1. SPS Accounts:
    Do you find yourself coming back time after time? Do you appreciate the ongoing hard work to keep this community focused and successful in its mission? Please consider supporting us by upgrading to an SPS Account. Besides the warm and fuzzy feeling that comes from supporting a good cause, you'll also get a significant number of ever-expanding perks and benefits on the site and the forums. Click here to find out more.
    Dismiss Notice
Dismiss Notice
You are currently viewing Boards o' Magick as a guest, but you can register an account here. Registration is fast, easy and free. Once registered you will have access to search the forums, create and respond to threads, PM other members, upload screenshots and access many other features unavailable to guests.

BoM cultivates a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. We have been aiming for quality over quantity with our forums from their inception, and believe that this distinction is truly tangible and valued by our members. We'd love to have you join us today!

(If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you've forgotten your username or password, click here.)

The Hobbit (film series)

Discussion in 'Sensorium' started by fastfritz, Dec 1, 2012.

  1. dogsoldier Gems: 7/31
    Latest gem: Tchazar


    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2009
    Messages:
    249
    Likes Received:
    22
    Gender:
    Male
    In Peter Jackson's defense, that makes it consistent with human society since the beginning of time. It's pretty human to be motivated by profit and reputation.

    I'm sure the Tolkien estate makes a pretty penny off these films too.
     
  2. dogsoldier Gems: 7/31
    Latest gem: Tchazar


    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2009
    Messages:
    249
    Likes Received:
    22
    Gender:
    Male
    So I saw the last film on Sunday. The Battle of Five Armies. Certainly welcome your thoughts.

    I was a little disappointed in some things; Beorn is in it for about 8 seconds, and the eagles barely matter. The romance between Tauril and Fili still makes no sense, though at least they shared words in this film (in the last movie, they just, what, stared at each other?).

    In the end I thought it was fairly satisfying. As silly as much of the final battle was, it was also cool watching the elf and dwarf armies battle the orcs together.

    But I was most frustrated with the fantastical elements. Watching Legolas run up falling rock (yes, as stone fell from a crumbling tower, he ran up it like a stairs and leaped off it, in contravention of all known laws of physics) caused me to laugh out loud in the movie theater.

    Apparently Gandolf, Galadriel, Saroman, and Elrond are the Middle Earth's Avengers. In a few mere minutes they nearly defeat Sauron and all the Nazgul together, but they fail to follow up and let them flee.
     
  3. The Great Snook Gems: 31/31
    Latest gem: Rogue Stone


    Adored Veteran

    Joined:
    May 15, 2003
    Messages:
    4,123
    Media:
    28
    Likes Received:
    313
    Gender:
    Male
    I also saw the final movie. I have never been able to get in to reading Tolkein, but I have enjoyed all six movies. Therefore, I don't know what is accurate and what isn't. With that I really liked the last movie.

    My only complaint is that the wizards never seem to use magic. I don't know if there is some sort of background that makes them not use it. However, watching Gandalf wade in to battle with a staff and start slaying orcs just didn't make any sense to me. Isn't he an old man. I would expect him to die pretty quickly.
     
  4. henkie

    henkie Hammertime Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

    Joined:
    Jan 13, 2006
    Messages:
    2,662
    Media:
    38
    Likes Received:
    158
    Gender:
    Male
    I guess the director played a few too many Devil May Cry games or some such. Wouldn't be so bad if it didn't clash quite strongly with the rest of the movies.

    Whelp. Called it.

    That's kind of a thing in the books, yeah. Wizards don't really do shows of magic. Nor do elfs. Nor does Sauron. The wizards are more or less like Sauron and are not so much old mortal men, but more like lesser gods. In the end of the Lord of the Rings books (and I presume the last movie as well, though I didn't see it) Gandalf returns home to the land of the gods (upper-earth? I forget the name), where also the elves were born/created (but not the men or the dwarves or anything else). Except unlike the elves, he actually makes both journeys to and from middle earth in a single lifespan.
     
  5. Beren

    Beren Lovesick and Lonely Wanderer Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2002
    Messages:
    3,852
    Media:
    953
    Likes Received:
    217
    Gender:
    Male
    Collectively the movies were just too drawn out. However, Smaug was done excellently.

    A side question for you guys, which Smaug do you prefer?

    The Smaug of the movies? Or the cartoon one?:

     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 19, 2015
  6. Paracelsi

    Paracelsi Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2011
    Messages:
    1,098
    Media:
    10
    Likes Received:
    104
    Gender:
    Male
    From what I understand, Gandalf can only use his full powers against unnatural creatures. Against ordinary men, he only has "ordinary" powers. Still enough to make his sword strikes hit pretty hard though, along with what seems like the ability to ignore fatigue.
    The way the book words it IIRC is that he can't decide other peoples' fates directly and he can't make other peoples' decisions for them. He can put himself in harm's way and defend himself (and anyone nearby) if necessary, which explains all the running around, but something like killing the steward of Gondor with a Lightning Bolt and then taking over the defense of the stronghold is illegal. Fighting the Balrog nonstop for eight days (includes a "very long" fall into a freezing underground river and a furious chase up one of highest peaks of the Misty Mountains) in a battle which apparently took down half the mountain, completely legit.

