Howard Shore's The Desolation Of Smaug (Hobbit Part 2)

[SafeUnderHill 205]

[KK 3,307]

It's beside the point. Any of the LotR songs made you stay for the credits and ponder the emotions of the film some more, because they were perfect end points that carried the spirit of the film over to the credits and out of the theatre.All this and Finn's song conveys is "ok, show's over, let's get out of here".

They only really made people here stay, the fans f the music. The vast majority of people you ask what is "May it be" won't know, even seeing LOTR. I would have said Gollums song too but the name gives it away.

What people know by name and what people are influenced by are two pairs of shoes. I didn't know the name Howard Shore (or this place) before Two Towers, and it certainly knocked my socks off.

Every time I saw AUJ in the theatre, it was so noticeable that the atmosphere went out of the room and the audience when the song started, because it totally disconnects from the film.

That was never the case with any LotR showing I attended. The transition to the credits and the title songs were perfect. The Hobbit thus far was several levels below that.

I'm saying most audience members don't really care, and leave because it's the end of the film. You saying the transition was perfect does not mean the general audience was as bothered.

That's a rather superficial way of looking at it.

The audience doesn't have to consciouly recognize they're listening to a great song. What the LotR songs did was make the sensations of the film they just watched, last. Although I never got to see the LotR films in the cinema, I can still speak for my experiences watching it for the first time. Even now, when I see that last dialogue with Gollum and that ominous shot of Mount Doom with the haunting choral passage opening Gollum's Song--it still sends the chills down my spine! The song lets that foreboding sensation last; makes you fear for Frodo and Sam, makes you pity Gollum and makes you hunger for more. That's a great movie moment, and one of the big reasons why TTT has the best ending of the trilogy. Imagine if you tacked on something like Neil Finn's song there. Zap! Out goes the sense of wonder. It's as if there's someone suddenly shouting "Show's over, go home folks!".

Into the West did the same thing. After the emotional roller coaster that was RotK, that song beautifully tells you the journey is over. I don't care about those who complain about it's pop-ish sensibilities, I still find it to be touching stuff. I remember the first time I watched RotK, and the guitar starting strumming with the warm chords washing over the beautiful credits sequence. I could hardly believe it was over. I didn't want it to be over. I wanted there to be more! It's almost tearjerking really, and I'm sure people must have had a similar cathartic experience at that moment. It gently tells you that the 10 hour adventure you just went through has come to end. Both sad and lovely.

And let me tell you something, back then, I didn't own a single film score. I didn't even know they commercially released film scores! I was the average moviegoer/movie-watcher. And maybe I didn't consciously realize it, but those songs did help with crafting a great ending.

The LotR songs made you want to hold on to what you just experienced. It makes you want to relive it. So yes, I can understand why so many people prefer those songs over the Hobbit ones. It was an experience. AUJ just...ends. I have to admit I didn't care when the credits rolled up. I wasn't left stunned or breathless, like I was at the end of every LotR film. I liked the film for sure, but it didn't haunt me in the ways the originals did. Of course you can't blame the song for all that, but I firmly believe the song has a role in creating that truly great ending. At the very least the film version of the AUJ song had that nice orchestral interlude preceding it, which helped. I don't know if that'll be the case in DoS as well.

Sorry. The LotR fanboy in me just had to have his moment

[Bilbo 3,709]

I can't wait until we get the real music to talk about and we can forget about the tacked on pop song

[KK 3,307]

Yes, of course the studios want more money.

See, you admit it as well!

Also, the music at the very end doesn't sound like the Mordoe theme completely, it sounds new and kind of better and darker.

Like I said before, I think we're hearing the gradual progression from the Threat of Dol Goldur to the Threat of Mordor.

[luke905 18]

Certainly have already been posted, but in one of the photos posted by Adams, Shore reminds me of someone.

[gkgyver 1,645]

I feel like LOTR films were epic cinema classics for a wide audience. Hobbit is more for those who loved LOTR, it appeals less to wider audience (especially the long first one).

Actually, I feel like it's the opposite. They took much more risks with LOTR in my opinion, while they're trying to play it safe with The Hobbit. Let's add a female character, else no woman will come see our films! Let's make the Dwarves younger and hotter, to attract a younger audience! Let's add a Jar-Jar Binks-like character to make the films kids-friendly! Still, let's make The Hobbit more epic, to keep all the LOTR fans! I've heard more people say that they didn't like the LOTR films yet liked AUJ, than people saying the contrary (and those are generally LOTR/Tolkien fans, not the average moviegoers).

Hobbit to me seemed like a big risk. Trying to life up to LOTR. Making three films. Adding new characters. All things which would annoy fans and potentially put of general public (with all the back plot).

After the fabulous success of LotR and its impact on pop culture, making the Hobbit was anything but a risk. Certainly not financially. The films were always going to be successful, unless PJ delivered a film completely, utterly awful. And there was never a chance of that; for that, PJ is just too good a filmmaker.

And, as far as I know, many Tolkien fans (except the purists) were largely pleased with LotR, and would go to see the Hobbit.

AUJ could never have been anything but a great success at the box office. And even if it did so bad artistically to scare the Tolkien fans away, it will always remain a great, shiny action adventure escapade for the masses.

In short, financial failure of these films was never a possibility, therefor it wasn't a great risk. Now, filming 3 mammoth epics back to back, based on a book deemed unfilmable, as a second grade horror flick director, with an unknown effects company, not knowing if the first one would be successful, now THAT is a risk.

