|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hobbity Hobbit
Lorien
Feb 7 2015, 2:28am
Post #1 of 17
(1156 views)
Shortcut
|
|
CHOW: DOS TE Inside Information
|
Can't Post
|
|
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug-Inside Information
1. How do you feel about Erebor? Was it as massive and great as what you had in mind?
2. As Bilbo is searching through the treasure you can hear something bell-like, how do you feel about this? I thought it really added to the scene showing that Bilbo had to be really quiet, and how empty, but big Erebor was.
3. How did you feel about Smaug’s reveal? I have to say, he doesn’t seem tired, but I’m okay with that. In the Extended Edition it is said that Smaug had been communicating with Sauron, so it would be possible that he was awake. Did you want Smaug to have glowing eyes like the Rankin/Bass version?
4. What do you think about Martin Freeman’s acting? Especially since he was never on set with something that would let him know what the dragon would be like.
5. How did you feel about Smaug’s wings? From what we know the four-legged Smaug looked like a dog, would you have rather see them get around this, or did you like the wyvern-wings better?
6. Smaug makes Bilbo show himself, how do you feel about this? In the book Bilbo stayed hidden for all of the conversation. When Smaug says my precious, Sauron’s eye appears, how do you view this? Do you think it was okay to do that? Do you think it means Sauron knows Bilbo has the one, or it is just Sauron’s power in the one?
7. How did you feel about Smaug’s eyes? In the book his eyes lit up the room, and also in the Rankin/Bass version this happened. Would you think it would be too much like Sauron’s eye in The Return of the King, do you think it would be a good way to relate these two villains?
8. This is the second time we see the Arkenstone, was it as great as you’d expect? It wasn’t mentioned as much in the book. Do you think it has a possibility of being a Simaril, and would you like it if it was?
9. Did you like Smaug’s set up to go to Laketown, where Bilbo Baggins says “barrel riders?”
10. The end of this scene, ends with an earthquake, do you think this was a good way to show others that there is a dragon? Do you think this is how Thranduil finds out about the dragon as it doesn’t specify in BotFA?
"As the snowflakes cover my fallen brothers,
I will say this last goodbye."-from "The Last Goodbye"
"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above gold, the world would be a merrier place."-BotFA/The Hobbit
(This post was edited by Hobbity Hobbit on Feb 7 2015, 2:40am)
|
|
|
Hobbity Hobbit
Lorien
Feb 7 2015, 2:45am
Post #2 of 17
(817 views)
Shortcut
|
I ran out of time to post pictures, but I hope you enjoy it. Here's some pictures, sorry, I probably should have looked this up awhile ago, next time! I promise you.
"As the snowflakes cover my fallen brothers,
I will say this last goodbye."-from "The Last Goodbye"
"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above gold, the world would be a merrier place."-BotFA/The Hobbit
|
|
|
Bladerunner
Gondor
Feb 7 2015, 3:12am
Post #3 of 17
(779 views)
Shortcut
|
1. How do you feel about Erebor? Was it as massive and great as what you had in mind?
I enjoyed this scene. Erebor was well realized.
2. As Bilbo is searching through the treasure you can hear something bell-like, how do you feel about this? I thought it really added to the scene showing that Bilbo had to be really quiet, and how empty, but big Erebor was.
I loved the bell sound effect.
It was eerie yet soothing, melodious yet tensely terrifying, noisy yet calming, and evoked distant memories and desolate places.
This was my favorite moment of the scene and one of my favorite moments of the film.
3. How did you feel about Smaug’s reveal? I have to say, he doesn’t seem tired, but I’m okay with that. In the Extended Edition it is said that Smaug had been communicating with Sauron, so it would be possible that he was awake. Did you want Smaug to have glowing eyes like the Rankin/Bass version?
The reveal was magnificent. The way the eye reacted before the reveal was amazing. It reminded me of the marbles I collected as a kid.
6. Smaug makes Bilbo show himself, how do you feel about this? In the book Bilbo stayed hidden for all of the conversation. When Smaug says my precious, Sauron’s eye appears, how do you view this? Do you think it was okay to do that? Do you think it means Sauron knows Bilbo has the one, or it is just Sauron’s power in the one?
