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Fan Made HOBBIT Teaser Trailer Gives Goosebumps!

But where the DEUCE is Jar Jar? by aceattorney	Mar 5th, 2003 10:45:52 AM
No Jar Jar = teh suck.
The Hobbit: Gandalf Jumps the Shark by aceattorney	Mar 5th, 2003 10:47:18 AM

hum....yeah? by DarthSamwise	Mar 5th, 2003 10:47:38 AM
Well, ok I don't like it. Looks kind of cut and paste to music to me. And was the dragon in the book that much? I could be wrong since the last time I read it was In middle school
another thing! by DarthSamwise	Mar 5th, 2003 10:50:25 AM
Could have used some fotage from that D&D movie! ok I don't know where I was going with that but I'll use any chance to bash that movie. Took me a month after seeing that trash before I could pick up my 20 sided dice again.
Oh please...The Hobbit was written as a CHILDREN'S BOOK, and it by aceattorney	Mar 5th, 2003 10:51:52 AM

Right, a childrens book with cleaving and hewing and warfare and by Critical Bill	Mar 5th, 2003 10:54:22 AM

Peter Jackson & Richard Taylor could do a great League of Extrao by Andy Travis	Mar 5th, 2003 11:13:06 AM
But, there's the whole matter of those pesky Lord of the Rings films he has to finish, and the lackluster-looking League movie ("LXG"...ughhh...) already coming out this summer.
Sounds to me like PJ & Co. are taking over the Victorian Era War by mortsleam	Mar 5th, 2003 11:20:52 AM
I agree that this trailer makes The Hobbiti look a little too "Epic Actiony." Which isn't to say that there ISN'T a lot of grown-up themes, but it is essentially a story about a little guy with hairy feet who goes with a bunch of dwarves and and old wizard to steal a treasure from a dragon. Still, I would freakin' LOVE toi see the Ians and Andy in this movie. And Hugo Weaving as Elrond. And John Rhys Davies as Gloin. And hell, get Sean Astin in there to play his daddy Gaffer Gamgee.
I'm sorry, but I've always hated Bilbo. by Uga	Mar 5th, 2003 11:28:35 AM
This isn't "LOTR" bashing - I love the films. But I've always thought Bilbo was the biggest whiny pussy, especially since he hid at the end of the "Hobbit" while everybody else died in battle. And yeah, I don't think they'd go with Ian Holm again. But check out McKellan's latest idea - for Jackson to produce a epic season-long "Hobbit" television series (he said he'd be more than happy to return as Gandalf). He said the scope of the "Hobbit" would work well as an extended television event.
You could back anything with that "Requiem" remix and it would b by CountVonGroovy	Mar 5th, 2003 11:31:12 AM
They should use that music for everything. Every trailer, commercial, film, TV show... I might actually watch shit like Joe Millionaire if it had that music in the background... Was anyone else waiting for "there will be no dawn... for Men of the Lake"?
By the way, where was that music from? by mortsleam	Mar 5th, 2003 11:31:20 AM
Sounded like it came from Requiem For A Dream...
And I waited all that download time for THAT??? by Alcamaeon	Mar 5th, 2003 11:37:36 AM
What a piece of shit. All it did was scrap together meaningless scenes together with "dramatic" music. You could at least hint as to what the plot may be like, and not just "hobbits running around". And, trailers never have "Directed by.." I've seen amatuer trailers from highschool students better than this.
Can we get Matthew McConaughey to fight with Gandalf by antnee21	Mar 5th, 2003 12:01:10 PM
How lame was that trailer? Give somebody iMovie and they can become a director of a trailer by piecemealing clips together. The Hobbit meets Reign of Fire. If that gave you Goosebumps, then maybe you should replace the Wolverine animation of yourself and go back to the Marilyn Monroe one
Rats!!! the link didn't work, once I got to lathamfilm.com by WarDog	Mar 5th, 2003 12:13:30 PM
There is a link to the .mpg there, but every damned time I clicked it all I got was: Not Found The requested URL /hobbit was not found on this server. Apache/1.3.22 Server at www.lathamfilm.com Port 80 ****** DAMN IT, DAMN IT, DAMN IT!
