'Rings' Director Wants to Bring 'Hobbit' to Screen

Yahoo News ^ | 12/8/03 | Emma Thomasson

[Grig]

"I'd be more impressed when he films the Silmarillion."

Considering how there is very little actuall dialoge in the Simarillion, and that it covers such a large swath of 'history', I would rather see it done as a weekly TV series (as long as it has high production values and good scripting of course).

[Donaeus]

bttt

Pippin, your hobbits my friend! :)

[Sub-Driver]

oh no, not again!

[billbears]

( STILL mad that there was no Tom Bombadil! )

Yes!! Finally someone else that is mad about that. I'm sorry but to me without Tom Bombadil it takes away some vital backstory to the whole thing

[ARCADIA]

You don't edit Tolkien.

I can only imagine what he would do to King Kong. The 1933 movie is terrific; but one of the things that makes it so is its period atmosphere. The language and the prevailing attitude would be 100% politically incorrect today. A PC King Kong written to today's standards would lack credibility.

You can read his 1997 script for KK here: http://www.aboyd.com/kong/jacksonkong.html

[tiamat]

billbears wrote:

Yes!! Finally someone else that is mad about that. I'm sorry but to me without Tom Bombadil it takes away some vital backstory to the whole thing

******************************

Have you seen the Extended Version of TTT?

I don't want to spoil it, but there is a "Bombadil-esque" sequence there involving Merry and Pippen.

Had me shouting at the TV!

Tia

[JenB]

Actually I think Frodo is somewhat wrong too. Mostly he just seems too young. Book-Frodo is the most mature of the hobbits in a lot of ways. He has authority. It comes through sometimes, in the movie - but Elijah Wood's just too young.

Gimli's pretty close, though he's more a cariacture in the movie than an actual character. And Boromir was pretty good, at least in his temptation and fall. But yes, Sam and Gandalf are most often more right.

I didn't like Faramir's characterization either. He - oh, you know it all ready, I won't go into it. It was improved in the EE, slightly, but argh, why did they have to change him at all?

[Search4Truth]

I agree.

Why let one idiot spoil a really good and important work. But now that we know about that idiot, and I'm not going to repeat his name again, "Viggo Mortensen", we can make our other future movie going decisions better informed.

See you at the movies.

[Porterville]

You didn't like the Hippy crap version from the seventies with all that high screeching music..... (Lemon-winks anyone)

[Grig]

You know, you could do nearly the whole LotR by showing the things that are going on in other places at the same time as the events recorded in the story. Like Gollum's capture, Aragorn and Gandalf's hunt for him, the journey of the Nazgul to the Shire, etc. It would be interesting to see it done that way.

[Kieri]

I wonder if we could get Ted Kennedy to play Morgoth?

[tiamat]

Be warned . I am a Geek. This is a Rant.

I have read the whole series several times, starting from the time I was 10. ( I am 43 now) That said, I am not a fanatic. I hang OUT with fanatics.

So far, I have enjoyed the movies, but have several gripes:

1) They leave out Tom Bombadil. Tom is an intregal part of the first book. without him, Frodo and the gang CANNOT be rescued from the Barrow, and in the book, the Barrow is where they get some of the magical blades they carry.

2) Aragorn is played as too young, and too uncertain. The guy is in his 80's for cryin' out loud! Sure he looks younger, due to elvin blood, but C'Mon! And he DOESN'T go over the cliff. There IS no cliff-hanger "fake death". Cheap trick.

3) I actually like how they are running Legolas, but NOWHERE does he surf down a set of stairs! We are pandering to the teen-agers here.

4) Borimir is just screwed up and I won't even start.

5 In the books, Frodo is supposed to be 35. Which is "young" for a Hobbit... still... there Is such a thing as Life Experiance. Frodo in the movie constantly looks like a deer caught in the head-lights. THIS nebbish is the Hope for the West? gimme a break!

6) Sam is too fat. Specially in TTT. If you read the books, those two have been in the field forever, and food is an issue. Sam ought to be sort of guant and leathery looking by now. Sam is also the brains of the op, and they are dumbing him way down. Sam, BTW is the REAL hero of the book... Frodo would never have made it without him.

All that said? I will go in just a few days to see the next part. And I will probably like some aspects of it.
But it just AIN'T RIGHT!

Tia

[JenB]

Sam is also the brains of the op, and they are dumbing him way down. Sam, BTW is the REAL hero of the book... Frodo would never have made it without him.

I don't see it quite this way. First of all, there is no "hero". There are many heroes, and heroines. Sam, Aragorn, Merry and Pippin, Faramir, Eowyn... and Frodo. Frodo's task was different from the others. His burden was spiritual, not physical, though it took a physical toll on him. He is the central hero, but the one who we have the hardest time understanding. Without Frodo, the other heroisms would have availed nothing; but without the others, he would have failed.

They're all important. Sam is important, but a lot of his job is to be Frodo's down-to-earth friend, servant, and gardener. To keep Frodo in the here-and-now. He's not supposed to be debating Elves and winning.

[Kieri]

The scene of Elrond and Arwen, where he is relentlessly pursuing her to dissuade her from her choice of Aragorn. Very powerful, very dramatic and, I think, not untrue to the book.

The "flash-forward" images of Arwen after Aragorn's death are taken directly from the Appendix in the anniversary version of Return of the King. Visually its spot-on!

[Restorer]

Bilbo went thru Rivendell (in The Hobbit) about 67 years prior to the events in LOTR. Unless I'm confused on this, Arwen was living with her grandparents in Lorien at the time. Aragorn was living in Rivendell, but wass only about 13 years old and was unaware of his ancestry.

Arwen wouldn't have met Bilbo at this time. Aragorn probably would have, as Elrond's adopted son, but if's doubtful a pimply adolescent would have made a huge impresion on Bilbo.

[Jim Cane]

Toby McGuire as Bilbo.

[Question_Assumptions]

If you want to see the movie but want to see less of your money go to Hollywood, wait about 4-6 weeks before you see it rather than seeing it opening week. The way most film distribution deals work is that the studio gets about 90% of the box office take for the first week (when the theater is, in theory, more full) and this percentage decreases over the weeks (as the audience, in theory, drops off) until it gets down to about 50%. So if you are paying $9.00 to see the movie and wait a few weeks, you might be sending $3.60 less to the studio than you would if you saw it opening week. I see this is win-win. People get to see the movie and the studio gets less money. As an added bonus, your local theater gets more money.

[Kieri]

Bilbo went thru Rivendell (in The Hobbit) about 67 years prior to the events in LOTR. Unless I'm confused on this, Arwen was living with her grandparents in Lorien at the time. Aragorn was living in Rivendell, but wass only about 13 years old and was unaware of his ancestry

Someone else who could make an appearance is Legolas. As the son of King Thranduil (who took the Thorin & Co. captive in The Hobbit) no mention is made of his age, so its entirely possible Legolas could have been on the scene. Who knows, he could have been uncorking barrels!

[JenB]

Toby McGuire as Bilbo.

I really, really hope you're kidding. For one thing, Bilbo was 50 years old at the time of The Hobbit.

[tiamat]

Hi!

Get ready for some heresey! LOL!

Ah, but in the book, Frodo actually FAILS in the end! he can't bring himself to toos the Ring in and finish it.

It is only through Gollum that the Ring is cast into the volcano. In a perverse way GOLLUM is the hero of the whole thing! His obsession is the Ring's undoing.

Now does this make Frodo less of a Hero?

Nope.
He and Sam shlep that thing through the worst Mordor has to offer. And they pay for it dearly, body and soul.

I just like Sam, and Frodo never would have made it without him1

Tia