The One Ring Forums: Tolkien Topics: Movie Discussion: The Hobbit: Huffington Post: Critics dislike Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit at their own peril (redgiraffe)

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The One Ring Forums: Tolkien Topics: Movie Discussion: The Hobbit:
Huffington Post: Critics dislike Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit at their own peril

redgiraffe
Rohan

Jan 3, 8:45pm

Views: 1060
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Huffington Post: Critics dislike Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit at their own peril	Can't Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...ns-em_b_2342591.html

I haven't seen an actual thread started on this one so I guess this is okay. I think this was a great article. I really liked pretty much everything this guy had to say.

But the main thing I want to talk about is some of the comments disagreeing with this reviewer for referring to LOTR as an allegory. This is sort of rushed and really only barely glosses over everything I want to say but here it goes:

In the reviewer's defense, the term "allegory," in its strictest sense, refers to concepts and ideas represented by the story. I think most people are thinking too literally as in he is saying LOTR was an allegory for WWII, or the ring is an allegory for the machine of atomic bomb. I don't think that's at all what the reviewer means.

LOTR is an allegory in the sense that it's characters represent certain important themes, concepts, and ideas that are at the heart of the story. The ring itself represents power. And the entire story is about what mankind does when faced with this power. In the end, man will become corrupted by the the desire to use power, no matter how good his intentions were to begin with.

Short analysis, but here are some major themes. Many of the characters represent different aspects of human nature facing this power. Denethor represents those who turn to despair and give up when darkness comes. Saruman represents one who lusts for power, possibly out of fear of sauron regaining the ring. Boromir is one of the mightiest men of Gondor, and that's why Tolkien wrote his character as the one member of the fellowship who could resist it the least. It was only in the hands of a hobbit - someone who most would consider weak - that the ring had little seduction over (though it's also a major point that it does eventually corrupt him in the end).

And of course there's also the concept of war throughout the story. It's not a direct parallel to WWI and WWII but it is certainly influenced thematically. This grand war that could decide the doom of men is being fought over this tiny piece of gold. So many turn to madness over what can happen. But LOTR also represents the brutality of war and the less than black and white nature of "evil soldiers" through Faramir's dialogue.

The whole purpose of Frodo leaving is to represent that part of him has died because of this journey he went on. He will never be the same.Tolkien probably felt much the same after serving time in war. And Frodo's conversation with Sam about not being torn in two and that his part in the story must go on is a direct representation of how we all must deal with losing loved ones - and this was something that greatly affected Tolkien because many of his closest friends had died and to him it was a way of saying goodbye.

So yes, I would agree that LOTR is an allegory in the strictest sense of it's representations of themes and ideas and symbolism.

