Official The Hobbit thread

[regwec]

Did you study this at college reg, or is ancient/medieval history just an interest of yours?

Bit of both, squire. I have forgotten nearly all of it, though.

 

[regwec]

But thats the thing, while in Rome having military power and religious backing only earned you the status of consul, in other civilizations that was the very definition of kingship.

I disagree on both counts. Being elected by tribal suffrage to the position of consul made you a consul. Cicero was just a lawyer and philosopher, with no priestly or military background to be speak of, but he achieved the highest office. I was pointing out that, from Caeser onwards, military and spiritual power began to be combined in the person of the emperor. The emperor was more than just a consul, but it was a position invented in order to install something like kingly power in its holder.

Military power and religious backing alone did not amount to kingship in other civilisations. They were the hallmarks of a successful reign, but they did not produce a king. For instance, during the reign of Edward the Confessor, Earl Godwin and his son Harold possessed much more military clout and political power than the king, but he was anointed and they had to wait until he died to press their claims. One of the most powerful and influential figures in the Wars of the Roses was Earl Warwick the Kingmaker; but he was happy to play off the claimants for the throne, knowing that he did not have the royal blood in his veins needed to supplant them.

I don't want to overcomplicate the point, but what I am trying to say in reference to LOTR is that kingship is something that is innate in the individual. Aragorn had it, but not its trappings; Boromir lacked it but had its trappings. I didn't like the way that the movie had Aragorn play this down or seem indifferent to his responsibilities.

It would have been much better if we had met some more of the Dunedain.

 

[Jackasscoley15]

Found this on youtube:

[YT]sNFhwIIN7Tw[/YT]


Not the best fan trailer ever, but it got me pretty pumped!

 

[night0205]

Found this on youtube:

[YT]sNFhwIIN7Tw[/YT]


Not the best fan trailer ever, but it got me pretty pumped!

What does that mean all rights reserved? They just used footage from other movies...

 

[Octoberist]

because they're dumb.

 

[Bunker]

GameOvais fancies himself a god. He's a decent editor at best.

 

[Boom]

For some reason, the more I think about Radagast being in this film, the more I fear he will ultimately replace Beorn.

At first I thought he would just be a glorified cameo in the White Council scene. But if I recall correctly, Radagast lost sight of his purpose, and was only interested in the birds, beasts, and forests of Middle-earth. So, it doesn't really make sense for him to be in the Council.

Think about it.

He lives in Mirkwood (like Beorn).
He is a shapeshifter (like Beorn).

I'm all for including Radagast, but not at the expense of Beorn. I will be absolutely furious if PJ and Company do, in fact, make this pointless change.

After Smaug, the thing that excites me most about this project is the thought of a giant black bear tearing through Wargs and Goblins like tissue paper.

 

[night0205]

Beorn will be in the film. If there are two shapeshifters, then that will lay more of a foundation for those characters. Hobbit will be in total around 6 hours long... I'm sure there will also be an extended version of the films. I doubt we have to worry about things getting cut. Very few things in LOTR were cut... things that were not needed. Hobbit will have plenty of room for everything in the book, and more.

 

[LOBO3315a]

They Barrow Wight scene wasn't needed? /boggle

 

[DocHoliday]

Beorn better be in it. I had more or less heard that Radagast was replacing Saruman because Christopher Lee won't fly to New Zealand. I'm going to have to re-read the book though because I don't remember much about the White Council. Or do they just allude to it when Gandalf returns?

 

[Armored Avenger]

I'm going to have to re-read the book though because I don't remember much about the White Council. Or do they just allude to it when Gandalf returns?

The White Council's attack on Dol-Guldor and the subsequent escape of the Necromancer (Sauron) is mostly explained within The Lord of the Rings and its Appendixes.
One of my hopes for the films is that the attack by the White Council upon Dol-Guldor is mentioned alot by the Elves of Mirkwood while Bilbo is hiding in the Elvenkings halls. This is a very major event being planned by the Council, of which Thranduil, Mirkwood's king, was probably a member. If he wasn't then he still would have almost certainly been told of the Council's plans, considering Dol-Guldor is on his doorstep and the Necromancer's forces were a constant threat against his Kingdom.

