[hobbitlass]

Dare I say this...sometimes we are just too uppity for our own good.
We all have our own stories of how we came across Tolkien's works. Most are noble ones of reading (and understanding) this great and complex work at an early age. I'm glad and impressed, but what about the person that discovers it through the commercialism.
They see the movies, get action figures, even LOOOVE Legolas but then they delve deeper and find that it is actually a book and there are more books. And they read them and understand them and find others who share a common interest, let's say, on the internet. Then that person delves even deeper to where they can be a part of an enlightened and deep discussion.
Why would that be a madenning thing if a person comes in through the back door by means of a tacky war-game. (Disclaimer- I have never seen one).
Again, if one doesn't like the 'stuff' that comes with making a movie, don't buy it.
And as for the Burger King goblets, there was Gandalf, Arwen, Aragorn and Frodo (at least in the states) of which I have except Frodo, it broke.
So keep your high morals but don't shun those of us that like the 'fun' stuff, too.