A 'darker' Hobbit

[Sauron the White]

William ... you are simply in error when you state this

Regardless of the Masses (whose collective judgment makes McDonald's a great restaurant) and the judgment of the AMPAS and film critics (all movie people), look at the consensus of those who know Tolkien best- Tolkien scholars. Their verdict is *unanimous*- YECCCHH!

The point of my listing of the three areas of success was that normally they are mutually exclusive of each other. But in the case of LOTR, the three different areas all apply to the LOTR films. McDonalds may be a financial success but please show me where professional food critics rate it as a great restaurant.
Please show me where McDonalds has won industry awards for its quality of food or ambience of its eating establishments? In simple point - they do not. They have achieved financial success and it ends with that. Your analogy is faulty and flawed at its basic premise when compared to what I used to define success with the Jackson films.

Jacksons films of LOTR achieved three very different kinds of success which usually are not found in the same package. No single filmmaker in the 100+ year history of the medium ever achieved that type of success with three films - let alone three consecutive films - yet alone three films on the same subject.

Tolkien scholars know one thing very well - the writings of JRRT. When it comes to film they have shown little practical knowledge of how films work or how the film industry works. They have pretty much shown themselves (with some exceptions) to fall into the TRUE BELIEVER category. They covet their special knowledge and hold it above the world - the great unwashed ignorant masses, or Masses as your post refers to them. Snob appeal anyone?