Official 'The Hobbit' Thread - - - - Part 13

[regwec]

I'm wondering whether I will still be alive by the time someone else attempts to adapt The Hobbit for film. Possibly not.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

Dunno. But Christopher Tolkien might still be alive to rue it.

 

[vinsanity]

Dunno. But Christopher Tolkien might still be alive to rue it.

As a ringwraith :P

 

[Tacit Ronin]

As a CGI Bolg.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

It was clearly a mistake in terms of quality (not box office) to split The Hobbit into three films. The narrative is just not worthy of it. I think most people will probably agree with that.

But the truth is, The Hobbit had much the same problem as A Princess of Mars. Namely, that while they were hugely influential, they just don't hold up. They've been far surpassed by later works within the genres they built. In this case, by Tolkien's own works. It shouldn't be a surprise that the Lord of the Rings films are much better than The Hobbit films when The Lord of the Rings novel is much better than The Hobbit. There isn't much Jackson could have done to fix that.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

It was clearly a mistake in terms of quality (not box office) to split The Hobbit into three films. The narrative is just not worthy of it. I think most people will probably agree with that.

But the truth is, The Hobbit had much the same problem as A Princess of Mars. Namely, that while they were hugely influential, they just don't hold up. They've been far surpassed by later works within the genres they built. In this case, by Tolkien's own works. It shouldn't be a surprise that the Lord of the Rings films are much better than The Hobbit films when The Lord of the Rings novel is much better than The Hobbit. There isn't much Jackson could have done to fix that.

You can't argue this with these films. They bare little resemblance to the work.

 

[TheVileOne]

Tauriel is not worthy of the narrative.

Seriously, if we have a character like Tauriel, why can't we have Arwen at Helm's Deep?

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

You can't argue this with these films. They bare little resemblance to the work.

I'm not saying Jackson couldn't have done a better job. I'm saying that even if he had, it wouldn't have come close to Lord of the Rings.

 

[CGHulk]

I like the movie!

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Tauriel is not worthy of the narrative.

Seriously, if we have a character like Tauriel, why can't we have Arwen at Helm's Deep?

Because back then Peter had a quality filter.

I'm not saying Jackson couldn't have done a better job. I'm saying that even if he had, it wouldn't have come close to Lord of the Rings.

And I think if they did two films and did them right, it could be on par with Fellowship of the Ring, the best of the original bunch.

 

[regwec]

I'm not saying Jackson couldn't have done a better job. I'm saying that even if he had, it wouldn't have come close to Lord of the Rings.

It would just be different: smaller scale, more fairy tale, more approachable to children. I think one of the many severe problems with PJ's fanfic Middle Earth prequels is that they try so hard to turn The Hobbit into LOTR, when the two are quite distinct.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

It was clearly a mistake in terms of quality (not box office) to split The Hobbit into three films. The narrative is just not worthy of it. I think most people will probably agree with that.

But the truth is, The Hobbit had much the same problem as A Princess of Mars. Namely, that while they were hugely influential, they just don't hold up. They've been far surpassed by later works within the genres they built. In this case, by Tolkien's own works. It shouldn't be a surprise that the Lord of the Rings films are much better than The Hobbit films when The Lord of the Rings novel is much better than The Hobbit. There isn't much Jackson could have done to fix that.

I think if there was a single three hour film or twin two hour films done with less emphasis on OTT action and more consideration towards the quieter, atmospheric segments of the book and the magical whimsy (as opposed to the juvenile stupidty of Jackson) that Tolkien brought to the fold (seen briefly in the inital dinner scenes and the first half of Fellowship) it could've ended up as one of the best fantasy films ever made.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I think if there was a single three hour film or twin two hour films done with less emphasis on OTT action and more consideration towards the quieter, atmospheric segments of the book and the magical whimsy (as opposed to the juvenile stupidty of Jackson) that Tolkien brought to the fold (seen briefly in the inital dinner scenes and the first half of Fellowship) it could've ended up as one of the best fantasy films ever made.

Yo, buddy. Right here!

The original idea to cut the film after the barrels was a good idea imo.

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

It was okay...

Spoiler

was kind of disappointed in Bilbo's confrontation with Smaug, and Smaug himself disappointed me too. Those dwarves really made him seem like an idiot. Felt like a cartoon chase because Smaug didn't feel dangerous enough to me. He could've burned those dwarves to a crisp and instead he just kept bull*****ing. I'd say that the barrel escape was the best scene for me. That was a lot of fun.

 

[ThePhantasm]

Yeah, that would have been a better place to cut it.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Yeah, that would have been a better place to cut it.

If you strip it all down and were to build it from the ground up. You could pack a lot into a 5-6 hours two film adaptation. I still like the idea of framing as a story Bilbo is writing, allowing for the extra whimsy and almost the lack of knowledge of the Ring and what it can do besides turn a man invisible.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

The original idea to cut the film after the barrels was a good idea imo.

I can see it now: A wide shot of the escaping Dwarves floating down the great Lake with the clouded silhouette of the Lonely Mountain in the distant background while the Misty Mountains theme thumps as the screen fades to black.

Sigh......

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

And Legolas was an absolute badass in his action scenes. Matter of fact, all of the elves were badass when it came to action.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I can see it now: A wide shot of the escaping Dwarves floating down the great Lake with the clouded silhouette of the Lonely Mountain in the distant background while the Misty Mountains theme thumps as the screen fades to black.

Sigh......

Then you start the second with Bard. Lake Town Smaug for the first half, the Battle of Five Armies and the truncated journey back for the second half. Would be glorious.

 

[regwec]

I just have to ask: was it as boring, bloated and overblown as PJ's King Kong?

 

[DarthSkywalker]

And Legolas was an absolute badass in his action scenes. Matter of fact, all of the elves were badass when it came to action.

He really was. Legolas was at asskicking best this time around. I was even into his entrance. Liked him more more in general this time.

I justt have to ask: was it as boring, bloated and overblown as PJ's King Kong?

Not nearly as "boring" imo. It is bloated, but again not nearly as close. Definitely as overblown though.

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

WTF was up with that cliffhanger? Everyone in the theater groaned, and not in a, "Aww, I wanted to see what happens next! I can't wait until the next movie!" way, but in a "Why the hell would they end it there? It was just getting good!" way. People(including me) were even sitting in their seats during that abrupt black screen before the credits, thinking that maybe the movie wasn't over after all. Nope, once the credits came, the groans came.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

I still think the movies can still improve on some of the novels ideas by having Bilbo be conscious and participating to significant length in the Battle of the Five armies. It would better complement his arc of going from a well off, sedentary and slothful Hobbit to a courageous adventurer.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

WTF was up with that cliffhanger? Everyone in the theater groaned, and not in a, "Aww, I wanted to see what happens next! I can't wait until the next movie!" way, but in a "Why the hell would they end it there? It was just getting good!" way. People(including me) were even sitting in their seats during that abrupt black screen before the credits, thinking that maybe the movie wasn't over after all. Nope, once the credits came, the groans came.

I think this is a universal thing. Horrible place to end it, but they had to kinda of doing it after they decided to spread the films out.

 

[Zeus]

Yes....