The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition - November 4, 2014

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by GenPion

Yeah, because it will be 3D fans faults for 3D not being as successful as it could have been.

Dude, you can't tell me that having people who regard converted 3D as poison are actually helping the format? There are lots of other reasons why it will eventually fall by the wayside, sure, but with more support from ALL quarters it may well hold on for a bit longer. To not even consider watching a converted movie even if it's incredible by all accounts (Titanic) is madness.

Sadly, I think we're gonna go through the exact same elitist bullshit with 4K. I'm certain that there will be upconverted content (due to the sheer amount of 2K finishes that are out there in movie land). Even though it should still provide a better picture than regular Blu-ray with the higher bit-depth, increased colour resolution and (at some point) wider colour gamut, there will still be douchebags who'll refuse it without ever having even seen it to judge for themselves.

[Falaskan]

I'm very picky about my 3D movies. Some are mind blowing, and if the 3D aspect of the film doesn't blow me away, I end up selling the 3D copy.

3D copies I've kept:
Beauty and The Beast
Titanic
Avatar
Frozen
Shrek Forever After
A Christmas Carol
Polar Express
Gravity
Jurassic Park

3D copies I've sold/don't watch for being underwhelming:
The Amazing Spiderman 1
Narnia: Dawn Treader
The Lion King
Monster's University
Pirates of the Caribbean: Stranger Tides (except for a few mind-blowing shots, hehe)

I realize a lot o people would disagree with those lists, but I don't just want depth (which I tend to not notice over time) but pop out of the screen effects (once or twice during a movie doesn't cut it). It doesn't have to be gimmicky either. Maybe that is one reason why 3D sales is not doing as well here.

[Geoff D]

Sure, I'm not saying people should be buying poor 3D for the sake of it. What I'm saying - what I've always said - is that it should be the final product that's what counts, not how it was lensed and (as if by magic) you've proved my point: 3 of the 5 you find underwhelming are native 3D productions! And I totally agree about ASM1, it's one of the blandest native 3D movies I've ever seen, whereas a more recent converted flick like Edge of Tomorrow was far more aggressive and it's one of my favourite 3D movies of the year so far.

[Adam_WM]

I'm getting a new projector in the springtime that will be 3D and I'm so mad at myself for not buying 3D copies all along of everything (Hobbit included).

[I-C-Blue]

A noob question for the extended editions of the Unexpected Journey and the second one: Is it worth? I've heard that the Extended Editions aren't anything like Lord of the Ring's, where it draws more from the book where as The Hobbit is added input by film makers.

PS I've never seen any of the Hobbits either.

[mjbethancourt]

Originally Posted by I-C-Blue

A noob question for the extended editions of the Unexpected Journey and the second one: Is it worth? I've heard that the Extended Editions aren't anything like Lord of the Ring's, where it draws more from the book where as The Hobbit is added input by film makers.

PS I've never seen any of the Hobbits either.

I think the EE of Unexpected Journey is kind of a joke. It doesn't add significantly to anything, other than more information being revealed in the impromptu council at Rivendell. Most of the restored footage is stuff that belonged on the cutting-room floor. The EE of Desolation of Smaug, however, is much more like a LotR EE, and the material restored most definitely makes it a much more "Tolkien" film.

[JackKnightStarman]

Originally Posted by mjbethancourt

I think the EE of Unexpected Journey is kind of a joke. It doesn't add significantly to anything, other than more information being revealed in the impromptu council at Rivendell. Most of the restored footage is stuff that belonged on the cutting-room floor. The EE of Desolation of Smaug, however, is much more like a LotR EE, and the material restored most definitely makes it a much more "Tolkien" film.

Couldn't disagree more. There are plenty of substantial additions that answer questions left by the theatrical. While I never felt you were missing out with not seeing Extended cuts for LOTR, that is clearly not the case with the Hobbit. The better versions are the extended.

[GenPion]

In my own opinion, the Extended Edition of An Unexpected Journey had a few decent moments, but it was mostly a few comedic bits and one or two (short) dramatic moments re-inserted. The running time difference was really small too... around eight minutes or so? It makes it feel less "essential" but I certainly don't mind it. It's a nice viewing option but the added material feels less important compared to the Lord of the Rings extended editions.