Everyone's a critic, aren't they? by 10th_Muse	Mar 5th, 2003 12:22:03 PM
While I admit that this would never ever fly as an actual trailer, I thought it was kinda fun. I'm not sure what everyone was expecting when they opened it. As for keeping it as a children's book - you DO realize they aren't actually MAKING this movie, right? Geesh. Relax. But as long as we're talking about that....I don't see anything wrong with turning The Hobbit into a movie much like the LOTR trilogy. So it was made as a children's book. So what? Wouldn't you think it would be kind of cool is someone made a kick ass movie out of the Chronicles of Narnia? Hmmm..
That was pretty underwhelming by C.C. McC	Mar 5th, 2003 03:01:13 PM
But these fan-made trailers usually are.
Peter Jackson remake DUNE!!!....Please! by Shadowlands	Mar 5th, 2003 03:06:06 PM
Heck, DUNE has been called the Lord of the Rings of Science Fiction.
Peter Jackson remake DUNE!!!....Please! by Shadowlands	Mar 5th, 2003 03:07:52 PM
Heck, DUNE has been called the Lord of the Rings of Science Fiction.
PJ! PLEASE DO DUNE! by Antiriad	Mar 5th, 2003 03:12:22 PM
And i always preferred Bilbo and Sam to Frodo
Dune by 10th_Muse	Mar 5th, 2003 03:32:19 PM
Someday people will realize that no matter who remakes it or who adapts it, Dune will NEVER be that great on screen. There's something about it - the books do not want to translate.
PETER JACKSON/MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE by SHANEISDEAD	Mar 5th, 2003 03:59:29 PM
JUST THINK OF THE POSSIBILITIES
PETER JACKSON/MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE by SHANEISDEAD	Mar 5th, 2003 03:59:37 PM
JUST THINK OF THE POSSIBILITIES
Wow. A trailer. For a movie that's not even real. by Vegas	Mar 5th, 2003 04:51:28 PM
That's...great, Harry. Anything going on in the PROFESSIONAL world of film we should know about? I heard Gilliam actually DOES have a movie up, something about the Brothers Grimm, with casting and financing all being worked out as we speak. Any news on that? Not here. Nope, here we get constant updates on the fucking Hobbits. If a hobbit shits, you'll hear about it on AINT IT HOBBIT NEWS! And you can even talk about it, albeit in a completely out of order fashion known as the "talkback." Glad to know that progress is being made on the imaginary movies front. Keep up the good work.
Enough of the biatching by barrelrider67	Mar 5th, 2003 05:00:59 PM
Since when do most of you here bitching about this fictional trailer ever create anything that remotely resembles what this fan managed to create??? So it isnt perfect, so what. If it made you wish that Jackson and Co. would make this film, then it did its job. For those criticising the lack of certain references to dwarves or eagles or the finale of the orc war...big f'ing deal. Was there some material in the fictional trailer that obvoiusly didnt happen in the book, yes. But so did the LOTR and TTT. I thought it was a great attempt at generating interest in the forgotten Hobbit. Quit your whiny sniveling moaning and make something better if ya think you have an ounce of talent. there's sufficient material out there. Put up or shut up. the Barrelrider
Jesus, Vegas... by Nordling	Mar 5th, 2003 05:17:07 PM
A few years back Harry posted a link to an Episode II fan trailer. And before that he posted a link to an CGI-animated short
A Hobbit Mini Series . . . . ? by Nice Marmot	Mar 5th, 2003 05:26:52 PM
http://www.time.com/time/europ e/magazine/article/0,13005,901 030310-427995,00.html
December 16th is actually my birthday--and I think they're using by Fatboy_Roberts	Mar 5th, 2003 05:42:11 PM
which, of course, originally surfaced at www.operationsombrero.com and is now readily available on most fileshare programs as "The Two Towers - Requiem Overture" that said--fan trailers, and most fan films, are pretty shoddy and unimaginative, for the most part. but there are some that are decent. This is okay, I guess. I think the hope is that someone somewhere is looking and will say "Wow, what editing skill, I should drop him a line and see if he wants to work on some commercials" or something. I dunno. but it's a nice enough diversion..
RFAD music in Two Towers trailer: genius. RFAD music in Hobbit t by ar42	Mar 5th, 2003 05:51:56 PM
The hobbit is not dark and evil and scary like that Requiem music that worked so well in the Towers trailer was. The hobbit is funny and lighthearted. It's about slapstick comedy with trolls, grumbling dwarves, elves singing silly songs, and witty burgler repart
nah, nevermind, wasn't my edit. Was the hastily slapped together by Fatboy_Roberts	Mar 5th, 2003 05:54:27 PM
and the trailer was kinda iffy after second view. Although really, that has NOTHING to do with the blow suffered by my ego, really. Truly.
