NewGuy2005 53 #1 December 16, 2012 Saw it tonight. Thought it was great. The high frame rate was excellent. Martin Freeman as Bilbo was perfect. Gollum was better than ever. Anyone else see it? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #2 December 16, 2012 Let's see if we can keep this a spoiler free discussion for awhile. I saw it on Friday. My issue is the book itself is 280 pages long, which is a perfectly reasonable length for a children's novel, but if you attempt to stretch that out into three separate movies, well, it's just going to end up being a little thin on story. It looks padded out because it is padded out with unnessasary scenes and scenes that run far too long. If you're going to turn a 280ish page book into three movies, then don't make each movie 165ish minutes long. 90 might have worked better.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazon 7 #3 December 16, 2012 Quote Saw it tonight. Thought it was great. The high frame rate was excellent. Martin Freeman as Bilbo was perfect. Gollum was better than ever. Anyone else see it? Yup reread the book last week in anticipation tis well done Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildcard451 0 #4 December 16, 2012 Damn, I thought it was only 2 movies. 3 is way too fucking many. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldwomanc6 60 #5 December 16, 2012 Quote Damn, I thought it was only 2 movies. 3 is way too fucking many. Two sounds like too many. Netfilx here we wait. Really, how can this be made stretched into more than one movie? lisa WSCR 594 FB 1023 CBDB 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #6 December 16, 2012 Quote Quote Damn, I thought it was only 2 movies. 3 is way too fucking many. Two sounds like too many. Netfilx here we wait. Really, how can this be made stretched into more than one movie? Yet, here's the hard part of that...it's going to be a much better experience in a theater than at home. If you are a Hobbit/LotR geek, suck it up and go pay homage in the darkened cave. On the other hand...if you're not a Hobbit/LotR geek...I can't recommend seeing it at all.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldwomanc6 60 #7 December 16, 2012 Quote Quote Quote Damn, I thought it was only 2 movies. 3 is way too fucking many. Two sounds like too many. Netfilx here we wait. Really, how can this be made stretched into more than one movie? Yet, here's the hard part of that...it's going to be a much better experience in a theater than at home. If you are a Hobbit/LotR geek, suck it up and go pay homage in the darkened cave. On the other hand...if you're not a Hobbit/LotR geek...I can recommend seeing it at all. Well, that answer firmed things up at all at all i have only seen 5 movies in the theatre in the last ten years: all three LOTR, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Star Trek. I probably will go see it, as it looks to be one that visually will be much better on the big screen, but your last sentence had me wondering. lisa WSCR 594 FB 1023 CBDB 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #8 December 16, 2012 Sorry, operative word in the last phrase of the last sentence should have been "can't."quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldwomanc6 60 #9 December 16, 2012 Quote Sorry, operative word in the last phrase of the last sentence should have been "can't." It is amazing the power of a negative, isn't it? AWKWARD sentence! But back to the movie, three seems excessive, but I am a LOTR fan so.... evidently they will suck me back to the smelly claustrophobic, dark, loud., sticky, not nearly enough leg room, can't pee without bothering my neighbors, but the popcorn is the world room once again. lisa WSCR 594 FB 1023 CBDB 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldwomanc6 60 #10 December 16, 2012 I forgot: germ-ridden. lisa WSCR 594 FB 1023 CBDB 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #11 December 16, 2012 Ya know, I hear people complain about that all the time. My only suggestion, go to better theaters.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #12 December 16, 2012 Too many long talking scenes. Some of the battle scenes drug on too, descending into video game style foolishness. But I'm not a LOTR devotee, Someone who's really into it might savor every moment. I did love the dinner scenes at Bilbo's home. To bad the rest of the movie lacked the light comedic touch. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NewGuy2005 53 #13 December 16, 2012 That was my only complaint. The last two battle/escape scenes at the end were way too much. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #14 December 16, 2012 Thanks everyOne for the helpful reviews. Our friend here, tbrown has a daughter who is on the staff @ The WETA Workshop!!! Her name is in the rolling credits.!!!I bought a paperback version of the Hobbit, in 1964, via the schools paperback book club.... it was 35 cents... no joke!!I enjoyed the story , pretty much right from the start...The wording and the descriptive passages, entertained me... later on, i found some annual calendars which had beautiful Illustrations, of many of the passages from the book. Of course there was the cartoon/movie with Orson Bean and Richard Boone, giving voice to Bilbo and Smaug and maybe another version or two. But it wasn't 'til seeing Jacksons LOTR that the enormity of the saga took hold of me.. I became a Big FAN of the Riders of Rohan!!!.. In college i tried to read the trilogy but got lost after the middle of The Two Towers.. I think i gave it up,,one morning..... " to Go Jumping " !!! I did enjoy the trilogy and recommend the dvd boxed set, as it has hours of documentary and behind the scenes footage, trade secrets, set locations and interviews... Just right for a winter evening...I'm not sure how The Hobbit would work as 3 movies. when i'd think it could be done in One... But the distribution schedule is Likely set by the "studio Brass" ( to paraphrase Steve Lawrence, as Morty Sline, in the Blues Brothers.... " Ya' gotta have the proper pre performance exploitation"...) How far into the story??? will this first Movie go ?.. Are the Orcs???? scarey?? Damn... i thought that the orcs were way over the top in the trilogy... We're in the theater and i'm looking around and seeing quite a few kids.... and the orcs are Scarin' Me... yikes!!! Anyway,, if the movie is being marketed to kids i hope some of the visuals are tempered down a bit.. WHAT is... the rating?? on it??? We will likely see it during this holiday season... