The Hobbit Movie Trailer!

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

One thing: okay, after rewatching it for about fourth or fifth time, I can start to see what might be nice about it - if it works out. It can be epic. (I have been now paying attention to the transformation of the song into the theme, which is probably going to be the main theme of TH.)

But still, what I said above, holds.

[Aganzir]

I feel so shallow now. Here I am, chattering about noses and beards, while some people go through the pains of explaining why Peter Jackson's vision is wrong. And no, I'm not poking fun at Legate - he has a point. That's what I felt too while watching the trailer, but being naturally inclined towards everything dark and gloomy and serious, I didn't mind. I think it might be a good movie, but I can also add my voice to Legate's one-man choir and say it's not going to be The Hobbit I know.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Aganzir

I feel so shallow now. Here I am, chattering about noses and beards, while some people go through the pains of explaining why Peter Jackson's vision is wrong. And no, I'm not poking fun at Legate - he has a point. That's what I felt too while watching the trailer, but being naturally inclined towards everything dark and gloomy and serious, I didn't mind. I think it might be a good movie, but I can also add my voice to Legate's one-man choir and say it's not going to be The Hobbit I know.

Well, as for noses and beards - I went through that already when I first have seen the pictures of the Dwarves So I have sort of accepted that they look the way they look. Many of the Dwarves look like 17-century Warsaw militia, but I am fine with that. At least they do not look all like Vikings, which would have been the easiest, most "mainstream" (and most stupid) way anyway. I would second that the colored hoods are missing, though: one more, if not one of THE most important things, also related to the mood of the "real Hobbit".

But of course, beards should be long. Especially Thorin's, since he's the most prominent Dwarf. (See what I said about him looking not like a Dwarf, but more like Jon Snow's father... or whatever they have there.)

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

But of course, beards should be long. Especially Thorin's, since he's the most prominent Dwarf.

Gimli's was longer, and he's just Gimli.

[Aganzir]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

Well, as for noses and beards - I went through that already when I first have seen the pictures of the Dwarves So I have sort of accepted that they look the way they look.

I remember thinking they'd have time to make at least Thorin's beard longer - I never accepted it the way it was. Seems they didn't (which was just to be expected). Ah well. That automatically makes Thorin less awesome.

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Gimli's was longer, and he's just Gimli.

"Gimli, you're a Longbeard."
"But I'm just Gimli."

[Ben K.]

Meh, it's a trailer, the director doesn't usually make them. Check out early LOTR trailers and see how much bearing they have on the movie. The aim of this trailer was to sell an LOTR prequel to general audiences - probably why Gandalf has such a disproportionate focus, one would think the title is "The Wizard".

A great trailer for what it was trying to achieve - and Freeman feels fantastic already.

I'm wondering how much focus Gandalf will have given the additional plot. The story they're selling here is Gandalf the chess-player putting his loved ones in harms way for the greater good, somewhat unsure of the outcome. This was a major thread in the LOTR movies as well. I started to suspect with the casting of Radagast that they were going to explore this aspect of Gandalf, with Radagast having too much love of the world to achieve his mission and Saruman having too little to achieve it, in a sense mirroring the ultimately successful Gandalfs potential duality. Maybe I'm looking too much into it, but since Gandalf is essentially carrying the other half of these movies (indeed, the half that will act to prequel-ise it) I wouldn't be surprised to see the writers do that.

I'd probably like it to, since I've come to enjoy Jacksons reinterpretations of some characters.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

One thing: okay, after rewatching it for about fourth or fifth time, I can start to see what might be nice about it - if it works out. It can be epic. (I have been now paying attention to the transformation of the song into the theme, which is probably going to be the main theme of TH.)

But still, what I said above, holds.

An argument in favour of it being more epic can be demonstrated in the contrast between RTD era Doctor Who and Moffat era Doctor Who. The former was epic, the latter wanted to be more 'fairy tale' - and it just doesn't work as well especially when you are expecting 'epic'. I think to be 'fairytale' in film a modern audience just can't take it without hefty dollops of irony (see Stardust - one of my favourite films, incidentally) and I'd rather not have loads of irony in The Hobbit.

However...this is a trailer and they're known for ramping up the action and it may all turn out differently in the final cut. And Martin Freeman has a knack for carrying off a role like Bilbo with a light touch.

Originally Posted by Galadriel 55

I thought it's one of the younger beardless Dwarves.

That would mean it was Kili, and being a seasoned Aidan Turner watcher (ahem) I'm sure it's not him.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Do you have a particular GoT character in mind, or is it just the general air around Thorin?

Like I said, I haven't really seen it (except for a few glimpses, trailers, pictures etc.), so it's the general air.

Yes, it could have. They could have ruined the scenery and the music. Then it would be as bad as it gets.

True. But it isn't much (what I said about that being enough for a documentary about nature, but nothing else).

