M00bies - A Community to Remember

[eborr]

eborr

Gender: Male
Joined: Sept 2002
Age or age group when joined: 44
Most well-known 'title': who ?
General stance on Jackson's LOTR: Good start, but ultimately he missed the boat

Description:

I discovered Tolkien when I was 17, the book was in the school library, and I started to read it during study periods.

I came across Torc by mis-typing torn, and found the forum interesting. I lurked for some 9 months before posting - I didn't have so much to say about FOTR since I liked the film so much. As is well known I have been dissapointed by TTT and ROTK, but the disapointment really springs from the level of expectation that was raised by film 1.

In the various jousts that we have had, not a few stemming from my love of tilting at Windmills I have learnt a great deal about books, the films and film-making in general, I have also learnt to trust my predjudices even more than I did before.

I will continue to lurk and post - I await the hobbit anxiously, and I fervently hope that someone is not minded to make a purist version of that book.

[Marty]

Uhhhh... he kinda got banned in December, though one could say he is still here in spirit.

I was not aware of that. I'm a little upset. I always liked that guy.

Marty (surviving member, but not around too often)

Gender: Male
Joined: 10th November 2001
Age or age group when joined: I'm at the young end of Generation X
Most well-known 'title': None that I know of.
General stance on Jackson's LOTR: The Citizen Kane of Geek Movies

Description: (in his own words)

After a period of lurking, I joined not long after my birthday, during that turbulent time between September 11 and the release of FOTR. As TORC's resident SAG member, and self-proclaimed Shallow Hollywood Player, I've tried to present my own perspective of Hollywood's reaction to the LOTR phenom over the years. I saw all three films in advance and gained quite a bit of notoriety, perhaps infamy, with my ROTK Spoiler thread which I launched on Thanksgiving Day of 2003. During the period of that thread's explosive, yet short, cyber-life, many female, and a few male, TORCers offered to have my babies. All of the female attention went to my head, of course. I eventually became lecherous and started to flirt with several TORCettes, most prominently Rebecca, much to the horrified amusement of her mother, leading to a stalled April Fool's Day Prank. I'm also known, along with Jsavfusco, as TORC's Box Office Guy. I have a fun-loving, yet somewhat snarky, sense of humor which I try, sometimes even successfully, to bring to the forums.

Awards:

I don't really remember, but I know I got a few Geekiest Thread notices for my Box Office Trilogy.

[imahobbit]

Iavas, I think you must have mistaken me for someone else since I mainly lurk and never contributed any thing of interest to a thread. I think what your doing is great so in order for you have a accurate list feel free to deleted me. You want hurt my feelings.


imahobbit

[Iavas_Saar]

eborr, are you going to do a description for yourself at some point, or do you want someone else to do it?

imahobbit, I thought I recalled seeing your name here fairly regularly, but I've taken you off the list. If you change your mind and would like to be on the list again you are quite welcome to be.

[mrs_whatsit]

Iavas, FYI my name isn’t on the list. I’ve tried to join and get membership, but could never get the membership link to work for me.



mrs_whatsit (surviving member)

Gender: Female
Joined: May 2002
Age or age group when joined: 36
Most well-known "title": None
General stance on Jackson's LotR: loved it for the most part, FOTR was my favorite. Brought back some good memories of reading Tolkien way back when

Description:

First read LOTR when I was 16 along with a group of my high school friends. Was not aware of the movies until I saw a preview before the movie “Castaway” with Tom Hanks. Found tolkienonline after a search on google and have enjoyed the discussions here ever since.

Awards: none

[truehobbit]

This is a lovely idea, thanks Iavas!

