The Hobbit

[rocknroll41]

the first flick comes out Dec. 14, 2012 and will be called The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 

the second film comes out Dec. 13, 2013 and will be called The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug

the third one comes out July 18, 2014 and will be called The Hobbit: There and Back Again

thoughts?

[abaraxas]

While I enjoyed the LOTR films, I think they pale in comparison to the books.

Time will tell in regards to "the hobbit" 

[pawnshop-guitars]

I think the films were really, really well done myself, although a film is never going to match up to a book, especially one as in depth as Tolkien's. I'm really looking forward to this though, especially as Peter Jackson is filming it in a way where the picture quality is going to be fantastic, even though you will only be able to see the best quality at certain cinema's.

[abaraxas]

I wanted to love the LOTR films, but I really found them pretty bland.

[smoothie illusion]

I liked the Hobbit books better than the LOTR books so these should be great

[RoboAxl]

While I enjoyed the LOTR films, I think they pale in comparison to the books.

Time will tell in regards to "the hobbit" 

I can enjoy them as films, less so as adaptations.

The films have a tendency to go for cloying sentimentality which is completely at odds with Tolkien's work. Typical Hollywood bullshit

[Max_Power]

Never bothered to watch any lotr films, i suppose ill pass on this one too

[Emilia]

I´m waiting for these sooooo much. I love LOTR (both books and movies) and the Hobbit -book. But I´m a bit worried too, what if they are not so good? Too much waiting can be bad sometimes 

[Shacklers Revenge]

I can enjoy them as films, less so as adaptations.

I agree.

Peter Jackson so utterly messed up The Two Towers and Return of the King that he should have been drawn and quartered on the spot. Failing to include Shelob/the Frodo cliffhanger at the end of TTT was criminally stupid, and completely unnecessary. Fucking with the whole Battle of the Pelennor Fields and the way the Dead were involved was beyond stupid as well.

Change for the sake of change, or to "put my stamp on it" is wholly unnecessary. Jackson screwed up so much of LotR that I could go on a ginormous rant, but I'm not really in the mood right now to type it all out. Suffice it to say that I was.... displeased with Jackson's version of the story.

I'm eager to see The Hobbit, but cautious.

[The Spaghetti Incident?]

Never bothered to watch any lotr films, i suppose ill pass on this one too

You were a movie connoisseur as a pre teen as well? I've never met a person younger than me that wasn't living under a boulder that hadn't seen or liked lotr

[Emilia]

I agree.

Peter Jackson so utterly messed up The Two Towers and Return of the King that he should have been drawn and quartered on the spot. Failing to include Shelob/the Frodo cliffhanger at the end of TTT was criminally stupid, and completely unnecessary. Fucking with the whole Battle of the Pelennor Fields and the way the Dead were involved was beyond stupid as well.

Change for the sake of change, or to "put my stamp on it" is wholly unnecessary. Jackson screwed up so much of LotR that I could go on a ginormous rant, but I'm not really in the mood right now to type it all out. Suffice it to say that I was.... displeased with Jackson's version of the story.

I'm eager to see The Hobbit, but cautious.

It´s true he messed up with many places (things you mentioned, plus leaving Tom out from The Fellowship of the Ring and the scouring of the Shire from The Return of the King, for example). BUT (there´s always but involved), I love those movies just as movies. I don´t compare them anymore, imo the movies are related to the original tales, not based on them. Of course they should be based on the books, in perfect world, but this is not perfect world, right?

[pawnshop-guitars]

You've got to cut Jackson some slack here. The guy is on record as saying he regrets ever having to change anything, but that he had to do for the sake of the story. Like Tom Bombadil; that would have been a whole segment that actually did nothing to advance the story, and would have added at least another 20 minutes onto what was already a huge film. If you watch the special features on the extended editions, they go into some detail about why they left out bits that they did etc. Jackson is a huge fan of LotR, and I am more than happy he is doing the Hobbit. In my very humble opinion, the LotR films are the best book-to-film adaptations I know.

[RoboAxl]

But Jackson's attitude to things some times is rather infuriating for me. I too have poured over the commentaries and Jackson does insinuate several times that he knew better than Tolkien in several instances. I get the Bombadil thing but I find it harder to swallow his complete bastardisation of the character of Aragorn.

These were changes made to make the film resonate more with a modern audience, I get that. And they are terrific films. But there are several points in which I openly think that Jackson just didn't get it.

[Emilia]

^^ Of course something must be left out. Everybody, who has ever even seen the books knows that  

Also, I agree LotR are maybe the best book-to-movie adaptions after all. There´s lot of book-based movies that nobody ("nobody" including the people who actually did the movies) should not bother even think about  
But there is mistakes (of course, where is not?). And like I said before, I love LotR and really wait to see the Hobbit.

[chezequerz]

LotR was also much better written than the hobbit so the film isn't QUITE as up against the book as the LotR films were. Of course it will have to live up to the LotR films instead.