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The One Ring Forums: Tolkien Topics: Movie Discussion: The Hobbit:
AUJ is my favourite

jf300
The Shire

Jul 7 2015, 1:36pm

Post #1 of 22 (2598 views)
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AUJ is my favourite Can't Post

Now that all 3 films have been released (apart from BOFA's Extended Edition), I can confidently say that An Unexpected Journey is my favourite.

It's the only one of the three films that captures the magic and sense of adventure that permeated the first trilogy.

Don't get me wrong, I like DOS and BOFA but so many aspects of them fall short of amazing, unlike AUJ, which I would rate higher that TTT but lower than FOTR and ROTK.


adu
Bree

Jul 7 2015, 2:28pm

Post #2 of 22 (2461 views)
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I agree... [In reply to] Can't Post

I loved the whole build-up,the Shire scenes were fantastic (critics hated that segment) and the film had a nice flow once they get going on the adventure. Also the Gollum sequence is among my favorites in the trilogy...magnificent film-making. I cant wait to watch all the extended editions back-to-back.


(This post was edited by adu on Jul 7 2015, 2:34pm)


Avandel
Half-elven


Jul 7 2015, 2:51pm

Post #3 of 22 (2452 views)
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Well, after re-watching all three Hobbit films over the weekend... [In reply to] Can't Post


Quote
It's the only one of the three films that captures the magic and sense of adventure that permeated the first trilogy.


Hmm, I like all the Hobbit films more than LOTR, but it's kind of complicated for me personally to generalize, in that for me LOTR - especially FOTR and TTT have some stunning, haunting, moments.

I particularly like AUJ and DOS as:

Quote
captures the magic and sense of adventure that permeated the first trilogy.



tho I would beg to disagree that DOS does not capture the magic and sense of adventure - for me I describe that as a sense of whimsy and charm and magicHeart tho DOS does get darker - still, there is the magic of Mirkwood, the IMO amazing Mirkwood elven culture, Laketown, the magnificence of Erebor, seeing THE dragon of literature brought so wonderfully to life.Heart

Mostly I was thinking while watching all three Hobbit films - not even in order - was that if I REALLY think about all the work that went into the films re the WETA books, it's almost too much to comprehend, and honestly how lucky we all are for these.HeartTongue

I mean I was watching AUJ last night and really enjoying the warg chase and admiring the lovely female sculptures that adorn the Council chamber and the stone giant scene and the Goblin King and I always get lost watching how beautifully Thorin is lifted from the rock and laid down again on the carrock and the eagles and that whole end scene...HeartHeartHeart

There are scenes in BOFA I would never give up - like the mithril shirt scene and Dain's arrival and that marvelous Thranduil fight sequence and Thorin/Azog - but *sigh* - *gloomily* - well, for one thing, since there are entire threads about BOFA, just sayin', it's always hard on me after seeing AUJ and DOS not to have lots of dwarves, lots of Beorn. I was even thinking last night, AUJ is kind of a relief in a way, for me, as it's all about the Company, and I just get all kinds of *warm fuzzy happy feelings* over thatHeart. Not to mention a few scenes that I think are the most beautiful ever put on film.Heart

Of course, DOS and BOFA IMO have a few of those, as well.Cool




Dcole4
Rohan

Jul 7 2015, 3:52pm

Post #4 of 22 (2412 views)
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AUJ is the best of this trilogy [In reply to] Can't Post

The issue with DOS and BOTFA is that they were the victim of last minute rewrites. With the switch to three films I thought AUJ would be the one that suffered most but it's become clear that the latter two were the ones that required shoe-horned additions. If you piece together the original structure and two-film plan, you see a rock solid Hobbit adaptation.

Tauriel and Legolas are of course still there (I love both characters regardless), but they're used in a much more appropriate way. With the expansion to three films they rewrote what I'm assuming was a Bolg vs. Beorn storyline as a Legolas vs. Bolg storyline, which to me was far less interesting and included some of the trilogies lowest moments.

