13 time Reader of LOTR finds an unexpected treasure

Rating: 10/10 (29 December 2001)

I first read the Lord of the Rings in 1975, and I have revisited it 12 times in the years since then. Obviously, I am fan of Tolkien's monumental work of, dare I call it, fiction. Tolkien's works seem too true to not be real (the mark of a great fantasy). So you can imagine my fear at what might happen to this treasure in the hands of Hollywood. Fortunately, New Line and not Hollywood got the rights to do this movie. Burger King light up goblets aside (RANT: This is Tolkien for goodness sake, not Harry Potter - and the Search For Marketing Mammon), I found nothing major to take issue with in this production, and I'm not going to blame Peter Jackson for some corny cups one might find in ye olde dumpster behind a Renaissance Festival.
The bones I do have to pick with Jackson's adaptation are small ones; Where's Tom Bombadil and the Old Forest, or the Barrow Downs? What's up with Glorfindel being ousted for an uberArwen. I do understand from the perspective of film making, why this huge work must be cut and reconstructed somewhat, but I enjoyed this movie too much to dwell on these types of omissions and changes. Let me say that the film left me wholly satisfied. It was true to the spirit of the book and the visual style was so right, I almost never found myself saying, `oh, that didn't look like right, or that can't be how Tolkien meant this to be'. I'm guessing they actually went to Middle-Earth to shoot this and just told everyone they where on location in New Zealand. The casting was inspired, Cate Blanchett was Galdriel, and Woods and McKellen nailed their parts. Sean Astin as Sam came right out of my minds eye, and Legolas the elflord, well, my wife said he was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. And Sean Bean this man is an under rated actor, in everything I see him in he is good. The sad inevitability of the Elves, the stubborn determination of the Dwarves, the soulless evil of the orcs, the tragic conflict of the Men, and the surprising courage and humanity of the Hobbits all come from Tolkien's mind out of his books and through this movie, to the enraptured viewer. This film is a true wonder. Can anyone who has seen The Fellowship of the Rings not be counting down the days til the release of The Two Towers (Which will set all box office record next December)? The Fellowship of the Ring will win the Oscar for best picture. I just took a peek at Amazon.com and 3 different sets of Tolkien's are in the top 10. Harry Potter was an appetizer; The Fellowship of the Ring is the meal.