Those kind of things aside (there were a few other examples) I believe Jackson did a wonderful job bringing the stories to the screen in ways that would have made JRRT proud.

To give the pertinent impression, the actor to be portraying Bilbo Baggins in the Hobbit should employ the British accent or merely be British. This is somewhat essential for the propensity of the Tolkien’s storytelling.

The second Hobbit movie can be fun but would definitely underline a commercial image that can disrupt the whole theme. The book can be told within one movie within approx. three hours in lenght. I am glad that Howard Shore is back with new music to lead the movie to its own beauty.

If envisioned, Silmarillion and Children of Hurin should be independent movies from Hobbit ot LOTR because they have their own outstanding storytelling, though slur broken by Tolkien. A war against the whole world’s Arch enemy Melkor (the master of Sauron) by the Elven-King Fingolfin and his fellows would be another legendary scene, parallel to the events in LOTR, but not the same. And following this, the fate of Numenoreans can also be portrayed to interconnect the whole events from beginning to end in master Tolkien’s world.

I’m happy with the way he added the elves at helms deep, I never had a problem with that part, I thought it brought a beautiful feeling to the movie and thought it should have been that way in the book because it did make them seem more caring and not as cold. What I had a problem with was him killing off a character that didn’t die in the books, that to me seemed like he was overstepping the line a bit. I’ve made my peace with all of that, and I still wish he could have kept the scouring of the shire but it didn’t happen, I just wish that the scene at the end when they got home and the old guy just looked at them like they were weird wasn’t like that, it felt empty to me. If I hadn’t read the books first it wouldn’t have felt like that in the end.

James – I wasn’t getting crazy, in fact I was being totally calm and was just saying how I felt when it happened, I’m not sitting here freaking out and allowing the changes to completely ruin the movies for me forever. Like I said before, yes I was really mad when I first saw it, I got over it. I’m not sitting here clinging to it and making it so that the movies become nothing more than my whine fest. I just wanted to clear this up, I wasn’t mad then and I’m not mad now I was simply sharing the small things that I didn’t like about the movies. I love the movies and I feel that sadly it came across more as a bash than what I had intended it to.

And I agree with everyone who thinks the Hobbit movie should be made and not inhibited by Christopher Tolkein, BUT…

…they really shouldn’t make a second part from the Silmarillion. That is taking it much too far, and should never put under the name of the Hobbit. The Hobbit can be done in one film, beautifully and smoothly (in my opinion). There shouldn’t be an added part 2 that Tolkein never intended. If Guillermo wants to make it, then he should at least call it something else.

And I agree with lokai/disagree with jubal that jackson’s portrayal of Faramir was complex and beautiful. Honestly, he was one of my favorite characters, and I had never really been familiar with that actor before.

“He ruined the last part of the movie for me because he didn’t just take out a scene he changed the message of the movie(<—story) with that action.”

I love these movies and have always supported their production and read all the books before the movies were released. However, I must say if it weren’t for the extended versions of the movies I would have been totally outraged over the whole thing. And even then I was still outraged over him completely removing the scouring of the shire at the end of the third movie. He made it so that the ending that was so eye opening and important was blah and held no deeper meaning. That was their chance to save the shire and for the people of the shire to see the world for what it was and not take it for granted so to speak. But instead he made it so that nothing had changed at all and they just got looked at oddly when they returned. He ruined the last part of the movie for me because he didn’t just take out a scene he changed the message of the movie with that action.

As far as Mr. Christopher Tolkien is concerned they should give him what they promised, he has every right to be angry over that as well as some parts of the movies and how they were portrayed. However, it would be wrong of him to rob the fans of these books of the rest of the movies. I hope they work those things out and everyone can end up leaving happy.

2. Acually Jubal, I liked that the elves came to Helms Deep. Without them, it does look impossible to win against such a huge army of orcs. Plus, who wouldn’t want them? I think that it was a great idea even though it wasn’t written in the text. It just shows that you don’t have to go by the rules to make a great movie. great job PJ

3. Who wouldn’t want James to play in this movie?. Personally, he has already played a faun (narnia) and if he would play this, it would make a great list of characters that he has played. He is capable of a lot of things. I hope he would play the part. I think that he is a better option than jack black. However, I would like to know who else could possibly be Bilbo

Tolkien laid out a very complex family relationship in Return of the King and PJ did well to capture it in the film without overburdening us.

