Although I read the trilogy and The Hobbit in my teens and early 20s, it's taken me, the visually-oriented person I am, until now to realize that McCaffrey's watchfires at the dragonless weyrs in Dragonquest, the first of the Pern books, and Robin McKinley's bridleless Hill horses in The Blue Sword both owe origins to Lord of the Rings.

I can't wait to have any copy of the DVD, just so I can revel in the lighting of the beacons. As others noted, it was mentioned in the books, but almost as a throwaway. PJ's genious lies in his realizing what an awesome visual that could be. It sure surpassed by own visualization of it.

I loved this moment too, except I made the mistake of reading two reviews that mention this scene specifically with rapturous praise. So as it's happening I'm thinking, "well, there it is. Big grand gesture. Sure is impressive. Just like they said." It was ruined for me.

During my first viewing, all I could think during that scene was "That must be the crappiest job in the world." Luckily I found that I could appreciate it more on the second viewing.

I read all the reviews, as well, so I knew that this scene was going to be great, but what made it work for me was the music, which I was already familiar with from having had the soundtrack in continual replay on my car's stereo. After having worn out "The Steward of Gondor" track by the end of November, my favorite track on December 16th just happened to be "The White Tree." I had had it in my head that the track would go along with Gandalf arriving in Minas Tirith, so the big surprise of the beacon scene was the music, which swept me along into the sequence.

During my first viewing, all I could think during that scene was "That must be the crappiest job in the world."

Me, too! I wasn't moved by it the way other people were. It was cool; don't get me wrong -- I certainly didn't think it sucked.

Maybe a second viewing will hit me right.

For me, it was hope taking wing.

I was startled to be crying while Pippin wasn't onscreen.

That's understandable, it will take that long to splice in the musical numbers.

Do you suppose that if PJ had done LotR through the Bollywood machine, he'd have kept all of Tolkein's songs in the movie, done up indian-pop stylee? 'Coz that would have rocked, like a strangely intriguing furrin rocking thing.

Tom, I would pay CASH MONEY to see this version of the movie. Belly-dancing, funny hand-motions, sung-flirting and all.

But we need to have Thora Birch and Scarlett Johanssen dancing in their sleepover wear while watching it on TV.

For me, it was hope taking wing.

Word. Even though it was a sequence that spanned day and night (but didn't need to) and had a lot more beacons than the book. It seemed like it was Bangladesh signalling Iraq to come to the rescue, not two kingdoms that are kissing up against each other's borders. I guess I can forgive that illogic, since it is just as cool to see the beacons glowing alone in the night as it is suddenly to pick them out of the brightness of day.

During my first viewing, all I could think during that scene was "That must be the crappiest job in the world." Luckily I found that I could appreciate it more on the second viewing.

Ouise is me exactly!

and had a lot more beacons than the book.

Actually I looked this up (initally because of the apparent time-zone change, or maybe crossing the terminator of Middle-Earth) and Tolkein mapped out quite a few beacons down the spine of the mountains. I haven't been back to count the number of beacons shown, but I bet it's close.