I am currently re-reading one of my all time favourite books - The Lord of the Rings. It's interesting returning to the book after many years, with my childhood memories now coloured by Peter Jackson's blockbuster interpretation. On the whole, I thought Jackson did a good job with the first and last films. The original cut of The Two Towers was somewhat ruined for me by the undermining of Faramir as an honourable character. The extended release (a much more satisfying experience) reveals a superb sub-plot explaining this. Slightly sad that in making an admittedly much-needed cut for length they rendered the subplot incomprehensible.
What impressed me, however, was the way that Jackson picked up on many of the core themes in the trilogy and plays them out, either with direct quotations (albeit some of them moved across entire books) or in his characterisation. The entire last film is a tale of the friendship between Sam and Frodo. The sacrificial love which allows a gardener to accompany his master on a quest which is beyond his comprehension. I had entirely forgotten that Tolkien presents this theme right at the beginning. As early as chapter four of the first book Sam says to Frodo:
"I know we are going to take a very long road into darkness; but I know I can't turn back. It isn't to see Elves now, nor dragons, nor mountains that I want - I don't rightly know what I want: but I have something to do before the end and it lies ahead, not in the Shire. I must see it through, sir, if you understand me."I love the quiet, humble determination represented in Sam. He seems to have grasped the message of Gandalf's statement to Frodo in the second chapter (or to Pippin during the battle for Minas Tirith if you prefer the films) "All we have to do is decide what to do with the time that is given to us..."
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