I think that is a different price. Not the price that the White Orc put on his head in AUJ.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
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I think that is a different price. Not the price that the White Orc put on his head in AUJ.
Really? Interesting. I was certain that the ruffians Gandalf encountered would have been carrying the bounty notice posted by Azog. Who do you think would have also been after Thorin's head? Regardless of who set the price Gandalf knew that Thorin was being hunted by someone prior to their journey. It just seems that he shouldn't have been as surprised when the wargs showed up. Believe me, I'm not looking to knock the films, any fanboy "explanation" will suffice for me.
I was wondering about this....
What does Thorin plan on doing with the Arkenstone after he gets it... I mean the dragon is still under the Mt. They send in Bilbo to get that thing.. So lets say he does and brings it to Thorin. What then? They still have a Dragon infestation problem.
I don't remember what the point was in the book either, except that I know that is how Bilbo finds Smaug's one weakness.
What does Thorin plan on doing with the Arkenstone after he gets it... I mean the dragon is still under the Mt. They send in Bilbo to get that thing.. So lets say he does and brings it to Thorin. What then? They still have a Dragon infestation problem.
I don't remember what the point was in the book either, except that I know that is how Bilbo finds Smaug's one weakness.
I think the Dark forces (whoever they are) wanted him to fail. They may have wanted Smaug for themselves.
It had to be someone besides Azog because it defiantly took place before Azog knew about the dwarves.
I think it was implied that Thorin would use the Arkenstone to unite all the dwarves to attack Smaug by force.
Well we know Azog swore to wipe out the line of Durin 60 years prior and he knew that Thorin was still alive. I think he just never gave up the hunt, even if he didn't have the freedom to pursue it all those decades. DOS seems to suggest that Azog's bounty came first, then Gandalf became aware of it and used it to prompt Thorin to reclaim his throne before some random bounty hunter killed him and ended the line forever.
Ahhhhhhhhhhh.... OK that makes sense and sounds familiar...
But then Why did Thorin Suddenly have the price on his head??
Why would Azog say in AUJ that he is putting a price on his head if it was already there?
Somehow someone found out and knew about his Lonely Mt idea (that is why I say Dark forces).
The Chev
Super Freak
You and Njits are intelligent people and I enjoy debating with you two, and I'm not the biggest Legolas Fan myself. He was actually my least favorite character in LOTR and I personally thought the Oliphant scene was pretty ridicules. Yes Legolas hopping on Dwarves was silly, and I'm sure little kids will love it, which is why I have a feeling PJ started doing Super Legolas in Two Towers.
About CGI in regards to Legolas doing the Super Human feats. Well, to be honest If they would have used practical effects on the Dwarves hopscotch it would have looked even more silly in my opinion. I know Tauriel(spl) did some things, but it was more toned down.
Believe me, I'm a fan of Less is more in movies, and like I said, Amon Hen was by far one of the most intense action sequences in the entire LOTR and we got to see Legolas do really amazing things without many effects. Legolas in Lake town, the things were still super human, but it wasn't as cartoony as the other two parts he was in. Honestly, his battle with blog was pretty gritty, and reminded me a little of Aragorn vs. Lurtz. Aragorn would always take a beating and keep going. Like John McLane!
I used to have the EE DVDs, but they accidently got packed in with Dvds that I was getting rid of. I need to get the Blu-Ray set. I think I'll check ebay out.
He does leave Gandalf's sight for a while and has a meeting with the other Dwarven Leaders. I just assume he meant did he talk with anyone else after their meeting. I think the surprise in Goblin Town is that Azog (who he doesn't believe is alive) has a price on his head. Then the realization hits him when he sees Azog is alive.
It will cement his claim that he is King Under the Mountain. It will allow him to unite the Dwarven people.
The Chev
Super Freak
I mentioned this before and after seeing the film a couple more times, I think the prologue scene is extremely redundant. No new information was given. It was stuff we already knew, and in a way kind of leaves me scratching my head at certain other parts now, like when Azog tells his orcs that he is putting a price on his head. The scene was pretty much the same info we got in bag end. Also, we already knew the dragon was on Gandlaf's mind. I'm guessing this scene was the product of them deciding to make 3 movies and having no other suitable intro for film 2, since they probably moved the original intro to film 3.
I just watched the Azog Weathertop scene again. He says, "Send out word, there is a price on their heads!" But he doesn't give any specifics (like what the price is for instance.) I wonder if we're supposed to assume that he was sending his orcs out to make more people aware of the bounty that was already in place.
