

[@TomLWaters]

+Moon Sims Although released to DVD in 2003, these were apparently made in 2000, before any of the Peter Jackson movies came out. I agree the pronunciations and lack of basic research are cringe-worthy. Some of the interview footage was interesting however.

[@ishmaelforester9825]

Why are people being so arsey about the pronunciations? Errors in that respect are quite general. You cannot reasonably expect people always to study and learn the exact pronunciation of every bloody odd word or name they come across. It's not a big deal so long as meaning is not perverted.

[@Scare3243]

i don't mind the mispronunciation that much tbh, if you're into backstory you may enjoy the documentary quite a lot.

[@hglundahl]

Not ANN-due-inn, but UNN-doo-inn.

[@hglundahl]

Not PELL-en-or, but pe-LENN-or.

[@warmandan2006]

wait wait he let him go the guy that waited to rule the world oh never mind i just heard it.

[@WMalven]

Not bad, but there are better analyses on KZbin.

[@lounamana]

Very...jean d'arc character there

[@seethrough_treeshrew]

lol since when do dwarves fight with hatchets?

[@calkidsbradley40]

Was this copied from a TV show, it sounds off.

[@dallassukerkin6878]

Aye, you can see that it has been recorded from the TV ... possibly even a CRT given the aspect ratio :D

[@WOLFROY47]

and again, no mention of tom bombadil and goldberry, its as if, they cant understand these characters, so they leave them out of the discussion, tom, the one person, that has complete mastery over the ring, and they leave him out, for me, tom is time an goldberry the seasons

[@WMalven]

Tom Bombadil and Goldberry are in part 1. This is part 3

[@albertknabe3713]

Nope...It isn't England... I found Middle Earth - imgur.com/gallery/Qakrqda