@Setanta,
It was a fun movie to watch. It was an UGLY movie to watch was well. I don't recommend that anyone waste the money on the HFR version of the screening.
It gives the film an oddly lighted soap opera TV aesthetic to it. Very distracting. The whole movie feels like a BBC TV production and that's with the acting and style of humor Still, I recommend seeing it.
That said, I haven't read the book so I'm not too conflicted with the massive additions/changes from the adaptation to the screen. It's too early to completely dismiss the HFR technology. I expect that it could be improved and this could (hopefully) be a constant evolving cinema tech.
@DrewDad,
Another thing that bothered me is that the "long-distance" FX shots were
too crisp. They looked like dolls, rather than people. Particularly the shots in the goblin "mines."
@DrewDad,
DrewDad wrote:
Another thing that bothered me is that the "long-distance" FX shots were too crisp. They looked like dolls, rather than people. Particularly the shots in the goblin "mines."
You're right. They look like one of those highly stylized photographs of staged toys on scaled landscapes. That didn't bother me as much as the too brightly lit scenes.
@tsarstepan,
tsarstepan wrote:
It was a fun movie to watch. It was an UGLY movie to watch was well. I don't recommend that anyone waste the money on the HFR version of the screening.
It gives the film an oddly lighted soap opera TV aesthetic to it. Very distracting. The whole movie feels like a BBC TV production and that's with the acting and style of humor Still, I recommend seeing it.
I concur with these impressions precisely. That is exactly how I perceived it as well.
tsarstepan wrote:
That said, I haven't read the book so I'm not too conflicted with the massive additions/changes from the adaptation to the screen.
Same for me as well. I'm not familiar enough with the written material to be disappointed or conflicted with screenplay choices.
tsarstepan wrote:It's too early to completely dismiss the HFR technology. I expect that it could be improved and this could (hopefully) be a constant evolving cinema tech.
I'm less sanguine about this however. I found that the biggest weakness of HFR was exactly it's strength; the stark clarity it brings to the visual image. I don't know how they're going to solve that without degrading it intentionally, and if they do that, then why bother to start with HFR.
There may be certain types of films or scenes in which HFR will be preferable, but I can't see it ever taking over as the new "standard" in filming.
@djjd62,
That was a very helpful link. Thanks.
There's one other thing I think they changed about the film version of the story. I believe the original version of The Hobbit was intended to be more of a children's story, and it had a light-hearted feel to it. The film has a very different flavor it it which is far more serious and grand. And I think this was a good choice on the part of Peter Jackson. Since having been primed by the "Lord of The Rings" films, I think audiences would have been massively disappointed if the film version of The Hobbit wasn't equally "adult" in it's focus.
@rosborne979,
rosborne979 wrote:tsarstepan wrote:It's too early to completely dismiss the HFR technology. I expect that it could be improved and this could (hopefully) be a constant evolving cinema tech.
I'm less sanguine about this however. I found that the biggest weakness of HFR was exactly it's strength; the stark clarity it brings to the visual image. I don't know how they're going to solve that without degrading it intentionally, and if they do that, then why bother to start with HFR.
There may be certain types of films or scenes in which HFR will be preferable, but I can't see it ever taking over as the new "standard" in filming.
I think High Frame Rate will become the standard in 3D films, because fast action suffers so much in 24 FPS 3D.
However, I think 2D films will stay with good old fashioned 24 FPS.
@oralloy,
oralloy wrote:
I think High Frame Rate will become the standard in 3D films, because fast action suffers so much in 24 FPS 3D.
However, I think 2D films will stay with good old fashioned 24 FPS.
I would be happy with that. Then I would just avoid all the 3D showings.
@rosborne979,
squinney and I are going to see it again but in a regular theater tomorrow at a matinee where we can get a seat in the middle of the theater. 3D. 24 fps.
I got to see it. I liked it. I am not critical enough to be tripped up by the adding to and taking away from the book. I have read the book several times. I think some of the additions were goofy and couldn't really see why they were needed. I get that when trying to trim a movie for time you have to change things sometimes - I guess it is the same in adding to a movie. As long as they don't stray too far from what is written it wouldn't bother me....
But I still thought it was great big fun to watch. I hope he can do as well with the next two.
I wonder why they made Thorin so human like in the face (Killi too) and the others more cartoon like? I thought that was a wee bit odd. Anyone have insight into that?
@mismi,
mismi wrote:I wonder why they made Thorin so human like in the face (Killi too) and the others more cartoon like? I thought that was a wee bit odd. Anyone have insight into that?