 

[itsthebatman]

Bit of both, squire. I have forgotten nearly all of it, though.

Eh, I don't think so. Unless you're pulling all this stuff out of your a$$.

 

[night0205]

They are adding story that isn't explained in the Hobbit, mainly where Gandalf went when he left the company. I wish Christopher Lee could do it...

 

[Octoberist]

I'm also willing to bet that Bard's role will be somewhat expanded, or at least, has better characterization. I think in the book, he served his purpose (which fits in with the simple, fairytale aspect of the story) but I think there's room for improvement to give him more depth.

I'm not saying he should be like Aragon, but I want him to leave his mark in the cinematic Tolken universe too, not just the guy who killed Smaug and became ruler of his land.

 

[regwec]

Bard is sort of a prototype Aragorn. He fits Tolkien's ideal of non-constitutional monarchy raised above plebian representation. It's hard to separate the characters, but I would love Michael Fassbender as Bard and Timothy Spall as his "Moneybags" predecessor.

Eh, I don't think so. Unless you're pulling all this stuff out of your a$$.

I have been through the rugby-and-port loving factions of Oxbridge's hoi polloi. My a$$ has immense volume and capacity.

 

[night0205]

Lol that would be funny if Viggo Mortensen played Bard... and they called him Aragorn.

 

[Jackasscoley15]

Hey Warner Brothers, Get on the Ball With Ian McKellen's 'Hobbit' Contract

We learned recently that Sir Ian McKellen still isn't signed on to play Gandalf in Peter Jackson's two-film adaptation of 'The Hobbit,' and many have speculated that McKellen has been angling for more money.

We caught up with our favorite wizard at the Savannah Film Festival and he said he just wants Warner Bros. to give him a call.

McKellen is currently enjoying the six months of the year when he doesn't work -- we love his life! -- but he said that when he returns to the trade, he hopes it will be as Gandalf.

"I expect my next job, if all goes well, I will play Gandalf in 'The Hobbit,'" McKellen told us.

"I'm still waiting for a contract." Watch Our Interview!

There is also a video at the link.

 

[FVD]

I wonder if there will be some kind of Prologue with say for example, Gandalf investigating the rising evil of Sauron at Dol Guldur while attending to a dying Thrain, receiving the key to the Lonely Mountain with the map in tow. Otherwise that can still be told in flashbacks.

Also would be nice to see Thranduil and Celeborn rename the Mirkwood after Sauron's influence has been disposed of. Then again there were some Nazgul such as Khamul that went back to hold the fort in Sauron's place though.

 

[LOBO3315a]

I didn't know Gandalf was in Savannah! Dang, I missed out!

 

[WarBlade]

I doubt we have to worry about things getting cut.

There's a singalong in Bag End with dwarves throwing plates to each other that I won't miss... And the animals balancing cups and saucers on their heads can go too. I think Beorn might have to prepare dinner himself. t:

 

[LOBO3315a]

"Break the cups, and smash the plates! That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!"

Yeah, I don't need to see that.

 

[night0205]

lol, yeah maybe they should keep that for the hobbit musical. but it's not like they are going to cut the entire bags end sequence... that's what i mean. not specific parts of a scene, but entire scenes.

 

[Doctor Jones]

I thought they did a good job of adding just enough of songs in the LOTR films. I don't want to hear a song or poem every 20 minutes like in the books, but I'm sure there still will be songs.

 

[LOBO3315a]

I enjoyed the folksy music they played for The Shire. I wish I could find the full version of the song Merry and Pippen were singing in Rohan about the Green Dragon. I have only heard it in the background of the scene where Aragorn and Gandalf are talking about Frodo, and the little snippet when they focus briefly on them dancing on the table.

 

[Jackasscoley15]

There's a new Spanish interview with Martin Freeman. TORn has a translation.