[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

Very, very interesting. I totally agree that Jackson should not take all the blame for this situation. The thing is, that's the way the world works. Films for everyone, maximum profit. Regardless of whether every Tolkien fan would have gone to see a 5 hour movie several times and given the same profit worldwide, the suits at the top just do not get it.<P>If I can draw a comparison between this and the WWE (I can hear groans but bear with me!) Now I am a huge WWE fan and the majority of us enjoy watching great wrestling, simple storylines and good entertainment. Vince McMahon (the owner of WWE) cannot realise this, he simply cannot comprehend that a wrestling fan would like to see a normal sized guy who is a good wrestler, over a great big huge guy who can only punch and kick. That, is McMahon's philosophy, and its absolutely ridiculous. For years I have been crying out "It's very, very simple!" but the suits at the top think they know everything and continue the cycle.<P>It's not going to change in the near future. If Time Warner think that we should have a dumbed-down 3 hour movie which deviates substantially from the original plot just because they think that that's what we (the proles, I mean...the public) want and need, then thats just what they're going to give us.<P>Now I personally love the films, its because I don't expect the book, I don't expect anything like the book. Just don't take the films too seriously. Remember that we already have the real treasure in book form, and no film is going to come close to it.