The Hobbit DVD/Blu-Ray Releases

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I can't imagine they would do a gift set just for Germany.

But we'll have to wait and see.

[kzer_za]

Great clip! That's probably the most warmth we've seen from Elrond in the movies, except perhaps the coronation.

13 minutes does seem a little short, but then they got really carried away with adding too much stuff in RotK EE (some scenes I really like, but a lot that should have stayed cut), so maybe this is a good thing.

[Elentári]

Pack shot, courtesy of Henneth-Annun.ru fansite



(larger version of image available via the linked page)

[Alatar]

Dammit. The Box still has that garish cover.

[Elentári]

But surely that's to reflect the lighter, more fairy tale tone of the film, Al?

[Passdagas the Brown]

Great clip! That's probably the most warmth we've seen from Elrond in the movies, except perhaps the coronation.

13 minutes does seem a little short, but then they got really carried away with adding too much stuff in RotK EE (some scenes I really like, but a lot that should have stayed cut), so maybe this is a good thing.

Impossible to tell.

If that 13 minutes is devoted primarily to fleshing out Bilbo's character development (and focusing on his journey - inner and outer), injecting some more substance to the Bilbo-Thorin relationship, and giving the dwarves some more emphasis amidst the extraneous fluff, then it will be a 13 minutes well spent. If we get extended consequenceless action scenes, and more of that in G-town, it will be a waste.

The Elrond-Bilbo scene seems good as a standalone scene, though it does not quite feel organic. Then again, I have always had a serious problem with the Kinkaid-esque Rivendell set. Just seems too fake and busy and stuffy. Like a Christmas-tree shop version of Rivendell.

But it's a nice little moment, and it's great that Rivendell will now actually have some Bilbo in it! You, know, Bilbo. That guy who the film is named after...

[Passdagas the Brown]

But surely that's to reflect the lighter, more fairy tale tone of the film, Al?

I love this line of sarcasm.

If everything is of a generally lower quality, visually and narratively, it ain't PJ's fault. It's because it's just a kid's story!

If anything, IMO, a children's story should be even better-crafted than a so-called "adult" story, whatever that is.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Tolkien (at least the post-Hobbit Tolkien of On Fairy-stories) would not agree with that, I think. Or rather, he would argue that it is wrong to call it a kid's story, or that a different level of care should apply to such tales because they have been associated with children:

It is true that in recent times fairy-stories have usually been written or “adapted” for children. But so may music be, or verse, or novels, or history, or scientific manuals. It is a dangerous process, even when it is necessary. It is indeed only saved from disaster by the fact that the arts and sciences are not as a whole relegated to the nursery; the nursery and schoolroom are merely given such tastes and glimpses of the adult thing as seem fit for them in adult opinion (often much mistaken). Any one of these things would, if left altogether in the nursery, become gravely impaired. So would a beautiful table, a good picture, or a useful machine (such as a microscope), be defaced or broken, if it were left long unregarded in a schoolroom. Fairy-stories banished in this way, cut off from a full adult art, would in the end be ruined; indeed in so far as they have been so banished, they have been ruined.

[kzer_za]

If that 13 minutes is devoting primarily to fleshing out Bilbo's character development (and focusing on his journey - inner and outher), injecting some more substance to the Bilbo-Thorin relationship, and giving the dwarves a bit more emphasis amidst the extraneous fluff, then it will be a 13 minutes well spent.

That actually gave me chills watching that. If it is 12-13 minutes all like that, I will be happy.

Come on - wouldn't you guys rather see a flashback of Azog the Idiot getting his metal arm at the orc hospital?

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I was actually hoping for a three minute slow motion take of Bombur eating a fruitcake.

[Passdagas the Brown]

Tolkien (at least the post-Hobbit Tolkien of On Fairy-stories) would not agree with that, I think. Or rather, he would argue that it is wrong to call it a kid's story, or that a different level of care should apply to such tales because they have been associated with children:

It is true that in recent times fairy-stories have usually been written or “adapted” for children. But so may music be, or verse, or novels, or history, or scientific manuals. It is a dangerous process, even when it is necessary. It is indeed only saved from disaster by the fact that the arts and sciences are not as a whole relegated to the nursery; the nursery and schoolroom are merely given such tastes and glimpses of the adult thing as seem fit for them in adult opinion (often much mistaken). Any one of these things would, if left altogether in the nursery, become gravely impaired. So would a beautiful table, a good picture, or a useful machine (such as a microscope), be defaced or broken, if it were left long unregarded in a schoolroom. Fairy-stories banished in this way, cut off from a full adult art, would in the end be ruined; indeed in so far as they have been so banished, they have been ruined.