They may have done it so that uninitiated (to the books) audiences would more readily accept the stature within the story that their characters are meant to convey. Unlike books, movies only have a short bit of time in which to convey a character's personality and behavior, so I think a "shortcut" to that is casting individuals who "look" the part of the strength they are meant to convey. But I'm just guessing, I don't really know why they did it.
@rosborne979,
Its been thirty years since Iver read any Tolkien so I cant recall many of these characters . Also, as I recall, I wsnt too impressed by the Pop theology included in Tolkien and his buddies
I don't know what theology you thought there was in The Hobbit. Tolkien, far from indulging in some kind of "pop theology," had a very detailed notion of the mythopoeia which underlay the story of middle earth. (In Norse mythology, Asgard was one of the nine worlds, and that which was inhabited by the gods; Midgard--middle earth--was the world inhabited by men.) In The Simarillion the two opening passages outline Tolkien's comsogony and theogony. The Ainulindalë describes the Ainur and Iluvatar, who had created them, and who showed them a vision of middle earth. Those which chose to do so could enter that world, taking on a corporeal form, and working to create a world for the inhabitants to come--the elves and men. Fourteen of the Ainur entered that world as what we might call gods, the major players at any event, and they became the Valar. Lesser Ainur became the Maiar, what we might call demigods. The Valaquenta describes the works of the Valar, and particularly of conflict between thirteen of the Valar and Melkor, the fourteenth, and the source of evil in the world. Whatever the Valar created, Melkor tried to destroy, and it was through the process of creation and destruction that middle earth came to be. Melkor attempted to seduce some of the Maiar to his plan to dominate middle earth, but most of those he seduced were warped in the process and became the Balrogs. One of those demigods, though, became Sauron. Melkor become Morgoth, and is destroyed in the first great war with the elves, which ends the first age of the world.
One might offer many criticisms of Tolkiens mythology and theogony, but pop religion would not be a fair one.
we saw it in traditional 2D -- awesome...
@rosborne979,
Quote:They may have done it so that uninitiated (to the books) audiences would more readily accept the stature within the story that their characters are meant to convey. Unlike books, movies only have a short bit of time in which to convey a character's personality and behavior, so I think a "shortcut" to that is casting individuals who "look" the part of the strength they are meant to convey. But I'm just guessing, I don't really know why they did it.
That makes perfect sense for Thorin...though I am not sure about Killi.
The tower that was said to inspire Tolkein has been bought by a homeless charity for £1.
Quote:It wasn't the most promising of pitches: when Ben Bradley suggested that a homeless charity buy a derelict, windblown Georgian tower in a poor district of Birmingham he expected, and got, some blank looks.
The building is spectacular but perilous. It sways slightly in strong wind and its seven rooms – one on each storey – are the size of a hearth rug. But, said Bradley: "As it turned out, my CEO is a Tolkien fanatic, and so the deal was done."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/jan/29/tower-inspired-tolkien-bought
@oralloy,
Amazon is taking pre-orders for the
Extended Edition. Release date is November 5, 2013.
ASIN codes (for the US at least):
Blu-Ray 2D + 3D + Limited Edition Statue: B00E9HML1Q
Blu-Ray 2D + Limited Edition Statue: B00EAZTONU
Blu-Ray 2D + 3D: B00E8S2GJI
Blu-Ray 2D: B00E8S2JZ4
From an Amazon customer review:
Quote:WHAT WILL WE SEE IN THE EXTENDED EDITION:
1. More of DALE, including the BLACK ARROWS. Director Peter Jackson mentions a previously unseen character: "Girion, who is defending [the city of] Dale using black arrows against Smaug. And the black arrows play a part in an ongoing story, for they are the one thing that can pierce the dragon's hide."
2. More king of the wood elves; THRANDUIL. Peter Jackson: "There are also issues with Thranduil. We get some of the reason why he and the dwarves had a falling out - to do with these white gems..."
3. More of HOBBITON. Producer Phillipa Boyens: "You are going to get more of Hobbiton. We always wanted to wend our way through Hobbiton, but in the end Bilbo has to run out of the door."
4. The OLD TOOK'S PARTY: In which we see a younger Gandalf meet Bilbo Baggins as a young child, convincing the wizard of the young hobbit's bravery and courage. I won't spoil it for you, but it involves a dragon and a bit of magic.
5. Dwarf antics at RIVENDELL. Peter Jackson: "You are going to get some serious Dwarvish disrespect of the elves at Rivendell."
6. The SONG of the GOBLIN KING. Producer Fran Walsh: "You are going to get more Goblin Town, and the Great Goblin singing his song. It is a great song, but it was just another delay in terms of moving the story along." Peter Jackson: "A number one hit from the Goblin King. Barry Humphries is going to rise up the charts!"
