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gkgyver
Bree
Dec 21 2014, 11:27pm
Post #1 of 25
(988 views)
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Middle-Earth Marathon realisation
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Our theatre did a 6 movie marathon last Friday/Saturday, with the Hobbit first, and then LotR.
I can't even begin to tell you how much more depth the Hobbit, especially AUJ and BOTFA gives LotR, especially Fellowship, and also Return of the King. After the outstanding performances of Martin Freeman, Ken Stott and others, the scenes of Bilbo, the scene in Balin's Tomb, and much in between, feels more alive, richer, even more emotional. And despite the fact that I hated Thranduil telling Legolas to go find Arathorn's son when I read reviews mentioning it, and not being thrilled when I watched the film for the first time: when Legolas stands up in the council of Elrond, and tells Boromir who Aragorn is, it suddenly made sense. Not in the Tolkien way, mind you, but in a movie way, and I'm wise enough to separate the two, ever since watching LotR.
In the context of the Hobbit, the scenes with Gandalf and Bilbo in Fellowship, or between Bilbo and Frodo, have so much more meaning, and the Grey Havens are twice as heartbreaking. I know some will disagree here, but as a bridge between two trilogies, BOTFA is brilliant, and I do think, even though the films do have some fat, that Jackson pulled off as perfect a prequel story as there could be. And I'm sure it will be even better once we have the extended BOTFA.
I consider it a true privilege to have witnessed these six films as they unfolded and were released into the world.
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haarp
Rivendell
Dec 21 2014, 11:32pm
Post #2 of 25
(621 views)
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how were you able to sit through 8+hours or film? how long were the breaks inbetween?
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Ham_Sammy
Tol Eressea
Dec 21 2014, 11:32pm
Post #3 of 25
(572 views)
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I think it's great you got to see all six like that and I have long suspected it would be the case that The Hobbit films would actually enhance the LOTR films. I'm glad you shared that with us because this has been my feeling.
I would think too the entire Moria sequence with Balin's tomb but also with Gandalf admonishing Frodo about death and judgment and the pity of Bilbo will be totally moving.
On that note I think one of the better moves Jackson did with the material was move that conversation by Gandalf to that point in the Mines of Moria rather than have it said as it was in the book back in the Shire before they left. It's so much more poignant in the movie there.
Thank you for your questions, now go sod off and do something useful - Martin Freeman Twitter chat 3/1/13
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gkgyver
Bree
Dec 21 2014, 11:45pm
Post #4 of 25
(604 views)
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There was a short break of 10 minutes or so between AUJ and DoS, a longer break, like 25 minutes (including a quiz contest) between DoS and BOTFA, and then about 20 minutes between BOTFA and FotR, and TTT. Then a bit more after TTT, for breakfast, and then RotK.
It went all through the night, and they set up their cocktail bar with snacks and coffee specifically for the marathon audience, all through the night, and breakfast at 8 o'clock in the morning, after TTT. They also had a coffee flat rate, and put a pillow on each seat for the audience.
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Glorfindela
Valinor
Dec 21 2014, 11:48pm
Post #5 of 25
(563 views)
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That was certainly a marathon. It would probably be good to see the EEs that way. Perhaps cinemas could provide beds so that you could lie back and view the films in complete comfort.
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Bombadil
Half-elven
Dec 22 2014, 12:07am
Post #6 of 25
(501 views)
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Bomby is SSOoo..Happy for you! CHEERS Gaffer!///
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www.charlie-art.biz
"What Your Mind can conceive... charlie can achieve"
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Aragorn the Elfstone
Tol Eressea
Dec 22 2014, 12:11am
Post #7 of 25
(558 views)
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I still can't see these films as a chronological six film series...
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...as much as PJ and Co. want me to. The tonal and visual differences between the trilogies are too great IMO. And in terms of chronology, the later films have too many callbacks that give them away as "prequels" and not first chapters, so to speak.
BUT... what I can say is that I view them as wonderful companion pieces. They compliment each other nicely, and indeed do feed quite well into one another. I doubt future viewings of LotR will ever be quite the same. But I still prefer to view these as two trilogies intrinsically linked but unquestionably different.
"The danger with any movie that does as well as this one does is that the amount of money it's making and the number of awards that it's got becomes almost more important than the movie itself in people's minds. I look at that as, in a sense, being very much like the Ring, and its effect on people. You know, you can kind of forget what we were doing, if you get too wrapped up in that."
