In a rather inconspicuous corner of the cinema, a man with a long face and wearing a hat sat quietly in his seat. The people around him were all engrossed in the film, and since he was just a director, no one recognized him as the famous Michael Bay.
He had quietly arrived at the Hollywood Chinese Theater to watch this movie, wondering why, as a director with a commercial style as prominent as his own, he was still not as popular as Duke Rosenberg?
He too was skilled in showcasing beautiful landscapes with wide-angle shots!
He was also adept at using quick cuts to create intense action scenes!
He excelled at using chase sequences, such as Ringwraiths chasing the Hobbits, to create tension!
He knew how to use beautiful women as eye candy to attract attention—he did it just as much as anyone else!
He was also on the cutting edge of special effects, enhancing the aesthetic and realism of the shots—he was a technically savvy director too!
Both of them were typical commercial filmmakers, their styles so similar. But why did the audience reactions to their films differ so drastically?
Duke Rosenberg's action and science fiction films were all nominated among the top ten classics of the 1990s. Even The Matrix stood at the top of science fiction classics in rankings conducted by authoritative media outlets such as The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times.
As the film reached the visually stunning, dreamlike Rivendell, Michael Bay began to understand something.
Yes, both directors were equally skilled in what they did, and their abilities were comparable. But when it came to combining those elements, the difference immediately became clear!
In other words, while both were making commercial films, Duke Rosenberg's control over the overall storyline, the pacing of the film, and the adjustments to the narrative structure were far superior to his own!
This was something Michael Bay had to admit. After all, The Fellowship of the Ring was right in front of him.
He had never read the original novel, nor did he know the specifics of the story. He only knew that the Lord of the Rings series was an immense work, and adapting it was extremely difficult. As the film progressed, it was clear that Duke Rosenberg had made significant cuts and alterations to many parts of the story. But even without knowing the original, Michael Bay could easily grasp what the film was about.
Clearly, the director had not catered to the book fans.
As for whether the book fans were satisfied, Michael Bay knew there must be some in the theater. But none of them seemed to protest. Instead, everyone was fully immersed in the film.
This was the power of a true director. Was this the difference between him and Duke Rosenberg?
A successful director can be proud, but never arrogant. Michael Bay slowly came to a realization.
Rivendell lay hidden amidst dangerous valleys, forests, swamps, and streams. It was subtle yet captivating, with a moss-covered white gravel path leading into the valley. Once inside, the air smelled of fresh wood. Warm lights shone from within the valley...
Reflecting on the descriptions of Rivendell in the original novel, and then seeing the unbelievable scenery on screen, Brad Miller couldn't help but smile bitterly. Yes, the film had made significant changes to the original, but he had to admit that those changes had not altered the essence of the story. If anything, the film had made the narrative more compact. Especially in how it portrayed Tolkien's various locations...
The Shire, Hobbiton, Weathertop, Rivendell, and more—all were far beyond what the original depicted. The director had crafted a scene with visuals beyond imagination—no, The Fellowship of the Ring had already assembled, preparing to depart. It had already become an epic on a grand scale!
All the beautiful sceneries of the world seemed to pale in comparison to the Middle-earth of the film!
"I've decided!"
At that moment, Brad Miller heard a sound from next to him as Schiller muttered absentmindedly, "From now on, I'm not just going to be a Matrix fan, I'm going to be a Lord of the Rings fan!"
The Fellowship of the Ring was marching on screen, clearly filmed with an aerial shot, once again drawing awe from the surrounding crowd.
"How could such a beautiful place exist in Earth?!"
"Where was this filmed? The scenery is amazing! I need to see it in person!"
"It's in New Zealand! I have to go there!"
Schiller seemed almost obsessed, "Oh my god, with such a beautiful place, how can I live in Los Angeles anymore?"
"I'm moving to Middle-earth!" he said loudly, causing nearby people to glare at him, and he quickly covered his mouth.
The theme of the film was very simple—destroy the One Ring, and all kinds of incidents followed. The narrative structure of the first film wasn't too complicated, focusing mainly on the Fellowship. Locations like Isengard, Minas Morgul, and Mordor only had a few brief appearances.
For a blockbuster to earn decent box office numbers isn't too hard, but to become a recognized classic while earning those numbers—that's much harder to achieve.
And for special effects films, this is especially true.
However, Duke didn't cut back on the special effects. If anything, he increased their presence. The Lord of the Rings trilogy was unlike any other special effects movie, and to bring Tolkien's world to life, how could they have done it without special effects?
