The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

[Khev]

I'm glad they changed Bolg. I don't need Lurtz 2.0. If I want that I can just watch FOTR.

Neanderthal Bolg >>> Teen Wolf Bolg.

 

[The Ween]

I don't believe they didn't have they money 1 bit. With the profits the film company got from the first 5 films PJ would have had virtually an open check book.

They spent nearly 95 million on RotK if I'm not mistaken, the same effects would probably cost double that now, not to mention salaries have gone up as well. Film companies will do anything to give themselves even more profits. I'm not saying that happened, but who knows what goes on behind closed doors.

 

[furystorm]

I think I honestly would have enjoyed this Hobbit series much more if the overall aesthetic feel stayed in one vein, coherent. I enjoyed the Goblin King bits and the rabbits, and Mirkwood, etc. There were just these two distinct looks to the film that didn't mesh very well for me. If it had stayed in the fun visual vein, and not taken itself so seriously at other times, it would have been more cohesive. Oh, and maybe don't add all the extraneous story lines and unknown/created newly characters, and elf/dwarve love. Blech.

As someone else mentioned, I'll be looking forward to a fan edit, ditching all those extraneous moments, if it's at all possible.

 

[Xenoburger_]

Why was Bilbo's ancestor big enough to ride a real horse? He just was. Just because Azog and his son were freaks doesn't invalidate the need for an army of large Uruk-hai. Who knows why they were bigger. Maybe one of Azog's grandparents messed around with a cave troll. Like one big unusually buff orc is this massive continuity error.

I'm not saying it's a continuity error, I just think it's a dumb idea. It does lessen the impact of these brutal orc hybrids when we already have orcs that are not just the same size, but even larger.

I don't remember any mention of Bolg and Azog being overly large in the book either. I was under the impression that the defining feature of them was their white/albino skin.

It just screams the typical Michael Bay attitude of "Bigger is better! CGI! CGI! CGI!" IMO.

 

[The Josh]

Why was Bilbo's ancestor big enough to ride a real horse? He just was. Just because Azog and his son were freaks doesn't invalidate the need for an army of large Uruk-hai. Who knows why they were bigger. Maybe one of Azog's grandparents messed around with a cave troll. Like one big unusually buff orc is this massive continuity error.

Even within the books they're listed as large Orcs. I can't remember exactly what the text describes but they're not small orcs by any means. So them being large is ok by me.

 

[Khev]

I don't remember any mention of Bolg and Azog being overly large in the book either.

Neither Azog nor Bolg are described physically in The Hobbit novel. However, Tolkien does say this as the Battle of Five Armies is beginning: "Day drew on. The goblins [remember orcs and goblins alike were all collectively called "goblins" in The Hobbit] gathered again in the valley. There a host of wargs came ravening and with them came the bodyguard of Bolg, goblins of huge size with scimitars of steel."

The Great Goblin is another example in the same story of a freakishly huge one-off goblin. But again, just having one or two legendary figures doesn't lessen the impact of an army of charging Uruk-hai. Tolkien himself described goblins/orcs of huge size 20 years before he came up with the Uruk-hai.

 

[The Josh]

I think better descriptions also are in the Appendicies.

I love this site. I use it to refresh my memory at times and they've used the books to make sure the info is correct. It's something folks can use to help them make statements that are a little more correct.

Orcs of Middle-earth

 

[crows]

I think I honestly would have enjoyed this Hobbit series much more if the overall aesthetic feel stayed in one vein, coherent. I enjoyed the Goblin King bits and the rabbits, and Mirkwood, etc. There were just these two distinct looks to the film that didn't mesh very well for me. If it had stayed in the fun visual vein, and not taken itself so seriously at other times, it would have been more cohesive. Oh, and maybe don't add all the extraneous story lines and unknown/created newly characters, and elf/dwarve love. Blech.

As someone else mentioned, I'll be looking forward to a fan edit, ditching all those extraneous moments, if it's at all possible.

Guillermo del Toro would have saved this trilogy, it really is a shame he didn't do it. it would have been as great as the first trilogy (And Ironically enough Guillermo would have stayed closer to the look and feel of the LOTR movies as fas as the practical effects go, he loves practical as well as cgi)

sometimes I feel really sad Guillermo was not in charge because I was really looking forward to these movies. I think part of why i sound so bitter is just how disappointing the whole thing was.

(inb4 but pacificrimsuckedblablabla)

 

[Khev]

I think better descriptions also are in the Appendicies.

