Harry and the Hobbits

In your Jan. 21 movie overview, New Line Cinema’s Mark Ordesky states that “ ‘Lord of the Rings’ was the ‘Harry Potter’ of the previous generation” (“Something Familiar This Way Comes,” by Richard Natale). I think Ordesky needs to do a little more research. To compare Tolkien’s epic series to current popular literature is like saying that the Bolshoi Theatre was the “American Bandstand” of long ago.

“Lord of the Rings” is a literary classic, set on a huge scale with characters that stay with readers forever. People worldwide are going to be discovering and rediscovering J.R.R. Tolkien’s work when the Harry Potter series is making the garage-sale rounds and is dust on second-hand bookstore shelves.

ROBERT PATTERSON

Placentia

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I have news for the producers: You change one iota of Tolkien’s story line and you’ll have the biggest bomb since “Heaven’s Gate.” “Lord of the Rings” has influenced everyone from George Lucas to Led Zeppelin. Don’t screw it up.

MARK EASTMAN

West Hills