The switch also meant they had to beef up the Smaug vs. Dwarves and Laketown Orc Attack, which lead to both sequences feeling bloated, and inconsequential. It also moved the battle climax from Dale to Ravenhill, which to me hurt the film as it isolated all of the main players, making the duels lack immediate impact. Having the dwarves charge out of Erebor and lead forces to help Thranduil, Bard and Gandalf in Dale would have been narratively cleaner and would have helped us understand why Bard/Thranduil reconsile with Thorin after his death.

The Dol Guldur thread in particular was butchered to the extreme, where many of the surprises are spelled out beforehand by Gandalf in the rewrites. The added scene between Gandalf and Radagast outside the High Fells diffuses any kind of doubt or tension about the Necromancer being Sauron. It makes the sequences in which Gandalf goes into Dol Guldur kind of clumsy, particularly when he says "SAU-RON" with bizarre surprise.


Kelly of Water's Edge
Rohan

Jul 7 2015, 4:48pm

Post #5 of 22 (2377 views)
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And herein lies the problem. [In reply to] Can't Post


In Reply To

It's the only one of the three films that captures the magic and sense of adventure that permeated the first trilogy.

The Hobbit is not an epic, and was never intended to be read after LOTR. Unfortunately, the movie trilogy was made after that of LOTR. Anyone expecting the same experience is bound to be disappointed. Would a buildup from The Hobbit to LOTR have been preferable? Of course. But that's not what happened, and we have to live with it.
In spite of some issues, I'm still glad The Hobbit was made at all - particularly in enough time for Sir Christopher Lee to participate and while Sir Ian McKellen was still able to play a Gandalf who was younger than he had been in LOTR.



DainPig
Gondor


Jul 7 2015, 5:35pm

Post #6 of 22 (2335 views)
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I agree with you! [In reply to] Can't Post

AUJ is my favorite movie too!

I love the theme Misty Moutains!

How aaaaaaaaaaaaaare you all???


Spriggan
Tol Eressea

Jul 7 2015, 5:38pm

Post #7 of 22 (2333 views)
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By way of contrast, it is my least favourite of the six. [In reply to] Can't Post

It seems to me to be the most pedestrian, to have the least to say in response to the text and to develop the fewest themes.
For me, it also manages to edge out in front of BOFA in being the least tonally coherent.
Worst of all, in some ways, it fails to successfully fit the story into a film format as well as any of the others (and in that sense simply presents scenes such as Bag End as being tedious).

I would pop it at the bottom of my list (but, there again, I would have TTT at the top) so tastes do vary!


Kilidoescartwheels
Valinor


Jul 7 2015, 5:42pm

Post #8 of 22 (2325 views)
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AUJ was nearly perfect [In reply to] Can't Post

And the best part: Thorin singing in Bag End!EvilHeartHeartHeart



'Nuff said!

Proud member of the BOFA Denial Association


Thrain II
Lorien


Jul 7 2015, 6:03pm

Post #9 of 22 (2303 views)
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AUJ is my favourite too! [In reply to] Can't Post

It is the only Hobbit movie that stands on par with LOTR trilogy, and the only one which didn't desperately need EE like the other two.


Bombadil
Half-elven


Jul 7 2015, 6:26pm

Post #10 of 22 (2294 views)
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ONCE again Ol' Bomby will wait for the Final [In reply to] Can't Post

VERSION...
Think about it...These extra 30 minutes has left
PJ & Jabez alone...No distractions of maybe
120 Extras on one day on set..& ALL
the ancillary Drama going on
with a HUGE crew.

Hopefully those two will ONCE again
PUSH the envelope of what we
might EXPECT?

Crazy

www.charlie-art.biz
"What Your Mind can conceive... charlie can achieve"


Thranderz
Rohan


Jul 7 2015, 7:17pm

Post #11 of 22 (2272 views)
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A lovely post [In reply to] Can't Post

I personally love all 3. However, the number of issues I have with each one increases throughout the trilogy. I honestly believe this is, as other have stated, because they were the victim of last minute decisions and writing. However, in my opinion, masterpieces, all 3 of them. My issues with film 3 should be fixed in the EE. (If we can pretend that little Tauriel scene doesn't existWink ).

