Hobbit review thread

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Shicked, shocked I am, that EN Worlders are not yet discussing the new Hobbit movie, The Desolation of Smaug.

We saw it earlier today, and as usual it was visually appealing and exciting. The New Zealand countryside as usual is beautiful and Smaug absolutely steals the movie.

However, as a Tolkien geek, I am quite disappointed with the excessive embellishment of the film. I don't mind the insertions from other sources -- I can see the need to link this more firmly to Lord of the Rings. I could even forgive a brief appearance of

Spoiler

Legolas

, under the circumstances. The changes to LotR were relatively minor in the scheme of things, in comparison. This film got some significant plot, character, and sequencing adjustments, though, that felt excessively padded. About forty minutes of movie are three added action sequences, two of which feature a character Jackson made up out of whole cloth, and seem like they're in the film because the director said "Gee, it's been ten minutes without a fight ...". Even my wife -- not a Tolkien geek -- turned to me at one point and said

Spoiler

"OK, this silly barrel chase fight has gone on long enough."

And I kept wondering

Spoiler

during the forge fight sequence, "What, is Smaug going to just let the dwarves take the treasure and leave to go to Lake Town? Which of course he then does."

. That bit of motivation made no sense to me.

So color me somewhat disappointed. I'd like to see a "Tolkien edit" when this is all done, deleting most of the additions to streamline the films (much like the "Phantom Edit" that deleted Jar-Jar Binks).

Overall, B-. Fun, visually stunning, but with a bit of unnecessary added padding.

 

[Kramodlog]

I am in no rush to see it. The first was long and disappointing. I do not think it will be much better. I'll go see it to satisfy a certain curiosity, sort of to cross it off a list.

 

[Richards]

I haven't seen it yet, but the trailers are bothering me, every time they pronounce the dragon's name. This Sheldon comic captures my feelings pretty well:

http://www.sheldoncomics.com/archive/131204.html

Johnathan

 

[Kramodlog]

This Sheldon comic captures my feelings pretty well:

http://www.sheldoncomics.com/archive/131204.html

Lame. Not funny and very redneck in the "smartz is the dumbz thing to do" way.

You really need to up your game if you wanna bait people into controversy.

 

[Richards]

That was not "controversy bait." The pronunciation "Sma-oog" seems very forced to me, as if the filmmakers decided "we're not going to pronounce the dragon's name 'Smog' no matter what," despite that being the way I've always heard it pronounced.

Every time I hear "Sma-oog," I flinch.

Johnathan

 

[Umbran]

"we're not going to pronounce the dragon's name 'Smog' no matter what," despite that being the way I've always heard it pronounced.

That would be because everyone's been pronouncing it like air pollution, but that wasn't the author's intent (and, being a linguist, he knew what he was doing).

Tolkien, J. R. R. "Appendix E – Writing and Spelling: I. Pronunciation of Words and Names". The Lord of the Rings.: "All these diphthongs were 'falling' diphthongs, that is stressed on the first element, and composed of the simple vowels run together. Thus ... au (aw) as in loud, how and not laud, haw."

Smaoog is incorrect, but so is Smog. It is supposed to be more like "Smowg". And that's "ow" as in "cow".

 

[Morrus]

That would be because everyone's been pronouncing it like air pollution, but that wasn't the author's intent (and, being a linguist, he knew what he was doing).

Tolkien, J. R. R. "Appendix E – Writing and Spelling: I. Pronunciation of Words and Names". The Lord of the Rings.: "All these diphthongs were 'falling' diphthongs, that is stressed on the first element, and composed of the simple vowels run together. Thus ... au (aw) as in loud, how and not laud, haw."

Smaoog is incorrect, but so is Smog. It is supposed to be more like "Smowg". And that's "ow" as in "cow".

I'd never, ever heard "Smog" before this thread. "Smorg" is what I always heard (and said). But I guess it's "Smowg".

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Of all the things in the movie to either praise or complain about, I'm surprised how much discussion there is (here and elsewhere) about the pronunciation of the dragon's name!

Then again, we could re-open the Drow pronunciation argument ...

 

[RangerWickett]

Rhymes with bow.

Flind rhymes with wind.

(No seriously, drow rhymes with cow, now, how, pow.)

 

[The_Silversword]

Me and the wife ate at Denny's last night, they now have a Hobbit inspired menu, Smaug's Fire Burger sounded pretty good, so when the dude came over to take our order I tell him, "I'll take the Smog Burger". He kinda looks at me dumbfounded and then says, "oh, you mean the Smaa-ooog Fireburger?"

Man I just wanted to hit him, and was soo tempted to write on the bill "Sorry, but I cant tip you cause I dont approve of your life style."

Anyways, the burger was pretty good, definitely has some heat to it, although I definitely paid for it a couple hours later.