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lionoferebor
Rohan
May 11 2016, 6:57pm
Post #1 of 11
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Director Commentaries
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I haven't seen much discussion or mention of the director commentaries here on The Hobbit forum. (Perhaps there is a past thread out there, but who knows where). Has anyone listened to the commentaries, whether in part or in full? If so, was there anything you found interesting - good or bad?
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LittleHobbit
Lorien
May 12 2016, 6:17pm
Post #3 of 11
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Those docs that are in the Extended Edition DVDs/BRs?
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LSF
Gondor
May 12 2016, 6:41pm
Post #4 of 11
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I found them insightful and interesting enough to watch a couple times each. Been awhile though, so I can't remember anything particular, though I didn't have any "bad" impressions from them. They talked about why they made story/character changes, thoughts about some scenes, how they did some visual effects... Some of the things were also talked about in the Appendices. I do wonder why Fran didn't join PJ and Phillipa this time, though.
I was disappointed that there wasn't any actor or crew commentaries this time around.
(This post was edited by LSF on May 12 2016, 6:42pm)
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lionoferebor
Rohan
May 12 2016, 7:02pm
Post #5 of 11
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The Appendices is the behind the scenes footage. Director Commentaries is watching the film itself while listening to voiceovers of the director (and sometimes cast and other crew) comment on the various scenes, characters, etc.
But yes, it is only included on the EE.
(This post was edited by lionoferebor on May 12 2016, 7:03pm)
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Jeffrodo
Bree
May 12 2016, 7:07pm
Post #6 of 11
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Yes, I've watched (listened) to all the director commentaries. All very insightful and entertaining. When the EE came out, I typically watched the movie, then the special features, then revisited the movie with the commentary track. I do wish The Hobbit had multiple commentaries, though, like LOTR. I also wanted more from the commentaries...after watching all those hours of features and commentaries, I still wanted to know things like:
Details about the switch from two to three movies. How that happened with realigning the stories and getting the actors to film more scenes.
I also wanted to hear more about the recasting of Fili, but maybe that was confidential??
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lionoferebor
Rohan
May 12 2016, 7:13pm
Post #7 of 11
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I was so looking forward to the cast commentaries.
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I was disappointed that there wasn't any actor or crew commentaries this time around.
The cast commentaries are my favorite from LOTR, I too was disappointed there were no cast commentaries for The Hobbit. I wonder why they decided not include commentaries from the cast and other crew this time.
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dormouse
Half-elven
May 12 2016, 10:04pm
Post #8 of 11
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I have listened to the first two...
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Not yet to BotFA. I probably will at some point but unlike the documentaries, which I thoroughly enjoy, I'm always a bit torn about the commentaries. I feel I ought to listen, but the experience is just like being in a cinema where someone won't stop talking, and their talking gets in the way of the film.....
I'd rather just watch the film!
For still there are so many things
that I have never seen:
in every wood and every spring
there is a different green. . .
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Noria
Gondor
May 13 2016, 9:24pm
Post #9 of 11
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I love director’s commentaries in general and PJ’s in particular.
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For both trilogies, after watching an EE a couple of times I listened to the director/writer commentary, usually before I got to the Appendices. I did listen to and enjoy all the commentaries for the LotR EEs back in the day (though I don’t think I ever got through the technical one). But now I always listen to the director/writers track only. Those are the ones I really like so I didn’t particularly miss the others.
I rewatched AUJ a while back and am now listening to the commentary in bits and pieces. There is nothing too startling that I recall and few of the issues that some fans have are addressed.
Things that interested me:
It was Ian McKellen who suggested the inclusion of little Bilbo because he wanted to see where that relationship started.
Some critics complained about the length of the Bag End scenes but PJ wanted to establish all the characters and set up the quest. They acknowledged McKellen’s distress over filming the Bag End scenes separately from the rest of the cast as natural, understandable and, fortunately, temporary.
They wanted a younger Thorin who was not nearing the end of his life, who seemed capable of carrying out the quest and still had time left to reign afterwards.
PJ did kind of apologize for some of the humour by saying that he’s sorry if some people are offended but he finds that stuff funny. But isn’t that his attitude generally? He makes the kind of movies he likes to watch and hopes other people will enjoy them too; if not, not. PB said that she and Fran disowned the Dwarf fountain scene altogether but PJ responded that it was another example of the Dwarves sticking it the prissy and superior (my words) Elves.
PB wrote a pretty faithful version of the arrival at Rivendell, right down to the white stones, but even she felt that it was flat and boring and PJ said they couldn’t film it as it was. Their mantra is that what works on the page doesn’t always do so on the screen and that drama requires conflict. The Orc/Warg pursuit was designed to be a chase in plain sight, in daylight and open country in which the Dwarves took advantage of the terrain as best they could to remain hidden.
A bigature for Rivendell was being constructed when the decision was made to go digital. That choice was made because of the filming limitations of any model and the freedom digital allows. The bigatures for LotR are all in storage and PJ hopes they can be displayed someday. Some regret was expressed by both that there will be no more models like those "works of art".
Ian McKellen and Cate Blanchett met for the first time on TH and were completely enamoured of each other.
The giant rabbits and the bunny sled were all PJ and everybody thought he was crazy. but though PB claimed to love it now. I do too.
The Stone Giants were all PJ as well: he was intrigued by the notion that these creatures were parts of the mountains themselves come to life, so to speak.
Terry Notary mo-capped the Great Goblin’s dance movements.
That’s about as far as I got.
(This post was edited by Noria on May 13 2016, 9:25pm)
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Otaku-sempai
Immortal
May 13 2016, 9:58pm
Post #10 of 11
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I have enjoyed the director/writer(s) commentaries for all six of the movies; however, I have not found the Hobbit tracks as illuminating as those for the LotR films.
"He who lies artistically, treads closer to the truth than ever he knows." -- Favorite proverb of the wizard Ningauble of the Seven Eyes, the "Gossiper of the Gods"
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Meneldor
Valinor
May 13 2016, 11:20pm
Post #11 of 11
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I was underwhelmed by the commentary for Bo5A EE. Too much useless stuff like "Here we see the dragon swooping down and setting fire to the town." Well, duh! I got the impression that PJ was exhausted and struggling to find things to talk about.
They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters, these see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. -Psalm 107
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