I was surprised when Bilbo removed the ring.
I felt Smaug didn't need to see him, since he could already hear, smell and feel him, so would have preferred if Bilbo had remained invisible.
I also didn't like the teasing with Smaug nearly putting on the ring by accident.
|
|
|
arithmancer
Grey Havens
Feb 7 2015, 3:51am
Post #4 of 17
(768 views)
Shortcut
|
1. How do you feel about Erebor? Was it as massive and great as what you had in mind?
Yes, I loved Erebor. Though my favorite scenes of it were in AUJ, when we got to see it inhabited.
2. As Bilbo is searching through the treasure you can hear something bell-like, how do you feel about this? I thought it really added to the scene showing that Bilbo had to be really quiet, and how empty, but big Erebor was.
I thought the music in this section was very appropriate, yes. Though my favorite sounds here were the crunch of gold coins under Bilbo's feet. It seemed quite impossible for him to walk quietly as a hobbit would prefer under those circumstances.
3. How did you feel about Smaug’s reveal? The whole business with Smaug's head being on one side of the room, and his tail far on the other side, was excellent. This was a change I really enjoyed. It added suspense and was an effective way to show Smaug's huge size.
I did not give any thought to the glowing, or lack thereof, of his eyes. It's not a detail to which I am attached, in either the book or animated film (which I did see as a child).
4. What do you think about Martin Freeman’s acting?
I found his entrance and slow discovery of Smaug to be mildy humorous but not in a way that pulled me out of the story. It was endearing, especially details like throwing away the large white stone and then saying "shush" to the treasure when it landed with a clatter, or the moment Bilbo is realizing the twin disturbances he is seeing on either side of the room are two moving body parts of one dragon.
Later in the scene I thought he did a really excellent job of portraying Bilbo trying to distract Smaug while focusing on the finding of the Arkenstone.
5. How did you feel about Smaug’s wings? From what we know the four-legged Smaug looked like a dog, would you have rather see them get around this, or did you like the wyvern-wings better?
I prefer four limbs as in the film, yes, certainly compared to a design that is "dog like" with four walking legs of relatively similar lengths plus wings.
6. Smaug makes Bilbo show himself, how do you feel about this? In the book Bilbo stayed hidden for all of the conversation. When Smaug says my precious, Sauron’s eye appears, how do you view this? Do you think it was okay to do that? Do you think it means Sauron knows Bilbo has the one, or it is just Sauron’s power in the one?
I did not take this moment to indicate Sauron is aware Bilbo has the One Ring. I think I took it to be a reaction of the One Ring itself to being recognized as an item of power by Smaug. I also did not take this to mean Smaug "made" (forced) Bilbo to show himself, but rather that the Ring's reaction induced Bilbo to remove the ring. DoS develops the idea that Bilbo is not entirely comfortable with the ring and avoids wearing it. I could see him taking it off in response to it doing something unexpected and frightening.
8. This is the second time we see the Arkenstone, was it as great as you’d expect? It wasn’t mentioned as much in the book. Do you think it has a possibility of being a Simaril, and would you like it if it was?
The Arkenstone was not as I had imagined it. At about the same age as when I first read "The Hobbit" i visited the Fields Museum of Natural History in Chicago and saw the Chalmers Topaz. My mental image of the Arkenstone was influenced by this, I pictued something of very much the same size, clarity, brilliance, and multifacetedness, only more round:
http://www.phapvan.ca/...ctures/kimcuong1.jpg
9. Did you like Smaug’s set up to go to Laketown, where Bilbo Baggins says “barrel riders?”
It works in the book and in the film, in my opinion.
10. The end of this scene, ends with an earthquake, do you think this was a good way to show others that there is a dragon?
Was there an earthquake? I thought it was just the dragon, so I would have assumed Thranduil was too far away to know of it. Could he have learned of the dragon (and its demise) from the messenger he sent to Laketown after Legolas?
