I dislike him almost as much as i dislike the axe in Bifur's head. Which I still hate after all this time and completely ignore when I watch the film. Beorn might be a bit harder to ignore since he is supposed to be a major character. I just hate the whole X-men Wolverine/hybrid look. And where are his muscles? those biceps could be on any normal man Beorn should be ripped and buff, like one of those WWE wrestlers. IMO of course REALLY NOT liking the look hopefully Persbrandt's performance will save it.
If your going to adapt a story you love WHY change it into something else? I truly am curious about that.
Well, given that I was the one that started the petition to Jackson to remove the axe, I obviously agree with you there. But while Beorn is definitely not what I had always imagined, I think I rather like his look, and can understand why they went with it (particularly if they are, as seems very likely, going to show his transformation).
"Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world."
I actually really hate it when a "big man" of the ancient or medieval world is portrayed as a steroid-laden muscle head. A woodsman in a place like Middle Earth should be healthy and muscular, but in a wiry rather than bulky way. He chops wood, hauls wood, and travels far and wide. His physique is exactly right. For once, I am glad PJ didn't go OTT on human Beorn.
That said, the facial hair is disappointing. The beard looks fake as well - almost as bad as Dwalin's, which is the worst of the bunch (observe it during his introductory scenes in Bag End).
He looks like a Dickensian-era Kevin Costner. I mean, the last thing I think about when reading about Beorn is "mutton chops."
Are we supposed to believe that he actively shaves his upper lip and chin? He's a shape-shifting wild man, not a shopkeeper!
I didn't mean steroid driven muscles Maybe I shouldn't have used wrestlers as a reference. I grew up helping my dad with cutting and stacking and chopping wood. I know many lumberjacks. My dad has always been very ripped muscle wise but not huge and bulky. Just extremely toned. I agree there is a difference. Beorn for me just doesn't look toned from looking at his biceps. Handling an axe and living in the woods like a lumberjack he would be more defined IMO. he just looks like any other guy body wise to me so far.
You mean middle earth didn't have aquanet hairspray? How did Nori ever keep that wonderful do of his up....
If your going to adapt a story you love WHY change it into something else? I truly am curious about that.
Mind you, in the previous leaked photo from the Spanish calendar he does look rather more buff...
As much as I love Persbrandt, I have to say the hair is not doing it for me...
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
I also see that PJ couldn't help but give Persbrandt an obtrusive forehead and nose prosthetic. Interestingly enough, Persbrandt's natural face looks much more bear-like:
I never could understand PJ's obsession with extreme prosthetics, even when they are barely necessary for design purposes (eg. most of the actors playing dwarves look dwarvish enough without the plastic).
I agree with you about the lack of moustache, and the hair, but that is just looking for things to complain about, in my opinion.
There is no excessive prosthetics here. Fortunately.
"Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world."
Voronwë the Faithful wrote:I agree with you about the lack of moustache, and the hair, but that is just looking for things to complain about, in my opinion.
There is no excessive prosthetics here. Fortunately.
but there are enough to make him not look human. Look at the nose the shape resembles that of the snout of a bear. Something completely unnecessary. And the forehead has been pushed out a bit. Something subtle but still looking more animal like. Beorn was clearly described as looking like a man in the book not a hybrid of man and bear Just a very large man with "huge arms and a great beard" something this Beorn shows neither of IMO
If your going to adapt a story you love WHY change it into something else? I truly am curious about that.
But take a look at the link to Persbrandt's picture I provided. A much more natural and bear-like look, IMO, and there's not a prosthetic on him!
It's similar to the Graham McTavish phenomenon. He has a perfectly dwarven face, and yet PJ and company gave him awfully fake-looking head, forehead and nose prosthetics, which are glaringly obvious (watch the scene where he says "that'd be the door" to Bilbo, for example). Not to mention his beard, which looks like something a French guy once wore to a Halloween party I held once...
Beorn's beard and hair seem a bit more realistic than Dwalin's, but his face has an odd plastic look. Plus, he looks like Kevin Costner meets Michael J Fox's Teen Wolf, which can't be a good thing.
I see it with Dwalin, and certainly Balin's ridiculous nose, but I don't see it with Beorn. I like the face quite a bit.
"Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world."
All he needs is some spandex and he'll be singing living on a prayer to Bilbo and the dwarfs. Then when Bilbo goes into the mountain were gonna faintly hear the opening guitar riff of wanted dead or alive as Bilbo makes his way to the lower halls
Last edited by sinister71 on Fri Oct 04, 2013 7:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
If your going to adapt a story you love WHY change it into something else? I truly am curious about that.
sinister71 wrote:looking at that hair he looks like Jon Beorn Jovi
Love it! Since Beorn is chasing the Company when we meet him, I guess the song should be renamed "Always run from you..."
Maybe Persbrandt could make a cover of "One Wild Night" for the scene where Beorn has a meeting with the other bears in the area and the Dwarves are warned to stay indoors!
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
Passdagas the Brown wrote:One thing's for sure. He gives bears...a bad name.
notice the profile picture change ...
Shot thru the heart and Beorn's to blame... He gives bears a bad name.
This is a meme begging to go viral (at least in Tolkien fandom). Any chance of putting together a Youtube video?
Your hair's overdone
There's nowhere to run
No one can save you
The damage is done
Shot through the heart
And Peter's to blame
You give bears a bad name
You play your part, but Peter's to blame
You give bears a bad name
You give bears a bad name
I also think it likely that the set photo is more accurate. The more I look at it, the more it seems that the image from the book is artwork, and not an actual photo...
Maybe I shouldn't have used wrestlers as a reference. I grew up helping my dad with cutting and stacking and chopping wood. I know many lumberjacks. My dad has always been very ripped muscle wise but not huge and bulky. Just extremely toned. I agree there is a difference. Beorn for me just doesn't look toned from looking at his biceps. Handling an axe and living in the woods like a lumberjack he would be more defined IMO. he just looks like any other guy body wise to me so far.
Love it! Since Beorn is chasing the Company when we meet him, I guess the song should be renamed "Always run from you..." 
