Or no Hobbits at all...

[Sauron the White]

from Galin

I note that now accuracy is irrelevant when you shift the context to 'film success'. Earlier however, you were suggesting we roll out some praise for Jackson with your statement: 'Instead of criticizing Jackson for this effort, it would seem some praise is in order for him attempting to go the extra mile to get things right.'

Should we praise Jackson for his pursuit of accuracy in this matter? Or should we just note that it's irrelevant anyway with respect to 'film success'?

You seem to be a stickler for the tiniest iota of detail so allow me to add a few qualifying words to my original statement....

Jackson went the extra mile to get things right as necessary for the film. I had thought that was implied from my comments but I guess that was my fault for not making it more clear. So I do so here.

Over the years we have seen countless discussions of this type where someone has a particular deep interest or love of one specific aspect of the book and is angry or dissapointed that it was altered for the movie. Here it seems to be Elvish. With others its the hair color of Legolas or Boromir. With others its the lack of facial hair on Denethor. Others claim that Theoden is too young and virile. And on it goes without end.

We are discussing the movie. When we discuss the movie it is relevant to mention that the film was a rousing success by most standard industry measurements because that is the final test of such commercial ventures. To the vast majority of the six hundred ticket buyers of the films, it did not matter if the hair color of Legolas or Boromir was correct or how long ago Denethor had stopped shaving or if a phrase of Elvish was accurate or had been cobbled together from someones imigination. It matered not to them because the film worked. It worked.

Peter Jackson had no obligation to make his film as accurate as possible or as faithful as possible or as bookish as possible. None at all. Because none of those things matter in the final judgment as to the film working as a film.