Thanks for the questions!
|
|
|
Glorfindela
Valinor
Feb 7 2015, 12:37pm
Post #5 of 17
(674 views)
Shortcut
|
1. How do you feel about Erebor? Was it as massive and great as what you had in mind?
•It was better than I imagined – beautifully done.
2. As Bilbo is searching through the treasure you can hear something bell-like, how do you feel about this? I thought it really added to the scene showing that Bilbo had to be really quiet, and how empty, but big Erebor was.
• I didn't notice a bell.
3. How did you feel about Smaug’s reveal? I have to say, he doesn’t seem tired, but I’m okay with that. In the Extended Edition it is said that Smaug had been communicating with Sauron, so it would be possible that he was awake. Did you want Smaug to have glowing eyes like the Rankin/Bass version?
• I think it is fantastic, and I'm not sure why a dragon should feel tired. I wouldn't have wanted Smaug to have glowing eyes at all.
4. What do you think about Martin Freeman’s acting? Especially since he was never on set with something that would let him know what the dragon would be like.
• Brilliant.
5. How did you feel about Smaug’s wings? From what we know the four-legged Smaug looked like a dog, would you have rather see them get around this, or did you like the wyvern-wings better?
• I liked the wings as they were shown in the film.
6. Smaug makes Bilbo show himself, how do you feel about this? In the book Bilbo stayed hidden for all of the conversation. When Smaug says my precious, Sauron’s eye appears, how do you view this? Do you think it was okay to do that? Do you think it means Sauron knows Bilbo has the one, or it is just Sauron’s power in the one?
• I think it's fine that Smaug makes Bilbo show himself. I don't know whether Smaug knows that Bilbo has a ring, or whether he is just saying this because he senses that Bilbo is unusual in some way, which makes him refer to 'precious'.
7. How did you feel about Smaug’s eyes? In the book his eyes lit up the room, and also in the Rankin/Bass version this happened. Would you think it would be too much like Sauron’s eye in The Return of the King, do you think it would be a good way to relate these two villains?
• I wouldn't have liked it if Smaug's eyes had lit up. It would have been distracting and unnecessary.
8. This is the second time we see the Arkenstone, was it as great as you’d expect? It wasn’t mentioned as much in the book. Do you think it has a possibility of being a Simaril, and would you like it if it was?
Arkenstone is fine, and I don't know if it was a Simaril. It seems to me that it was something different from one of those.
9. Did you like Smaug’s set up to go to Laketown, where Bilbo Baggins says “barrel riders?”
• Yes.
10. The end of this scene, ends with an earthquake, do you think this was a good way to show others that there is a dragon? Do you think this is how Thranduil finds out about the dragon as it doesn’t specify in BotFA?
• I didn't notice an earthquake.
|
|
|
Glorfindela
Valinor
Feb 7 2015, 4:02pm
Post #7 of 17
(635 views)
Shortcut
|
I shall look out for the bells – didn't realise they were part of the music.
I certainly noticed the other bells in the films, and thought brilliant use was made of them.
• I didn't notice a bell. On the EE documentaries Howard Shore discusses that he used gamelan instruments to give an Asian influence to the music in this section of the film. I think this is what Hobbity Hobbit is referring to, the gamelan instruments are mostly percussion instruments that make tinkly sounds like small bells might make.The sounds are not loud and tolling bell sounds, they are fairly quiet. http://en.wikipedia.org/.../Gamelan#Instruments has some photos of these instruments, if you are curious. |
|
|
Hobbity Hobbit
Lorien
Feb 7 2015, 5:14pm
Post #8 of 17
(629 views)
Shortcut
|
By earthquake I meant, when Smaug pushes the pillar down, so the earth well shakes around Erebor.
