[tjg]

My wife is wants me to go with her and the kids to see it on the 18th but I want to wait for the DVD. I've got a very nice home theater set up, and am about to improve it with a 50" plasma.

Also, I have an aversion to crowds in general and crowded theaters in particular. Tough phobia for a dedicated movie lover.

After I saw the first one, I reread all four books. I probably read them twenty five years ago and I think I enjoyed them more this time around.

Here's a question posed by my 7 year old. (After watching the movie several times.) In the beginning, where they show the mother of all battles, Sauran shows up and starts kicking major butt.

"Why", asks my little cherub, "isn't he invisible? He's wearing the ring."

[Pookie Me]

"Why", asks my little cherub, "isn't he invisible? He's wearing the ring."

Which is why Tom Bombodil is IMPORTANT! 'cause when HE wore the ring, he didn't turn invisible either. In fact, Tom Bombodil mad THE RING ITSELF disappear!

To sneakers - The swords from the Barrow ARE important, especially when you gets to the Return of the King with Merry and his fight.

Oh well, I guess I should be happy that LORD OF THE RINGS is one of the few movies I've watched that wasn't ruined because I read the book.

Pookie & Me

[artios]

Galadriel, Mithrandir/Gandalf and others don't disappear - the ones that don't disappear all of something in common as well....

ha!

one clue - if the Firey Balrok (who came from the depths where the drwarves had dug too deep) had found the ring - he also would not disappear and neither would Sauroman.

ok - one more - where did Gandalf come from - how come no lineage is ever referenced? If you know all his names the answer may be in the Silmarillion...

[Mamzelle]

You got one of the plasma tvs? Wow! I got a monster 55 inch rear projection Mitsubishi. DH complains about the most expensive movie date of his life.

Your child's question was on the money. The Dark Lord and his ring had a complex relationship--I think the meeker creatures of MiddleEarth used the ring "according to their natures" and disappearing was a simple enough trick for them to use and understand.