Alatar's Spoiler Thread

Post by **Alatar** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 5:36 pm

The reviewer is really impatient.

Post by **Dave_LF** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 5:38 pm

Not unexpected, but I was kind of hoping it was both.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 6:42 pm

I'm looking forward to that song. In the early footage we saw that was the moment when I knew that, come what may, there were going to be some things done really right.

Can't wait to see what he does with "Tra-la-la-lally! Down here in the valley!"

Mon Dec 10, 2012 6:46 pm

Alatar wrote:The reviewer is really impatient.

I would use some different words to describe that reviewer, but then I would have to ban myself.

Post by **Dave_LF** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 7:20 pm

I've listened to the streaming soundtrack a bunch of times, and speculated about a few of the recurring themes. I think this:

A2 C3 A2 D3 A2 E3

is for the Lonely Mountain, this:

D#3 D3 D3#3 B2 Bb2

is for Smaug, and this:

C3 D3 E3 E3 B2

is for Thorin. Do you remember enough to say whether I'm at least close?

(and I apologize for my horrible musical notation, especially since you are an actual music person. The octave numbers are meant to be relative, not absolute, and the actual keys are probably different too)

Post by **Alatar** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 7:31 pm

I haven't listened to the soundtrack yet (didn't want to spoil) and honestly paid little attention to it during the movie. There are a few repeated themes from LotR and the big Misty Mountains theme but I didn't really notice any other themes. That will come when I have more time to listen!

Post by **Dave_LF** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 7:36 pm

No problem; there's no reason I can't just wait a couple more days anyway.

After my experiences with Towers (where I listened to the whole thing ahead of time) and King (where I mostly managed to avoid it), I learned that, even if it's very good, there's a sense in which the film spoils the soundtrack. So I'm taking advantage of this brief window where I can listen to the thing and take it for what it is, without having a bunch of movie images called to mind.

Post by **River** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 8:23 pm

Primula Baggins wrote: Can't wait to see what he does with "Tra-la-la-lally! Down here in the valley!"

That blasted song ear-wormed me the first time I read The Hobbit (2001). I was hiking the Wonderland Trail with my brother. I imagined up a tune even more obnoxious than the lyrics and ever since I've been plagued with it on hikes and climbs. Usually when I'm tired and descending something. It made the all-day, all-night, single-push descent of Denali all the more surreal. Imagine. It's 2 am. There is a lingering light in the sky. Maybe the last of the evening twilight, maybe the first of the dawn. You're roped to three other people. You're carrying a heavy pack and towing a heavy sled down an endless stretch of glacier. You're not sure if you're awake or asleep. The skin on your feet long ago said "Eff this, I'm leaving," and you're desperately looking forward to the next break, where you will replace/ad more moleskin after digging up a supply cache and adding more crap to your pack and sled. And then..."Tra-la-la-lally! Welcome back to our valley!" pops into your head. Then it begins to snow.

Of course, the song's haunted me on many occasions since, but that, that was the worst.

That song isn't in there, right? Please tell me it's not in there...

Post by **Frelga** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 8:32 pm

River, so you really do know how the dwarves felt. Minus the snow.

Post by **Teremia** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 8:45 pm

River, you have really LIVED!

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 9:31 pm

River, have you ever read Ursula Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness? Just asking.

If it's any comfort, they don't get to Rivendell in this film, so if the song is in, it isn't in this one.

Mon Dec 10, 2012 9:35 pm

Actually they do go to Rivendell (and well beyond) in this film.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 9:45 pm

Wow, my brain has turned to ricotta cheese.

Post by **River** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 10:52 pm

Primula Baggins wrote:River, have you ever read Ursula Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness? Just asking.

Yes. Both before and after Denali. Felt for those guys. Towing a sled sucks. But so does carrying 80+ pounds on your back.

I also felt for the Fellowship on Caradhas because that scenario ain't much fun either.

Post by **Lhaewin** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:23 pm

I've just come home from the cinema. I'm in two minds about the film. For starters, I had no chance to see it in English and the dubbing is never the same. I will do that as soon as I can.

The 3D techniques made some nice effects on the atmosphere and landscape. Also I think the special 3D effects were not overdone and a matter of "because we can". I liked that.

It's been a while since I've read the book, so I don't exactly recall the timeline and the order of the scenes. The fried who went with me, said that they were some differences. Some lines were "borrowed" from LOTR. I loved the score.

P. S. I am not sure, if this is the right place for me to post this, as it's Alatar's thread. Please, move my post, if there is a better place.

Post by **Alatar** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:19 pm

No problem from my POV Lhaewin.

Incidentally, a cryptic spoiler. I am very definitely not mentioned in the Movie!

Post by **Elentári** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 10:19 am

Nooooo! Al, tell me this isn't true!

Lissuin on TORn reports:

In Riddles in the Dark, for the egg riddle, in the book Gollum remembers teaching his grandmother to suck - "Eggses!", but in the film he says something like, " my granny taught me to suck - Eggses!"

If it is true, it's just another example of Boyens and Jackson's lack of understanding of the subtlies of Tolkien's genius...

Post by **Alatar** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 11:21 am

Its true, and honestly, if that bothers you I can confidently predict you will hate this film.

Post by **Nin** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 1:12 pm

Having seen the Hobbit on wednesday in 3D (albeit normal 3D, the only one avalaible in Geneva) and in English I can only confirm that Alatar does an awsome job about not unveiling too many spoilers.

I get the cryptic spoiler, though!

Currently I am reareading the Hobbit, because I did not remember the book well enough.

I am also in two minds about the movie.

The scene with the trolls was definitly a Harry Potter moment and not a good one. For me, Radagast was also hard to accept, I had pictured him differently. I happenend to find the Hobbit much more... commercial in some way than LOtR.

I strongly disliked the Great Goblin, but I expect the boys to like the scene - Benjamin will be going with a friend on saturday, but in French, of course.

I absolutely loved the song of the Misty Mountains sung by the dwarves in Bag End. A very, very strong moment for me.

Post by **Alatar** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 1:36 pm

I think its safe to say, there will be Purist cuts of these movies turning up on the usual sites. That said, I personally think some of the best content is the added prologue and Azanulbizar material, and also the White Council, which would be cut from a Purist Edit!