The more so as I actually found my name on the list!
(I know it sounds silly, but as I've had long phases where I didn't post here, and as I'm rather paranoid about being ignored or forgotten, I wouldn't have thought I'd be remembered as a part of the m00bie forum - this has really made very happy! )

Ok, about me:
truehobbit surviving member - (hehe, I like that term)
Gender: female
Joined: 19 April 2002 (actually, to me it was the 18th, but after we switched to the new boards and you could get your own time-zone, I found it must have been after midnight here)
Age or age group when joined: 34
Most well-known 'title': I don't know - should ask others whether I have one
General stance on Jackson's LOTR: ranges from glorious to abysmal

Description:
I found TORC looking for further info on Tolkien on the web. (I had just read the books, was totally thrilled and wanted to know who that guy was, who wrote such a great book!) I got hooked by the books forum, lurked for two months or so, because I was a bit suspicious about all that Internet business (takes us hobbits a while to get used to that new-fangled technology ), but knew this was too good to let go, so I registered.

I kept to books for over a year, with only limited ventures into conversational threads elsewhere.
It was at my first moot, almost exactly a year later, people were talking almost exclusively about things going on in the movie-forum, that I realized I was missing something!
So I started peeking in here a bit more regularly than I had previously done.
I've often enjoyed the spirited discussions and hilarious exchanges here very much, but have ever and again had spells where I just didn't have the energy to keep up with the pace of the forum or to deal with the typcial movie atmosphere, and I often lacked the interest to remember enough detail of the movies to join the discussions. I think my bond with the movies-forum would have to be called a love-hate relationship.
With a (probably annoying ) tendency to argue both sides of a question, I would have been a Pragmatist, if I had been more present in the good old days of the Purist/Revisionist wars.

(might add some more if I can think of something - time for supper now )

