Official 'The Hobbit' Thread - Part 15

[Drizzle]

I just watched the extended version. The best new scenes were the added Beorn and Thrain scenes. Other than that, I don't really think the new scenes improved the movie much. I still feel more or less the same about it, which is that it's a bridge movie that doesn't fare too well on its own, but it will probably be much more appreciated once the third film is out.

 

[CGHulk]

Well I finally saw the extended edition and I loved it. It is so much better than the theatrical cut. I now love the pacing of the film so much more. The moment from Beon leading up to the spider fight, is primarily all story and devoid of action, which is really nice. My father’s complaint from the theatical cut was why was the Master of Laketown giving Bard such a hard time, now it’s all fleshed out, you see now the people of Laketown look up to him. An example is how the towns people helped Bard by hiding the knocked out soldiers. In the theatrical cut I had a complaint with the Master quickly welcoming Thorin’s quest, now that has been fleshed out. I love how while Thrain is telling Gandalf that Thorin must not enter the mountain, they then cut to Thorin entering the mountain, which added suspense. With Thrain telling Gandalf that the dragon is in league with Sauron adds a more evil dimension to Smaug instead of him being just a one-dimensional character that just wants gold. When Thorin is doing his best to kill Smaug you really want him to succeed in doing it, now that stakes are higher. I love it when the dwarves are presented to Beon two by two, just like in the book. I think the new footage and cut in Mirkwood forest is an improvement. I love that there is a scene where Smaug hints at his connection to being in league with Sauron. Now when Smaug senses the ring its now because he’s more evil because he's in league with the dark one. When Smaug knew Thorin and the dwarves were there in the mines you suspect that he and Sauron were expecting them to show up. Overall the story is more layered now and better paced than the theatrical cut. I think the extended cut pacing here is closer to the Lord of the Rings than the theatrical.

I have to say the theatrical cut is more faithful to the source material than the extended cut and the extended takes even more focus off Bilbo due to the new adding story elements. That's not a criticism, its just the truth.

 

[ravn0s]

 

[Marvolo]

Score Tracklist

Disc 1

1. Fire and Water
2. Shores of the Long Lake
3. Beyond Sorrow and Grief
4. Guardians of the Three
5. The Ruins of Dale
6. The Gathering of the Clouds
7. Mithril
8. Bred for War
9. A Thief in the Night
10. The Clouds Burst
11. Battle for the Mountain

Disc 2

1. The Darkest Hour
2. Sons of Durin
3. The Fallen
4. Ravenhill
5. To the Death
6. Courage and Wisdom
7. The Return Journey
8. There and Back Again
9. Ironfoot
10. The Last Goodbye performed by Billy Boyd
11. Dragon-Sickness (Bonus Track)
12. Thrain (Bonus Track)

Yep Im quoting myself.

Ok so I just found out what the track Ironfoot is referring to. Dáin II is known as Ironfoot. In BTFA he is being played by Billy Connolly. *Anyone who hasnt read the book please dont google his name unless you want to spoil the end of the story.* Anyways I bring this up because this track comes after all the tracks that deal with Bilbo returning to the Shire. I thought that was a bit curious because I would have thought that the last we would see of Dain would be before Bilbo returns home. So I did some reading and

Spoiler

Dain Ironfoot was involved in the Battle of Dale (not the battle during the events of the Hobbit). Its another battle during the War of the Ring, and it was the deciding Northern battle in Sauron's campaign against the North. Dain and the King of Dale and the dwarves of Erebor and the men of Dale fought off the Easterlings and Sauron's northern army to stop it reaching Lothlorien and Rivendell. In the battle, Dain dies defending the slain body of the King of Dale who was his very close friend. But not before he stomped a mudhole in the ass of Sauron's army.

