There's a lot of excited people next door in New Zealand tonight where the big final Lord of the Rings film is having its world premiere. Alas, the Big Island (or the Western Isle as we are - very rarely - called by some Kiwis) here (or Oz as we sometimes call it) has to wait, like the rest of us here on this 'isthmus of a middle state' until St Stephen's Day.

I hope that they did end up putting just some of the 'Scouring of The Shire' in the coda. It really is, in one sense, pretty much the major point of the rest, bringing us face to face with everyday, banal evil stripped of glamour & magic.

The kind we, sadly, often encounter in the selfish & destructive behaviour of people around us, and then have to decide whether to, say, 'blow the whistle' on fraud or cheating, like Mr Wigand or Ms Brockovich, or that lady - was it Enron or one of the other big companies? Both in the book and in real life they are often left damaged & sadder, rather than the triumphant heroes in so many stories.

Perhaps it was Tolkien's war service that showed him that so clearly. The story does not simply end as "and they all lived happily ever after".

I hope you had a good Thanksgiving (drinking "Turkey & Gravy Soda"?)
Mez
[permalink][comment] - posted by Mez @ 12/01/2003 10:16:00 am