The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

[Passdagas the Brown]

The lack of blur likely has more to do with a very high shutter speed, than any kind of computer manipulation, high res or HFR. They can get away with using a very high shutter speed because the lighting is so blindingly bright, that you won't get a dim photo. A lower shutter speed would probably create an over-bright image, with a blurry Thorin.

That's my theory, in any case...

[Elentári]

A new spoiler, from Carne, over on TORn - a reliable source of insider info!

For those wondering how Alfrid ends up with the refugees in Dale (as seen in recent stills from the tie-in books)

Hidden text.

- During Smaug's attack on Laketown, the Master will (as the man he is) decide to leave with all his valuables. He brings with him Alfrid, Braga and some guards and they set off. Bard is left in his cell, but manages to get hold of a rope, tie it to the bars and lasso the other end around some part of the Master's boat. The bars break off. Freedom!

- Alfrid points out the weight of everything the Master has brought with him is too much for the boat. The Master agrees and has Alfrid thrown overboard. Bard eventually saves him from the cold water, hence why he ends up in Dale with the rest of the refugees.

Oh, and here's a new image of Gandalf and Bard...(with the infamous blue coat!)

[Passdagas the Brown]

That prison break method is beyond stupid. I mean, a small boat slowly propelled by humans in a narrow canal somehow creates enough forward force to pull the bars off his prison cell? Curious to hear from Frelga about how that logic stacks up against the logic of the beacons scene!

However, I do like the idea that Alfrid becomes a victim of the Master.

I may have missed something, but what exactly is infamous about Bard's blue coat? It looks great.

[Elentári]

Oh, if I recall correctly, after DoS we kept seeing images leaked of Bard sometimes in a blue coat, and then again in the brown and we were trying to ascertain where and when he would get the blue one!

[Passdagas the Brown]

Ah, got it! Looks like he has chain mail underneath it, implying that this is perhaps his BotFA outfit. So I would imagine he gets the blue coat, and the armor, in Dale.

[Frelga]

That prison break method is beyond stupid. I mean, a small boat slowly propelled by humans in a narrow canal somehow creates enough forward force to pull the bars off his prison cell? Curious to hear from Frelga about how that logic stacks up against the logic of the beacons scene!

I reserve my judgement until I see the scene, but it sounds like is their mortar or their metal is rubbish.

[Passdagas the Brown]

If that was the case, Bard could have pushed through himself! The minimal amount of force that would come from a slow row boat would probably be less than the force of Bard's body being slammed against the bars. But I will also be sensible, and reserve judgment until I see it. Just seems like such an unnecessarily complicated scene (not least because of the ridiculous convenience of the Master departing on a boat that happens to be sitting in front of Bard's jail cell - and so close that Bard can reach the rope that's tied to it)! Bain showing up and freeing him would have been preferable, and less convoluted, I think...

Ah, well. This is a Peter Jackson film. My expectations are as low as they have ever been, and that's a good place for me to be.

[Dave_LF]

I don't know; a boat containing two or more humans (the number isn't clear), one of whom possesses substantial girth, and so laden with treasure that it is in danger of sinking, moving at escape-from-a-dragon speed, would possess considerable momentum. Add to that the fact that Laketown isn't in the greatest shape, and it might be possible.

Anyone have data on how much force it takes to pull an iron grate out of its mortar?

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I reserve my judgement until I see the scene

Wiser words have seldom if ever been said in this forum.

[Passdagas the Brown]

I think it's implied, among reasonable people having a discussion, that final judgments will not be made about this film until we see it ourselves.

But no matter how it plays out, even if it seems to be physically possible, the convenience of the situation just seems too ridiculous. In that context, I think there's about a 3% chance that it will play out in a satisfactory way.

But final judgment will be reserved until I see it.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I think there's about a 3% chance that it will play out in a satisfactory way.

To someone who has already pre-judged the idea, if not the execution.