I just really think that Gandalf was talking about Azog's bounty at the beginning of DOS. I guess it's just open for interpretation, especially if you think Azog was announcing the bounty for the first time on Weathertop.
I mentioned this before and after seeing the film a couple more times, I think the prologue scene is extremely redundant. No new information was given. It was stuff we already knew, and in a way kind of leaves me scratching my head at certain other parts now, like when Azog tells his orcs that he is putting a price on his head. The scene was pretty much the same info we got in bag end. Also, we already knew the dragon was on Gandlaf's mind. I'm guessing this scene was the product of them deciding to make 3 movies and having no other suitable intro for film 2, since they probably moved the original intro to film 3.
I took the DOS prologue as nothing more than a refresher for those hazy on the setup presented in AUJ. Just like the "previously on such and such" you'll sometimes see at the beginning of TV episodes.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/kmallikarjuna/the-real-breakout-star-of-the-desolation-of-smaug-was-stephe
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It will probably just take longer to get there. A lot of people at my theater last night. I was surprised!
Still going strong and hasn't opened in some major markets yet.
TheProcrastinator
Super Freak
Warning: Long, pretentious post incoming.
I was thinking about what scene from the movie was my favourite, and it turned out that the one which had the biggest impact on me, was the one that's most controversial - Dwarves final confrontation with Smaug.
I think many people are mistaking the kind of whimsical, slapstick energy that PJ is bringing into those films, with typical, souless, holywood fireworks. It is much more heartfelt than that. The battle with Smaug is a perfect example of this.
Watching it in the theatre I thought it had a wonderfull energy, but at the same time I also thought it was a bit excessive. But the more I think about that sequence, the more I believe it was not only the best in the entire film, but most importantly - it was an example of a moment where PJ's unhinged, cinematic craziness melded perfectly with his love for Tolkien. Here's why:
There are at least two important things in this trilogy that Peter Jackson actually did better than Tolkien. And that is the way he handled Dwarfs and the way he utilised Smaug. The final sequence in DOS is the culmination of the two. The Dwarfs in the movies are much more important, much more active, much more dramaticaly substantial group, than they were in the book. Jackson really managed to convey the theme that the 13 dwarves are like a lost diaspora. Desperate, down trodden, wandering folk with no place to call home home and no identity. For them the quest to get rid of Smaug wasn't about gold, riches or even the Arkenstone (means to an end), it was about reclaiming their lost homeland, their cultural ancestry and one of the last save havens for their race. You didn't get that feeling in the book. Tolkien didn't develop it well enough. Reading the original "Hobbit" you could almost get the impression that Bilbo was recruited by a bunch of greedy, cowardly *******s.
In Jackson's version their quest not only has much more dramatic weight than in the book, the dwarves themselves are also much more active as a group and generally more pronounced. That's why I think their final showdown with Smaug was absolutely necessary. It wasn't CGI filler. In the book that confrontation wasn't needed, couse the dwarfs and the importance of their quest was secondary to the story. But in the movies Jackson spent all this time and effort building up the dwarves and the importance of their quest - as such it would be incredibly dissatisfying and underwhelming from a narrative stand point if Jackson denied them the chance to face the beast that killed their ancestors. They needed that last face-to-face showdown with the creature that took so much from them, even if in the end they didn't hurt it. Leaving it all to Bilbo - like in the book - would be very dramaticaly deflating (not to mention, it would significantly reduce Smaug's screen time, whose presence in the book was also suprisingly small).
Plus, from a purely cinematic standpoint, I think that sequence was very well done. Yes, it was OVER THE TOP. Yes, it followed the logic and physics of a video game. But it was so full of heart and pure cinematic energy. This is PJ unhinged crazyness at it's best - the kind of visual pomposity, that is fuelled by emotions. Some people were allready complaining about the "video game antics" in Goblin Town in AUJ, but I think this kind of comedic, almost slapstick energy fits wonderfully with the idea of dwarfs as a group of fairy-tale troublemakers, as well as with the adventurous, whimsical spirit of "The Hobbit". The Smaug confontation cranked that up to 11, and it wonderfully showcased the slapstick muscles of the Dwarfs, showed how industrious and resourceful they are, and also how well they function as a group of brothers, how they support each other, how they fight together in the face of overwhelming odds (what is more Dwarven than that I ask?). For me this whole sequence was full of wonderfull cinematic energy and spirit. The moments when Thorin says to his companions: "if this is to end in fire, then we shall all burn together!" and when he finally faces Smaug and shouts some dwarven curses at him, was incredibly cathartic and worked well as a narrative finale for DOS. I think it would be a shot in the foot from a storytelling standpoint, if the dwarves were denied that confrontation.
