The Hobbit (the Jackson films)

[Caya]

I found that hard to believe because in my late teens, when I discovered and adored Tolkien, I was a total Elf groupie (I think I can still discuss some of the differences between Quenya and Sindarin :lol:). Finding myself rooting for that Ork leader to cut down Legolas so he'd finally stop parkouring wasn't something I'd have believed possible :P.

[Arcadia]

[Carol the Dabbler]

Finding myself rooting for that Ork leader to cut down Legolas so he'd finally stop parkouring wasn't something I'd have believed possible :P.

 

Thanks for teaching me a new word!

 

Legolas was actually one of my favorite characters in the LotR movies, but even then his gymnastics struck me as kinda ridiculous.  Considering that the character logically rates at best a cameo appearance or two in the Hobbit movies, and bearing in mind that I've always been a Bilbo fan, you'll have no trouble believing that I rate his Hobbit appearances right up there with J.J. Evans and Larry, Darryl, and Darryl, as minor characters who far overstayed their welcome.  (On the other hand, I actually like Fonzie -- at least until he literally jumped the shark.)

[T.o.b.y]

I love elves too, but I found their portrayal disappointing even in the Lord of the Rings movies. The only elf I found believable was Galadriel. She made up for the rest though, big time - truly magical in my eyes.

 

Legolas in the films has always gotten on my nerves (like him in the books, though). And what was Tauriel there for in The Hobbit? Was this some kind of "oh, no, there aren't enough women in Tolkien" thing? For pete's sake, some stories just don't have a female character, and besides, they already brought Galadriel in, which made actual sense the way they did it, so why have her? Because every movie now needs a redhead with a sword to be acceptable? Because if you only have a blond who wears a dress and uses magic, that's too sexist or something?

 

Speaking of these things (and because I have been thinking about feminism a lot these past few months, probably because I stumbled upon some very provocative videos on that topic online): I love Eowyn. She's a real person, not just a babe with a weapon, she has an actual interesting personality and loves and fears and losses and conflicts and everything a great character needs. I am sad that in the Lord of the Rings films, they didn't show her laying down her sword and becoming a healer. I mean, that's the best part for me! I only wish the male fighters would reach the same wisdom that she did - what a tender world that would be...

[Carol the Dabbler]

NBC has released some heretofore-unused footage filmed for SNL's "Hobbit Office" skit.  (Note:  If you haven't already seen the sketch as originally broadcast, you may want to watch that first.  It's available here.)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL21l5gGFKE&feature=player_detailpage

[Arcadia]

I can see why those scenes were cut.... :P

[Carol the Dabbler]

Yes, I think they tightened it nicely for the broadcast.  But it's kinda fun to see what they decided to leave out.

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

For everyone who thinks the Hobbit films could have been considerably shorter:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=JrKXH1CeXck

 

Apparently there's a series of such "suggestions" for the other five Hobbit and LotR movies as well (click Watch on YouTube and check the column of links on the right).

[Arcadia]

I think they have them for all sorts of movies.

 

That after credits song is brilliant!

[Carol the Dabbler]

Oops, thanks -- I meant to say don't walk out before the credits!

[Arcadia]

Didn't we just have this discussion on another thread? :D

[Arcadia]

For reasons known only to them, today's Bing wallpaper is Hobbiton; with a link to this lovely video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=276&v=NgHkgOjXeeg

 

And probably other neat stuff too but aghgh too busy to look....

[Carol the Dabbler]

*whimper*  I wanna go there!      (Preferably the real Hobbiton.)

 

[Arcadia]

Me too!!!!!

[Carol the Dabbler]

Maybe we could get group rates? 

[Carol the Dabbler]

Amazon (US) has announced that the Battle extended edition DVD will be released on November 17th, and is now available for pre-order.  Ditto the Blu-Ray.  Hooray!

 

Has anyone heard more about that extended-edition theater showing?

 

[SherlockedCAMPer]

I saw somewhere dates were October 5, 7, and 13 but no other info

[Carol the Dabbler]

OK, I've found more info.  This is a "nationwide" event -- i.e., apparently available only in the US (sorry!) -- sponsored by a consortium of theater chains: AMC, Regal, and Cinemark.  Showings will be at 7:30 local time on October 5 (Monday), 7 (Wednesday), and 13 (Tuesday).  There are at least a couple of theaters within an hour's drive of us that have already signed up (and since we're at least half an hour away from any theaters at all, that's really not too bad).

 

Here's the consortium's website -- theater locations are available on the Buy Tickets page.  And here's an article in Variety.

[Arcadia]

Oh, this sounds like so much fun! But I teach two of those nights, and not sure I want to drive an hour for that anyway. Interesting that Hamlet is in more venues around here than the Hobbit, you'd think it'd be t'other way around.........

[Carol the Dabbler]

They say they're still adding venues, so you may yet find a closer theater.

 

I doubt that we'll go.  Would love to see the extended cuts in a theater, but we wouldn't get home till around midnight.  That would be fine on a Friday or Saturday, but those are all weeknights so Alex has work the next day.  And we're buying the DVD anyhow.

 

Odd that they would do this on "school nights" -- surely a good portion of their target audience would be high-school kids?

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

... I really like some of his modifications (for example, the scenes at Beorn's house).

 

Others, not so much.  For example:

 

 

What the hell are sandworms doing in Middle Earth?!

 

 

I just ran across a reference to [the beasts mentioned in my spoiler] which calls them were-worms, so I looked up that term in the Tolkien Gateway, which quotes Bilbo from the first chapter of the book: "Tell me what you want done, and I will try it, if I have to walk from here to the East of East and fight the wild Were-worms in the Last Desert."  They state that Jackson's Gandalf refers to certain monsters in Battle by that name.  This is supposed to justify their appearance in a Tolkien-universe movie.

 

That reminds me of a joke supposedly told by President Lincoln:  "If you call a tail a leg, then how many legs does a dog have?"

 

Answer:

 

Four.  Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it one.

 

 

[sfmpco]

Carol, please move this to the thread I seem unable to find...

 

Here's a bit of Martin/Ben having a bit of a reunion on the last day of shooting for Martin on The Hobbit.

 

http://free-martinis.tumblr.com/post/131609152861/constantlyfreemaned-ive-had-a-lot-of-people

Edited October 21, 2015 by Carol the Dabbler
I take it this is the thread you meant! ;)

[SherlockedCAMPer]

Must get the extended edition asap.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Here's a bit of Martin/Ben having a bit of a reunion on the last day of shooting for Martin on The Hobbit.

 

http://free-martinis.tumblr.com/post/131609152861/constantlyfreemaned-ive-had-a-lot-of-people

 

I love how he visibly and instantly changes from Bilbo Baggins to Martin Freeman.

[Arcadia]

Having to rest a lot, so yesterday I watched "Desolation" -- the first half engages but I started fast forwarding every time an orc appeared. It greatly improved the film to do so, I'm afraid. And I realized that Smaug's appearance doesn't have quite the impact I think it should (rather disappointing, that) and I think it's because they divert to Gandalf vs. the Necromancer. Meh, Smaug is two bits o' nothin' compared to the Dark Lord of the Sith... er, Sauron. A dragon is a minor threat by comparison ... sigh. And Legolas is just a silly action man in this, ugh. Bilbo is still wonderful (if increasingly underused) as is Thorin; I'm really impressed with what they did with Thorin. I'd give a lot to have the time and equipment to edit this movie .... double sigh.....