It was a MAJOR battle that the LOTR films never showed. Do y'all think its possible that the film may have an epilogue of sorts of old Bilbo talking about Dain's

Spoiler

rule of Erebor and his involvement in the War of the Ring? Jackson is trying to tie this trilogy to the LOTR and is setting up the War of the Ring so it raises the question "What happened to Erebor and Dale during the War of the Ring and what part did they play? Imo thats a question that needs to be answered. It doesnt need to be a long epilogue, but just something of old Bilbo talking about the important role Erebor and Dale played in holding Sauron's forces in the North and it can tie into what Legolas says in The Two Towers when he tells Gimli in Rohan that he fears that Gimli's kin are fighting their own battles in the North. Jackson could really bring all that together and give that line so much more meaning.

 

[Silvermoon]

I really like that in a lot of these recent posters/banners they're putting Fili & Kili alongside Thorin since (unfortunately) the previous films didn't touch on that relationship as much as I was hoping. I hope the final film reflects what these posters are showing....[BLACKOUT]so that when their fate happens the audience's hearts being properly ripped out of our chests is a deserved moment[/BLACKOUT]

 

[Drizzle]

Does anyone know when tickets go on sale for the third film, and what do you guys think the odds are that they have Tuesday evening showings (since it opens on a Wednesday)?

 

[C. Lee]

I went and picked up the extended version of THDOS yesterday.....and came away confused.

Last year I had picked up the extended version of the first movie....and it was a 2 disc almost bare boned version. At the time, I thought it was weird that Jackson hadn't done a big multi disc box that looked like a novel like he had done with the LOTR trilogy. I bought the second movie's extended version, and it was a 5 disc novel looking box with lots of extras. I immediately came home and started searching the internet....I can't believe I missed the fancy version of the first movie that was put out. I can only guess that I thought it was bluray only at the time. Now I have to go out and find the first movie special extended version.

That was my DOH!!!!! moment for the year.

 

[Marvolo]

The final trailer will be revealed tomorrow at 10am PT / 1pm ET!
https://m.facebook.com/TheHobbitMovie?

No trudging along on a quest means the final Hobbit will feel like a fast-paced thriller. Jackson says "I haven't made a film quite like this. It's my All the President's Men — or the closest I'm ever going to get."

Take a look:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/...attle-of-the-five-armies-sneak-peek/18450651/

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

The special features for DOS have definitely warmed me towards the movie. Its hard for me to hate this film after watching all the crew hard at work and their dedication on display. Just the attention to detail and the sets they built and the wire work and choreographers etc. They are so passionate about it. That being said...

One thing thats become abundantly clear about this film after watching some of these docs is that you get the sense that the problems came from Jackson more than anyone else. Watch his original Laketown cameo that Fran flat out refused to allow in the film and you'll know what I mean. Its horrid and in Fran's own words "stupid!". Jackson and Phillipa were going to go with it. Its a scene that is in the same vein as every cheesy bad thing in the film. The fact Jackson thought it was good shows you how off his compass gets at times. Really makes me wonder how many other terrible decisions Fran vetoed.

On another note, did yall know that Bard's two daughters were played by James Nesbitt's (Bofur) daughters? And young Bilbo's mother in AUJ EE was played by James' wife.

Knew the bolded, didnt know the italics, will have to look closer next time, I wouldnt have thought he could produce attractive daughters.

 

[PalmerTheThing]

I like how I'm hearing that this movie is very to the point, and action centered. That's great to hear because now we have two movies that build up to the crazy events of the third film.

 

[Marvolo]

Knew the bolded, didnt know the italics, will have to look closer next time, I wouldnt have thought he could produce attractive daughters.

It suprised me too. Jame's wife isnt a bombshell or anything but they made two good looking kids.The oldest is very pretty. Out of costume and with her hair down you can see Jame's features in the oldest daughter's face, but somehow they look good. It just goes to show that a little less testosterone and a little more estrogen can do wonders. Nature's a funny thing.

And the girl that serves Thorin food in the Prancing Pony is Jackson's daughter. The same girl that 14 years ago set all wild eyed listening to Bilbo tell his tale of the three Trolls at the Long Expected Party.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

It suprised me too. Jame's wife isnt a bombshell or anything but they made two good looking kids.The oldest is very pretty. Out of costume and with her hair down you can see Jame's features in the oldest daughter's face, but somehow they look good. It just goes to show that a little less testosterone and a little more estrogen can do wonders. Nature's a funny thing.