The Desolation of Smaug extended edition, on the other hand, is much more effective. It makes a big difference on the flow of the film and it works even better because of the extra footage. Many of the sequences in this version add back some of the material of Tolkien's world, and most of the scenes added expand the dramatic backbone of the film. It's every bit as essential as a extended edition as any of the Lord of the Rings films. There are a couple new comedic bits as well, and they work even better than what was in the theatrical version in some cases too, IMO. This wasn't the primary expanded element of the second film, but I do feel it having some more comedy too actually helped Desolation of Smaug more than it helped An Unexpected Journey as viewing the theatrical versions, AUJ theatrical already has a lot of comedic bits... Desolation of Smaug? In the theatrical version, not so much.

[Adam_WM]

Originally Posted by I-C-Blue

A noob question for the extended editions of the Unexpected Journey and the second one: Is it worth? I've heard that the Extended Editions aren't anything like Lord of the Ring's, where it draws more from the book where as The Hobbit is added input by film makers.

PS I've never seen any of the Hobbits either.

The appendices are worth it for the prices of admission alone.

[Falaskan]

Originally Posted by Adam_WM

The appendices are worth it for the prices of admission alone.

I haven't watched em for either Hobbit EE yet. I can only take so much of "look we have to get up at 4am and put on dwarf makeup in our trailer while we camp out in New Zealand's fjords!"

[KG204]

Originally Posted by captveg

Yes. I actually like the theatrical slightly more. Then again, I like ALL the theatrical versions more.

I would agree with you on most parts, exception being The Wolverine. Even without the extra scenes added, I consider the extended to be the definitive version just on how much more graphic the scenes are.

[Vashetti]

Originally Posted by Falaskan

I haven't watched em for either Hobbit EE yet. I can only take so much of "look we have to get up at 4am and put on dwarf makeup in our trailer while we camp out in New Zealand's fjords!"

They barely show any of that.

I would go as far to say that the Hobbit Appendices are better than LOTR's.

They are far more honest this time, Peter readily admits that he had no idea what he was doing when filming the Smaug chase sequence for the end of DOS.

[Geoff D]

I agree, I think the EE extras are magnificent. And while I can understand Falaskan's point on the surface of it, i.e. you can only see them tarting about on set so many before it gets boring, the GREAT thing about each 'on set' piece is that they also look at a different aspect of production. One focuses on Tauriel's stunt double, another looks at the making of the costumes, another at how the Smaug Erebor set was created and maintained etc etc.

I value the extras as much as the films in the LOTR/Hobbit EE's.

[Enora]

Are we still in an age where Warner will give away the "premium slipcover" to hold all three extended editions when The Battle of the Five Armies sees its release ?

I loved that they did that with the extended DVD editions of The Lord of the Rings, and the hope that they will do it again is why I have already purchased the first two The Hobbit EEs instead of waiting.

[Adam_WM]

Originally Posted by Vashetti

They are far more honest this time, Peter readily admits that he had no idea what he was doing when filming the Smaug chase sequence for the end of DOS.

I was pretty shocked with how candid he was with how "seat of the pants" the end of the DoS production seemed.

[Falaskan]

Originally Posted by Enora

Are we still in an age where Warner will give away the "premium slipcover" to hold all three extended editions when The Battle of the Five Armies sees its release ?

I loved that they did that with the extended DVD editions of The Lord of the Rings, and the hope that they will do it again is why I have already purchased the first two The Hobbit EEs instead of waiting.

I actually kinda doubt it, but it was only $3 last time, if I remember correctly. I'd love to have it!

[Taikero]

Originally Posted by Adam_WM

I was pretty shocked with how candid he was with how "seat of the pants" the end of the DoS production seemed.

It was the same way with Smaug's production as well (I'm working through the second Appendices disc now). They didn't even have his design anywhere near complete when the first film came out. They had to retroactively modify the first film before it hit Blu-ray/DVD so that the (little bit of) Smaug we see in the prologue of AUJ matched the Smaug of DoS.

Crazy stuff if you ask me. I think they were too aggressive on their release schedule and should have actually pushed these films back an entire year (which would mean that DoS would just be coming out in theaters). I think then fewer creative problems would have surfaced and we would have been privileged with a much better adaptation.

Haste makes waste. While I have enjoyed these Hobbit films, had they even had 6 months padding apiece, we would be looking at a much different final product, I think.

[Todd Smith]

Any known Black Friday deals on this EE?

[Adam_WM]

Originally Posted by Todd Smith

Any known Black Friday deals on this EE?

Does not appear there is.

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by Todd Smith

Any known Black Friday deals on this EE?

I predict there will be a Lightning Deal on the Amazon Exclusive statue set.

What am I basing this on? The fact that I bought this on release day.