Yeah, and how about Kieth David or Michael Wincott as the voice by Monkey_King	Mar 5th, 2003 06:08:33 PM
Definite posibilities here folks.
Agreement with 10th Muse by MCVamp	Mar 5th, 2003 06:19:17 PM
Dune may be the greatest sci-fi/fantasy book of the 20th century, but there's just too much inner monologue and spirituality central (among other things) for it to translate well to the screen. David Lynch made a mighty attempt, but even that wasn't quite enough (though I do like the movie a lot.) It'd take about 6 hours and a hell of a lot more money than Sci-Fi Channel spent on their miniseries to even come close, and even then you'd still need a visionary filmmaker with love for the source material. And THEN, at that point, it'd be a tough sell to the ignorant masses.
One way to improve the trailer by Lord Shatner	Mar 5th, 2003 06:26:57 PM
Use Leonard Nimoy's recording of "Bilbo Baggins"
As long as he's making a fake trailer by Lord Shatner	Mar 5th, 2003 06:27:57 PM
He could edit in some Liv Tyler nudity from Stealing Beauty
The trailer is cool, but... by Lord Shatner	Mar 5th, 2003 06:28:51 PM
It would've been really cool if he got someone to impersonate Mr. Voice
MAY 19th! hollar! by imageburn13	Mar 5th, 2003 07:00:37 PM
Yep that kick-ass day is my birthday, and also is a release day for many a cool movie. I remember when The Phantom Menace came out that fateful day, it was the worst birthday ever. Hopefully this year's 26th will be bas-ass mofo!
Braindead is one incredibly kick-ass film. by a goonie	Mar 5th, 2003 07:02:22 PM
I just had to mention that. The thought of Jackson and co. doing another zombie flick rules ass hard.
ShaneIsDead!!!!!! Holy crap! MOTU!!!! by a goonie	Mar 5th, 2003 07:04:55 PM
Dude! I am a HUGE Masters of the Universe fan, and have been dreaming of the sequel/remake I will one day inevitably make. I have so many thoughts and ideas rattling around in my head about how I want to kick everyone's asses so hard with a He-Man flick. But you're right! PJ doing it would be incredible! He could really do the material justice! Great idea.
PJ should do george orwells 1984!!!! by moose420	Mar 5th, 2003 07:06:38 PM
I know it probly isn't victorien but who cares, I love that book and would love to see agreat adaption of it. Wut do u guys think it is, War of the Worlds is a possibiblity, should of been Time Machine dam those the ppl who made that other remake.
All things considered, that was pretty cool. by a goonie	Mar 5th, 2003 07:09:04 PM
And the Requiem score certainly didn't hurt.
Maybe I went about this the wrong way... by TheDrunkenJedi	Mar 5th, 2003 07:45:28 PM
...but i read The Hobbit after LOTR and The Silmarillion and thought it was a crock of shit. Why are the elves (hardly the straightest characters at the best of times) made to seem blatently homosexual throughout? Not that theres anything wrong with this its just the later books don't really seem to support it... And Bilbo comes across as a coniving git - did i read the same book as everyone else?
Switching Talkbacks by daughter of time	Mar 5th, 2003 08:22:43 PM
Bjarki, you made it here ahead of me! Frija, yes, the rats are a nice touch. As for the charge down the ramp, it's just too easy. It's not as though the horses can have gotten up to speed... on a narrow ramp... that should be absolutely slick with orc blood! (There's a reason no famous cavalry charges have taken place on bridges.) All it would take would be ONE orc to catch the reins and give a wrench to bring down horse and rider, creating a pile-up, and probably knock the rest over the edge. At least, I don't think the orcs on the ramp had pikes, but where are all the orcs when Aragorn and Theoden rein in to gaze up at Gandalf? Standing back to respectfully tug a forelock? Someone was enthusiastic recently that the orcs had pikes, as that is indeed what you use against cavalry charges; what they failed to mention was that pikes are SUCCESSFUL against cavalry charges, and would be more so with all the momentum of that impossible slope behind them, and their own ranks piling them onto the pikes. The orcs don't even have to see (which negates the "blinded by the sun" factor). There are hundreds of pikes already pointed in the right direction, and very few of them waver; in fact, we see the horses crashing right onto them (but miraculously unhurt). The Battle of Helm's Deep is indeed gorgeous - but not remotely realistic. *To veer back to this talkback, should "The Hobbit" be made with some attempt to match up with LOTR in seriousness of purpose, or just be its own book adaptation, in which case it can get away with things much quirkier and low comedy? It would be very hard to go back to a much less impressive Elrond and Gandalf, and comic dwarves, and the like. *I don't think "Narnia" can be made "kick ass," as its characters are children and must be children (or you are filming a different series), and its themes are so much more overtly Christian than anything in LOTR (if Aslan is not Christ, what is he?) that any attempt to make it into an action adventure would diminish it below any reason to make it at all. How do you make Aslan's sacrifice "kick ass"?
