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The One Ring Forums: Tolkien Topics: Movie Discussion: The Hobbit:
Dragon sickness + Bilbo's story in the hobbit= Brilliance!!! (spoilers)

hms_ocean
Rivendell

Dec 15 2014, 11:15pm

Post #1 of 7 (572 views)
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Dragon sickness + Bilbo's story in the hobbit= Brilliance!!! (spoilers) Can't Post

Before I go into detail I would like to say I have seen BOTFA now two times (once in 2D and 3D) and thought although there are some things I don't like about it (some developed scenes are just missing for me and love to see some more army shots leading up to the battles, especially the orcs as we saw in the trailer), I loved the film in general and it had lots of scenes I was really surprised by in a good way, especially the lead up to the battle and Dol Goldur. Billy Connolly as Dain was very funny and gave a new perspective to a Middle-Earth Character (some of them can be so wooden and predictable).

One of the main things I loved about this film though is the way Thorins dragon sickness was handled.
I thought it was really well done by the key words used by characters talking to him like Honor, Loyalty ect that made him question all the time what he was doing.
The highlight for me though was the fact that always in the back ground whether it be in the music or script of these scenes, was Smaug. If people noticed that Thorin's voice even changed to sound like him (im not sure if they even sort of dubbed Benidicts voice over it??) and he even started to say the same things. This meant although Smaug died early on as the main villain, his character lasted much longer.
This for me summed up who Smaug actually is to the moral of the story of The Hobbit perfectly. Although Smaug does have his own motives and personality, the real reason for him being there is that a sickness of desire and greed was brought about the gold ect and he was a cause and effect of that. ie. where darkness lies, it invites evil (as Bilbo mentions in the start of AUJ) This is sort of interesting to me as it makes Smaug not so much as a Character of himself but a moral of the story as if the only reason he came for that treasure was because their evilness lured him there. This is something we can all take to think about with our own lives, if we do or strive for bad things we will invite evil into our lives. I really liked the feeling of dread this feeling created for the character of Thorin and once he was free of it, brought us back to the loyal and devoted man Thorin really is.

The other story that developed for me out of BOT5A was who Bilbo really is and I really felt for him as a character. I was watching the end of the movie when Bilbo says that Thorin was his friend that Bilbo is in fact a very lonely sort of person. He doesn't really have anyone in his life nor it seems anyone who he can really call a friend and instead dreams about things off in far places (especially when he was a child). This is why he decides to take part in this journey and ultimately understands why it's good to help them reclaim their land. As he tells Thorin about the acorn he will plant back in the Shire, I will remember all the things that happened, Good or Bad. This implies that it doesn't really matter what hardships or good things that I have been through with these people, as long as they are there to be with and I think we can all in some way relate to that.

Just some interesting things I noticed whilst watching this film. What are your thoughts??


Roheryn
Tol Eressea

Dec 15 2014, 11:28pm

Post #2 of 7 (308 views)
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Lovely post. [In reply to] Can't Post

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I agree completely about Thorin and the dragon-sickness. Smaug really is a personification (dragonification?) of the lust and greed that a love for gold trigger, and as that lust and greed take hold of Thorin, he becomes in some sense more like Smaug. I thought the trick of making him speak with what was nearly Smaug's voice was a nice touch.

I also really loved how Richard Armitage manages to show that there are still glimmers of the "good" Thorin flickering beneath the Thorin consumed by dragon-sickness. You can see him briefly wrestling with the conflicting sides of himself on a few occasions, and the "good" Thorin shines through beautifully for those moments when he's speaking with Bilbo about the acorn. I really think RA has delivered a masterful performance here, and although I realize it's pretty unlikely, it sure would be neat to see him nominated for an Oscar.

Nice observation about Bilbo being lonely. That makes the loss of Thorin that much more poignant.


Orc Berserker
Bree


Dec 16 2014, 12:26am

Post #3 of 7 (254 views)
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Agree with everything you said! [In reply to] Can't Post

I too though Thorin's dragon sickness was handled masterfully. It was everything I hoped for and more.

The blending of Thorin and Smaug's voice when he said "I will not part with a single coin, NOT. ONE. PIECE." was a genius idea. Very effective.

I also liked that even though he was obviously losing his mind, you could still see the logic behind some of his reasoning. Like when he is talking to Bard through the wall, and basically says that he was forced to make those promises to share the treasure with Laketown because the alternative was imprisonment! From his perspective you could understand how everyone who isn't a dwarf is an enemy.

One of the most moving moments for me was the scene between Thorin and Dwalin in the throne room. Dwalin trying to reason with his old friend... And Thorin's final words to him. "Leave, now. Before I kill you." Thorin's face and Dwalin's reaction to that was just heartbreaking. Gut wrenching stuff, even for this heartless Orc Tongue

The use of Thorin's Dragon sickness was the perfect build-up to the Battle, and Thorin's tragic redemption.


Orc Berserker
Bree


Dec 16 2014, 12:29am

Post #4 of 7 (245 views)
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"Dragonification" [In reply to] Can't Post

Love this!


DisDwarfWoman
Rivendell

Dec 16 2014, 3:35am

Post #5 of 7 (192 views)
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Agree, and... [In reply to] Can't Post

I loved the scene with Dwalin, and the one a bit earlier with him and Balin. Best way to show the dragon sicknesses effects since they are closest to Thorin (def heartbreaking).

I was a bit surprised that the wording of Dwalin's lines weren't the same as the trailer, anyone else notice that?

ps. Love dragonification Roheryn!


tsmith675
Gondor


Dec 16 2014, 4:13am

Post #6 of 7 (213 views)
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I wasn't crazy about... (Spoilers) [In reply to] Can't Post

That scene with Thorin on the solidified gold. Where he imagines himself swallowed up by the gold. It felt weird. Something was off in that scene and I can't put my finger on it. But everything else with Thorin's sickness I loved. I thought he portrayed it beautifully. And his "crazy" scenes were so intense.


Dipling
Lorien

Dec 16 2014, 6:06am

Post #7 of 7 (159 views)
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2D or 3D [In reply to] Can't Post

What format did you like better? 2D or 3D?

 
 

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