- Viggo Mortensen
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Ataahua
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Dec 22 2014, 12:11am
Post #8 of 25
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I found the Black Riders were scarier in FOTR
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now that I've seen them in BOTFA, than they were when FOTR was first released.
Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..."
Dwarves: "Pretty rings..."
Men: "Pretty rings..."
Sauron: "Mine's better."
"Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded beggar with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak.
Ataahua's stories
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Me85
Rivendell
Dec 22 2014, 12:22am
Post #9 of 25
(517 views)
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i didn't even know these 6 movie marathons exist
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Loresilme
Valinor
Dec 22 2014, 12:29am
Post #10 of 25
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Thank you for sharing these impressions. I can imagine how much more meaningful these scenes were! Also did you find it more impactful in FOTR, the moment when Bilbo gives up the Ring?
This must have been a wonderful and very memorable experience!
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gkgyver
Bree
Dec 22 2014, 1:00am
Post #11 of 25
(477 views)
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Actually, it was very moving. Especially when Bilbo gets taken in by the ring, and Gandalf says "We have been friends for such a long time, trust me, like you always did, give it up".
I was also surprised at how natural the whole prologue felt. The whole film felt so organically in touch with the Hobbit.
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Loresilme
Valinor
Dec 22 2014, 1:57am
Post #12 of 25
(456 views)
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It adds such dimension to the character of Bilbo
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Actually, it was very moving. Especially when Bilbo gets taken in by the ring, and Gandalf says "We have been friends for such a long time, trust me, like you always did, give it up".
It must have been, quite so!
When first watching LOTR, long before TH films existed, it was difficult to understand (as a movie-firster, which I was) why Bilbo was held in such high esteem by others, like the Elves, (e.g. Elrond), and why he was accorded the honor of going West. Now however .... oh, that is going to be such a completely different situation. The audience now will nod their heads in understanding and in sadness, knowing everything he went through.
You are lucky to have been one of the first to experience the six-film marathon! Maybe (I hope!) these will become more common in the future.
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mae govannen
Tol Eressea
Dec 22 2014, 4:16am
Post #13 of 25
(418 views)
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This is just GREAT... and a great post!!!
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I love every word of what you said about how the new Trilogy enhances in so many ways the LOTR one.
In my own Review of BOTFA, which I added yesterday to the OFFICIAL REVIEW THREAD, it is exactly the new perspective on all those films together that is my most important theme, towards the end.
'Is everything sad going to come untrue?'
(Sam, 'The Field of Cormallen', in 'The Return of the King'.)
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mae govannen
Tol Eressea
Dec 22 2014, 4:20am
Post #14 of 25
(417 views)
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a new expression you like to use, inspired of course by our 'Hobbit' Trolls?!?
It's fun, I like it!!!
... And also what you say after that, btw!!!
'Is everything sad going to come untrue?'
(Sam, 'The Field of Cormallen', in 'The Return of the King'.)
(This post was edited by mae govannen on Dec 22 2014, 4:21am)
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mae govannen
Tol Eressea
Dec 22 2014, 4:33am
Post #15 of 25
(418 views)
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The problem is only in your head, actually ...
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"the later films have too many callbacks that give them away as "prequels" and not first chapters, so to speak."
This is only because you see them with your present mindset!... What you deem 'callbacks' stand in their own right as real firsts in TH, when you abandon this mindset; and on the contrary they become memories to draw from, when we see again LOTR, now as the coninuation of the story.
Let go of this old mindset, and TH will become a total boon for LOTR as well.
'Is everything sad going to come untrue?'
(Sam, 'The Field of Cormallen', in 'The Return of the King'.)
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mae govannen
Tol Eressea
Dec 22 2014, 4:34am
Post #16 of 25
(411 views)
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How interesting an observation....
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Thank you for mentioning it!
'Is everything sad going to come untrue?'
(Sam, 'The Field of Cormallen', in 'The Return of the King'.)
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Aragorn the Elfstone
Tol Eressea
Dec 22 2014, 4:41am
Post #17 of 25
(403 views)
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...take the ending of TBotFA, for instance. The familiar dialogue is supposed to elicit a very specific emotional reaction from the viewer - because we know it from The Fellowship of the Ring. It allows a swell of emotions to close out the films.