[SafeUnderHill 205]

[crocodile 8,016]

It would work for the end credits of Dawson's Creek, that much is certain.

Karol

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

I have to say KK, I had a similar experience at te end of AUJ. It was those lovely strings playing the misty mountain theme, with those nice LOTR style end credits. Also, DOS might end with a beautiful shot with Shore score to it.

If you can look past the poppiness of I See Fire you might like it . It could work in the credits, it sounds as if it could to me.

I'm not saying the Hobbit was a financial risk. But the changes they made were risky in winning back fans, and it didn't completely work for AUJ.

It's not the "poppiness" that has turned so many off, my securely subterranean friend. It's some intangible thing, as so much musical experience is, and that's that! Nothing will bring them 'round or make them see the light (fire?) and nothing should. There's no accounting for taste, so no need to persist in trying to sell the song's virtues or failings.

Anyway, I have this wonderful feeling that the actual score will not only be terrifically shiny, but that it won't be subject to anywhere near the same butchery as AUJ's was. Just a hunch. I'm crossing my fingers for samples when I wake up.

[Barnald 365]

Doug Adams ‏@DougAdamsMusic 11h

Nope! “@scuevaruben: @DougAdamsMusic hi! In new score, when Legolas appears... Fellowship theme a bit...? ”

At least we'll know who to blame if this changes...

[Faleel 5,349]

The Horse?

[Lewya 360]

The Horse?

[Bilbo 3,709]

I was over this Ed Sheeran thing and then I found out that The National did the song for the new Hunger Games movie. That's so unfair

[gkgyver 1,645]

Who cares about Hunger Games?

[Faleel 5,349]

Who cares about Hunger Games?

Obviously some (not me) people.

[Bilbo 3,709]

Who cares about Hunger Games?

Lots of people (not me though) but this had more to do with the fact that that film has a better credit song from a better band/artist. Made me think of what could have been.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Oy vey.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Bilbo 3,709]

B-b-b-b-but... oh fine.

Forgotten.

Who cares about Hunger Games?

Lots of people (not me though) but this had more to do with the fact that that film has a better credit song from a better band/artist. Made me think of what could have been.

Remember LeBlanc's wise words!

You'll be happier if you just enjoy what we have and don't spent time regretting what could have been.

I will hold you to this after the movie comes out though

[Faleel 5,349]

Leblanc is treacherous, and he will hold you to your word.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Faleel 5,349]

There is no promise you can make that I can trust.

[Bilbo 3,709]

50% of this forum is just quotes from LOTR, Revenge of the Sith and the occasional lol at the expense of Hans Zimmer

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Faleel 5,349]

,40 percent quotes of Williams scored/beloved films (Home Alone etc.) and 10 percent actual discussion

[Bilbo 3,709]

Yeah, that sums it up I think

[Jay 37,364]

I will hold you to this after the movie comes out though

No problem! I think I'll love the film, anyway! It's going to be the best Middle-Earth film of them all!

I think DOS will be a much, much better film than AUJ, and also it's certainly going to be the most original of all the films.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Faleel 5,349]

....Do you like the word "mess"? do you have like a shrine for it or something? because you use it ALOT.

[SafeUnderHill 205]

[Faleel 5,349]

Yeah, as in less Book stuff

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

And more Peter Jackson. Never good.

Tolkien, Shore and Alan Lee's production design are the only reasons why I remotely care about these films.

[Incanus 5,715]

And more Peter Jackson. Never good.

Well when Jackson strays from the novel he usually falters. Dialogue, plot twists, everything. They had talk of mushrooms and yellowing teeth in the White Council for crying out loud! But they had to fatten up the whole middle portion of the story for the films with more action and more characters to enliven it. I hope Jackson can navigate it all with even some dignity in the end.

[SafeUnderHill 205]

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Faleel 5,349]

....Do you like the word "microedit"? do you have like a shrine for it or something? because you use it ALOT.

I am not the only one!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Faleel 5,349]

No I am the "Dude-Who-Makes-A-Personal-Fan-Edit-At-Least-Once-A-Day,-So-That-I-Become-Familiar-With-Every-Little-Detail"

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Faleel 5,349]

Its only worth saying something if it takes a long time to say. (or something like that..)

"Mr. OCD"/"Obsessive Guy" how about that?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Faleel 5,349]

But then JW could score a cartoon of me!

"Mr. OCD" aka Cartoon Demonstration aka Stalling Around!

Also, besides "The Messenger" you have the nickname "The Missing"/"Missing"/"Missing Footage", and they can be combined to form "The Missing Messenger"

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[gkgyver 1,645]

TABA will be a spectacle, with Jackson connecting all the non- existent strings to LotR.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Faleel 5,349]

I want DOS to open at the beginning of the story with the revelation that AUJ was just a trolling move by Jackson, and that he was just yanking our chains for criticising LOTR and trying to prove that he could do worse, much worse.

of course thats not going to happen.

[SafeUnderHill 205]

[SafeUnderHill 205]

[Faleel 5,349]

Pretty much, I might try the Youtube version of the Vlog, just to be safe.

BTW, the bit in the Vlog that has the "Fussy" theme has a bit right before it, that almost reminds me of "The Edge of the Wild", perhaps that theme reappears?

[SafeUnderHill 205]