The Hobbit: Not such a good idea?

[Wolfshead]

Yes, they will make it. Yes, I will go and see it. Yes, it will be good. Yes, it will be Peter Jackson directing. Yes, it will bring The Hobbit alive.

BUT

No, I don't want them to make it.

And why not? Well, I'll tell you why...

I've known the Hobbit since I was about 8, and everything looks right in my head. A film, whilst still being good will destroy that. They've already done it to The Lord Of The Rings, they should just stop now.

Secondly, and possibly more importantly, for the film to work they will need to treat it as a prequel to The Lord Of The Rings. Therefore, The Shire, Rivendell, character appearances etc will need to stay the same. Herein lies the problem. Who imagines the dwarves the same as the battle-hardened Gimli we know? Who imagines the singing elves around Rivendell the same as Legolas and the other bloody depressing elves in the trilogy? And who imagines the goblins as the horrifying orcs of the armies of the Dark Lord?

And there is my point. The magic of The Hobbit lies in it's childish innocence. It's a happy story where the dwarves are obviously good, Gollum is obviously bad, and Bilbo, despite being a bumbling fool, is obviously going to come out alright in the end. The Lord Of The Rings is much less black and white, and because we've already had that trilogy, The Hobbit will have to carry on in the same vein, meaning the story will lose the magic we all love about it.

[Gandalf White]

Wow! You just (wonderfully) put my very feelings into the words I couldn't seem to find! :eek: So anyone wondering how I feel, please talk to Craig.

On another note, I had heard that PJ will not be directing it. :confused:

[Wolfshead]

Glad to be of service, GW :)

To be honest, I know very little about the making of the film. I just know there were murmerings about Jackson, and he would be the obvious choice, seeing as he's done so well with the trilogy. Who had you heard it would be?

[Gandalf White]

I'm afraid that I hadn't heard who would be directing it, just that PJ was going to be busy with King Kong. I had heard that WETA Workshop was doing the special effects though; I'll have to look into it a bit more.

[Wolfshead]

GW, I read this some time ago from www.thehobbitfilm.com (http://www.thehobbitfilm.com/) . So Jackson it is :D

Dear Loyal LOTR Fans,
Thank you very, very much for the incredible outpouring of support for LOTR, and your eagerness to see THE HOBBIT.

We, at New Line, are most touched and appreciative of your compliments, and your passion for the remarkable work of the author, the filmmakers, talent, and craftspeople.

We are also, as you, most anxious to see THE HOBBIT realized.

Please be assured that there is, in no way, a crass argument with MGM or anyone over money or rights. In fact, no discussions about any settlement of our respective claims, has been commenced. When, and if, such discussions ensue, be assured that we intend to be equitable and appropriate to the spirit of Tolkien, and THE HOBBIT. We will, as much as possible, "do the right thing", respecting the incredible loyalty and appreciation of the worldwide fans. We hope that MGM will feel the same.

However, we also wish to have the film overseen by the best possible mentors - and, for us, if possible, that means Peter and Fran. They are totally occupied by KING KONG now and, we believe, will be the next twenty-four months, or so.

So our efforts will take time to realize.

Sincerely,

Robert Shaye
Co-CEO/Co-Chairman
New Line Cinema
I agree with you, Nóm, the Hobbit could work by itself. But, because we've already seen The Lord Of The Rings made into a film, it isn't going to happen as an independent story. Everything will be familiar from Jackson's films. There is no way that someone else could take it on and try and make it completely different to the Middle-Earth we know now. That just can't happen for probably at least a generation.

['Areaelf]

Tolkien changed a lot of things about LOTR that he already had in The Hobbit. The elves of Rivendell were happy in The Hobbit, :D but then the threat of Sauron grew, so they became afraid, naturally anyone would. :( And as for Legolas, he was in the middle of it, unlike any of the other elves.

I don't know much to say about the dwarves... :o

I agree with Craig, about the setting and characters. They should be the same if we've already based our thought on The Hobbit as a movie on the LOTR movies. ;)

I am anxious to see The Hobbit as a movie, but then again, you make a lot of sense, Craig. It is a classic! It belongs in our imaginations. I'm just curious to see what is in other people's imaginations.

'Area

[Wolfshead]

The elves of Rivendell were happy in The Hobbit, :D but then the threat of Sauron grew, so they became afraid, naturally anyone would.
Quite a change in personalities between the two stories then - happy-go-lucky elves in The Hobbit, then the dour, depressed elves we see wandering through the forests in The Lord Of The Rings...

Because of the more serious tone of The Lord Of The Rings the elves (and the dwarves etc) are more serious as well. Because we've seen that in the films, it would be very difficult for a director to change the personalities of the races we know now, so I fear we would be stuck with depressed elves and dwarves who draw out their axes at the merest slight.