I wondered if the Appendices gave better descriptions. I've been looking all over for my dumb LOTR novels but I moved a few months back and they're apparently buried in a box somewhere. I was surprised that The Hobbit made no mention of them being pale skinned.

 

[crows]

Holy crap I'm agreeing with something you posted! Something bad must be going to happen. Agree to the red as well.

Even a broken clock is right twice a day

 

[Khev]

I think better descriptions also are in the Appendicies.

I love this site. I use it to refresh my memory at times and they've used the books to make sure the info is correct. It's something folks can use to help them make statements that are a little more correct.

Orcs of Middle-earth

Josh in the novel it seemed that Tolkien was suggesting that the giant bats in the battle were there to create a cloud over the orcs that would shield them from the sun. Was that your take on them as well?

 

[furystorm]

I love, and I mean adore, Pacific Rim!

No accounting for taste, as they say.

 

[The Josh]

I wondered if the Appendices gave better descriptions. I've been looking all over for my dumb LOTR novels but I moved a few months back and they're apparently buried in a box somewhere. I was surprised that The Hobbit made no mention of them being pale skinned.

If memory serves me right it's not super in depth but about what that link says. Basically he was a large Orc, Bolg was, and they had some large guards.

You should check that site out. If you're serious about knowing lots on Middle-earth it's the best site out there.

Josh in the novel it seemed that Tolkien was suggesting that the giant bats in the battle were there to create a cloud over the orcs that would shield them from the sun. Was that your take on them as well?

That was how I took it. I haven't gotten to that chapter this time but that is my recollection on it at least.

 

[crows]

I love, and I mean adore, Pacific Rim!

No accounting for taste, as they say.

Whenever the name Guillermo del toro comes up people always love to throw Pacific rim into one's face. Completely ignoring his work on Hellboy 2 or Pan's Labyrinth and how he creates modern Fairy tales. (as well as ignoring how PR was meant to be the way it was.)

and what is the Hobbit if not one big Fairy tale... say what you will about Hellboy 2 but the fairy tale part was done flawlessly. Imagine that kind of care and attention to detail for the Hobbit... makes me mad just to think about it.

Guillermo's movies are more personal and stay closer to the characters instead of being CGI abominations. If they ever do a remake of Lord of the Rings my vote would be for Guillermo to do them.

 

[furystorm]

It's entirely possible that I would blindly defend any and all work by Guillermo. Much as we see others being adamant about their allegiance to Jackson.

I love all of GDT's work!

 

[crows]

I did not like Blade 2 as much as the others. and I am not too crazy about the movies he produces. (i have not liked any of the movies he produces actually) but I love him because of how he has not been taken by the dark force that is the overuse of CGI

 

[Khev]

I don't think Del Toro would have done as good a job as Jackson but I do bet he would have kept the dancing elves in Mirkwood as well as the talking birds. Those would have been cool to see.

 

[furystorm]

I didn't like the TV show, The Strain. But I'm more of a film guy anyway.

Concerning BOTFA, I sure hope to see more of Beorn in the EE as others have mentioned. I just flat out love that character. Also, I really loved the opening scenes of the film. Where I found Laketown to be a bore in DOS, the Smaug scenes were just the bee's knees in this film. Damn, I love me some dragons!

 

[furystorm]

I don't think Del Toro would have done as good a job as Jackson but I do bet he would have kept the dancing elves in Mirkwood as well as the talking birds. Those would have been cool to see.

Hell yeah they would! I find The Hobbit book to be far more fantastical than LOTR on the whole. Not sure why, when the same elements exist in each. I suppose it's because the Hobbit story is geared more toward a young audience. It makes me feel like a kid, and I love that sense of wonder.

 

[crows]

I don't think Del Toro would have done as good a job as Jackson but I do bet he would have kept the dancing elves in Mirkwood as well as the talking birds. Those would have been cool to see.

I think he could have, if anything these movies would have been closer to the cartoon movie under his watch. He would have made them feel more like fairy tales like I said. the fantastical parts in Pan's Labyrinth were pretty good. to Imagine a hobbit movie with that mentality, I think this would have been better than it is.

Seeing how the Hobbit is more for kids I think Guillermo would have really stuck to that, while not being too goofy with it (like some of the moments in the Hobbit are) One thing is to have a kid's story in your hands and another thing is to make it goofy, they are not the same. Guillermo is someone that can do both, make it serious while make it fun and adventurous