A Visual Guide to J.R.R. Tolkien's The Two Towers

Can't tell the difference between the noble Riders of Rohan and the bloodthirsty Orcs of Mordor? Confused by how long Merry and Pippin spend with Treebeard in Fangorn Forest? Wondering if the whole story is a Christian allegory or a World War II parable? While A Visual Guide To J.R.R. Tolkien's The Two Towers is affiliated with neither the publishers of the books nor Peter Jackson's blockbuster films, it does serve as a complimentary text, as host Graham McTavish and Tolkien experts David Doughan and Michael Stanton lead viewers on a trip through Middle Earth, guided by low-tech 3-D maps and the fanciful illustrations of Tim and Greg Hildebrandt. Along the way, they rehash the novel's plot, delve into the physical geography of Middle Earth, and provide Psych 101 profiles on characters ranging from the evil Saruman to the virtuous Legolas. Unfortunately, none of the talking heads are willing to make any kind of intellectual stand on the material: Doughan and Stanton accept Tolkien at his wishy-washy word that Gandalf isn't a Christ figure and that the story doesn't offer a critique of fascism, which may be true but leaves this effort feeling like little more than an expanded Cliffs Notes on video. Still, given the phenomenal popularity of the feature film (which has blasted past the $300 million mark at the box office as of mid-February) and the low price, consider this one definitely recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (D. Fienberg)