LOTR/Hobbit (a little late)

[werebearloony]

I can't resist a good LOTR thread even if I have to jump in a little 
late. 
 
1) The Hobbit- I like the Hobbit (it's the inspiration for my name, 
Beorn is a werebear too).  This is probably due to the fact that I 
have a fantastic Lit. teacher who had us read and analyze The Hobbit 
in ninth grade.  This was the first time I'd read it (Just after the 
movie came out).  This teacher is really great at what he does and 
so I may have a greater appreciation for the Hobbit than others 
because I got to have it explained to me.(although this teacher's 
very anti-HP and I have quite a few rants in the margins of my notes 
about dumb, stupid people who can't realize how great HP is and who 
shouldn't make my fellow students give me a harder time than they 
already do...) 

2)LOTR-amazing, I just started reread number six and expect it to be 
so great.  I am sad though that I never read the books before I saw 
the movies (I had a bad experience with the animated Hobbit).  I'm 
slowly moving away from PJ's vision and having a few of my own 
opinonis now.  It was the coolest feeling whan I thought, "well, 
they sure messed up *that* in the movie", because I was worried I'd 
be tainted by the movie-cannon forever.

3) my recommended reading order(otherwise known as the  order read 
them in first)- LOTR first, then the Hobbit, then the Sil.  Too many 
of my family turned away from JRRT becaus they read the Hobbit 
first.  It's a good read, but LOTR is better (for most people).  The 
hobbit is seconed because it is a nice break if you're reading all 
three at once, and it's nice to see what Frodo is saving when he 
goes on his quest.  The Sil is third because it takes the longest, 
gets boring, and is not reccomended for those who are reading LOTR 
because it's popular or are being forced, only read the Sil if you 
love LOTR. (more on the Sil below)

4) Movies- I love the movies, esp Orliegolas.  They're beautiful, 
and powerfuul and they do a good job, mostly, of adapting the books 
(except for their perversions of Farimir, I *spit* on their 
Faramir)  Then there's the Legolas fangirl thing (be warned it's 
true what they say about Legolas fangirls being the most dangerous 
type of fangirl).

5) The Sil.- I once read that it takes 100 read throughs to 
understand the Sil., and I believe it.  The more times you read it 
the more sense it makes.  As you learn who's who and why the Minis 
Tirith isn't the same Minas Tirith you get the stories underneath 
the confusing style, and they're all great, and even fun after a 
fashion.

6) Special Edition DVD's - I own both, even though my most recent 
play has prevented me from watching all of TTT, and they are so 
great.  Full of facts and fun (esp. the fourth disk of FOTR, the 
cast documentary is beyond funny,  but that's another post 
completely)

well that's about it, way longer than I thought it'd be

~~loony