I can't even get mad at this, it actually cracks me up:

http://geeksofdoom.com/2011/05/27/orlan ... OF+DOOM%29

Mike B.

Frankly, I think this is an even more bone-headed move on Jackson's part than making Gimli the comic relief in the LotR movies. Granted, the dwarves in The Hobbit are a bit more humorous than they are portrayed in Tolkien's other work, so people will be expecting it.

What I want to know is how they are going to make Elijah Wood (in his cameo as Frodo) look -10/-9 years old. IIRC, both Bilbo and Frodo are 51 when they begin their respective adventures; if Frodo is 51 on Bilbo's "eleventy first" birthday at the Long Expected Party (111), then he'd have been born roughly 10 years after the beginning of The Hobbit.

EDIT: Then again, Elijah hardly looked 51, even for a hobbit, in the original movies..

I disagree with the notion that Jackson should bring this to the screen at any cost. Although I enjoyed the LotR movies, he bastardized the story quite enough to adapt it to the screen. To make The Hobbit into two movies is stupid enough, but to bring characters into it who had no part in the original story is just cynical.

Legolas, though, makes more sense than most. He would have been knocking around Thranduil's halls while the dwarves are imprisoned there, being his son and all.

I'll likely go see the first one, but I'm not expecting much.

stratochamp wrote:at any rate, i am hoping that by including cate blanchett it perforce means we will be seeing the white coucil and their raid on dol guldur. contrary to many who would only like to see the exact events from The Hobbit shown, i would love to see the events described in the appendices, unfinished tales, the silmarillion etc. to be included.

From what I read a year or more ago, this was the general idea.  Of the two movies, one would be the core story of The Hobbit and the second would be a bridge story to The Fellowship of the Ring.  Not only is Cate Blanchett reprising her role as Galadriel, but Christopher Lee will be doing the same for Saruman.  Radagast will be making an appearance as well.  Looking at the cast list there are also roles filled for Thror and Thrain.  So there should be a good bit of back story thrown in to get everyone up to speed on the recent story of the dwarves.

MetamorphosisSigma wrote:What I want to know is how they are going to make Elijah Wood (in his cameo as Frodo) look -10/-9 years old.

Since Ian Holm's involvement has already been assured, I am going to assume that we will see a scene where an older Bilbo (played by Holm) is recounting the story of his journey to the Lonely Mountain to a young Frodo.  That doesnt necessarily mean that Frodo will be that young in the scene.

Kingofpain89 wrote:Since Ian Holm's involvement has already been assured, I am going to assume that we will see a scene where an older Bilbo (played by Holm) is recounting the story of his journey to the Lonely Mountain to a young Frodo.  That doesnt necessarily mean that Frodo will be that young in the scene.

That's what I figured too, it would be a "framing device" of an elderly Bilbo telling the story to a pre-LOTR Frodo.

Mike B.

stratochamp wrote:working off memory, i think frodo was 33 at bilbo's party.

We're both right, sorta. Frodo was born in 2968, and received the ring from Bilbo in 3001 at his eleventy-first birthday party, making him 33. However, some 17 odd years pass between Gandalf's departure and return and Frodo setting out for Rivendell. Elijah can (could) pass as a 33 year-old hobbit, definitely, but 50 no way. (I hadn't thought of the possibility of Elijah Wood's cameo being framed as Bilbo spinning a yarn for the young Frodo--I still think it's unnecessary).

I should have remembered all that without having to look it up, especially since I've read the book again since seeing the movies. While I don't think any director could have done much better than Jackson, this is part of my problem with films adapted from great books. Being so vividly visual and more immediate, the movie "trumps" remembrance of the text and it becomes the default version.

stratochamp wrote:i am hoping that by including cate blanchett it perforce means we will be seeing the white coucil and their raid on dol guldur. contrary to many who would only like to see the exact events from The Hobbit shown, i would love to see the events described in the appendices, unfinished tales, the silmarillion etc. to be included.

Tolkien's writings on all of these topics are mighty slim pickings. There are a few mentions of the White Council and their doings here and there, about a sentence and a half about Radagast, and the general outline of events in "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age" at the end of Silmarillion. I think it's a bit presumptuous of them to fill in the gaping holes in whatever plotline they've inferrred from these bits and pieces. I expect epic calamity on the order of:

(the undead sweeping thru minas tirith obviating gandalf's grand strategy and the heroism of the rohirrim who might just as well have not bothered showing up).

I agree with this 100%, which is why I remain a fan of the movies:

he got the look and the spirit of middle-earth just right.

Badmike wrote:
That's what I figured too, it would be a "framing device" of an elderly Bilbo telling the story to a pre-LOTR Frodo.

Mike B.

That is, in fact, what a link on the website says.

FormCritic wrote:How about...taking a lazy swing...bringing along Arwen as a female warrior?  (Think about how badly the writers handled Arwen as it was!)

Ugh....of all the little changes that Jackson did to the storyline to shoehorn it into a movie, the most disparaging moment, for me, was when Arwen showed up after the battle of Weathertop instead of Gildor.

Waitaminute.  Maybe it was the scene where Legolas took down the Mumakil all by himself.  Or was it the scene where Legolas rode the shield down the stairs and then used it to impale an Uruk-hai.  No it was definitely the scene where Aragorn tossed Gimli into the throng of Uruks assaulting the gate at Helm's Deep.

OK, as much as I loved these movies, there was some really stupid stuff thrown in for effect.

JasonZavoda wrote:The LotR movies were crap. I don't care what went into making them crap or how they could have been worse crap. Once the crap is over your nose it doesn't really matter how much higher it gets.

Amen.

Best,

Paul

Anyone know where one can get plush polyhedral dice?  I see there is plenty of places for the foam ones, but I'm looking for the large plush ones.
That or perhaps a pattern to make such dice?

ShaneG.