BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays

Subject: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 08 Feb 13 - 05:22 PM

AND I LOVED IT! Every bit (even though I did hope the entire Misty Mountains song would be there). But this post isn't a review, it's just a post on my opinion of the movie.

What I did find confusing, though, was the prologue. I didn't ''hate'' it, I just didn't understand why they had to have the frame story with Frodo. I understand using Bilbo, but why have Frodo in there? They could just have had Bilbo narrating the prologue about the fall of Erebor, just as they had Galadriel narrate the prologue for Lord of The Rings.

Anyway, in my opinion the musical cues (like "Concerning Hobbits" at the beginning, the tune when Bilbo finds the ring) are nice reminders of the connection to LOTR, and it was great to see Radagast the Brown, who doesn't appear in the books (mentioned by Gandalf to Beorn in "Hobbit," and again in the novel version of LOTR's Council of Elrond.) The rabbit sled's a nice touch.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 08 Feb 13 - 06:02 PM

Hehe! I hated it so much I could hardly speak about it after we'd left the cinema :D

Why Frodo? Why any of the changes? They completely fucked with the narrative, ripped the guts from the actual story and slapped a huge fat predicable Hollywood 'action movie with wizards in' hand all over it. Aaarg!

I hated Radagast, who wasn't a ridiculous comedy figure, but wise and humble, unlike Saruman of course. Indeed, we see a glimpse of Saruman's ultimate fall from pride in his dismissal of Radagast, who - by way of contrast - Gandalf actually respects highly.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 08 Feb 13 - 06:17 PM

Yeah, but at least Radagast was [i]there...[/i] I think they were going for "loves animals so much, he actually lets them poo in his hair..."

Saruman has a big head even when he's anti-Sauron. I think the expanded scenes are partly so the question of "What the hell was Gandalf doing while the 13 dwarves and 1 hobbit were trying to reclaim Erebor?" and partly to tie it in to LOTR.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 08 Feb 13 - 06:18 PM

*could be answered*

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: Don Firth
Date: 08 Feb 13 - 06:55 PM

Haven't seen it yet.

I was aprehensive about the LOTR trilogy, having loved the books, but I was duly impressed. I thought Peter Jackson did a pretty good job of it, all in all. I liked it well enough so that I bought the DVD Platinum set (director's cut, including deleted scenes, how they did cetain effects, discussions of making the movies, etc.)

On The Hobbit, I'm reserving judgment until I have a chance to see it.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 08 Feb 13 - 07:16 PM

Don: See it! Most people have mixed feelings about it.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: Little Hawk
Date: 08 Feb 13 - 07:31 PM

I saw it. Enjoyed it. I wasn't overwhelmed, mind you, but I enjoyed it.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: michaelr
Date: 08 Feb 13 - 07:35 PM

It's a bit odd that on LOTR Jackson & Co. were so careful to follow the books, while in this one, they seem to have said "screw it, we're making another action trilogy, source material be damned". That said, it's a pretty good ride, particularly in 3D.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 08 Feb 13 - 07:46 PM

Krap - Dude

HOW DID U get 2 preview?

Are you a Kiwi?
\
I don't think so.\

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 08 Feb 13 - 07:47 PM

I loved the Misty Mountains song, and right now I'm singing along to it on Itunes on my computer. Beautiful, haunting tune. But then, Howard Shore's a great composer. Although I'd have liked to hear the whole song.

[i] "Far over the misty mountains cold,
To dungeons deep, and caverns old,
We must away, ere break of day,
To seek the pale enchanted gold. "[/i]

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 08 Feb 13 - 07:52 PM

Dude what holiday U C?

MLK just pass

Feb is Lincoln and Wash but skool out 4 1 de prez.

Hobbit old hear?

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

U B lok up? Poo Lice?

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 08 Feb 13 - 08:17 PM

I saw it in Singapore on 13 December when I was visiting my relatives for Christmas.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: GUEST,Stim
Date: 08 Feb 13 - 08:29 PM

I liked it a lot, and wasn't really expecting to. I think it's a better movie than any of the other three. I watched them again after I saw it, just to make sure. It has a lot of humor, and Bilbo is a more interesting character than Frodo.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 08 Feb 13 - 09:11 PM

Me too, but I think LOTR is just as good. All my friends were jealous of me, because they were in Australia while I was in Singapore, and Australia didn't get it until Boxing Day. (I saw it on 13 December).

