Also IMO, TH in general seems a little flashier, somewhat slicker, a bit more "modern" than LotR...most likely as they made LotR with no demographic in particular in mind, (as Elijah Wood says, it was pretty much the biggest independent film ever), while TH has been designed as a big-budget studio tentpole from the onset, and therefor must be alluring for the most coveted audience - teenagers and young boys.

And no can definitively say what's going on PJ's head (or the studio executives). Perhaps he's making the film he would given no creative stipulations or self-censorship whatsoever...perhaps not.

While I can't say what's been said behind closed doors, what I know about PJ - and what I've seen of the production - has me rather confident that he's very much the same director who isn't looking to betray what made his original trilogy of films so creatively rich. He could have done many things differently had he wanted to go down that path...and if there was so much studio pressure, I think it would have been a little more obvious by this point. So far, I'm feeling good.

...is that if Bilbo's speech is part of the final scene of the film - then there will in fact be a proper, emotional resolution in this film.

Something I had been worried about was that in changing this from 2 films to 3, there wouldn't be an ending that resonated on a proper emotional level. I feared that it would feel like the film just stops, as opposed to an ending that felt well scripted.

But if this is the ending of the film, it looks like it will be quite emotional, and mark a real turning point for Bilbo's character and the dwarves' newfound respect for him.

I was in Stone Street Studios and I walked past PJ's office. He Had a newspaper article about how George Lucas ruined Star Wars taped to his window. I remember feeling instantly relieved by his constant reminder to self.

If there's one thing good about those prequels, it's that they serve as a "how to" guide of how NOT to make prequels. Makes it a little easier for other directors attempting it.

What TV spot is that from?

At the heart of what it means to be British?

That five or six LOTR films would have done the story more justice.

After all they demonstrated they could do so with Harry Potter.

about the same character. There is no complexity. Indeed, using an established character like Bond or Batman reduces complexity.

And we weren't talking about making three movies out of The Hobbit, we where talking about spreading an exceedingly complex, interleaved story with a great many characters and no clear break points over six or seven movies over as many years.

The Hobbit? well, the plot is a bit thin to turn into three movies, but at least there is little chance of people getting confused.

to do them, because I think that apart from Harry Potter, LOTR is more loved than any other story I can think of.
I hope one day PJ decides to make a revised EE of all the extra footage they cut the first time round, and makes a hugemega EE. Even if it means we see 4 instead of 3 films. But honestly I think Martin Freeman will be so good that I really wont mind the extra frills and the spills going on around him.