Middle-Earth On Film: A Visual History

A New Zealand director best known for incredibly gorey horrors took on Tolkien next, but unlike the other crazy adaptations Peter Jackson had a major studio behind him keen to help him realise his vision.

Had The Fellowship Of The Ring not been as successful, things could have gone very different for the franchise. It's popularity allowed Jackson the extra time and money needed to bring the following two films up to scratch - otherwise they may have gone straight-to-DVD.