The Hobbit - starts filming March 21
- Thread starter nwjedidave
- Start date
SlicenDice
Member
I decided to go full-tilt crazy with this one and bought a ticket for 3D, in 48, with a dolby atmos 65 channel sound system, AND a d-box motion seat...
How long until I can buy digital pop corn?
How long until I can buy digital pop corn?
AGxM
Well-Known Member
Did the 3D Imax experience last night and loved every minute. Spectacular scenery and settings, some sprinkles of humour and a strong cast - can't wait for installment 2
Straker
Sr Member
So I JUST got in the door and I wanted to give my thoughts. It’s not a review mind you. Nothing so in-depth. I'll try to be spoiler free too.
So my thoughts…I enjoyed the hell out of this. Purists may hate it with some of the changes here and there and new characters like the Kratos orc guy but I enjoyed this ever bit as much as I did with the Lord of the Rings films. I liked the pacing as it gave one time to breath and in that regard the film felt more like the Fellowship of the Ring…the Extended Edition. I liked how much breathing room that film had and this film had much of that films pacing where it was needed. The opening story about the Dwarves and how they lost the mountain was very excellent of an addition and I found they mirrored some aspects to the LOTR Extended Editions by having Bilbo (Ian Holm) narrate in this similar to what he did in the Extended Edition. In the end, the film didn’t feel like a near three hour film to me.
The CGI is indeed much improved, especially Gollum. He looks amazing. You could even see the individual hairs on his ears. The Goblin King was great too. Beautifully disgusting I think I would say. I couldn’t look away from his bloated and boil covered visage.
The actors all looked amazing. I’m so pleased to see that the returning actors could get back into costume after so long and look as good as they did in the previous films but in some ways “younger” for some of them than they did in the originals as this film is set sixty years prior to those.I was also worried by production stills and costume pre-production photos that the Dwarves might look a bit TOO cartoonish but they really looked amazing on screen. The prosthetic noses and additions blended beautifully. Of course I DO have to wonder how much of this was all due to using CG to enhance the make up and make it blend more or make people look younger, all things we’d seen before in film but, if that IS the case, they did a remarkable job hiding it.
Also the more comedic aspects didn't GLARE out to me like I thought they might. They barely dwelt on them unlike in the trailers so that's good.
If I had any negatives to bring to this, it might be that the super duper 48 frames per second REAL D 3D…wasn’t impressive to me. All the 3D was contained in the screen anyway so all it did was add depth to what was in the window. It’s neat and all but…I can’t ay that I wouldn’t have enjoyed this in 2D…unless their transfer to a 2D digital projection was deliberately ham-fisted in order to force you to think the 3D version was better and that they can NEVER go back to traditional 2D film making. That’s ALWAYS possible.
SOME parts like the end battle scene did look just like out of a 3D side scrolling LOTR game XD There was even a part where I believe Gandalf breaks a bolder free from the roof of a part of the cave to let it roll ahead of the party as they make their escape XD I swear, you'll feel like you're going for your controller.
Ummm, another somewhat nit-picky negative was that the “Well-timed convenience fairy” seemed to be a bit more hard at work on this film here and there. What I mean by that is…remember in the original Lord of the Rings films where something WAY too well timed would happen or if there was something horribly dangerous going on and nobody got hurt even though they should have or in Star Wars where the Stormtroopers could NEVER hit the heroes but the heroes could casually shoot over their shoulders while running and take out three stormtroopers? THAT. There was a scene where one of the Dwarves blocked an arrow shot by a goblin with his sword, he literally looked surprised by this and proceeded to do it again and again all Jedi style. He then picked up a ladder…and used it as a shield and the arrows literally hit the rungs of the wooden ladder like that was what the goblins were aiming at all along. Just by his surprised look initially it’s funny because it looked like even HE though that was a bit convenient XD Still, I can overlook it because if anything, the rest of the movie was SO well done it did override the few negatives that I noticed.
Anyway, those are just my thoughts guys, I hope you liked it and I DID try to be spoiler free…I mean I didn’t tell you WHICH dwarf was blocking the arrows after all.
So my thoughts…I enjoyed the hell out of this. Purists may hate it with some of the changes here and there and new characters like the Kratos orc guy but I enjoyed this ever bit as much as I did with the Lord of the Rings films. I liked the pacing as it gave one time to breath and in that regard the film felt more like the Fellowship of the Ring…the Extended Edition. I liked how much breathing room that film had and this film had much of that films pacing where it was needed. The opening story about the Dwarves and how they lost the mountain was very excellent of an addition and I found they mirrored some aspects to the LOTR Extended Editions by having Bilbo (Ian Holm) narrate in this similar to what he did in the Extended Edition. In the end, the film didn’t feel like a near three hour film to me.
The CGI is indeed much improved, especially Gollum. He looks amazing. You could even see the individual hairs on his ears. The Goblin King was great too. Beautifully disgusting I think I would say. I couldn’t look away from his bloated and boil covered visage.