"As the snowflakes cover my fallen brothers,
I will say this last goodbye."-from "The Last Goodbye"
"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above gold, the world would be a merrier place."-BotFA/The Hobbit
|
|
|
Kim
Valinor
Feb 7 2015, 7:17pm
Post #9 of 17
(621 views)
Shortcut
|
1. How do you feel about Erebor? Was it as massive and great as what you had in mind?
It was actually a lot bigger than I’d imagined. When Bilbo pauses at the top of stairs and we first see all the gold, it’s almost too much to take in at once. Although we’d seen a little of the interior in the AUJ prologue, I still kind of had a picture in my head from the book of just a large cavern, so it was cool to see the carved columns, walkways and stairs that made it look more like a city.
2. As Bilbo is searching through the treasure you can hear something bell-like, how do you feel about this? I thought it really added to the scene showing that Bilbo had to be really quiet, and how empty, but big Erebor was.
Those initial scenes were very effective at showing us all of the varied wealth that the mountain contained, and yes, the silence and then the eerie sound effects added an atmosphere of a huge echoing space. Felt a bit “other.” Loved the bit where he considered the large white stone (a diamond?), then tossed it away. And then his realization of just how big a job he had.
3. How did you feel about Smaug’s reveal? I have to say, he doesn’t seem tired, but I’m okay with that. In the Extended Edition it is said that Smaug had been communicating with Sauron, so it would be possible that he was awake. Did you want Smaug to have glowing eyes like the Rankin/Bass version?
That was very cool, first the reveal of the eye as Bilbo picked up the cup, then as we and Bilbo got to see just how big Smaug was when his tail started moving. Again, I liked Bilbo’s little move trying to get a handle on just how big the dragon was. Guess Smaug doesn’t need any coffee to wake himself up. Maybe the presence of someone in his home got his adrenaline going. And we don’t necessarily know how long he’s been asleep. I’m certainly glad that he didn’t look like the cat-dragon from the RB version, although he did have a subtle eye glow (the spotlight would have been too much). I was actually really surprised when Smaug’s head was revealed in the trailer, so I was expecting that in the movie. And then when we got the full reveal with Smaug’s line of “and do you now?” that was pretty impressive.
4. What do you think about Martin Freeman’s acting? Especially since he was never on set with something that would let him know what the dragon would be like.
It was great, I’ve already mentioned a few little favorite moments above. I’d say the only thing that kind of bothered me was the amount of noise he made as was searching around before Smaug woke up – I thought he’d be a little sneakier. And maybe a little more scared once he did encounter Smaug. But overall, pretty great job acting against something that wasn’t there.
5. How did you feel about Smaug’s wings? From what we know the four-legged Smaug looked like a dog, would you have rather see them get around this, or did you like the wyvern-wings better?
I don’t really have a strong opinion either way regarding the 2 legs or 4, so thought his wings were just fine. I liked how his hands looked as he was crawling around. Overall, I was very impressed with his design and CGI – he absolutely looked like a huge talking dragon, and felt completely real to me. And seeing his head close up in 3D IMAX HFR felt like he was about to eat you up!
6. Smaug makes Bilbo show himself, how do you feel about this? In the book Bilbo stayed hidden for all of the conversation. When Smaug says my precious, Sauron’s eye appears, how do you view this? Do you think it was okay to do that? Do you think it means Sauron knows Bilbo has the one, or it is just Sauron’s power in the one?
I was a little surprised by the early reveal, plus the fact that Smaug seemed to somehow know about the Ring and used the term Precious. I think the flash of Sauron’s eye was more just a visual that the Ring was connected to Sauron, but not necessarily to Smaug. I can understand the difficulties there would be in having the entire scene in the “ring world” view, so I was ok that it came off at some point, but maybe not quite so soon.
7. How did you feel about Smaug’s eyes? In the book his eyes lit up the room, and also in the Rankin/Bass version this happened. Would you think it would be too much like Sauron’s eye in The Return of the King, do you think it would be a good way to relate these two villains?
I was actually fine with how it was portrayed, it felt very natural as opposed to being more obvious. And I wouldn’t have wanted it to look like the eye of Sauron, that would have been too much in my opinion. One other tidbit I really like is the design of Smaug’s pupil – there’s a bit the EE appendices about how John Howe designed its unusual shape. It’s not really obvious, but once you know to look for it, it’s a cool little detail.
