Re: The Desolation of Smaug pre-release thread [3] [SPOILERS]

[Eldorion]

If you'd have told me 10 years ago, I wouldn't have believed you.

She even has a katana! Sort of.

[Eldorion]

They've always shied away from using dark environments where the audience can't see everything. I'm willing to give leeway for that though because the ambient lighting used is usually for the betterment of the scene. Still I'd have preferred a truly dark Gollum's cave or Mirkwood. That's just personal preference on my part though.

I think you're right about PJ avoiding darkness.  He stated in (I think) the ROTK commentaries that he wanted the Battle of the Pelennor Fields to be in daylight as a contrast to Helm's Deep.  I sort of suspect that decision was influenced by the production nightmare that was Helm's Deep, though.  It does make one wonder what happened to the gigantic volcanic clouds Sauron was sending towards the city that Gandalf and Pippin saw earlier in the film.

[Sinister71]

When I actually go to the theater, I'm going to pretend I'm watching a generic fantasy dragon film that has no real connection to Tolkien. (Not that much of a stretch really. )   If they do a good dragon, I'll tell myself I got my money's worth.

I'm pretty much doing the same thing. I've given up all hope of having the Hobbit on film, so I'll just settle for some form of fantasy on the big screen. So far, The only good thing about Smaug is his voice, Tauriel I hate and her line delivery is amateurish, Legolas is involved way too damn much, Azog still fucking sucks donkey dick and should have been Bolg, and Radagast still looks like a dirty bird shit covered hermit.

Thankfully I wont be paying a dime to see DOS since I hit my rewards goal on my stubs card. NONE of my hard earned money going into Peter Jackson's OR Warner Bros pockets. That right there is worth seeing the film. knowing its for free  As long as they give me something better than Dragon heart.... Which shouldn't be hard to do.

[bungobaggins]

If you'd have told me 10 years ago, I wouldn't have believed you.

She even has a katana!  Sort of.

Well, that isn't nearly as bad as this.



Tauriel is just going to be Legolas on steroids.

[bungobaggins]

When I actually go to the theater, I'm going to pretend I'm watching a generic fantasy dragon film that has no real connection to Tolkien. (Not that much of a stretch really. )   If they do a good dragon, I'll tell myself I got my money's worth.

I'm pretty much doing the same thing. I've given up all hope of having the Hobbit on film, so I'll just settle for some form of fantasy on the big screen. So far, The only good thing about Smaug is his voice, Tauriel I hate and her line delivery is amateurish, Legolas is involved way too damn much, Azog still fucking sucks donkey dick and should have been Bolg, and Radagast still looks like a dirty bird shit covered hermit.

[bungobaggins]

I find it interesting that the only shot we've seen of Ass-hog so far has been that one shot from the trailers where he climbs over the wall and meows.

Maybe he could replace the MGM lion.

[Radaghast]

"Ass-hog"

 

[Forest Shepherd]

Agreed- I darkened a lot in my edits, including Moria and Mordor, and Gollums cave in AUJ.
Pj is afraid of filming darkness- which is a shame as it can be used very effectively- David Lynch for an example is an expert at shooting properly dark night scenes that effectively convey the mood he wants.

I agree with the first half. Although, to be honest, I find that large-budget films simply don't use a gritty, half-lit, true-darkness approach to any scenes. It is safer film-making; ensuring the audience can clearly see what's going on is simply fulfilling expectations I believe.
Unless we're talking horror films of course.

And to the second half! I simply don't watch many David Lynch movies, so I can't comment on that.
I will say that mood is about the only thing that David Lynch does communicate, in certain of his films. *coughMulholland Drivecough*

[Pettytyrant101]

I love Mulholland Drive- classic Lynch. The scene in the cafe is superbly done, bizarreness and a sense of more going on, of something under the surface, and all created out of nothing but he direction, two actors and the dialogue, other worldly but produced entirely from the world of the daily mundane.

[Forest Shepherd]

I love Mulholland Drive- classic Lynch. The scene in the cafe is superbly done, bizarreness and a sense of more going on, of something under the surface, and all created out of nothing but he direction, two actors and the dialogue, other worldly but produced entirely from the world of the daily mundane.

I'm not a fan of his directorial style overall, at least his story-telling ability (from what I've seen anyway). But I do understand what you mean about his feel for surreality. He doesn't rely on bizarre costuming or set design to create that surreal-ness: it is simply a product of editing, scoring, and acting (directed by him, obviously).

