For the fortysomethings of Alleanza Nazionale (AN), the right-wing party in government, J R R Tolkien and his cast of elves and hobbits are as much a part of their political property as Che Guevara was for the left-wing. So much so that AN members of parliament and sympathisers held their own private première of the film.
For some reason, this reminds me of the right-wing fruitloops in France (Le Pen and his crowd) that get all doolally over Joan of Arc. Though she was sort of real, I suppose.