Also per Tuomas's question the reason why the rights are only for Hobbit and LOTR is simple -- Saul Zaentz got them in the late sixties from Tolkien directly when those were the only two books to hand, and Christopher Tolkien has refused to let any further rights go. That said I'm not sure what the estate will do after he passes.
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 6 January 2014 03:11 (ten years ago) link
English, please.
Dude with staff does a thing against dude with eye.
Invited to meet Peter Jackson, the Tolkien family preferred not to. Why? "They eviscerated the book by making it an action movie for young people aged 15 to 25," Christopher says regretfully. "And it seems that The Hobbit will be the same kind of film."This divorce has been systematically driven by the logic of Hollywood. "Tolkien has become a monster, devoured by his own popularity and absorbed into the absurdity of our time," Christopher Tolkien observes sadly. "The chasm between the beauty and seriousness of the work, and what it has become, has overwhelmed me. The commercialization has reduced the aesthetic and philosophical impact of the creation to nothing. There is only one solution for me: to turn my head away."
This divorce has been systematically driven by the logic of Hollywood. "Tolkien has become a monster, devoured by his own popularity and absorbed into the absurdity of our time," Christopher Tolkien observes sadly. "The chasm between the beauty and seriousness of the work, and what it has become, has overwhelmed me. The commercialization has reduced the aesthetic and philosophical impact of the creation to nothing. There is only one solution for me: to turn my head away."
― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Monday, 6 January 2014 18:51 (ten years ago) link
He turns his head away cos that's the direction you can most clearly see the ocean from the kitchen of his new seaside property.
― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Monday, 6 January 2014 19:01 (ten years ago) link
No doubt the number of people that have read (or probably re-read, or re-re-re-read) the books because of these movies vs. the number of people who never would have anyways is probably in JRR's favor. Also every new movie that comes out you get to say "You crooks bastardized this wonderful thing!" thereby enhancing the brand of the books and the movies at the same time.
― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Monday, 6 January 2014 19:04 (ten years ago) link
i'm sure christopher's doing fine, but the tolkien estate doesn't get any money from any of these movies.
― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Monday, 6 January 2014 19:07 (ten years ago) link
they do now. After some lengthy lawsuits
― Number None, Monday, 6 January 2014 19:34 (ten years ago) link
Finally saw this -- I agree with Tuomas upthread about the greys and browns, Laketown was dreary as all getout, got kinda bored with that whole thing tbh.
Smaug was beautiful. Loved the way his belly would glow like a furnace right before he'd breath fire, he moved so gracefully it was a real thrill to watch him.
The thing the Hobbit movies really miss though is the inner monologue of Bilbo...that's what makes the story on paper, it's as much about what happens externally as it is the constant doubt and shifting within Bilbo, even as he's discovering his courage. But I know there's not really a good way to capture that on film, unless you have like constant narration or something bollocks like that. But it does turn the movies into a bit of a different kettle of fish all the same
Or barrel of fish, hee hee :)
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 11 May 2014 00:29 (nine years ago) link
oh and I was weirded out by Legolas' eyes too and I did some googling
apparently the contacts that Ornaldo Bloomps had to wear in the 3 movies irritated the hell out of his eyes and he hated wearing them, so for the Hobbit they digitally colored them in post-production. And I guess there's something about how they had to make the blue more vivid so that it would read, and that is what made it look so wacky
they kinda looked like weird dead Polar Express eyes to me, v creepy.
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 11 May 2014 00:31 (nine years ago) link
The thing the Hobbit movies really miss though is the inner monologue of Bilbo...that's what makes the story on paper, it's as much about what happens externally as it is the constant doubt and shifting within Bilbo, even as he's discovering his courage. But I know there's not really a good way to capture that on film...
of course there is but it involves not making dwarves in barrels and rube goldberg dragon traps the center of the NONSTOP THRILL RIDE
― resulting post (rogermexico.), Sunday, 11 May 2014 00:51 (nine years ago) link
lol otm
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 11 May 2014 01:41 (nine years ago) link
I felt well disposed towards the first one, but the second, while technically a better film probably, made me realise how bollocks the whole endeavor is.
