[Luthien_ Tinuviel]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> I found Sean Astin's performance to be the most touching, most real performance of the entire movie - I mean he just shines in RoTK and I don't think I will ever say otherwise!<BR> <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Agreed.<P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> I stepped closer to both Frodo AND Sam in those last parts in Mordor. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Good point. I can very easily say that they are the characters I understand most and like best, in fact, I might venture to say that in an indirect way many aspects of my experiences and character are closest to theirs. Looking at it that way, I suppose it's best that they did it the way they did- actually closer to the book way than I realized at first- seeing Frodo through Sam's eyes, and thus gaining a better understanding of them both. <P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> Thus, you cannot have Frodo without Sam, nor Sam without Frodo. Who knows how it would have gone with different actors? I can only be glad that Sean and Elijah were so well matched for this fine moment! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P> I can't imagine anyone different, either. It just doesn't work. At all. I think the combination of Sean and Elijah is the best in the movie, and all of their ROTK scenes are superb, indeed, the highlights of the film for me. <P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> Through the entire movie I waited for the Mt. Doom scenes to say nothing of the Grey Havens seen and I was not disappointed as the acting from both end got me to crying, especially Sean's!<BR> <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>I agree once again (that's just about all I do on this thread ). These parts are my favorites in both the book and the movie. <P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> No other could have done such a find job of portraying my Sam as Sean Astin and I only hope he will get the recognition he deserves by the Academy Awards!<BR> <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>I hope so, too, and have for a long while. I think there's the chance of a nomination for Best Supporting Actor (although I think he might qualify as just plain Actor, but Supporting fits). I doubt he'll win, though. Maybe I'm just being pessimistic (which is highly likely). But in the past the Academy has passed over lots of excellent films and performances for ones that they like better, and somehow I think they don't like LOTR all that much. Even a nomination would be an honor, though, and not winning fits the role of Sam for me, though, because for most of the journey (and, even, debatably, at the end) he was somewhat of an unsung hero. But that's just my romantic ideals coming forward again, I think.