I simply walked into Mordor.


CathrineB
Rohan


Jul 7 2015, 8:11pm

Post #12 of 22 (2231 views)
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Yiesh! [In reply to] Can't Post

I agree! I remember the first time at the premiere when I watched AUJ and how I just fell in love with it and the Company. I loved it a lot. I was disappointed with the soundtrack I remember because although the music for LotR is still the best soundtrack I have ever heard this was supposed to be the Hobbit and there were too much throwbacks to LotR (and not just music wise).

But yes I did adore the movie. I got goosebumps through the eagles scene because I had waited so many years to see the on the big screen.

I did however not expect it to end up being the best of (at the time - two) and neither when it turned into three movies. I loved DoS the first time I watched it too, but then the second time something happened that I can't quite explained. But I was a wee bit disappointed. I think it's the elves because I love Thranduil, but his role was so small and instead of getting him we got Legolas and Tauriel. While I like Tauriel I prefer the focus on the Company and Legolas is close to terrible in the Hobbit. I love him in LotR, but not in this trilogy. Not to mention the lovestory just left me with a bad taste.

However I have watched DoS a lot so I have grown to appericiate it again. Especially after BotfA which was supposed to be the best ended up being the worst for me Unimpressed

Which is heartbreaking because really up to Ravenhill I love the movie. I don't think BotfA is bad, but all the bad writing and desicions just goes nuts on Ravenhill and it ruined my overall enjoyment of it. That was a huge let down when I had such high expectations. My major problems have never really been the CGI in these movies and while yes I agree the 'soft bright' feel just makes it look worst it's the writing that just ruined BotfA. That awful love story, downright ignoring the dwarves - especially Dwalin and Fili. So much went wrong.

Anyway yeah that got out of hand. But yeah AUJ is easily the best. Watching it after BotfA made me appericiate it even more. It has so much charm and the dwarves that should be in focus are in focus.


Elarie
Grey Havens

Jul 7 2015, 9:20pm

Post #13 of 22 (2203 views)
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AUJ is still my favorite, too [In reply to] Can't Post

And I actually prefer the theatrical version over the EE and think it's just about perfect as a movie, although I usually watch the EE version just on the theory that you can never have too much Middle-earth. I think the dwarves in Bag End will forever be one of my all time favorite movie sequences, and the Misty Mountains song is just unforgettable.

__________________

Gold is the strife of kinsmen,
and fire of the flood-tide,
and the path of the serpent.

(Old Icelandic Fe rune poem)


Pandallo
Rivendell

Jul 7 2015, 9:51pm

Post #14 of 22 (2190 views)
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Far from my favorite... [In reply to] Can't Post

It is the worst of the six movies to me and it really made me scared about the rest of the trilogy. I felt bored when they were running from the Wargs and Orcs, the Trolls, though right out of the book did not intrigue me in their execution, the gross-out humor in Bag-End and the languishing pace makes it a difficult movie to watch through.

It gets much better in the second half but the first half is what killed the movie, and likely killed the trilogy for the majority of serious reviewers. There were great parts to it, but all in all the first half of the first movie was abysmally boring. Don't get me wrong I love character development and found much of what was discussed in Bag End was necessary, but the little things made it feel like it was taken too far. Radagast was also a bright spot as i find the Dol Guldur sub plot as one of the most interesting of the trilogy. (I do wish the resolution has a bit more "oomph!" in the EE though)

Thank goodness the next two films remedied this. Desolation of Smaug is one of the most exciting movies I've ever seen and there's hardly a break in the action and set-pieces as it proceeds at a roller-coaster like pace and I love every minute of it.

Battle of the Five Armies would have been great, had it actually been longer, but for what it was it had the makings of being an incredible film and I am looking forward to seeing what they can do to give it a proper send off.


dormouse
Half-elven


Jul 7 2015, 10:22pm

Post #15 of 22 (2178 views)
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They're all my favourite... [In reply to] Can't Post

... and they're all my least favourite, because each one contains some things I love and some I don't - the magic is shared. I've never stopped to count which has the most (of either) ecause to me each episode needs the others to be complete. It would never occur to me to watch one film on its own so the question doesn't arise. I embrace the whole lot and enjoy them for what they are.