This is hysterical: posters are arguing over an imaginary movie. by JohnnyTremaine	Mar 5th, 2003 08:24:34 PM
How about some TROY news? Or THE PASSION news? Or anything else that is actually in pre-production or production, not whistful, 'what-if' musings.
To the Peter Jackson/Masters of the Universe talkbackers... by Declan_Swartz	Mar 5th, 2003 08:27:52 PM
Word is that Mattel & Co. are already in talks with Tsui Hark to direct an adaptation of the new series. If you do not think Hark is a good choice then I suggest you get the Hong Kong DVD cut of Legend of Zu off Ebay. Dark Horizons had some false news last week about the guy from the Dumb and Dumber sequel being cast as He-Man.
Any more ideas for the Oscar clip? by daughter of time	Mar 5th, 2003 08:28:46 PM
Since we have a new talkback, maybe someone else has a good answer for Elanor's question: What scene from TTT should be shown at the Oscars? Montage ideas are also welcome.
That was pretty damn sweet by IAmCameronCooke	Mar 5th, 2003 08:42:09 PM
Hey guys its General George here at FOE headquarters in the center of the US. Damn cool trailer there, Harry. Thanks. What's going on with Ian MacKellen's idea to do the Hobbit as a year long tv series? That would be really cool.
Erm, that was not nearly as fantastical as it ought to have been by A Winner Is You	Mar 5th, 2003 09:30:47 PM
Seen better video comps at anime cons. Nuff said.
So I'm the only one hoping for The Silmarillion? by HillaryLovesMe	Mar 5th, 2003 10:19:44 PM
It would be glorious, and if done right, even more magnificent than LOTR. We all know The Silm was Tolkien's crowning achievement, not LOTR.
Nordling, you missed my point (or either didn't give it any weig by Vegas	Mar 5th, 2003 10:42:39 PM
What pisses me off is that this site has been VERY light on news recently, and what little news there HAS been posted has all been posted all over the net first. It's like the people on this site are so afraid of (gasp!) being WRONG, that they're just waiting until they're the last one's on board every single item out there. This site is supposed to be about NEWS, and until it IS again, I can't say that I fault the defacers for trying to create SOMETHING on this site worth reading.
Hey, I know! Peter Jackson should make every movie ever until th by St.Buggering	Mar 6th, 2003 02:01:43 AM
Jesus, you people are getting out of control. Given the man's history, his greatest love in choosing material is in surprising everybody who thought they knew his style. I'm far more interested in seeing what he'll pick next than in any of your suggestions. You'd all have him repeating himself for the rest of his godforsaken life. Fortunately, he's far too intelligent to listen to any of you.
Is this thing on? by Mikah Kurtz	Mar 6th, 2003 03:19:52 AM

Here's what you would know if you went to real news sites by Mikah Kurtz	Mar 6th, 2003 03:28:48 AM
Ian McKellan has stated that he really wants to play Gandalf again. He is trying to convince Jackson to produce The Hobbit as a TV series that would run for a year so they can really do the story fully. I don't know if it would have the same dark tone of LOTR but I do know that Tolkien always regretted the kids story feel that he gave to The Hobbit. When he read it to his kids, they told him they didn't like the parts where he talked to them like children and Tolkien agreed. Also, while I agree that the Silmarilion could be adapted into a good movie (in fact it should be three movies 'Feanor and Morgoth', 'Beren and Luthien', and 'Turin Turambar and the Fall of Gondolin') unfortunately it'll never happen. JRR sold the film rights to LOTR and The Hobbit rather cheaply in order to pay back taxes. The Silmarilion is owned by Christopher Tolkien who won't sell it for any price.