Awards: none
Nominations: TORC-Beacon (or something like that) (WCA 2003)
Spammer to Glamour (somewhat twisting the definition of the award ) (WCA 2004)
~~~~~~~~~~
Btw - I just can't believe there are people here who didn't know lidless was banned! I'd have thought you must be living in a cave to miss that!

lidless:
Age or age group when joined: 38

I guess that makes TORC some kind of faery realm, where you enter and when you get out again after what seemed a short time, you have aged by years!

Here's something else for lidless's description:
Working hard to build up an image of someone who eats n00bs for breakfast and would tear anyone apart with a sarcastic wit that was outrageously funny in its cruelty, he was finally exposed at the first moot he attended to be as sweet and cuddly a fellow as you could wish to meet.

[Whistler]

Another addition for Liddy: the embodiment of generosity, more than willing to go the extra mile for a friend.

And another: Liddy always promoted my written musings over his own, displaying none of the egotism one often encounters from a wildly creative soul. Only true talents can remain unthreatened by the talents of others, and Liddy was a true talent.

[Cerin]

Cerin. The Hatfield. Most Overrated Poster on TORC.

Describing my time here is simple. I found my way accidentally, to the old old board, the board before the board before this one, with a couple of hundred members. I read about AATF -- a scene I consider to be one of four hallmark scenes of the story. I said out loud to my computer, "Oh, surely not. Surely, they would not tamper with THAT scene."

MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

So if you imagine this state of mind, someone who naively believed Tolkien should not, and therefore, surely would not be tampered with, my activities here are easily understood, and put in a nutshell, as it were.

I've always enjoyed the anonymity of the board, not knowing anything about the people one is talking to, but apprehending a personality solely on the basis of their words. However, if you must know, I am a grossly under-educated married lady in her 40s who loves you all dearly, in spite of the fact that she did not have the mental capacity to keep track of individual posters once the board membership mushroomed.

God love you all (including the atheists, no offense intended!).

[ArPharazon]

I came upon this by utter chance.

ArPharazon
Status - embalmed
Gender: Male
Joined: long ago but not as long ago as some
Age or age group when joined: geriatric
Most well-known 'title': "pompous, rude, opinionated... I could go on"
General stance on Jackson's LOTR: That PJ did a better job than we could ever have hoped for from a main-stream movie; and above all that to be appreciated that the film has to be understood as film, not simply as some Classics Illustrated version of Tolkien's book

I enjoyed three years of excellent discussion on TORC and made some lasting friends. I am sorry that this forum has descended to it's current low. But I suppose it had to happen eventually.

I came from BOOKS, and with an enduring, long-standing though not uncritical love of LOTR as a book. I haveknown, thought about and cherished LOTR since the early 60s. In THIS forum, my aim was always to seek to provoke discussion of what any film version of LOTR HAD to be to be accessible, interesting and filmable. Thus I suppose I was the ultimate pragmatist.

I started several threads that posters seemed to like which sought to nalayse the films in deatil - and from all angles - screenplay; design; as film etc - and not from a single literary approach. I won a few awards, but frankly that sort of thing never mattered much, and I was amused to be told I had been nominated for the "curmudgeon" award last time around.

In fact I still have nothing but scorn for those who want a lame and "faithful" dramatisation of LOTR and who criticise PJ for not having done what they would have done (sensible man that he is).

I was in the end sickened and driven away from the forum - and in large measure the site - by certain "purists" with closed minds.

My view today - that FOTR is a great film. That TTT may eventually be regarded as technically (given the adaptation difficulties etc) the best of the three. ROTK I feel was the weakest and shows my PJ should have been even more radical than he was. The third film's failing flow from the book not (in most respects) from the film-makers - though they are not without blame.

I mourn the passing of Lidless.

I shall recall forever with affection the contributions of Wilko, Alys; The Angel; Hama, Whister, Crispy, Telemachos; Leo (sometimes); Voronwe; Diamond; Berhael; Frodo the wise; Semprini and many others, who extended and deependd my understanding of the film's strengths and weaknesses.

One has to respect the sheer tenacity of Iavas Saar (now said with a Texican drawl).

I remain baffled by Wildwood.

I still post now and then in Events and hope to see a few friends at Moots, but essentially my TORC days have ended. Life moves on. For me a Jack the Ripper site - another long-standing interest - has beckoned (in many ways it resembles TORC though on a smaller/slower scale).

Thus farewell (probably) for the last time,

