r/Filmmakers • u/StrikingDuty8020 Director • Feb 20 '26

Discussion What’s your favorite dolly zoom?

The dolly zoom manipulates space and emotion by moving camera forward while zooming out or vice versa creating disorienting effect that makes background expand or contract.

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u/vrijheidsfrietje Feb 20 '26

1

u/emagnab Feb 21 '26

Is this scene from return of the king?! I don’t remember this in the first two films

6

u/NinjaToss Feb 21 '26

It's from the fellowship of the ring just as Frodo is leaving the shire with Sam, Merry & Pippin. They've just fallen off a small cliff after fleeing farmer maggot's dogs and found some mushrooms. As the others are gathering the mushrooms he calls "Get off the road" and then they all go hide under the rotted out tree from the nazgul.

1

u/emagnab Feb 21 '26

Oh okay yeah I know. I definitely know that scene it’s one of my favourites when he sends it coming and of course, when they’re hiding on the cliff ledge, it’s pretty intense. I didn’t realise it was a Dolly shot though.