Winner Jan '02

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Lord of the Rings - Is It Worth Seeing?

Posted by: KAPPALOOSA

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I acquired a set of "LoTR" in paperback about 20 years ago, and now they are pretty dog-eared, since I've read the set at least a dozen times. I'm glad the first of the 3-movie series just came out, because a really fine hardback reprinting became available at a nice price recently -- which I bought.

I've seen the movie twice now, and I'll probably see it again before they release it to video/DVD.

Peter Jackson and the crew did a really great job constructing the Shire, and Bag End. Beautiful! I'm nearly hobbit size myself, and I'd really like to have one of those little tunneling warrens to live in. They look very comfortable!

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The scenery in the first part of "Fellowship (Part I)" was stunning -- the 4 hobbits' trek across country, then the places Strider took them to get to Rivendell, and Rivendell itself (obviously 90% constructed via computer or otherwise, but still beautiful).

The trek through Moria was quite a contrast -- gloomy and dark -- but a stunning Hieronymus-Bosch-like series of chambers, caverns and stairsteps set the mood for Gandalf's fall. The grieving survivors bursting into the open at the eastern door was an effective scene.

Someone else said John Rhys Davies as Gimli was neat and FUN, but I think he's one of the Nine who could have used a little less makeup and hair... I was a little annoyed that the script changed the Elf (Arwen instead of Glorfindel) that met the hobbits and Aragorn before the Ford where the Nazgul were temporarily vanquished -- but as someone else commented, I can understand the reasoning... But I don't think Cate Blanchett was sufficiently ethereal to be Galadriel (sorry, I think they should have considered someone like Calista Flockhart, whom you can practically see through<g>)...

About the size of Boramir and Faramir? I got the impression from the book that Faramir was the more slightly built, perhaps slightly less imposing brother, and that Boramir was big and broadly built (??). And yes, John C. F., they DID do digital weirdness to ensure the hobbits were hobbit size and the Men and Elves were much bigger -- but it worked, and it was necessary.

The Orcs were awesome in their ugliness, much worse than anything I imagined in reading the books, which is a good thing, I suppose <g>...

All in all, I was pleased with all the attention to detail in "LOTR: The Fellowship", and I'm looking forward to the 2nd movie's release and the eventual availability of all 3 on DVD.

-KAPPALOOSA

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