Saruman than in their equivalent books, and he appears in several scenes that are not depicted in Tolkien's work. In the films, Saruman is depicted presenting himself outright as a servant of Sauron. Smith and Matthews suggest that Saruman's role is built up as a substitute for Sauron—the story's main antagonist—who never appears directly in the book. Jackson confirms this view in the commentary to the DVD. They also suggest that having secured veteran British horror actor Christopher Lee to play Saruman, it made sense to make greater use of his star status. Despite this increased role in the first two
The Lord of the Rings (film series) film series of all time. The films were critically acclaimed and heavily awarded, winning 17 out of 30 total Academy Award nominations. The final film in the series, "The Return of the King", won all 11 of its Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, which also tied it with "Ben-Hur" and "Titanic" for most Academy Awards received for a film. The series received wide praise for its innovative special and visual effects. Director Peter Jackson first came into contact with "The Lord of the Rings" when he saw Ralph Bakshi's 1978 animated film "The Lord of the Rings". Jackson "enjoyed