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The One Ring Forums: Tolkien Topics: Movie Discussion: The Hobbit:
Sam Raimi's Hobbit Comments

DiveTwin
Rohan

Apr 21 2007, 1:04pm

Post #1 of 8 (8048 views)
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Sam Raimi's Hobbit Comments Can't Post

Reading the recent comments from Sam Raimi regarding "The Hobbit", I can see that he's trying to walk a thin line between wanting to get the director's job while not alienating either Peter Jackson nor Bob Schaye.

But did anyone else get cold shivers down their spine when he mentioned his interest in "The Hobbit", referring to it as "more kid-friendly" than LOTR?

No disrespect intended to Raimi, but Peter Jackson created a world and a mood on film that had a response of over $3B in business worldwide and a record number of Academy Awards. This franchise was treated corrected by Jackson, asking that the story and acting be played straight. Though "The Hobbit" isn't as dark as "LOTR" there are enough themes that can be taken seriously (greed, friendship, revenge, power, nobility) that it could also be played straight and inhabit the Oscar winning world that Peter Jackson and New Line developed. Certainly the progression throughout the film that gets more serious and gloomy as it plays out, with the ending that rewards hope, heroism, doing the right thing, etc. but realizing you're now changed forever whether you like it or not (like LOTR) and forbodes of an even darker time that's coming.

If Raimi gets this and turns it into a cute 'lil pic for the kiddies, I'm going to puke. I do like his Spiderman films for what they are, but that's a different world that's been established than what "The Hobbit" should and could be, certainly if they make two Hobbit films that explore the times between the finding of the Ring by Bilbo and up to the start of "LOTR". I'm already hearing that his "Spiderman 3" is somewhat "cheesy", a clear no-no for "The Hobbit". That's what worried most fans about "LOTR" prior to it coming out - and we were all relieved when we saw the amazing and astonishing final product that Peter Jackson turned out.

Raimi will forever linked to "Spiderman" and the sequels - he should be. Let's keep it that way. Please!


fmaximus
Rivendell


Apr 21 2007, 4:54pm

Post #2 of 8 (5963 views)
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I totally agree ... [In reply to] Can't Post

Although the Hobbit as a book is a lot more kid friendly than the LOTR, I would prefer the movie version to resemble more of that which Peter Jackson made instead of something like Narnia or Eragon. As you stated, the book has enough dark and mature elements in it that it should not be made into a kids flick.


EcossElf
The Shire

Apr 21 2007, 9:00pm

Post #3 of 8 (5988 views)
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Sam's comment to kiddify the hobbit [In reply to] Can't Post

Oh come on Sam Raimi...how can Smaug be a sweet care bear dragon? He is a bad ass dragon that deserves respect and a good image, as for the hobbits they are brave folk who are resilient and tough...they will not be if tehy are just wandering through teh woods oicking daisies. We need a dark and scarey movie..granted it can be acessable to the kids but teh book has dark aprts and is still apropriate. ANd there would be a Dwarven revolution if they are nice wee Scottish folks who turn up at Bag-End for Jelly and ice cream and balloons


CAhobbit
Rohan


Apr 23 2007, 4:44am

Post #4 of 8 (5920 views)
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Well.... [In reply to] Can't Post

I don't see Raimi going a 'kiddie' route with a Hobbit film (that's IF...a big IF...he does become the director). Raimi just hasn't produced, written or directed a kid's film (at least not one I can recall). He tends more toward the dark (with some humor here and there sometimes). At least that's what I see in his style.

Do not meddle in the affairs of hobbits for we can bite your kneecaps off!



CAhobbit's flickr page

CAhobbit's myspace


One Ringer
Tol Eressea

Apr 23 2007, 10:29am

Post #5 of 8 (5879 views)
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Maybe . . . . [In reply to] Can't Post

I'd prefer it if PJ were to make it, but it all depends, you never know what Raimi could pull, but in the end, I'd want good old Pete! Smile

"Death is just another pathway. . .one which we all must take."

-Gandalf from "The Return of the King"


Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal


Apr 23 2007, 7:40pm

Post #6 of 8 (5892 views)
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Ha ha! I agree [In reply to] Can't Post


In Reply To
ANd there would be a Dwarven revolution if they are nice wee Scottish folks who turn up at Bag-End for Jelly and ice cream and balloons


Although I think Jackson's belching dwarf caricature might qualify for a dwarven revolution too. I can't imagine Thorin Oakenshield acting the way Jackson had Gimli act.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chance Meeting at Rivendell: a Tolkien Fanfic
and some other stuff I wrote...
leleni at hotmail dot com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


lonelymountainhermit
Lorien

Apr 23 2007, 8:03pm

Post #7 of 8 (5901 views)
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My 2 cents... [In reply to] Can't Post

Although not perfect, PJ's films managed to get enough "right" to satisfy a large majority of the books' fans. Let's face it, people who have loved the story long before the film, are obviously going to be the harshest (and in my own humble opinion, the most credible) critics. I'm not saying that another director couldn't do a good job of it, but to achieve the level of fan support PJ has, the new director really needs to look into what made PJ's films so successful. For starters, the involment of John Howe and Alan Lee as conceptual designers was critical in achieving the right "look". Their art has already "passed inspection" so to speak, and is widely accepted as the visual counterpart to the written word in the minds of millions of readers the world over. Another thing I think PJ got right was not forgetting that it was a book first, a book with a very large fanbase who wouldn't take kindly to too many deviations from what is actually written. I believe the very worst thing a director can do when adapting a book to film, especially a classic like The Hobbit, is to try and put their own unique spin on it. If it's not broken, don't fix it!


fmaximus
Rivendell


Apr 25 2007, 2:31am

Post #8 of 8 (7089 views)
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Raimi won't do it without PJ's approval . [In reply to] Can't Post

In an inerview Raimi had this to say.
'The truth is I just don't know what I'm going to do next ... I had one conversation [with Bob Shaye] about the possibility of it and that's really where it's at ... It's still Peter Jackson's project ... I'd have to know that he wasn't making the movie. Then it would have to be officially offered to me ... I'd have to know that he was okay with it. It's really his picture. I don't even want to put him in a position where he's forced to respond to me. I'm not even in a position where I want to ask him that. I guess I should say "no comment!"'

Much class on Raimi's part. It's also good to see the respect he shows towards Peter Jackson.



 
 

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