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

An argument in favour of it being more epic can be demonstrated in the contrast between RTD era Doctor Who and Moffat era Doctor Who. The former was epic, the latter wanted to be more 'fairy tale' - and it just doesn't work as well especially when you are expecting 'epic'. I think to be 'fairytale' in film a modern audience just can't take it without hefty dollops of irony (see Stardust - one of my favourite films, incidentally) and I'd rather not have loads of irony in The Hobbit.

I did not expect them to make a fairytale, but there still was the chance to preserve at least a bit of the atmosphere.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

I did not expect them to make a fairytale, but there still was the chance to preserve at least a bit of the atmosphere.

I always think of it as being more of a 'fairytale', but that's possibly davem's influence! Really, I don't know how they could uncouple it from what was portrayed in the LotR films, as that is what audiences will expect, and I have to say it's what I'd expect myself from a Peter Jackson adaptation of the book. So I'm coming to this with those expectations in mind.

I can't explain away Thorin's beard! He does look a bit like an escapee from Westeros but maybe that's not such a bad thing.

[Kuruharan]

I'm very pleased with the Dwarves as they don't look like an amorphous mass of hairy, belching, short people.

I’ve been doing some more thinking about the look of the dwarves (more in fact than I did when their look was first published) and I’m coming around to this point of view. I still think that there could be some more bits of beard but I think Lal is right and it *is* a good thing that the dwarves are not going to just be short masses of hair (we will see about the belching…I would be very surprised if there is no belching).

Looking at real world cultures where beards are customarily worn, there are all kinds of variety and lengths that are employed. They don’t just wear huge unkempt messes.

Still, all of them should have actual beards, though even if they are braided up or otherwise dealt with so they aren’t so prominent on their faces. Even a very large beard can be tied up into a pretty small package…in fact, I would imagine dwarves would have to do this frequently when they are working in the forge to keep from setting themselves on fire.

Many of the Dwarves look like 17-century Warsaw militia, but I am fine with that. At least they do not look all like Vikings, which would have been the easiest, most "mainstream" (and most stupid) way anyway

And I heartily concur with this sentiment. At least they avoided going for the drunken, rampaging Viking theme.

Besides, that's Aidan Turner, and he's no Orlando Bloom, he's capable of being perfectly 'brooding' as any Being Human fan knows.

That’s not my point. He’s Lego-like in the sense that I believe he’s there to be gurl-food.

I'm assuming even Richard Armitage's nose wasn't good enough for them

Part of the dwarf motif they seem to have selected is instead of giving them all beards is to make their noses and ears very large. The nose thing does have some basis in Tolkien…not so much the ears.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Kuruharan

Still, all of them should have actual beards, though even if they are braided up or otherwise dealt with so they aren’t so prominent on their faces. Even a very large beard can be tied up into a pretty small package…in fact, I would imagine dwarves would have to do this frequently when they are working in the forge to keep from setting themselves on fire.

Bombur also has no beard - it might be practical because he obviously enjoys his gravy

That’s not my point. He’s Lego-like in the sense that I believe he’s there to be gurl-food.

I actually don't mind this, because it might drive some more people into investigating Being Human which is one of the best programmes the BBC have ever made, and I'd quite like it if more people had seen it and could discuss it with me!

Has anyone else noticed the antimacassars on the back of Bilbo's chair? Perfect for him.

[Galin]

Still, all of them should have actual beards, though even if they are braided up or otherwise dealt with so they aren’t so prominent on their faces. Even a very large beard can be tied up into a pretty small package…in fact, I would imagine dwarves would have to do this frequently when they are working in the forge to keep from setting themselves on fire.

Well, there was a clan called the Firebeards


Tolkien noted some tucking and binding of beards: for example Dwalin's beard was so long it could be tucked into his belt, and Dain's folk had beards forked and plaited and thrust into their belts. In The Book of Lost Tales the beards of the Dwarves 'reach even to their toes, but the beards of the Indrafangs are the longest of all, and are forked, and they bind them about their middles when they walk abroad.'

So Tolkien seems quite aware that long beards could get in the way. Much later, compare the older Book of Lost Tales description to...

'The Naugrim were ever, as they still remain, short and squat in stature; they were deep breasted, strong in the arm, and stout in the leg, and their beards were long. Indeed this strangeness they have that no Man nor Elf has ever seen a beardless Dwarf -- unless he were shaven in mockery, and would then be more like to die of shame than many other hurts that to us would seem more deadly. (...) ... they called the Enfeng or Longbeards, for their beards swept the floor before their feet.'

JRRT, The Later Quenta Silmarillion

Of course it's a bit late now to put any kind of beard on Jackson's unbearded Dwerrows -- I include Bombur as 'unbearded enough' in my opinion, given his bare chin.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Martin Freeman does make a good Bilbo - am I the only one who thinks he looks more like Pippin than Frodo?!