The Hobbit:An Unexpected Journey - A Purist's Review

[Bucky]

Dis, I'm not going to turn this into a theological discussion, even being a Christian myself.

I'd prefer to stick to the text of Tolkien's works, which I'm really not sure how well you know to be quite honest. Why?

The quote about 'being made in mockery of' was Treebeard referring to Ents & The Lord of the Rings, not Elves & The Silmarillion.

Again, have you read his two essays in Myths Transformed #8 & 9? Yes or no?

Can you give me a simple yes or no & stay on topic?

 

[Dís]

I read them, i quoted them, if I mixed up names it's because the book is downstairs and I relied entirely on Tolkien's text which I have known and read and re-read for the past 35 years. I don't know why you seem to not notice that but I'm, really fed up with this now. You are obviously not interested in discussing Tolkien but just need to be right. Have a nice life.

 

[Eledhwen]

iTunes Free 'book' of the film

Rather than start a new thread, I thought I'd share the link to the iTunes 'book' of the film, discovered whilst looking for a free read: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/hobbit-unexpected-journey/id589047570?mt=11

 

[Bucky]

I had quite the opposite experience for most of the film, which I've seen twice now.

All the business with 'Azog,' Radagast and the council seems to make the Company's journey quite secondary to the story of the movie. When I read the books I feel like I'm traveling with Bilbo, Gandalf and the dwarves. When they get to Mirkwood in the next movie they're going to be just a tiny element in the story in a framework that we understand a lot better than they do, with the whole necromancer/Sauron insight the viewers have. In the books it's quite different - the reader experiences the new environments and information as the Company does, for the most part. The focus on Thorin's distaste for the Elves etc. also didn't help.

I think they could have done far better having Bilbo impress Balin and the other dwarves as he did in the books with his reappearance after the goblin cave instead of making him into some brave, violent hero when Azog faces Thorin in the trees. That's really going to diminish the worth of the spider scene in Mirkwood. And I'm not looking forward to Thorin when he meets Thranduil and goes on and on about how they supposedly betrayed the dwarves of Erebor.

On a side note - I didn't see the necromancer really bring anyone back from the dead, but it looked like Radagast and Gandalf did

I enjoyed watching the movie because I knew what I was getting into, but it's certainly not the experience of The Hobbit for me.

I perty much agree with this & disagree with GtG rebuttal, lol.

I know changes must be made, but these changes...

Egads!

Well, other than the Necromancer thingy ~ Witch-king 'raised from the dead' aside, which makes no sense.

And yes, I do understand the Rads & Gandalf 'raising somebody from the dead':

Rads blows smoke or whatever into the chipmunk or whatever the lil' animal is at the beginning of the flick & certainly appears to come back to life, as does the whole forest.

Gandalf certainly 'lays hands' on Thorin, & 'he recovers'.. Is he dead> I don't think so as he gives credit to BILBO, not Gandalf, but he's certainly healed by Gandalf at the least.

On a final note, I'm NOT reminded of the books, TH or TLOR when I watch these movies....

In fact, I'm reading TLOR for the first time in about 4-5 years now & I'm finding TONS of things I didn't recall with a movie clouded mind, especially since I've been given the gift to read & see many details when reading another book. :*eek: :*rolleyes:

Like, I now know exactly who Tolkien intended Tom Bombadil to be. :*confused:

 

[Barliman Butterbur]

Re: The Hobbit:An Unexpected Journey: A Purist's Review

By God, Thorin, your review provides a thoroughly delightful read! You make me want to actually go see the damn thing now! My enthusiasm is getting fired up!

Barley

 

[Thorin]

Re: The Hobbit:An Unexpected Journey: A Purist's Review

By God, Thorin, your review provides a thoroughly delightful read! You make me want to actually go see the damn thing now! My enthusiasm is getting fired up!

Barley

Ha Ha Barliman! I'm glad! I miss this forum and I have scarcely been on as of late. This is the first time I've been back since this review. I am currently reading it with my students as a novel study in grade 7 and I am going to hopefully buy the EE this weekend and in a little bit, show them that. We should be done by the time the Desolation of Smaug comes out and I want to have a field trip to the theater with them. Luckily I can fill them in on a lot of the back story that PJ deals with (the changes with Azog, the Council of the Wise, who Radagast was etc). And prepare them for some of the major changes.

I'm looking forward to sharing this Tolkien experience with them!