I loved the beacon lighting scene. I think it added to its grandeur and thrill-factor, to imagine that there were indeed men whose sole duty it was to camp there and wait for the signal to light the fires...

Can anyone suggest someone more beautiful than Cate Blanchett to play Galadriel? We may just be talking about personal preferences here. One might suggest, say, Jennifer Garner or Gwyneth Paltrow, but their qualities as actresses would simply not be right. Even among English actresses I think one would be hard-pressed. Rachel Weisz? Jennifer Ehle? Kate Winslet? I think Blanchett's slender build and enigmatic face were just right.   Even the lovely Miranda Otto was better as Eowyn than she would have been as Galadriel.

I think the casting of this film was nearly perfect.