The Hobbit

[Nexus6]

Just heard that now instead of two movies (which I thought was already kind of a stretch due to the limited source material), Jackson is making it into another trilogy. WTF??? Some say that Jackson is drawing on Tolkien's notes not included in the book. I would say though that there are probably good reasons why Tolkien left them out. Also, what's up with bringing back all those cast members from the LOTR that were never in the Hobbit? Anyway, I smell a big rat here. That is, Warner Bros. and New Line are trying to milk The Hobbit for everything it's worth, and that PJ is doing it for his retirement fund. To be fair, if PJ and company had decided to do a trilogy of The Silmarillion I would have said cool. I mean, there is a lot, and I mean a lot of material to work with there. But the 300 page children's story that is The Hobbit? I guess we'll have to see next month, though I'm not optimistic.

 

[Redwolf]

Nah, I'm optimistic as heck

 

[Nexus6]

Nah, I'm optimistic as heck

I think we're all a bunch of droids and lemmings flocking to see it.

 

[trevpr1]

I think I'll do the smart thing and wait for the extended versions on Blu Ray. Very much looking forward to them though. Jackson's vision for Tolkien was a monumental acjheivement, breathing vibrant life into books which are, frankly, rather poorly written. I've every confidence in him over this. Nect time I go to the cinema will be May next year for 'Trek XII.

 

[Nexus6]

I think I'll do the smart thing and wait for the extended versions on Blu Ray. Very much looking forward to them though. Jackson's vision for Tolkien was a monumental acjheivement, breathing vibrant life into books which are, frankly, rather poorly written. I've every confidence in him over this. Nect time I go to the cinema will be May next year for 'Trek XII.

Funny you should say that Trev. To my mind JJ Abrams is even worse than PJ!!! lol

But seriously, I agree that PJ did a good job re-imagining Tolkien as a modern action adventure series. The trouble I have though is that on hindsight of a decade, the movie trilogy now seems awfully pretentious and death-centric.

 

[trevpr1]

Funny you should say that Trev. To my mind JJ Abrams is even worse than PJ!!! lol

But seriously, I agree that PJ did a good job re-imagining Tolkien as a modern action adventure series. The trouble I have though is that on hindsight of a decade, the movie trilogy now seems awfully pretentious and death-centric.

Only watched the extended vesions on back to back nights a couple of months ago. Totally immersive and something to lose oneself in. I remain a fan.

Abrams did the one thing that could keep Star Trek going. Same characters, diffrent actors in a reboot. Genius.

 

[Nexus6]

Only watched the extended vesions on back to back nights a couple of months ago. Totally immersive and something to lose oneself in. I remain a fan.

Abrams did the one thing that could keep Star Trek going. Same characters, diffrent actors in a reboot. Genius.

To misquote Douglas Adams, this must be some strange new meaning of the word genius that I haven't previously heard. His Star Trek was lame and cliched beyond belief. He's the worst thing to come out of Hollywood since Ron Howard.

 

[trevpr1]

To misquote Douglas Adams, this must be some strange new meaning of the word genius that I haven't previously heard. His Star Trek was lame and cliched beyond belief. He's the worst thing to come out of Hollywood since Ron Howard.

I have to say that the whole point of the new 'Trek was to take cliché and present it anew. People flying around the galaxy in a big white ship named Enterprise had been done already, after all. You really wanted more of the same aging actors doddering about with scripts that were just getting worse each time? 'Trek is back now... This time with a modern set and lens flare. Yeah!

 

[Redwolf]

As long as they keep Zoe Saldana in they can do with Star Trek whatever they want. BTW, according to IMDB another Star Trek movie, with her, is in the works.

 

[MrP]

Hobbit fever is alive and well in NZ! With less than a month to go you just can't escape the little buggers. There's a superb 3D Gollum in Wellington airport, I passed through a few back and it must be the most photographed item in NZ at the moment. Add in the fact that every single shop, from supermarket to newsagent is chock full of Hobbit merchandise and it does feel like a huge event.

