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Username4242
Nevrast
Dec 31 2012, 7:06am
Post #1 of 22
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Radagast and eye crossing--
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So, rewatched The Hobbit tonight, and I decided that the scene of Radagast smoking is much less silly than it first seemed. During an earlier scene in which he uses magic to remove the 'dark stuff' from the hedgehog and get rid of the spiders, you see him cross his eyes and go into his 'serious wizard mode.' I think that the eye crossing is his way of transferring away from a very absent minded, somewhat goofy Radagast, to something much more serious, and it just took him a bit of a hit to get there. 
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The Mitch King
Nargothrond
Dec 31 2012, 7:53am
Post #2 of 22
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I never thought of that scene like that! 
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N.E. Brigand
Gondolin
Dec 31 2012, 8:13am
Post #3 of 22
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Speaking of Radagast, does he have punctured eardrums?
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I'm trying to understand how smoke came out his ears in that scene.
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Eleniel
Dor-Lomin
Dec 31 2012, 8:52am
Post #4 of 22
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That's sorta the way I rationalized it...
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...that in the Rhosgobel scene he was drawing the evil into himself to sasve the hedgehog so the facial gurning was part of that!
"Choosing Trust over Doubt gets me burned once in a while, but I'd rather be singed than hardened."
¯ Victoria Monfort
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Radagast-Aiwendil
Mithlond
Dec 31 2012, 12:27pm
Post #7 of 22
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I actually liked the eye crossing
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I found it funny but admittedly more because it added to Gandalf's line about it "Calming the nerves". The smoke coming out of the nostrils and ears was hilarious as well. As far as I'm concerned it's all part of The Hobbit's lighter tone and I'm embracing that.
And anyhow, this is Sylvester McCoy, and in the performances I've seen him in he likes eye-crossing, so you have to give him a bit of leeway (He is naturally a comedic actor as well as being the Real McCoy, after all).
Reliable Radagast rides his sled of Rhosgobel Rabbits round and round Rhovanion.
Tongue twister copyright Radagast-Aiwendil 2012.
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ForestPark
Ossiriand
Dec 31 2012, 12:37pm
Post #8 of 22
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Well, he is the most shamanic of the wizards
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and people in trance states often have unusual facial expressions. The same thing happens to Gandalf and Sauraman but they close thier eyes to hide it least anyone think them un-cool. Raddy don't care.
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Arannir
Doriath
Dec 31 2012, 12:41pm
Post #9 of 22
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and people in trance states often have unusual facial expressions. The same thing happens to Gandalf and Sauraman but they close thier eyes to hide it least anyone think them un-cool. Raddy don't care.
... I also think so. Gandalf and Saruman have themselves more or less under control. Radagast., however, he just lets himself go. Without thinking about status, appearance, etc.
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sauget.diblosio
Dor-Lomin
Dec 31 2012, 2:05pm
Post #10 of 22
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for the most part, though some of his ticks were a bit grating (the eye crossing, the bird sh*t, the stick insect, etc.). I was surprised, actually, as i've never found McCoy funny in the least, and i really, really loathed his time on Doctor Who. And it would seem that most of his aforementioned annoying traits are PJ's doing. So overall i give him a mildly enthusiastic thumbs-uo.
It's quite a relief, really-- i don't know how i would have felt about the movie if i'd hated Radagast.
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unexpectedvisitor
Nargothrond
Dec 31 2012, 3:20pm
Post #11 of 22
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was my least favorite thing about Radagast but it didn't overly bother me. chalk it up to another one of Sylvester McCoy's weird tics that he decided to bring to the character. as someone has pointed out, at least its use was consistent.
overall, though, while Radagast isn't my favorite new character or anything, i liked the way they envisioned the character (and how that sets up how Gandalf can defend him while Saruman dismisses him) and the way he was used in the story, as i do think it makes a lot of sense to have the caretaker of Greenwood be the first to scout out the evil brewing in Dol Guldur, which isn't far from Rhosgobel. i actually liked the bunny sled in the first sequence with it, it's just too bad the FX for the Warg chase were the weakest in the film (and the editing for that bit was the sloppiest).
stick-insect bit was fine. i didn't lol or anything but the shot before that scene shows a POV for Radagast where branches are whipping into his face so the stick-insect thing is kind of just a humorous illustration of what a flurry of mindless speed Radagast was traveling in.
best bit with Radagast, though, (other than the glimpse of the Necromancer) was when he's remembering the huge bats chasing him and one flies at his viewpoint and the flashback abruptly ends with Radagast starting. that was a brilliant bit of filmic wit.