The actors all looked amazing. I’m so pleased to see that the returning actors could get back into costume after so long and look as good as they did in the previous films but in some ways “younger” for some of them than they did in the originals as this film is set sixty years prior to those.I was also worried by production stills and costume pre-production photos that the Dwarves might look a bit TOO cartoonish but they really looked amazing on screen. The prosthetic noses and additions blended beautifully. Of course I DO have to wonder how much of this was all due to using CG to enhance the make up and make it blend more or make people look younger, all things we’d seen before in film but, if that IS the case, they did a remarkable job hiding it.
Also the more comedic aspects didn't GLARE out to me like I thought they might. They barely dwelt on them unlike in the trailers so that's good.
If I had any negatives to bring to this, it might be that the super duper 48 frames per second REAL D 3D…wasn’t impressive to me. All the 3D was contained in the screen anyway so all it did was add depth to what was in the window. It’s neat and all but…I can’t ay that I wouldn’t have enjoyed this in 2D…unless their transfer to a 2D digital projection was deliberately ham-fisted in order to force you to think the 3D version was better and that they can NEVER go back to traditional 2D film making. That’s ALWAYS possible.
SOME parts like the end battle scene did look just like out of a 3D side scrolling LOTR game XD There was even a part where I believe Gandalf breaks a bolder free from the roof of a part of the cave to let it roll ahead of the party as they make their escape XD I swear, you'll feel like you're going for your controller.
Ummm, another somewhat nit-picky negative was that the “Well-timed convenience fairy” seemed to be a bit more hard at work on this film here and there. What I mean by that is…remember in the original Lord of the Rings films where something WAY too well timed would happen or if there was something horribly dangerous going on and nobody got hurt even though they should have or in Star Wars where the Stormtroopers could NEVER hit the heroes but the heroes could casually shoot over their shoulders while running and take out three stormtroopers? THAT. There was a scene where one of the Dwarves blocked an arrow shot by a goblin with his sword, he literally looked surprised by this and proceeded to do it again and again all Jedi style. He then picked up a ladder…and used it as a shield and the arrows literally hit the rungs of the wooden ladder like that was what the goblins were aiming at all along. Just by his surprised look initially it’s funny because it looked like even HE though that was a bit convenient XD Still, I can overlook it because if anything, the rest of the movie was SO well done it did override the few negatives that I noticed.
Anyway, those are just my thoughts guys, I hope you liked it and I DID try to be spoiler free…I mean I didn’t tell you WHICH dwarf was blocking the arrows after all.
Last edited:
nwjedidave
Sr Member
DITTO!
CelticRuins
Sr Member
"Kratos" orc guy...which is funny because we thought that same thing, is actually in the appendices. Of course he's addition to this late in the story, but the prologue was spot on.
I can't believe I'm still functioning right now over just getting 3 hours of sleep...but yeah. It was WELL worth it.
It was definitely a different Middle Earth; and older one for obvious reasons...but it still felt like home. From the moment Ian Holm was in frame, I had my eyes well up with tears.
AND THEN THERE WAS THRANDUIL...THAT GLORIOUS *******.
The prologue was magnificent and through out the movie I can't believe the amount of book detail that was in there! The lines right out of the book...it was great. Of course they'll be added things; that's what PJ does.
I just wish he wouldn't have used so much CGI. It cheapened it for me. Why was Azog CGI when Gothmog and Lurtz weren't? I miss the use of prosthetics, that's what makes it feel completely real. CGI was just too much I wish he would have known better.
Aside from that I was thrilled! Martin Freeman is the perfect young Bilbo! Hugo Weaving as Elrond is always glorious.
CARROCK! That was unbelievable to see! And clever how they made it look
!
I can't wait to see it again, and 24fps was awesome enough for me.
I forgot how painful waiting is, from the LotR days...this will be a long year!
I can't believe I'm still functioning right now over just getting 3 hours of sleep...but yeah. It was WELL worth it.
It was definitely a different Middle Earth; and older one for obvious reasons...but it still felt like home. From the moment Ian Holm was in frame, I had my eyes well up with tears.
AND THEN THERE WAS THRANDUIL...THAT GLORIOUS *******.
The prologue was magnificent and through out the movie I can't believe the amount of book detail that was in there! The lines right out of the book...it was great. Of course they'll be added things; that's what PJ does.
I just wish he wouldn't have used so much CGI. It cheapened it for me. Why was Azog CGI when Gothmog and Lurtz weren't? I miss the use of prosthetics, that's what makes it feel completely real. CGI was just too much I wish he would have known better.
Aside from that I was thrilled! Martin Freeman is the perfect young Bilbo! Hugo Weaving as Elrond is always glorious.
CARROCK! That was unbelievable to see! And clever how they made it look
!I can't wait to see it again, and 24fps was awesome enough for me.
I forgot how painful waiting is, from the LotR days...this will be a long year!
Straker
Sr Member
"Kratos" orc guy...which is funny because we thought that same thing, is actually in the appendices. Of course he's addition to this late in the story, but the prologue was spot on.
I can't believe I'm still functioning right now over just getting 3 hours of sleep...but yeah. It was WELL worth it.
