The Hobbit movie

[Elena House]

I loved the Lord of the Rings movies so I was very excited to go back to Middle Earth in the Hobbit movies. I was giving a concert in Switzerland during December when the movie came out and was too busy to see it during its first two weeks. I mentioned it to the producer so much that he brought me with his son to see the movie a few days after the concert.

I've read the book and knew the movie had added scenes to it to give a one book story a three movie story. The quality of the filming cannot be denied and I enjoyed the movie a lot but there is a difference in the feeling between LOTR and The Hobbit. I felt more like there was a deep story in LOTR and more like the Hobbit was a fun story. That may be the goal of Peter Jackson while making the Hobbit. The scenes in the Goblin King's realm was a bit like a circus and the Stone Giant scenes were similarly fast paced, exciting and fun. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed myself but the difference in feeling between the two series stood out.

What do you think? Did you feel a difference too?

I am such a geek about Middle Earth that I made a video of me singing the Hobbit movie theme song dressed like a Ranger and even fight a dragon in it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8Sj651-7pY

 

[Beechwell]

My feeling was that the Hobbit tried too much to be like LotR, without having the story background to justify it. There were a lot of scenes that were awfully familiar: Gandalf speaking with butterflies, drawn out escapes from orcs in large, well-lit caverns, the "fellowship" running down the same hillsides again, being rescued by the eagles again, Galadriel standing around mysteriously, Saruman arguing with Gandalf again, Gollum talking to his reflection again. We've seen it all before, and I didn't get the feeling that such scenes really enhanced the story.
Also another gripe of mine was that the Hobbit never seemed to be able to decide if it was a mystic heroic tale (like the Lord of the Ring) or a light, sometimes silly diversion (like the original book, mostly). So those slapstick fights with the orks in the underground lair didn't really fit with Torin's tragic tale or those oh so serious wizards and elves in Rivendale. I think both the Hoobi book and the LotR films handled this a lot better.

Of course it is a very entertaining movie, with great visual effects, and delightful scenes like the dwarves entrance in Bagend, or Radagast's scenes. But it seemed to lack its own artistic vision, rather aimlessly recycling LotR elements and tying to stuff them into a story that wasn't really made to fit them.

So, rant over

 

[generalbreadbasket]

I liked Radagast's scenes too.

 

[Elena House]

My feeling was that the Hobbit tried too much to be like LotR, without having the story background to justify it. ...

So, rant over

Please, rant away.

Those were some of my same feelings. I think the Hobbit story could have been done wonderfully in a single movie. If they wanted to make it extra long to get it just right fine. But I don't think it justifies 3 movies (which means 3 movie tickets).

 

[Elena House]

I liked Radagast's scenes too.

I didn't read the Silmarillion or Unfinished Tales so was unfamiliar with Radagast's deeper involvement in the story and was glad to learn more about it.

 

[hedrick]

I have't seen the movie yet, but the usual opinion is that the difference described by the OP is true of the books also. That is, the Hobbit as a book is considered lighter than LoTR. Some people suggest the Hobbit as a way for younger readers to start with Tolkien.

 

[Elena House]

I have't seen the movie yet, but the usual opinion is that the difference described by the OP is true of the books also. That is, the Hobbit as a book is considered lighter than LoTR. Some people suggest the Hobbit as a way for younger readers to start with Tolkien.

I loved the books! Did you see the LOTR movies? They kept to the story line of the books so well and Middle earth felt so real.

If you liked the book and its more basic story you should see the Hobbit movie too, at least on DVD.

 

[hopeful321]

I enjoyed the Hobbit movie, but Since it will have 3 parts the story had more background then what I remember in the book. Has you or anyone seen the old cartoon version of the Hobbit? I went to your U Tube site and was blown away with the other videos. AWESOME!!!

 

[dbcsf]

I enjoyed the movie also. I agree, seemed much lighter than the LOTR, but still fun. There is that feeling like, "these guys cannot lose or die no matter what", going on. I thought it was going to be a two movie deal. Shucks! I have also heard Hedrick's thought that the Hobbit was a kid's story and the LOTR was intended for an adult audience.

 

[Nothinbuttheblood]

I loved the Lord of the Rings movies so I was very excited to go back to Middle Earth

I am such a geek about Middle Earth that I made a video of me singing the Hobbit movie theme song dressed like a Ranger and even fight a dragon in it.

BRAVO! An excellent video of my favourite song from the movie!

 

[Elena House]

I enjoyed the Hobbit movie, but Since it will have 3 parts the story had more background then what I remember in the book. Has you or anyone seen the old cartoon version of the Hobbit? I went to your U Tube site and was blown away with the other videos. AWESOME!!!

Thank you so much for your kind words! That is my new channel. My old one was hacked and then shut down. It had about a half million views.

I am re-posting one video per week (usually on Thursdays). Some new ones and some from last year.

I just re-posted this one from "The Phantom of the Opera".

Phantom of the Opera - Think of Me - Elena House - YouTube

 

[jaapottery]

They are taking 1 book, The Hobbit, and stretching it out over 3 films. If they did that with LOTR it would have taken 9 films. I loved it, don't get me wrong, but it seems excessive to me. They had to add stuff, the story is just not as complex as LOTR.

 

[Blackguard_]

but it seems excessive to me.

Did you see Peter Jackson's "King Kong" movie? It had the same problem I saw in "The Hobbit", of padding the story with so many jams and close calls it loses all suspense, but worse, since if you edited that and the other padding out of "King Kong" you'd have been left with a good movie, wheras with "The Hobbit" if you cut that stuff out you'd be left with what it should be, the opening/middle part of a single movie, as it doesn't have the story to be a full movie on it's own.

Peter Jackson needs a better editor, or to listen to his editor if that's the problem.

 

[kittycat7]

Peter Jackson was obviously just trying to cash in by making three movies instead of one. I didn't think Tolkien would have approved of some of the jokes, and I didn't like the way the troll scene was handled. That was one of my favorite parts of the book and it was just - so much less funny - in the movie.

What I did like was Radagast the Brown. He was hilarious and that rabbit sled was badass!

 

[hopeful321]

I think the Hobbit will cover two movies and the third will be new tying the Hobbit to the LOTRs. This gives peter Jackson some artistic freedom, but I am sure it will be both praised and criticized by Tolkien fans. I am putting my order in for the Hobbit. Anyone else?

 

[Nothinbuttheblood]

I am putting my order in for the Hobbit. Anyone else?

We are counting the days in my house! I am getting daily reminders on when we need to go to the video store

 

[Elena House]

Here's a fun little Vlog with Bloopers and behind-the-scenes footage from making my videos. Have fun!

Funny Bloopers and Behind Scenes - Vlog 2 - Elena House - YouTube

 

[generalbreadbasket]

What I did like was Radagast the Brown. He was hilarious and that rabbit sled was badass!

Speaking of Radagast. I can't seem to find much about Radagast in Tolkien's work, just a couple of sentences in Unfinished Tales. Is there much more on him in the books?

 

[RDKirk]

I tend to agree with most of the sentiments expressed. "The Hobbit" novel is a caper story, much lighter in weight than LOTR. The movie should have been a single film--or perhaps two 90-minute films. It needed to have run much, much faster.

 

[hopeful321]

Here's a fun little Vlog with Bloopers and behind-the-scenes footage from making my videos. Have fun!


The video is awesome. I hope you are the elf I run into at Misty mountains.