The Hobbit Trilogy Discussion Thread

[spanky87]

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG, Production Diary 11 - YouTube

[ONE_DAY_AS_A_LION]

Originally Posted by spanky87

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG, Production Diary 11 - YouTube

Very cool!

[TheWildWhelk]

Originally Posted by spanky87

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG, Production Diary 11 - YouTube

Thanks for the linkage, great production blog. This is probably my most anticipated film of the next 6 months!

[fitprod]

Peter Jackson confirms no Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug @ Comic Con 2013

No too surprising, it's not like they need to spend the money to promote this sequel @ Comic Con. Ultimately, I think the only reasons the first Hobbit film was @ Comic Con was to build the hype for the film and the HDF version of the film.

One sort of worked, the other ultimately fell on it's face.

I'm sure he'll be back for Comic Con 2014.

fitprod

[RyanPom]

Smaller films need comic con these days. The big ones don't.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by fitprod

Peter Jackson confirms no Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug @ Comic Con 2013

No too surprising, it's not like they need to spend the money to promote this sequel @ Comic Con. Ultimately, I think the only reasons the first Hobbit film was @ Comic Con was to build the hype for the film and the HDF version of the film.

One sort of worked, the other ultimately fell on it's face.

I'm sure he'll be back for Comic Con 2014.

fitprod

He played the footage at Comic Con in 24 frames per second, it was Cinemacon where he played it in 48 fps and got all the negative word of mouth.

[Jumpman]

Is it wrong to say that I think I'm going to enjoy this Hobbit trilogy way more than the Rings trilogy?

Make no mistake, for me, the Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition is a masterpiece. It's in my top 20 of last decade easily. It's just that good of a motion picture. Alas, no matter which cut of the last two films I try to watch, I can't get through them. Over and over again, I just see the flaws in the adaptation process. The flaws in the visual effects execution. The flaw in Peter Jackson over directing the last two pictures. Just can't get through them.

Meanwhile, an Unexpected Journey hits screens and home video and while it's flawed to the hilt, there's just something about the tale of Bilbo Baggins, Freeman's performance, and having McKellen playing this Gandalf for three films that just great appeals to me way more so than the tale of Frodo Baggins and Aragorn. I may have felt differently if the Lord of the Rings was the tale of Aragorn's ascension but that's not the main thrust of the story, even while being VERY integral to it.

I do not agree with starting out this new trilogy with Ian Holm and Elijah Wood because it's completely unnecessary but I'm greatly looking forward to this extended edition and seeing what they add back in, even though I think the film is bloated beyond reason by at least 30 minutes. Still, I am hoping that Jackson gives a proper introduction to Middle Earth in the extended edition of an Unexpected Journey and not just lean on the nostalgia of the prologue of the Fellowship of the Ring for the information. Because, for this viewer, if this Hobbit trilogy continues to entertain and thrill me to the end, there's a good chance I'd never watch the Rings trilogy again and so I'm hoping that the Hobbit trilogy feels fully complete and doesn't technically need the assistance of the Rings trilogy in order to feel complete.

Sorry for the long post but it's been on my mind as I go back through an Unexpected Journey and deciding whether or not to finally picture of the BD or just wait for the extended edition.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by Jumpman

Is it wrong to say that I think I'm going to enjoy this Hobbit trilogy way more than the Rings trilogy?

Certainly not wrong, but perhaps (similar to many of us) looking at the last two installments with cautious optimism. Now that Jackson has announced that he is back with the first movie, perhaps he can allow the story to be told without heavy modification. There is enough adventure in the remainder of the story to circumvent the use of desperate action scenes and invented plots that don't necessarily enhance the material. Also, it might be advisable to attenuate the extensive CGI, over-use of color-grading, or whatever else it is that (IMO) makes many scenes in the first Hobbit movie look "fake" compared to what I consider the more realistically portrayed scenes in "The Fellowship of the Ring". Like you, I also think that Fellowship was the best of the original movie trilogy. If he remains relatively true to the "spirit" of the original story, the last two movies should be winners.

[Jumpman]

Originally Posted by Grand Bob

Certainly not wrong, but perhaps (similar to many of us) looking at the last two installments with cautious optimism. Now that Jackson has announced that he is back with the first movie, perhaps he can allow the story to be told without heavy modification. There is enough adventure in the remainder of the story to circumvent the use of desperate action scenes and invented plots that don't necessarily enhance the material. Also, it might be advisable to attenuate the extensive CGI, over-use of color-grading, or whatever else it is that (IMO) makes many scenes in the first Hobbit movie look "fake" compared to what I consider the more realistically portrayed scenes in "The Fellowship of the Ring". Like you, I also think that Fellowship was the best of the original movie trilogy. If he remains relatively true to the "feel" of the original story, the last two movies should be winners.

