Not all the cast were perfect. The film is as near to perfect as any film could be, especially facing such a daunting challenge.<P>GANDALF - WOW. That's all. If he doesn't win the oscar I'll wage war on the film industry.<P>FRODO - Very good. Very well acted, very good appearance, but I agree he seems more helpless than he does in the book. The true test though will be later on, in the return of the King, to see how well Elijah Wood copes with the road to mount doom and the increasing burden.<P>SAM - looks great, sounds wrong - all wrong. Maybe it's because I'm English that I completely resent him slipping into his accent once or twice.<P>MERRY + PIPPIN. Not really sure. I like Pippin, though I don't know how he managed to have an Irish accent. Not too sure on Merry, perhaps he will improve.<P>ARAGORN - The first thing I said when I saw him was - 'He's too young, and he's too pretty' and I still almost stand by that. Maybe I got the picture of him in my head by all the references to how old he's supposed to look. Sam says he looks foul and feels fair, in the film Arwen says the years lie on him, although in the book it is Celeborn that says that. Maybe I was misled by his voice in the next best thing to the film - The BBC Radio dramtisation that I grew up on, in which he definitely sounds a lot older. I like his portrayal now though, and actually prefer the idea of a younger Strider, although he is 87!<P>LEGOLAS - I think Orlando Bloom is a real elf. <P>GIMLI - excellent. And very funny. Good beard!<P>BOROMIR - Equally good. But then, Sean Bean, what can I say? He's always good. Very good at putting forward the torture that having the ring so close laid on his mind.<P>GALADRIEL - Exactly as she lives in my imagination - and she managed to be chilling and wise and kind all at the same time. Cate Blanchett looks the part and acts it perfectly.<P>BILBO - Ian Holm played Frodo in the BBC radio dramatisation and so must have felt much as Bilbo felt - having had the star role in the small production and then passing it on when it got interesting because he was too old. Bilbo had the ring and the adventures in the small production (The Hobbit) and when Sauron stirred and it got interesting he had to pass it on because he was too old. Do you see what I mean? Anyway I always knew he would be good because he's lived with the story and the role for so long.<P>ELROND - Not as I imagined him, but good all the same. The look on his face when Merry and Pippin run in to the council meeting is priceless. <P>SARUMAN - Christopher Lee and his voice were perfect. Absolutely perfect. A performance to match that of Ian McKellen, though less of it, obviously. The shot of him calling down the clouds on the fellowship, chanting arms extended on the pinnacle of Orthanc was one of my favourite moments.<P>ARWEN - Ahem. Scandalous. Irritating. Altogether wrong.<P>As for bit-parts, I thought that Haldir was excellently haughty, the black riders were very chilling, and made me jump out of my seat on more than one occasion. Sauron (if you can call him a bit part!!!!!), both the portayal of him in armour at the beginning, and his eye and voice from then on, were brilliant. The cave troll and the balrog should have commanded top billing, and the watcher in the water. The orcs and goblins, well.....a miracle in makeup, we should see more of that later.<P>I think I've included everyone!<P>Airetauriel
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