I actually like the idea, and for the reasons that Dave has already stated, do not believe that it sounds impossible, or even improbable. But it remains to be seen how it plays out and how it is executed. Or even whether this is at all true (I know Elen says that Carne is a trustworthy insider, and I trust her judgment, but I don't actually recall seeing anything that he has predicted come true [that doesn't mean it hasn't happened, just that I don't recall it).

[Passdagas the Brown]

The idea is bad, yes. I don't like it (and I can judge it in the abstract). But the whole scene I won't judge until I see how it is executed.

And if I don't have to judge it because it doesn't happen, even better!

[Voronwë the Faithful]

No, the idea is not to your taste. That is different than it being objectively bad.

[Passdagas the Brown]

*Sigh* Yes. I figured that was implied. Particularly given the subsequent statement "I do not like it," and "I can judge it in the abstract."

But I will take note, and make sure I use IMO after every opinion I offer. Though I would say that I use the "IMO" preface with about 80% of my opinions already!

In any case, I don't like the idea. But I have seen bad ideas executed rather well by PJ (or at least enjoyably), such as the barrel sequence and Tauriel's moonlit chat with Kili, so I will reserve judgment until I see it!

[Frelga]

No, the idea is not to your taste. That is different than it being objectively bad.

Well, as a practical escape plan, yes, it sounds like a bad idea, as in, if I'm trying to get out of a cell, I would not expect it to work. If anything, the rope should give out first, unless the iron is really so rusty that Bard could probably have kicked the bars out without the extra bother. The only reason I am reserving judgment is because there might be some extenuating circumstances in what is shown on screen. Such, I don't know, Bard actually rigs up some mechanism that uses the pull on the rope to rotate somethings that drives a saw across the bars. Which would be kinda cool, in a way.

[Passdagas the Brown]

Such, I don't know, Bard actually rigs up some mechanism that uses the pull on the rope to rotate somethings that drives a saw across the bars. Which would be kinda cool, in a way.

Now THAT I would pay to see! Hilarious.

[Frelga]

Extra points for Bard water-skiing after the boat.

No, really. That's why the barrel scene does not bother me at all. It is supposed to be a silly action moment, and it is. If PJ went all out to make a silly action movie, OK, that could be fun. Actually, I kind of wish he did. It's just that he can't decide if he's trying for DC (dark, gritty, rainy) or Marvel (raccoon with a machine gun) feel, and while he can do quite a good fantasy epic, he is not nearly as good at balancing it with the kind of humor that is still appropriate within an epic story, and he keeps kicking me out of the epic mood.

The entrance to Erebor, for instance, was a lovely, epic, well-acted moment. But my head was still spinning from that whole "Look at the door for five minutes, give up, lose the key, panic" buffoonery. It is my fond ambition to start a Kickstarter so that I can hire Mandy Patinkin to call PJ, and tell him, "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means," the word being "reversal."

[Passdagas the Brown]

Amen to everything you just said, Frelga. A thousand times. The main reasons why I find PJ's films so frustrating are all encapsulated in your post. Rejoice, everyone. I can shut up now!

[Elentári]

Someone managed to grab a cell phone and record the latest TV ad last night: Just for PtB, Dain and the Iron Hill dwarves - awesome!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/88001361@N05/15679339669/

(you can see Dain, red=head/bearded dwarf to the right of Thorin charging. Carrying a massive axe with a giant helmet. Just like the LEGO set. )

ETA: There were in fact 3 new spots - here they are, including the one above, on Youtube:



Plus screencaps for those who may not be able to view YT

...AND a gif of Galadriel doing her stuff!

Hidden text.

[Elentári]

There's also this article from the Brisbane Sunday Mail on TORn's front page...

Hobbit’s road comes to an end

Brisbane tabloid The Sunday Mail sent writer Neala Johsnon across the pond to New Zealand in June 2013 for a stint on the set of The Hobbit during pick-ups. This article finally popped up in the paper’s mag last weekend.

As The Sunday Mail — especially its longer, feature-style magazine articles — doesn’t really make its way online at all, here’s the article re-typed in full for TORn readers. Beware minor movie spoilers, there are a couple of new lines of movie dialogue below and more information about the situation in the ruins of Dale in the lead up to the final battle.