[Essex]

I watched the film again the other day.

In at least one way, the cartoon is better than the action movies inasmuch as it is FAR more faithful to the books than Jackson's.

Don't get me wrong, Jackson's films overall are far superior, but stop dissing the cartoon. It is VERY FAITHFUL to the book (with just a few digressions), but it obviously leaves a fair bit out (to fit in 1.5 books in 1 film).

I started writing a list of where it is more faithful, but I ran out of room on my piece of A4 so gave up! Little things like the attack of the Black Riders taking place in the dell below weathertop, not on the 'summit' of weathertop as was shown in the action film, and Frodo singing the drinking song and slipping in the common room as is in the book, and not because action movie Pippin (surprise, surprise, make him the village idiot) gives the game away.

Oh, and we see Gandalf actually handling the Ring as should be the case. Also, I love the seen (in the book and cartoon) where Gandalf snatches the envelope containing the ring from Bilbo's grasp.

Loads more, but I think you get my point.

Try not to be snobbish and view the film for what it is. A faithful adaptation of Lord of the Rings as a CARTOON.

OH, and another thing. At least the cartoon shows Merry and Pippin's 'consipiracy unmasked', and gives their reason for going with Sam and Frodo. This is key to their characters and the Hobbits' friendship throughout the whole book. In the action movie we have a MASSIVE coincedence (I'd hate to know what the odds are) of the two of them running smack bang into Frodo in the middle of a field in the middle of the Shire. One in a million perhaps? At least the cartoon faithfully shows the real reason for Merry and Pippin being there.