[Bill Ferny]

The ability to appreciate "subtle" forms of entertainment is certainly not the sole prerogative of the British, or any other Europeans. Why do Americans sell themselves short by thinking themselves all dumb, uneducated, unsophisticated, carnal slobs, capable of only gawking? Robert Frost is no modern American icon, but neither is Tennyson a modern British icon. True, American culture prefers Aristotle over Sophocles, Cicero over Virgil, and Tennessee Williams over William Shakespeare, but this doesn't make American culture backwards or incapable of grasping the subtle. Dumb, uneducated, unsophisticated, carnal slobs exist everywhere, not just in America. If Jackson dumbed down LotR, he dumbed it down for everyone, not just Americans.<P>I think Jackson didn’t use the poetry because it didn’t fit with his vision or artistic style. Looking at Peter Jackson's past work, his main repertoire was the good old B horror flick (excepting one, and maybe The Frighteners), and B horror flicks aren't known for their artistic portrayal of quality poetry or song. Anyway, I think the movie was better for it, for obvious editorial reasons, and, because I (personal opinion here) really don’t care that much for Tolkien’s poetry. Not that I have anything against poetry, or am incapable of grasping the "subtle". In fact, aside from a few bad examples of alliteration (that was probably intentional, anyway), its not bad poetry. However, its hardly on the same level as a Gerald Manly Hopkins!<P>But you are right! To each their own!