8. This is the second time we see the Arkenstone, was it as great as you’d expect? It wasn’t mentioned as much in the book. Do you think it has a possibility of being a Simaril, and would you like it if it was?
It looked just as it did in the AUJ prologue, so of course I recognized it right away. Since Thorin and Balin had just been talking about it before Bilbo entered the mountain, not to mention the DOS prologue where Thorin and Gandalf underlined it’s importance, I felt like we were pretty well set up to grasp its significance. I haven’t read the Silmarillion, so I have no concept of a Silmaril and what that means. I just took it at face value as the jewel they found in the mountain that had been designated as the King’s jewel that gave him the right to rule Erebor, and therefore Thorin needed it in order to take his place as King Under the Mountain when he returns to Erebor.
9. Did you like Smaug’s set up to go to Laketown, where Bilbo Baggins says “barrel riders?”
Yes, that was a key trigger in the book, and it fit right in to the conversation based on what we’d seen of Bilbo’s adventure to date.
10. The end of this scene, ends with an earthquake, do you think this was a good way to show others that there is a dragon? Do you think this is how Thranduil finds out about the dragon as it doesn’t specify in BotFA?
One thing that kind of got me in this part as well as later on is that Smaug didn’t really seemed too concerned about destroying his home. So it was a little surprising to see him so carelessly destroying a huge pillar that could have caused more damage. But it was a pretty effective way to get the dwarves attention. I don’t think that’s how Thranduil finds out about the dragon, my personal theory is that it was something more like a messenger bird.
Thorin’s hair: there’s still a small breeze ruffling his wavy midnight hair, but still looks as perfectly coiffed as ever.
Thanks for leading this week’s discussion Hobbity Hobbit!
#OneLastTime
|
|
|
Riven Delve
Tol Eressea
Feb 7 2015, 8:50pm
Post #10 of 17
(607 views)
Shortcut
|
1. How do you feel about Erebor? Was it as massive and great as what you had in mind?
I feel Erebor is lovely--although there's not enough sunlight for me.  It really seemed like a city--which makes sense if it's actually carved out of a whole mountain! I love how the Dwarves, though small in stature, didn't seem to think their architecture needed to match. Erebor and Moria are full of soaring heights!
2. As Bilbo is searching through the treasure you can hear something bell-like, how do you feel about this? I thought it really added to the scene showing that Bilbo had to be really quiet, and how empty, but big Erebor was.
Yes, I like the score there--I had never heard the names of the bells and cymbals used in that music, but it feels very exotic and evokes the East for me, where dragons might be said to abide.
3. How did you feel about Smaug’s reveal? I have to say, he doesn’t seem tired, but I’m okay with that. In the Extended Edition it is said that Smaug had been communicating with Sauron, so it would be possible that he was awake. Did you want Smaug to have glowing eyes like the Rankin/Bass version?
I love how Smaug slowly, slowly rises up out of the gold, and the "Do you now" gave me chills. I enjoyed seeing Bilbo react to Smaug's sheer enormity too. Yes, of course Smaug was awake! We saw his eye open at the end of AU so he had clearly been hitting the snooze button for at least a year, between December 2012 and 2013.  No, I don't need anything from the Rankin-Bass version. 
4. What do you think about Martin Freeman’s acting? Especially since he was never on set with something that would let him know what the dragon would be like.
I enjoyed his little quirks while "shushing" the gold. I enjoyed his terror when Smaug first appeared and was aware of him even with the Ring on. Good actors must have good imaginations so I would hope he could react to whatever voicing he was given at the time.
5. How did you feel about Smaug’s wings? From what we know the four-legged Smaug looked like a dog, would you have rather see them get around this, or did you like the wyvern-wings better?
Smaug doesn't seem to have those big crocodile legs he had in the AUJ prologue when he first breaks into Erebor and squashes a great many Dwarves--but I don't think it's a bad thing to have "improved" him into the elegant creature he is in DOS. Besides, personality is so much more important than looks, right? 
