The Hobbit

[Bromptonboy]

For somebody like me who has never read The Hobbit I wont know whats new material or from the book. Do you think my movie experience will be better or worse for not reading the book first?

I would have enjoyed the film much more - if I had not loved the book.  So see the move first..  ;)

[Meds]

Looking forward to reading your views Kevin.

[Feathers]

I'm with Kevin and Meds in that I've read Tolkien for years (even if I am unsure about the spelling of his name) and I go to see this as a fan of The Hobbit. If it were a visually stunning film of a story I wasn't familiar with I may see it with no expectations but the name of this film says it all. The Hobbit.

If The Hobbit isn't what I get then on some level I will feel disappointed no matter how good what I do get is.

[Bromptonboy]

I am tempted to list a few more grouses - but I think it won't ad to the discussion.  :)

[Bryancd]

I am tempted to list a few more grouses - but I think it won't ad to the discussion.  :)

I think it's fine to point out elements of the film that may not have worked or been effective or poor pacing, but I personally don't see how complaining about an element for which the only criticism is that it wasn't in the book isn't fair to the movie. Judge the movie for the story it tells.

[Meds]

Thats the point of the conversation though isn't it. If it WORKS and helps build the pace and allows the film to flow then awesome bring it on. If it doesn't work and it distracts from the core element then no, you have made a mistake and accept the criticism. 

Look at films that bring out a directors cut years later. Nine times out of ten you watch it and say "what was the point of putting that scene in" it isnt needed. Apocalypse Now is a classic example of that, editing the plantation scene backin for me just made a long film even longer and even more pointless. Anyway I have not seen the film yet, let me watch it and then i'll give it thumbs or thumbs in between (lets face it i'm not going to come out and say "arghhh that was poo" am I....... am I?

[Bryancd]

Thats the point of the conversation though isn't it. If it WORKS and helps build the pace and allows the film to flow then awesome bring it on. If it doesn't work and it distracts from the core element then no, you have made a mistake and accept the criticism. 

Yes! I agree, and that's fair. But that's being critical of what is on screen vs. beoing critical of what's on screen SOLEY becuase it is not in the book.

[Bromptonboy]

I am tempted to list a few more grouses - but I think it won't ad to the discussion.  :)

I think it's fine to point out elements of the film that may not have worked or been effective or poor pacing, but I personally don't see how complaining about an element for which the only criticism is that it wasn't in the book isn't fair to the movie. Judge the movie for the story it tells.

Often I don't mind the screen-writer changing the story from the book - such as Logan's Run - I think the movie is in some ways better than the book.
For LOTR - I loved everything up to one episode in the Return Of The King - but I still loved the movie:
[spoiler]When Frodo sides with Gollum and sends Sam away right before entering Shelob's lair in the movie[/spoiler]
In the Hobbit I already pointed out the scene that disappointed me - but that being said, PJ could have made 5 movies instead of 3, and I would go see them all - so who is the fool?  :)

It could have been worse...Quentin Tarrantino could have directed the movies..and then Gandalf would have been in a black suit with black sunglasses.. ;)

[Meds]

You have to agree as well that if a section not in the book and wrote new for the film does not help the film in any way then it should not be in the film in the first place. Now I know the appendices and The Silmarillion is taken into account and for that I'm afraid I would need a better read person that me to go through all that.

On a side note let me just explain why i have a bit of a passion for this book and Tolkien in general. Some of you know I was born in Solihull and raised in Birmingham. I lived in Hall Green and Moseley near Moseley Bog and Sarehole Mill. I bought my first house in Kings Heath. I moved to Bromsgrove, my favourite restaurant is in Clent and we go for walks in the Lickey Hills. Why does this matter, here is a copy from the Tolkien Wiki.


"This left the family without an income, so Tolkien's mother took him to live with her parents in Kings Heath, Birmingham. Soon after, in 1896, they moved to Sarehole (now in Hall Green), then a Worcestershire village, later annexed to Birmingham. He enjoyed exploring Sarehole Mill and Moseley Bog and the Clent, Lickey and Malvern Hills, which would later inspire scenes in his books, along with Worcestershire towns and villages such as Bromsgrove, Alcester, and Alvechurch and places such as his aunt Jane's farm of Bag End, the name of which would be used in his fiction"

[Bromptonboy]

Wow!  You aren't somehow a descendant of the miller's son?  :)

[Bryancd]

You have to agree as well that if a section not in the book and wrote new for the film does not help the film in any way then it should not be in the film in the first place.

Absolutely. But the fact that it is or is not in the box is irrelevant, the fact that it's in the film and does not work is germane. Yet there's a lot of criticism of content in the film that doesn't address it's impact on the story, simply that it wasn't in the book.

[Meds]

Yes but as I say I can't comment on the contents yet when I havnt seen it hence going back to my original point in wanting to read the book first to see if it all works.
I'd like to know 'honestly' how many if the people knocking the extra contents has read the book.

[Bryancd]

Yes but as I say I can't comment on the contents yet when I havnt seen it hence going back to my original point in wanting to read the book first to see if it all works.
I'd like to know 'honestly' how many if the people knocking the extra contents has read the book.

Yeah, I know you have yet to see it yet. I would be very curious to hear what someone with little knowledge of the book thinbks of the film. I haven't read the book in over 15 years, so it's far in the back of my mind. So I went in to watch the film as the film, not as the book.

[Meds]

It's the people who said The Hobbit is just a rip off of Harry Potter who's opinions I'd like to hear... ;)

[Bryancd]

It's the people who said The Hobbit is just a rip off of Harry Potter who's opinions I'd like to hear... ;)

Tolkien was a derivative hack... ;)