Thursday, January 31, 2013

Episode 13: The Hobbit Part One


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This week our guest was Noel Thingvall, who can be found on Twitter and at his Livejournal, as well as: I Hate/Love Remakes, The Super Saturday Short-Lived Showcase, The Monthly Midnight Movie Exchange, and Castle Rock Cash-Ins

Click here for Part Two

3 comments:

  1. HOBBITSES. We likes hobbitses, yesss, preciousss...

    *ahem*

    I feel like the nerd who had to read everything, because I read the Hobbit AND LOTR in about three weeks, after my mom got me the boxset for Christmas. (I read the the Silmarillion once, and I would like to reread it again, but that first time...yeah...) And then the next year, Fellowship came out as a movie and I watched every single one in theaters. Love the movies, have actually done the 12-hour extended marathon and actually have eaten at a restaurant called the Hobbit just BECAUSE I WANTED TO. (It was awesome. They had a papier mache Smaug and Gollum looming over you.)

    So, I saw the Hobbit twice. I'm not happy that they're split into three movies, because it is a money-grab, but I'm not going to knock Jackson for doing because he does respect the material. And knowing that it is three movies kinda helps the tonal whiplash but it's still really noticeable. I did love the movie- knowing the book and the context helps- but I understand why people don't like it. Admittedly, I cried at the beginning with Ian Holm because I am the person who just wanted to go back to this world and those characters.

    MARTIN FREEMAN. When I saw the first time, my sister turned to me and said, "He managed to find a hundred new facial expressions for perplexed." I know it is the same character that he's played elsewhere (despite my introduction to Martin Freeman was the nude stand-in from Love Actually), but he does it so well. The 'Riddles in the Dark' scene was just so well-done and I want him to play off Serkis more. I really can't wait to see the Mirkwood and Smaug scenes just to see what he'll do.

    Radagast was one of the things I was lukewarm about the first time, but I liked him better after I watched it the second time. (I referred to him as the Disney Princess of the Maiar.) He's definitely more of the cartoony aspect at times, but I like him and the rabbit sled.

    The Goblin King I think is a holdover from Guillermo del Toro's design; I don't have exact details, but I remember an interview where he talked about his designs that got cut. His Smaug design sounded awesome; as terrifying as the spiders sequence could have been, a del Toro LOTR movie would have been fantastic.

    OH AND NOEL, if it helps, when I first read the books (waaay back in eighth grade), I did blatantly ship Gimli/Legolas- I still kinda ship it, even though I get made fun of it. (Because Gimli's not pretty.)

    Speaking of Legolas, I'm really interested in how they're going to weave him into the story, particularly with the new character Tauriel. I understand why they're putting a "badass female elf" because women need role models (EOWYN OR GTFO), but I don't know how it'll work. I'm interested, but it's one of the things I'm a bit on the edge about.

    Great discussion, and I'm looking forward for part 2 and straying discussion of CUMBERBATCH.

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    Replies
    1. I know there is a Hobbit restaurant in Houston (not sure if that's the one you went to or if there's more) but I always say that if I make it out in that direction, I'm going to have to eat there just because.

      I can definitely see a bit of del Toro influence in the goblin king, and I agree that his version of the film would have been amazing.

      I haven't had a chance to listen yet since Bethany finished editing, but I know somewhere in the midst of this I did a LOT of Cumberbatch swooning. How can you not?! :)

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    2. The one I've been to was in Maryland. It's actually very high-end, despite the decorations. How can you not eat at a place called the Hobbit, the food has to be good. (Except you, Denny's.)

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