-Sir are you classified as human
-Negative, I am a meat-popsicle

Subject	User	Time
Huffington Post: Critics dislike Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit at their own peril	redgiraffe	Jan 3, 8:45pm
A movie shouldn't need a huge article like this to justify its self...	QuackingTroll	Jan 3, 8:57pm
False for a huge majority...	Arannir	Jan 3, 9:18pm
I dunno... It has a Rotten Tomatoes score lower than the Rankin/Bass version //	QuackingTroll	Jan 3, 9:20pm
Please try to listen...	Arannir	Jan 3, 9:22pm
But this thread is about the critics' response //	QuackingTroll	Jan 3, 9:32pm
Okay	Arannir	Jan 3, 9:34pm
Critics are people too!	QuackingTroll	Jan 3, 9:46pm
Well...	Arannir	Jan 3, 9:54pm
I think the answer is different depending on why you're watching the film...	QuackingTroll	Jan 3, 10:20pm
Thank you	redgiraffe	Jan 3, 10:10pm
The audience rating is moderate on RT	burrahobbit	Jan 3, 9:34pm
Well, I guess that is hate (or 'not like') then ;)	Arannir	Jan 3, 9:46pm
Many explanations for differences between critic and fan ratings exist.	Escapist	Jan 3, 10:00pm
Of course it does!	DanielLB	Jan 3, 9:26pm
Let alone the fact that the R/B movie has only 15 critics or so...	Arannir	Jan 3, 9:29pm
Ha!	ashonmytomatoes	Jan 3, 9:30pm
who cares about moldy tomatoes and failed art critics?	hutch	Jan 4, 1:31am
lmao	AinurOlorin	Jan 4, 1:32am
Probably because IMO the R&B version was truer to the book than Peter Jackson's Hobbit.	sinister71	Jan 5, 12:09am
To be honest	redgiraffe	Jan 3, 9:35pm
Did I say I don't like the film?	QuackingTroll	Jan 3, 10:01pm
No you were fine	redgiraffe	Jan 3, 10:34pm
Not necessarily	lyndomiel	Jan 4, 2:39am
Well, why not?	Rostron2	Jan 4, 12:27am
It moves much more quickly than Two Towers or Return of The King, and while	AinurOlorin	Jan 4, 1:00am
It moves faster and slower at the same time	imin	Jan 4, 1:09am
Well now. . .	AinurOlorin	Jan 4, 1:24am
I dont know more than one person say they like it more than any of the lotr films	imin	Jan 4, 1:38am
Tell your gf...	hutch	Jan 4, 1:44am
For me nothing beats FOTR	hutch	Jan 4, 1:52am
I have heard it often, and read it even in some reviews. Mainly from	AinurOlorin	Jan 4, 2:12am
I can see those people liking it more for sure	imin	Jan 4, 2:17am
Yeah, I definitely noticed, and it definitely harmed the scene for me.	AinurOlorin	Jan 4, 2:47am
yeah, that's kind of a curse	hutch	Jan 4, 3:20am
Indeed he does	AinurOlorin	Jan 4, 3:31am
My mom's fav scene was the dwarfs belching.	hutch	Jan 4, 2:17am
I read that article earlier	ashonmytomatoes	Jan 3, 8:58pm
Agreed	belfalas	Jan 3, 9:09pm
Critics are Critics	Rostron2	Jan 3, 10:32pm
Here! Here!	redgiraffe	Jan 3, 11:45pm
"Hear, Hear"	JWPlatt	Jan 4, 12:15am
hahahaha	redgiraffe	Jan 4, 1:01am
Every time Avatar gets mentioned on these boards I'm compelled to say something	QuackingTroll	Jan 4, 12:51am
Avatar DNA	Rostron2	Jan 4, 1:20am
I think	redgiraffe	Jan 4, 1:29am
Yeah...	Rostron2	Jan 4, 5:41pm
No.	hutch	Jan 4, 1:49am
Avatar	redgiraffe	Jan 4, 1:22am
It is massively overrated	imin	Jan 4, 1:27am
Underrating and overrating.	AinurOlorin	Jan 4, 1:31am
Most of the criticism seems like personal attacks	hutch	Jan 4, 1:35am
Or you are reading into it what you want?	imin	Jan 4, 1:47am
Nope.	hutch	Jan 4, 1:56am
Fair enough	imin	Jan 4, 2:00am
He got famous.	hutch	Jan 4, 2:06am
That's a big brother/little brother thing	Ataahua	Jan 4, 2:16am
Penal colony vs Pretty country	hutch	Jan 4, 2:19am
There is something similar between England and Australia	imin	Jan 4, 2:28am
As England currently holds The Ashes, I'll give you that. :D /	Ataahua	Jan 4, 2:32am
Kiwis are getting revenge	hutch	Jan 4, 2:36am
ouch.	hutch	Jan 4, 2:33am
King Kong and A Lovely Bones apparently	lyndomiel	Jan 4, 3:14am
Yeah but they were also not very good films	imin	Jan 4, 3:18am
Lovely Bones was good to me.	hutch	Jan 4, 3:22am
Had i not read the book	imin	Jan 4, 3:41am
Never read that book, so I had no expectations...	hutch	Jan 4, 4:14am
I dont think its strange that so many	Elenorflower	Jan 4, 4:41pm
Sheeesh I feel the same way about the Hobbit, had I only just never read the book...	sinister71	Jan 5, 12:16am
I loved Lovely Bones	hutch	Jan 4, 3:21am
yeah i dont get this either	imin	Jan 4, 1:43am
The Avengers was a sleeper hit...	hutch	Jan 4, 1:46am
haha that is exactly what it was! //	imin	Jan 4, 1:49am
hahaha	redgiraffe	Jan 4, 2:00am
I dunno. Feeling playful today for some reason.	hutch	Jan 4, 2:02am
That's interesting	redgiraffe	Jan 4, 1:59am
I think the world gives our Hollywood movies a free pass	hutch	Jan 4, 2:01am
I dont think there is any intentional bias against the hobbit	imin	Jan 4, 2:05am
I loved this film	hutch	Jan 4, 2:13am
tell me about it	redgiraffe	Jan 4, 2:14am
Well i am living in the UK but spent a few years in the US	imin	Jan 4, 2:27am
Odd.	hutch	Jan 4, 2:34am
Oh man... hahaha	redgiraffe	Jan 4, 2:53am
you mean refuse to work at all.	hutch	Jan 4, 3:23am
lol	redgiraffe	Jan 4, 4:00am
Part of his charm is being a kid making films, but it didn't work well for KK	hutch	Jan 4, 4:11am
Oh, our American media is more a monster than The Great Goblin or Azog.	AinurOlorin	Jan 4, 2:58am
I know two threads at once!	imin	Jan 4, 3:05am
I feel the same way	redgiraffe	Jan 4, 1:53am
Agreed on all fronts	redgiraffe	Jan 4, 1:50am
I only enjoyed it in 3D	Kimtc	Jan 4, 5:47am
Beautiful film - boring story	lyndomiel	Jan 4, 2:51am
Yeah Avatar was great	BeornBerserker	Jan 4, 4:31am
It annoys me how stubborn the critics are	QuackingTroll	Jan 4, 12:47am
It annoys me that critics get paid.	hutch	Jan 4, 1:59am
Agree with the heart of the article	Elessar	Jan 4, 6:27am

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