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The Hobbit

FluffyNinja

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I don't know if anyone else can relate but I'd just like to share that as a young boy (maybe 3rd or 4th grade) the first really "substantial" book that I remember reading was The Hobbit. I was completely hooked. I was amazed by the scope and style of the tale. From that point on, I became an avid fan of the Fantasy/Sci-Fi genre of literature. Went on to read all things Tolkien, Bradbury, Heinlen, Asimov, Brooks, Pratchett, etc. I essentially found the one thing that would "spur" me on to become a good reader and a capable writer. Also got deep into AD&D and other "original" RPG's and "acquired" a whole new and "interesting" set of friends. :lol:

In summary....reading The Hobbit was a turning point for me way back then......and I've probably re-read it 25-30 times since. I share all this to get to the topic of the new movie.

Question is........is anyone anxiously awaiting the release of The Hobbit motion picture.........or are you like me, and are sensing a bit of dread that the motion picture industry will do a degree of "injustice" to that one work of literature that I've placed on a pedastel?

 
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I slogged my way through The Hobbit when I was maybe 9 or 10 because it was "the book" you just had to read. I found it immensely boring. Podykane Of Mars and Glory Road (and other Heinlein) is how I became a Sci-Fi nut and The Hobbit gave me an aversion to Fantasy that I only overcame in my senior-hood when I discovered Joe Abercrombie, Richard Morgan and Scott Lynch.

Just making book conversation here. I don't have a political point to make :)
 
The Hobbit was also my first book. LOTR became my second straight after. I was happy with the LOTR adaptation and I view the literature and the motion pictures independently.

The Hobbit will undoubtedly be even more different than LOTR was, which was surprisingly faithful given Hollywood's record. The tone of the book simply is not what I see in the trailers. I'll enjoy it on it's own merits, and the producers have their work cut out to invent new storyline to carry a trilogy.
 
A book is one thing. A film is a different thing. I can separate the two and enjoy each for what it is.

I remember going cross country to fantasy and sci-fi conventions in the Seventies where we would have long discussions about how to make Tolkien into movies. Ralph Bakshi came along - and Rankin & Bass came along and it was crap.

Then in 2001-03 we got the vision of Peter Jackson and I could not believe how completely and utterly wonderful and beautiful those three films were. I have very high hopes for the three HOBBIT films and am looking forward to them greatly.
 
Question is........is anyone anxiously awaiting the release of The Hobbit motion picture.........or are you like me, and are sensing a bit of dread that the motion picture industry will do a degree of "injustice" to that one work of literature that I've placed on a pedastel?

It seems to be a universal truth that the book is always better than the movie. That being said, I watch the movies anyway, if for nothing more than to critique what the movie-makers got wrong. :mrgreen:
 
It seems to be a universal truth that the book is always better than the movie. That being said, I watch the movies anyway, if for nothing more than to critique what the movie-makers got wrong. :mrgreen:

Have you read Forrest Gump? Very good film - terrible book.
 
I slogged my way through The Hobbit when I was maybe 9 or 10 because it was "the book" you just had to read. I found it immensely boring. Podykane Of Mars and Glory Road (and other Heinlein) is how I became a Sci-Fi nut and The Hobbit gave me an aversion to Fantasy that I only overcame in my senior-hood when I discovered Joe Abercrombie, Richard Morgan and Scott Lynch.

Just making book conversation here. I don't have a political point to make :)

For me, The Hobbit, because of its scope, was the first book that made me feel as if there was another entire world with its own vast history (and there was) and that I'd been dropped into the middle of just one tiny tale. As I came to discover later, Tolkien had created just that. Obviously, I've read much deeper, and more complex sci-fi/fantasy since that first encounter over 30 years ago.......Robert Heinlen, Stephen R. Donaldson, Stephen Baxter, and Larry Niven come to mind.......but I still have that place in my heart for Tolkien and The Hobbit. IMHO it's "the one" that started the whole concept of the "modern epic fantasy".
 
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I'm well aware that my reaction is the less popular perspective. I really wanted to love Tolkien (and Rowling) but I guess my circuitry is wired a little differently. No disrespect intended, just making conversation.


For me, The Hobbit, because of its scope, was the first book that made me feel as if there was another entire world with its own vast history (and there was) and that I'd been dropped into the center middle of just one tiny tale. As I came to discover later, Tolkien had created just that. Obviously, I've read much deeper, and more complex sci-fi/fantasy since that first encounter over 30 years ago.......Robert Heinlen, Stephen R. Donaldson, Stephen Baxter, and Larry Niven come to mind.......but I still have that place in my heart for Tolkien and The Hobbit. IMHO it's "the one" that started the whole concept of the "modern epic fantasy".
 
I'm well aware that my reaction is the less popular perspective. I really wanted to love Tolkien (and Rowling) but I guess my circuitry is wired a little differently. No disrespect intended, just making conversation.

