While we're toasting, let's raise an ancient chalice (brimming over with celebratory mead) to director and co-writer Jackson and crew for a mammoth achievement: an epic in three superb installments that magnificently evokes the heft and spirit of J.R.R. And his tussle with Sam and Frodo is just one of the Middle-Earthly delights in Peter Jackson's triumphant conclusion to his 'Rings' trilogy. The Gollum-Smeagol character, an otherworldly combination of human actor (Andy Serkis) and special effects, is surely the most compelling fella in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' (with Ian McKellen's Gandalf a close second). The trouble is, thanks to the ring's evil power, Frodo listens to Gollum's lies. This would leave Gollum free to wrest the ring from the ever-weakening Frodo. Gollum, he insists, is trying to sow discord between the two hobbits, causing Frodo to banish Sam from their mission. He tells fellow hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) that Gollum (whose better half of the split personality, Smeagol, does his best to stop the pilfering of the ring) is the evil one. LET'S HEAR it for Gollum, the creepy guy with the Peter Lorre voice scrambling up and down the mountainside, insisting that Sam the hobbit is trying to steal the powerful ring that hangs from Frodo's neck.

Lord of the rings frodo becomes gollum