Very quietly wondering...LOTR apathy?

[susanmcgee48176]

The movie was breathtaking. 
It was far, far, better than the PS/SS movie.
Before you shoot me, remember that I love HP, have read all the books
a dozen times and listened to both versions of the audiotapes half a 
dozen times.

If you haven't been able to read LOTR, I would love to give you the 
gift of reading it. I wasn't able to "get into" it for a while..I was 
25 before I read it..and didn't really get into it until the third or 
fourth reading. (I couldn't get past Bilbo Baggin's birthday party 
for the longest time). It is an extraordinary set of books. I know 
that some say that Tolkien, a philologist, did it to showcase his 
languages (no one took him seriously at the university because he 
drank beer, and sang drinking songs in Old Norse), but my reading of 
what Tolkien said was that he was creating history, and was creating 
a mythology. The books are absolutely for grownups.

Also, I'd like to recommend the BBC audiotape --- they did a 
wonderful job, and it's a painless way of absorbing the plot.

The movie was astonishing. The sets in New Zealand were incredible -- 
achingly beautiful in some spots. The Shire was as I had always 
imagined it.

Ian McKellan deserves an Oscar..his range of emotions, from 
affection, and love, kindliness to his stand against the Balrog where 
his power emerged....amazing...the special effects were 
wonderful...although I had to laugh..they too had a troll (looked 
similar to the HP troll), and the people who jumped on its back 
looked just as bad as HP did...!

However, they invented a type of chain mail that is more authentic 
that actors can wear.

The movie is frightening. I was scared. The Black Riders are truly 
terrifying...the orc of Saruman is, too....there are some scenes of 
tortures and lots and lots of battles...

Parents, I'd check it out before you took your kids....

The NY Times review of the movie and the Salon review are particulary 
helpful.

Susan