The Hobbit Trilogy Discussion Thread

[L-Rouge]

Just hoped off the television interview with our prime minister, who has confirmed "The Hobbit" will be filmed in New Zealand...Yay!

But, some hefty trade offs and secret deals where the order of the day.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/indu...-Hobbit-huddle


EDIT, Heh, Kai beat me to it

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Grand Bob

I can't think of too many 55 year old novels that are still selling in that quantity. Once the first Hobbit movie gets close to release, the sales will most likely double, a fitting testament to the Professor - especially with regard to some of the criticism that was directed at him upon the initial release of the books. More recently, there were still plenty of critcs that were appalled when LotR was selected as the favorite novel of the century/millenium in several literary polls.

He can also thank a lot of high school English teachers.

Well, if he wasn't dead he could.

[bone crusher]

A 670 million dollar budget? Dang that's gotta be the most expensive movie(s) ever made.

[mjbethancourt]

Originally Posted by octagon

He can also thank a lot of high school English teachers.

Well, if he wasn't dead he could.

Every teacher I ever had in school thought that 'Lord of the Rings' was crap and didn't count as a classic, and wouldn't give credit for book reports.

A 670 million dollar budget? Dang that's gotta be the most expensive movie(s) ever made.

That's the idea.

[Walts Ghost]

Great news to hear 'The Hobbit' is indeed filming in New Zealand! It's about time this movie finally found it's footing and got made

[Witch King of Angmar]

Originally Posted by KaiGusto

Hobbit to film in New Zealand. Confirmed by Prime Minister at press conference this evening.



Might have to head down to Welly for the premier. I went to the ROTK premier at it was a great experience.

great news!

[zombie63]

So glad this has finally been settled now and Peter and Co can get down to making the film we have all been waiting for.
Congrats New Zealand

[Josh]

It always come down to money in the end. I would be interested in knowing what the new legislation will do to the "unions" in NZ? Glad to hear work can now start and casting can be solidified.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by mjbethancourt

Every teacher I ever had in school thought that 'Lord of the Rings' was crap and didn't count as a classic, and wouldn't give credit for book reports.

I had the same experience. My high school English teacher said that Tolkien books were unacceptable for book reports, and (being a "rebel") it prompted me to read The Hobbit and LotR on my own volition. They were the first novels I can remember reading for pleasure.

[radagast]

Originally Posted by SonOfTorah

Call me being overdramatic, but if The Hobbit Parts 1 and 2 don't get made in New Zealand, i think it's going to damage the NZ film industry big time. No-one wants to film in a country that they worry has a bad reputation for it's actors unions kicking up a shit storm. NZ needs to offer further incentives to Warner and call the matter closed when they accept.

Originally Posted by avecha

Wasn't it that New Zealand ***** Robyn Malcolm who started it?

Didn't the original story say it was an actor's union from Australia, not New Zealand, that was making the stink?

[Bageara]

Originally Posted by Grand Bob

I had the same experience. My high school English teacher said that Tolkien books were unacceptable for book reports, and (being a "rebel") it prompted me to read The Hobbit and LotR on my own volition. They were the first novels I can remember reading for pleasure.

What is the problem English teachers have with Tolkien?

[Josh]

Originally Posted by Bageara

What is the problem English teachers have with Tolkien?

Tolkien isn't exactly the easiest material to read. But then again, I had to read The Color Purple in high school, which was a butchery of the English language. Thank you Cliff Notes!

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by Bageara

What is the problem English teachers have with Tolkien?

I suppose teachers want us to expand our mind, read new things, different things and they look at Tolkien's work as just regular books unlike Hemmingway, Joyce, Hugo, Zola....which I find funny cause when you actually pick up his books and read them, nothing easy about them and most average person out there would probably give up after 2 chapters

[mjbethancourt]

Originally Posted by Bageara

What is the problem English teachers have with Tolkien?

I believe they don't like it because, among other things, it doesn't follow the structural "formula" that teachers emphasize... then again, many of the great classics don't exactly follow their arbitrary 19th-century British novel "formula", either.

I think they also hate it because it is fun, and since their teachers discouraged reading anything fun when they were in school, they want future generations to suffer as much as they did in school.

[Darkhawk9587]

I'm really glad that this is going to stay and film in New Zealand. It was the perfect place for Middle Earth in LotR, and will be again for this.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by Bageara

What is the problem English teachers have with Tolkien?

The material is just not painful enough (e.g. "Moby Dick", "War and Peace"), depressing enough (e.g. Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle"), nor does it have a clever satirical or allegorical message (e.g. "Animal Farm"). They are for the most part "merely" enjoyable fantasy stories - teachers hate that. When your saga begins with, "In a hole in a ground lived a hobbit", and it includes wizards, dwarves, elves, and a dragon, you know you're in trouble.

[mjbethancourt]

Originally Posted by Grand Bob

The material is just not painful enough (e.g. "Moby Dick", "War and Peace"), depressing enough (e.g. Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle"), nor does it have a clever satirical or allegorical message (e.g. "Animal Farm"). They are for the most part "merely" enjoyable fantasy stories - teachers hate that. When your saga begins with, "In a hole in a ground lived a hobbit", and it includes wizards, dwarves, elves, and a dragon, you know you're in trouble.

So, in other words, several generations of english teachers have completely missed the point of Lord of the Rings, preferring more heavy-handed, preachy, and self-important social commentary.

[radagast]

Originally Posted by Bageara

What is the problem English teachers have with Tolkien?

Elitism, plain and simple. If a book is hugely popular, it can't be art. For something to be truly special, only a few "special" elite people can appreciate it while the vulgar mobs have their low-brow enjoyable books.

That's why you have to have government funds to support "true art", like one guy fisting another, because the vulgar, common folk wouldn't pay to see something like that.

[AintNoSin]

Originally Posted by KaiGusto

Hobbit to film in New Zealand. Confirmed by Prime Minister at press conference this evening.

Can you imagine the President of the United State, Prime Minister of Great Britain or any other head of state being involved with such an announcement? That gives some idea as to how huge a deal this is for New Zealand.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by AintNoSin

Can you imagine the President of the United State, Prime Minister of Great Britain or any other head of state being involved with such an announcement? That gives some idea as to how huge a deal this is for New Zealand.

It's a huge sum of money being pumped into their country that should stimulate the economy a bit, perhaps even for a long time, of course it's a huge deal.