[The Saucepan Man]

<B>Pandora</B>, I largely disagree with you on the question of the merits of the LotR films as adaptations of Tolkien's works. I am not going to take issue with the many points that you raise, for I have expressed my views on numerous occasions elsewhere in this forum. In the final analysis, these types of issue come down to personal taste.<P>But there are two points on which I feel that your comments have gone beyond the scope of personal opinion.<P>First:<P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> ... how little ability Jackson has as a movie-maker <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Jackson has brought to the screen a literary masterpiece which has traditionally been regarded as unfilmable. And, in doing so, he has made films which have brought great acclaim, amongst both film critics and his peers in the industry. They are also films which have been incredibly successful at the box office. Millions upon millions of people have been to see them, the vast majority of whom have enjoyed them immensely. The first two films have won numerous awards, and both RotK and Jackson himself are now in with a reasonable chance of winning Oscars. Surely, by no stretch of the imagination, can Jackson be regarded as a film-maker with little ability, whatever your personal opinion of these films might be.<P>Secondly:<P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> Just pointing at the Emperor's clothes. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>By this comment, you are implying that those of us here who enjoy the films only do so because we are "going along with the crowd". On the contrary, however, the vast majority, if not all, of those who post here are perfectly capable of making up their own minds about these films, and do not need to rely upon others to help them form their views. I therefore find this comment rather surprising, particularly on a thread devoted to those who are looking forward with great anticipation to the final instalment of this trilogy of films.