6. Smaug makes Bilbo show himself, how do you feel about this? In the book Bilbo stayed hidden for all of the conversation. When Smaug says my precious, Sauron’s eye appears, how do you view this? Do you think it was okay to do that? Do you think it means Sauron knows Bilbo has the one, or it is just Sauron’s power in the one?
Hmm, I don't think Smaug forced Bilbo to show himself. I think Bilbo took off the Ring because of his suspicion about the Ring's affect on him, in conjunction with his knowledge of what "Precious" meant to Gollum. Maybe there was some kind of evil "resonance" or something there too. I think Sauron's eye appearing is a visual cue to the audience (and possibly Bilbo too) that there is Something Up with the Ring (Psst! It's Sauron's Ring!! A tad heavy handed, but effective.) I do not think Smaug knew Bilbo had the One Ring at all. I'm not sure Smaug even realized or cared that there was a ring except that he could sense some magical thing either physically or from his mystical/psychological dragon powers and that it was causing Bilbo to be invisible.
7. How did you feel about Smaug’s eyes? In the book his eyes lit up the room, and also in the Rankin/Bass version this happened. Would you think it would be too much like Sauron’s eye in The Return of the King, do you think it would be a good way to relate these two villains?
I think the spotlight thing would have been weird visually. Smaug's eyes were glowy enough for me as it was. I think we had plenty of reminders that we should be connecting dots to LOTR--no more needed.
8. This is the second time we see the Arkenstone, was it as great as you’d expect? It wasn’t mentioned as much in the book. Do you think it has a possibility of being a Simaril, and would you like it if it was?
It was visually interesting, but no, I don't think it was a Silmaril--just a distant cousin from another branch of the family. I would not like it to be a Silmaril, because then I'd have to come up with a viable theory of which one it was and how it came to turn up in Erebor a couple ages later. 
9. Did you like Smaug’s set up to go to Laketown, where Bilbo Baggins says “barrel riders?”
Actually, I don't understand why Smaug connects Laketown with Dwarves. One of the elderly Laketowners implies there haven't been Dwarves in those parts for ages, so I'd guess not since Erebor was lost. Smaug could be guessing an expedition to reclaim the mountain would have to be resupplied in Laketown...or maybe if he'd been in contact with emissaries from Sauron/Azog, he might have heard the Dwarves were coming his way. But obviously Smaug knows that the Laketowners trade with the Mirkwood Elves...hmm. Maybe he's just a mind-reader. 
10. The end of this scene, ends with an earthquake, do you think this was a good way to show others that there is a dragon? Do you think this is how Thranduil finds out about the dragon as it doesn’t specify in BotFA?
"Was that an earthquake?"
"That, my lad, was a dragon."
Smaug doesn't seem to worried that any of those pillars might be essential support pillars, does he? This is why we must always keep our tempers and think about the results of our actions. An entire mountain could come down on top of us and our gold, and where would we be then?
As for how Thranduil finds out...didn't the horn-blowing Elf find Legolas after the dragon was dead and go back to tell Thranduil Legolas wasn't coming back? Or was Thranduil already on the move?
Thanks for taking on this CHOW, Hobbity Hobbit!
“Tollers,” Lewis said to Tolkien, “there is too little of what we really like in stories. I am afraid we shall have to try and write some ourselves.”
|
|
|
Noria
Gondor
Feb 7 2015, 9:30pm
Post #11 of 17
(594 views)
Shortcut
|
The Smaug scenes are some of my favourites in this movie and I have very little complaint about anything in them. I love everything about Smaug. IMO the performances were marvelous, the CGI and set dressing wonderful and the execution excellent.
1. How do you feel about Erebor? Was it as massive and great as what you had in mind?
-I had conceived of Erebor as more like Moria before AUJ but I love the massive architecture, the vistas through the huge open spaces, the silence, the greenish colour and the desolation of the dragon haunted city.
2. As Bilbo is searching through the treasure you can hear something bell-like, how do you feel about this? I thought it really added to the scene showing that Bilbo had to be really quiet, and how empty, but big Erebor was.
