Peter Jackson Explains Why the ‘Hobbit’ Movies Are Such a Huge Mess

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by The Sixth Wizard

In response to the above about LOTR, I'd say that to me at least, certain narrative changes which fall flat are inevitable in an adaptation of a massive piece of written work. The immensity of the task almost guarantees a few failures, but I am also cynical about Hollywood in general so I am happy with any sort of care taken and quality produced, however hampered. I agree that some of the dramatic roadblocks were cheesy and could have been done better, but I try to put it in the perspective of the tone of the work overall and the difficulty of pleasing both a cinematic audience and dedicated group of literature fans. I imagine the realisation of this sort of work is a very difficult balancing act, between a lot of different interest groups: story, production, direction, acting, props, music (!), CGI, and of course the moneybags at the top. With that in mind I think the final product was squarely excellent and as faithful as any film was ever going to be.

Well said.

I think most of the casting choices were inspired. There were a few I thought were underwhelming - Legolas was a pretty boy who couldn't speak Elvish convincingly, Gimli was "meh", and I thought Elrond was just a wooden scowl (although that went for most of the Elves, so it might have been stylistic). Frodo himself was too young and played straight, but I give the series a pass due to the "Matrix" effect - big movies' protagonists are often casted in that "neutral" way to provide a "stand-in" for the audience. But consider some of the bullseyes. The menacing drone of Christopher Lee and the caring whisper of Ian McKellan, both coming from a background on the stage. Theoden brings an absolute presence to any scene he is in, as does Sam Gamgee. That is not even to start on Andy Serkis. Viggo Mortensen, fluent in several languages, whose looks somehow straddle the line between youthful energy and aged wisdom, and who broke his own toes with his method acting - we could have had Nicholas Cage. I have heard people criticise Gandalf by saying he is too recognisable, and they can't help but see Ian McKellan playing a role.

Odd. That was much more my reaction to Elrond, actually. That first scene between them in Rivendell for me is, "Ah, here's Gandalf...talking to Hugo Weaving".

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

Odd. That was much more my reaction to Elrond, actually. That first scene between them in Rivendell for me is, "Ah, here's Gandalf...talking to Hugo Weaving".

I thought Elrond was at any minute preparing to don a pair of Ray-Bans and call Frodo "Neo."

[Morsul the Dark]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

I thought Elrond was at any minute preparing to don a pair of Ray-Bans and call Frodo "Neo."

ELrond was the first role I ever saw Hugo in. Same with most of them actually.

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Morsul the Dark

ELrond was the first role I ever saw Hugo in. Same with most of them actually.

Oh my, so many of the actors were often in great movies (or at least memorable enough that I knew them when they appeared on screen) prior to the LotR trilogy. My personal favorites:

Christopher Lee - Every Hammer horror film ever made, The Three Musketeers, The Man With the Golden Gun (James Bond flick)

Ian Holm - The Madness of King George, Brazil, Time Bandits

Ian McKellen - Richard III (the best Richard III film of all!), Gods and Monsters, Cold Comfort Farm

Hugo Weaving - The Matrix, The Interview

Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth, The Talented Mr. Ripley

Sean Bean - Ronin, GoldenEye, Patriot Games

Bernard Hill - Mountains of the Moon, Titanic

Brad Dourif - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Dune, Mississippi Burning

John Rhys-Davies - Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Viggo Mortensen - GI Jane, Crimson Tide

Elijah Wood - The Good Son (and a couple crappy cable movies like The Faculty and North

Orlando Bloom - Black Hawk Down (although that was the same year as FotR)

Sean Astin - Several silly teen movies like Rudy, The Goonies and Encino Man

Liv Tyler - In several forgettable movies prior to LotR, but well known beauty-wise, particularly from Aerosmith videos

The rest of the cast, I will admit I didn't know previously (mostly Aussie actors, and Brits who did bit parts before the trilogy), but the above list is pretty extensive.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Weaving was also brilliant in Priscilla Queen of the Desert. As a drag queen, no less.