ArPharazon

Edited: because i am NOT in fact a curmudgeon!!

Edited by White Council Moderator

[vynaca_of_mirkwood]

The one, the only, the totally rad Vynaca_of_Mirkwood!!!!1111!

Gender: Female
Joined: Jan 9, 2002
Age when joined:: 27
Most well-known 'title': No clue.
General stance on Jackson's LOTR: Fantastic but not without its faults.
Awards: I've won one, just can't remember what it was.
Nominations: A few, can't remember.

Temporary Bans: 1
I think it was for a raunchy comment I made in a thread with Droolie. Hee hee! :tos:

Warnings: Several.

Alternate identity: Whistlersmyhusband

Husbands gained due to TORC: 1

Moots attended: 2. The first in San Fran 2002 with Tele, Mrs. Tele, Fin, and Ethel. And the Moot I organized last year in Hollywood. I was able to convince ALL 3 Lightlords aka admins of TORC to join us. AND we witnessed Finarfin and NiennaSorrowing sitting together without any bloodshed. Many other awesome TORCers attended, myself included. I'll find the thread about it and link it here.

TORC members [b]I recruited:[/b] The most wonderful woman in the world and I know you'll all agree ... MAMMO!!

I'll come back later to complete my essay. Bernd and I are going to see a moovy with Tele and Leo* so I'll tell em to fill this out or else.

I'll also call Bernil in Chicaggoee and see if his borther will let him log on to TORC.

[Faramond]

Iavas, I just noticed Griffon64 is missing from your list.

[Iavas_Saar]

vyn, thanks for coming over! Glad you're going to remind Tele and Leo too. What about people like fin and NiennaS, is there any way to let them know?

ArPhy, I'm so glad you found this thread. Otherwise I would have been doing everything possible to get you here. I hope you (and the cats) are doing fine.

Cerin, thanks for the profile. I was wondering if you are still in contact with Windfola, and would be able to let her know about this thread? Also, as I've known you to speak up for Kel when he's been discussed, would you like to be the one to do a profile for him, so that it's not done by someone who might be biased against him?

truehobbit, I'm glad this thread has made you happy!

mrs_whatsit, I'm sorry I didn't put you on the list, you definitely should be.

Faramond, I'll go add Griffon. Still waiting for your profile.

[Pippin4242]

Is it worth my posting a profile in here? I think I've posted in this part of the movies section at least three times (Didn't Boromir take too long to die? Apples v. Oranges and another one about Merry and Pippin's roles being reduced). It was pretty much all in my first few weeks here, but since then I've been a regular voter at Ugluk's Man of the Month and an occasional swooner.

Anyhoo, I'm here to add a bit for .
"Even those who didn't like him, liked him."

*sigh*

*~Pips~*

EDIT: Once appeared in the nightmare of a fellow TORCer (Pippin4242) with Dindraug as his sidekick.

[Voronwe_the_Faithful]

Voronwe_the_Faithful (aka Sador_Labadal aka Voronwë_the_Steadfast aka Voronwe_the_Shiny aka Voronwe_the_Superglued aka Voronwe_the_Cowell aka Robert_Zimmerman aka Bob_Marley aka Robert_Hunter aka DougKane) (surviving member)
Gender: Male
Joined: December 26, 2002
Age or age group when joined: 39
Most well-known 'title': "The Last Mariner But One"
General stance on Jackson's LOTR: Transcendentalist!

Description: (by Primula_Baggins)
A maverick and a danger to us all.

Awards:
* Compass of Earnendil Award (White Council Awards 2004)

Nominations:
* Best Male Noobie (White Council Awards 2003)
* Best Pragmatist (TORCies 2004)
* Master Debater (TORCies 2004)
* Best Noobie (TORCies 2004)
* Best Osgiliated Thread (I Love the mOObies Forum ...) (TORCies 2004)
* Critics Circle (White Council Awards 2004)

[halplm]

Edited by White Coucil Moderator

[Whistler]

Oh, dear.

Sometimes I wonder why I left this place, and sometimes I remember.

Well, Iavas! You wanted a time capsule, and it appears that you will get one created in keeping with proud TORC tradition.

[Mighty_Squid]

Funny, there is nothing in the Mod mail about this thread.

You would think with so many Oldbies around they would know the proper procedure.

This is a nice thread. Let's keep it that way.

[Berhael]

What Whistler said.

(I love being able to say that)

Now... CHILDREN! Tsk.

[halplm]

Well, I've lost all the enjoyment this thread and concept was providing. I kind of don't even want my entry to be included. However, since the original concept was a good one, i won't say that.

I would hope, however, that people might refrain from attacking others in their descriptions of themself, as I don't believe this was intended as a thread to start arguments.

Ah well, it was fun for a while.

[Mighty_Squid]

Arphy, please e-mail the Mods. Thanks.

[notlistening]

notlistening

Gender: Female
Joined: Feb 2003
Age or age group when joined: thirtysomething
Most well-known 'title': none as far as I know???
General stance on Jackson's LOTR: Excellent! there were only a couple of things that irked me but on the whole I loved it. My glasses are a little rosy as well.

