Response to Sophie L.
Paul M.

I was rather amused to read that Sophie L. will definitely NOT see the movies. If that's true, Sophie, then what are you doing spending time on the LOTR Movie site? Are you going to tell us that you haven't looked at any of the dozens of pictures from the film? Are you going to tell us that you haven't visited New Line's official site or seen the trailers? Do you really expect us to believe that after spending all this time following the production of these movies that you won't just be DYING to be there on opening night? Please. You'll be there. And I'm willing to bet you'll be there at least ten more times along with every other Tolkien-head on this planet.

Try not to worry. I LOVE these books. And guess what? I can say that even AFTER I saw that Bakshi travesty. As bad as that was, it did nothing to "sully" my regard for Tolkien. If anything, it made me appreciate his towering achievement all the more. Go see the films. Enjoy them and critique them as a lover of films, not books. Compare them to other FILMS of the genre, not to the books themselves, and then, after everyone agrees that these are truly special movie-going experiences, return to the books. I think you'll find that not a word has been changed, and the emotions still run true.
 
Hope to see you in line on opening night,  Sophie.