It was definitely a different Middle Earth; and older one for obvious reasons...but it still felt like home. From the moment Ian Holm was in frame, I had my eyes well up with tears.
AND THEN THERE WAS THRANDUIL...THAT GLORIOUS *******.
The prologue was magnificent and through out the movie I can't believe the amount of book detail that was in there! The lines right out of the book...it was great. Of course they'll be added things; that's what PJ does.
I just wish he wouldn't have used so much CGI. It cheapened it for me. Why was Azog CGI when Gothmog and Lurtz weren't? I miss the use of prosthetics, that's what makes it feel completely real. CGI was just too much I wish he would have known better.
Aside from that I was thrilled! Martin Freeman is the perfect young Bilbo! Hugo Weaving as Elrond is always glorious.
CARROCK! That was unbelievable to see! And clever how they made it look
I can't wait to see it again, and 24fps was awesome enough for me.
I forgot how painful waiting is, from the LotR days...this will be a long year!
Yeah see I never read the appendices and I didn't recall him actually being in the Hobbit itself...not that I minded really. XD
Martin really DID act like Ian Holmes.Right from the scene on the front of Bag End when he meets Gandalf to the end. VERY nice acting on his part.
I thought it was extremely long winded storytelling without much personalization of any of the dwarves but Thorin, and I disliked his deep-seated dislike of the elves, even though it fits. While I liked revisiting Middle Earth, I wish things could have been faster paced. My girlfriend was in obvious pain through much of the movie, making exasperated sighs and checking the time on her phone every few minutes. Not for the casual fan.
This is what I was afraid would happen, once I heard they wound be stretching The Hobbit into three seperate films. I'm still excited to see it, but I sort of wish they would have just gone with one film. The Hobbit isn't a very big book, it's actually quite small. I think it could have easily fit nicely into one film. Maybe two.
*****. That would have driven me crazy.
Straker
Sr Member
I kinda have to disagree about the personalization of the Dwarves. I really thought they did a good job fleshing most of them out. Bofur, Fili, Kili had some great characterization IMO, as did Ori and especially Balin, my favorite. I do agree though that the rest were lacking so I'm kinda hoping they rotate to the others in the next film to balance it out a bit. XD
Personally I liked the slower pace. I had much more time to think about the scenes and how they were playing out. I hate a rushed film. Like the first twenty minutes of Batman Begins...I almost got whiplash on that one XD I can understand though if you have someone with you not having a good time due to a certain aspect of the film. It really makes you not enjoy it too.
CelticRuins
Sr Member
I guess he is sticking to the book with the dwarves; more than half of them barely speak at all. You'll notice Bombur had absolutely no lines. I think he as...1 or 2 in the entire book?
Balin was definitely my favorite. I felt for him as an elder of the dwarven culture, and the guardian of Thorin.
I guess if you're really a true fan you're going to atleast enjoy it a bit. I can see how non-fans and a regular movie goer could get bogged down with details.
Balin was definitely my favorite. I felt for him as an elder of the dwarven culture, and the guardian of Thorin.
I guess if you're really a true fan you're going to atleast enjoy it a bit. I can see how non-fans and a regular movie goer could get bogged down with details.
CelticRuins
Sr Member
Azog was CGI? This is an actor (Conan Stevens from Game of Thrones) in makeup, with a prop mace. Or was he CGI in some scenes, an actor in others? Seeing the film tonight.
That's Bolg. And yes, he is magnificant...THAT MACE.
Azog was the pale orc on the white warg. He looked a bit like Kratos...
Kit Rae
Sr Member
That's right. I had forgotten that Bolg was originally Azog, then sometime last year the changed them around. That's probably not common knowledge, but all of the images and prop pix we were shown for the United Cutlery replicas were all labeled for Azog. I think the tag on the Weta mace prop we have is even labeled Azog.
CelticRuins
Sr Member
Weird, didn't know they weren't going to put in Bolg...he is actually mentioned at the end of the Hobbit, as where Azog is in 'Durin's Folk' in the appendices.
Kit Rae
Sr Member
I don't know the whole story, but as I understand it, both characters were always in the film, but they decided at some point that they liked the character and weapon designs created for Azog better for Bolg. They changed them around and then redesigned Azog.
When I saw those two character names in the materials we received from WB in 2011, I got really excited, because I knew then that we were going to get something much more than just The Hobbit story. Every time I saw character names from the LOTR appendices mentioned I was like, YES!!!
When I saw those two character names in the materials we received from WB in 2011, I got really excited, because I knew then that we were going to get something much more than just The Hobbit story. Every time I saw character names from the LOTR appendices mentioned I was like, YES!!!
CelticRuins
Sr Member
Indeed, amazing.
And I gotta say...I'm trying to figure out how to make Bolg's mace...WHOSE VERTEBRAE WAS THAT? That thing is bad ass!
And I gotta say...I'm trying to figure out how to make Bolg's mace...WHOSE VERTEBRAE WAS THAT?
That thing is bad ass!nwjedidave
Sr Member
going again Sunday to see it in HFR!
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