Description: I receieved the books for my 21st and got bogged down in the Barrows so I put the books down again until about a month before FOTR came out. Then I was hooked. I read them again and watching the films made it much easier to understand. I know that's a bit backards but hey, Australia is upsidedown After a brief period of lurking I joined up after TTT came out. I was a bit lost in the world of Torc until the wonderful Ethel and Saro adopted me and I became an Auntie (and love it!) They are the craziest, best bunch of aunties (and uncles) ever! and I thank them for having me. I finally ventured into moobies with Hama month in full swing! and all the threads like the Council of Leo* and the Secret meeting and just loved the humour here. Never joined in the discussions much as am usually asleep when they are going on. Have never posted anythign profound, but there is still time. I wish I'd found Torc earlier but am glad to be here.

Awards: none but I was judge for the last MOME contest (and I'm still waiting of a few of those bribes!!)
Moots: one here in Australia but hoping to make the Oxford moot this year. Also have attended the LOTR symphony, 1 convention and the LOTR exhibition.

[Cerin]

Iavas, I'll make sure Windy knows about the thread.

Kelannar
I believe Kelannar was a young male law student or lawyer, perhaps TORC's most infamous poster, very polarizing and very prolific. Many people found his posts infuriating, wherefore trouble followed him throughout. He was an ardent purist, if I may take the liberty of labelling him. He was banned before the movies were released, so we never knew what he thought of them.


There were so many wonderful posters from that time. I believe the courtly "falton" is missing from your list, Iavas, as well as the gentlemanly "bunbury" (if I've remembered that correctly). Also "Sauron'sBarber", one of the most interesting posters we ever had, IMO, who offered many firm predictions about the movies, but then disappeared. Then there is dear "pavelnash" who always saw the good in things, and we absolutely cannot leave "yanquin" (is that correct?) off the list, a poster who caused quite a few ripples, if I may put it diplomatically, in the relatively short time she spent here.

Happily we have a living memorial to "freaqboy," in his posts early in the, was it, W.I.N.K.L.E. ? thread. That description of the whisperings in, I believe, the Paths of the Dead section was the funniest thing I ever read. Also I must give a nod to good old Jersey, who stayed here for a time quieting mob hysteria whenever rumors threatened to spiral out of control.

[eborr]

What Whistler said.

(I love being able to say that)

Now... CHILDREN! Tsk.

point of order here should it not be "what Whistler whistled" ?

if anyone is interested my original post on this thread has been amended to include a description

[wilko185]

Hmm, stock-taking time! Nice idea Iavas


wilko185 (barely surviving member)

Gender: Male
Joined: 18th November 2001
Age when joined: 28
Most well-known 'title': None that I'm aware of, though "humourless pedant" comes to mind
General stance on Jackson's LOTR: A qualified success

Description:
When I became aware of the forthcoming films I lurked on several Tolkien sites for information, but initially only posted on films sites (AICN, Corona). I only gradually became aware that my Tolkien obsession was something I could actually talk about, which was when I took the plunge here (where else?).

For me personally, the months leading up to FOTR's release, and then the analysis of it, were the golden times for film-discussion. TTT was perhaps a better film, but didn't grab me as much, and I was definitely losing interest in discussing the films by ROTK's release - and hence in part losing interest in the films themselves (that reminds me, I really should buy that ROTK EE some time ...), as it was the debates here which really fuelled my interest in the PJ's work. I could never fully commit enough to either side of the P-R debate to take it seriously, and anyway it didn't really suit my dry debating style. But the choices and compromises in the adaptation process, and the way it could afford fresh insight on the story, I found fascinating.

I've been largely drawn into other areas of the site (principally Books), and haven't actually posted here in Movies for months (currently having no computer doesn't help). However, I'm honoured to still be considered a "Movies poster". I'm pleased to see a few names in this thread that I had assumed were gone . (Ahhh, nostalgia, don't you just love it? ... reading through the list of names in post 1 gave me a thrill and a chill, I must admit).

Awards (I think...):
2002 WCA Tolkien Guru
2003 Torcies Best Pragmatist
2003 WCA Tolkien Guru
2004 Torcies Lifetime Achievement
2004 WCA Lifetime Achievement

[FrodotheWise]

Good idea for a thread, Iavas.

FrodoTheWise (FTW) (surviving member)

Gender: Male
Joined: 16th of February 2002
Age when joined: 24
Most well-known title: Don't think I ever had one.

General stance on PJ's LOTR: Generally positive but with some major reservations about PJ's style (lack of consistency and maturity). Very good genre films but mediocre as an adaptation.

