The Desolation of Smaug anticipation thread [SPOILERS]

[Dave_LF]

Shot through the heart,
and you're to blame ('cause yours is two sizes too small).
You give love
a bad name.

[Passdagas the Brown]

OK, spoilers with a pinch of speculation:

Hidden text.

Based on the DoS preview in the AUJ EE Appendices, shots we have seen in the two DoS trailers, and PJ's vlogs, it is clear that:

The dwarves will attempt to lure Smaug into a trap, using Bombur as bait, and this will ultimately not work.

I would say this is about 85% certain, based on a number of shots. Dwalin hammering at some kind of a large chain within the mountain, Bombur strapped to a large wooden cross with his Laketown garb on, seemingly being offered up as sacrifice (looks like the scene from Temple of Doom), Ori frantically pouring some sort of powdery substance into small clay containers that will presumably be used against the dragon (he's inside the mountain while doing it), all of the dwarves evading dragonfire inside the mountain, Thorin seemingly jumping out of the mountain with a jet of fire behind him, and a sense that PJ will want to rationalize the dwarven strategy for getting rid of Smaug, which in the book simply doesn't exist.

Curious to get thoughts from others who have watched the DoS preview on the AUJ EE, the trailers, and the vlogs.

[sinister71]

Best comment description I've seen is that he looks like the Grinch!

That's it! I wondered why it looked so familiar.

Oh, PJ.

That's exactly it Elen... I seen some pics a few minutes ago where someone painted him green and he is EXACTLY the spitting image of the Grinch. Way to go Mr Jackson

[Passdagas the Brown]

Best comment description I've seen is that he looks like the Grinch!

That's it! I wondered why it looked so familiar.

Oh, PJ.

That's exactly it Elen... I seen some pics a few minutes ago where someone painted him green and he is EXACTLY the spitting image of the Grinch. Way to go Mr Jackson

After a generally good design record for LOTR, I have to admit that I am baffled by the multiple misfires for the Hobbit. Is this just PJ's peculiar way of translating the lighter narrative content of TH to the screen? Very strange.

I mean, you have to try really, really hard to mess up Beorn's look.

[sinister71]

That's it! I wondered why it looked so familiar.

Oh, PJ.

That's exactly it Elen... I seen some pics a few minutes ago where someone painted him green and he is EXACTLY the spitting image of the Grinch. Way to go Mr Jackson

After a generally good design record for LOTR, I have to admit that I am baffled by the multiple misfires for the Hobbit. Is this just PJ's peculiar way of translating the lighter narrative content of TH to the screen? Very strange.

I mean, you have to try really, really hard to mess up Beorn's look.

I agree PtB that the design choices for LOTR were spot on for the most part. The problem IMO is that Jackson is treating the Hobbit differently. I think if he had kept the same tone throughout the Hobbit he had in LOTR and stayed with the same visual esthetic he could have potentially gotten it perfect. But sadly he made the choice to make the Hobbit into a farce (IMO) in comparison to LOTR. I understand the Hobbit has a lighter tone but the story itself lends itself to the tone of LOTR anyways and would have worked in that style.

[Passdagas the Brown]

Oh, I don't think he should have aped the LOTR style. That's not it. For example, I generally disliked the over-prostheticized dwarves in LOTR.

I just think that PJ has a peculiarly clownish way of translating the "lighter fare" of the Hobbit to the visual realm.

Axe-in-the-head, Grinchy Beorn, Obelix Bombur...

All generally awkward rather than whimsical.

[sinister71]

Oh, I don't think he should have aped the LOTR style. That's not it. For example, I generally disliked the over-prostheticized dwarves in LOTR.

I just think that PJ has a peculiarly clownish way of translating the "lighter fare" of the Hobbit to the visual realm.

Axe-in-the-head, Grinchy Beorn, Obelix Bombur...

All generally awkward rather than whimsical.

I don't think Jackson knows how to handle the lighter side of Tolkien. Which I'm fine with the tone of LOTR for the Hobbit. I do however understand some people wanted the more light hearted tone of the Hobbit on film. But i really don't think Jackson gets it. His humor is too juvenile to be in the same story as Tolkien. I just don't think he gets it trying to make it lighter he just makes it more and more OTT and unbelievable. Which IMO is way off the mark.