PJ should work on this by GhostofCicero	Mar 6th, 2003 03:50:56 AM
"Gates of Fire" the novel by Steven Pressfield is just begging to be made into a kick ass film and PJ is the best man to pull it off. If you didn't know it's the story of 300 Spartans and a few allies facing the 2 million man Persian army of King Xerxes at Thermopylae. Yeah the Spartans get wiped out but not before killing 20 thousand men in 3 days of intense combat. PLEASE make this film!
So apparently, "The Hobbit" was a book about a dragon by St.Buggering	Mar 6th, 2003 03:51:01 AM
And does anybody with any sense of reality really believe that the guy who plays Gollum would get a lead credit? I can't believe how some people spend their time. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to play videogames.
The Hobbit would be incredibly difficult to make now. by earthworm	Mar 6th, 2003 04:48:12 AM
After LOTR the Hobbit would probably work best on TV. Its so different in tone and story to the later stuff, it would either be really jarring to the audience of LOTR, or be completely unfaithful to the source (hang on...) Plus there is also certain continuity elements that would have all you whiny bitches up in arms, like trolls turning to stone in daylight (cough - gates of Mordor- cough) and having names like Tom and William. But we all know that at some stage it'll get done, probably by McG or Brett Ratner with Ben Affleck as Gandalf...
MorGoth makes the right call by TheWoodMan	Mar 6th, 2003 11:31:16 AM
For a guy who's spent the last 15,000 years condemned to The Void, MorGoth displays an excellent awareness of which movies are in need of being made. "War of the Worlds", done right and set in period... now we're talking. George Pal's WotW was a lame "re-imagining", decades before lame re-imaginings came into style. When I hear about Jackson planning a big-time Victorian sci-fi project and collecting turn-of-the-(last) century military hardware, it gives me hope. (I know, Harry mentioned something about Jules Verne. Fuck the Frenchman Jules Verne; Wells was THE MAN.) *** As for "The Hobbit" (stay on topic, stay on topic)... Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" may not be absolutely 100% perfect, but I think we can all agree that it's the most faithful, best-made film of the story that we could've hoped for, considering the clueless corporate cesspool that is Hollywood. THINK, people, think of the nightmares that will be unleashed if "The Hobbit" falls to almost anyone but P.J. & Co.: Sean Connery as Gandalf. Tom Cruise as Bilbo. Michael Clarke Duncan as King Thranduil. Jennifer Lopez as "Thorina" Oakenshield and Rosie O'Donnell as Bard the Bow-Woman. Don't forget a half-assed, cartoony Smaug courtesy of Industrial Light & Magic. Top it off with a director whose only experience is in music videos, and a hip-hop soundtrack... and you'll see why I'm hoping that if Jackson doesn't do "The Hobbit", no one will.
The Unexpurgated Hobbit by daughter of time	Mar 6th, 2003 12:59:43 PM
Somehow I can see it: Bilbo in his hole, the others in their houseboats, all that coming and going.... And color illustrations! ***MorGy, I agree. If "The Hobbit" is going to be made, PJ's the only one with the team in place to do it. Alice tells me I must see the Rankin-Bass ROTK to appreciate the full horror of a job badly done, but I was thwarted in my attempt to get it from the library, so must now pay Blockbuster.
Tailenders by daughter of time	Mar 6th, 2003 03:30:13 PM
Just noticed there is a newly UNHOSED TAKLBACK regarding the Saturn awards, in case you too think it's too much trouble trying to communicate on this one.
who should play the next casting agent..... by Jamalio	Mar 6th, 2003 06:02:59 PM
It really gets on my FUCKING nerves when you proper film geeks make these imaginary decisions on what directors/producers etc should tackle. You think their gonna listen. How fucking unproductive? If PJ has any interest in dune or masters of the universe etc its up to him to take up on it. This is the typical character trait of
Stupid, fat trailer!! by Evil_Pete	Mar 6th, 2003 07:19:43 PM
My god that trailer sucked, fan trailer are sad but that one was just awful. Why do people do this? I mean they are just clips from other movies! The pretense of it all, it burns us...it freezes!
