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News from Bree
spymaster@theonering.net
Jan 9 2014, 11:00am
Post #1 of 3
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Blogger Michael Martinez wonders just how much padding there is in PJ's films
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 The latest writing from TORn's friend and regular Tolkien blogger Michael Martinez's considers the content of Peter Jackson's not one, not two but three Hobbit movies. The criticism often made is that Jackson has 'padded' Tolkien's brief story, to create enough content for three films; but what of the content from the book which has in fact been lost? And how many of Jackson's additions could be seen as necessary exposition, required to clarify and render cohesive several somewhat 'glossed over' plot points from The Hobbit (upon which Tolkien himself expanded, in the Appendices to The Lord of the Rings, for example)? Is any of Jackson's content actually gratuitous padding, simply there to spin out a short tale? You can read Martinez's take on all this in his interesting blog, here.
(This post was edited by entmaiden on Jan 10 2014, 12:27am)
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Bishop
Mithlond
Jan 10 2014, 12:21am
Post #2 of 3
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I enjoyed that article, and agree with most of his assessment.
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Michelle Johnston
Mithlond
Jan 11 2014, 2:14pm
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On the central point you are absolutely right, there is a modest amount of padding. What I think you also deal with, though not directly, is the decision after the majority of the movies were filmed to remodel them as 3 films.
There should be three films, I have no doubt about that but the consequences of such a late decision is burnt into the groves of these first two movies.
He has had to do three substantial remodelling exercises and i am bound to say I think it shows.
Azog was brought west to ratchet up the tension and give the first movie a denouement and resolution. If you consider the late Bree scene its clear danger was around them from the start. Gandalf clearly knew there was linkage but they way they dawdled haphazardly toward the Misty Mountains is at odds with that sense of jeopardy Gandalf generates at the PP. From the get go once they left the shire and Bilbo was on board the pace should have been more urgent indeed echoing Radagast in the LOTR he should have warned them outside Bree. They should then have made the dash to Rivendell against an unseen growing menace. it should have been the Trolls done with real menace that finally convinced Thorin to accept Rivendell as refuge and if he doubted the danger Gandalf could have revealed the morgul blade. The loss of the immediate pre Rivendell chase could also have given Peter time to include the high Fells in its original place which would have closed out Radagast in the first movie and led to Gandalf heading straight for DG in the second. This would have saved time and enabled the Thrain story to be included in Movie 2 .Only right at the end should Bolg not Azog have been revealed, there to avenge his fathers death, and taunt Thorin directly with Thrains incarceration. Denouement at the same point but after a more constant sense of jeopardy and much clearer back story.
The second change of course is the barrels was conceived to climax film 2,. hence the huge set piece. If Bolg had been the chieftain of Sauron from the get go just shadowing the company would have been enough at this stage to create jeopardy. Of course L & T would try to restrain the Dwarves but the fight between Bolg and Legolas could have taken place on the rapids after he was discovered observing their departure. Kili could still have been injured by a Morgul Arrow but the whole thing could have been done with more tension and less physical action. Leaving Tauriel to follow Kili and the small scout party and Legolas to lick his wounds.
The finally shuffle is the denouement for film 2. Your solution is so much much better and fits in far better with the song at the end which seems to be about the book outcome rather than the film.
The one thing we can say is there will be no more endings where the anti needs to be moved up or down. Hopefully having kept A & B alive, no 9 yet, or Thrain and Sauron in play the need to complete so many arcs will not detract from a strong finish.
It is easy to see and say with hindsight how the back story and motivation and clarity of story telling could have been better. But in the end the people making these films are professionals and it should have been obvious that it needed three films to tell the story in the mode of the LOTR. They must do some kind of analysis of outcomes before switching on all the lights and putting the actors in makeup.
My Dear Bilbo something is the matter with you! you are not the same hobbit that you were.
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