When we speak of adaptations of J. R. R. Tolkien, what usually comes to mind is the Hollywood scale of Peter Jackson’s films, billion-dollar budgets, and dozens of Oscars. Few people know, however, that a decade before the global blockbuster was released, Leningrad produced its own version of the hobbits’ adventures.
For a long time, the television play The Keepers was considered an urban legend — until archival recordings suddenly surfaced online in 2021, becoming a true sensation.
A Lost Artifact
In April 1991, at the twilight of the Soviet era, Leningrad Television released a production based on the first part of the trilogy. After a single broadcast, videotapes of the recording vanished into the archives for thirty years. Many were convinced that the Soviet Lord of the Rings was nothing more than a myth invented by Tolkien fans.
Everything changed in 2021, when Channel Five published a digitized version. The world was presented with something extraordinary: The Lord of the Rings created in spite of the absence of budget, computer graphics, and time.
Magic Made from What Was at Hand
The production budget was virtually nonexistent, forcing the crew to display remarkable ingenuity. Costumes and makeup were assembled from the channel’s storage rooms — backdrops, plastic props, and wigs. Villains paraded around in horned helmets, while magic was simulated with sounds reminiscent of early video game music. To create a fantasy-like haze and blur, director Natalia Serebryakova placed ordinary lit candles directly in front of the camera lens.
The casting of Legolas was an unexpected choice: the elf was played by Olga Serebryakova, the director’s daughter. The music was composed by Andrey Romanov of the cult band Aquarium, who also served as the narrator.
A Production “Blitzkrieg”
Compare the scale: Peter Jackson spent years on his films, while the Soviet team created Middle-earth under extreme conditions — nine hours of shooting stretched over the course of a single week. Actors worked literally between their main theater performances, often recording scenes in a single take to finish before the studio was needed for another television program.
The Legacy of The Keepers
Reactions from modern viewers have been divided. Some cannot help but laugh at the homemade sets and “drawn” fireworks; others admire the sincerity and enthusiasm of people who, in an era of scarcity, tried to bring a great fairy tale to life.
For Natalia Serebryakova herself, the rediscovery of the production after thirty years was a deeply touching moment. Today, this television play is seen not as a competitor to Hollywood, but as a unique monument to its time — a testament to the idea that true creativity sometimes requires nothing more than a candle in front of a camera and a deep love for a book.
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