The oldest is pretty in the movie, and yeah you can tell she is Nesbitts daughter by looking at her, but she is a good looking girl.

​

And the girl that serves Thorin food in the Prancing Pony is Jackson's daughter. The same girl that 14 years ago set all wild eyed listening to Bilbo tell his tale of the three Trolls at the Long Expected Party.

Wow, didnt spot that either, will have to look out next time.

 

[Marvolo]

Just wanted to head this off at the pass. Yesterday TOR.net posted an article saying that BTFA would be 180 minutes. TOR have since updated the article with official word from the the production crew who say that runtime is in fact wrong. So if y'all hear about a 3 hour runtime its BS. Jackson is still aiming for a 140-150 minute runtime.

 

[regwec]

More than long enough.

 

[Vartha]

Haven't this one yet

 

[Drizzle]

I like how I'm hearing that this movie is very to the point, and action centered. That's great to hear because now we have two movies that build up to the crazy events of the third film.

It's going to be like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. Everything is pretty much set up, so the entire movie is one big third act, literally and figuratively.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

It is why I prefer Part 1.

 

[Marvolo]

Posted on TOR.net

Hello all,

I'm the UK cinema manager source who got the running time wrong on yesterday's reports - and I apologise to anyone whose hopes I got up (including myself). Turns out the 180 minutes was a placeholder while our head office got further details from the studio.

Well, now we have them - The Battle of the Five Armies is posied to be an estimated 145 minutes, which fits in much better with Peter Jackson's comments about editing it down from 150 minutes to 140. The studio estimates for the last two films have only been out by a minute so this is a very good idea of what the film will likely be.

I realise I got it very wrong yesterday (and, again, apologies!) so all I can say is that I got it right the past two years and hope you can trust me again on this one, despite the previous slip up!

http://newboards.theonering.net/for...ost=791105;page=1;sb=post_time;so=DESC;mh=25;

Minus credits, which will likely be 15 minutes and cover the cast and crew of all three films like the ROTK credits did, we are looking at 2 hours and 10 minutes. That is crazy short for a Jackson film.

 

[Vartha]

Wow yeah it is. Hope it doesn't feel rushed

 

[Doc Ock]

Wow yeah it is. Hope it doesn't feel rushed

Hopefully that means the extended edition will have a bunch of more stuff?

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Wow yeah it is. Hope it doesn't feel rushed

By the way, just more proof that he didn't have enough material for 3 films, and stretched this series beyond its limit.

 

[Marvolo]

Hopefully that means the extended edition will have a bunch of more stuff?

Maybe. I really dont think so tho. As Jackson and crew have pointed out. There is no traveling in this film. And as the docs on the DOS EE indicate, BTFA is essentially just the last half of what was originally There and Back Again back when it was two films instead of a trilogy. And we know that they didnt film much new material for BTFA during pickups. Those 70 days were DOS material so im not sure how much more the EE could add. Im expecting less than 30 minutes being added to the EE, and I'll be really really surprised if the EE crosses the 3 hour mark.

So I think when its all said and done BTFA (both the Theatrical cut and the Extended cut) will be the shortest film in the franchise.

 

[Marvolo]

I'm watching the documentary about the design process of Smaug, and OMG the concept art is . Not to say that it's better than the final design, but just that these drawings are truly mind blowing and gorgeous concepts. Weta really went above and beyond and came up with some truly original designs. Stuff that I couldn't imagine in my craziest dreams. This doc is loaded with concept art, and I really think the art is gonna blow y'all away when you see them so all of you that have the EE but haven't watched the doc on the design of Smaug do that ASAP!

 

[Herolee10]

Honestly, if the original LOTR trilogy wasn't considered to be GREAT by many people, I feel like these Hobbit films wouldn't have done as well at the box offices, since they just feel like visual nostalgia instead of actual good/great films.

 

[regwec]

This movie's status as a (relatively) short tidying-up film indicates that there should have been two films rather than three. If we cut out all the bloated fan fiction, a single PJ-length movie would comfortably have told the whole story.