Lindele
Gondor

Jul 8 2015, 3:49am

Post #16 of 22 (2072 views)
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'serious reviewers' [In reply to] Can't Post

No one person on these boards is any less qualified to 'seriously review' the film than professional movie critics which I am assuming is what you are referring to as 'serious reviewers.'

It is clear that many different people reacted totally differently to each film so the only logical answer is that there isn't a correct one. Different people enjoy different things. Unfortunately most 'serious reviewers' are extremely jaded and their opinion should be taken with a grain of salt.


(This post was edited by Lindele on Jul 8 2015, 3:52am)


Lindele
Gondor

Jul 8 2015, 3:54am

Post #17 of 22 (2070 views)
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This [In reply to] Can't Post

agree on all points!

I love AUJ more and more every time I watch it.

The eagle rescue scene is probably in my top 5-10 scenes from all six films.


squiggle
Rivendell

Jul 8 2015, 7:33am

Post #18 of 22 (2005 views)
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Both AUJ & DOS ee are 10 out of 10s to me [In reply to] Can't Post

AUJ theatrical is best, but DOS ee is rather super.

Middle acts can be the most difficult but also have a certain quality about them, & for that reason DOS is just about my fav actually. If i was to spit hairs, DOS might take that crown but really cannot nudge it ahead as like AUJ alot.

I do miss the white warg and the Azog factor in DOS, as that is a really cool end section in AUJ, & while DOS is abit different from AUJ, i equally like all of it's stuff as well. BoT5 ee has alot to live up to Sly


adt100
Rohan


Jul 8 2015, 8:54am

Post #19 of 22 (1978 views)
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'Book fans' tend to favour AUJ.... [In reply to] Can't Post

No surprise as thatis the closest to the book they love and hold dear. DOS and BOFA are instinctively a little harder to like if we are close to the book as they take us so far from the source text which, try as we might is always there in the back of our minds whilst watching.

I tend to think 'set-up' films, where the introduce the richness of the world and it's characters for the first time, with a proper beginning, middle (if not end) are usually the most enjoyable. It's for that reason I prefer Star Wars: A New Hope over Empire Strikes Back.

I still prefer DOS to AUJ and think that is the more entertaining and 'better fim (especially the EE). Still yet to fully make up my mind on BOFA and won't be able to until the EE is out.


Dwarewien
Rohan


Jul 9 2015, 9:58pm

Post #20 of 22 (1714 views)
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It's my second favorite... [In reply to] Can't Post

after DoS (since I can practically live on that movie), and BoFA last but not least (for obvious reasons). The only franchise where I prefer the original is Jurassic Park, which is tied with Jurassic World, since although I've nearly seen the latter five times (all in 3D), I still don't know if I like it better than the original, but I definitely like it better than TLW and JP3, since I can live without those two sequels.Smile


"Will you follow me... one last time?"


Jeffrodo
Bree


Jul 10 2015, 12:47pm

Post #21 of 22 (1667 views)
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Me too [In reply to] Can't Post

I prefer AUJ and FOTR in both trilogies. Something about the start of a journey, assembling the players, etc. that I like better. Both middle chapters, TTT and DOS were adventure filled and rollicking good times...and both final chapters, ROTK and BOFA were good resolutions that were quite sad at times. I like the feeling of "there's more to come" that I get with AUJ and FOTR. Plus they both have a fair amount of Rivendell and the Shire, my favorite locations in Middle Earth.


emre43
Rohan

Jul 13 2015, 6:54pm

Post #22 of 22 (1565 views)
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It's my favourite too [In reply to] Can't Post

Of all three films it Is the one that sticks closest to the books

Two things I love most, good horses and beautiful women, And when I die I hope they tan this old hide of mine and make it into a ladies riding saddle, So I can rest in peace between the two things I love.
- Russell J. Larsen

 
 

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