The Hobbit: Can someone point me at some REAL info?

[Pants]

If I were to do the Hobbit, I would ADD the scene where Gandalf goes to the Necromancer. He finds out it's Sauron, after all, and it's the tightest tie to the trilogy.

Would need a bit of set up work to keep it from being out of place, perhaps a meeting between Saruman, Gandalf and Elrond in Rivendell well.

PS

Those would be perfect for Extended DVD scenes. Personally, I don't think they'd fit into the Theatrical version, but that's just me.

 

[Piratecat]

Wouldn't it be interesting if LotR changes filmmaking so that scenes are filmed that intentionally won't go in the movie, but will go into extended cut DVDs?

One of the American Pie movies was the first to deliberately film extra "deleted" scenes for the DVD. I'm hoping that more films will merge them seamlessly into the film, instead of having to watch them separately.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

If I were to do the Hobbit, I would ADD the scene where Gandalf goes to the Necromancer. He finds out it's Sauron, after all, and it's the tightest tie to the trilogy.

Would need a bit of set up work to keep it from being out of place, perhaps a meeting between Saruman, Gandalf and Elrond in Rivendell well.

PS

That could be a great scene ... especially we get to see the light turn on in Christopher Lee/Saurman's eyes when Gandalf wonders aloud why Sauron is regaining his power ... close the scene with a thoughtful sneer on Saruman's face.

Cool idea. Call PJ and make sure he gets that down!

 

[kengar]

The Necromancer idea is a cool one, but I think there is enough material in the Hobbit that should be covered wihout adding a whole new sequence. Gandalf should definitely mention the Necromancer like he does in the books.

What might be cool is to include a little bit of Gandalf's motives from the LOTR appendicies about why he was helping Thorin et al to begin with. That's the tightest tie-in with the LOTR, imo.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Open the film in Bree, where Gandalf meets Thorin, and offers to find him a burglar? I think that's another DVD moment, unless it could be pulled off in some sort of flashback.

I'd prefer the opening scene to be some sort of aerial landscape shot over the Shire, that eventually closes in on Bilbo smoking a pipe on his doorstep, reading his mail, as Gandalf walks up.

 

[kengar]

Open the film in Bree, where Gandalf meets Thorin, and offers to find him a burglar? I think that's another DVD moment, unless it could be pulled off in some sort of flashback.

I'd prefer the opening scene to be some sort of aerial landscape shot over the Shire, that eventually closes in on Bilbo smoking a pipe on his doorstep, reading his mail, as Gandalf walks up.

Gandalf feared that the Dark Lord might one day grow strong again, and that if Smaug were to answer the call to war, it would go hard with the free folk of Middle Earth. His motivation was to find a way to take Smaug out of the picture but he also knew that he and the White Council had to go deal with the Necromancer. Meeting Thorin at Bree set an idea in motion for the wizard that led to his assisting the group in getting to Erebor. Whether he had any real hope of them dealing with the dragon on their own was another question, but treasure and the dwarf's revenge wasn't really a concern for Gandalf. Keeping Sauron from having a mighty dragon like Smaug (the mightiest dragon living) fight for him was, however, a MAJOR concern for Gandalf.

I like your idea for an opening scene, but Gandalf might let some of his motives slip to Bilbo on the road home after it's all over. i.e. Bilbo might question why Gandalf took no treasure. "Ah, but I have my reward, my dear Bilbo!" etc.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I like your idea for an opening scene, but Gandalf might let some of his motives slip to Bilbo on the road home after it's all over. i.e. Bilbo might question why Gandalf took no treasure. "Ah, but I have my reward, my dear Bilbo!" etc.

That's a great way to close out the movie and provide a motivation link for Gandalf to LotR!

 

[Alcareru]

To follow up on what Kengar touched upon, I would love to see The Hobbit 'framed' as not just a prequel but almost like LOTR part 3.5. (Also, i do hope if someone gets the movie rights its PJ and WETA for continuity).

Anyway, theres a story in Unfinished Tales called "The Quest of Erebor" written by Tokien which attempts to link the motives of Gandalf with the events of the Hobbit and LOTR somewhat in retrospect.

In the story memebrs of the Fellowship are gathered in Minas Tirith for the ascension of Aragorn as king (I think), and a querying Gandalf as why he sent Bilbo with the Dwarves, etc. Gandalf tells everyone that he feared the power of Smaug and the dragons possible use by Sauron as the dark lord regained his former power. Thorins company's desire to reconquer Erebor and Gandalf's motives happened to dovetail nicely.

I think this would be a great beginning to orient the story. The trilogy cast gathered and Gandlaf the White telling the tale- then the Hobbit begins. Not necessarily in flashback with narration by Gandalf but the opening scene as a prologue fo sorts to set the scene for the rest of the movie.

 

[Tonguez]

Really? I thought I'd heard they were going to preserve the shire as an attraction of sorts. Maybe that was just temporary.

Too bad. It's not like they destroyed the nature around there. They shouldn't kept it. (By 'they' I mean whoever owns the land--probably the gov't.)

The Hobbbiton sites private farm land and the owner has preserved a bit of the set - steps and a hobbit hole which is becoming something of an attraction for 'fans'.

Any structures on public (govt) land had to be removed and since most of the sites are in fact montages of different places there isn't actually much to see anyway. For instance Mt Doom is just out my window - but it looks NOTHING like it did in the movie...

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I think this would be a great beginning to orient the story. The trilogy cast gathered and Gandlaf the White telling the tale- then the Hobbit begins. Not necessarily in flashback with narration by Gandalf but the opening scene as a prologue fo sorts to set the scene for the rest of the movie.

Mmm. Even better. Gandalf begins the tale, soft fade to a map of middle earth that spins from Gondor to the Shire, then a dissolve to a heli shot over lush green landscape to Bilbo on his stoop, Gandalf walking up ...

Edit: Just went back and reread "Quest of Erebor" from Unfinished Tales. There's a lot that could add to both the Hobbit and the LotR tie-in. Certainly the dwarves' initial attitudes toward Bilbo could be fleshed out a bit, making Bilbo's gain of their trust that much more dramatic. Gandalf's knowledge of Sauron, and Saruman's attempts to impede Gandalf, are also telling. I'm not sure, though, if we want Gandalf to answer the question "Why Bilbo" -- the reasoning sounds a bit too contrived. Touchy stuff, that.

If the whole thing were a story within a story, as it were, the movie could end with pulling back to the Fellowship at Minas Tirith, and could close with the last passage from "Quest of Erebor" -- the bit about all the good not happenning except for a chance meeting with Thorin at Bree. Don't know how the whole approach would play with a theater audience, but since the movie is coming after LotR, it might help to keep things in perspective.