Post-classical fantasy cinema: The Lord of the Rings
A film like The Lord of the Rings is a starting place as much as an end product of adaptation: just one reference point in a matrix of intertextual relations created by synergic cross-promotion. Video games, graphic and literary novelizations, CD soundtracks, multiple Director’s Cuts and DVD versions, prequels, sequels, and franchises not only extend the boundaries of contemporary Hollywood fantasy films but also increasingly determine their form and narrative.