[greyhavener]

I think the books will always be better than any movie. So much that happens to each of the characters is interior in thought and motivation and personal growth. So much that makes the story so rich is in the details and layering of history and poetry and relationships. Those sorts of things do not translate well to screen.

I think that Peter Jackson has done as well as anyone could in creating a visual depiction of Middle Earth.

The casting has been remarkable. The translation of the personality of most of the characters has been amazing. I have real problems with Faramir. I think Treebeard and Theoden deserved better. The extended version of FotR did Galadriel justice but the theatre version did not. I also think Merry and Pippin were hardly distinguishable in FotR though I think they are emerge more as individuals in TTT.

I think Jackson did okay with editing the storyline for time. I simply don't see the point in changing the storyline. If you have a great story to start with why not remain true to it? That alone would have made the movies almost as good as the books.