The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Chris and Alex conclude their journey through Middle-Earth with this episode on the third and final entry into Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy - The Return of the King (Peter Jackson, 2003) - where they reflect on the stylistic influence and cultural legacy of the franchise since its culmination over twenty years ago. Listen as they discuss the role of vertical space in fantasy cinema and its contrast with the portrayal of New Zealand’s sprawling landscapes; Andy Serkis, motion-capture, and the narrative ambivalence of Gollum’s technological body; the use of digital VFX n the creation of masses and multitudes; how the film divides its drama between narrative and spectacle plotlines; and Return of the King’s aesthetic extravagance and what it means to experience a Hollywood epic. **Fantasy/Animation theme tune composed by Francisca Araujo** **As featured on Feedspot’s 25 Best London Education Podcasts**

Om Podcasten

Christopher Holliday researches animation history and digital media at King’s College London (UK). Alexander Sergeant is a Lecturer in Film and Media Studies at University of Portsmouth (UK), specialising in the history and theory of fantasy cinema. Each episode, they look in detail at a film or television show, taking listeners on a journey through the intersection between fantasy cinema and the medium of animation.