Just got back from watching Lord of the Rings. Awesome! I haven't read any of the books -- yet. (I know, I know: geekness is not complete without it.) The film was comprehendable enough even when one hasn't read the books, although it sure did help that my friend Butch was on hand to explain the little details, and which scenes were or weren't in the book. In fact, I think Peter Jackson and his writers (one of them was his wife Fran Walsh) did a good job in making the story and the mythology available for the non-Tolkien fans. But if you really want to get into it deep, I suggest you get hold of the Tolkien books.