Because I love the books more. If I had read them first I would have been unhappy with some of the changes made by Jackson and his writers. I understand the need to eliminate Tom Bombadil and the battle for the Shire when the Hobbits returned home, but I don't like what they did with Faramir or how Frodo told Sam to go home (didn't happen). In the book the Ents decided at their Entmoot to go to war because they already knew (how could they not know?) what Saruman's Orcs had done to their forest. It made no sense that Pippin had to steer Treebeard to the destruction or that so many Ents instantly showed up when he roared.
I have the set of DVDs of the extended versions with Appendices. I don't know why the confrontation with Saruman at Orthanc and his death there was cut from the theater version. He was a major character and I wondered what the hell happened to him until I got the DVD set.
My wife and I really do love the movies and watch the DVDs at least a couple times a year.
I've read the trilogy three times all the way through. I've also read The Silmarillion twice, which is the bible of Middle Earth. It tells the history of Middle Earth from its creation and all through the wondrous stories & events, some of which are mentioned in the movies and referenced in the trilogy.
Anyone who likes or loves the movies really should read the trilogy and The Silmarillion.
= new reply since forum marked as read