I think that PJ managed to show us that Faramir was a sad young man, a poet- not a warrior- at heart, carrying a heavy burden he didn’t feel equal to. A man with no less love for his land than his brother had, nor any less of a sense of duty- yet walking in the shadow of that larger-than-life hero that was Boromir. He tried his best but he just wasn’t the Captain of Gondor. He was failing, and the knowledge that it was inevitable anyway (in the face of the threat of Mordor) was no help. He had lost forever his brother whom he loved dearly. And it was clear that he was a great disappointment to his father. They were both grieving for Boromir and the impending lost of Gondor, but they couldn’t help each other.

And on top of all this, a hundred thousand orc on his front door….

I’d cry too.

Stupid stubborness over monies has put this film in jeopardy already and contributed to a situation where PJ is not directing the film.

New Line Cinema should be willing to just pay the money (they probably do owe it anyway). On the other side of the coin, Christopher Tolkien and the Trust should also be willing to compromise if it becomes necessary, remembering the huge support from loyal Tolkien fans and that there will be a lot of disappointment if the project falls through.

For all my worrying, I believe that they’ll work it out. After all, making TWO hobbit movies should be very good for the both the Trust and New Line bank accounts!

At first a couple of things perplexed me. Why make two films- it was only one book, right? Other than Sir Ian and Serkis, who else could you really bring back from LOTR? Holm would be too old… In my purist way of thinking, most LOTR characters are not in The Hobbit.

Then I got practical…making two movies is really about making money. These are businessmen and they are designing a venture that will be profitable. They’ll try all possible avenues, including finding ways to feature the most popular characters from LOTR movies. To gaurantee a box office success. Fans should have faith that the moneymen have already crunched the numbers and they won’t let a little lawsuit over a paltry 150 mil stop this money train.

I think we’ve been fortunate as Tolkien fans that PJ was so true to the novels. He really didn’t mess with it too much. I remember leafing frantically through the books because I was sure the elves never came to Helm’s Deep…. But in the end from a film making point of view, it worked out.

I also think he made some sensible choices when it came to cutting parts of the book. Forgive me, but there was really no way to properly integrate Tom Bombadil (I suspect even JRRT must have had trouble with it). And I’m glad PJ tried to give a depth to Arwen that you don’t find in the books (but rather in the appendices).

It could have been worse, PJ and Co. could just have bowed to crass commercialism and created a quick thrill fantasy adventure, instead of the enduring epic they did give us.

I hope they do the same for the Hobbit but this book is going to be tricky to pull off, so that it isn’t campy or too comical or too dark or just plain boring- and at the same time satisfy JRRT fans and not embarass the legacy of Tolkien. This will really test their skills as film makers.

I confess I worry…..

While I enjoyed them, Jackson made giant errors with the lore that were totally unneeded to make the movies better.

to wit:

Elves at Helms Deep? WTF? seriously WTF??!! It was pointless, added nothing to the story that couldn’t have been done with 60 seconds of showing elves battling orcs on the borders of Lorien with a voice-over.

How could he make Faramir, one of the most noble characters among all men portrayed in the books, into a cowardly little errand boy?

And finally, WTF was with making Denethor into an evil, self obsessed loon?
They took a man, who was supposed to have power and vision rarely seen since Numenor, and ruined it. Instead of telling the tragic story of a strong and dedicated (if jealous) ruler driven mad after years of struggling with Sauron over the palantir, they just made him a pathetic fool.

Again, I enjoyed the movies. I have directors’ cut of all three and watch them fairly often.

But Jackson F***ed up the lore rather badly, and needlessly at that.

If I were Tolkein, I’d insist on editorial rights so make sure Del Toro doesn’t screw it up as badly as Jackson did.

Cutting scenes for length, making Arwen something other than a fainting damsel is one thing. That’s the movie business and you have to appeal to a modern audience. But adding crap you pulled out of the air that actually detracts from the story must have made JRR spin in his grave and I’m sure his son was quite rightly VERY upset.

I’m curious though… it’s obvious that they are going to cast the roll slightly younger than what is in the book… Bilbo was 50 something when he found the ring… Well they did it with Frodo so why not Bilbo i guess.

Extremely happy that gandalf and saruman will be played by Sir Ian and Christopher Lee. I guess what i’m most excited to see is all the dwarves! Happy weekend to you all.