The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) - 'The Lighting of the Beacons' scene

Many of the memorable scenes in LOTR were first described by Tolkien. But this sequence is largely an invention of the filmmakers, and it makes a minor moment into a major highlight of the film. Composer Howard Shore gives the scene spine-tingling impact with an all-out rendition of the Gondor theme. It's scenes like this that make going to the cinema worthwhile.

Starring Ian McKellan, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, Bernard Hill, Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Sean Bean, Cate Blanchett, Billy Boyd, Marton Csokas, Ian Holm, Dominic Monaghan, John Noble, Miranda Otto, Andy Serkis, Liv Tyler, Karl Urban, Hugo Weaving, David Wenham, Brad Dourif, Christopher Lee and John Rhys-Davies. Directed by Peter Jackson, written by JRR Tolkien, and adapted by Jackson together with Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens. Featuring one of the best film scores of all time, composed by Howard Shore.