PJ to Direct the 2 Hobbits! Very Happy ;~)

[Ketch Rossi]

Guillermo Del Toro has done a lot of work though on the script and preproduction. Hopefully he has left his mark and can continue to contribute.
I always thought that this was to be Peter Jacksons baby and it seems he can't escape it.

I'm glad to see this project moving ahead out of the legal, financial morass it's been in. I'm looking forward to seeing an incredible experience of a very well loved book.​

Correct Michael, Del Toro, PJ and company have been working for over two years on it, so there will definitely be a mark left in there.

 

[Steve Sherrick]

Yes Steve, this is so true!

However since I love almost more the making process and behind the scene "Curtain" its hard for me not to want to watch them, but I did made a point to never see anything before I have seen the movie.

I enjoy the "making of" stuff too. If it's on the DVD, I watch it, so I'm as guilty as anyone.

 

[Steve Sherrick]

I have a special abilty in this area Steve.. When I go into a movie, I lose all Knowlege of film making and become a happy idiot! It allows me to enjoy most everything (I LOVED "How to Train Your Dragon, saw it three times!)

If course my wife would tell you that I remain in this "Stupid" state long after I leave the theatre.

Jay

I've got a lot better at doing that in recent years, especially in the theater. I check as much filmmaking knowledge as possible at the door and try to enjoy it as a movie. The good films tend to make you forget the process anyway.

 

[Jeff Kilgroe]

In the past couple years, I have re-trained myself to check my brain at the door in favor of a large bucket of crappy popcorn. Having kids dragging me to all the new kids movies and always wanting to watch in 3D gives me a different perspective than a lot filmmakers on here I suppose. It also helps that while I follow a lot of the behind the scenes stuff and I'm fairly knowledgeable about how a lot is made, I don't actually shoot narrative cinema myself. I do a lot of graphics work, CGI, 3D animation, etc.. But not for films.

Anyway, I'm still disappointed that Del Toro stepped down from the Hobbit films. I wanted to see what he would do there. Peter Jackson will be fine and is probably the best candidate at this point. I'm not a huge fan of the LOTR films, but did enjoy them. I've been a fan of Tolkien's works since I was a kid and I can't fault Peter Jackson for the shortcomings of the LOTR films. The LOTR is such a vast novelization, i'm impressed at what was compressed into the films, I really don't think anyone could have done it better. Not to mention, the casting was damn perfect for just about every character and the FX work was great. I think the Hobbit will outshine the LOTR. Better technology exists now. An audience is in place ready to throw money at it. It's a story that isn't much different in size, even a bit shorter, than the Fellowship of the Ring, and yet will be divided into two films. I have high hopes for the film and the Hobbit is one of my all time favorite books.

 

[Ketch Rossi]

Well Jeff, I think you said it all yourself here..

The HObbits, will come to life bringing some new sick technological advancements to life, in more then one field, and even so technology we know does not make a film better, it sure will help a Tone in the hands of a Master such as PJ.

I did absolutely LOVED the LOTR trilogy, sadly never heard of the story before or of Tolkien's books, so I enjoyed the films for what they were with nothing to compare to.

However I completely and totally was looking for Del Toro's Hobbits, as I still shiver when I hear those tunes form the Pan's Labyrinth, simply a master piece.

 

[Shane Betts]

I thought the LOTR trilogy was a masterpiece. I make it a rule to never read the book before seeing the movie if I have the choice, as the movie generally pales against the breadth of the book and what my own imagination can do with it, as distinct from the director's imagination. When it was announced that LOTR was to be brought to the screen I was genuinely conflicted. The risk was enormous that a book the size and depth of LOTR would be ruined in its translation to 90 minutes of screen time but, IMHO, Jackson did such justice to LOTR, a book I've read about half a dozen times, and only Catch-22 was as near to the tone of the book for me.

Del Toro would, no doubt, have brought an amazing perspective to The Hobbit but the question for me is, would his vision have matched my own, or would I have left the cinema feeling that the movie was unfaithful to the book? I feel confident that PJ can bring the book I love to the screen and that's what I'm looking for.

BTW, I almost hope it won't be shot on Epic so I can sit back and immerse myself instead of checking out the pictures. ALMOST.

 

[Craig Ryan]

Awesome! Seeing how things are getting more and more transparent these days with technology, it would be very cool if PJ had a weekly podcast, or some kind of behind the scenes cam that would allow fans to follow the progress of the film - I remember they had something like that during the last Star Wars.

 

[MichaelHalsell]

Now that Peter is the director, is it plausible that the Red M-X could be a consideration as the principal photography camera? Upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean and Hobbit would be a significant marketing coup for RED, yes?​

 

[Charles Angus]

LOL, I can assure you that you are in the minority with this stance. Only the greatest films of all time. However, I felt the same way about Titanic and Avatar, the highest grossing films of all time= erk. Go figure.

Bit cold how? Explain here please. thanks

Where to start...

I basically didn't like anything about the films except the locations. The shooting and editing didn't contribute to the story - lots of big sweeping shots to show off the CG, but not much focus on actual visual storytelling and thoughtful mis en scène.

I didn't believe any of the casting, with the exception of Faramir and Gandalf. And a lot of the acting was beyond suspect (I'm looking at you, Orlando Bloom).

The main musical theme was trite, to say the least.

There were unaccountable (and seemingly random) additions and substitutions made to the stories. Now don't get me wrong - I'm fine with interpretations that stray from the source (I'm a big fan of "The Shining", which strays very far from the book). I think it's clear to everyone that changes need to be made to make a successful adaptation. What I object to is wanton and thoughtless changes.

But at the end of it all, my main objection is the same objection I have against every bad adaptation. The creators clearly read the books, but equally clearly did not understand the books. The undertones were completely absent.

What we were left with was an extremely lengthy advertisement for the visual effects.