So in the end, its an example of a sequence that on the outside may seem like excessive, blockbuster fireworks, but in truth - not only did it make a lot of sense storywise, it was also full of heart and spirit (and that translates well to other things PJ done in this trilogy). I think its a real shame that many people are bashing that sequence.
The only problem I had with it, was that PJ continued to intercut it with unnecessary shots from Lake Town, which extended the lenght of the whole affair. I was reminded of Lucas prequels, when he kept intercutting important lightsaber battles with **** that few people cared about.
I was thinking about what scene from the movie was my favourite, and it turned out that the one which had the biggest impact on me, was the one that's most controversial - Dwarves final confrontation with Smaug.
I think many people are mistaking the kind of whimsical, slapstick energy that PJ is bringing into those films, with typical, souless, holywood fireworks. It is much more heartfelt than that. The battle with Smaug is a perfect example of this.
Watching it in the theatre I thought it had a wonderfull energy, but at the same time I also thought it was a bit excessive. But the more I think about that sequence, the more I believe it was not only the best in the entire film, but most importantly - it was an example of a moment where PJ's unhinged, cinematic craziness melded perfectly with his love for Tolkien. Here's why:
There are at least two important things in this trilogy that Peter Jackson actually did better than Tolkien. And that is the way he handled Dwarfs and the way he utilised Smaug. The final sequence in DOS is the culmination of the two. The Dwarfs in the movies are much more important, much more active, much more dramaticaly substantial group, than they were in the book. Jackson really managed to convey the theme that the 13 dwarves are like a lost diaspora. Desperate, down trodden, wandering folk with no place to call home home and no identity. For them the quest to get rid of Smaug wasn't about gold, riches or even the Arkenstone (means to an end), it was about reclaiming their lost homeland, their cultural ancestry and one of the last save havens for their race. You didn't get that feeling in the book. Tolkien didn't develop it well enough. Reading the original "Hobbit" you could almost get the impression that Bilbo was recruited by a bunch of greedy, cowardly *******s
. In Jackson's version their quest not only has much more dramatic weight than in the book, the dwarves themselves are also much more active as a group and generally more pronounced. That's why I think their final showdown with Smaug was absolutely necessary. It wasn't CGI filler. In the book that confrontation wasn't needed, couse the dwarfs and the importance of their quest was secondary to the story. But in the movies Jackson spent all this time and effort building up the dwarves and the importance of their quest - as such it would be incredibly dissatisfying and underwhelming from a narrative stand point if Jackson denied them the chance to face the beast that killed their ancestors. They needed that last face-to-face showdown with the creature that took so much from them, even if in the end they didn't hurt it. Leaving it all to Bilbo - like in the book - would be very dramaticaly deflating (not to mention, it would significantly reduce Smaug's screen time, whose presence in the book was also suprisingly small).
Plus, from a purely cinematic standpoint, I think that sequence was very well done. Yes, it was OVER THE TOP. Yes, it followed the logic and physics of a video game. But it was so full of heart and pure cinematic energy. This is PJ unhinged crazyness at it's best - the kind of visual pomposity, that is fuelled by emotions. Some people were allready complaining about the "video game antics" in Goblin Town in AUJ, but I think this kind of comedic, almost slapstick energy fits wonderfully with the idea of dwarfs as a group of fairy-tale troublemakers, as well as with the adventurous, whimsical spirit of "The Hobbit". The Smaug confontation cranked that up to 11, and it wonderfully showcased the slapstick muscles of the Dwarfs, showed how industrious and resourceful they are, and also how well they function as a group of brothers, how they support each other, how they fight together in the face of overwhelming odds (what is more Dwarven than that I ask?). For me this whole sequence was full of wonderfull cinematic energy and spirit. The moments when Thorin says to his companions: "if this is to end in fire, then we shall all burn together!" and when he finally faces Smaug and shouts some dwarven curses at him, was incredibly cathartic and worked well as a narrative finale for DOS. I think it would be a shot in the foot from a storytelling standpoint, if the dwarves were denied that confrontation.
So in the end, its an example of a sequence that on the outside may seem like excessive, blockbuster fireworks, but in truth - not only did it make a lot of sense storywise, it was also full of heart and spirit (and that translates well to other things PJ done in this trilogy). I think its a real shame that many people are bashing that sequence.
The only problem I had with it, was that PJ continued to intercut it with unnecessary shots from Lake Town, which extended the lenght of the whole affair. I was reminded of Lucas prequels, when he kept intercutting important lightsaber battles with **** that few people cared about.
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