TH: Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition Anticipation Thread

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Voronwë the Faithful
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Re: TH: Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition Anticipation Th

Post by Voronwë the Faithful »

So far as I know, none of the online versions have the commentary, just the appendices (which are arguably the best of any of the five EE's yet, in my opinion).
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Re: TH: Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition Anticipation Th

Post by narya »

I'd be happy to host a minimoot if you want to see it at my place. I have a hard copy. :D
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Re: TH: Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition Anticipation Th

Post by Impenitent »

My kids bought me the theatrical release DVDs for my birthdays the past two years, but I now want the super-dooper extended, everything included editions, but I'm frankly confused by the wealth of riches offered by Amazon. Which damned edition is which?

I want the DVD and Blu-ray bundles with all the extra material, but I don't need 3D because none of the screens in my house are 3D (is there any point to purchasing 3D if the screens aren't 3D? Honest question; I am perfectly willing to admit myself ignorant on this point.)

So, is this The Hobbit super-dooper all inclusive version?

And why can't I find DoS in any kind of extended edition on Amazon, except the Amazon Instant Video?

Is the Special Edition plus bonus material the same as the Extended Edition? And is the Special Extended Edition something else again? Where is all this explained? :pullhair: :pullhair: :pullhair:
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Re: TH: Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition Anticipation Th

Post by Alatar »

Thats the one Impy. Here's the DOS Version:

http://www.amazon.com/Hobbit-Desolation ... ref=sr_1_1
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Re: TH: Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition Anticipation Th

Post by Alatar »

Bear in mind, those are both the Bluray versions. I'm not sure there's a DVD+Bluray package available. Here in Ireland we can get either Bluray3D+Bluray, Bluray or DVD of the Extended Editions. The Theatrical cut is available in Bluray+DVD packages though.
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Re: TH: Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition Anticipation Th

Post by Impenitent »

Thank you Alatar! Blu-ray will do, though Blu-ray/DVD would mean I don't have to rely on access to my son's Playstation.
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Re: TH: Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition Anticipation Th

Post by Smaug's voice »

Finally saw this.
Initial reaction is that's it's a significantly better film than DOS.
One major complaint with the TE for me was that the first half an hour seemed to be so awfully rushed with so little character development.
Loved the Beorn scenes. Gandalf's departure felt much more sensible this time, though it still doesn't make complete sense.
Enjoyed Mirkwood. It seemed extended enough.
I'm neutral about the Laketown additions. The goat-testicles and Bard's comment on Braga's wife were awful. While the Master's rejection of Kili made Bofur 's line later, more sensible.

While the EE added much to the first half of the film, it did result in problems in the later half. By the time Bilbo finished with Smaug, I wanted the film to end badly. And that's where the Laketown attack and the healing came in along with the forges and made it all the worse.

So, I liked the EE a lot with all the additions and all. But it felt even more overlong than DOS.

Oh, but have to say the Dol Guldur additions worked brilliantly. It felt more connected to the central story, and Thrain was a bloody brilliant character.

PS: I agree with PtB. The flashbacks being set up with a cheap filter didn't help those scenes.
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Re: TH: Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition Anticipation Th

Post by Passdagas the Brown »

A puzzling decision, isn't it? I suppose PJ must have preferred that look to what he gave us of Azanbizar in AUJ...

Re the Wiki burial, I just think it creates more layers of history, and is very evocative. Deep inside a mountain, these ancient Kings of men bury an ancient spirit in the hope that it will never return. And it's so visually simple. No CGI needed. Plus, it's the only time we see non-Aragorn Men of the North across all six films!
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Re: TH: Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition Anticipation Th

Post by Dave_LF »

Passdagas the Brown wrote:A puzzling decision, isn't it? I suppose PJ must have preferred that look to what he gave us of Azanbizar in AUJ...
Creating the look used in AUJ may have been very time-consuming. If so, he might simply not have had the resources to do the same thing for the added material in the EE, which would then force a redo of the original footage for the sake of consistency.
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Re: TH: Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition Anticipation Th

Post by Elentári »

Smaug's voice wrote:Finally saw this.
Initial reaction is that's it's a significantly better film than DOS.
One major complaint with the TE for me was that the first half an hour seemed to be so awfully rushed with so little character development.
Loved the Beorn scenes. Gandalf's departure felt much more sensible this time, though it still doesn't make complete sense.
Enjoyed Mirkwood. It seemed extended enough.
I'm neutral about the Laketown additions. The goat-testicles and Bard's comment on Braga's wife were awful. While the Master's rejection of Kili made Bofur 's line later, more sensible.

While the EE added much to the first half of the film, it did result in problems in the later half. By the time Bilbo finished with Smaug, I wanted the film to end badly. And that's where the Laketown attack and the healing came in along with the forges and made it all the worse.

So, I liked the EE a lot with all the additions and all. But it felt even more overlong than DOS.

Oh, but have to say the Dol Guldur additions worked brilliantly. It felt more connected to the central story, and Thrain was a bloody brilliant character.

PS: I agree with PtB. The flashbacks being set up with a cheap filter didn't help those scenes.
I was hyped up about the Wiki ' s burial before. But I didn't feel like there was anything special about it.
Pretty much agree with everything here! :)

Regarding the extended Beorn sequence, I have to say I've seen a fan edit which, whilst being an extreme purist cut, (ie book material only) does very successfully rearrange all the Beorn material so that you get the impression of a longer stay, with a night in between the Company's arrival and the early morning departure. Basically it cuts from the Dwarves running into the house and discussion who was chasing them to the EE wood-cutting introduction scene and the meal round the table, then back to the night time scene of Beorn as a bear and subsequent transformation back into human form, with Bilbo waking in the night and seeing Beorn enter the house as in the TE. We still get the giant bees on waking following this. Obviously the non-book discussion with Gandalf about the High Fells is cut from this version prior to the departure, but I did feel the edit was extremely effective.

Oh, and this edit also cut the Smaug forge scene seamlessly as well... =:)
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Re: TH: Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition Anticipation Th

Post by Passdagas the Brown »

Where is this edit, if you don't mind me asking?
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Re: TH: Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition Anticipation Th

Post by Elentári »

Courtesy of Pettytyrant.... I'll PM you the details but in the meantime you can read about his edits [link removed because it uses a stolen copy of BotFA].
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Re: TH: Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition Anticipation Th

Post by yovargas »

I would also be quite interested in this. :)
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Re: TH: Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition Anticipation Th

Post by Elentári »

No prob, Yov - check your PMs :)
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