I took two years of french in high school and Obelix is about the only thing I really remember. Which is the perfect description of Bombur by the way

[Passdagas the Brown]

I think the key is that his humor, and his sense of fun, is far more adolescent than it is childlike.

He doesn't get the whimsical, but he gets the gross.

[Dave_LF]

Well; the odd and misfit designs could be del Toro's.

[axordil]

I think the key is that his humor, and his sense of fun, is far more adolescent than it is childlike.

He doesn't get the whimsical, but he gets the gross.

I agree he gets the gross (as his back catalog amply demonstrates ), but I think he *can* get the whimsical, as with Radagast and the hedgehogs. Unless that strain comes from Fran or Philippa.

[Passdagas the Brown]

I think the key is that his humor, and his sense of fun, is far more adolescent than it is childlike.

He doesn't get the whimsical, but he gets the gross.

I agree he gets the gross (as his back catalog amply demonstrates ), but I think he *can* get the whimsical, as with Radagast and the hedgehogs. Unless that strain comes from Fran or Philippa.

Yeah, but even with Radagast I feel that PJ is almost trying too hard to be whimsical. Like an adolescent imitating childishness.

And of course, he couldn't resist the bird poo in the hair, so grossness consistency is maintained.

[kzer_za]

There's some good humor in Unexpected Journey, even if there is a lot of juvenile stuff alongside it. Gandalf and Bilbo's interactions are good, even stuff that doesn't come straight from the book. "Is a he a great wizard or is he...more like you?" The way they worked in Golfimbul was clever too.

I thought most of the humor in Fellowship worked too (even Gimli), though the quality of the comedy declined as the trilogy went on.

[Passdagas the Brown]

Funny you should mention that line. I found it extraordinarily rude, unwarranted, unfunny, and outside Bilbo's character. It is certainly unlike any humor that Tolkien would include.

I mean, why does Bilbo think Gandalf is not so good of a wizard, anyway? He previously expressed admiration for his fireworks, and has not yet seem him in action aside from that. Is he referring to his low dragon kill count, and his inability to dispel rain? If so, that's a rather ridiculous standard for Bilbo to have, as an insular hobbit.

In my assessment, 95% of the good humor in AUJ comes almost straight from the book.

The one bit PJ added that I loved, and was exactly in the spirit of "hobbits don't say exactly what they mean, while dwarves and wizards do" was the "good evening" exchange with Balin. Balin's response to Bilbo's "good evening," which was a mere pleasantry, was priceless:

"Yes, yes it is. Though I think it may rain later."

If you say "good evening" then you should mean that is is actually a good evening!

This is a linguistic joke that I believe Tolkien would have been proud of. Kudos to PJ, the scriptwriters, Stott, or whoever else had the idea to put that in.

[sinister71]

Funny you should mention that line. I found it extraordinarily rude, unwarranted, unfunny, and outside Bilbo's character. It is certainly unlike any humor that Tolkien would include.

I mean, why does Bilbo think Gandalf is not so good of a wizard, anyway? He previously expressed admiration for his fireworks, and has not yet seem him in action aside from that. Is he referring to his low dragon kill count, and his inability to dispel rain? If so, that's a rather ridiculous standard for Bilbo to have, as an insular hobbit.

In my assessment, 95% of the good humor in AUJ comes almost straight from the book.

The one bit PJ added that I loved, and was exactly in the spirit of "hobbits don't say exactly what they mean, while dwarves and wizards do" was the "good evening" exchange with Balin. Balin's response to Bilbo's "good evening," which was a mere pleasantry, was priceless:

"Yes, yes it is. Though I think it may rain later."

If you say "good evening" then you should mean "good evening!"

This is a linguistic joke that I believe Tolkien would have been proud of. Kudos to PJ, the scriptwriters, Stott, or whoever else had the idea to put that in.

"Is a he a great wizard or is he...more like you?"

I never did understand that rude barb at Gandalf either. Maybe had Jackson actually used the scenario from the book where as Gandalf forced Bilbo out the door onto this adventure. The comment would have made sense. Since IF Gandalf had rushed Bilbo out the door Bilbo might have been mad about it. But in Jackson's vision Bilbo chose to run after the company, chose to go on this adventure. There was no pressure for him to go Bilbo went WITHOUT being pushed out the door like the book. He has no reason to be mad or upset with anyone other than himself.

