[WaterMargin]

The Hobbit production video #5 is up

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150554790416807

[manofaiki]

I see a lot of comments on the board that lead me to want to point one thing out:

Lord of the Rings: epic fantasy trilogy of over 1,000 pages written for adults.

The Hobbit: lighthearted kid's book that starts off more like a fantasy comedy than anything else and then gets more serious as it goes along, but never really loses sight of the fact it's a kid's book.

[D Ray]

Originally Posted by manofaiki

I see a lot of comments on the board that lead me to want to point one thing out:

Lord of the Rings: epic fantasy trilogy of over 1,000 pages written for adults.

The Hobbit: lighthearted kid's book that starts off more like a fantasy comedy than anything else and then gets more serious as it goes along, but never really loses sight of the fact it's a kid's book.

And this concerns me, how it will play to the LOTR crowd.
However, remember how light the beginning of FOTR was, with Bilbo's party, Merry and Pippin in the fireworks, etc. Jackson did a good job moving from that beginning into the more serious issues of the Fellowship Council, then gradually through the trials of the journey. I have confidence in PJ; if anyone can do it, he can.

[Byron]

Originally Posted by manofaiki

I see a lot of comments on the board that lead me to want to point one thing out:

Lord of the Rings: epic fantasy trilogy of over 1,000 pages written for adults.

The Hobbit: lighthearted kid's book that starts off more like a fantasy comedy than anything else and then gets more serious as it goes along, but never really loses sight of the fact it's a kid's book.

And I see many people pointing this out, but why is this an issue?? That kind of whimsy/comical tone is also present at the beginning of Fellowship. It was charming and great. If The Hobbit has more of this tone, then what is the problem again?

[AaronWYL]

I agree...I LOVE the opening to Fellowship. I'm rereading The Hobbit with my 5 year old (almost 6) and she's really liking it. I was surprised how dark it really does get in some scenes (the goblin caves, the spiders), so seeing some darker parts in the trailer doesn't really worry me.

[Byron]

Originally Posted by WaterMargin

The Hobbit production video #5 is up

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150554790416807

Awesome. Is it just me or is Peter getting fat again? Good news for superstitious people who believe Jackson's tummy and talent are related to each other. I don't, but for some reason it is comforting

[JRSly]

Originally Posted by WaterMargin

The Hobbit production video #5 is up

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150554790416807

Very cool about Hobbiton being permanently constructed this time around.

[Satoris]

Originally Posted by WaterMargin

The Hobbit production video #5 is up

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150554790416807

****, I really want to go to New Zealand.

[Johnny Five]

Originally Posted by Byron

Awesome. Is it just me or is Peter getting fat again? Good news for superstitious people who believe Jackson's tummy and talent are related to each other. I don't, but for some reason it is comforting

Maybe it's because when he's fatter, he looks a lot like a hobbit.

[Byron]

#6 is up!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjYn845i08A

[Noface]

Must be some lovely symmetry on-set in having the job-title of 'Gaffer'

Edits

Jackson definitely looks healthier without that liver-colored, anorexic look. Some people are meant to be a bit porky.

Looks like the dwarves ride the barrels without the tops locked down. Bit of a departure there.

New Zealand is one spectacular country. Loved the shot of the Kea running through the one scene. (Those things can eat the transmission out of a jeep).

[therereturn]

Yes. Yes yes yes yes.

[manofaiki]

Awesome videos. I can't wait for this. The Jackson magic is flowing again.

[Monster of the Week]

In a way, I almost think Jackson is better suited for "The Hobbit" than he was for "The Lord of the Rings".

[TeamCanada]

Aliens vs Wargs

[TeamCanada]

Barrel run ftw

[Morgana]

Of all the movie sets in the history of filmmaking - this is the set I would have most wanted to be a part of. As a caterer or a sweeper... whatever.

Love love love these videos.

[Methuselah]

Originally Posted by manofaiki

I see a lot of comments on the board that lead me to want to point one thing out:

Lord of the Rings: epic fantasy trilogy of over 1,000 pages written for adults.

The Hobbit: lighthearted kid's book that starts off more like a fantasy comedy than anything else and then gets more serious as it goes along, but never really loses sight of the fact it's a kid's book.

In Tolkiens Biography he writes that he never intended to make the LOTR trilogy after the hobbit. The hobbit was meant to be a childs book that got away from him.

[King Elessar 8]

Originally Posted by Methuselah

In Tolkiens Biography he writes that he never intended to make the LOTR trilogy after the hobbit. The hobbit was meant to be a childs book that got away from him.

Because the Hobbit was a big hit, his publisher saw Tolkien as a potential new Frank L. Baum, churning out "Hobbit" adventure books on a regular basis. Tolkien reluctantly started working on a sequel (which he intially had absolutely no ideas for at all) and then as you say, it got away from him...

