[Samwise]

Hm. Thank you for the PM, Miss Luthien, though I fear there is nothing more that I can say that hasn't already been said.<P>I was concerned, having "fallen in love" with the character of Sam Gamgee when I was 12 and first read the books, how Mr. Astin would portray him. I've said it more than once before, but as soon as I saw him in FOTR being "bummed out" about being to shy to go near Rose Cotton, I KNEW he would do my Sam proud. We watched him grow throughout the movies, and Mr. Astin did it gracefully.<P>As to punching Gollum in the face or trying to strangle him or whatever--I think that was a product of jealousy and heartbreak. Sam loved Frodo (no, I'm not talking the "g" word, because I think the idea of Sam and Frodo being that way is ludicrous), and he sensed from the beginning, or at least soon afterward, that Gollum was just "helping" to get the Ring for himself, and drive a wedge between Sam and Frodo so that that would be easier.<P>Yes, I was very happy to see some parts of the book sprinkled in ("PO-TA-TOES") or ("Well, I'm back.") but not being an expert on the books as some of you, I think Sean Astin would have made a positively wonderful Sam (as he was the Sam of my memory) regardless.<P>Oi... I grew up with the Rankin-Bass versions of the Hobbit and LOTR. The more I hear about the Bakashi version, the LESS and LESS I would want to see it!