The Hobbit --- Let's hear what you thought of the first installment.

[bombatomba]

Alright, just saw the movie, and I have a few comments.  

Like many of you, I am a huge fan of the Hobbit book, and find the writing style, not just the character and situations, very charming.  I can also honestly say that I've read The Hobbit many more times than the LOTR novels (and not because I read The Hobbit first).  About a month ago I started reading a bunch of stuff about Tolkien's feelings regarding the Hobbit (post LOTR), and how he tried to actually "retcon" a bunch of it to make it more inline with the LOTR story and history. I found this stuff extremely interesting.  That being said, with that knowledge in hand I was very happy with some of the changes Jackson made to try to help "repair" the Hobbit (at least as far as the LOTR history is concerned).  And to think that if I had seen this movie more than a few months ago, I would have enjoyed it nearly as much as I did.

Now for some other things:

I was always a big fan of the dwarves, and was never happy with the way they were portrayed in both the original Hobbit cartoon (as weak and greedy) and the LOTR movies (as comic relief).  The Hobbit movie has finally given me what I wanted all along:  a real look at just how skilled, wise, and powerful the dwarves really are.  I especially loved the spot in Bag End where they sing about their loss of Lonely Mountain, and the longing and sadness that their characters felt was obvious and prominent on the actor's faces.

I can't wait for the next movie!  Next I need to see it again in 48fps in 3D.

[nupoile]

I was always a big fan of the dwarves, and was never happy with the way they were portrayed in both the original Hobbit cartoon (as weak and greedy) and the LOTR movies (as comic relief).  The Hobbit movie has finally given me what I wanted all along:  a real look at just how skilled, wise, and powerful the dwarves really are.  I especially loved the spot in Bag End where they sing about their loss of Lonely Mountain, and the longing and sadness that their characters felt was obvious and prominent on the actor's faces.

I agree with this. Really, I do like the cartoon Hobbit quite a bit but you are right about the portrayal of the dwarves (or Woodland Elves for that matter.) Peter Jacksons Hobbit does do a good job of making Thorin's group more like the book version. That is one of the great things about these Tolkien books, there is so much back story. Middle Earth is fleshed out to such a degree, everything, everyone and everywhere has a reason for being and acting as they do.

Next I need to see it again in 48fps in 3D.

I did this the second time I watched it. Need to post about that!

[techwizard]

I was always a big fan of the dwarves, and was never happy with the way they were portrayed in both the original Hobbit cartoon (as weak and greedy) and the LOTR movies (as comic relief).  The Hobbit movie has finally given me what I wanted all along:  a real look at just how skilled, wise, and powerful the dwarves really are.  I especially loved the spot in Bag End where they sing about their loss of Lonely Mountain, and the longing and sadness that their characters felt was obvious and prominent on the actor's faces.

I agree with this. Really, I do like the cartoon Hobbit quite a bit but you are right about the portrayal of the dwarves (or Woodland Elves for that matter.) Peter Jacksons Hobbit does do a good job of making Thorin's group more like the book version. That is one of the great things about these Tolkien books, there is so much back story. Middle Earth is fleshed out to such a degree, everything, everyone and everywhere has a reason for being and acting as they do.

Next I need to see it again in 48fps in 3D.

I did this the second time I watched it. Need to post about that!

i've seen it 3 times now, each time in a different version...first regular 3D, then standard def, then 48fps 3D. the 48fps version was definitely the best looking, besides certain parts looking like they were in fast forward. overall though that wasn't as big an issue as some critics made it out to be, i think a big part of it was just having to adjust to the different speed. there were only a few scenes that really felt bad because of it. i never noticed the "cheapness" of the props or makeup that i've seen some critics mention because of the higher detail.

@bombatomba i really like that j.r.r. tolkien tried retconning the hobbit too, i really wish he had finished doing it. have you read The History of the Hobbit by John Rateliff? that's where i first heard of it.

[bombatomba]

have you read The History of the Hobbit by John Rateliff? that's where i first heard of it.

No, but I will now.

Amazon >> Buy!!

[techwizard]

have you read The History of the Hobbit by John Rateliff? that's where i first heard of it.

No, but I will now.

Amazon >> Buy!!

cool it's a good read, though can be a bit dry at times like the History of Middle Earth. the majority of it is analysing the different drafts of the story at each stage of the writing, comparing changes between the early and later/final version, etc. it gets into the retconning near the end.

[The Metamorphosing Leon]

I really wish they had done fifteen birds in five fir trees.

[techwizard]

I really wish they had done fifteen birds in five fir trees.

there was a lot wrong with the "out of the frying pan, and into the fire" scene.

[nupoile]

I really wish they had done fifteen birds in five fir trees.

there was a lot wrong with the "out of the frying pan, and into the fire" scene.

Like I say, "we'll always have the cartoon."

[The Metamorphosing Leon]

I really wish they had done fifteen birds in five fir trees.

there was a lot wrong with the "out of the frying pan, and into the fire" scene.

Yeah, really ticked me off. I so hate the freaking villain Orc.