The Hobbit Film Trilogy Thread

[Brónach 1,302]

I wouldn't take the guy on Dwarf prosthetics and hair to evaluate his hobbit look.

Both the choice of Freeman or Adam Brown show that they had a more or less clear idea that Bilbo would never be like Jackson's Frodo and that Bilbo would never be the stereotypical leading man. Thank the gods. Meaning, they understood the basics. Whether they understood some other details is up for discussion...

[gkgyver 1,646]

I wouldn't take the guy on Dwarf prosthetics and hair to evaluate his hobbit look.

Both the choice of Freeman or Adam Brown show that they had a more or less clear idea that Bilbo would never be like Jackson's Frodo and that Bilbo would never be the stereotypical leading man. Thank the gods.

Not much better.

Looks like Adrien Brody.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Brónach 1,302]

I wouldn't take the guy on Dwarf prosthetics and hair to evaluate his hobbit look.

Both the choice of Freeman or Adam Brown show that they had a more or less clear idea that Bilbo would never be like Jackson's Frodo and that Bilbo would never be the stereotypical leading man. Thank the gods.

Not much better.

Looks like Adrien Brody.

Hey, I didn't say I supported him specifically for the role. But physically he is perfectly whithin my range of possibility. The problem is Ian Holm already stablished a type of sface, so Freeman fits that one better.

And he reminds me of somebody else that isn't Adrien Brody and I can't quite put my finger on it.

[gkgyver 1,646]

Was Uwe Boll ever in consideration to replace Del Toro?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Quintus 5,399]

When's the embargo up anyway?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[KK 3,307]

Embargo ends tomorrow.

As I said during the release of the 2nd trailer, I wonder if I'll be bothered by the visual tone of the Hobbit. It's clearly very different, with the colour grading making the film seem highly stylized (maybe even a bit cartoonish) in comparison to the more serious tone of LOTR. And it'll probably leave some LOTR fans a bit alienated.

I look forward to seeing how it'll work out, but this still bothers me:

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Serious and gritty tone? LOTR?

Are you kidding me? Those films pretty much ushered in the era of colour grading.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[KK 3,307]

Fine! Not gritty. But its certainly serious. Of course there's tons of colour grading in LOTR, but the whole film tonally leads towards a more austere epic (despite the moments of Jackson slapstick comedy). The Hobbit on the other hand,verges on looking cartoonish and seems a lot more stylized than its predecessors (if that makes any sense).

I don't know if that makes any sense, but I'm tired and seriously sleep-deprived so feel free to ignore my nonsensical ramblings.

[Incanus 5,716]

The extensive use of green screen is also a factor in how the film will look as much of the background will be CGI. No matter how developed it might be, it always gives some artificial glow to a movie.

[Quintus 5,399]

Embargo ends tomorrow.

As I said during the release of the 2nd trailer, I wonder if I'll be bothered by the visual tone of the Hobbit. It's clearly very different, with the colour grading making the film seem highly stylized (maybe even a bit cartoonish) in comparison to the more serious tone of LOTR. And it'll probably leave some LOTR fans a bit alienated.

I look forward to seeing how it'll work out, but this still bothers me:

Honestly, I think that's a magical shot. It's stunning. Pure, unadulterated fantasy.

[Incanus 5,716]

It has to be said LotR and The Hobbit do make fantasy look absolutely gorgeous. It is visually stunning yet there is a suitable element of reality so as not to make it all too unbelievable or obviously fantastic, mirroring Tolkien's work. Often the most magical things in LotR come from natural world. If anything I feel PJ really succeeded in capturing some of the most iconic visions from the novels with near perfection. Let's see if he can pull that off for the Hobbit.

[KK 3,307]

LOTR adds realism to Tolkien's world. It invites us to Middle-Earth and makes it more believable.Avoiding exaggeration of the fantasy elements allows the films to focus on the heart of Tolkien and his themes. The realism makes it easier to connect to the heart of the story.

The Hobbit on the other hand seems a lot more fantastical, perhaps overbearingly so. I don't doubt Jackson will add the same heart to it, but I'm just a bit worried that focus on the fantasy element might be just a tad bit alienating.

[Wojo 2,453]

If by cartoonish you mean The Hobbit looks vibrant and full of colors, that makes sense. Sauron and his Ring are ancient history. The imminent threat of the end of the world, or at least its Third Age, is decades away. Great evil is generally limited to small pockets here and there, instead of spreading across the land like a malaise. (Sure, our minute heroes and their wizard leader must travel through most of those pockets en route to Erebor, but it wouldn't be any fun if they didn't.)

[KK 3,307]

Vibrant and colourful are elements I'm perfectly fine with. But the overdose of colour grading makes it seem too artificial to the point where the Shire looks fake (whereas it looked great in LOTR). There seems to be too great a reliance on green screen and CG characters

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Honestly, I think that's a magical shot. It's stunning. Pure, unadulterated fantasy.

That seems to be the problem. People these days don't like that. They want washed out colours, so it looks more gritty.

[Incanus 5,716]

I will wait and see how all of this looks in the cinema with those 3D goggles over my eyes.

