Fear that so many fear wont see the hroa
 

In other words - have you ever considered the effect the movie will have on those thousands of moviegoers that have not read the book. After you have seen the movie I think it will be very hard to be able to create your own images of both caracters and landscape. For instance I think that the seminanimated movie for the late seventies (poor though it was) is one of the main reasons that I see Balrogs with wings. <P>None or very few of us have yet seen the new movie - but i judge that it will, wether we like it or not, have tremendous effect even on those of us who have pretty "rock steady" images in our heads. <P>Im only writhing because I truly feel sorry for those who haven't read the books before seeing the movie. <P>They will never have the oppotunity to let their fear see the hroa of the caracters before their eyes do

Once you write on a blank page, you've narrowed the options of your imagination and others who read it. So.. should you never write? Once any artist depicts the Lord of the Rings, that has an impact on all those who see it and follow. So should the purity of LotR be respected and no one ever paint it? <P>I know what you mean, this event is going to be so big, it's going to have an "impact crater" the size of what wiped out the dinosaurs. An irreversible and universal effect. Won't happen.<P>Ask any police officer who's tried to get witnesses to describe a crime they all saw. No one sees the same thing, even when it's so simple as a red or blue hat. Perception is a funny thing. Like Balrogs and wings. If we all read the same book, how can we imagine different things?

I can only say that I hope you are right

I must say that I agree with you but the books will always be the best. And we know that dont we? Well, that's the most important thing! <P>THOE, THE BALROG HAS WINGS!!!!! GRRRRRRR!!!<BR>U all have the wrong picture of it!

About Balrogs having/not having wings:<P>"His enemy halted again, facing him, and the shadow about it reached out LIKE two wings."<P>Is it a shadow made by his wings or just a shadow shaped as wings? The truth is out there.<P>Does it really matter that much? Imagine him as you wish and let other people imagine him<BR>as they want to.<P>This topic has been discussed too many times, It's rather warn out. Let's move on, people.

Ah, but in the Silmarillion "they arose and passed over Hithlum".

In responce to your concern on whether people will find it difficult to image the world of middle earth with the movie fresh in their mind. yes this will happen. You should also take into consideration the fact that many people will read the book BEFORE they go see the movie. I have reread it only about a month ago and it will be interesting to compare.

PLEASE GOD NOT ANTHER BALROG W/WINGS FIGHT.<BR>KILL ME NOW!

That's a very interesting point Telchar, I had read the books before seeing the 1978 movie, and it didn't affect my vision of the characters when I re-read the books. Elrond ala Fonzerelli from the movie just wasn't my vision of the character. Nor was Sam who they made too wimpy I think. But perhaps to those who see the movie then read the book this may happen. Let us hope not. I have seen movies and then read the book, and my vision of it's characters were never the same as the movie.