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: Little Hawk
Date: 08 Feb 13 - 10:49 PM

Well, I'll watch anything if I can just get to see some of the Elves again for a few minutes. I'd BE an Elf if I had the choice. I like their attitude and their ethics.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: GUEST,Stim
Date: 08 Feb 13 - 11:35 PM

I think you *are* an Elf, Little Hawk. I've avoided mentioning it, but since you brought it up...

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 09 Feb 13 - 01:09 AM

Hawk, can you walk on snow? Do you have extremely sharp hearing and eyesight?

I'd prefer to be a Hobbit.. an adventurous Hobbit.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 09 Feb 13 - 01:09 AM

:)

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: Neil D
Date: 09 Feb 13 - 01:33 AM

Did anyone see it in the higher frame rate format and how was that?

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 09 Feb 13 - 01:39 AM

I didn't; my dad doesn't like 3D. But I've heard it's like game or TV show.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 09 Feb 13 - 01:40 AM

*a*

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: Little Hawk
Date: 09 Feb 13 - 09:36 AM

My hearing is quite good, but my eyesight is terrible. As for walking on snow...well, yes, to some extent. I'm lighter built than a lot of people, and when I was a kid this often enabled me to walk lightly on the frozen crust of the snow when most other people would break through.

Hobbits are fun...no doubt about it...and they know how to relax and enjoy life, so being a Hobbit would be cool, but I would still opt for being an Elf, given the choice.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: GUEST,Stim
Date: 09 Feb 13 - 12:00 PM

I saw it with all the bells and whistles (and paid extra for it). Not sure if I agree with the "game or TV show" assessment, but I don't think it added much. It's really just a novelty effect, and that stuff wore thin for me a long time ago.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: Little Hawk
Date: 09 Feb 13 - 12:25 PM

Going by my previous experience with Avatar, I think 3D makes a movie worse, not better, so if I have the option to see the film without it, that's the option I'll take. (I saw Avatar once in 3D, once in "normal", and I definitely liked normal better.)

In the case of The Hobbit, I had the option to see it without the 3D effect and took it. As far as I'm concerned, 3D is an unnecessary visual distraction, and the colors in the film get weakened by it.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: Edthefolkie
Date: 09 Feb 13 - 01:58 PM

The 1968 BBC audio version of The Hobbit is well worth listening to. Think it's still available on CD.

Paul Daneman made an excellent Bilbo and John Justin of "Thief of Baghdad" film fame was a fantastic Thorin Oakenshield. There was lots of BBC Radiophonic Workshop input; their man David Cain wrote the music and David Munrow and the Early Music Consort performed it.

A lot of people don't seem to get it - however my mind was blown (well it was that era, man)

See what you think of Episode 1 - John Justin sings the Far Over The Misty Mountains song at 10:20

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BZX9g24P-8

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: Little Robyn
Date: 09 Feb 13 - 05:51 PM

We saw it (not 3D) and loved it.
Last month we had the opportunity to visit Hobbiton - the real place, but the bloke who owns the land has a real tourist trap there - $75 for an adult to just look around and I think the only part that you can enter is the Prancing Horse where you can get a cuppa and cakes. There were even dearer options as well.
We decided it was too expensive for the three of us so gave it a miss.
Maybe one day we can visit Weta Workshops, tho' I expect that won't be cheap either.
I can't wait for the next 2 movies.
Robyn (Kiwi)

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: Neil D
Date: 10 Feb 13 - 01:53 AM

I actually wasn't asking about 3-D which has been around a few years. There were cuts of this film shown in about 10% of theaters that run at twice as many frames per seconds as normal, a technology used for the 1st time ever.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: ragdall
Date: 10 Feb 13 - 04:02 AM

My son and Grandson took me to see it in 3D. I found with the 3D it was difficult to focus my eyes on the screen, partly because the only seats remaining when we arrived were almost in the front rows.