Again I agree the best humor in the film was the stuff reminiscent of the book. the rest was mainly toilet humor or stuff completely off the mark IMO

[Passdagas the Brown]

There was a lot of toilet humor and off-the-mark stuff, but to be fair, some of PBJ's humorous dialogue in Bag End was quite good, including the Balin line I mentioned, Dwalin's initial encounter with Bilbo, Dwalin and Balin's talk in the pantry, etc. I think he got the "polite, never quite means what he says" nature of Englishness that Bilbo represents, just right. And the discomfort caused by the straight-talking dwarves is almost pitch perfect.

It's just too bad that he always feels the need to go OTT with it. You can see that in action in the vlogs, and in the AUJ EE special features. PJ is constantly asking his actors to go bigger and go crazier. If he had a little self-restraint, his films would be much, much better, IMO.

[sinister71]

There was a lot of toilet humor and off-the-mark stuff, but to be fair, some of PBJ's humorous dialogue in Bag End was quite good, including the Balin line I mentioned, Dwalin's initial encounter with Bilbo, Dwalin and Balin's talk in the pantry, etc. I think he got the "polite, never quite means what he says" nature of Englishness that Bilbo represents, just right. And the discomfort caused by the straight-talking dwarves is almost pitch perfect.

It's just too bad that he always feels the need to go OTT with it. You can see that in action in the vlogs, and in the AUJ EE special features. PJ is constantly asking his actors to go bigger and go crazier. If he had a little self-restraint, his films would be much, much better, IMO.

I have no complaints really with Baggend or the dialogue in it other than Ori's "dwarvish iron!, right up his..." line. Almost everything in that part of the film I love. But once they leave Hobbiton it goes from good to awful IMO

[Passdagas the Brown]

Well; the odd and misfit designs could be del Toro's.

The AUJ EE confirms that the axe-in-the-head, and the bunny sled, at least, were purely Jackson inventions. And they were introduced very late in the design process, when PJ went on his usual meddling sprees.

He has a very active imagination. It's just not the kind of imagination that I identify with.

[Dave_LF]

Did he mention where the bunny sled idea came from? Was it anything more than "hey; you know what would look sweet?"

[Elentári]

The AUJ EE confirms that the axe-in-the-head, and the bunny sled, at least, were purely Jackson inventions. And they were introduced very late in the design process, when PJ went on his usual meddling sprees.

He has a very active imagination. It's just not the kind of imagination that I identify with.

It's also called gilding the lily...

Anyway...the official Hobbit twitter account just posted this:

"Join Peter Jackson, the cast of #TheHobbit & @AndersonCooper for our #HobbitFanEvent on 11/4! http://www.thehobbit.com/fanevent/
http://pic.twitter.com/s2fS4jHOiN"

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG
WORLDWIDE FAN EVENT
NOVEMBER 4, 2013
2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET
(and corresponding time zones around the world)

Meet New Stars Joining the Trilogy, Get an Exclusive First Look at
Footage from “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” and Participate in a Live Q&A
with Director Peter Jackson and the Cast


Host cities:

NEW YORK
AMC Lincoln Square
Featuring special host Anderson Cooper and cast members Richard Armitage and Orlando Bloom

LOS ANGELES
Pacific Theatres at the Grove
Featuring cast member Evangeline Lilly

LONDON
Odeon West End
Featuring cast members Andy Serkis, James Nesbitt, Lee Pace and Luke Evans

WELLINGTON
Embassy Theater
Featuring director Peter Jackson


Other participating theaters:

TORONTO
Cineplex Odeon Queensway Cinemas

MIAMI
Dolphin Theater

PARIS, FRANCE
Gaumont Pathe

ROME, ITALY
The Space Cinema Moderno

HAMBURG, GERMANY
Cinemaxx Hamburg Dammtor

BELGIUM, BRUSSELS
Kinepolis Brussels

MADRID, SPAIN
KINEPOLIS

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
Cinepolis, Mexico City

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
Hoyts Broadway


For information on how you can attend this event, visit
facebook.com/TheHobbitMovie or twitter.com/TheHobbitMovie

https://twitter.com/TheHobbitMovie/stat ... 16/photo/1

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Nice to see this:

live streamed on youtube.com/TheHobbit

But, Anderson Cooper?