[Noface]

Originally Posted by King Elessar 8

Because the Hobbit was a big hit, his publisher saw Tolkien as a potential new Frank L. Baum, churning out "Hobbit" adventure books on a regular basis. Tolkien reluctantly started working on a sequel (which he intially had absolutely no ideas for at all) and then as you say, it got away from him...

I was always deeply impressed with Tolkien's recollections of writing the 'Prancing Pony' scenes. Apparently, he had no intention of introducing an Aragorn-type character... he said that he was as surprised to encounter Strider... and his identity... as any reader.

One of my favorite anecdotes about the writing process.

[Methuselah]

Originally Posted by Noface

I was always deeply impressed with Tolkien's recollections of writing the 'Prancing Pony' scenes. Apparently, he had no intention of introducing an Aragorn-type character... he said that he was as surprised to encounter Strider... and his identity... as any reader.

One of my favorite anecdotes about the writing process.

I love when writers declare this because it makes it feel more like they didnt create the story line......more along the lines that they just sort of tapped into something that had already happened...is happening or will happen.

Then they tie it all together with there own personal flare.

[King Elessar 8]

Originally Posted by Noface

I was always deeply impressed with Tolkien's recollections of writing the 'Prancing Pony' scenes. Apparently, he had no intention of introducing an Aragorn-type character... he said that he was as surprised to encounter Strider... and his identity... as any reader.

One of my favorite anecdotes about the writing process.

Yeah, Aragorn started out his literary life as a mysterious hobbit named "Trotter". One of Tolkien's first ideas about the character was that he was actually Bilbo in disguise.

[Noface]

Originally Posted by Methuselah

I love when writers declare this because it makes it feel more like they didnt create the story line......more along the lines that they just sort of tapped into something that had already happened...is happening or will happen.

I obsessed about this a bit as an awkward junior-high geek. I seriously speculated that Tolkien may have been tapping into some alternate quantum reality. And lord... did I ever want to find the doorway that would take me there.

Junior high blows.

[WaterMargin]

Absolutely love these production diaries.

[Neclord]

Dunno what to think of the open-topped barrel ride. Aren't the barrels ferried all the way to Lake Town with the elves alongside in the book? I always liked the bit where Bilbo has to get them all out and they feel like shit.

[Johnny Five]

Originally Posted by Neclord

Dunno what to think of the open-topped barrel ride. Aren't the barrels ferried all the way to Lake Town with the elves alongside in the book? I always liked the bit where Bilbo has to get them all out and they feel like shit.

I may be mis-remembering, but I think that the elves didn't need to shepherd the wine barrels along much at all once they were dumped into the river.

I do agree that it will be a loss to not see the dwarves being pulled out of closed casks. Ah, well.

[inn0centbystander]

Originally Posted by Neclord

Dunno what to think of the open-topped barrel ride. Aren't the barrels ferried all the way to Lake Town with the elves alongside in the book? I always liked the bit where Bilbo has to get them all out and they feel like shit.

I was super disappointed when I saw that. I love that part of The Hobbit because Bilbo is completely alone and he has no idea if the dwarves are even alive in the barrels after awhile. I just love the introspective moment it gives him as he's drifting all alone in the dark.

But yea the production videos are so good

[fillowsofikal]

Love the production video although the one thing that scares me is the barrel-riding scene. I'm like really, really nervous.

I hope it's a bit more majestic than what we see in the production video. For one, yes, they're not actually INSIDE the barrel like in the book.

And two, it seemed a bit rushed like, "Lets go down to the river and shoot a bunch of you in some barrels. This will only take about an hour or so. Okay! That's a wrap!!". I know we only get a slice of what's going on in these production videos but with that rain moving in while they were shooting I hope there are some longer cuts of that scene.

[Satoris]

Originally Posted by fillowsofikal

Love the production video although the one thing that scares me is the barrel-riding scene. I'm like really, really nervous.

I hope it's a bit more majestic than what we see in the production video. For one, yes, they're not actually INSIDE the barrel like in the book.

And two, it seemed a bit rushed like, "Lets go down to the river and shoot a bunch of you in some barrels. This will only take about an hour or so. Okay! That's a wrap!!". I know we only get a slice of what's going on in these production videos but with that rain moving in while they were shooting I hope there are some longer cuts of that scene.

I'm pretty sure they'll add a ****-ton of VFX after all is said and done to make that scene look more cinematic. Seems like they're doing quite a bit of expensive location shooting, which is heartening post-Avatar.

[Noface]

Speaking of location shooting, some of those mountain sites just screamed 'Lonely Mountain' to me. I was getting shivers, imagining Smaug creeping down from the heights above...