I liked the movie, but was very disappointed that it ended without them getting anywhere.

rags

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 10 Feb 13 - 06:06 AM

What's everyone's impression of the acting? Does anyone have a scene that affected them most?

For me, the scene that affected me most was the one where Dean O'Gorman as Fili and Aidan Turner as Kili said, (paraphrasing) "Orcs.. They strike in the wee small hours of the morning" and Richard Armitage as Thorin said in this dangerously quiet voice, "You think this is funny? You think a night raid by Orcs is a joke?"

As I watched that, I was wincing and thinking, "Oh crap, Kili, you really put your foot in it!" It reminded me of the times I've said something tactless and my dad has said something like "You think this is funny?"

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: vectis
Date: 10 Feb 13 - 11:38 AM

I have only just read the book. I could see how you could get a trio of movies out of it but loads of padding would be needed which is what Jackson probably has done.
I am just moving to NZ to live in the sets, should be good. I'll watch the movies one day.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 10 Feb 13 - 05:17 PM

Yeah, loads of padding.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 10 Feb 13 - 05:40 PM

I saw it weeks ago. I wanted to leave theatre before they even got to Rivendell. When we left i was so angry I was fuming for several hours after and wanted to hit something. Still in shock. It is utter mercenary sacrilege for a devout Tolkeinist like me.   Agree that Radaghast character was butchered.

If I ever meet Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens or any of the other Wingnuts, I will slap him, her, them in the face. Lost all respect for Jackson and his team.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: GUEST,Stim
Date: 10 Feb 13 - 05:46 PM

Yes, Neil, if it wasn't clear, when I said, "I saw it with all the bells and whistles", I meant I saw the HFR version." It cost extra.
(and I took my kids, so it was a lot extra)

I was not particularly impressed. I suppose to make a good assessment, one would have to see both the regular, 2D version and compare the two, but I'm not that curious.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: Neil D
Date: 11 Feb 13 - 12:03 AM

I know it got mixed reviews in testing. Some thought it a dramatic improvement while others found it unsettling. We'll see it again in forthcoming big ticket flicks, including Cameron's sequels to Avatar.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 11 Feb 13 - 05:02 AM

"It is utter mercenary sacrilege for a devout Tolkeinist like me."

That was the thing that really wrong-footed me when I first got to the cinema, those who had been saying in reviews that the length of the film might be too long for any but *Tolkien* fans! Whut? Tolkien fans?

No, NO, NO!!!!

Himself enjoyed it, I couldn't hardly speak about it for fear of an avalanche of righteous rage descending on his head ;)

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 13 Feb 13 - 06:58 AM

@Virginia: I'm ''a devout Tolkienist'', too (LOL I love that) too, but I have a very different opinion of the movie.

BTW, speaking of The Hobbit, many people here will probably know that the dwarves' names (and Gandalf's) were taken from an Old Norse list of dwarves.

"Vig and Gandalf, Vindalf, Thrain...
Thekk and Thorin, Thror...

Dwalin, Bifur, Bofur, , Bombur...

Fili, , Kili, Oin, Gloin...

but in researching Norse dwarves for something I'm drafting (waiting in my brain and on my hard drive for years) which is a homage to /deconstruction of Tolkien and high fantasy and draws on a LOT of Norse mythology, especially the famous legend of Andvari's cursed, gold-finding ring and Sigurd the Dragon Slayer, which some people will probably realise was Tolkien's favourite Norse legend (and now is also becoming mine). It's the one which inspired Narsil/Anduril in LOTR, and also the character of Smaug.

I found out that in one version of the story, Regin, Sigurd's dwarf foster father, is a prince, the youngest son of the dwarven king Hreidmar, exiled by his older brother Fafnir the dragon, and eventually becoming a blacksmith to a human king. Sound similar to parts of Thorin's backstory from The Hobbit?

I wonder whether this idea of "a dwarven prince driven into exile by a dragon, forced to work as a blacksmith for his living, and driven to claim his rights" was another part of the legend which inspired JRRT?