Description: I browsed TORN for news at the time and followed a link to TORC. I lurked for several months before I joined officially and posted in this forum most of the time (I think my first post was soundtrack-related). I loved the fact that I could discuss the films with likeminded people in such detail and I have nothing but good memories from those three years. I think it was some time after TTT came out that I participated less and less in the debates around the films because I felt that I had pretty much said everything that I wanted and needed to say, and also because I realised that as enjoyable as these discussions were and still are, that they are futile in that neither party rarely if ever managed to change each other's stance on the films.
I think if you asked me which film I consider the strongest, I'd possibly say TTT although in a sense FOTR, despite the many howlers of its first 90 minutes, has a freshness to it, that the other two, especially ROTK are lacking.

Unless or until The Hobbit is being made, I probably won't be posting on this forum anymore, but TORC remains part of my life: you'll find me regularly in the Non-Tolkien Movies forum (those who know me well know of my love for cinema as a whole and my passion for collecting DVDs!), occasionally also on Talk (football yay!) and Events. I also hope to keep in touch, and meet from time to time with posters whose posts I enjoy reading and value (Semprini, Queen Beruthiel, DaveyJoe, Tele, Marty, Bernd, Iavas, dudalb) and with those TORCers I've met in the past and whom I'm glad to call my friends: ArPharazon, EdainTheRanger, Berhael, Hama, Alys, The_Angel, Democritus and others...

[Iavas_Saar]

I just quickly want to say, let's keep enjoying this thread and try to create something of lasting value. If there is some final 'ranting' in people's profiles, then that is atleast in the Movies tradition, and will give everyone a hint of what the forum used to be like

Thanks for all the new profiles, and keep them coming!

[Berhael]

That particular "M00bies tradition" has poisoned the atmosphere in this forum enough to risk clampdown in more than one occasion (together with our (in)famous "eat n00bs for breakfast" attitude), so I say let's try and keep our claws away, from this thread at least.

[Texas-hobbit]

Wot Berhael said. (I like saying that, too, Ber., but I also really mean it. )

Iavas, I'm much too rushed to add my profile right now, but off the top of my head would like to give you some names which aren't on your list. I'm amazed you came up with so many. I'm sure we'll all think of others as we go. Some of these names I haven't seen in a while, but maybe in the months ahead, they'll lurk by, see your thread and add their bit. I'm not sure I have all the spaces or asterisks exactly right, though.

TinseltheElf, shieldmatron, Scarlet, Gandalf_Stormcrow, Teremia, soundtrackman, mechtild, Make-it-stop, Frelga, andurilwest, PrincessFaz, SingingFox73, WendyLadyofLothlorien, NazgulRus, Alberich, Myst28, ichjua, PrincessofIthilien, Maewyn, Bree379, Edhelwen, harpist_of_rohan, Fair_folk, nienor*lalaith, Elfkin, bird, Ornendil, Goshard, BeerTapGirl, kams, Impenitent, mandos, wind_walker, sylthian, pippinsqueak.

Would you want us to keep adding to your list if we think of more? If so, I'll edit/add here rather than cluttering up with another post. I didn't see your e-mail address, or I'd do it that way.

My address: (for positive accounts of interaction with thedaimonlucifer): texas_hobbit at yahoo dot com.

Thanks again, Iavas, for this thread!

Edit: My apologies to all if I've butchered your username. I'm going pretty much by memory.

[Old_Tom_Bombadil]

Alternate Board Names: Elwë_Goldenwing and Iarwain~Ben-adar
(I prefer the board name in which this post is made.)
Gender: Male
Joined: 13 May 2003
Age when joined: 41
Most well-known Titles: (as Elwë_Goldenwing) Loon of Lothlórien and Silly Sinda
General Stance on Peter Jackson's LOTR: Pragmatic with purist leanings.

There is no doubt that the three films are great cinematic achievements, accomplished by the extremely hard work and loyal dedication of a large company of people. This work has achieved tremendous acclaim by both the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and by the viewing public across the world.

From a visual standpoint--and motion pictures are most certainly a visual medium--the films are breathtaking. The work of the designers, artists, craftspeople, and technicians are incredible, and the beautiful land in which the films were shot, New Zealand, makes for a very convincing Middle-earth. It’s very evident that a great deal of thought, planning, and love went into creating this fantastic world of Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves, and Men.

I’ve heard nothing but expressions of respect and admiration from the people who worked with Peter Jackson, the mastermind and driving force behind the creation of the films. The mind boggles when one considers the amount of time and energy he spent making these films. To his credit he did keep in mind the desires of long-time fans, and it is a sign of great wisdom that he did not not allow that to deter him in his attempt to make three great films. Whether or not he achieved artistic greatness is a matter of personal opinion, of course, but if commercial success is a measure of greatness than the films are very great indeed.