Tsui Hark is a horrible choice for MOTU by KingKrypton	Mar 6th, 2003 08:47:05 PM
MOTU should be closer to LOTR in tone and style, a more old-fashioned swashbuckler film. Hark's Hong Kong-honed style just doesn't fit with the material. He would, however be perfect for USAGI YOJIMBO, LONE WOLF & CUB, or DRAGONBALL Z.
Rosebud! by fantasticman	Mar 6th, 2003 08:51:21 PM
Jackson's doing a remake of Citizen Kane - that's what they call "Film Heaven". He needs an "I'm versitile" film, and he'll get anything he wants after LOTR.
Which is gayer? "Men Alone 2: the KY Connection' or any given Lo by Sea Bass	Mar 6th, 2003 09:02:57 PM
How many more of these are they going to make?
Groan, whine, I keep trying but TTT keeps knocking me back... by Orson W	Mar 7th, 2003 07:56:53 PM
Well, like a moth to a flame I went back and saw TTT for the (seventh?) time. This has been my least enjoyable viewing since my very first one. (I tend to waver between thinking "well, it's not THAT bad" to cringing with embarrassment). Why do I keep going back? To see Gollum of course! And the other little jewels that are buried amongst the mediocrity. But this time, I just came out thinking that the movie is downright poor, except for a few choice moments. Frija, I completely agree with you about Merry's lines at the entmoot. Terrible acting from Merry and Pip throughout this whole scene - indeed throughout MOST of their scenes. They were already on pretty shaky ground in FOTR but their "expanded" roles in TTT have done the movie no good at all. Pippin's "we've still got the Shire" bit makes me want to slap him hard. On the other hand, I shouldn't blame the actors for the wooden delivery; it's just that they are unlucky to be saddled with the clunkiest Phantom Menace-style dialogue in these movies. No actor could deliver these lines without looking stupid. I know what you mean about the charge on the rampart and I initially thought the same as you. But you know, it's not that inconsistent with the rest of the movie. The orcs ARE made of butter - and have been since FOTR. So seeing them collapsing like dominoes when a few horses charge at them is not one bit unusual. As well as that, I think it's one of the most difficult and ambitious FX scenes ever attempted - real horses and riders charging into CGI soldiers - it's fairly mind-boggling when you think about it. ****** Other things I've noticed: "FIRE!" shouts Gamling. "FIRE" shouts an anonymous ONE-EYED MAN whom we didn't see before and don't see again. Who is he? Did he have a bigger part that was cut? Is he a reference to anything in particular? Or is he just a gratuitous one-eyed man? (Yes, I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel now whilst waiting for ROTK.....); I noticed that ALL the elves at Helm's Deep are wearing the gay porn armour! NOT just Haldir! I didn't see this before because Haldir's the only one we get to see up close; Helm's Deep....I'm just appalled at the non-involvement of the actors. Yes I KNOW there weren't really 10,000 orcs on the set - but couldn't they PRETEND? If the defenders on the wall would only show HALF the emotion exhibited by the Rowoks in the cave then this battle might have a little tension. When the orcs blow up the wall, Theoden reacts as if he's following a relay at a tennis match. Because you can say what you like about the Rowoks - but they DO look genuinely concerned about the outcome of the battle. Also, the complete mismanagement of Helm's Deep by both Theoden and Aragorn is now all too apparent. You know, if they had used their resources properly they could have held out for ages - they might even have won by themselves. But, just to mention one thing, when the wall is breached, Aragorn leads a charge straight onto pikes (!) despite the fact that the elves clearly have dozens of arrows left EACH. They could have picked off a thousand orcs in about five seconds before a charge would be neccessary. (50 elves X 20 arrows = 1000 dead orcs). I was wondering how Aragorn managed to get back inside the walls after launching himself on a ladder into the throng of pikes, but then I noticed something peculiar and unique: the ladder is on the INSIDE of the wall and therefore he is throwing himself on the orcs who have already come through the breach. Which begs the question: Why on earth did the orcs put up a ladder on the INSIDE of Helm's Deep after they had blown a hole in the wall???? And don't tell me that it was a ladder put up by the defenders because Aragorn punches a climbing orc off the top of it (was the orc trying to climb OUT???) Tell me, folks...At what point do we stop saying, "well it's a huge jigsaw puzzle of a movie and they did well to get it into some kind of shape" and start saying, "Take the bloody time that is neccessary to deliver a finished movie!" I mean, it''s hardly as if they don't have the money for reshoots, now is it?
