10 Must-See Fan Documentaries About The People Who Matter Most

7. Ringers - Lord Of The Fans

Of all the franchises on this list, The Lord of the Rings finds its roots the furthest back in history. J. R. R. Tolkien died long before it reached the level of popular appeal familiar today, and we can only guess what he would have made of Peter Jackson's movie trilogy and the global phenomenon they spawned (the less said about The Hobbit the better). Ringers: Lord of the Fans is a surprisingly comprehensive documentary which covers everything Tolkien-related from the days when his fantasy worlds influenced aspects of the counter-culture movement in the 1970s - most notably progressive rock - and interviewing the legendary Lemmy of Motorhead, up to the 2005 when the documentary was produced, by which point the impact of Jackson's film adaptations was being felt around the world. It's a portrait both of the stars and their fans, who like the best devotees love to spend their time dressing up as their favourite characters. Perhaps the stand-out moment though - certainly one for real fans - is Leonard Nimoy performing the cringe-inducing song, The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins, the original video for which really has to be seen to be believed. You have been warned... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGF5ROpjRAU