The Moria mines were undoubtedly one of the most heavily effected scenes in the film. When the grand King's Hall appeared, the audience couldn't help but drop their jaws. Such monumental architecture could only exist on film...
"You look a little terrifying..." Ivanka said, which obviously referred to the character played by Duke, who appeared onscreen.
This had been one of the hot topics during the film's promotion, sparking a lot of buzz. The explosive-action director playing a cave troll—just imagining it was amusing.
However, another character completely stole Duke's thunder.
Legolas, with his first bow shot, only drew a few mild reactions from female viewers. But as the film progressed, with each shot he made, and every motion he performed, the cheers grew louder and louder!
The right kind of female eye candy could certainly enhance the appeal of a film, but male eye candy did the same!
Regardless of the film's success, it was easy to conclude from the audience's reactions—the role of Legolas and Orlando Bloom had elevated male eye candy to the next level!
Not until the scene on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm, with Gandalf facing the Balrog, did the attention of the audience finally shift away from Legolas.
"Archers are definitely going to be a popular character in future films!" someone muttered.
To become a classic, a film has to have a few iconic moments, scenes that people will remember and discuss, scenes that can be watched over and over again without tiring of them.
The Fellowship of the Ring had many such moments, but the one involving Gandalf facing the Balrog stood out.
In the original, he is the servant of the secret fire, the wielder of the Flame of Arnor, and as he faces the Balrog, he uses the power of the ring of fire: "The flame of darkness cannot defeat me..."
After a long chant, a white magical circle appeared around him, blocking the fiery sword of the Balrog.
"You... shall not pass!"
Gandalf broke the Bridge of Khazad-dûm, sending the Balrog plummeting into the abyss.
Brad Miller closed his eyes briefly. As a devoted fan of the book, he knew that Gandalf would die, but he immediately reopened his eyes as he remembered that Eru Ilúvatar would send him back to Middle-earth to complete his mission.
"Run, you fool!"
The Balrog used its whip to entangle Gandalf, and both fell into the depths of the world.
The Fellowship lost their spiritual leader!
The mournful chanting began, and the characters in the film were filled with sorrow. The heartbreak and grief were so powerful, it felt like it could be transmitted from the screen, affecting everyone.
Duke watched as Ivanka subtly wiped her eyes.
Pete noticed that Brad Miller had a crystalline tear rolling down his face. He felt his own face was damp and warm.
Schiller sniffed loudly, and it was clear—Gandalf's heroic demise could only be described as magnificent!
Michael Bay saw, and the audience around him wiped away their tears, deep in thought.
This was a classic emotional moment. First, through Gandalf's heroic struggle with the Balrog, he was portrayed as the hero who saved the team. Then, with a tragic ending, he perished with his foe—simple yet incredibly moving!
As a commercial director, emotional manipulation was an essential skill, and Michael Bay was great at stirring emotion through action. But compared to this scene, he suddenly felt his own emotional manipulation was still in its infancy, and his efforts seemed like mere melodrama in comparison to Duke Rosenberg's expertly woven emotion.
And Duke Rosenberg? He had perfected emotional manipulation, seamlessly blending it into the entire film's framework!
At this point, Michael Bay, with his professional insight, could tell that the film had emotional cues at every turn. Grand battles pulled the audience in, breathtaking scenery kept their interest, the Ringwraiths' chase created tension, and the beautiful elves stimulated their hormones...
These were all simple emotional techniques, ones directors commonly used. For instance, Michael Bay loved using wide-angle sunset shots to evoke emotion.
However, to weave so many emotional techniques together and make them work as one cohesive whole, to the point where even professionals like him, who knew it was emotional manipulation, couldn't resist being moved—that was truly impressive!
"I still have a long way to go!" Michael Bay sighed softly.
Based on the timeline, The Fellowship of the Ring had passed at least two-thirds of its runtime. The pacing, cinematography, narrative, action, special effects, and even the breathtaking scenery were all exceptional. As long as the film didn't crash and burn at the end, it was bound to be a masterpiece.
Although Michael Bay didn't like Duke, he was well aware that Duke's films were always at their most brilliant at the end. A disastrous ending? That was unthinkable.
As he watched the sorrowful Fellowship enter Lothlórien, Michael Bay couldn't deny it: the gap between Pearl Harbor and this film was incredibly vast.