Elf armour etc by Orson W	Mar 9th, 2003 01:43:01 PM
Well, Frija, I don't know whether the actor playing Haldir is gay or not - but for some reason he is playing Haldir as a stereotypical "screaming queen". I don't think any kind of lighting would make that armour look less ostentatious - if anything the darkness flatters it! No, this is just a very bad design decision. They look like something out of the camp classic Fash Gordon. It is strange because the elf armour in the 2nd-last Alliance was exceptionally well designed. Or else, it has been so many thousands of years since the elves fought a battle that their armour has become purely ceremonial and decorative - and they now have to wear it into battle because it's all they've got... They look like something out of the camp classic Fash Gordon. It is strange because the elf armour in the 2nd-last Alliance was exceptionally well designed. Oh yeah, I guess Aragorn is trying to save Gimli - but they could have done it better with a storm of arrows...
Whoops! Copy/paste error! by Orson W	Mar 9th, 2003 01:53:09 PM
...though many folks would proplably think I keep repeating myself anyway.....Well, Frija, I'm not so sure about the charge on the ramp - it could be that this is close to what might realistically happen. The orcs are densely packed and the ramp is narrow. Maybe if this was for real, the domino effect would be very similar. In any case, this is what the animators judged, and it no longer looks so far-fetched to me as when I first saw it. I imagine it must have been very hard to judge exactly what speed the horses shouold go so it would look like they were encountering some resistence... Yeah, I find that when I'm watching TTT I am very clear about how certain scenes could have been improved. Like when the Nazgul overflies Osgiliath - the Gondorian knights should have all fallen to the ground in absolute terror - in a similar way to how the soldiers fall when Sauron explodes in the 2nd-last alliance. A kind of epic biblical shot which would have been so cool. And they certainly should NOT be casually handing out refreshments after the Nazgul has gone away!
Victorian + WETA = ERB's Barsoom by aegisknight	Mar 10th, 2003 12:03:47 AM
What other nearly-Victorian era classic has the massive scope/visual challenge/serial story that would be the next step up in terms of keeping WETA busy? Wouldn't they be bored with a simple WOTW?
TV series? by simpsonite	Mar 10th, 2003 02:18:06 PM

Hobbit as a TV series by simpsonite	Mar 10th, 2003 02:19:51 PM
From the Times newspaper in England; it was in their March 9 edition. McKellen angles for a TV Hobbit Richard Brooks, Arts Editor SIR IAN McKELLEN wants to reprise his role as Gandalf in a television version of The Hobbit. The actor has already won many plaudits for playing the wizard in the film versions of The Lord of the Rings. McKellen, who is currently appearing in a West End production of August Strindberg's play Dance of Death, has suggested to Peter Jackson, the director of the Rings trilogy, that he makes a television version of JRR Tolkien's novel The Hobbit, the prequel to the Lord of the Rings. The Hobbit begins with Bilbo Baggins living very happily in a hobbit hole until Gandalf arrives with the dwarves to take him away. On their adventure they encounter elves, goblins and trolls. "I've asked Peter if he'll do The Hobbit as a huge TV series," said McKellen, who for many years was best known as a stage actor. "All those different strands in the book seem perfect for TV. We could also do every scene of the book." "It sounds a good idea to me," said Christine Crawshaw, chairman of the Tolkien Society. "Ian McKellen was perfect as Gandalf, though one or two people have said to me that he was not grumpy enough. I also think a long-running TV series is a good idea, as that way you won't have to cut anything. "While I thought that the two film versions were good, particularly the Fellowship of the Ring, I'm a bit critical because so much had to be cut from the books." McKellen believes that television could be a better medium than the cinema for The Hobbit. "I remember those marvellous BBC children's dramas they used to have on Sunday afternoons. This could fill that slot. "I also think that TV could appeal more to Peter Jackson as he used to hint that after three movies he might be fed up with Tolkien." The first two films, which have starred Elijah Woods as Frodo Baggins, Liv Tyler as Arwen and Christopher Lee as Saruman, have been huge successes. Both have already grossed more than
Just thought I'd pop in, by Conan_the_Humble	Mar 10th, 2003 07:42:20 PM
Haven't been around much lately. I just saw a spy report over at TORN about a possible ROTK trailer, Major Spoilers are contained within that report so venture over at your own peril... And MorGy, I actually answered your question about the Dunedain items over at the Old TB. I'm not sure if I was right or not, but I couldn't think of anything else... Cheers.