I understand and respect that.
 
It seems to be a universal truth that the book is always better than the movie.

Jurassic Park. The novel was a shoddy screen treatment.
 
I don't know if anyone else can relate but I'd just like to share that as a young boy (maybe 3rd or 4th grade) the first really "substantial" book that I remember reading was The Hobbit. I was completely hooked. I was amazed by the scope and style of the tale. From that point on, I became an avid fan of the Fantasy/Sci-Fi genre of literature. Went on to read all things Tolkien, Bradbury, Heinlen, Asimov, Brooks, Pratchett, etc. I essentially found the one thing that would "spur" me on to become a good reader and a capable writer. Also got deep into AD&D and other "original" RPG's and "acquired" a whole new and "interesting" set of friends. :lol:

In summary....reading The Hobbit was a turning point for me way back then......and I've probably re-read it 25-30 times since. I share all this to get to the topic of the new movie.

Question is........is anyone anxiously awaiting the release of The Hobbit motion picture.........or are you like me, and are sensing a bit of dread that the motion picture industry will do a degree of "injustice" to that one work of literature that I've placed on a pedastel?

I got my start with Asimov, Heinlein, Clarke and others at an early age...but I did read Tolkien while I was a teenager.

Given that Jackson did a quite good job with Lord of the Rings, I expect he'll do just as well with The Hobbit and I'm looking forward to it. This will be a movie I will pay the extra money to see in a theater.
 
As for The Hobbit, especially the way it's being done (squeezing three typically-massively-long movies out of it), it strikes me as being little more than Jackson simply milking LOTR after his subsequent projects didn't work out like he'd hoped. I might watch it once it's on Blu-ray, but I won't be going out of my way. I disliked the book, and more than that, I absolutely HATED the Rankin/Bass animated version.
 
I got my start with Asimov, Heinlein, Clarke and others at an early age...but I did read Tolkien while I was a teenager.

Given that Jackson did a quite good job with Lord of the Rings, I expect he'll do just as well with The Hobbit and I'm looking forward to it. This will be a movie I will pay the extra money to see in a theater.

Yes, I agree.......definitely needs to be viewed on the big screen before I render final judgement.......if Jackson holds true to form, it will at least be a visual spectacle......even if diverges from the book at points.
 
The Hobbit was not my first substantial book, it came along later for me, after I'd read Heinlein. That said, I love The Hobbit and the LOTR trilogy, having read all at least three times. The Tolkien's writing does my favorite thing when I read, completely take me away to another place.

Now to the movie, I don't have a need for a movie to be a literal translation of a book. If stuff is left out, I'm usually ok with it (though I thought some of the first Harry Potter films could have lifted dialog from the books and have been a lot better than the script :2razz: ).

Given the astounding LOTR movies, I have no fear of how The Hobbit will fare. I'm sure I will enjoy it.

Fluffy, did you like the LOTR film trilogy?
 
The Hobbit was also my first book. LOTR became my second straight after. I was happy with the LOTR adaptation and I view the literature and the motion pictures independently.

The Hobbit will undoubtedly be even more different than LOTR was, which was surprisingly faithful given Hollywood's record. The tone of the book simply is not what I see in the trailers. I'll enjoy it on it's own merits, and the producers have their work cut out to invent new storyline to carry a trilogy.


Exactly, thank you.

I read The Hobbit when I was young, and loved it... but the book itself is more of a children's story than LOTR. In viewing the trailers for the movie, it looks like the tone has been changed to a bit more serious one, and I hear that a lot of battles and such that took place "off screen" in the book will be done up big in the movies.... and I am GLAD they are doing this rather than being strictly 100% by-the-book.

I think it will make for a more interesting movie.


Purists will now howl for my head on a spike. :)
 
The Hobbit was not my first substantial book, it came along later for me, after I'd read Heinlein. That said, I love The Hobbit and the LOTR trilogy, having read all at least three times. The Tolkien's writing does my favorite thing when I read, completely take me away to another place.

Now to the movie, I don't have a need for a movie to be a literal translation of a book. If stuff is left out, I'm usually ok with it (though I thought some of the first Harry Potter films could have lifted dialog from the books and have been a lot better than the script :2razz: ).

Given the astounding LOTR movies, I have no fear of how The Hobbit will fare. I'm sure I will enjoy it.

Fluffy, did you like the LOTR film trilogy?

Why, yes, I did enjoy them....immensely. There was, initially, that period of disappointment, where there were some of my favorite elements from the books that I would've loved to have seen depicted on film....but they weren't included (the encounter with Tom Bombadil comes to mind). But after getting over that, I was able to appreciate the scope and visual beauty of what Jackson was attempting to portray. He's still no Lucas or Spielberg......but he's getting pretty darned close. :D
 
Exactly, thank you.

