[Alchisiel]

It seems to me that Eorl is saying that anyone who hasn't read the books before the movie came out has no right to read it? Now I know that you probably didn't mean it that way but that's the way it came across to me. What if no one new came across Tolkien's works except for the people that are reading them now? Tolkien's works would eventually drift out of print and no one would ever know about them. That's what would be sad.

Yes, I'm one of those people that saw the FOTR movie first and then read the books (still am-long story). I do not consider myself an expert. If it wasn't for the movies I wouldn't have known about the LOTR books and if it wasn't for a lady that I used to work with I wouldn't have known about The Hobbit. I am now passing on Tolkien to my fickle 17-year-old nephew who loves the movies and wants to read the books. He's constantly asking me questions some of which I know-most I don't. That's why I joined this forum to learn.

I think PJ did his adaptation of Tolkien's works very well but then that's all it is--just an adaptation. One man's view of how Middle Earth looked. That's all it is really. Isn't it?