I have not weighed in till now not because I had nothing to say, but because I was interested to read the shifting opinions surrounding Jackson's HOBBIT. I have read all three pages of this thread, and am now ready to comment:
I remember back when Del Torro initially left the project, most here were on board with Jackson taking the helm. It was looked at as the prodigal son returning to the franchise that he helped create in the first place. I was more skeptical. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not rooting for the movie to turn out badly. I may have been gravely disappointed by ROTK (I feel the film is unwatchable, for large stretches, and I get zero pleasure from revisiting it), but the LOTR films were a big part of my highschool experience and I have fond memories of the hype, the crash course in Tolkien mythology, and of course going out in December to see them with friends
Now.. I have not read the HOBBIT since fifth grade, but from what I remembered about the story, Del Torro seemed like a perfect fit. The film calls out for a director who can make the very process of exploring these new corners of Middle Earth an exciting journey on it's own, and imbue the proceedings with a sense of mystery and wonder even though we've seen this universe on film before. It needs to be an intimate, and small scale story told in a way that makes it seem full of grandeur and awe, and that seemed like the kind of film Del Torro is adept at making
When he left the project, I was very disappointed. The fact he was teaming up with Cameron to advance the 3D Revolution was great, but I felt that it was almost certain that whoever replaced him would be incapable of matching the film he would have made. I'd become largely soured on Jackson (just based on ROTK and KONG alone, without even getting into TLB), and didn't really have much faith that he'd take the same intimate approach to the story. I'd been OK with the idea of a "LOTR Bridge Film" which is what was being discussed in the Del Torro days. A film version of THE HOBBIT with some mild connective tissue to a second in depth film based on the appendices that was designed to match the HOBBIT world to the larger LOTR story sounded perfect to me, the best of both worlds
Now though that Jackson has decided that the HOBBIT itself is to be split into two films, and the 'bridge film' is being combined with the HOBBIT narrative? All my worst fears are coming to pass, it seems. Could the movies still be enjoyable? Well sure. It's going to be neat seeing actors like Blanchett and McKellan back in their roles, and to get a chance to revisit some of that magic I experienced from my youth. LOTR prequels will at least have some interesting scenes and sequences I assume
With that said though, I do think it's a fatal mistake the way the story is being split up. I hope I'm wrong, but all my instincts and all the evidence (Re: Jackson's recent career) tells me that I'm not
I feel like if we'd gotten the bridge film, that would be one tight movie that Jackson (or Del Torro) would have had to shape out of the wealth of Tolkien lore out there as a compact narrative that could work in one sitting
By combining that material with the HOBBIT and splitting it into two films, I think it's going to be impossible for Jackson to tell a tight compelling story when the material and hero quest has been so diluted. It's more for the sake of more, and it ends up lessening the impact of the film IMHO. At least that's what I saw with KONG and it's what people are reporting about the HP7P1 situation
I remember back when Del Torro initially left the project, most here were on board with Jackson taking the helm. It was looked at as the prodigal son returning to the franchise that he helped create in the first place. I was more skeptical. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not rooting for the movie to turn out badly. I may have been gravely disappointed by ROTK (I feel the film is unwatchable, for large stretches, and I get zero pleasure from revisiting it), but the LOTR films were a big part of my highschool experience and I have fond memories of the hype, the crash course in Tolkien mythology, and of course going out in December to see them with friends
Now.. I have not read the HOBBIT since fifth grade, but from what I remembered about the story, Del Torro seemed like a perfect fit. The film calls out for a director who can make the very process of exploring these new corners of Middle Earth an exciting journey on it's own, and imbue the proceedings with a sense of mystery and wonder even though we've seen this universe on film before. It needs to be an intimate, and small scale story told in a way that makes it seem full of grandeur and awe, and that seemed like the kind of film Del Torro is adept at making
When he left the project, I was very disappointed. The fact he was teaming up with Cameron to advance the 3D Revolution was great, but I felt that it was almost certain that whoever replaced him would be incapable of matching the film he would have made. I'd become largely soured on Jackson (just based on ROTK and KONG alone, without even getting into TLB), and didn't really have much faith that he'd take the same intimate approach to the story. I'd been OK with the idea of a "LOTR Bridge Film" which is what was being discussed in the Del Torro days. A film version of THE HOBBIT with some mild connective tissue to a second in depth film based on the appendices that was designed to match the HOBBIT world to the larger LOTR story sounded perfect to me, the best of both worlds
Now though that Jackson has decided that the HOBBIT itself is to be split into two films, and the 'bridge film' is being combined with the HOBBIT narrative? All my worst fears are coming to pass, it seems. Could the movies still be enjoyable? Well sure. It's going to be neat seeing actors like Blanchett and McKellan back in their roles, and to get a chance to revisit some of that magic I experienced from my youth. LOTR prequels will at least have some interesting scenes and sequences I assume
With that said though, I do think it's a fatal mistake the way the story is being split up. I hope I'm wrong, but all my instincts and all the evidence (Re: Jackson's recent career) tells me that I'm not
I feel like if we'd gotten the bridge film, that would be one tight movie that Jackson (or Del Torro) would have had to shape out of the wealth of Tolkien lore out there as a compact narrative that could work in one sitting
By combining that material with the HOBBIT and splitting it into two films, I think it's going to be impossible for Jackson to tell a tight compelling story when the material and hero quest has been so diluted. It's more for the sake of more, and it ends up lessening the impact of the film IMHO. At least that's what I saw with KONG and it's what people are reporting about the HP7P1 situation
