The Hobbit in July 2007?

[Lalaith]

Oh...I´ve just had a thought, while discussing the late great Bergman on another site, particularly vis a vis the Virgin Spring...wouldn´t he have made a cracking CoH....sigh....

[obloquy]

Originally Posted by Lalaith

Oh...I´ve just had a thought, while discussing the late great Bergman on another site, particularly vis a vis the Virgin Spring...wouldn´t he have made a cracking CoH....sigh....

If by "cracking" you mean "completely bizarre", then probably. We would certainly finish the film with a very intimate understanding of the emotions of all the characters!

[davem]

Originally Posted by Lalaith

Oh...I´ve just had a thought, while discussing the late great Bergman on another site, particularly vis a vis the Virgin Spring...wouldn´t he have made a cracking CoH....sigh....

And what would Kurosawa have made of the Nirnaeth Arnoediad?

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by davem

And what would Kurosawa have made of the Nirnaeth Arnoediad?

Well, for starters, he'd probably have been happy there were no letter 'L's in the name.

[obloquy]

Originally Posted by davem

And what would Kurosawa have made of the Nirnaeth Arnoediad?

Not much, I imagine. Maybe you should drop some names of people who have a film in their oeuvre indicative of their being fit to tackle the material. Maybe Terry Gilliam, Ridley Scott, or Alfonso Cuaron? These filmmakers are capable of making mature, uncompromised works and (based on their prior work) might actually include the things we want to see: namely balrogs, dragons, Morgoth, Sauron, trolls, etc.

[Sauron the White]

Ridley Scott already tried this genre. It was called LEGEND and was pretty bad.

[Lalaith]

If by "cracking" you mean "completely bizarre

Pah, Bergman wasn´t just "scenes from a marriage" you know, he could be incredibly austere.
Kurosawa, now there´s a thought....he could have done "aure enteluva" really well, for sure...

[obloquy]

Originally Posted by Lalaith

Pah, Bergman wasn´t just "scenes from a marriage" you know, he could be incredibly austere.
Kurosawa, now there´s a thought....he could have done "aure enteluva" really well, for sure...

He wasn't just Scenes, true. Bergman was also Winter Light, Autumn Sonata, Cries and Whispers, The Seventh Seal, Wild Strawberries, Through a Glass Darkly, Persona, The Silence, Hour of the Wolf, Fanny and Alexander, and many more that I haven't yet seen. Which of these would you say makes him seem like a good choice for Tolkien? Or maybe it's one that I did not list? Seriously, I'm wondering how we get from Bergman's themes of psychosis, split personality, the nature of death, the existence of God, etc., to the swords and dragons of fantasy, mature though it may be. Is it the troupe of dwarfs in Winter Light, perhaps?

I'd love to see Tolkien's material adapted in a serene, adult way as much as anyone, but Bergman? Kurosawa? Really, someone tell me why these, and not, say, Yasujiro Ozu? Or Andrei Tarkovsky? They've all got nothing to do with Tolkien or anything even similar.

Del Toro was actually a really good suggestion. There are also some other relatively young, quality filmmakers who have not yet branched into the genre but might be willing to, such as Jonathan Glazer, Christopher Nolan, Richard Linklater. No, they don't have much more in their portfolios to support them as candidates than those seasoned masters mentioned, but they are at least alive.

[Lalaith]

Which of these would you say makes him seem like a good choice for Tolkien

I specificly said which film, in my original post. The Virgin Spring. Set in mediaeval times, involves revenge, fate and an outlaw gang. I don´t think Bergman would be good for LotR or the Hobbit, but I do think he could have done something very interesting with CoH, which needs a more introspective touch, and less CGI.

[Sauron the White]

Back to THE HOBBIT film for a moment .... looks like the MGM-New Line rights package may have a slight wrinkle.

this from The Financial Times

Credit crunch hits $1bn MGM finance plan
By Matthew Garrahan in Los Angeles and James Politi in New York

Published: August 15 2007 22:02 | Last updated: August 15 2007 22:02

The credit crunch shaking world markets has hit Hollywood after Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank, which were trying to raise up to $1bn to finance films for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, withdrew their commitment to underwrite the deal. Bringing in private equity, hedge fund and institutional investors to fund “slates” of several films has become a popular way for Hollywood studios to spread the risk attached to production.

But with credit markets tightening, the attempt by the banks to raise $700m-$1bn for MGM productions and co-productions has been blown off-course, according to people close to the situation.

The financing would have provided funds for films including The Hobbit, an MGM co-production with New Line Entertainment, and the fourth instalment in the Terminator franchise. It is also likely that funds would have gone towards the next James Bond film, an MGM co-production with Sony.

Goldman declined to comment and Deutsche did not return calls. The financing has not been abandoned, however, with the banks believed to have moved from an underwriting commitment to a “best efforts” commitment to complete the financing.

But the underwriting withdrawal amid a broader credit crunch means the deal will be delayed. It is unclear when it will be revived.

MGM also declined to comment. However, the studio is understood to be relaxed about the delay because none of the films in line to receive funds from the financing is due to start production imminently.

MGM was sold to Texas Pacific Group, Providence Equity Partners, Sony and Comcast in 2004. The four shareholders bought the studio and its 4,000-title library from Kirk Kerkorian for $4.8bn.

Since the sale, MGM, under CEO Harry Sloan, has moved to a new business model, streamlining its operations and beefing up its distribution business, where it has deals with independent producers including The Weinstein Company. Mr Sloan has also revived the United Artists studio label, which is controlled by MGM, bringing in Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner, the film star’s production partner, to run the division. UA is close to securing $500m financing for its production slate. The deal is being arranged by Merrill Lynch.

Meanwhile, MGM is keen to boost its film library by producing a limited number of “tent-pole” movies each year. With the average cost of a Hollywood film close to $100m, the studio is keen to tap other sources for production funds.

Other studios, such as Warner Bros Entertainment and 20th Century Fox, have raised funds from private equity and hedge fund investors. More than $12bn has been committed to film financing projects in the last year, with investors attracted by deals that allow them to share in the success of films that perform well at the box office.

Although I have to believe that they could quickly raise the needed $150 million or so if the money was directly earmarked for a HOBBIT film and not a package of others included.