― the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Sunday, 11 May 2014 03:24 (nine years ago) link
maybe bilbo will be in the next one
― resulting post (rogermexico.), Sunday, 11 May 2014 04:35 (nine years ago) link
i don't remember anything that happened in the first one
― linda cardellini (zachlyon), Sunday, 11 May 2014 17:44 (nine years ago) link
they did the dishes
― difficult listening hour, Sunday, 11 May 2014 17:48 (nine years ago) link
FUCKING POD RACING aka jackson goes full-on lucas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgNNb8bm_b8
― ledge, Wednesday, 20 August 2014 10:46 (nine years ago) link
Methinks Game of Thrones increasingly makes this look like child's play, because, well ...― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, June 11, 2013 2:36 PM (1 year ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, June 11, 2013 2:36 PM (1 year ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― alanbatman (abanana), Wednesday, 20 August 2014 10:50 (nine years ago) link
That title is gonna be a let-down for anyone expecting an actual five-army free-for-all.
― jmm, Wednesday, 20 August 2014 13:41 (nine years ago) link
this whole trilogy is still the worst, most ridiculous thing in cinema and jackson should've just left it to ratner so no one would've ever gotten any ideas about its usefulness as anything other than a clear cash grab
― linda cardellini (zachlyon), Wednesday, 20 August 2014 19:12 (nine years ago) link
Still planning on angrily watching the third one at Cinerama, just like the first two, can't really account for it.
― heck (silby), Wednesday, 20 August 2014 19:30 (nine years ago) link
it's amazing at how peter jackson is dutifully attempting to recreate the LOTR formula and hitting a lot of the same notes (cheerful hobbit at the center, gandalf, portentous hints of future doom, etc) but it feels stretched so thin and false and there's no richness to the story or the setting, it feels strictly video game. i mean the LOTR films had the feel of a lived-in decaying world, this has zero of that sense despite attempts at recreating it. also i'm getting tired of those shots he uses every five minutes now (only every forty minutes in the LOTR films): a group of bros scampering across a plains or a bridge or a marsh or a rocky outcropping or a mountain while a camera swoops above and past them or in the opposite direction.
anyway the main point is they're just wrong in so many ways but i can't exactly hate them, PJ clearly loves the material. too much, which is why he's making three films instead of one super-long one.
― LIKE If you are against racism (omar little), Wednesday, 20 August 2014 19:49 (nine years ago) link
Funny how the progression of the entire LOTR related movies and culture parallel so well with Star Wars.
― Evan, Wednesday, 20 August 2014 19:54 (nine years ago) link
xpost -- yeah coming in with these Hobbit films with the view that it's only a ridiculous indulgence is the way to go. It didn't fully hit me until I saw the first one, even if I already had bad vibes when they went from two to three films, but after that first viewing, it was clear that's how to treat them.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 20 August 2014 19:57 (nine years ago) link
martin freeman is very good i think. and i think the gollum stuff in the first film was solid.
i forgot the worst thing in the trilogy, though, which is basically creating an even worse character than that orc from the final battle in ROTK and making him the central (non-ethereal smoke) villain of the whole story.
― LIKE If you are against racism (omar little), Wednesday, 20 August 2014 20:01 (nine years ago) link
pretty sure he's making three films full of tiresome rube goldberg set pieces and oh boy big battle scenes because $$$
― resulting post (rogermexico.), Wednesday, 20 August 2014 20:11 (nine years ago) link
martin freeman is very good i think...
not enough information. was he even in the second one?
― resulting post (rogermexico.), Wednesday, 20 August 2014 20:12 (nine years ago) link
The fact that Evangeline Lily is in this is something I find especially irksome, I don't know why.
