"Hobbit in 5"

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Want to see and hear the latest news on the "Hobbit" filming every week? Look no further: "Hobbit in 5" is a new video podcast by TheOneRing.net and Galatia Films.

Enjoy! (Oh, and watch the first one to the end, including credits, for a little extra comment...)

[Morthoron]

Hmmm...I'm ambivalent regarding Elijah Wood's comment that reprising his role as Frodo will not impinge on the integrity of the book. It seems to me that nearly every decision PJ has made so far is shooting holes through the integrity of the book.

For all that, I am not even sold on the necessity of having two films to tell the story. Having seen what Jackson and Boyens did with LotR, it seems to me that having two Hobbit films is merely their chance to add extraneous material -- what amounts to glorified fan-fic -- in order to put their curious stamp on the story. In the LotR films, it was not what was taken out that proved the most rankling, it was the hot mess that was added in.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

For all that, I am not even sold on the necessity of having two films to tell the story. Having seen what Jackson and Boyens did with LotR, it seems to me that having two Hobbit films is merely their chance to add extraneous material -- what amounts to glorified fan-fic -- in order to put their curious stamp on the story. In the LotR films, it was not what was taken out that proved the most rankling, it was the hot mess that was added in.

I agree that they probably could cogently tell the story of Bilbo's adventure, sticking with what's in the actual book. But then you wouldn't see Galadriel, or Saruman. Or Legolas. After all, the Ring alone surely isn't a clear enough link between TH and LOTR for the modern audience.

[rowie711]

I am still not happy with PJ did with the movie. Granted it was beautifully rendered but was not true enough to the stories or to the characters for my liking... too Hollywoodified, although I fully understand why this was done.

If a character is not in JRRT's Hobbit then PJ should not just add it to the movie to to tie the movie to LOTR. The ring ties the stories together as does Bilbo and Gandalf and Gollum, and Elrond as well. There are already connections enough to link the stories together.

I am probably too much of a purist. I still believe that PJ was not true to Aragorn/Strider and he should have stuck to the right timelines.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by rowie711

If a character is not in JRRT's Hobbit then PJ should not just add it to the movie to to tie the movie to LOTR. The ring ties the stories together as does Bilbo and Gandalf and Gollum, and Elrond as well. There are already connections enough to link the stories together.

Perhaps PJ is merely the Mariah Carey of film-making: why sing one note when you can jam 15 in there?

And welcome to the Downs!

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by rowie711

I am still not happy with PJ did with the movie. Granted it was beautifully rendered but was not true enough to the stories or to the characters for my liking... too Hollywoodified, although I fully understand why this was done.

I do agree, to every word here... the last ones counting as well, especially.

Welcome to the 'Downs and among the dead Rowie711!! Looking forwards to meeting you here and there.

[Galadriel55]

Welcome, rowie711! I absolutely agree with what you said. I don't think you are too much of a purist. It's just that PJ is too much of the opposite.

[Dilettante]

I am a little shocked that they want to make The Hobbit into two movies. I mean after all, it is one book. LOTR was three because it was three books. As for what Morthron said about extraneous material, they could have divided TTT and ROTK more along book lines without so much extraneous material in both.


rowie711 said...

If a character is not in JRRT's Hobbit then PJ should not just add it to the movie to to tie the movie to LOTR. The ring ties the stories together as does Bilbo and Gandalf and Gollum, and Elrond as well. There are already connections enough to link the stories together.

Let's take a list at the already existing character connections...

Bilbo Baggins

Dori, Nori, Oin, and Gloin, as well as Bombur fatter than ever (Ok ok so technically they are in the book, not the movie. I am sure I left a dwarf or two out, apologies to them.)

Gollum

Gandalf

Elrond (I wonder if PJ can make him less Mr. Grumpy Face for The Hobbit than he was in LOTR? Doubt it.)

The Sackville-Bagginses!

I'm sure I have left a few out, anyone want to add?

I hear they are sticking extra wizards in there too, namely Radagast the Brown.....I don't remember him in The Hobbit......he barely appears in LOTR.

Speaking of what they put in rather than what they left out that rankled....do you think that they will turn the Battle of the Five Armies (which takes a few pages to describe) into a 50-minute drama like Helms Deep was? IMHO Helms Deep in the film lasted way....too.....long.

Also, do you think Beorn and his animals will be cut from the script?

I'm wondering if PJ will sneak in an Aragorn/Arwen kissing scene somewhere too....What was that about glorified fanfic?

[Galadriel55]

Radagast in mentioned in the passing in TH, but he doesn't have a role.

TH doesn't have enough material in it to make 2 movies out of it, so PJ added quite a number of events of his own imagination.