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 13 Feb 13 - 06:59 AM

*,*

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: beardedbruce
Date: 13 Feb 13 - 11:11 AM

Elder Edda ( Oxford, 1904 printing)

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: alanabit
Date: 13 Feb 13 - 02:22 PM

I enjoyed it. Peter Jackson has taken some liberties, but his job is to make a watchable film - not to rerun the movie which the audience has in its head. The fight scenes were ridiculous to the level of "Blues Brothers" style self-parody. That did not spoil my enjoyment though.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: Little Hawk
Date: 13 Feb 13 - 03:59 PM

I'd certainly agree about the fight scenes....they are way over the top to the point of being utterly unbelievable. It's sad what happens in an industry that has allowed mere hollow spectacle to replace genuine drama.

But, hey, they're trying to create a society of befuddled, passive, short attention-spanned, drugged sleepwalkers who are incapable of analyzing anything. Obedient drones for the elite to enslave. One way of doing that is through exaggerated mass spectacle of one sort or another...a method Hitler made great use of. Take the Superbowl, for instance...take a look at the grotesque spectacles they've done at the last couple of halftime shows. Check out Madonna's and Beyonce's contributions.

Whatever Peter Jackson has done in comparison to that pales into insignificance.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 13 Feb 13 - 04:23 PM

Talking of the Hyper Bowl LH, I heard the other day that one of the most exciting features of the whole spectacle for the US public, are the adverts.. Yes, the frigging adverts. There are even TV items dedicated to discussing the adverts and on those programmes, they provide statistics for how much online twitterage the adverts get and which adverts are popular and being discussed online by the viewing public and which are not. I watched one such news item, wonderingly.. So surreal!

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 13 Feb 13 - 04:23 PM

@Bruce: Please explain?

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: Little Hawk
Date: 13 Feb 13 - 09:37 PM

Kind of sounds like the Beast's new version of masturbation, CS...

(I'm not all that surprised, though, that some people find the adverts more entertaining than the game itself.)

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: beardedbruce
Date: 14 Feb 13 - 08:49 AM

"many people here will probably know that the dwarves' names (and Gandalf's) were taken from an Old Norse list of dwarves.

"Vig and Gandalf, Vindalf, Thrain...
Thekk and Thorin, Thror...

Dwalin, Bifur, Bofur, , Bombur...

Fili, , Kili, Oin, Gloin...

but in researching Norse dwarves for something I'm drafting (waiting in my brain and on my hard drive for years) which is a homage to /deconstruction of Tolkien and high fantasy and draws on a LOT of Norse mythology, especially the famous legend of Andvari's cursed, gold-finding ring and Sigurd the Dragon Slayer, which some people will probably realise was Tolkien's favourite Norse legend (and now is also becoming mine). It's the one which inspired Narsil/Anduril in LOTR, and also the character of Smaug."


Elder Edda ( Oxford, 1904 printing)

@Bruce: Please explain?


Tolkien's probable source was the Elder Edda. I have the Oxford 1904 edition, which I have been informed was one he would have used in college.


Presently collecting Childe's probable source books...

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 14 Feb 13 - 05:34 PM

@Bruce: Thanks.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 22 Feb 13 - 07:54 PM

Interestingly, this morning (9-something over here), I downloaded a podcast on Tolkien and Old Norse- as a writer whose fantasy project combines bits of Tolkien and his Norse influences (besides almost EVERY fantasy writer has a Tolkien influence), I'm always interested in his influences- and besides it's a damn interesting topic. Anyway, halfway into the podcast episode I've been listening to, on The Hobbit's character names, the "Dvergatal" is read aloud and you actually get to hear how the names are pronounced.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Feb 13 - 11:27 PM

...url for the podcast???

better yet... YOU ...transcribe it to this thread.

small chance of that....as part of the "oh - oh" generation YOU are our retirement...and thongs look bleak.

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 23 Feb 13 - 12:48 AM

Greg - "thongs" look bleak?

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: GUEST,MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 23 Feb 13 - 01:55 AM

http://aldasaga.com/2012/11/19/tolkien-old-norse-the-norse-huldufolk-tolkiens-hobbits/
Link for subscribing to it

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: GUEST,MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 23 Feb 13 - 02:00 AM

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tolkien-old-norse/id511718662

Subject: RE: BS: Saw The Hobbit during the holidays
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 23 Feb 13 - 02:03 AM

I don't like to stay logged in for a long time