We'll have to see. As much as I LOVE the look of the Fellowship of the Ring, I do dig the heighten fantasy look of an Unexpected Journey, via the use of digital cinematography vs captured on film.

I am curious as to how much he'll embellish in the next two films, considering this is a trilogy now instead of two films.

Also, as much as I'm looking forward to the extended cut of an Unexpected Journey, I'm dreading it as well. Once you see an extended cut, you can't UNsee it. And as it stands now, barring the obvious pieces missing in the Hobbiton sequence and in the Rivendell sequence, I do like the cut now.

I'm going to be counting on others reviews of the extended cut before I decide whether or not it's worth a look.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by Jumpman

I am curious as to how much he'll embellish in the next two films, considering this is a trilogy now instead of two films.
Also, as much as I'm looking forward to the extended cut of an Unexpected Journey, I'm dreading it as well. Once you see an extended cut, you can't UNsee it. And as it stands now, barring the obvious pieces missing in the Hobbiton sequence and in the Rivendell sequence, I do like the cut now.

That is the million dollar question. And concerning the extended cuts (which I will buy), will we have scenes like the (too brief) Faramir and Eowyn extended scene in RotK, which filled in a gap and enhanced the story, or more scenes like Sam not being able to sleep - or the much-cited avalanche of skulls scene which added little, except perhaps for unintentional humor? My extended scene preference would involve material from the LotR Appendices, which of course was in large part justification for the multiple Hobbit movies. We know more are coming, but thus far these scenes are in short supply.

[Jumpman]

Originally Posted by Grand Bob

That is the million dollar question. And concerning the extended cuts (which I will buy), will we have scenes like the (too brief) Faramir and Eowyn extended scene in RotK, which filled in a gap and enhanced the story, or more scenes like Sam not being able to sleep - or the much-cited avalanche of skulls scene which added little, except perhaps for unintentional humor? My extended scene preference would involve material from the LotR Appendices, which of course was in large part justification for the multiple Hobbit movies. We know more are coming, but thus far these scenes are in short supply.

Well, adding more Goblin King is a step in the wrong direction.

My wish, which will never happen, is to cut out Ian Holm and Wood. Treat this film as if the Rings pictures didn't exist. Get rid of the nostalgia. Just have Freeman's Bilbo introduce the audience to Middle Earth and Hobbiton.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by Jumpman

Well, adding more Goblin King is a step in the wrong direction.

My wish, which will never happen, is to cut out Ian Holm and Wood. Treat this film as if the Rings pictures didn't exist. Get rid of the nostalgia. Just have Freeman's Bilbo introduce the audience to Middle Earth and Hobbiton.

I agree with your assessment of additional Goblin King scenes, and the Holm/Wood interaction seemed uncomfortable, almost forced. Apart from fewer invented plots, an improvement to the films and something in particular I would enjoy is more Middle-earth scenery. Tolkien's location descriptions are a main selling-point of the story, and Jackson's art department has done a wonderful job recreating them, especially in the LotR films. I can never get enough of the Shire, and in the first movie I believe that the ruined castles on the hilltops of old Cardolan (and perhaps the Barrow-downs?), the Weather Hills, crossing the River Mitheithel, etc. would have added atmosphere. I was also hoping to get a more extensive view of Rivendell than was provided in the film, since they put such a commendable effort into recreating it.

[rikraq]

They've wrapped up filming:
http://news.yahoo.com/hobbit-sequels...145936788.html

http://www.itv.com/news/2013-07-29/d...g-on-facebook/

[Tony208]

Sir Ian McKellen with X-men DOFP and Hobbit 1-3 in 2012-2014

[chris_sc77]

Originally Posted by Tony208

Sir Ian McKellen with X-men DOFP and Hobbit 1-3 in 2012-2014

and a cameo in

[Show spoiler]The Wolverine

[jamesdevil]

The trailer for The Desolation of Smaug is attached to Elysium.

[SkillzthatKillz]

Originally Posted by jamesdevil

The trailer for The Desolation of Smaug is attached to Elysium.

Is it a new trailer or the same one that's been out since June?

[Captain Kirk]

Originally Posted by jamesdevil

The trailer for The Desolation of Smaug is attached to Elysium.

It's attached to Percy Jackson too. I had a stupid grin on my face watching it tonight.

[TheWildWhelk]

Originally Posted by Serendipity

It's attached to Percy Jackson too. I had a stupid grin on my face watching it tonight.

Is it the same one that was attached to the superb Man Of Steel?

[Duffy12]

.

Well it appears that we finally have our very first pic of Beorn leaked out onto the net-

[Show spoiler]



http://www.getashirtlikemine.com/ken...obbit-picture/




Kinda reminds me of one of those hair metal rockers from the 80's.

.