Deprived of characters

Rating: Null/10 (30 December 2002)

When I first saw The fellowship of the ring, i was astounded and amazed at the deletion of Tom Bombadil and Goldberry. I know this would have made the film even longer, but a mention of 'I wish Tom was here to save us now' between hobbits would have satisfied my mind. Another complaint i would like to issue is the missing out of the gift giving at Lothlorien. Upon seeing the extended DVD version of the film, some of my complaints were no longer active. I am sure that if the audience care enough to sit through 3 and 1/4 hours worth, they could manage an extra half hour.
The flight to the ford was the most atrocious scene. Frodo leaked green fluid and lolled around wheezing. Arwen replaced Glorfindel, and the parts in which Elrond spoke in elvish, telling Frodo to come into the light were intolerably tacky, as was the bit in which Frodo meets his fellow hobbits. The light and echoes of laughter only ruined the scene.
I was impressed with the Nazgul, and the majority of the casting. However, Ian McKellen's performance of Gandalf was disappointing. Not that he's a bad actor, but he showed Gandalf as a fuddering old pathetic man, which of course, he is not. The true spirit of Gandalf shone through only in the Shire, and in Moria. I think that Viggo Mortensen was a bit young to play Aragorn, but i do know that they fired a younger actor in order to fulfill this quality.
Apart from the incredible codswallop of Frodo's awakening, i was impressed with the costumes, landscape and acting. Tolkien would have enjoyed the film, some scenes at least.