-This is one of my favourite parts of the DOS score. For me the use of the metallic sounds of the gamelan evokes the hoard of hard metal things and the hard-scaled dragon himself as well the way every little sound is magnified in the silence and echoes through Erebor. The music is beautiful and eerie at the same time.
3. How did you feel about Smaug’s reveal? I have to say, he doesn’t seem tired, but I’m okay with that. In the Extended Edition it is said that Smaug had been communicating with Sauron, so it would be possible that he was awake. Did you want Smaug to have glowing eyes like the Rankin/Bass version?
-Smaug’s reveal is fine, IMO. I love the little nod to the book when Bilbo picks up the cup which starts the little avalanche of coins that leads to the revelation and rousing of Smaug. The reveal of his eye and then of his enormity are both funny and frightening even before he lifts his head out of the hoard.
-As for Sauron, Smaug could have had any number of messengers from the Necromancer and then simply gone back to sleep afterwards
-IIRC, I didn't like anything about the Rankin-Bass version of The Hobbit and I don’t miss any glowing eyes.
4. What do you think about Martin Freeman’s acting? Especially since he was never on set with something that would let him know what the dragon would be like.
-Martin Freeman is really on his game here from the moment he enters the treasure chamber:
that hesitant knock, then the nervous cockiness of the “nobody home”, the shushing of the sliding coins, and that is even before we get to his interaction with Smaug. Bilbo’s horror as Smaug opens his eyes, his expression as he struggles to grasp how very large Smaug is, the Hobbity hiding in plain sight, the panicked flight through the gold are all great. Then there is the nervousness in his voice as he addresses Smaug and uses his fractured wits to try to keep the dragon engaged and talking and not flaming. The physical comedy, the vocal acting, the expressiveness are all really good. I
5. How did you feel about Smaug’s wings? From what we know the four-legged Smaug looked like a dog, would you have rather see them get around this, or did you like the wyvern-wings better?
-When I first saw the glimpses of Smaug assaulting Erebor in AUJ, I though he looked stumpy and heavy, kind of like an alligator with wings. I was OK with it though. But I prefer the more streamlined, graceful wyvern look of DOS. As for the wings, I like the way he uses his forelimbs kind of like hands to grasp things and to move around.
6. Smaug makes Bilbo show himself, how do you feel about this? In the book Bilbo stayed hidden for all of the conversation. When Smaug says my precious, Sauron’s eye appears, how do you view this? Do you think it was okay to do that? Do you think it means Sauron knows Bilbo has the one, or it is just Sauron’s power in the one?
-There was no way that the makers of these movie were going to spend all that effort to create this dragon and then have the audience only see him through the veil of the Ringworld for long periods of time. I wouldn’t have liked that myself. The film makers both solved that problem and added to the mystique and power of Smaug when they had him compel Bilbo to remove the Ring.
-I don’t think that Smaug knew what the intruder carried, but he sensed something powerful, evil and above all golden. It seemed to me that it was the dragon’s own psychic power that resonated somehow with the Ring, enabling Smaug to sense it and cause it to reveal itself. To me the flash of Sauron’s eye was just an artifact of the Ring and nothing to do with Sauron himself.
7. How did you feel about Smaug’s eyes? In the book his eyes lit up the room, and also in the Rankin/Bass version this happened. Would you think it would be too much like Sauron’s eye in The Return of the King, do you think it would be a good way to relate these two villains?
-I like Smaug’s huge golden eyes in the movie and since there is plenty of ambient light in the chamber, the glowing is not needed. I don’t see any necessity to further link Sauron and Smaug by their eyes. They are not related to my knowledge.
8. This is the second time we see the Arkenstone, was it as great as you’d expect? It wasn’t mentioned as much in the book. Do you think it has a possibility of being a Simaril, and would you like it if it was?
-I was surprised at the radiance of the Arkenstone, but Balin did tell Bilbo that there was only one Arkenstone and that he’d know when he saw it. He was right. It works for me.
