As usual, Ian Holm's delivery is simple, low-key, but it hits home and
stays with you, even after the three-hour juggernaut that follows.  As
Bilbo Baggins, Holm reflects on old age:

   "I feel thin, like butter spread over too much bread."

In the split second that follows, Gandalf glances at him, and you could
swear that Ian McKellen, under all that makeup, raises an eyebrow: "Hmmm.
Nicely done!" I could watch those two just standing there, doing nothing,
but, in fact, they are part of a plethora of golden butter spread over
enormous surfaces of nourishing bread.

There follows three hours of artistic and emotional rollercoaster, nonstop
visual fireworks, an endless succession of moments like that, but forming
a coherent, grand whole.

"The Lord of the Rings," Part I: "The Fellowship of the Ring" is
tremendous.  Here, at last, in the age of movies depending on millions
of dollars in advertising, is a work that should break records with just
word-of-mouth.  It 's a riveting, near-flawless, thoughtfully made, truly
spectacular, beautiful work of art.  It's difficult to imagine what's left
over for the other two segments, made at the same time with "Fellowship,"
to be released later.

Peter Jackson (director and writer) has produced a work of genius that
is faithful to J.R.R.  Tolkien, and operates on the same level with the
original.  As Tolkien provided a special, valid, humane variation on
ancient legends and on Wagner's cycle, Jackson too came up with a gestalt,
a near-overwhelming, complete world, something that will take your breath
away for much of those three hours.  Jackson, of "Heavenly Creatures,"
created a heavenly, spectacular movie.

Speaking of Wagner, the music for "Fellowship" is an essential - and
glorious - component of the film.  Unusual for a director, Jackson
personally supervised the creation of the soundtrack.  It is mainly the
work of Howard Shore, in the culmination of a distinguished career that
ranges from TV work to 40 films.  To identify Shore, just think of the role
of music in "Philadelphia" - that says it all.  His two-hour long score
here is a coherent, unified work, although with different sound for each
civilization - for example, the use of the raita from North Africa in
segments involving the Ringwraiths - performed by the London Philharmonic
and the Voices of London.

Enya contributed two key songs: "Aniron," for the sequence between Arwen
and Aragorn; and "May It Be," which is heard at the conclusion of the film.
Although the music stays in the background (no hitting over the head,
deafening the audience here, thank goodness), several times, it came to the
fore for me through its great beauty, and I was making a note to listen to
the soundtrack and find those excerpts.

Grant Major's fabulous, Rackham-class design blends in perfectly with the
scenery of New Zealand - where a crew of 2,400 spent two years creating the
three films.

The London Times review greeting the original publication of "Lord of the
Rings" applies well to the film: "The world is now forever divided into
those who have read these books and those who are going to read them."
Except for the unavoidable objections by the hardcore purists, everyone -
those who are not familiar with Tolkien and those who are fans - will revel
in the film.

Also, in the long run, "Fellowship" and its siblings will become
best-sellers on tape and DVD. It's the most rewindable spectacle in my
memory.

Janos Gereben/SF
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