Re: Could Tolkien Have Fixed The Hobbit Films?

by RA Thu Sep 24, 2015 4:46 am

Honestly I think there were two main problems with the Hobbit films - barring the director - that were never going to be overcome to make the Hobbit mesh tonally with Lord of the Rings that is that, the films were treated as prequels instead of preludes, and that the scope and scale of the Hobbit is far more humble than the Lord of Rings.

Then we get into all the other problems with the action hero dwarves and ringwraith tombs, and the bunny sleds, blegh Very Happy

by RA Thu Sep 24, 2015 4:47 am

But basically, I think that if the Hobbit could've been changed to make it more in line with the trilogy, then it wouldn't be the story I fell in love with anymore.

by Eldorion Thu Sep 24, 2015 5:36 am

Recoveryanonymous wrote:But basically, I think that if the Hobbit could've been changed to make it more in line with the trilogy, then it wouldn't be the story I fell in love with anymore.

Completely agreed. Nod

by **Orwell** Thu Sep 24, 2015 10:47 am

RA wrote:Honestly I think there were two main problems with the Hobbit films

by halfwise Thu Sep 24, 2015 1:42 pm

There...uh...there were problems with the Hobbit films? Shocked

by malickfan Thu Sep 24, 2015 2:07 pm

halfwise wrote:There...uh...there were problems with the Hobbit films?

I thought they were hillarious myself...they were comedies right? Suspect

by davidjoneshoward Thu Sep 24, 2015 2:22 pm

I actually thought for a second in the movie theatre that legolas jumping up the falling bricks mid air was supposed to be a parody of itself.

by azriel Thu Sep 24, 2015 2:44 pm

I like the way RA pops in when you least expect & then, .........disappears Suspect

Come to think of it, RA is right ! Preludes not prequels Rolling Eyes

Hello little dude Wave

by Mrs Figg Thu Sep 24, 2015 4:04 pm

I caught the tail end of BOT5A the other night. ((( just by chance

)))) and it was the part where Bilbo leaves Gandalf in the Shire. couldn't believe the neon dayglo effects, that green was phosphorescent (however you spell it) it was hideous. Mad

it was like they cranked up the saturation and the HD to the max.

by Eldorion Thu Sep 24, 2015 4:06 pm

I thought the color problem largely went away after AUJ so I'm curious to see how I'll find it when I watch BOFA-EE. After much deliberation I decided I probably will go see it in theatres during the one-night event since it might be my last chance ever to see Middle-earth on the big screen (the whole saying goodbye to the franchise thing has weighed on my mind lately) and so I can see the final version sooner than if I was waiting for digital download or Blu-ray.

by Pettytyrant101 Thu Sep 24, 2015 4:34 pm

RA!

I completely agree, the fundamental stating issue form which all else thats shit in the films (most of whats on screen) stems form this error of judgement. TH is not LotR's, its not meant to be, and though the author could have, and did try to make it like LotR's he gave up for the very good reason it might be more like LotR's but it was no longer TH.
The same end result we get form PJ- right name, wrong everything else.

But that said there is no excuse for Pj not settling on one tone or another- he tries to have both, kids book and mighty epic all at once, and the tonal result on the films is ruinous.

He needs to stop making films for a bit and go back to watching Doctor Who to learn how to appeal to kids and adults at once in the same story. Nod

(unless the child or adult is called Figg, obviously)

by azriel Thu Sep 24, 2015 5:52 pm

""He needs to stop making films for a bit and go back to watching Doctor Who to learn how to appeal to kids and adults at once in the same story. Nod (unless the child or adult is called Figg, obviously)""

Ooer, thats challenging silent

by Mrs Figg Thu Sep 24, 2015 6:50 pm

Pettytyrant101 wrote:
He needs to stop making films for a bit and go back to watching Doctor Who to learn how to appeal to kids and adults at once in the same story. (unless the child or adult is called Figg, obviously)

Could Tolkien Have Fixed The Hobbit Films? - Page 5 Imageslhhkgkfk_zps4tpokvfn

by Pettytyrant101 Thu Sep 24, 2015 7:07 pm

I try my best, just for you dear Figg Kissing

by Mrs Figg Thu Sep 24, 2015 7:41 pm

by malickfan Thu Sep 24, 2015 7:45 pm

Pettytyrant101 wrote:

He needs to stop making films for a bit and go back to watching Doctor Who to learn how to appeal to kids and adults at once in the same story. (unless the child or adult is called Figg, obviously)

Does that mean you are onboard with the idea of Jackson directing an episode?

I don't think The Hobbit was aimed at children or Adults, most of the audience when I watched them were teenagers...

by Pettytyrant101 Thu Sep 24, 2015 7:52 pm

The snot gag stuff was aimed at teenagers?! Shocked

As to Jackson directing Who I think I am ok with that on the single provision he has absolutely input into anything else other than the direction. not a single word, not a single shot not scripted for and storyboarded.
Jackson is a talented director, its everything else he is shit at.

by malickfan Thu Sep 24, 2015 7:56 pm

Pettytyrant101 wrote:
Jackson is a talented director, its everything else he is shit at.

He's great at casting and choreographing action sequences, and although I have issues with have he writes characters, he generally gets very good performances out of his cast Nod

As for writing an episode of Who I doubt any his ideas would be as shit as 'The Moon's an Egg!' or the magic dissapearing tree episode from last year...

by Pettytyrant101 Thu Sep 24, 2015 8:02 pm

Ill give you the tree one, much as I liked the character beats and that it was certainly trying different things conceptually- but I will defend the egg one- its one of my favourite episodes of series 8.

by Mrs Figg Fri Sep 25, 2015 12:21 am

the egg one was the poorest of season 8.

by Radaghast Fri Sep 25, 2015 12:35 am

Pettytyrant101 wrote:Jackson is a talented director, its everything else he is shit at.

Can't say I agree. I dislike his very style of directing.

by Eldorion Mon May 30, 2016 7:38 pm

I organized some of my thoughts on the Appendices and the 1960 rewrite as they relate (or don't relate) to PJ's Hobbit trilogy and thought I'd share them here. All stuff we've talked about before but I've found it can be handy to have it all gathered in one place.

http://nolondil.tumblr.com/post/145144619436/answerer-did-tolkien-want-to-make-the-hobbit-more

by malickfan Mon May 30, 2016 7:56 pm

Eldorion wrote:I organized some of my thoughts on the Appendices and the 1960 rewrite as they relate (or don't relate) to PJ's Hobbit trilogy and thought I'd share them here. All stuff we've talked about before but I've found it can be handy to have it all gathered in one place.

http://nolondil.tumblr.com/post/145144619436/answerer-did-tolkien-want-to-make-the-hobbit-more

Read and agreed with all of that Eldo, great summary.

(I wonder if The Dragon Sickness subplot was in anyway inspired by Tolkien's poem 'The Hoard'?)

by Eldorion Mon May 30, 2016 8:01 pm

Thanks Malick. Very Happy

I think the dragon sickness thing is more likely an overly-literal reading of the reference(s?) to it in The Hobbit.