The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

[The Chev]

Well, I still prefer the ensemble feel that The Hobbit has. It feels more focused, at it's basic level at least. But it's technically inferior to the LOTR trilogy...which brings me too..



I think the problem isn't that they aren't deadly series, but that the films are almost completely opposite of each other, in terms of visual style. They lack any grit, and feel very glossy and fake. That's what turns off so many people to these films.

I had to revisit the originals to understand this. You give it a pass because you're a Tolken fan. Just like I'm an Alien fan, and I can look past the obvious, glaring flaws of Prometheus, and still find some enjoyment in it.

FotR looked a little more glossy than TT and RoTK. Word is that DoS is a lot more dark than AUJ. I also don't know what type of "Gritty" you're looking for in a Fantasy film. Also, it's unfair to say someone gives it a pass because they are a Tolkien fan. Some of the biggest haters of the whole series are Tolkien fans.

 

[CelticPredator]

Gritty as in texture. Not tone.

 

[jye4ever]

It wasn't though. You couldn't make an Avatar back then. So there was no good way of doing fully developed computer generated backgrounds.

Remember, the prequels were being made during this time, and Two Towers and Return of the King filmed at the same time. So they couldn't wait and see what Lucas had up his sleeve with the prequels, and utilize that technology (thank Christ).

They came out before the big special effects boom.

Big CGI boom happened with T2 then Jurassic Park in 93, especially JP.

LOTR Gollum was more advanced than anything in the PT.

Rivendale in LOTR was not filmed in Detroit.

 

[CelticPredator]

That was the CG spark. The boom happened in the mid 2000's. Every film wanted a piece of that CGI gold. Because it was more accessible.

But you mentioned Gollum, and that's a good thing to talk about too. Gollum looked and acted great. But imagine if the budget was spent trying to replicate bigger backgrounds and more CGI creatures. Gollum would've been focused on less, and end up looking pretty awful.

Gollum was an affective use of CGI because it blended real life with computers. Which is what CGI should do. Not try and replicate real life with computers and hope everyone doesn't notice.

 

[rushmore223]

That was the CG spark. The boom happened in the mid 2000's. Every film wanted a piece of that CGI gold. Because it was more accessible.

But you mentioned Gollum, and that's a good thing to talk about too. Gollum looked and acted great. But imagine if the budget was spent trying to replicate bigger backgrounds and more CGI creatures. Gollum would've been focused on less, and end up looking pretty awful.

Gollum was an affective use of CGI because it blended real life with computers. Which is what CGI should do. Not try and replicate real life with computers and hope everyone doesn't notice.

I still don't think the realism of Gollum has been replicated auccesfully since (except in The Hobbit) even after a decade of Technological advancement.

 

[jye4ever]

I still don't think the realism of Gollum has been replicated auccesfully since (except in The Hobbit) even after a decade of Technological advancement.

Nah, it has.

 

[The Josh]

What day are the advanced screenings. When are you going?

Normal advance screenings start at midnight Thursday. I know several people from TORn who have already seen the movie.

I think the problem isn't that they aren't deadly series, but that the films are almost completely opposite of each other, in terms of visual style. They lack any grit, and feel very glossy and fake. That's what turns off so many people to these films.

I had to revisit the originals to understand this. You give it a pass because you're a Tolken fan. Just like I'm an Alien fan, and I can look past the obvious, glaring flaws of Prometheus, and still find some enjoyment in it.

I think both are gritty. The Hobbit films are a little clearer just because of the cameras but still have grittiness to them.

I revisit the films quite often. So I'm pretty sure I know what I'm talking about. As far as my fandom letting allow them to give it a pass. If anything it would make me much harder on these films.

 

[CelticPredator]

Well, as someone who's seen these films from the perspective of films, The Hobbit is very glossy, and smooth, and lacks the grit, and also lacks the great stylized camera work of the originals.

Jackson busted out his Horror film stuff in Fellowship.

 

[BadMoon]

All the commercials and reporters saying Desolation of Smaowg is driving me nuts.

 

[The Josh]

Well, as someone who's seen these films from the perspective of films, The Hobbit is very glossy, and smooth, and lacks the grit, and also lacks the great stylized camera work of the originals.

Jackson busted out his Horror film stuff in Fellowship.

That's your opinion and you're welcomed to it.

 

[CelticPredator]

It's not really an opinion. It's an observation.

 

[The Chev]

I'm curious to see how this conversation goes after opening day and we've all seen the film.

 

[jye4ever]

You're going to give him an aneurysm.

 

[Darth Snoopy]

It's not really an opinion. It's an observation.

It reads like an opinion and I agree with Josh.

 

[The Josh]

You're going to give him an aneurysm.

Not really. I don't put enough value in CP's opinion to get that worked up about it.

 

[Darth Snoopy]

Not really. I don't put enough value in CP's opinion to get that worked up about it.

I doubt anyone does.

 

[Darth Snoopy]

You wish.

 

[Darth Snoopy]

Riiiight.

Stick to discussing the movie or move on, CP.

 

[The Josh]

You guys really hate the discussion part of a discussion forum.
lmao.

My 72k posts would say otherwise.

 

[CelticPredator]

Excuse me. Hold on. I was discussing the film. Don't blame this on me at all. I was discussing the WHY people are let down by these films, and WHY people see them as Star Wars Prequels Version 2. But for some reason, that got people angry, and then the discussion shifted towards me. By you. Actually.

So please. Come on. Take your bias' out of this and look at the facts.