Aaaaaah, I knew it! by Orson W	Mar 10th, 2003 07:42:29 PM
Well, if the report over at theonering.net is accurate, then one of my earlier predictions has come true: We see Sauron return in physical form in ROTK. It is I, Orson, who declared this many months ago.....okay, okay, admittedly, it was a very easy one to call. It just wouldn't be Hollywood if they left Sauron out.... but I didn't expect them to just put him back into his old armour again though. I hope we get some glimpse of The Black Hand with missing fingers - a bit like the glimpse we get of Darth Vader minus helmet in ESB.....But Sauron in single combat with Aragorn will very likely make the purists blow their tops. When you think of it though, it makes perfect sense that Sauron should face Isildur's heir for a rematch of the scene in the 2nd-last alliance. In fact I'm very excited by the prospect of Aragorn Vs Sauron - or I WOULD be if I didn't already know that it's going to be in the context of a half-baked, choppy, shakeycam battle where they cut away every time the action threatens to become exciting.....On the other hand, maybe this time the MASSIVE armies will turn up for the battle, though somehow I doubt it...
Take Back the Tail End! Plus! Rankin Bass Find Themselves Ripped by AliceInWonderlnd	Mar 11th, 2003 05:29:21 AM
C'mon you 'orrible lot, I know you're out there, lurking. Anyway, you're probably all wondering where I've been. Or not, as the case may be. So I feel I owe you an explanation. It all started innocently enough, you know. Pontiac Bow asked me if I'd watched Rankin-Bass' ROTK. I said, no, not yet. He said, sinister enabler that he is, that he wanted to know what I thought of "He's gone looney, I tell ya!" Oh, I laughed at the time. But I KNEW NOTHING! I was still innocent! I was still free! I could still have turned back!!! But no. Noooo. I... welll... I... I watched it. I think I told you guys that it had been something I'd lived in a state of perpetual curiousity over, because my friend in the US wrote me a letter when it first aired that was about 10 pages long, ranting about how truly fucking dreadful it was. I just thought that a) the movie was probably a bit lame but b) she was an insatiable purist (this pretty much mirrored our respective Bakshi experiences). So, anyway, I got the divida player and saw it on Amazon and thought to myself... well, why not? Can it be that bad? Can it? Oh yes it fucking well can. The less offensive bits made me feel like my eyes had been popped out of their sockets the better so that my skull could be raped. The more offensive bits rendered me so apoplectic that I've spent the last three weeks tied up in a darkened room on a constant drip-feed of valium. And I still ended up gnawing off my own feet in my frenzy. Happily, I don't need them to type.
Alice, Conan and ... Orson, I guess... by mortsleam	Mar 11th, 2003 11:03:16 AM
I hesitate to tell you, because it's been a nice little tailend without too much bile filled vitriol (although that was before the ROTK spoilers cough utter bullshit nonsense cough came out) but DoT & Elanor & morGoth & even Runelord have been hanging out in the Saturn Award Nominees TB #14643. Come on by. Focus your rage on the soon-to-be dispelled rumors, and enjoy...
There's just no pleasing some people... by Skyway Moaters	Mar 13th, 2003 09:59:17 AM
Case in point: Our old 'pal' Orson W. How people can dis' a film that's still in postproduction, that no one has seen the final cut of yet, is absolutely beyond me. I have my quibbles with T2T, AND FOTR: (which ol' Orson (The REAL Mr. Welles' estate ought to sue his ass for defamation of character and pretentiousness in general IMHO. How dare such a specious self-described film aficionado adopt an appellation of one of the towering geniuses of cinema!) called the cinematic release of "near perfect" (FOTR that is))), "The Council of Elrond" and why is Frodo in Osgiliath, and why is he ARMED while he's a captive? - just to name just two. But what Orson willfully continues to ignore despite compelling evidence to the support the claim, is that the SPIRIT of the tale has be magnificently preserved and that the films are at the very least towering visual achievements. I'm only one of a multitude of people, reviewers, audiences and JRRT fans alike, to acknowledge these realities about PJ's ADAPTATION, and boxoffice receipts, for what they're worth, bear this out as well. These films have captured peoples' imaginations! A rare thing these days. Quit pontsing for the SW crowd you wank, you're not changing anyone's opinion by repeating yourself ad-nauseam. *** Namarie, Trubba Not SM {;-0

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