I couldn't possibly dis the last two, because after the first one I promised that I would never suffer such interminable boredom again.

I think they must have spent so much on the CGI that they didn't give any time at all to rehearsals with the humans.

Sean Bean, who is not the finest actor I can think of, manages possibly his most wooden performance ever.

I think that any decent acting comes from the sheer gravitas that McKellen and Lee can give anything, on the basis of longevity and experience and charisma (reminiscent of Alec Guinness in [iStar Wars[/i) and Bernard Hill, who actually managed to imbue his death scene with enough pathos that I was – finally – actually moved.

I don't remember enough about it to pass judgement on the acting, as I've tried to erase the whole sorry experience from my memory. I have this vague recollection of spending half an hour thinking "the special effects are impressive", a further half hour thinking "when is the storyline going to get moving", and two hours thinking "FFS, please let this be over soon". If it wasn't for the fact that I was on a first date (her choice of film, I hasten to add), I'd have left after an hour.

Thats a question for the owners of the copyright, if they feel that they've been infringed then they are entitled to ask the infringer to refrain, it would also be interesting to find out what copyright they own and for how long.

For pure artwork the artist retains the copyright by default for 70 years after his/her death unless it is specifically sold, selling the artwork is not the same as selling the copyright, an artist can sell artwork but does not transfer the right to copyright to the purchaser, so you can't start printing and selling birthday cards from a painting you bought - are you paying attention Mintball





I don't know what the situation is with written work or indeed with films but it would appear that if you're a sci-fi or fantasy geek then its gloves off when the big corporations want to protect their work or purchases, presumably Tolkeins estate won't be joining the Facebook group, not after they apparently sold the copyright anyway

<fx>crosses Rock God off the invite list for my "LotR -All 3 Extended Versions plus bonus features" party over Easter</fx>

Well said.

I had the misfortune of seeing the first one.

Run away, argue, get attacked by people on horses, run away, argue, get attacked by people on horses, run away, argue, get attacked by people on horses, run away, argue, get attacked by people on horses, run away...

God it was crap.

You'll need more than an Easter break for that lot. And some crack, probably.

It was superb. But - I accept - only for LOTR fans. I was hoping it wouldn't be a let-down after the book, and it certainly wasn't. Though the film was better if you had read the book as you could fill in all the stuff they couldn't find time for.

But two things are true. First, LOTR is one of those rare-ish things that there is little middle-earth of opinion about; people either love it, or detest it. I would say the same is exactly true of the books. I loved reading them when a lad and have enjoyed rereading them to my kids. But I have friends who have started the books and abandoned them in short order, with a loud "WTF??". So, you either get it, or you don't. That's fine. As it happens, many millions do get it.

The second thing? Well, how to put this politely? OK. The people who claim to not like LOTR invariably do so in either an insufferably smug, or more often an obnoxiously rude and patronising "I know much better than you what is rubbish" kind of way. It's as if they need to constantly justify to themselves why they don't like it, by going totally OTT with their views of just how terribly, unfeasibly bad it all actually is, if only the gullible and unwashed millions could see it for the total rubbish that they alone know it to be.

You don't like it? Cool. I don't need to know just exactly precisely HOW ridiculously awful it is to your finely honed critical faculties, thanks all the same.



SAVE THE HOBBIT !

Don't go near the books, then. There's loads of stuff in there they cut that would probably have you catatonic in short order. And definitely avoid even being in close proximity to a copy of The Silmarillion.



Personally I love the books and the movies, but I understand why some people can't stand either.

The acting isn't great. Then again, the dialogue in the books doesn't really lend itself to character-driven performances.

We've been know to watch those in a day.

The woodenness is part of his charm

And yet they haven't touched middle-earth tavern in Whitby.

That's next. Then you, and other people brazenly stealing from the Star Wars franchise

Silly isn't it.
Makes you realise just how these fools minds work.

Although come to thing of it didn't the franchise embarrassingly lose a case against someone making Trooper helmets, as it was deemed not to be a work of art in which any form of copyright could subsist?

heheh, looks like people power has got Saul to back down

[urlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-17390623[/url

To those who said it couldn't or shouldn't be done . . .

Brilliant!

They are suggesting that the pub owner contacts them to arrange a licensing deal.

Which is exactly what you'd expect being a copyright holder, hardly "backing down"

Backing down is [size=200100%[/size what it is.

Prior to this rather than suggesting anything, they'd had a cease and desist letter from high powered lawyers. Not an offer to carry on as normal for $100

They've invited them to talk about a licensing deal, nothing more.

the kind of thing I had in mind in my first post on the thread. Why go the legal route when a phone call or visit might have led to this outcome anyway?

Sometimes you have to get people to come to the table before you can speak to them.



Acknowledge that they are using our trademarks
Stop selling infringing articles
Then we will grant them a licence

Open to any suggestions they have - presumably in line with their expectations of acknowledgment, stopping infringements and then paying...

Yep, it's why New Earswick All Blacks keep getting letters from New Zealand threatening legal action.

So why hasn't Dairy Queen sued Liz for breaching their trademark?

The whole Hobbit thing is simply corporate phishing