In theatres: 'Desolation of Smaug' | SPOILERS

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is the Master's dining on testicles. I seem to recall reading this would be a part of the film. If they cut it, I guess it's a small mercy.

Radaghast wrote:No offense taken. My s/n is intentionally misspelled—And my avatar speaks for itself, I think

Raddy is actually much more tolerable in this film, but it comes at the expense of Gandalf.

Surely we all must have seen this coming. Ever since the opening scene of FOTR Jackson has been locked into an accelerating ever climbing curve of departure from the stories. I can't imagine still how he can go further than his latest efforts... But I know in my guts that he will.   

How jam packed with action is TaBA going to be?

Smaug to attack Laketown and die.

The Dol Guldur plot doing whatever PJ decides Dol Guldur plot is going to do.

The Arkenstone jazz. It was implied that Bilbo picked up the Arkenstone whilst talking to Smaug wasn't it? I assume they didn't show it deliberately to add tension.

The Bo5A including more eagles, bears, wolves, orcs, men, elves, dwarves and goodness knows what else.

And the back again part.

Considering how much action they managed to squeeze from floating barrels, the next film could be 150 minutes of madness.

Radaghast wrote:One thing I haven't seen mentioned is the Master's dining on testicles. I seem to recall reading this would be a part of the film. If they cut it, I guess it's a small mercy.

I completely forgot about that. There is a scene where the Master is eating but I didn't notice any testicles (there were no food close-ups anyway). Perhaps they thought better of it, or maybe they're just saving it for the EE.

Petty think of it as a slapstick comedy and you will enjoy it more.

2 things I think even you MIGHT think was an improvement was them establishing the importance of The Arkenstone early on (I am familiar with the Whole 'Was the Akenstone a Silmaril?' argument but I still think it comes out of knowhere in the book) and Bard's role (I kinda like he appears out of nowhere and saves  the day in the book...but this sure as shit isn't the book anymore).

And Ringrotten I will certainly watch TABA at least once, beyond possibly being Christopher Lee's last major role and being (hopefully) stuffed full of noisy action (at this point It's all I'm expecting anymore-let's hope it's at least coherent and well directed) It's always interesting to see Tolkien's work interepreted by others, even if it only ends up showing why he is the superior storyteller.

Eldorion wrote:

Radaghast wrote:No offense taken. My s/n is intentionally misspelled—And my avatar speaks for itself, I think

Raddy is actually much more tolerable in this film, but it comes at the expense of Gandalf.

Maybe, but he'll forever be seared in my mind with scenes of silly dying pixelated hedgehogs and ludicrous sleigh-pulling bunnies

Oh, and let's not forget the bird shit   

Carcharoth wrote:How jam packed with action is TaBA going to be?

I'm expecting something that makes Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 look slow-paced and contemplative.

Hopefully TABA doesn't end quite as abruptly as DH2, though. They'd better have the auction at the end! {{{It will probably be cut so that old Bilbo and Frodo show up again, especially since they had no appearances whatsoever in DOS.}}}

My guess is Sauron skips off to battle with Azog and the White Council chase him to the Lonely Mountain. In this way we almost get to see The Battle of Six Armies, or The Enhanced Battle of Five Armies. A year ago I would've laughed at my own prediction, now I'm not so sure

malickfan wrote:2 things I think even you MIGHT think was an improvement was them establishing the importance of The Arkenstone early on (I am familiar with the Whole 'Was the Akenstone a Silmaril?' argument but I still think it comes out of knowhere in the book) and Bard's role (I kinda like he appears out of nowhere and saves  the day in the book...but this sure as shit isn't the book anymore).

I don't get the thing about the Arkenstone.  It gives Thorin the right to rule? Doesn't the death of the dragon and his lineage do that? Seems to me just another ridiculous change.

I can't imagine that the auction will be there. If Jackson felt the Scouring of the Shire was an anticlimax, then what is an auction supposed to be? And you're probably right about Bilbo and Frodo, Eldo. To hell with Peter Jackson and all who ever lent their pen to the writing of the script.

Ive enjoyed reading all these reviews from all the brave souls that went to see DOS. There should be an "Audience Participation" award cos you guys bloody deserve it ! Each one of you sounded at first like road accident victims, dazed, stunned, fumbling weakly about. Then,as the initial shock wore off & your senses came through, you all gave coherent, clear, sensible reports. Well done you lot ! Instead of a "George cross" medal there should be a "Im VERY Cross" Medal ! You could wear it with pride, of coming out alive from a Cinema sitting of another PJ ego trip.

Ringdrotten wrote:If Jackson felt the Scouring of the Shire was an anticlimax...

Wow, if he thinks that, then he really doesn't understand Tolkien   

Ringdrotten wrote:My guess is Sauron skips off to battle with Azog and the White Council chase him to the Lonely Mountain. In this way we almost get to see The Battle of Six Armies, or The Enhanced Battle of Five Armies. A year ago I would've laughed at my own prediction, now I'm not so sure

Yeah, I have little doubt that the armies Gandalf saw marching off while he was in his cage were heading towards the Lonely Mountain.  After all, Azog (and also Bolg) is merely a servant of Sauron in the movies, as seen by him being summoned back to Dol Guldur despite his desire to chase Thorin.

I don't know if he ever said that, but what other reason might he have had? I could even agree that after the four hours RotK already last for, another hour with the Scouring would have been too much. But as Petty has shown us, there would've been plenty of time for the Scouring as well had the writers not added so much of their own ideas.

