WARIS WAS HERE

Trailer Review- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7YllAOqpF4

I decided to review the trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (my favorite movie, by the way) in terms of how it uses narrative, cinematography, editing, and sound (effects and score).

Narrative

Based on the characters, locations, and all of the fighting, this film falls under several genres: action, adventure, epic, and fantasy. The trailer also embodies the universal concept of good versus evil by showing the enemies and then contrasting them with the good side.

The basic idea of the film can be understood by those who have not seen the previous two films. Much of the trailer is narrated by various characters in the film by picking out lines used in the film, and they are often used as transitions in the progression of the trailer's plot, such as when Gandalf narrates, "We've come to it at last" and we then see the vast army of the enemy awaiting battle. The trailer identifies the issue (the enemy) and then the trailer brings the audience to the most pressing situation: Frodo and the Ring. They suggest the isolation between characters through dialogue between Aragorn and Gandalf in which they question whether or not Frodo is even alive.

Through a bit of meaningful dialogue, it is is established that the enemy has arrived. The pace of events shown picks up to highlight the most significant part of the film, which is the big battle to end the struggle.

The trailer also serves to give glimpses of each significant character and how they work into the film without giving too much information.

Cinematography

Many of the shots in the trailer are aerial and/or eagle eye views, which supports the genre of adventure and epic by showing off the location and vastness that implies the magnitude of this final film.

The shots of characters are generally medium close-ups or close-ups for the more emotional parts, thus signifying their importance in the film to the audience. This is meant to get at the audience's emotions so that they are more likely to want to see the film.

The lighting in the shots are often dark, providing an overall tone of evil or hopelessness, while other shots are more warm-colored to give a sense of hope or even urgency (see screen shot).

Editing

The pace of the film starts off fairly slowly. When dialogue brings the film back to the pressing issue of Frodo and the Ring toward the end of the trailer, the pace of evens reaches its maximum with glimpses becoming shorter and shorter to provoke maximum interest. The shots fade in and out to black to increase tension and so that the audience waits to see more.

It is also cut so that it is chronological according to the plot, although some shots are out of order toward the end (when the pace is quickened) and are there to merely highlight action.

Sound (Score and Effects)

The score in the film is appropriate to the genre--an epic orchestral compilation that emphasizes how "Wow!" the film will be.

Sometimes drum beats fall as shots are shown. There are growly noises when we catch glimpses of the prime enemy and when we are shown fast, intense shots.