Official 'The Hobbit' Thread - - - - - Part 14

[Vartha]

It was still amazing on my small tv lol

 

[Vartha]

Silvermoon wanted to see the dvd of Unexpected I got

 

[Silvermoon]

Silvermoon wanted to see the dvd of Unexpected I got

Thanks, I see what you mean now

 

[Vartha]

Thanks, I see what you mean now

Wish they similar with Smaug

 

[vinsanity]

Richard Armitage (Thorin) talks about There and Back Again and a couple of scenes that will be on the EE of Desolation of Smaug

[YT]2itxaiWh6PI[/YT]

 

[Vartha]

Richard Armitage (Thorin) talks about There and Back Again and a couple of scenes that will be on the EE of Desolation of Smaug

[YT]2itxaiWh6PI[/YT]

nice only until December til then lol

 

[mclay18]

I got the Blu-ray combo of Desolation today. Coupled with a GC, it only cost $12 out of pocket.

I'm pleased WB is still sticking to Peter Jackson's 'no ads' policy when it comes to Hobbit/Lord of the Rings home video releases. Even better is that WB went back to their generous chapter selection for Journey and Smaug.

 

[Vartha]

I got the Blu-ray combo of Desolation today. Coupled with a GC, it only cost $12 out of pocket.

I'm pleased WB is still sticking to Peter Jackson's 'no ads' policy when it comes to Hobbit/Lord of the Rings home video releases. Even better is that WB went back to their generous chapter selection for Journey and Smaug.

Me too, it's annoying that some companies do that wehn you pay premium prcies. WB was worse with that on a few of my dvds and you can't fast foreword through them
I need to look through them all to see if the New hobbits have the hidden easter egg specials on them somewhere

 

[Marvolo]

Richard Armitage (Thorin) talks about There and Back Again and a couple of scenes that will be on the EE of Desolation of Smaug

[YT]2itxaiWh6PI[/YT]

Looking forward to the extended Mirkwood. Tho Im curious how the unconcious Bombur thing works. In the theatrical cut he is concious when the elves capture them. Either they shot another version of the elves capturing them where he is asleep or his sleep doesnt last as long as it did in the books.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

Rewatching the flick, boy do I hate the barrel escape scene. It seems the dwarves gain power and core strength on the level of Captain America where a throw of spears can knock orcs back as if they were hit by a vehicle. It is the same reason I hate some of the action scenes in Nolan's Batman, when they sacrifice character for spectacle. Character consistency is a hallmark of good character writing, but it is also important in action scenes because they ground them in some sort of consistency. Which is why it is irksome when previously bumbling Dwarves like Bombur (or whichever the obese one is) can suddenly slice and dice half a dozen orcs while his view is being obstucted by his own barrels. But the worst part is not the scene by itself, the worst part is the ripple effect it has on everything else. It makes the orcs look incredibly dumb and weak. Why should I care if these orcs cannot handle a bumbling fat oaf who is trapped in a barrel? Why should I fear the idiots? It also makes the badass elves look weak. They can kill a dozen orcs? So can Bombur. I think I detest that scene. Especially when you combine the poor writing with shoddy CGI and some poor shot choices. I would've much preferred the book's version of a clean escape. With the escape serving as a release from the tension of the previous scene. Not as an excuse to create yet another huge setpiece.

 

[regwec]

I agree, and I think it comes from PJ's desire to inflate everything. Organising the Dwarves' escape by river shows clever planning and decisiveness on Bilbo's part, gives the Dwarves reason to respect him, provides a memorable scene, and uses the river to change the setting quickly and efficiently. It really didn't need a protracted roller-coaster action sequence to pad it out, especially when that sequence had all the deficiencies that you describe.

It recalls the completely unnecessary avalanche of green skulls in ROTK's Paths of the Dead.

 

[Marvolo]

Rewatching the flick, boy do I hate the barrel escape scene. It seems the dwarves gain power and core strength on the level of Captain America where a throw of spears can knock orcs back as if they were hit by a vehicle. It is the same reason I hate some of the action scenes in Nolan's Batman, when they sacrifice character for spectacle. Character consistency is a hallmark of good character writing, but it is also important in action scenes because they ground them in some sort of consistency. Which is why it is irksome when previously bumbling Dwarves like Bombur (or whichever the obese one is) can suddenly slice and dice half a dozen orcs while his view is being obstucted by his own barrels. But the worst part is not the scene by itself, the worst part is the ripple effect it has on everything else. It makes the orcs look incredibly dumb and weak. Why should I care if these orcs cannot handle a bumbling fat oaf who is trapped in a barrel? Why should I fear the idiots? It also makes the badass elves look weak. They can kill a dozen orcs? So can Bombur. I think I detest that scene. Especially when you combine the poor writing with shoddy CGI and some poor shot choices. I would've much preferred the book's version of a clean escape. With the escape serving as a release from the tension of the previous scene. Not as an excuse to create yet another huge setpiece.

