Though written a half-century ago, The Lord of the Rings remains relevant for successive generations while history churns on.
Many readers, particularly during times of darkness in the world, believe that author Tolkien was commenting on wars and militaristic behavior in his mammoth book.
"I can't be the only one of my generation that was born in 1939 to think that here was some sort of parable of the real world politically and militarily that Tolkien was living in," says Sir Ian McKellen, who plays the good wizard Gandalf in the trilogy.
"Tolkien had himself served in the First World War and wrote The Lord of the Rings during the Second World War while his son was fighting in northern France," he continues. "I don't think there are any Saurons around today but in 1939, there was one. Sitting in the middle of Europe. A spider who wanted to control it, and the world joined together in a mighty coalition to defeat him."
Christopher Lee, who plays Saruman, adds that men of genius, intellect and power who take the dark path - like Saruman -- will always require their opposite to take them on.
"Tolkien places Gandalf in opposition to Saruman - two sides of the same coin," says Lee. "Here you have the universal conflict between good and evil, and the powers behind those two elements. That will have a relevance for every audience, everywhere, because we all know, or have heard of, such people and conflicts in our world."
Against the vast, sprawling canvas of war is an intensely human story, as McKellen reflects:
"It was about inner courage and about close friendships and about the possibility of wisdom somewhere in the world, by defeating the forces of stupidity and evil.
"I think the story goes on being relevant not necessarily because of its subject matter but simply because of the brilliance by which it is told, and [director] Peter Jackson's film is also the work of a brilliant storyteller. That's why these films are as popular as the books have been and continue to be."
* The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (12A) is at cinemas from Wednesday 17 December 2003
