The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

[Shiuzu]

Am I the only one who didn't notice this magical frame rate? And thought the movie looked pretty good. Honestly, when people keep talking about the higher frame rate, I honestly can't see it.

 

[Brandon Rhea]

Am I the only one who didn't notice this magical frame rate? And thought the movie looked pretty good. Honestly, when people keep talking about the higher frame rate, I honestly can't see it.

What kind of theater did you see it in? Some theaters showed it in standard 24fps.

 

[Shiuzu]

What kind of theater did you see it in? Some theaters showed it in standard 24fps.

Empire theatres, I saw it in RealD 3D. Also saw a pre-screening the day before if that makes a difference.

 

[Enishi]

I was pleasantly surprised by the film. From the fight scenes, to the goblin cavern, to the eagles - and, the cherry on top: before I went to the theater, me and a few friends went to a record shop and I bought the original Star Wars soundtrack on vinyl.

 

[Lavi]

Just saw it. Thought it was dragged out a little too much (hai Radaghast), but overall a great film.

 

[BLADE]

It pretty much comes down to how you feel about Tolkien. If you have read all of his letters, The Unfinished Tales, The Silmarillion (I can name all the Valar), etc. then the atmosphere and just how much lore they do get in there is going to be enough to make you forgive the (very evident) flaws in the movie.

As a straight-experience. Overly long. 48 FPS does lend it a phantasmagorical realism that juts you out of things. Martin Freeman, Andy Serkis, and Ian McKellen are terrific. Bit players do good work. Rest of the cast is... eh.

 

[Lavi]

Whoever acted as Radaghast did an excellent job, imo. I just thought his role was expanded too much for so little reason.

 

[BLADE]

Sylvester McCoy. He's a Scottish stage actor.

Like I said, it ultimately depends as to what degree you are willing to accept an elaboration and creative hermeneutics of Tolkien's writings. Lots of what Jackson put to screen could be construed as simulacrum of some scenarios that Tolkien sketched out, either in the vague one-line sentences he ascribed to momentous events or in the many letters he wrote.

I don't have a problem with it, but your mileage may vary.

 

[Green Ranger]

Just saw it. Thought it was dragged out a little too much (hai Radaghast), but overall a great film.

First off, **** you all. I'm dying to see this, but have to wait till after Christmas.

Anywho, the quote above has got me interested, because I felt Radagast was actually really glossed over in the legendarium, when he's actually got an interesting story and theme, so I'm curious to see what they've done with him.

Also, in my view criticizing the movie for dragging on is fair, but it's also expected. I mean, look at Return of the King with its 23 million false endings.

 

[Phil]

look at Return of the King with its 23 million false endings.

Wat?

 

[Green Ranger]

Pretty much everyone I've spoken to thought ROTK was going to end after Gandalf came on the eagles...and then again after the coronation ceremony...and then again after the Hobbits returned to the Shire.

 

[Brandon Rhea]

Every scene in the last few scenes of The Return of the King seemed like it would be the ending. I remember seeing it in theaters, and people actually stood up a few times because they thought it would be the ending. The only one that really faked me out good was when the ship sailed to the Undying Lands. I thought "OK, this one HAS to be the ending." But nope. ****ing Samwise Gamgee.

I do also recall someone in the theater reacting to Gollum's death and shouting, "Finally! Three damn movies and that ****er is finally dead." Enjoy The Hobbit, cupcake.

 

[jpchewy01]

Sylvester McCoy. He's a Scottish stage actor.

Sylvester McCoy. He's Doctor Who.

 

[BLADE]

Sylvester McCoy. He's Doctor Who.

I refuse to recognize any cultural events that occurred in Britain during Maggie's reign. Thatcher delenda est.

But yes. You're right. I had forgotten all about the... was he the Seventh Doctor? Or the Eighth?

And I saw him in a West End production of King Lear alongside Sir Ian McKellen. He was quite good.

 

[Shiuzu]

It pretty much comes down to how you feel about Tolkien. If you have read all of his letters, The Unfinished Tales, The Silmarillion (I can name all the Valar), etc. then the atmosphere and just how much lore they do get in there is going to be enough to make you forgive the (very evident) flaws in the movie.

As a straight-experience. Overly long. 48 FPS does lend it a phantasmagorical realism that juts you out of things. Martin Freeman, Andy Serkis, and Ian McKellen are terrific. Bit players do good work. Rest of the cast is... eh.

As you said somewhere else mileage does vary. I saw it with two other people, one had (like myself) read pretty much everything you just listen and we loved every bit of it. Our other friend, I think saw the theatrical versions of LOTR and thought they were OK. And he loved it as well, we couldn't stop talking about it on the drive home. I'll have to go see it again and see if I can figure out this magical frame rate people keep prattling on about.

On a sidenote Rise of the Guardians was a pretty fun movie.

 

[Kaeb]

When it comes to noticing whether or not things are of a high visual quality, having a lot of experience in the arts faults me constantly and makes it really difficult for me to enjoy a lot of films that use even a little CGI.

All the footage I've seen in 48 FPS, I have found extremely jarring, to the point where it looks like I'm just watching the highest funded play of all time, not a major motion picture. It looks like a lot of the shitty matte paintings from the sixties. In order for this quality to be accepted by me, the special effects, costumes and make up have to seem real, they do not, therefore I'm of the belief that I'm just going to be constantly distracted throughout the entire movie.

It's like the opposite of The Lord of the Rings films, which where very grounded and immersive.

 

[jpchewy01]

I refuse to recognize any cultural events that occurred in Britain during Maggie's reign. Thatcher delenda est.

But yes. You're right. I had forgotten all about the... was he the Seventh Doctor? Or the Eighth?

Understandable. I hate Margaret Thatcher.

As for Sylvester McCoy, he was the Seventh Doctor. We do not speak of Eight.

 

[Brandon Rhea]

The Tenth Doctor was terrible.

 

[Shiuzu]

Understandable. I hate Margaret Thatcher.

As for Sylvester McCoy, he was the Seventh Doctor. We do not speak of Eight.

I'm unfamiliar with pretty much everything before nine, sadly.

Nine represent!

 

[Kiro]

The Tenth Doctor was terrible.

I mostly blame the writers for that.