I hate the scene and have done so since first seeing it on release day. I just skip over that whole eyesore while watching the film. Yet, I keep reading people praising it, and I'm just baffled. The cgi is questionable at best, the physics of the whole thing are more cartoon than anything else in the franchise, the orcs are reduced to those little ducks you shoot with a bb gun at the fair, it's overly long and convoluted etc. It's my least favorite scene in all the movies.

 

[jonathancrane]

The scene was beautifully executed and recalls the whimsy of Tolkien, along with some nice flourishes (the Donkey Kong antics with bombur.) It offered some humor in a dark tale. In a way, it was like the shot of Bilbo breaking through the tree tops of Mirkwood and scattering the butterflies; both shots mark the transition from lighthearted adventure to a grim fight for survival (Kili being stabbed being the proverbial switch being thrown.)

 

[regwec]

Yes, it was crude in its inception and cack-handed in its execution.

 

[jonathancrane]

Just like the book.

 

[Marvolo]

Just like the book.

No not at all like the book. In the book they float down a river and try not to drown. That is all. The scene in the movie is an overblown mess. A simple chase down river would have been fine. What we got was a freakshow of elements thrown at the wall to see what would stick and please the ADHD crowd in the audience.

 

[Whiskey Tango]

The cgi is questionable at best, the physics of the whole thing are more cartoon than anything else

This is my major beef with the first movie, which I am rewatching right now in prep for the 2nd one. If they had just toned things down and given the cgi models a little weight so they aren't being tossed around like exploding popcorn kernels it would have been much more satisfying.

It's a shame too because it's the only real complaint I have.

 

[Marvolo]

This is my major beef with the first movie, which I am rewatching right now in prep for the 2nd one. If they had just toned things down and given the cgi models a little weight so they aren't being tossed around like exploding popcorn kernels it would have been much more satisfying.

It's a shame too because it's the only real complaint I have.

Agree completely. This trilogy is in dire need of some restraint.

Side note, I hadn't heard that John Pinette died. I figured he wouldn't live to be very old given his weight and eating habits, but the man was hilarious. He will be missed. RIP

 

[jonathancrane]

No not at all like the book. In the book they float down a river and try not to drown. That is all. The scene in the movie is an overblown mess. A simple chase down river would have been fine. What we got was a freakshow of elements thrown at the wall to see what would stick and please the ADHD crowd in the audience.

I was doing a scene by scene comparison. He called the scene "
Yes, it was crude in its inception and cack-handed in its execution."

I posted those qualities describe the book. Somewhere between the Hobbit and LOTR Tolkien took a freshmen creative writing course. The LOTR -for the most part-is a beautifully executed text. The Hobbit, on the other hand, is a book that was published three drafts too early. Sure, its defenders say it's a children's book and not to be too hard on it, but, there are plenty of children's books that hold up to revisiting as an adult. The Hobbit is not one of them.

 

[Marvolo]

I was doing a scene by scene comparison. He called the scene "
Yes, it was crude in its inception and cack-handed in its execution."

I posted those qualities describe the book. Somewhere between the Hobbit and LOTR Tolkien took a freshmen creative writing course. The LOTR -for the most part-is a beautifully executed text. The Hobbit, on the other hand, is a book that was published three drafts too early. Sure, its defenders say it's a children's book and not to be too hard on it, but, there are plenty of children's books that hold up to revisiting as an adult. The Hobbit is not one of them.

Oh I understand what you meant now. I agree that Hobbit the book is a freshman attempt. And the movies are showing a similar freshman attempt from Jackson. Haha I guess in a way it's fitting. It's just a shame the Jackson that directed FOTR couldn't have directed these films. Then we'd have something really special I think.

Sorry if I seemed snappy in the previous posts.

 

[jonathancrane]

Oh I understand what you meant now. I agree that Hobbit the book is a freshman attempt. And the movies are showing a similar freshman attempt from Jackson. Haha I guess in a way it's fitting. It's just a shame the Jackson that directed FOTR couldn't have directed these films. Then we'd have something really special I think.

Sorry if I seemed snappy in the previous posts.

No problem--you were fine.

 

[NTNBaessi]

I just think that Jackson was trying to do what Tolkien tried to do with his The Hobbit later in his life, to glue it together to LOTR. You know, The Quest of Erebor and stuff.

 

[regwec]

How did turning the barrel escape sequence into broken videogame help to achieve that?

 

[Eggyman]

I had a screener of DoS and I prefer it to the Bluray I got. The poor quality of the screener hid the cartoony cg. I was so shocked when I watched the Bluray.

 

[Doc Ock]

Wish they similar with Smaug

I'm deeply annoyed Walmart didn't have a Digibook for the second film, I got the second film anyways but now my Digibook of the first film is lonely....