Who do you think in the movies is the best looking?

[Lyta_Underhill]

Oddly enough, I don't seem to be able to extricate "best looking" from "best character portrayal." I was so amazed by what Sean Bean did for Boromir that I found him irresistible. He won me over and made me really rethink Tolkien's Boromir. It was a real revelation and I realized I had never really *seen* Boromir before...Sean Bean really deserves a mention for that. (Yes, I thought Sean Bean was hot, too...) And again, I liked Billy Boyd and Elijah Wood for the fact that Frodo and Pippin resonated for me through them quite well...it is strange how I can't seem to separate my estimation of "best looking" from "best resonance of character." Viggo as Aragorn did this to me as well, and I also found resonance in Cate Blanchett's "man maiden" Galadriel; she did not need to have what many consider the traditional "beauty," but she had the sadness of the "Long Defeat," the wisdom of Three Ages and the tall grace of the Elves. She was perfect. I see her in my mind when I read of the Galadriel of old and the passing of the Third Age.

Of course, I'll give a mention to the Balrog...really HOT! And I *still* can't tell if those are wings or shadows! You gotta give credit to an enigma that lasts that long!

[Gwathagor]

Galadriel and Faramir.

[Groin Redbeard]

Originally Posted by Gwathagor

Galadriel and Faramir.

That's true. This would probably be my pick out of all the boys and girls in the movies. Maybe Boromir instead of Faramir.

[Guinevere]

Originally Posted by Lyta_Underhill

Oddly enough, I don't seem to be able to extricate "best looking" from "best character portrayal." I was so amazed by what Sean Bean did for Boromir that I found him irresistible. He won me over and made me really rethink Tolkien's Boromir. It was a real revelation and I realized I had never really *seen* Boromir before...Sean Bean really deserves a mention for that. (Yes, I thought Sean Bean was hot, too...) And again, I liked Billy Boyd and Elijah Wood for the fact that Frodo and Pippin resonated for me through them quite well...it is strange how I can't seem to separate my estimation of "best looking" from "best resonance of character." Viggo as Aragorn did this to me as well, and I also found resonance in Cate Blanchett's "man maiden" Galadriel; she did not need to have what many consider the traditional "beauty," but she had the sadness of the "Long Defeat," the wisdom of Three Ages and the tall grace of the Elves. She was perfect. I see her in my mind when I read of the Galadriel of old and the passing of the Third Age.

This is just about my opinion, too! Gandalf was spot-on as well.

But the person who fascinated me most when I saw FotR for the first time was Frodo! I couldn't see enough of those soulful eyes and that expressive face. (For example his face during Bilbo's party. Or the moment he looks back after Gandalf's fall. Or right at the end, when he and Sam look into Mordor... )
And I don't think I am the only one: lovely Frolijah has inspired thousands of fanfictions.

[Lord Halsar]

I seem to like the appearances of Ian McKellen and Christopher Lee as our two favorite wizards in LotR. In their other movies they look thin and unimpressive. But as Gandalf and Saruman they looked...healthy. I also admire a man with a long beard and a deep voice with a number of years under his belt. As Theodore Roosevelt said, "Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick."

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

Well Billy boyd sounds very Scottish - I guess he does come from the north of the Shire , but then they should have made Merry sound Welsh!

Bear in mind with the radio you have to do more with the voice and thay while I think Billy Boyd was the eldest of the actors playing hobbits in the film, they make far less distinction in age in the film than in the book and in the radio version. So on the Radio Frodo sounds older, Pippin very young, Merry scholarly, Sam rustic.

Well yes, I agree. Maybe we could start a new thread on this. (so the mods won't kill us)

Originally Posted by Gwathagor

Is it the BBC radio dramatization with Ian Holm as Frodo?

Yes