[Turin]

I wish they'd just leave well enough alone. They've already made enough on LotR, why do they have to ruin the Hobbit for us? I like the way it is in my head, the way I imagined it when I first read it.
No doubt pj will make up some rediculous love story sub plot.
If the Hobbit has to be made, I'd rather see it through another director's eyes, we've already seen it through pj's.

[Wolfshead]

No doubt pj will make up some rediculous love story sub plot.

That's a very good point, my pink starfish friend. Every film we see at the cinema has a love story in it somewhere. And we all saw how he exaggerated Aragorn and Arwen's. But there is no love story in The Hobbit, anywhere.

Come to think of it, no, that's rubbish :rolleyes: Big films can work with no love-interest... damn, no, I was going to use The Last Samurai as an example, but then I remembered there was in that... But Master And Commander, that worked, so The Hobbit probably could, but it would be unorthodox.

[Turin]

That's a very good point, my pink starfish friend. Every film we see at the cinema has a love story in it somewhere. And we all saw how he exaggerated Aragorn and Arwen's. But there is no love story in The Hobbit, anywhere.

Come to think of it, no, that's rubbish :rolleyes: Big films can work with no love-interest... damn, no, I was going to use The Last Samurai as an example, but then I remembered there was in that... But Master And Commander, that worked, so The Hobbit probably could, but it would be unorthodox.

There is no love story in the Hobbit now, but just leave it to pj to make one up ;). I hope that there won't be a love story sub plot but there probably will be one.
As for other big films without love stories. There are very few that can pull off a big movie without a subplot of some kind.

[Wolfshead]

And who could the love interest be between in The Hobbit? I can't actually think of any female characters! So Jackson would have to invent a character, but I don't think he would go that far. Although, we could use some of the dwarves - there is much speculation in regard to dwarven genders - so it's certainly possible some of the dwarves in The Hobbit could infact be female :rolleyes:

[Gandalf White]

So Jackson it is...I believe I got my inaccurate information from Turin himself! :eek:

Anyway, I wouldn't want to see any love story, and I agree that there are no possibilities for it unless PJ "makes up" another character.

I wish they'd just leave well enough alone. They've already made enough on LotR, why do they have to ruin the Hobbit for us? I like the way it is in my head, the way I imagined it when I first read it.

Well then here's a suggestion: avoid movie theatres like the plague. ;) If you don't go to see it your mental image cannot be ruined...

[Turin]

So Jackson it is...I believe I got my inaccurate information from Turin himself!

And I got my information from WM's thread! :confused:

Well then here's a suggestion: avoid movie theatres like the plague. If you don't go to see it your mental image cannot be ruined...

I will try, but no doubt there will be many tv commercials as well :o.

Well here we go again, the classic purist vs. non purist debate between me and GW :rolleyes: :D.

[Gandalf White]

And I got my information from WM's thread! :confused:

That's a shocker! :eek:

I will try, but no doubt there will be many tv commercials as well .

Well here we go again, the classic purist vs. non purist debate between me and GW.

Commercials can also be avoided. ;) Besides, I don't think a short commercial could ruin your mental image.

And I refuse to be classified; I don't belong to either of the main factions (and am proud of it!).

[Turin]

Alright, now this is just getting pointless. I said that the Hobbit on film would ruin the way I pictured it in my mind, I guess I should just turn off the tv and radio and never go to the movies to avoid seing anything related to it :p. I probably won't be seing it, atleast in theatres, unless my views change in 3 years :o.

[Wolfshead]

And I got my information from WM's thread! :confused:
I haven't seen WM's thread, but it's possible he posted the April Fool that kicked off www.thehobbitfilm.com - it suggested that the same guy who directed Mortal Combat and Resident Evil was going to do The Hobbit. Something which was obviously a joke!

Basically, Turin, there is no way in hell you are going to be able to avoid the film entirely when it gets made. Try as you might, you'll catch climpses on TV, see trailers when you're at the cinema seeing other films, or read about it in magazines. Basically, if they decide to make a film, your mental picture will be destroyed.

[Turin]

Basically, Turin, there is no way in hell you are going to be able to avoid the film entirely when it gets made. Try as you might, you'll catch climpses on TV, see trailers when you're at the cinema seeing other films, or read about it in magazines. Basically, if they decide to make a film, your mental picture will be destroyed.

Yeah, thats kinda what I was getting at. Maybe we should just assasinate pj before it happens ;).

[joxy]

....the dwarves....are more serious as well. Because we've seen that in the films....
Care to point me to a serious dwarf in the films? :D

[Wolfshead]

Care to point me to a serious dwarf in the films? :D
Argh... I should have seen that coming :rolleyes: Gimli is not as cheery as the Hobbit's dwarves. Do you picture them all armoured up with helmet, axes etc? Exactly.