Long time fans of Tolkien’s work—I have loved The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings since my mother first introduced me to them in or around 1973—naturally have their own thoughts and feelings of the Jackson/Walsh/Boyens film adaptation that may or may not precisely coincide with anyone else’s. I find that my own personal thoughts are ever evolving.

At this point in time my personal favorite moments seem to coincide with the moment that are closest to the book. I am uncertain if that is a result of them being more familiar to me, or whether that is indicative of Tolkien’s genius for the dramatic.

After viewing each of the films several times, and listening to the accompanying commentary and supplemental material provided on the DVD appendices, I am inclined to think that there are instances where Jackson placed too much effort on improving Tolkien’s story rather than merely interpreting and telling it. Certainly changes were necessary to edit and adapt the stories for film, but numerous small changes, e.g, line swapping, invented character arcs, and so on seem to have accomplished little more than change for change sake rather than actual improvement. I will say that some of the changes made the characters more believable or “real” (if that term is suitable to a fantasy piece), and thus probably strengthened them in the minds of many viewers, particularly if those viewers prefer their heroes to have many of the foibles and weaknesses they themselves possess.

I have the notion, too, that Jackson felt the need to “pump up” the story to make it more dramatic and exciting. Perhaps this is a commentary on the short attention span of many modern audiences. I personally would have liked to have seen more of the quiet dignity of Tolkien’s original work portrayed in the films. While this aspect was not totally neglected in Jackson’s films, there were certainly moments where honor and dignity were, in my opinion, inappropriately cast aside.

Overall, I’ve very much enjoyed the films and will likely continue to enjoy them for many years to come. Before the release of the films I was already in the habit of reading The Lord of the Rings at least once a year. Now, aided by participation in message boards and fan sites such as TORC, my knowledge and appreciation of Tolkien's works and Jackson’s has greatly increased. I am indebted to many of you for enlightening me, and inspiring me to explore beyond what I would have otherwise.

Description: Silly and increasingly more enigmatic (intentionally)

I'm probably best known for my staunch defense of the inclusion of Tom Bombadil in Tolkien's book. When it comes to either standing with Tolkien

Tom Bombadil is not an important person--to the narrative...he represents something that I feel important, though I would not be prepared to analyze the feeling precisely. I would not, however, have left him in, if he did not have some kind of function.

or standing with the cynics, I will stand with the Professor.

Comments: It is understandable that some people would want to retain cherished memories of people they’ve become acquainted with in cyberspace. However, I disagree with the premise of the thread that the Movies – Lord of the Rings forum has become like Westernesse, with Elendil and his sons having fled the island as it is being consumed by the Sundering Sea. I am hopeful and, considering the potential profits to be made (always a strong incentive for studios) and Peter Jackson’s and some of the actors’ expressed desire to make the film, even optimistic that The Hobbit will be adapted to film. This will undoubtedly set off a whole new wave of niggling and nit-picking over the merits of Jackson & Company’s work.

I would like to say that I am enjoying this new era of “M00bies”. Despite some residual hostilities related to the purist/pragmatist/revisionist debate, overall the members posting to this board are much friendlier than when I first encountered it. Perhaps it is the King’s Men who have fled Númenor, leaving the Faithful to enjoy the peace that must be attributed at least in part to the wise governing of the Valar-like Moderators and Administrators? Whatever has transpired, I like it.

[InnocentEvil]

We know there are those remembered here who cannot speak for themselves because they've been banned. We also know that many of you are still in contact with those people, consider them good friends. We encourage you all to talk about the positive things you feel these people brought to the boards while still active. However, we cannot permit any one to copy and paste a statement or bio written by a member who is banned onto these boards.

The whole point to a ban is that the person is cut off from participating here. We know that it's hard on the whole community when a member is banned, but we ask that you respect the decision and not attempt to help the person continue their participation after a ban. The person does not cease to exist but their participation here does. By postng something written by a banned member with your username, you're in effect allowing them to access TORC through you: an offense that can result in a ban on the acount so used. We know no one wants that to happen; therefore we thought a timely reminder appropriate.