-No I don’t think the Arkenstone is a Silmaril, not at all. I think when Tolkien was creating the Hobbit, he used several concepts from his greater mythology but didn’t give them the same meaning. There are similarities between Thranduil and Thingol but I don’t think they are the same person either. Besides, the fate of each Silmaril is known.
9. Did you like Smaug’s set up to go to Laketown, where Bilbo Baggins says “barrel riders?”
-It works in the movie but just barely, though it’s quite similar to the book in which Bilbo finds it hard to avoid saying too much and gives too much away. It seemed to me that movie Smaug seized upon one of the few of Bilbo’s remarks that made sense to him in both book and movie and it worked for me.
10. The end of this scene, ends with an earthquake, do you think this was a good way to show others that there is a dragon? Do you think this is how Thranduil finds out about the dragon as it doesn’t specify in BotFA?
-I think that the tremour isn’t actually an earthquake but a dragonquake, just the vibration and noise of Smaug knocking down pillars and such as he plunges around the treasure chamber. It alerted the Dwarves and the people of Laketown, but probably not Thranduil. Despite his words about sealing the kingdom, the Elvenking likely had scouts and spies out there in the world and found out about Smaug that way.
Thanks, Hobbit Hobbit.
|
|
|
Spriggan
Tol Eressea
Feb 7 2015, 10:50pm
Post #12 of 17
(584 views)
Shortcut
|
|
Maybe he's just a mind reader ....
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
It's interesting that in the book, whilst not a mind reader, there is a suggestion that Smaug has some preternatural perception ( for example he dreams of a warrior of insignificant size but with a bitter sword and great courage as Bilbo, unseen, encounters him for the first time).
|
|
|
Riven Delve
Tol Eressea
Feb 7 2015, 10:59pm
Post #13 of 17
(579 views)
Shortcut
|
|
Yes, there are definitely hints of that
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
And after reading of Glaurung's masterful manipulations, it's impossible for me not to suspect Smaug could have similar mental powers.
“Tollers,” Lewis said to Tolkien, “there is too little of what we really like in stories. I am afraid we shall have to try and write some ourselves.”
|
|
|
Riven Delve
Tol Eressea
Feb 8 2015, 6:21pm
Post #15 of 17
(537 views)
Shortcut
|
|
I see what you mean, arithmancer
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
I rewatched that scene, and the part in which Smaug mentions smelling Dwarves comes after the bit when Smaug takes a huge sniff of Bilbo, and all the audience can see is his snout. It is separated by a fair amount of dialogue in between:
Bilbo: I am...luck wearer, riddle maker.
Smaug: Lovely titles. Go on.
Bilbo: Barrel rider.
Smaug: Barrels? Now that is interesting. And what about your little dwarf friends? Where are they hiding?
Bilbo: Dw...dwarves? No. No, no. No dwarves here. You've got that all wrong.
Smaug: Oh, I don't think so, barrel rider. They sent you in here to do their dirty work while they skulk about outside.
Bilbo: Truly, you are mistaken, oh Smaug, chiefest and greatest of calamities.
Smaug: You have nice manners for a thief and a liar. I know the smell and taste of Dwarf. No one better. It is the gold, they are drawn to treasure like flies to dead flesh.
But it does seem that that sniff Smaug took is what clues him in to the scent of Dwarf--it must have rubbed off on Bilbo somehow. (I really can't imagine that even Smaug could smell the actual Dwarves outside the mountain.) I must have been distracted wondering whether Bilbo was going to get sucked into one of Smaug's nostrils.
“Tollers,” Lewis said to Tolkien, “there is too little of what we really like in stories. I am afraid we shall have to try and write some ourselves.”
|
|
|
arithmancer
Grey Havens
Feb 8 2015, 8:00pm
Post #16 of 17
(533 views)
Shortcut
|
I have never noticed the sniffing (that is, one specific moment when it seems Smaug is intently trying to smell Bilbo). Must look for it next time I view DoS.
Actually, relating specifically to Dwarves, Smaug also later mentions that he has been expecting a return of Thorin Oakenshield to the Mountain. This might be an idea he received from an implied contact with Sauron or a messenger of his.
|
|
|
|
|
