New article on the movie

There was a full page article on the LOTR movie in todays paper. Anyone else see it?

The journalist saw actual footage of the movie. Here are some quotes that had me shuddering.

Through the magic of director Peter Jackson and special effects, Gandalf bumps his wizard's hat against the caveside home where Bilbo - a tiny creature - lives.

This makes it sound more like Gollum's haunt under the Misty Mountains.

Here's another: (Mines of Moria)
After a magnificent battle sequence complete with swordplay, bowmanship and lots of running away, the companions must cross a colapsing bridge just ahead of the Balrog. The leaps across the widening chasm are heartstopping.

The writer of this article called Aragorn a mysterious half-elf. Writers ignorance or true to the script?

Writer's ignorance. There's much more assuring interviews with the actual people involved in the movie (including Peter Jackson) at the official Lord of the Rings Movies website. I would guess the mistakes in the article are due to a writer who didn't read the books (nothing wrong with that), but saw some clips from the movie, obviously from scenes of the movie spaced considerably from eachother (which the writer understood). She/he probably asked a few questions and tried to get her/his notes straight.

The important thing, I think, is that they seemed to enjoy it and had good things to say about it.

The downside of course being other uninformed people getting the wrong information.

As for Gandalf hitting his hat on the roof, that's obviously what happened in the clip of the movie. That's too bad, Bag End was a kind of mansion and Gandalf (in the books) did not have any problem getting around in it, or inside it. I've been very curious about some clips of Hobbit-holes, the doors look so small.

Regarding the Mines of Moria passage in her article, things probably just happened fast and the writer didn't catch exactly what happened. Maybe the scenes show the Fellowship hurrying across just before it cuts to the Balrog's leap and then to Gandalf breaking the Bridge.

Could be. I'm giving the benefit of the doubt until I see the movies.

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"As for Gandalf hitting his hat on the roof, that's obviously what happened in the clip of the movie. That's too bad, Bag End was a kind of mansion and Gandalf (in the books) did not have any problem getting around in it, or inside it. I've been very curious about some clips of Hobbit-holes, the doors look so small."
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Yes, it was a mansion by Hobbit standards, but Hobbits are very small, and it only stands to reason that their doorways would be smaller and perhaps their rooves a bit lower? That is certainly always the IMPRESSION I got from reading Tolkien's description though he never to my recollection actually gave specific measurements of door heights etc.

Gandolf hitting his rather tall Wizard hat on the door of the Hobbit hole seems to fit to me.

I would think he would have indeed in the books, if the roof had been that low, or it might have been mentioned that he was constantly hunched over. But each to his own.

well, I think that while inside might be quite big, the door wouldnd't be... Bilbo thought that the secret entrance to the lonely mountain was huge, and that was 5 ft high...

*Idril can't believe she's discussing the height of a hobbits door*