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Movie of the Week: The Hobbit
Dec. 21st, 2012 12:32 amNo movie of the week last week because we'd seen all we wanted to see and The Hobbit didn't open until Thursday. (Our cinema day being Wednesday.) So my cinebuddy, H, and I were really looking forward to seeing the Hobbit this week. And we were not disappointed. I know some of my friends will nitpick over some aspects of it and while I hear their criticisms I have to say that I just don't care. I loved every moment. Was it long? Yes. Did it drag? Not one bit.
Martin Freeman is a perfect Bilbo Baggins, Richard Armitage a powerful Thorin Oakenshield. (Is it just me or does anyone else think he looks and sounds like Sean Bean's younger brother?) Aidan Turner is just plain gorgeous as Kili the dwarf and Sylvester McCoy suitably batty as Radegast. Revisiting Rivendell and the Shire was a joy.
I'm not a Tolkien purist. I read the books in my twenties and one day I may re-read them, but I haven't yet. It means that though I remember the general gist, I've forgotten details. I'm not looking for differences between the book and the movies. Books are books and films are films and the medium makes different demands on the two, so I'm not going to get a ll huffy about Peter Jackson adding in stuff from elsewhere. If it means we get three films instead of two, then that's shiny. Bring on the next one and bring on the extended DVD editions.
A note on format. I saw the 2D version because I've always been disappointed with the way (most) filmmakers use 3D and resented being charged extra to have my eyeballs feel as though they've been whizzed around in a blender, but I might just persuade the family to a cinema outing this Christmas to see the 3D version. I certainly don't think the 2D version lacks anything, but I'm curious to see whether/how the 3D version enhances the production.
Martin Freeman is a perfect Bilbo Baggins, Richard Armitage a powerful Thorin Oakenshield. (Is it just me or does anyone else think he looks and sounds like Sean Bean's younger brother?) Aidan Turner is just plain gorgeous as Kili the dwarf and Sylvester McCoy suitably batty as Radegast. Revisiting Rivendell and the Shire was a joy.
I'm not a Tolkien purist. I read the books in my twenties and one day I may re-read them, but I haven't yet. It means that though I remember the general gist, I've forgotten details. I'm not looking for differences between the book and the movies. Books are books and films are films and the medium makes different demands on the two, so I'm not going to get a ll huffy about Peter Jackson adding in stuff from elsewhere. If it means we get three films instead of two, then that's shiny. Bring on the next one and bring on the extended DVD editions.
A note on format. I saw the 2D version because I've always been disappointed with the way (most) filmmakers use 3D and resented being charged extra to have my eyeballs feel as though they've been whizzed around in a blender, but I might just persuade the family to a cinema outing this Christmas to see the 3D version. I certainly don't think the 2D version lacks anything, but I'm curious to see whether/how the 3D version enhances the production.
