[Knight of Gondor]

And where did the implication of "babbling kook" pop up in my responses? I certainly said she's low-brow and whiny; well-meaning, yes, but not a good writer nonetheless. Perhaps all bad journalism is written in earnest?

It doesn’t seem to be a large step between whiny and low-brow and babbling kook. Difference of a few letters, but as far as intent goes...

If I mischaracterize your opinion, again, my apologies. To quote Faramir, “that is not my intent.”

Knight, thanks for providing Ms. Basham's other article, it was quite helpful in understanding where she was coming from.

You bet, Lord of Angmar. I knew it was out there somewhere (based mostly on that end sentence, actually, because it stuck in my brain), I just couldn’t find it online. Finally did, though. It is more helpful as far as context goes.

Just a quick note: I think perhaps a more appropriate time would be an more intimate one-on-one interview between a journalist and one or two of the cast members from the movie, in which the discussion of religious and spiritual ideology is a subject of debate/questioning consented to by all parties involved.

I gather from the article that a press junket was surprising enough as it was for Ms. Basham to attend. To hope for one-on-one interviews with one of them (much less the rest of them!) would be a little much.

I agree wholeheartedly. I am an outspoken critic of the intrusion of paparazzi into the lives of celebrities.

Well, the paparazzi don’t hassle me at all, so I’m okay with that.

Once again, two posts. *Sigh*

As I said earlier, I also find it unreasonable for a journalist to expect actors (lest we forget, they are paid professionals merely doing their jobs) to be able to provide coherent analysis of the ideas and beliefs behind the movie they are starring in. That is not their job. Their job is to act dramatically or comically as the situation requires, and to do the best job of it possible with the material and the direction that is given them.

Although I think it is a shame that most of the actors believe the way they do, there are two points I’ve stuck with.

1. The actors have no business denying that which is pretty obviously present in the series. It reflects a bit of a hidden agenda of their own to attempt to push their own ideology on Lord of the Rings.

2. The problem is more with the authors (Boyens, Walsh, Jackson), who are either blatantly ignoring it, or are intentionally ignoring those underlying themes.

Underlying themes and applicability are not allegory. Allegory is a consciously symbolic representation of a theme, person or event.

Which is why I said that applicability and thematic elements were present, not blatant allegory.

course I agree that there are underlying themes and ideas, most of which are only generically Christian

I believe you’re the second person to openly admit this. The problem is when the cast/crew cannot!

The whole concept of good and evil is clearly and inherently present in the Lord of the Rings

But it’s also a bit of a problem for the film makers to assert that those themes are no more real than elves or dragons! (Although according to the “Have you seen __?” thread, some people believe in those too! )

Also, I thought that the point of journalism was to present facts in an unbiased fashion. She doesn't do this.

I don’t believe this was intended as an unbiased article, but more of an editorial. Nonetheless, it’s certainly not uncommon for bias to leak through articles! It’s as I said, there is no one that does not have their own prior bias about a topic.

I can only conclude that the press in Las Vegas is very different to the UK press.

Maybe in Vegas, but I doubt it. Do they get The New York Times in Vegas?