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Eruonen
Gondolin
Dec 31 2012, 4:38pm
Post #12 of 22
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My concern with Radagast is that his true spirit will be lost
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and he will come across as a mere conjurer. He is one of the Istari....in human form....not a human wizard dabbling in magic. I don't mind if his human form is quirky as long as his true nature is revealed. A tiny bit was shown in both his fight with the Nazgul where his staff was more than adequate to turn the blade and cast down the ghoul. And, in the scene where he draws out the evil from poor Sebastian and drives the spiders away.
I want to see more of his true Istari nature in the next two films and less of the bumbling old hippie.
You never doubt that Saruman and Gandalf have innate power and Radagast needs to show more of his.
(This post was edited by Eruonen on Dec 31 2012, 4:39pm)
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unexpectedvisitor
Nargothrond
Dec 31 2012, 4:46pm
Post #13 of 22
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ultimately, he has probably less than 10 minutes total of screentime. yes, he definitely comes off eccentric for most of that time, but in terms of humorous moments versus serious endeavors (examining the state of the forest, trying to save Sebastian, dispelling the spiders, his venturing into Dol Guldur, his warning Gandalf) i'd say it's pretty much a 50/50 split, maybe 40/60 or even 30/70 if you really look at the breakdown of how the minutes for his character are used. as we have moved past the introductory part for the character and he becomes involved with the plans to move against Dol Guldur, i'm sure they will maintain his essentially eccentric nature (which is true to Tolkien and shows why Saruman would choose to call him a fool) but there will be less opportunity for blatant humor and more of a call to look at Radagast's Istari side.
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JWPlatt
Hithlum
Dec 31 2012, 4:52pm
Post #14 of 22
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Wait, so you didn't think the Great Goblin line was funny, but Radagast's Three Stooges act was? I almost forgot about the crossing of the eyes and smoke coming out of ears. Thanks. My thought during this was "Just how juvenile can Peter Jackson get?" I'm not going to try to rationalize it. It's Jackson at his worst. Wasn't funny for me. But I did enjoy the movie.
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JWPlatt
Hithlum
Dec 31 2012, 5:27pm
Post #17 of 22
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I think I would like to have seen Radagast more in the vein of someone like Jane Goodall, intellectually devoted to an area of interest, but in Radagast's case the interest is nature and is unconcerned with other matters except where they intrude on his small world. Also like Tom Bombadil. Powerful, smart and comfortable with his own small area. Not daft, high and happy to wear excrement. Perhaps less Sylvester McCoy, who enjoys playing the fool, and more Russell Crowe who can bring a single-minded, powerful presence.
(This post was edited by JWPlatt on Dec 31 2012, 5:29pm)
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Mad Hatter of Middle-Earth
Menegroth
Dec 31 2012, 5:43pm
Post #18 of 22
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I felt as though Raddy hardly ever used magic, or rather preferred not, or even never needed to. When Raddy healed the hedgehog, I took his eye-crossing as sort of a manifestation of the strain his rarely used magic put on him. It was almost as if he had to really concentrate to bring out the magic in him.
All you have to decide is what to do with the time that has been given to you...
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Mad Hatter of Middle-Earth
Menegroth
Dec 31 2012, 5:46pm
Post #19 of 22
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I don't think he drew the evil into himself. I think he was merely straining himself to use magic he otherwise rarely used.
All you have to decide is what to do with the time that has been given to you...
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Aragalen the Green
Mithlond
Dec 31 2012, 5:47pm
Post #20 of 22
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In more ways than one...
" Well well!", said a voice. "Just look! Bilbo the hobbit on a pony, my dear! Isn't it delicious!"
"Most astonishing wonderful!"
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patrickk
Nargothrond
Jan 1 2013, 12:10am
Post #21 of 22
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My wife pointed out to me (when watching the LOR DVD last night) that Gandalf ends up with Raddy's staff in LOR (the one gnarled at the top). Is this a portent of what might happens to Raddy later on. I hope he just retires from wizadry and goes back to nature though rather than being another tear jerker moment in the third film, as I suspect there will be quite a few tear jerker moments there already.
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Aragalen the Green
Mithlond
Jan 1 2013, 12:38am
Post #22 of 22
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There was a discussion about this a while back,
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here:
http://newboards.theonering.net/...latest_reply;so=ASC;
I thought that maybe Radagast passes his crystal to Gandalf, as someone else mentions that Radagast's staff in AUJ is not the same as Gandalf's in LOTR. Do you have further insights?
" Well well!", said a voice. "Just look! Bilbo the hobbit on a pony, my dear! Isn't it delicious!"
"Most astonishing wonderful!"
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