Fan Reaction to The Hobbit [Now with SPOILERS!]
- Primula Baggins
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I always had the impression from LotR that authority was bound by race, not territory, exactly—an Elven King ruled Elves, a king of Men ruled Men, etc. Of course that could just be a false impression left by the fact that Middle-earth is (conveniently?) large enough that at the time of LotR, areas occupied by the various races don't really overlap; there are wide open spaces in between. The Shire is the only exception I can think of, traditionally and then, by the end of the story, actually owing fealty to a king of Men.
Thranduil actually acknowledging Thror as an overlord would upset that for me. Yet in the film it didn't occur to me to think that was what was being shown.
Thranduil actually acknowledging Thror as an overlord would upset that for me. Yet in the film it didn't occur to me to think that was what was being shown.
“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
If that was the case, then Thorin would have a much bigger complaint than the lack of help - an omission, so to speak. Thranduil would be breaking an oath of allegiance, really a despicable act. But that didn't seem to be Thorin's point.
In a case of fans ruining a movie moment for me, someone on TORC remarked that Thranduil looked like a lovechild of Lucius Malfoy and Leonid Brezhnev, and now I'm unable to look at him without laughing.
In a case of fans ruining a movie moment for me, someone on TORC remarked that Thranduil looked like a lovechild of Lucius Malfoy and Leonid Brezhnev, and now I'm unable to look at him without laughing.
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
- Voronwë the Faithful
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My RL family and friends who have seen it -- which is just about everyone I know -- have said they really liked it. Everyone is surprised I haven't seen it yet since none of them is as big a Tolkien fan as me. Most of them loved Jackson's LOTR, some have even read the books, and I read The Hobbit to my children when they were very young.
eta: Most have seen it in 2D.
eta: Most have seen it in 2D.
- Voronwë the Faithful
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Forgive me if yiou have already explained this, but I never got it. Why exactly have you avoided seeing it? Because you are mad at Jackson because of the labor dispute? Or some other reason?
"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'm not so much mad at him, though as the "de facto interpreter of Tolkien in the new millennium" (as I called him elsewhere) and public face of this thing, I wish he would have spoken up and/or dug his heels in over more than just the uninviting of the NZRadio journalist. My not wanting to see (especially pay to see) TH is because of the way WB treated NZ all along.Voronwë the Faithful wrote:Forgive me if yiou have already explained this, but I never got it. Why exactly have you avoided seeing it? Because you are mad at Jackson because of the labor dispute? Or some other reason?
However, I am happy to continue speaking about The Hobbit and related topics with my friends here and elsewhere, if they will have me.
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- Voronwë the Faithful
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Just to play devil's advocate, however (it's a bit of an occupational hazard), who are you punishing more, WB, or yourself?
"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."
Hmmm well I'm not sure they will miss my 10 dollars so clearly it isn't them. However I feel strongly enough about the things that have disappointed me that I would actually be punishing myself if I paid to see the movie. Part of it too is somewhere along the way I realized that I had made an idol of the LOTR movies and people, images and objects associated with the movies. It's enough to say I think, that the way I feel about the movies is "complicated."Voronwë the Faithful wrote:Just to play devil's advocate, however (it's a bit of an occupational hazard), who are you punishing more, WB, or yourself?
I haven't seen it and don't plan to... it's not about punishing anyone, it's just about not wanting to sit through something that will likely make me feel ill.
For the TROUBLED may you find PEACE
For the DESPAIRING may you find HOPE
For the LONELY may you find LOVE
For the SKEPTICAL may you find FAITH
-Frances C. Arrillaga 1941-1995
For the DESPAIRING may you find HOPE
For the LONELY may you find LOVE
For the SKEPTICAL may you find FAITH
-Frances C. Arrillaga 1941-1995
- Primula Baggins
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You can be a kind of Wildwood for us. Since Wildwood has seen the Hobbit.
“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
- Voronwë the Faithful
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It's interesting how, on one hand, Jackson gets a lot of flak from some Tolkien fans for overdoing the action (which I agree with in certain scenes, but I think it's sometimes exaggerrated). And then on the other hand, non-fans will sometimes criticize him for "too many dwarf songs" or "too much walking."
PJ obviously loves big action scenes, but I think he very much likes slower character-oriented ones too (in fact, his favorite scene in each LotR movie falls in that category). Because he wants a good amount of both in his movies, they are rather long and sometimes unwieldy, but generally enjoyable I think. At least LotR/Hobbit - haven't seen anything else.
PJ obviously loves big action scenes, but I think he very much likes slower character-oriented ones too (in fact, his favorite scene in each LotR movie falls in that category). Because he wants a good amount of both in his movies, they are rather long and sometimes unwieldy, but generally enjoyable I think. At least LotR/Hobbit - haven't seen anything else.
This is an apt description of King Kong, and why I loved that movie. In fact once they got off the boat (a good hour into the movie), I pretty much lost interest until they were back in New York... except for some of the scenes with Watts and Kong.kzer_za wrote: PJ obviously loves big action scenes, but I think he very much likes slower character-oriented ones too (in fact, his favorite scene in each LotR movie falls in that category). Because he wants a good amount of both in his movies, they are rather long and sometimes unwieldy, but generally enjoyable I think.
As a side note, (as I've said before elsewhere) I really think the first hour of King Kong -- if not the whole movie -- is an autobiographical sketch of Jackson's experience making LOTR.
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- Voronwë the Faithful
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Nice article by Michael Martinez (are you out there, Michael?) about Richard Armitage and Thorin, which I largely agree with:
On Peter Jackson’s “Hobbit” – Richard Armitage Defines Thorin Oakenshield
On Peter Jackson’s “Hobbit” – Richard Armitage Defines Thorin Oakenshield
"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."