Radaghast wrote:

Ringdrotten wrote:If Jackson felt the Scouring of the Shire was an anticlimax...

Wow, if he thinks that, then he really doesn't understand Tolkien   

He's been saying that for years.

them establishing the importance of The Arkenstone early on - Malick

But the only thing the Akenstone is important as is a physical representation of greed and avarice and its pretty good at that. It doesnt have to be some magic thing that inexplicably turns all other dwarves into a zombie who must follow whoever holds it- what the hells that about?  


He's been saying that for years.- Eldo

And Ive been saying for the same amount of years that he doesnt understand Tolkien! I win!   (Ah bollocks but that means I get shit adaptations   wish I could have been wrong! )

Carcharoth wrote:My favourite part in Erebor was when Thorin said 'if this is to end in fire, then let us all burn together' and then they hastened to spilt into 3 or 4 groups and run around divided

 
  I didn't even think of that! And they really didn't need to stand and fight. They could have just GONE BACK THE WAY THEY CAME AND HID AND COME UP WITH A DESCENT PLAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I watched this one review that made a good point (though around here I don't think it's sufficient). He said that people have to accept that these aren't the Hobbit but rather prequels to Lord of the Rings. He said that Tolkien fans should be happy because they have their original story and now they get to see a new one. Essentially, he's saying that the movies are fan fiction, fulfilling any "what ifs" that fans had about the source material.
I know I (guiltily   ) wanted more tie-ins to LOTR when I read the Hobbit when I was nine, because I saw no reason why there shouldn't be. So I guess that's why I was able to enjoy this bastardization of the book because it felt like I was seeing a younger-me's fantasy put on the screen.

That being said parts of it were still atrocious and couldn't even fool that younger-me that enjoyed some parts.

Tauriel would have been a great female role model if she didn't fail the Bechdel test and wasn't so manipulative with Legolas   

Eldorion wrote:

Ringdrotten wrote:My guess is Sauron skips off to battle with Azog and the White Council chase him to the Lonely Mountain. In this way we almost get to see The Battle of Six Armies, or The Enhanced Battle of Five Armies. A year ago I would've laughed at my own prediction, now I'm not so sure

Yeah, I have little doubt that the armies Gandalf saw marching off while he was in his cage were heading towards the Lonely Mountain.  After all, Azog (and also Bolg) is merely a servant of Sauron in the movies, as seen by him being summoned back to Dol Guldur despite his desire to chase Thorin.

What scares me is the scene with Sauron appearing out of the Black Gate in RotK which they decided not to include. If Jacskon thought that a good idea back then, I can't imagine that he'll restrain himself a second time, not after DOS.

I'm half expecting the Blue Wizards to turn up leading the other 6 clans of dwarves (Seriously why were they mentioned? You don't have the rights to name or use them!) into battle whilst Tauirel and What's his face run off to get married.

I actually seem to be the most positive person here about the film-and I was relatively indifferent. That says it all.

Ringdrotten wrote:

Eldorion wrote:

Ringdrotten wrote:My guess is Sauron skips off to battle with Azog and the White Council chase him to the Lonely Mountain. In this way we almost get to see The Battle of Six Armies, or The Enhanced Battle of Five Armies. A year ago I would've laughed at my own prediction, now I'm not so sure

Yeah, I have little doubt that the armies Gandalf saw marching off while he was in his cage were heading towards the Lonely Mountain.  After all, Azog (and also Bolg) is merely a servant of Sauron in the movies, as seen by him being summoned back to Dol Guldur despite his desire to chase Thorin.

What scares me is the scene with Sauron appearing out of the Black Gate in RotK which they decided not to include. If Jacskon thought that a good idea back then, I can't imagine that he'll restrain himself a second time, not after DOS.

He will surely want to include everything including the kitchen sink in these films. Something I find rather sad. As a amateur storyteller myself I personally find Jackson including everything he can but not following a story like pattern that makes any sense. He knows this is his last hurrah into middle earth so he really is going to put every hair brained idea into it he can because in truth. This is HIS story. We aren't getting Tolkien's Hobbit, we are getting the Hobbit that Peter Jackson would want to see. Unfortunately its not the Hobbit I want to see

Tinuviel wrote:Tauriel would have been a great female role model if she didn't fail the Bechdel test and wasn't so manipulative with Legolas   

It does seem funny that they add a female character, make her so badass that it is ridiculous, and yet still manage to reduce her to nothing more than a love interest. She would have been an almost acceptable addition if they didn't make the Kili link. Even an on/off relationship with Legolas would have be less insulting.

"We aren't getting Tolkien's Hobbit, we are getting the Hobbit that Peter Jackson would want to see" - Sinister

Yup, that's it. And I guess he's got every right to make the film the way he wants, at least I won't argue that he doesn't. But I also think we've got every right to be disappointed and angry, so let him hear it I say, and let's pray he reads this thread some day

I dont believe he does read anything anyone says, Im sure he does have a PR agent tho who keeps tabs on Forums etc to see what the general consensus is. They would let him know of any hostilities from the masses, after all, it is kinda connected with sales & profits.

He constantly says that he knows he can't please everybody, so therefore he doesn't try. He only focuses on those people that he knows will like the films. There's some truth in that statement, but it's awfully selfish on his part. He's only coddling the ones who like HIS version. For the Hobbit at least, he never gave the source material a chance, he just assumed everyone would like his version better.