Red Mosquito

So.. I'm a full on nerd now

dimejinky99 wrote:So.. I'm a full on nerd now

Thats awesome.
I'd buy one for sure if the taxes here in Brazil wasn't so fucking high...
How much did you spent?

Well it was cheaper to buy from the US and pay shipping than buy it from a European site. But I did get hit with a €25 customs bill today upon arrival. It's a beauty though. Well worth it. Think it was about $120 +$30 shipping?

dimejinky99 wrote:So.. I'm a full on nerd now

Because you posted a picture of a sword?

Haha

Cos I bought one:) I won't be dressing up as a hobbit anytime soon I promise.

(I cannot fully stand by that statement)

dimejinky99 wrote:Haha

Cos I bought one:) I won't be dressing up as a hobbit anytime soon I promise.

(I cannot fully stand by that statement)

This is gonna get ugly. Hundreds of Millions at stake
http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2013/03 ... -contract/

It is clear to me, the second time around, that they should have left the opening "epic saga"ish sequence out. Setting up the mountain, the dragon, and the score to settle at minute one pretty much screamed "THIS IS GOING TO BE ABOUT KILLING A DRAGON AND SHIT," which just left me spending the next 40 minutes wondering why I was watching people clean dishes.

A cold opening on Frodo and Bilbo would have been amusing, and would have set a much more appropriate tone for the first hour. Instead of saying "Hey, this is just the shit that happens before the real adventure begins," it would have given the first third of the movie the lighthearted and playful feel that it wanted to have (which just doesn't happen when the very first tone setting moment in your movie is KABOOOOOOM KAPOOOOOOOOW KERSPLAAAAAAAASH). It would have also let small elements like Bilbo's "little chest" of gold better serve as in-joke teasers, and the dwarves' screwball arrival play out more for the audience the way it did for Bilbo. When the opening sequence is “BY THE WAY, DWARVES AND FIRE,” they aren’t all that exciting as a source of humor when they show up at the door because you’ve already seen them slashing and killing and being homophobic towards the elves.

Also, the big open on Fellowship was about establishing a huge ass mythology, spanning centuries. This time around it was just a specific event, for a specific group, that could have been backstoried/flashbacked later on.

I don’t hate the bunny sleigh as much the second time through, though. Now, it's just kind of corny.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is my wife watched this for the first time last night, so I caught about half of it again.

That's pretty much what I took away from this. The tension between being epic and being lighthearted doesn't work very well.

McParadigm wrote:It is clear to me, the second time around, that they should have left the opening "epic saga"ish sequence out. Setting up the mountain, the dragon, and the score to settle at minute one pretty much screamed "THIS IS GOING TO BE ABOUT KILLING A DRAGON AND SHIT," which just left me spending the next 40 minutes wondering why I was watching people clean dishes.

A cold opening on Frodo and Bilbo would have been amusing, and would have set a much more appropriate tone for the first hour. Instead of saying "Hey, this is just the shit that happens before the real adventure begins," it would have given the first third of the movie the lighthearted and playful feel that it wanted to have (which just doesn't happen when the very first tone setting moment in your movie is KABOOOOOOM KAPOOOOOOOOW KERSPLAAAAAAAASH). It would have also let small elements like Bilbo's "little chest" of gold better serve as in-joke teasers, and the dwarves' screwball arrival play out more for the audience the way it did for Bilbo. When the opening sequence is “BY THE WAY, DWARVES AND FIRE,” they aren’t all that exciting as a source of humor when they show up at the door because you’ve already seen them slashing and killing and being homophobic towards the elves.

Also, the big open on Fellowship was about establishing a huge ass mythology, spanning centuries. This time around it was just a specific event, for a specific group, that could have been backstoried/flashbacked later on.

I don’t hate the bunny sleigh as much the second time through, though. Now, it's just kind of corny.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is my wife watched this for the first time last night, so I caught about half of it again.

now i know not to waste my time, thank you.

The template from Fellowship is what they were trying to fit onto this film. I think they lost sight of the fact that its a very different story. It didn't need any of those elements so I agree. It fumbles being lighthearted and the sense of threat and danger from the pursuing Orcs is rendered impotent given we've seen it before and done better through the Ringwraiths. I mean how can you top the fear implied by Ringwraiths? You can't really.
They were wrong to try.

Dime,

Just watched this for the first time since the first time. I enjoyed it.

Yeah, it took 40 minutes to get out of the Shire. I'm watching at home; 60 minutes in the Shire would be fine with me. If Heaven exists, it is similar to the Shire.

Yeah, it was silly here and there: A) it's fantasy B) it's based on a children's book that led to an adult fantasy trilogy, so it seems only right the movie should be that way too. My kids (5 and 7) laughed. I laughed hard when one of the dwarves remarked it couldn't get worse and then the Goblin King fell on top of the dwarves - my 7-year-old laughed and said, "He said it couldn't get worse and it did get worse."

Martin Freeman is the best goddam person ever. From the Office to Sherlock to Fargo to this, he owns and inhabits every character. I love him. I really loved the way he delivered the line about helping the dwarves get their home back if he can. It made the goosebumps rise a bit.

There are flaws, sure, and sometimes the CGI is a little overwhelming, but watching Ian McKellan be Gandalf is a real treat. What an iconic role!

Smaug tomorrow. Battle Monday. I look forward to both.

Btw, what does the extended edition add?

More walking.

edit: I kid. I've never seen any of The Hobbits as I'm still scarred from LOTR III's walkathon.

I laughed out loud when i read your kids comment it's cool that they liked it:)
hindsight is 20/20...the first film in this trilogy is now probably my favourite. I like the Shire sequence too btw.

The extended edition on the first has an extra (i think) 11 minutes footage? might be more..havent seen it in a long while, but the big bonus is a conversation between Gandalf&Elrond, cant remember the specifics, but i do remember it on its own adding something special..

I'd have to watch it again, DT, it's been ages.

but again, love that your kids liked it and your little fella was sorta right, about the whole thing...'he said it couldnt get worse, and it did'

outta the mouth of babes..

watching the EE now..forgot that you dont get a proper look at Smaug at all in the first film..

it's an extra 13 minutes..not 11

Has anyone seen the fan edit of the trilogy (cuts it down to about 4 hours by excising the stuff not directly part of bilbo's journey)? I've just started it and it is already greatly improved.

the hobbit portion ends at about an hour and 40 minutes. They use some gandalf lines as a voice over to transition from 1-2. Other than not having a clearer understanding who Azog is (though they establish he's someone who has a past with Thorin, which is probably enough) and it not being totally clear why gandalf doesn't set out from Rivendell with the dwarves it was remarkably seamless, and again the pacing is wonderful.

this cut really showcases how wonderful martin freeman's performance was

Great thread revival.

DcT. Your last post


Stip.
I'm in the pub right now. I can't answer fully.
THere is a fan edit of all three films
It's way better apparently. I have seen it and raved about it and why but I don't know where the links are I'm sorry.

Do some thoughtful googling.