News from the set

I guess what i meant was that it showed an atmoshere of threat, as they didnt mention Bill Ferny, I think they wanted to show that the place was full of potential spies and unsavory characters, so when Pippin mentions Baggins it seems more dangerous, rather than an audience of clean and polite hobbits and homely pub guests. bree in the book was not exactly a safe haven, Pippin I think it was had a narrow escape from a wraith with the black breath, and then they their room was attacked, then in the morning all the ponies were gone, so rather than show this long sequence they just condensed all this fear into a few scenes of scary beer monsters lurching about.

I understand why Pj made Bree more threatening but I'd agree with Eldo its a misstep by PJ.
Its the generally friendly nature of the place (but with its hints of a darker underside) which puts the hobbits off guard. One of the things Tolkien does well is he switches situations from comfy and friendly to dark an dangerous. In the book you have Frodo being cajouled to sing and then coming out with a ridiclous song, its vaguely silly even, then in one literal mistep the Ring has been reveiled and the danger thrown into sharp definition. Pj doesn't do those moments at all.

Mrs Figg wrote:I guess what i meant was that it showed an atmoshere of threat, as they didnt mention Bill Ferny, I think they wanted to show that the place was full of potential spies and unsavory characters, so when Pippin mentions Baggins it seems more dangerous, rather than an audience of clean and polite hobbits and homely pub guests.

I was rambling on about atmosphere in the lengthy edits I made to my previous post (which I may have made too late for you to see), but I don't think that Bree prior to the break-in should have been portrayed with an atmosphere of threat for the reasons I outlined earlier. As for Bill Ferny, the I actually thought I spotted him the first time I watched the scene, but then everyone else in the pub looked just as unsavoury. In the same way that Aragorn seemed much less menacing because everyone else looked worse, Bill Ferny (whichever extra was supposed to be him) lacks any real menace. It's more like the Hobbits just walked into an suspicious small-town pub where the people don't like foreigners than it is like there are servants of the Enemy trying to infiltrate places that are good. That's my opinion anyway, obviously it's only my own and I can't tell you what is or isn't, just how I feel.

Pettytyrant101 wrote:One of the things Tolkien does well is he switches situations from comfy and friendly to dark an dangerous.

I agree, and I think those switches are much more powerful and eerie when pulled off the way Tolkien does. With PJ one eventually becomes desensitized to suspicious and unsavoury characters because it seems everyone except the heroes are suspicious and unsavoury. Tolkien has an unfair reputation for writing a black-and-white story, but those criticisms apply far more to PJ.

Its also the reason PJ should have left in Aragorn telling the Lay of Luthien right before the attack on Weathertop.

Unfortunately I dont think there would have been time for all the details, it would have been 6 hours long, I have to say though that the sequence from Crickhollow to Bree is probably my favorite in all the books, and I was very very disappointed it was all left out, specially Tom and the Barrows. There are some of the most beautiful passages and descriptions, I understand there wasnt time and I dont mind the end result too much, although the Ringwraiths were not scary at all in the film for me.

Time is certainly a consideration, but I think that it's significance is over-stated, especially when you consider what PJ had time to add. In a lot of cases it's simply irrelevant, though. For example, it wouldn't have taken any more or less time to present the Prancing Pony as a welcoming rather than a menacing place prior to the break-in. I understand and accept the reasons for cutting Crickhollow and the Bombadil parts, but having Bree as a positive place at first would have preserved the calm/intense pattern of the story since it followed on the heels of a quite tense chase by the Ringwraiths.

Introducing the Black Riders to the viewer before the main character even knows about the Ring was a mistake I feel. It utterly destroyed the mystery of them. You know who they are, what their after and where they are from before Frodo even know's the Ring is evil.

the Ringwraiths were not scary full stop. That screeching they did didnt make my gooses pimple, it just gave me a headache.

I like the Ringwraith cry in the BBC radio version. It fits the description in the book, its unpleasant but it fits with Frodo's dalogue that there were words in it.

From my searching, I found out that it will premiere in the US 7 pm PST, (pacific standard time) on facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=292819297420349&set=a.224187950950151.51821.160617097307237&type=1&theater#!/TheHobbitMovie?sk=wall

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GET EXCITED OR GET CRABBIT, BUT HERE IT COMES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OOh that's tomorrow!! I will have to double check the sandbags round the crabbit meter!

looking forward to seeing what the trailer looks like... I'll pass judgement on it then

Hey Sinister nice to see you visit over from Bree, welcome to the looney tunes that is Forumshire.

Hey. I hate to be that guy but... an announcement trailer isn't an actual movie trailer, is it? Could just be a trailer for the trailer...hopefully I'm wrong though!

Hiya Sinister, good to see you around!

This is the big news though: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=291674247534854&set=a.291674244201521.63650.160617097307237&type=1&theater

I'm a sucker for the lego video game franchise

Is it a teaser trailer? and is that different from a normal one? probably nearer the time next year there will be a bigger super dooper trailer, this one is probably a teeny weeny one like an early crimbo prezzie.

Not sure, could possibly be a bit like this: but obviously about The Hobbit not Skyrim! Though the reaction could be similar; you know what those fangirls/fanboys are like...

I look forward to seeing something though.

only ladies dont get boners.

I knew this 'lady' once and she...actually nevermind.

Welcome to Forumshire Sinister. Good name, a bit, sinister! We love getting visitors in from Bree, very good of you stop by, I hope like Mrs Figgs you find you like the place enough to stick around awhile.
There's certainly plenty to see. There's some great Tokien debates worth dipping into and creative corner if you want to contribute something of your own or just see what others have put up. And there is the Big Bad Serious Forum where we can test that username of yours out!
I look forward to many debates and chats with you.

Bree seems to have been invaded by goblins or summat because there seem to be technical problems and we cant get in. The door is barred and the Lord therein didnt know why we could not access the forementioned door thingy so its no beer at the Prancing Pony for us poor outcasts boo hoo.

Oh dear. Southerners I'll bet, there always trouble in Scothobbitland you know. And your story sounds worryingly familar.
Well do tell your Bree friends Mrs Figgs they are always welcome to visit Forumshire.

seem to not be working lately, the one associated with FB quit working last week

that sounds quite sinister, you havent been doing sinister things have you?

update on the bree situation, by all accounts a plug in is broken, sounds a bit painful but we are quite
odd in Bree.

Mrs Figg wrote:only ladies dont get boners.

Welcome Sinister.... from Bree... or just passing through Bree...? Forgive me, but you do look a bit like a Black Rider to me...

.... oh yes, Mrs Figg, I'm happy to supply you with a boner if you want one. We have all sorts of useful knives and tools at our local abbatoir - I'm sure we could spare one "boner." Large or small?