10 years before Peter Jackson’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy was released, Russia already had its own adaptation of Tolkien’s novel
The trilogy of «The Lord of the Rings» directed by Peter Jackson marked a before and after in the film industry; However, it is not the only adaptation that exists about the story written by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Jackson’s first movie came out 20 years ago (2001). With a technological display for the time, «The Fellowship of the Ring» became a box office success. Something that did not happen with its Russian predecessor.
That’s right, 10 years before the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy was released, Russia already had its own adaptation of Tolkien’s novel. This became known after the Russian television channel 5TV published its version of the adventures of «Frodo Baggins» on its YouTube channel.
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«The Lord of the Rings» Russian version was made in the early 1990s by Leningrad TV, the predecessor of 5TV. At the time, the film was called ‘Khraniteli’.
To commemorate his work, the Russian television network uploaded its version of «The Lord of the Rings» to its YouTube channel divided into two parts. The publication of this work caused a sensation on the Internet and is based on «The Fellowship of the Ring.»
WHY DID THE RUSSIAN VERSION OF ‘THE LORD OF THE RINGS’ BECOME SO POPULAR?
In addition to being another adaptation of Tolkien’s work, the popularity of the Russian film is due to the fact that it was recorded in a rudimentary way. The special effects do not correspond to the time in which it was made and its performances are almost theatrical.
‘Khraniteli’ has in minutes duration, moments that can be linked to a comedy. The way the story is told also creates confusion for viewers.
Still, the Russian version of «The Lord of the Rings» has been a hit on the Internet. Its more than a million reproductions prove it.
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In the comments section, Internet users have also highlighted important moments of this adaptation. For example, the inclusion of ‘Tom Bombaldil’, a character who plays an important role in Tolkien’s novels, but was discarded in Peter Jackson’s films.
WHY WAS IT HIDDEN FOR 30 YEARS?
Apparently, the tape was broadcasted on television and its impact was so low that it was shelved at the time. Since then, the Russian version of «The Lord of the Rings» has been forgotten in a Leningrad TV drawer.
By then it was almost impossible to get a Tolkien book. The Soviet Union had just disintegrated, so access to this type of content was very limited.
The Guardian claims that the first «Lord of the Rings» novel, released in 1954, took three decades to reach Soviet lands. Possibly, ignorance of the story made this film version unsuccessful.
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