Regardless, even if you forget about the callbacks, there still leaves the tonal and visual differences between the two trilogies. I'm watching FotR right now, and it feels (rightfully) completely different from any of The Hobbit films. There's a sense of realism and historical texture to it (and despite the increased use of visual effects - TTT and RotK as well) that results in it being unquestionably different from the feel of The Hobbit films.
"The danger with any movie that does as well as this one does is that the amount of money it's making and the number of awards that it's got becomes almost more important than the movie itself in people's minds. I look at that as, in a sense, being very much like the Ring, and its effect on people. You know, you can kind of forget what we were doing, if you get too wrapped up in that."
- Viggo Mortensen
(This post was edited by Aragorn the Elfstone on Dec 22 2014, 4:42am)
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mae govannen
Tol Eressea
Dec 22 2014, 4:47am
Post #18 of 25
(398 views)
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although I had read all the books, because I loved LOTR but had never really enjoyed 'The Hobbit', finding it too childish and the Dwarves too ridiculous and mean. Only now, thanks to this new Trilogy, has Bilbo really become alive for me, and Thorin's whole Company... I'm so grateful for that in itself, and also because it enhances so much, as you say, our perception of Bilbo in LOTR as well...
'Is everything sad going to come untrue?'
(Sam, 'The Field of Cormallen', in 'The Return of the King'.)
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mae govannen
Tol Eressea
Dec 22 2014, 4:52am
Post #19 of 25
(394 views)
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I must say my own visual perceptions are less refined and trained than yours, so the kind of differences you are speaking of I am not able to perceive myself... Bowing out from this discussion then,,,
'Is everything sad going to come untrue?'
(Sam, 'The Field of Cormallen', in 'The Return of the King'.)
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smtfhw
Lorien
Dec 22 2014, 5:26am
Post #20 of 25
(388 views)
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For the end of 2015/beginning 2016 when all of the extended editions are available. There's a rather splendid country house hotel not far from where I live that has its own screening room that seats around 30 people and some friends and I are plotting a long weekend where we watch all six films - there will be meal breaks and we'll not attempt to stay up all night (we're too old for that sort of silliness :)) and enjoy the whole thing!
Sounds like a great idea to me.
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Bombadil
Half-elven
Dec 22 2014, 8:25am
Post #21 of 25
(359 views)
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Did you any of YOU see "The Frighteners" by PJ?
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Bom had Before FOTR...& in there are
"Black Spirits"...that were CGI that would HAVE
REALLY
Ramped UP the
"Black Riders"..
If you haven't seen it?
WATCH THIS!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssLm550w6X8
It' also Cool to.. See Wellington, in the Early 1990's &
Micheal J. Fox BEFORE he got sick...
bom Likes Monsterzz!
www.charlie-art.biz
"What Your Mind can conceive... charlie can achieve"
(This post was edited by Bombadil on Dec 22 2014, 8:33am)
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mae govannen
Tol Eressea
Dec 22 2014, 10:12am
Post #22 of 25
(335 views)
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I can't see horror films at all Even those which are supposed to be funny leave their images in my subconscious and then I get nightmares.
Anyway I really, really hate horror movies, sorry! 
'Is everything sad going to come untrue?'
(Sam, 'The Field of Cormallen', in 'The Return of the King'.)
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Glorfindela
Valinor
Dec 22 2014, 10:53am
Post #23 of 25
(327 views)
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Well, 'Blimey' is a Cockney expression
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I like to use it because it is dying out in the English language (in favour of swear words in particular, which generally 'don't do the job' for me because they are too boring).
From memory, I believe it comes from 'God blind me'.
a new expression you like to use, inspired of course by our 'Hobbit' Trolls?!? It's fun, I like it!!! ... And also what you say after that, btw!!! |
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mae govannen
Tol Eressea
Dec 22 2014, 11:19am
Post #24 of 25
(313 views)
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Thank you for this kind explanation!...//
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'Is everything sad going to come untrue?'
(Sam, 'The Field of Cormallen', in 'The Return of the King'.)
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Glorfindela
Valinor
Dec 22 2014, 3:40pm
Post #25 of 25
(303 views)
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I saw an apparently 'mild' horror film once and didn't sleep for two nights (this was when I was already an adult). Since then I have avoided such films completely, to the extent that I can't even watch an excerpt from one.
I can't see horror films at all Even those which are supposed to be funny leave their images in my subconscious and then I get nightmares. Anyway I really, really hate horror movies, sorry! |
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Is 'Blimey'
[