Newish user - me!

[Gerbil]

Just thought I'd re-introduce myself.
I didn't hang around these forums that much in the past, mostly I just used to reply cynically where I felt people had been stupid

Anyway, have just got back from seeing FotrR for the 6th time and I thought I might as well catch up with what other fans are doing, since I guess technically I'm a fan as well

I'm sure you've all done it, so I'm going to as well - namely a few comments on the film.

1) Wow
2) See 1
3) FotR is MUCH closer to the book than I expected. I recall all the suspicions being thrown around before it was released. Things like 'Arwen Warrior Princess' (ooh she has like 5 minutes screen time .
4) Many of the changes are bearable. Tom being out is fine. Given how camp Gimli comes across they'd have made Tom the Graham Norton of Middle Earth The fight with Saruman is OK, nothing special, but if omitted you'd have had non-fans scratching their heads just a bit. Uruk-hai coming from pods. Like the Saruman fight, this was just not covered in the book. This version is as reasonable as any other. Moth - Gandalf = Gandalf + Radagast. Is cool
5) Character motivation and emphasis changes. Not so happy about this. Gimli to me comes across as a bit camp, and his role is downplayed. Legolas comes out much better - mainly due to fight scenes. Aragorn comes across as much more selfish and cowardly. NOT happy about that AT ALL. He 'chose exile', he's 'afraid of Isildur's blood in him'. Bah. Humbug.
6) The Balrog. 'Nuff said.
7) A complete aversion to actual names. Lorien is referenced by name twice. Lothlorien never heard. Galadriel's name is said once. Minas Tirith is NEVER said. Orthanc never (always Isengard). Rivendell a couple of times. Weird eh?

Anyway, enough rambling. All I can say is it's so much better than I could have hoped for, and the magic doesn't die having seen it more times. On the contrary I now start grinning like an idiot from the moment they enter Moria. Same with as they approach the Argonath. Just wished they'd shown a bit more of Gondor.
And I hope the start battle in the intro is how the battles in 2 and 3 will be because they are simply breathtaking. The view across the army of elves up Mt Doom is jaw-droppingly incredible.

DEFINATELY enough rambling. Hello everyone

Gerbil