Desolation of Smaug reviews
- Voronwë the Faithful
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- Primula Baggins
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We don't need no stinkin' exposition!
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
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Well, exposition is one thing. You don't want characters simply explaining things all the time.
But "walking and talking" seems to encompass all forms of dialogue that are delivered while moving slowly on two feet!
Are these reviewers generally okay with running and talking, falling and talking, jumping and talking, or swimming and talking?
But "walking and talking" seems to encompass all forms of dialogue that are delivered while moving slowly on two feet!
Are these reviewers generally okay with running and talking, falling and talking, jumping and talking, or swimming and talking?
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- Smaug's voice
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Two reviews:
Screendaily: http://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the- ... ntID=40296
Middle-earth News -
Spoiler free review: http://middleearthnews.com/2013/12/07/a ... -of-smaug/
a part-by-part spoiler-heavy review (didn't dare look into this!): http://middleearthnews.com/2013/12/07/a ... ler-alert/
Screendaily: http://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the- ... ntID=40296
Middle-earth News -
Spoiler free review: http://middleearthnews.com/2013/12/07/a ... -of-smaug/
a part-by-part spoiler-heavy review (didn't dare look into this!): http://middleearthnews.com/2013/12/07/a ... ler-alert/
- Smaug's voice
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- Dave_LF
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It is beginning to feel like a suspicious omission. I just did a search on TORN for the word and it's only been typed once since I posted about Shore's music for the scene on Monday, and that was unrelated.Passdagas the Brown wrote:I haven't seen any mention of the butterfly scene so far...
But it was included in the 20 minutes of footage that was screened a while back, so it would be really odd if it weren't there.
- Smaug's voice
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And a 2-star review by Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film ... eview.html
The only negative review till now which seems to have been written properly, imo, even though I may not fully agree with him.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film ... eview.html
The only negative review till now which seems to have been written properly, imo, even though I may not fully agree with him.
To play devil's advocate - would you feel skeptical if I said the running escape from a cave was the coolest of of Indiana Jones?Though the constant declaration of the barrels sequence as the best part of the film leaves me skeptical...
Considering the amount of walking-and-talking in the much-loved LOTR, I don't think they have a problem with it in principle. The only have a problem with it when what they're talking about is boring. And I'm sorry to say it but in the very simple children's adventure story that is The Hobbit, there really isn't much of anything that interesting to talk about.Passdagas the Brown wrote:From IGN:
Why in the world do reviewers have a problem with people walking and talking in fantasy films?This film clips along at a fast rate, upping the action and the suspense in a way the walking-and-talking first film often failed to.
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I wanna throw my body in the river and drown
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- Voronwë the Faithful
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A really excellent review by Quickbeam at TORN (and by excellent I don't mean positive, I mean informative and well written):
http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2013/12 ... ts-fandom/
The first part is spoiler free, and then after a blank space, he gets into spoilers. But it is mainly about how far the filmmakers deviate from the source material.
http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2013/12 ... ts-fandom/
The first part is spoiler free, and then after a blank space, he gets into spoilers. But it is mainly about how far the filmmakers deviate from the source material.
"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."
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I have it on the best authority that it is in, but that it has now become a major action sequence in which the butterflies chase Bilbo across the treetops. Major kewlness!!!!!!111Dave_LF wrote:It is beginning to feel like a suspicious omission. I just did a search on TORN for the word and it's only been typed once since I posted about Shore's music for the scene on Monday, and that was unrelated.Passdagas the Brown wrote:I haven't seen any mention of the butterfly scene so far...
But it was included in the 20 minutes of footage that was screened a while back, so it would be really odd if it weren't there.
More seriously, I am beginning to think that it, and Bilbo naming Sting, are both relegated to the EE.
"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."
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Thanks for all these reviews V. This sounds like everything I had hoped for ........ and maybe more.
There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.... John Rogers
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Glad to be of assistance. I for one feel that I need to know as much as possible about this film going in to avoid the distraction of constantly looking at what is different from the book. Because it definitely appears that Jackson wasn't kidding when he said that he was enjoying deviating from the source material. That's not necessarily a bad thing from a filmmaking point of view, but for those of us so steeped in Tolkien, it is going to be a hard pill to swallow.
Still, I am prepared to enjoy the film on its own terms.
Still, I am prepared to enjoy the film on its own terms.
"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."
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Well, I'm glad that there is someone out there who feels that same way as me about Jackson's TH...Voronwë the Faithful wrote:A really excellent review by Quickbeam at TORN (and by excellent I don't mean positive, I mean informative and well written):
http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2013/12 ... ts-fandom/
The first part is spoiler free, and then after a blank space, he gets into spoilers. But it is mainly about how far the filmmakers deviate from the source material.
I shall take Quickbeam's advice and at least try to enjoy the aesthetic pleasures to be savoured.
But a lot of what he spoils just gives me the shivers - and not in a good way...
This comment in particular, regarding the number of echoes of scenes and ideas from LotR is worth repeating!
I am convinced that it might not be such a good idea to recreate exact repeats of the same memorable moments from the LOTR Triilogy. Why doesn’t P.J. just keep making new memorable moments that belong solely to ‘The Hobbit?’
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if you read Quickbeam's review, you will see that he has it from a trustworthy source that the sequence was filmed but cut from the TE...so it may be reinstated for the EE.Smaug's voice wrote:Aaargh couldn't resist and took a little peek in there.Hidden text.
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
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You know, I wouldn't have a problem with what Jackson is doing, if it was for a standalone, single HOBBIT movie...I could understand and accept it far better.Voronwë the Faithful wrote:Glad to be of assistance. I for one feel that I need to know as much as possible about this film going in to avoid the distraction of constantly looking at what is different from the book. Because it definitely appears that Jackson wasn't kidding when he said that he was enjoying deviating from the source material. That's not necessarily a bad thing from a filmmaking point of view, but for those of us so steeped in Tolkien, it is going to be a hard pill to swallow.
Still, I am prepared to enjoy the film on its own terms.
But for an over-stretched 3-film version the aim of which he professes is to form a seamless 6 movie series, the difference between the two approaches really beggars belief...
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
~Diana Cortes