Of course, the creepy homeless woman or whatever that was at the end of that scene you mention was dependent upon makeup to deliver, but that is a minor detail.

Back to what I wrote above about Lynch's "surreal-ness," I think that's why I find movies of his like Mulholland Drive so frustrating to watch. He doesn't inform the audience of the surreal weirdness to come like, say, the director Tim Burton would; but sneaks it upon you gradually.
Taken out of sequence, or context, I find little that is really strange in that film.

[Pettytyrant101]

For me its a accumulative effect with Lynch that builds into a sense of nothing being quite right, of what you are seeing before you being less than the whole picture, things beneath the surface and out of sight- but he can turn it to other purposes than the stuff that just intrigues himself.

I have always felt his Dune was harshly judged, and as spectacle in terms of set design ect and how he shot that its remarkable.

Also the Straight Story, base don a true story of an old man in America who finds out the brother he has not spoken to for years is dying several states away, and as he is now too old to drive he goes on his lawnmower. You will find no problems here with narrative story telling.



Blue Velvet should also be on any film buffs list of things to have seen.

[Forest Shepherd]

Yes I saw the film you mention, The Straight Story, several years ago. I don't recall any problems I had with it, perhaps it was a little slow.
I remember hearing that the lead actor, Richard Farnsworth, committed suicide shortly after completing this film.  
I looked up this fact just to double-check.
I remember him from Anne of Green Gables, but he was not in fact Canadian. He grew up during the Depression and began his film career as a stuntman all the way back in 1937 (he appeared as an unnamed soldier in Gone With the Wind.
Anyway, apparently he had terminal bone cancer in the last few years, and filmed The Straight Story while in a lot of pain. He shot himself on his ranch.
Kind of a sad story, overall. It certainly lends a poignancy to his last film.


Edit: Have we Norced this thread? Have we met the definition?

[Pettytyrant101]

I didnt know that about the lead actor killing himself, that as sad.
I wonder if he was a friend of Lynch as Lynch has something close to an acting troop that tend to turn up in all his work, some going all the way back to his earliest student films like Eraserhead. {{{{Now its Norced!  }}}

[bungobaggins]

DOS running time will be 161 minutes, or 2 hours and 41 minutes.

http://bbfc.co.uk/releases/hobbit-desolation-smaug-film-0

[Radaghast]

 

[bungobaggins]

 

[Eldorion]

That's even shorter than AUJ. I guess they stretched the story as far as they could without reaching three hours per film.

[Radaghast]

Running time is still too long

[bungobaggins]

I'm glad it's shorter. These films don't need to be three hours, and there seems to be a fan obsession with Middle-earth movies needing to be three hours or longer. But yes, it's still too long, cuz there's going to be a whole other movie yet to go.

[Eldorion]

No one really expected a 90 minute Middle-earth movie, did they? Honestly it would be a little disappointing. Although they really should have stuck to two movies.

[malickfan]

20 minutes too long, I'd rather a shorter theatrical and longer extended cut.

I wonder how much will actually be Bilbo? If the marketing is any indication a better title would be 'The Thorin grimacing in slow motion whilst waving his shiny hair dodging Tauriel jumping around in the tree: Desolation of Canon'.

Bah! At least there does seem to be enough stuff happening in this film to justify the length.

[bungobaggins]

Well, yes, but anyone complaining that they get a 2.5 hour movie when they wanted 3, should really reevaluate their priorities. What happened to, "I'm just glad we're getting these films at all."?

[Eldorion]

I'm certainly not complaining that the films are too short.  I see where you guys are coming from, but I guess since it was announced that there would be three films I just assumed they'd all still be on the long side so I'm not disappointed by them being "too long".  (Although to be sure, 2.5 hours is still a long movie.)

The prospect of three two-hour Hobbit movies is an interesting one though. Now I'm wondering how that would have played out...

[Sinister71]

They could have stuck with two movies and still only been 90 minutes each which would have worked just fine for me.

[bungobaggins]

Sorry, Eldo. I wasn't saying you were complaining, but I was commenting on internet comments that I've seen over the past few weeks that have reeked of angst in regards to getting a 3 hour film. I should have clarified.

I still would have preferred 2 or 1 movie(s).