    Smaug in the movie wasn't bad. Wish he was played as an insane dragon or something as interesting but cheesy evil overlord is fine I guess, since the book is a classic and all.
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2015
  7. henkie

    henkie Hammertime Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

    Joined:
    Jan 13, 2006
    Messages:
    2,662
    Media:
    38
    Likes Received:
    158
    Gender:
    Male
    I though the talk of Bilbo and Smaug was pretty well done - the best part in the second film.

    I saw some of the third film over the shoulder of my girlfriend, but it seemed way too slow paced and drawn out. It's pretty impressive that they managed to make an epic battle seem rather boring.

    The stuff with Legolas jumping from falling stones to falling stones reminded me of some videogame sequence. Or anime or something. Way over the top. Also all those final battles with different orcs was really confusing to me. Maybe because I hadn't seen much of the rest of the film, but I just couldn't tell them apart.
    "Didn't they just kill this guy already?"
    "Oh, it's another one that's kind of the same."
     
  8. Blades of Vanatar

    Blades of Vanatar Vanatar will rise again Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2008
    Messages:
    4,147
    Likes Received:
    224
    Gender:
    Male
    Gandalf is from Aman, the land of the gods and is the "Lesser Avatar" or "Last Manifestation" of one of the gods on Middle-Earth. So are the other four Wizards. Saruman is a lesser spirit of Aule(God Creation/Smiths), Gandalf is Olorin, a lesser spirit of Manwe(King of the Gods). They were made "mortal-ish" and sent to Middle-Earth by the gods to help the last vestiges of the Elves, Dwarves and Men combat the evil of Sauron.
     
  9. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2000
    Messages:
    23,475
    Media:
    494
    Likes Received:
    538
    Gender:
    Male
    After the boredom of Hobbit 1/3 nearly killed me, I never bothered with #2 and #3. Until now, when they were all shown on TV here. Just watched 2/3 and wow, SO MUCH BETTER than the first part. Smaug was excellent. Will probably watch the third part tomorrow now. :D
     
  10. dmc

    dmc Speak softly and carry a big briefcase Staff Member Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2001
    Messages:
    8,731
    Media:
    88
    Likes Received:
    379
    Gender:
    Male
    I still have never watched a minute of any of the Hobbit movies (other than the cartoon one from the 70's).
     
  11. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2000
    Messages:
    23,475
    Media:
    494
    Likes Received:
    538
    Gender:
    Male
    Any particular reason?
     
  12. dmc

    dmc Speak softly and carry a big briefcase Staff Member Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2001
    Messages:
    8,731
    Media:
    88
    Likes Received:
    379
    Gender:
    Male
    When they said they were going to make three movies out of the book, I figured they were going to just milk it for $$$$. I didn't much care for the LOTR movies as I felt that they missed the inherent spirit of the books. I'm not a Tolkien purist, per se, but there's a specific feel about the books for me and the movies had exactly none of it.

    Given the above, it just never made sense for me to shell out any dollars for the movies and, at this point, I can't muster the interest to actually watch them on TV.
     
  13. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2000
    Messages:
    23,475
    Media:
    494
    Likes Received:
    538
    Gender:
    Male
    It's been ages since I've read the books and I've never been much of a purist so to me the changes in Jackson's movies didn't matter that much, but the story in The Hobbit's a lot less complex, so probably not altered anywhere near as much either. Most of it seemed pretty much in keeping with the text and the spirit of the book, but of course that can be a subjective assessment as well. I'd say give The Hobbit a try, I have a feeling that you might like the movies more than LoTR.
     
  14. Lord Static Gems: 1/31
    Latest gem: Turquoise


    Resourceful

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2018
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    Gender:
    Male
    LOTR was such a complex movie. Of course I loved it but my girlfriend didn't much get it. The hobbit series explains much of the back story in LOTR.
     
  15. dmc

    dmc Speak softly and carry a big briefcase Staff Member Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2001
    Messages:
    8,731
    Media:
    88
    Likes Received:
    379
    Gender:
    Male
    Errr, you're aware that the movies were based on books, right? The books do a quite wonderful job of explaining the backstory and, what's more, the Silmarillion explains the backstory of Tolkien's whole universe . . .
     
  16. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2000
    Messages:
    23,475
    Media:
    494
    Likes Received:
    538
    Gender:
    Male
    Yea, but you're forgetting that this is the 21st century, not everyone reads books these days. :shake: I wouldn't be surprised if the number of people who've watched the movies only was greater than the number of those who've read the books.
     
  17. Keneth Gems: 29/31
    Latest gem: Glittering Beljuril


    ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2002
    Messages:
    3,108
    Media:
    20
    Likes Received:
    224
    Gender:
    Male
    I read the book again just before the movies came out, so that I could be extra indignant. :shake:
     
    dmc and Taluntain like this.
Sorcerer's Place is a project run entirely by fans and for fans. Maintaining Sorcerer's Place and a stable environment for all our hosted sites requires a substantial amount of our time and funds on a regular basis, so please consider supporting us to keep the site up & running smoothly. Thank you!

Sorcerers.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products on amazon.com, amazon.ca and amazon.co.uk. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.