Oh yes, of course he wouldn't agree. And I am quite heavily influenced by Tolkien's view on the subject (or rather, I strongly agree with him).

If anything, those who insist that fairy tales and such are "silly kid's stuff" are usually neo-adolescents, obsessed with an arbitrary and ridiculous notion of what "being an adult" means. I think CS Lewis said something along those lines as well.

[Passdagas the Brown]

If that 13 minutes is devoting primarily to fleshing out Bilbo's character development (and focusing on his journey - inner and outher), injecting some more substance to the Bilbo-Thorin relationship, and giving the dwarves a bit more emphasis amidst the extraneous fluff, then it will be a 13 minutes well spent.

That actually gave me chills watching that. If it is 12-13 minutes all like that, I will be happy.

Come on - wouldn't you guys rather see a flashback of Azog the Idiot getting his metal arm at the orc hospital?

THAT, and, of course, a close-up of the gastrointestinal processes that led Radagast's avian friends to defecate on his head.

Not to mention the lead sled-rabbit's uplifting backstory of upward social mobility, and a short vignette on the "rocky" fraternal rivalry which led to the stone giants' epic punch out.

[Alatar]

But surely that's to reflect the lighter, more fairy tale tone of the film, Al?

Not sure if this sarcasm is aimed at me, but if it is I don't get the point of it. I've always argued for a Hobbit closer to LotR. I'm not one of those "Let the Hobbit be the Hobbit" people. I just don't happen to agree with some of PJs decisions in reaching that goal.

[kzer_za]

a short vignette on the "rocky" fraternal rivalry which led to the stone giants' epic punch out.

They were so mad about GdT leaving that they decided to copy his newest movie!

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Oh yes, of course he wouldn't agree. And I am quite heavily influenced by Tolkien's view on the subject (or rather, I strongly agree with him).

I know.

[Dave_LF]

I like the new scene, but it seems that it is yet another example of the writers creating a non-sequitur by shoehorning good, but context-inappropriate Tolkien dialog in where it doesn't fit. "It's unwise to seek the counsel of elves, for they will answer both yes and no." Great, but who asked for counsel? Absolutely no one.

What makes it especially aggravating is that it would be so simple to rectify this, which suggests the writers aren't even aware of the problem:

Elrond: I've heard that Hobbits are very resilient.
Bilbo: Really?
Elrond: Nods
Bilbo: Do...do you truly believe a Hobbit could be fit for a quest in the wild?
Elrond: ...I've also heard they're fond of the comforts of home.
Bilbo: And I've heard that it's unwise to seek the counsel of elves, for they will answer both yes and no.

There; add something like the blue line and it's all better.

Edit: Spelling

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I was perfectly happy to have that line be implied. I had no problem with that.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Meanwhile, here the Amazon.com page for the U.S. gift set with the Bilbo/Gollum statue:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/ref=%2 ... B00E9HML1Q

Elen, I'm sure that it will be available in the UK as well. Why wouldn't it be?

[Elentári]

I'm sure it will, V...

But surely that's to reflect the lighter, more fairy tale tone of the film, Al?

Not sure if this sarcasm is aimed at me, but if it is I don't get the point of it. I've always argued for a Hobbit closer to LotR. I'm not one of those "Let the Hobbit be the Hobbit" people. I just don't happen to agree with some of PJs decisions in reaching that goal.

Al, the sarcasm wasn't aimed at you in particular, it was simply my immediate reaction to your comment, and was meant to be sending up those who argue just that point! I quite agree with you that there was no reason for TH to be at such a visual variance with the original trilogy..

[Primula Baggins]

Dave's addition clarifies the rest of the lines, but it's also a bit "on the nose." I think Bilbo's earnest, questioning look was a pretty clear request for "counsel."