Elijah Wood's best pre-Frodo role was in Ang Lee's The Ice Storm opposite Christina Ricci. (A fine ensemble cast with Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Tobey Maguire, Katie Holmes and Sigourney Weaver.)

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin

Weaving was also brilliant in Priscilla Queen of the Desert. As a drag queen, no less.

Now, if PJ had let him play Elrond and Arwen, that would have been worth the price of admission.

[Morsul the Dark]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Oh my, so many of the actors were often in great movies (or at least memorable enough that I knew them when they appeared on screen) prior to the LotR trilogy. My personal favorites:

Christopher Lee - Every Hammer horror film ever made, The Three Musketeers, The Man With the Golden Gun (James Bond flick)

Ian Holm - The Madness of King George, Brazil, Time Bandits

Ian McKellen - Richard III (the best Richard III film of all!), Gods and Monsters, Cold Comfort Farm

Hugo Weaving - The Matrix, The Interview

Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth, The Talented Mr. Ripley

Sean Bean - Ronin, GoldenEye, Patriot Games

Bernard Hill - Mountains of the Moon, Titanic

Brad Dourif - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Dune, Mississippi Burning

John Rhys-Davies - Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Viggo Mortensen - GI Jane, Crimson Tide

Elijah Wood - The Good Son (and a couple crappy cable movies like The Faculty and North

Orlando Bloom - Black Hawk Down (although that was the same year as FotR)

Sean Astin - Several silly teen movies like Rudy, The Goonies and Encino Man

Liv Tyler - In several forgettable movies prior to LotR, but well known beauty-wise, particularly from Aerosmith videos

The rest of the cast, I will admit I didn't know previously (mostly Aussie actors, and Brits who did bit parts before the trilogy), but the above list is pretty extensive.

To be fair I was 13 or 14 and not well versed in movies beyond Jim Carrey.

[Snowdog]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Oh my, so many of the actors were often in great movies (or at least memorable enough that I knew them when they appeared on screen) prior to the LotR trilogy. My personal favorites:

Christopher Lee - Every Hammer horror film ever made, The Three Musketeers, The Man With the Golden Gun (James Bond flick)

Ian Holm - The Madness of King George, Brazil, Time Bandits

Ian McKellen - Richard III (the best Richard III film of all!), Gods and Monsters, Cold Comfort Farm

Hugo Weaving - The Matrix, The Interview

Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth, The Talented Mr. Ripley

Sean Bean - Ronin, GoldenEye, Patriot Games

Bernard Hill - Mountains of the Moon, Titanic

Brad Dourif - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Dune, Mississippi Burning

John Rhys-Davies - Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Viggo Mortensen - GI Jane, Crimson Tide

Elijah Wood - The Good Son (and a couple crappy cable movies like The Faculty and North

Orlando Bloom - Black Hawk Down (although that was the same year as FotR)

Sean Astin - Several silly teen movies like Rudy, The Goonies and Encino Man

Liv Tyler - In several forgettable movies prior to LotR, but well known beauty-wise, particularly from Aerosmith videos

The rest of the cast, I will admit I didn't know previously (mostly Aussie actors, and Brits who did bit parts before the trilogy), but the above list is pretty extensive.

Miranda Otto in Thin Red Line.

[Mithalwen]

Miranda Otto was very good in The way we live now -a BBC adaptation of the Anthony Trollope novel.

Hugo Weaving did a few miniseries which were screened here, possibly anglo australian co-productions. Bodyline, Dirtwater dynasty, Bangkok Hilton.

[Pervinca Took]

Did he play the lead in 'Bodyline?' I remember that mini-series very clearly.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Ian Holm: Alien. And Chariots of Fire, for which he was nominated for an Oscar. And King Lear for which he received a BAFTA. And many, many more: I believe his knighthood came before LotR was made; certainly he had been in a huge number of prominent films going back to the early 70s. He also, significantly, played Frodo in the BBC radio adaptation.

Holm, Lee, McKellen and Blanchett were the four "big names" in the cast (and all of them had, or since have, been knighted* for their acting careers.)

--------------
*In Cate's case, by France. Oz doesn't do knighthoods any more.