― Dokken played here for a Ribfest and people were total assholes (Sparkle Motion), Wednesday, 20 August 2014 20:17 (nine years ago) link
PJ clearly loves the material. too much, which is why he's making three films instead of one super-long one.
i wish i still had your childlike naivete
― linda cardellini (zachlyon), Wednesday, 20 August 2014 20:25 (nine years ago) link
I think he clearly loves absurd runtimes as well as $$$$
― Dokken played here for a Ribfest and people were total assholes (Sparkle Motion), Wednesday, 20 August 2014 20:50 (nine years ago) link
spoiler alert
http://i.onionstatic.com/avclub/5253/18/original/640.jpg
― linda cardellini (zachlyon), Saturday, 25 October 2014 11:01 (nine years ago) link
Fuckin' eagles, man.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 25 October 2014 13:39 (nine years ago) link
i had more fun itt than i have done on the rest of ilx put together in the interim i think
― local eire man (darraghmac), Saturday, 25 October 2014 14:01 (nine years ago) link
http://blog.gambrinous.com/wp-content/uploads/coyote_foolproof_plan.jpg
― resulting post (rogermexico.), Saturday, 25 October 2014 16:57 (nine years ago) link
ONE LAST...
...trailer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVAgTiBrrDA
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 6 November 2014 18:22 (nine years ago) link
WAR BATS
― ledge, Friday, 7 November 2014 00:13 (nine years ago) link
Hobbit 3: Prince of Thieves at 1:16
― ledge, Friday, 7 November 2014 00:16 (nine years ago) link
#onelasttime
― LIKE If you are against racism (omar little), Friday, 7 November 2014 00:19 (nine years ago) link
Odds on PJ trilogising the Simlmarillion in ten years time, after directing a couple of underperforming films in the interim?
― the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Friday, 7 November 2014 00:26 (nine years ago) link
Cut Scene: The Movie.
That looks absolutely unwatchable. For comparison's sake, I rewatched the "Return of the King" trailer, and check out how much more chill it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIrRJ8bCZYQ
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 7 November 2014 03:18 (nine years ago) link
Well that wasn't about the defining moment of Middle Earth, was it?
― Andrew Farrell, Friday, 7 November 2014 06:38 (nine years ago) link
Very little actual hobbit in that trailer.
― the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Friday, 7 November 2014 12:25 (nine years ago) link
That looks absolutely crappy.
― Frederik B, Friday, 7 November 2014 12:35 (nine years ago) link
"Errday Frrruduh moves clusserr to Murrrdrrr" haha
― Acid Hose (Capitaine Jay Vee), Friday, 7 November 2014 13:08 (nine years ago) link
Man if you guys can't get behind Elf King Lee Pace riding a giant moose into battle, Flava Flav can't do nothin' for ya.
― Οὖτις Δαυ & τηε Κνιγητσ (Phil D.), Friday, 7 November 2014 13:56 (nine years ago) link
This is key, emphasis on looks. I still can't figure out why, with 10 years of new technology, more experience and an even greater familiarity with the subject matter/cast, these movies look so much more terrible. The sets, the make-up, the FX, everything. Just shitty.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 7 November 2014 14:19 (nine years ago) link
Yeah there's some Xena level shit there, but without the self-parody.
― the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Friday, 7 November 2014 14:42 (nine years ago) link
― the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Friday, November 7, 2014
in fairness there's very little actual hobbit in this EPICAL THREE-PART MOTION PICTURE EVENT so
― resulting post (rogermexico.), Friday, 7 November 2014 19:27 (nine years ago) link
Maybe he will put out a director's cut of just Hobbit stuff.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 7 November 2014 19:28 (nine years ago) link
There's just something really unappealing about a film called 'The Battle of Five Armies' especially when it seems one of the armies is a pack of bats? How are they going to spend three hours on elves and dwarves fighting bats?
― Frederik B, Friday, 7 November 2014 23:15 (nine years ago) link
It'll be like the bit in The Fellowship with the Crebain but 50 minutes long
― tsrobodo, Saturday, 8 November 2014 01:42 (nine years ago) link