True classic

Rating: Null/10 (14 January 2004)

I will start out by saying that I am not really a current movie buff. I prefer old classic movies. They are cleaner and more wholesome. I have read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings 3 or 4 times in the past 20 years and have always enjoyed them. When I heard a movie would be made in 3 parts, I was excited and also a little skeptical that it could be done masterfully and be true to the books. But my skepticism has been removed. Peter Jackson did a wonderful job! WOW! Cast, story, special effects were truly awesome! Although in some parts, Jackson deviated from the story a little more than I would have liked, I was very pleased with it over all. I can hardly wait to purchase the extended movies so I can see what they had to cut out. I understand it is impossible to put such a massive and brilliant work of literature on the screen in its entirety.
My concerns are as follows: Many people have been taking their children to see these films. I do not consider them to be children's films. The children get caught up in the excitement of the story without understanding its true meaning and depth. Also, many grown ups are simply calling this film a delightful fantasy and simply walking away without really understanding the message that Tolkein was trying to impart. Although Peter Jackson did a very good job of communicating that message in a simple way, if you would like to understand Tolkein's mind in a deeper way, I recommend that you read an essay entitled Tolkein: Archetype and Word by Patrick Grant, a specialist in Renaissance literature, teaches English at the University of Victoria, British Columbia. It was published in 1973, Cross Currents (I believe, not sure). I found it through a search engine. This essay helps illuminate the brilliance of Tolkein's work with all its symbolism, a myth on the Truth.
Again, I salute Peter Jackson for a true classic. Thank you for bringing The Lord of the Rings to the screen. Bring on the Hobbit!