[HairOfTheDog]

I am glad you brought up the maps.

I thought it was wrong for Faramir to use the map we all recognize from the book... It snapped at me as being wrong, because I always pictured those maps and the artwork on them as being Bilbo's. I thought Faramir should have had a map drawn by a different artist, more "man-like" and not familiar to us. I thought "Now why is Faramir using Bilbo's map?"

Thoughts? Anyone else attribute those maps to Bilbo?

[2Jedismom]

Yikes...you got the "bad" number!

[Lil'freeper]

You know, now that I think about it, you are 100% correct about the maps. In the extDVD, it even suggests the maps are of Bilbo's hand. Perhaps it is just the fashion of the age to draw maps like that, and perhaps Bilbo used a 'standard' map with his own annotations detailing his journeys. It would also seem reasonable that the HMoG (hunky men of Gondor) would have their own Gondorized map... of a more useful scale. Why would Isenguard be on a map carried around by HMoG Rangers on the eastern borders? Excellent, excellent point, Hair.

[rightwingreligiousfanatic]

Maybe they all get their maps at Tolkien Town!

C'mon down to Tolkien Town!

[carton253]

Oh my word... do you notice details. I didn't even notice it.

Here's my favorite joke...

Farimir to Sam (about Frodo): Are you his bodyguard?

Sam: I'm his gardener.

Hysterical.

And my favorite scene was when Smeagol was turning back into Gollum after the betrayal at the Forbidden Pool and Gollum was stroking and comforting Smeagol. Effective and heartbreaking.

[My back yard]

Here's a suggestion for the Bilbo's map. In the time that passed between Bilbo finishing his book and the scene where Faramir lays out the map the book has spread in popularity across all of Middle Earth, and his documenting of the area in map form has become the standard for all who are traveling.