[Armetiel]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>I'm not American,(although I know you said other audiences too ) and even though I don't get mixed up having had read the book many times, the rest of my family and friends (other than my bro) hadn't read the book and they all said on numerous occassions that the only thing they didn't like about the movie was that there were too many different characters and names and they were getting confused...And they did recognize Haldir when they came,, if he had been someone that was completely new to them, they would have been even more confused...I heard often enough from them "Who's THIS guy?" about characteurs that are just being introduced and I'd have to say "wait and see, he wasn't in it yet." To which they'd reply. "O, not ANOTHER new dude" (or something along those lines)<P>and<BR>_______________________________<P> Yeah, sometimes I wish PJ had a slightly more inteligent audicence to appeal to so he didnt have to dumb down so many things...<BR> <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>And who, may I ask, is to say that my friends and family are NOT intelligent. (in fact, they are intelligent enough to spell the word) However, they can be intellegent and have not read the book, and with the amount that PJ had to leave out due to time restrictions, I can see how it would get confusing...especially since they only saw them one at a time a year apart. (they did not rewatch them, as I did, many times over.) Therefore, adding even more characters in, would confuse them more.<P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> I felt as though the theme of "the horrors of war and the loss of innocence" was already well enough developed without the extra shots of the helpless women and children, first through the 4 hobbits themsevles, through the shire (Including what Sam saw in the mirror of Galadriel), through Smeagol, and through many other characters, and I just felt that of all the parts that showed the horror of war, the parts of the children and women just was the worst, not to mention the longest and IMO, most unnecessary... <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>maybe, but as I said, your opinion there is the minority, and PJ was aiming for the majority.<P>Anyways, i think the point was to show how it effected those who weren't involved and couldn't defend themselves. The hobbits obviously could, and did, defend themselves and were very strongly involved. As for what Sam saw in the mirror, you are right, that did a good job of showing it there, however, that is one little clip in the first movie, and if you watch them once each and a year apart, chances are you'll have forgotten that one small part.