 

[Nexus6]

Hobbit fever is alive and well in NZ! With less than a month to go you just can't escape the little buggers. There's a superb 3D Gollum in Wellington airport, I passed through a few back and it must be the most photographed item in NZ at the moment. Add in the fact that every single shop, from supermarket to newsagent is chock full of Hobbit merchandise and it does feel like a huge event.

Yeah man, I'm sure it is a big event. My friends and family are all jazzed about it here in Tampa Bay. BTW, my sister was in NZ last year and she said that it looked like Middle Earth!

Anyway, I hope it's going to live up to the enormous hype it's been getting all over the world. Heck, I've not seen a movie release with this much hype since The Phantom Menace. Of course as we all know Phantom Menace did not live up to expectations.

 

[horseshoe]

Not looking forward to it. PJ will screw it up as bad as he did the LoTR movies.

 

[trevpr1]

Not looking forward to it. PJ will screw it up as bad as he did the LoTR movies.

Good grief. The plain fact is that the movies are immeasurably superior to the books in every instance.

I read the book at college back in about '82. Found it OK at best(I was a major Science Fiction buff at the time and Dune runs rings around LOTR). Over long and poorly written, I mean the endless deascriptions of the woods and the singing and the baths they took. And, reading around the subject, clear white supremacist undertones. Then came the BBC Radio drama which redeemed them. A fine 13 hour romp. Never imagined anyone could bring it to the screen. Then came the films. And I liked them every much.

Get over the fact: There were elves at Helm's Deep. I know because I saw them in the film. The film is canon. The books merely an inspiration. Gollum turned Frodo against Sam. I saw it with my own eyes.

My favourite film of this millennium so far is Inception, but the individual best moment is the Rohirrim arriving at the Pelennor fields. That pre charge speech from Bernard Law is absolutely amazing, as is the ride. How can you fail to be impressed?

The Hobbit will be great, but I've learned to wait for the full length version and you won't find me at the cinema.

 

[Redwolf]

Wondering when I can start buying the tickets for the midnight opening show.

Never understood why people consider the Elves at Helms Deep to be the biggest problem of the story changes.

 

[trevpr1]

Wondering when I can start buying the tickets for the midnight opening show.

Take a gun...

 

[Dr Zaius]

Saw a new trailer last night. Holy cow that looked really bad. Have to say I was a little shocked at how bad that trailer looked as I expect the movie to be very good.

 

[Nexus6]

Wow Trev, that was rich. You think Tolkien was over-long and poorly written? Who are you to criticize the great JRR Tolkien? What have you done to make your mark in the world? Professor Tolkien will be read and remembered long, long after you are dead and buried and everyone has forgotten you ever existed. Sorry all, but I just couldn't let such an asinine comment stand.

 

[trevpr1]

Wow Trev, that was rich. You think Tolkien was over-long and poorly written? Who are you to criticize the great JRR Tolkien? What have you done to make your mark in the world? Professor Tolkien will be read and remembered long, long after you are dead and buried and everyone has forgotten you ever existed. Sorry all, but I just couldn't let such an asinine comment stand.

I'm sorry that having my own opinion about the ability of Tolkein to write is a problem for you. It's poorly written and very over rated. I think the films were way better. As it happens I don't like Dickens either.


On a lighter note, this is excellent.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cBlRbrB_Gnc#!

 

[Redwolf]

Tolkien is indeed not that highly rated for the writing itself. Of course he is highly rated for his imagination and ability to communicate his vision of a universe and creating a huge one that is both consistent and interesting.

But there is a reason why he never won any actual literature prices.

Not that I care I like both the movies and the books. The LOTRO game was pretty good in the beginning, too.

 

[trevpr1]

But there is a reason why he never won any actual literature prices.

Yep. No Nobel prize based on writing style.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/jan/05/jrr-tolkien-nobel-prize

As a co recipient myself of a Nobel Prize I'm minded to agree with the jury.

I like what is lumped into the "classical music" bracket. I have a pretty good collection. Not all that many people I know have a lot of knowledge or love for it but those I do talk with about it are surprised how I can't stand vocal classical music. I love Bach but have no cantatas or masses. Handel with no Chorus, Mozart but no operas or masses. Beethoven's ninth I have as part of the Karajan set...it gathers dust. I just can not abide the human voice in the classical setting. Each to their own...