Oh, some notions about the movie.

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The Lord of the Rings trilogy was one of my favorites, along with The Hobbit. For some people that is the only old fiction, myth, and mix of such that they know. I myself have read of elves, dwarves, orcs, and all but hobbit before reading the trilogy, plus. I suppose in my previous readings hobbits would be, physically, gnomes. Gnomes, however, were either magical or at least highly intelligent, unlike hobbits. Never mind that part.

I see Gandalf the Grey, as I see things from story and myth, would have been more of a pagan, earth centered, magic user. Somewhere between a high pagan priest and a magic user or wizard. His use of the moth (a very favored symbol of earth type worship, a very pagan symbol) and rocs (very large eagles, give or take) and such. The white wizard, before he was corrupted, would have been more like what we might consider a priest or pastor (albeit, of course, in a world of magic). He would have been about good things, human things, rightfulness and truth. When the holy man is corrupted, the nature magician (commonly known as a druid), must pass through much pain and harrowing war and death to achieve the title of 'white' (or good). Myth and truth mixed in a very nearly magical tale, just unto itself.

The orcs, goblins, and others are known to me. The fighting uruk hai were new to me. I hold much in common with their creation. There are differences too. The differences are greater. This group interests me, as a change in the old school monster paradigm. Evil troops which could move at speed in the daylight. If you are a bit of a war-gamer, imagine having never heard of motorized cavalry, or helicopter cav. The dynamic of those would be... mind expanding on your war board. So too the uruk hai. I was well into myth and legend and history before finally reading the LotR trilogy. These were interesting new elements.

The tale is such a fine mix of myth, legend, history, and wisdom that I am always re-remembering something, connecting new ideas to old, and their ideas to reality. The possibility of destruction, understanding we are on the brink of disaster with only hope to carry us over, knowing that those who could help us, the powerful, must also tend their own greed, avarice, and thirst for power... "Do not tempt me, Froto"! "You offer the ring willingly"? As a people, as little people, we must carry our own weights, our crosses, sometimes, often. We cannot hand them off to others, not without great risk of losing everything else. How few among our leadership know this?

I just had to write just a bit about these things. They are not important. It is just that I have no one else to share them with. Sad thing is, few do. It is a truth of life that we walk through it alone, even if married with a dozen children. It is just that in such cases people are so busy they do not seem to notice. I notice. This is my place to speak in the hopes of more than being heard but being understood.

Good night, I think.