[Quintus 5,399]

I actually take issue with plenty of the colour grading in LotR. Some scenes just feel wrong to me, like for instance that 'night time' conversion between Lego and Aragorn at The Golden Hall in TTT. It feels weird. I can tell it's really broad daylight in which they are speaking. So yeah, I'm basically saying I don't believe LotR to be a benchmark of sorts for the aesthetic of Middle-Earth and in that regard I must say I'm encouraged by Jackson's rich fairytale palette and design when creating these new, lighter adaptations. I may yet come away thinking these films are even more successful than his OT in terms of capturing the essence of what I personally read all those years ago.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I agree there are several scenes were it stands out, especially in ROTK.

Also. People here seem to fear the color style of The Hobbit might not fit with LOTR. But is that really a priority? As a book The Hobbit is a children's story. It already feels very different in tone to LOTR. If PJ chooses a style that fits better with that story, then he is doing his job as a director.

I mean the framerate is different, it's in 3D, so it will never look and feel just like LOTR anyway.

[Quintus 5,399]

Honestly, I think that's a magical shot. It's stunning. Pure, unadulterated fantasy.

That seems to be the problem. People these days don't like that. They want washed out colours, so it looks more gritty.

"Gritty" was the nineties "Immersion". Just another buzz word, a trend. Grittiness is indeed popular with audiences now still, even if I personally rather resent it's dripping into every other movie that's made nowadays. Even video games are affected by its influence - gritty military warfare sims dominate the industry every fucking left right and centre to the point of endless tedium. It seems the mainstream aren't the best judges of originality or they care little about it in the first place, happy that folks apparently are to revel in cliché over and over.

[KK 3,307]

I agree there are several scenes were it stands out, especially in ROTK.

Also. People here seem to fear the color style of The Hobbit might not fit with LOTR. But is that really a priority? As a book The Hobbit is a children's story. It already feels very different in tone to LOTR. If PJ chooses a style that fits better with that story, then he is doing his job as a director.

I mean the framerate is different, it's in 3D, so it will never look and feel just like LOTR anyway.

Fair enough. To be honest, I actually think that this slightly over-the-top fantastical approach suits the aesthetic of the Hobbit very well. But my worry is that it might be a bit intrusive. Some shots looking quite artificial and all. I was especially saddened to see the colour grading of Hobbiton, which looked so great in FOTR, but looks so artificial here.

[Quintus 5,399]

Forget the palette and the post production manipulation a minute; your biggest concern should be the opening minutes of the movie - specifically the transitional switch from what your brain has become well accustomed to and what it will likely attempt to reject, initially. That's what most will struggle with here and it could be devisive for the film's chances in the long term. My own feeling on the switch to 48fps is that it will by and large be a massive success. But there's always gonna be a few who reject change.

Jackson and indeed the financiers have been incredibly brave to try it, I think. Especially in this age of raging forum deconstructions and AICN Talkbacks.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I agree, it think it's going to feel weird for everyone those first few minutes

[KK 3,307]

Agreed as well, especially for fans coming in expecting LOTR 2.0

I have a feeling that after having adjusted to the prologue (which will contain action material in this new style), the film will actually be a helluva ride.

[Quintus 5,399]

That's what I'm going for. The ride

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

In a way Peter Jackson succeeded in what what Douglas Trumball tried to do, but failed with Brainstorm as far back as 1983. (and he wanted to go 60fps)

[Quintus 5,399]

There's not THAT much in it really, but 60fps may have been a jump too far for audiences, I suppose. I'd be personally all for it.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I would have to see it before I form any opinions.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Quintus 5,399]

Who's the quote?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I'm sorry. LOTR has never looked natural.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Hobbiton? Natural?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

It looked overly idyllic too me!

Those greens

[Incanus 5,716]

Chris Nolan should reboot the franchise! Dark, gritty, realistic, angsty and with gorgeous monochromatic soundtrack from HanZimmer.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I'm still in shock that Fincher is being considered for Star Wars 7

[Incanus 5,716]

He'd make a cool film. Emphasis on cool.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Trent Reznor's take on the Star Wars theme....

*shudder*

[Incanus 5,716]

Trent Reznor's take on the Star Wars theme....

*shudder*

I think grinding broken glass under a brick and recording multiple levels of that would be much cooler than the age old orchestral stuff to kick off the new SW films. It really gets into the deep subtextual levels of sound design SW is all about.

[Quintus 5,399]

Chris Nolan should reboot the franchise! Dark, gritty, realistic, angsty and with gorgeous monochromatic soundtrack from HanZimmer.

Koray would be at the front of the queue for that.

[Wojo 2,453]

Trent Reznor's take on the Star Wars theme....

*shudder*

I think grinding broken glass under a brick and recording multiple levels of that would be much cooler than the age old orchestral stuff to kick off the new SW films. It really gets into the deep subtextual levels of sound design SW is all about.

Obviously, neither of you has heard the soundtrack created for the Star Wars: Force Commander video game.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[KK 3,307]

Hobbiton? Natural?

Hobbiton looks far more natural than it does in the Hobbit, largely because all of it was real, and it was bogged down by the colour grading choices made here.

[Brónach 1,302]

I never liked how artificial some parts of these films looked and probaboly never will.

[KK 3,307]

For sure, there were many artificial moments in LOTR. But Hobbiton was one of their best sets.