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Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Purists?

© Michael Martinez

I've now seen The Fellowship of the Ring and it seems to me that people just have to see the movie for themselves in order to make up their minds. Unforgiving Tolkien purists will probably be offended. I think they have pretty much painted themselves into that corner. There is no saving grace in the movie for the hardcore fans who have dreaded the release of this picture, and who wish it had never been produced. There are Tolkien purists, however, who (like me) will do their best to separate their feelings for Tolkien's work from their reactions to Peter Jackson's work. I have to admit that it's not easy to watch this movie without thinking, "Well, that was different from the book." But each time I found myself reacting that way, I reminded myself that I had come to watch the movie, and not to condemn or criticize it. Picking every little nit at this point isn't going to do anyone any good. The deed is done and we either live with it or not, but either way we have to get on with our lives. Besides, The Two Towers is coming in a year, and angst-driven personalities need a little breathing space before they start gearing up to bemoan the onset of that movie. As movies go I cannot say that this was the best movie of the year for me. It certainly wasn't the worst movie. I think that, if I were to compile a list of flaws in the film, and set them in a scale, the balance would be tilted in favor of the action-packed finale -- that is, I think the good by far outweighs the bad in the scale of Purist Justice. Peter Jackson likes to tell a very visible story, and in so doing he tends to exaggerate certain elements. He brings an intensity to the screen which is absent in other directors' palettes. Of course, every director paints a different picture. One cannot help but interpret the interpretation according to one's own desires and expectations. Still, what made the movie most memorable for me was the fact that I shared the evening with over 1,000 other people in two auditoriums (and I actually got to interact with people in both rooms). The audience I watched the film with was very quiet throughout most of the story. I think people were afraid to talk because they didn't want to miss anything.

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