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GeorgiaDon 379 #15 December 16, 2012 QuoteMy issue is the book itself is 280 pages long, which is a perfectly reasonable length for a children's novel, but if you attempt to stretch that out into three separate movies, well, it's just going to end up being a little thin on story. According to this article, the Hobbit trilogy is not just based on the book, but also incorporates many of the stories in the appendices to the Lord of the Rings books, to set all the background leading up to the events in the Lord of the Rings. Not saying that some scenes weren't overly stretched out (I haven't seen the movie myself yet), just pointing out that it isn't accurate to say that Jackson stretched out a 280 page book to three movies. When all three Hobbit movies are out, it would be better to watch them before getting to the Rings trilogy. Don_____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #16 December 16, 2012 Quote When all three Hobbit movies are out, it would be better to watch them before getting to the Rings trilogy. A la Star Wars, right? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GeorgiaDon 379 #17 December 16, 2012 Quote Quote When all three Hobbit movies are out, it would be better to watch them before getting to the Rings trilogy. A la Star Wars, right? Yep, but hopefully without Jar Jar Binks. Don_____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #18 December 16, 2012 Quote A la Star Wars, right? Yep, but hopefully without Jar Jar Binks. That's Ambassador Jar Jar Binks, remember?Yeah, the last 3 movies (first made) I loved, but I can barely watch the prequels. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pincheck 0 #19 December 16, 2012 Three films for the "the Hobbit is a bit much and spreading it thin next the book of Numinor . The other stories will be done in 4 years time . In my view it devalues the original stories in the books. I haven't rushed out to see it and i think they have maybe pushed it a bit too far to succeed this time Billy-Sonic Haggis Flickr-Fun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #20 December 16, 2012 QuoteQuoteMy issue is the book itself is 280 pages long, which is a perfectly reasonable length for a children's novel, but if you attempt to stretch that out into three separate movies, well, it's just going to end up being a little thin on story. According to this article, the Hobbit trilogy is not just based on the book, but also incorporates many of the stories in the appendices to the Lord of the Rings books, to set all the background leading up to the events in the Lord of the Rings. Not saying that some scenes weren't overly stretched out (I haven't seen the movie myself yet), just pointing out that it isn't accurate to say that Jackson stretched out a 280 page book to three movies. When all three Hobbit movies are out, it would be better to watch them before getting to the Rings trilogy. Yes, and it does expand (slightly) the motivations of why some of the characters are doing things. For instance, there is an overly long opening narration that sets the history of the story pre-Hobbit. I didn't put a clock on it, but it's maybe an additional 15 minutes. That said, it's pretty much unneeded. Again, without going into spoiler territory it's a bit difficult to talk about but let me say this; both the book and movie are called The Hobbit, not The Dwarves.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tbrown 26 #21 December 18, 2012 Went to see it last night, with my daughter and her partner, who were both deeply involved with making the film in Wellington. Mostly, I enjoyed the film very much. I am skeptical about dragging it out into 3 installments, thought the original plan for 2 might be alright. But then I'm aware of some of the politics that has gone on behind the scenes as well. We saw the HD 3-D version and that was a bit weird. I've seen 3-D films before, but this one didn't look like a "movie". It was more like watching a live set. Not sure if I liked that, but maybe it's because I'm old school and have my own ideas about what a "movie" looks like. Bottom line is this - go see it, you'll like it. But don't bring little children, some of the Orcs and the violence are too much for the little shavers. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #22 December 18, 2012 last night, liked it quite a bit - Bilbo is played to perfection. I like the extra scenes to flesh out the whole story. (Radagast, Council of the Wise, etc etc) The interpretation of Radagast was a bit out there, but fun and ok. bad guys - a bit more Muppetty or Dark Crystally than I like. the interpretations from LoTR was better. But still in keeping with the intent which isn't as dark or serious as LoTR Yes, a lot of scenes dragged out - I didn't mind so much Too much stuff that carries from LoTR (background themes, repeat/rework of similar scenes) - I liked the tribute at first, but it got WAY overdone. Agree with Quade - the book is The Hobbit, not "The Dwarves" - still, nicely done. I think some of the changes from the book made a lot of sense to do that way for a film (Bilbo finding the ring, tree on fire, etc) worked for me. I can see how this can be three movies now, and still done very well. I'd think the pace so far lends itself to 2. So I hope they REALLY expand on Gandalf vs the Necromancer plot a ton - that will be a great story to expand on. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lauraliscious 0 #23 December 21, 2012 I, being the Middle Earth nerd that I am, can't wait to see it. The only reason I haven't seen it yet is that we have a toddler at home and I haven't felt like paying a babysitter for 4 hours when we'll have free babysitters this weekend over Christmas break. So I'm planning to see it this weekend. My Dad read The Hobbit to my brother and I as a bedtime story many many times when we were children. I have always loved it. I read LOTR in college, several years befor the movies came out. And I still re-read it every few years. Probably time to break it out again. I LOVED the LOTR movies, I thought they were extermely well done. And I am very picky about movie adaptations, especially of books that I love. So of course I will see The Hobbit. That being said, I have NO IDEA how they can expand that 300 page children's story into 3 3ish hour movies. That certainly seems excessive. I told my husband (who has not read any of the books, AFAIK) that they will *have* to add a lot of filler. Did they add things from the Silmarillion or just stuff from LOTR appendices? Enemiga Rodriguez, PMS #369, OrFun #25, Team Dirty Sanchez #116, Pelt Head #29, Muff #4091 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #24 December 21, 2012 Speaking of the Lord Of The Rings, I took this pic last night during a company dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. Everyone was talking about this thing resembling Sauron's Eye. LMAO... Damned things were all over the restaurant! "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,106 #25 December 21, 2012 I'd like to know why all the trolls and orcs speak with Cockney accents.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