[Arvedui]

I think that you have all been mislead. "The Hobbit: The Movie" will be directed by Quentin Tarantino! ha....ha....ha.... :eek:

Jokes aside (have you forgotten that thread Craig?), I completely agree with Craig's first reason for not wanting to see the Hobbit as a movie: It will destroy my own vision of it. I still haven't forgiven PJ for doing it with LotR. :mad:

[Wolfshead]

Jokes aside (have you forgotten that thread Craig?)
I was thinking of it the other day :) But sadly, my daily joke email mysteriously stopped arriving one day, and I didn't realise for quite a while. Then when I did, I couldn't be bothered doing anything about it... And I haven't heard any family-friendly jokes, lately :( :rolleyes: But if anyone else has any, feel free to ressurect it :D

Wouldn't Tarantino directing The Hobbit be interesting! But I fear the dwarves would be talking in dwarvish all the time, and there would be no subtitles (just like in Kill Bill...) ;)

[Arvedui]

I think that Tarantino would be a better choice for The Silmarillion, if that ever where to be a film, which I don't hope either.

[Gandalf White]

Do you picture them all armoured up with helmet, axes etc? Exactly.

Hahaha, I'd never realized that before! :eek: Perceptive little me... :rolleyes:

While 'The Hobbit' as a movie would almost certainly aggravate me, it wouldn't ruin my "vision." All I'd have to do is pick up the book again.

[Ol'gaffer]

I think that Tarantino would be a better choice for The Silmarillion, if that ever where to be a film, which I don't hope either.

*blink*

*blink*

uhh, wow..

How so? No, really, I really wanna hear this, because as much as I love Tarantinos works, I still can't possibly see him directing The Silmarillion. It's just, waaay too out there.

[Arvedui]

Think of all the battles, gaffer. And Túrin vs. Glaurung.
It would be Silmarillion as you never had imagined it.... :D

[Skylo]

Think of all the battles, gaffer. And Túrin vs. Glaurung.
It would be Silmarillion as you never had imagined it....

:eek:haha imagine tarantino do the silmarillion ,turin and Glaudrung are gonna be kung fu martial artist in that movie. cool but it would be a disaster.

[ThorinB]

I agree, not a good idea. I like to remember the Hobbit like I remember it in my head, I just don't think it could really reproduce the total fantasy of it all. But,yeah I probably would go see it too. Just another gung ho Tolkien story fan.

[Ingwë]

I agree, not a good idea. I like to remember the Hobbit like I remember it in my head, I just don't think it could really reproduce the total fantasy of it all. But,yeah I probably would go see it too. Just another gung ho Tolkien story fan.
I disagree. The hobbit is a pretty book and I like it very much. When Tolkien published it a lot of children like it. Then he wrote LotR and many people lile it. I think The hobbit movie will me very good and succesfull!

[Nob Boffin]

Just surfing around and I found this thread, and have a few comments . I did not have my vision of the Lord Of The Rings destroyed by the movie so I have no fear of the Hobbit being made into a movie. When I read LOTR I read it first and the Hobbit second so I read it as a prequel and tended to see everything in The Hobbit in relation to Lord Of The Rings.

In the first post that started this thread it was mentioned that they did not see the Dwarves as battle hardened, well perhaps that was because you were very young when you read it, because as I recall they mention that the dwarves had been involved in battles, particularily Thorin Oakenshield.

I have no fear of this at all, the only thing I would like would be to have someone else write and direct it to avoid all the film 101 **** that PJ kept putting in because the story did not suit filmaking.

[Barliman Butterbur]

Wouldn't Tarantino directing The Hobbit be interesting!

It would if you like violent trash...

But I fear the dwarves would be talking in dwarvish all the time, and there would be no subtitles (just like in Kill Bill...) ;)

If you like the cast speaking in ancient tongues in your violent movies, then your director should be Mel Gibson...

Barley

[Wolfshead]

There's nothing wrong with Tarantino, Barley. Pulp Fiction's a classic :D Although I'd admit he's probably not the best person for Tolkien's works...

Which Mel Gibson film do you mean? I've seen Braveheart and they're all speaking English in that :rolleyes: ;)

[Barliman Butterbur]

There's nothing wrong with Tarantino, Barley. Pulp Fiction's a classic :D Although I'd admit he's probably not the best person for Tolkien's works...

Which Mel Gibson film do you mean? I've seen Braveheart and they're all speaking English in that :rolleyes: ;)

I've seen KB1, and am about to see KB2 — my wife wants to see it :rolleyes: — my objection is to the glorification of violence-and-gore as entertainment, hence my further objection to such pix as Gibson's "Passion." But we can't go there, that's forbidden territory on this forum.

Barley

[Wolfshead]

Each to his own, I suppose. I quite enjoyed Kill Bill, although it got a bit boring at times, and I haven't got round to seeing the second one yet.

I'd forgotten about the Passion of the Christ. I haven't seen that yet for some reason. I'll have to rent it soon.