<B>BC-LIFE-ITALY-TOLKIEN<P> <B>Italy right seizes on "Lord of the Rings" debut<P> By Massimiliano Di Giorgio ROME (Reuters) - The rest of the world may see box office smash "The Lord of the Rings" as a mythical tale of hobbits and goblins, but some young members of Italy's far right hope to use the film to promote their political ideals. "We want to use the event as an incredible volcano to help people understand our view of the world," said Basilio Catanoso, youth wing leader of the far-right National Alliance party. Right-wing thinkers and publishers, who introduced the Italian public to the fantasy classic in the 1970s, see the 1,000-page tome by Britain's J.R.R. Tolkien as a celebration of their own values of physical strength, leadership and integrity. The National Alliance youth wing is looking back to the 1970s when Italian rightists spun its own interpretation of Tolkien's mythical world to bolster their image, already imbued with Celtic legends, knights and a cult of personal strength. "There is a deep significance to this work. 'The Lord of the Rings' is the battle between community and individuality," Catanoso said. But the tale can be seen supporting either end of the political spectrum. "The destruction of the ring of power, the multiracial aspect - hobbits, elves, men and dwarfs united against evil are all leftist ideals," said Francesco Alo', editor of Italian film website, www.caltanet.it. Tolkien always denied any political intent in the book. The story follows the struggle of a young hobbit named Frodo Baggins, played by Elijah Wood in the film, to destroy a ring of power which holds the key to the future of civilization. The cult book evokes a fantasy world peopled by goblins, hobbits and elves. "Only in Italy is 'The Lord of the Rings' seen as right wing, no other country in the world has a similar reading of Tolkien," said Valerio Evangelisti, an Italian fantasy writer. In the 1970s, neo-fascist summer training centers nicknamed "Hobbit Camps" were set up by the National Alliance's predecessor, the neo-Fascist Italian Social Movement (MSI). The National Alliance split from the MSI in the mid-1990s. Its current leader, Gianfranco Fini, who is also deputy prime minister, has tried to give the party a new image. The National Alliance has five ministers in the center-right government of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. But tradition still echoes in the party's ranks. National Alliance's youth wing plans a campaign to boost membership, inviting students to "enter the fellowship," an allusion to "The Fellowship of the Ring," the first book of the Tolkien trilogy. The film opened Friday in 700 cinemas in Italy. So far it has grossed more than $500 million worldwide. <B> REUTERS<P> Reut11:19 01-18-02