Cover photo: Marko Manev
About the movie
Everyone heard the name of J.R.R. Tolkien’s undying classic trilogy which was adapted to screen by Peter Jackson. The movies are just as loved as the books, if not even more. It is generally considered to tackle the issue of good and evil, where the One Ring – the source of the Dark Lord Sauron’s power – must be destroyed. A hobbit, Frodo Baggins (Elijiah Wood) volunteers to take the Ring to Mordor, to the only place where it can be destroyed. Alongside eight companions, he carries the burden that if he fails, it would mean the fall of Middle Earth as well. Although most people probably know the trilogy already, we tried to make this recommendation as spoiler-free as possible.
Christmas movies
You may wonder how The Lord of the Rings compares with Christmas movies, such as Jingle All the Way, which thematizes the festive preparations, Love Actually or Polar Express, focusing on the themes of love and belief. Well, rest assured our recommendation also shares some features with these beloved classics. Read further to find out what they are!
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
In the first film, the Fellowship attempts to cross a mountain on their journey to Mordor and sure enough, there is chest-deep snow there. With cold and chilly wind. With winters without snow, we are sure that this helps the audience feel the power of the season.
Illustration Lord of the Rings Fans
We are Santa’s Elves
Maybe not as short as one would expect them to be, but The LotR has elves. They are more elegant and fighter-like perhaps than Santa Clause’s mates, yet they work together with Gandalf (Sir Ian McKellen), who is an elderly mage with a long beard. If someone is dissatisfied with him, there is Saruman (Sir Christopher Lee), another mage with just as magnificent a beard. So magic is all around the place, which is again quite Christmassy, no doubt. If the height of the elves is still a disappointment, let it be good news that we have hobbits and dwarves as a compensation for the lack of shortness.
Here We Come A-Caroling
Tolkien’s books are famous for the scenes of singing and poetry, and even in the films, there are some examples of such. Maybe less known are the songs sung by Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), once in The Fellowship of the Ring (extended version), and once again in The Return of the King. Pippin Took (Billy Boys) in the latter movie also sings a song (Edge of Night), which gives goosebumps to the audience and is probably the most popular one. There is no holiday-feeling without gathering, so let it be known that in the first movie, there is a warm birthday celebration with music, dancing and even fireworks! (After all, New Year’s Eve is coming too.)
Gifts
Christmas is a time when people give gifts to each other. How could a fantasy movie fulfil this requirement? “Nine rings were gifted to the race of Man”, as it is told at the beginning of the movie. Rings were gifted to the Elves, the Dwarves and the Men, which is basically the background of the main plotline, as it is connected to the creation of the One Ring. If we take gifting seriously, there is another scene where the Fellowship receives presents from a lady. For the sake of avoiding spoilers, let’s not reveal more about it. Only that some of these gifts will be key elements later in the story.
Love
On Christmas we celebrate love; love for each other, and the love of God for humanity. First of all, the Fellowship is like a family; they are fond of each other and would even sacrifice themselves for one another. Not to mention that they are willing to risk everything in order to save the world, which can be paralleled with the selflessness of Jesus Christ. Of course, there are tons of Christmas movies, where romantic love is in the centre of attention. Those who prefer these movies should not feel discouraged about this movie either. Since the beginning we can root for a couple to get together, and we might not spoil anything by mentioning that there will be two more love relationships by the end of the third movie.
Illustration: Kumama
Oh, Christmas Tree, oh, Christmas Tree
A tree with utmost importance which is connected to celebration? The White Tree of Gondor (one of the kingdoms of Men), the royal symbol, is surely an important element in the movie. By the third movie, this kingdom is in the focus of the story, not to mention that the question of whether the rightful heir of the throne will accept his fate lingers throughout the trilogy.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas
The plot of a Christmas movie usually takes place before and during Christmas, so guess what time is The Lord of the Rings set in? A crucial point is in The Fellowship of the Ring, the first movie when the Fellowship is formed to set out on a journey to destroy the One Ring. The date of their leaving is the 25th of December. Who needs a better argument to convince anyone that The LotR is suitable to be watched at Christmas-time?
Are you a Tolkien fan?
In December and January there are events appealing for those in love with Tolkien’s world:
The War of the Rohirrim – in cinemas, in English as well, without subtitles. If you know The LotR by heart and you are yearning for a new adventure in Middle Earth, this movie is for you. It is not the most faithful adaptation ever, yet if you are not familiar with the lore, you will find it enjoyable.
Tolkien Day, 4 January 2025 – the yearly event of Hungarian Tolkien Society in order to celebrate the birthday of the author, with presentations and Tolkien-themed programs. It is in Hungarian but if you have a Hungarian-speaking friend who is into Middle Earth, and you are still looking for a gift, you can surprise them with a ticket.