I read The Hobbit when I was young, and loved it... but the book itself is more of a children's story than LOTR. In viewing the trailers for the movie, it looks like the tone has been changed to a bit more serious one, and I hear that a lot of battles and such that took place "off screen" in the book will be done up big in the movies.... and I am GLAD they are doing this rather than being strictly 100% by-the-book.

I think it will make for a more interesting movie.


Purists will now howl for my head on a spike. :)

I'm certainly a purist....but I'll leave your head intact for now. :lol:

I understand that Tolkien wrote this to have an almost "childlike innocense and quality" about it.......but I agree with you that the serious treatment of LOTR (by Tolkien), and the fact that those movies were made first.....almost makes it inevitable that The Hobbit (because it deals with origins of the Ring) must also be approached as a much more "serious" venture than even Tolkien, himself may have initially imagined it.
 
Why, yes, I did enjoy them....immensely. There was, initially, that period of disappointment, where there were some of my favorite elements from the books that I would've loved to have seen depicted on film....but they weren't included (the encounter with Tom Bombadil comes to mind). But after getting over that, I was able to appreciate the scope and visual beauty of what Jackson was attempting to portray. He's still no Lucas or Spielberg......but he's getting pretty darned close. :D

That's how I think The Hobbit will go. One might be disappointed at what is potentially left out, because surely there will be some elements that don't make it into the film, but in the end, given Jackson's record with the other three and what he has to live up to, I'm sure the film will be wonderful.
 
I just met Sylvester McCoy 2 nights ago at a restaurant / pub at a Doctor Who convention. He plays a good sized part as Radagast so Im very much looking forward to seeing the movie. He is on a plane now headed for the world premire. I was lucky to spend 30 minutes with him and yes, he is a very nice man. Good sense of humor and very grounded.
 
I read the LotR Trilogy before The Hobbit...both were enthralling. the I started to read the Simarillion...and it put me off reading for a while!
 
I enjoyed the trilogy movies, I hope The Hobbit is just as good.

I wrote my 11th grade "thesis" on The Fellowship (aced it).
 
Exactly, thank you.

I read The Hobbit when I was young, and loved it... but the book itself is more of a children's story than LOTR. In viewing the trailers for the movie, it looks like the tone has been changed to a bit more serious one, and I hear that a lot of battles and such that took place "off screen" in the book will be done up big in the movies.... and I am GLAD they are doing this rather than being strictly 100% by-the-book.

I think it will make for a more interesting movie.


Purists will now howl for my head on a spike. :)

Purists would only settle for a page by page filming of the printed page.... the only action or noise would be the turning of the pages. And even then some of them would claim that too much time was spent on some pages at the expense of others.

If you are a real fan of Tolkien & Jackson and you want to read a really well written article about the upcoming films - and you do not mind spoilers - this is terrific

http://www.theonering.net/torwp/201...y-connecting-the-dots-and-filling-the-blanks/

it sounds like each of the three HOBBIT films will build and build then we get the Battle of the Five Armies which sounds beyond belief. If anybody reads it, let me know what you think please.
 
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Always a problem in video translation. My best modern example is The Hunger Games where 9 hours of audio became 2 hours of video. So the tense search for water was resolved by immediately finding the stream.

I think that video should be watched before the book is read assuming you can plan your life that way...:)
 
I don't know if anyone else can relate but I'd just like to share that as a young boy (maybe 3rd or 4th grade) the first really "substantial" book that I remember reading was The Hobbit. I was completely hooked. I was amazed by the scope and style of the tale. From that point on, I became an avid fan of the Fantasy/Sci-Fi genre of literature. Went on to read all things Tolkien, Bradbury, Heinlen, Asimov, Brooks, Pratchett, etc. I essentially found the one thing that would "spur" me on to become a good reader and a capable writer. Also got deep into AD&D and other "original" RPG's and "acquired" a whole new and "interesting" set of friends. :lol:

In summary....reading The Hobbit was a turning point for me way back then......and I've probably re-read it 25-30 times since. I share all this to get to the topic of the new movie.

Question is........is anyone anxiously awaiting the release of The Hobbit motion picture.........or are you like me, and are sensing a bit of dread that the motion picture industry will do a degree of "injustice" to that one work of literature that I've placed on a pedastel?

I consider myself an aficionado of both science fiction and fantasy, in literature as well as in other media.

I tried to read "The Lord of the Rings" several times. But JRR is just way too dense for my liking. So I've never read the story.

However, that doesn't mean I haven't grown up with "The Hobbit." In fact, I've seen "The Hobbit" years ago. Thanks to Rankin Bass.



There is also an absolutely breathtaking graphic novel adaptation of "The Hobbit" that I cannot recommend enough. It's such a great introduction to those who can't get through the dense literature of the original novel.

225px-The_Hobbit_Comic_book.jpg

011304_hobbit02.jpg
 
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