Comments on: James McAvoy Denies Bilbo Baggins Role

By: Imladris_elf

Imladris_elf — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 08:45:21 +0000

@Underhill, I have to disagree just a little. I believe JRRT would be disappointed with how some of the characters were “cheapened.” Gimli recommending to Aragorn that he not honor his word to the king of the dead? No. Denethor came across as a hillbilly bully than a great lord of men tormented by Sauron. Worst of all, to me, Sam would NEVER have been so ungracious as to ASK for a knife as a gift from the Lady of Lorien. Unthinkable.

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.

By: Ian

Ian — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:03:37 +0000

Christopher Tolkien indeed should be granted his father’s posthumous royalty rights. Today, literary writers encounter a great deal of hardship because of the corrupt publishing industry, in addition to the concerning movie companies. And C. Tolkien haplessly inherited his father’s hardship; now, he must to defend his father’s posthumous rights as well as his own. Yet, I’m sure he would not pose himself as an obstacle to the Hobbit movie.

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.

By: Nahriel

Nahriel — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 11:24:42 +0000

I’d really like to point out that I was upset when I “first” saw the changes. I love these movies and they are now and always be my favorite movies. Somehow people seemed to have gotten the wrong message from my comment. And yes, it would have been long, but it wouldn’t have ended on a bad note. As for bring up something that was already dealt with before, the only reason it was cleared up before was because he wasn’t putting that scene in such as the bit with Saruman getting stabbed while on top of his tower in the extended version of the return of the king.

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.

By: fran

fran — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 05:57:03 +0000

Nahriel, I understand being a little upset at removing the scouring of the Shire. But honestly, this is a big budget movie with big studios who do have the power to say “we want a happier ending, change it”. Also, I do honestly feel that if the scouring was there it would have become “wait, i thought that WAS the ending” movies. Like Casino Royale. I thought it was over like 2 or 3 times before it was, and it didn’t really make it bad, it just stopped the flow of the story. To suddenly jump from exciting victory, etc. to MORE conflict with a character that has already been wrapped up would trip up the audience. Also, the movie would have been four hours long.

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.

By: Erendis

Erendis — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:46:46 +0000

Hey all,
You all have very good points.It’s great that they are finally making the hobbit movie.I honestly didn’t think it would ever happen.I was kinda wondering the same thing as laserbird28.Will they have Hugo Weaving back as Elrond?I hope so coz I can’t imagine anyone else for the role.
Although I have to admit I’m very excited about how they will bring Smaug to life.(And a litttle detail like Bilbo receiving the mithril shirt would be a nice extra.)

By: james

james — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:29:02 +0000

Jesus Christ, I can’t beleive how crazy some people get. Nahriel – If you’re still reading these posts check out some of the arguments i and others make on the Del Toro wants 5 part movie page. Honestly, Haldir was barely a tertiary character and having him and the elves fighting and dying along side the humans was a beautiful touch and showed that the elves weren’t just a cold race of Vulcans who would leave Middle Earth merely to save their own skins and leave the rest of us to rot.
As to your other point, the ending of the films was long enough as it was. The scouring of the Shire would have been a quite negative note to finish on and leaving it out ( while I sympathize with your personal distress ) did in no fundamental way objectively change the ” meaning ” of the story. I know it’s hard for some of us to lose our favorite scenes when books are adapted into films but directors are artists too, and getting so upset about some changes ( unless they FUNDAMENTALLY change the story ) will only hurt our OWN enjoyment of otherwise fantastic films.

By: Nahriel

Nahriel — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 02:44:16 +0000

Whooopsies! I meant story, he changed the meaning of the story, not movie, or well he changed that too but it’s yeah the story that the movies are based on….yeah you get what I mean

“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.”

By: Nahriel

Nahriel — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 02:38:58 +0000

Jubal – Don’t forget he also killed off haldir with his little oooh lets put elves at helms deep bit. I was so angry when I saw that in the movie that the first time I saw the two towers I couldn’t even enjoy the last half of it.

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.

By: JuF

JuF — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 09:00:49 +0000

I like Martin Freeman for Bilbo, but how about Ricky Gervais. He’s round, short, bumbling yet smart at times, and could probably act the part if he could stop laughing for a few minutes.
Plus he’s British, which is somewhat important.
Just thought I would throw it out there.

By: Arwen08

Arwen08 — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:12:36 +0000

Okay, slow down.
1. Jack Black….sorry, this isn’t a stupid comedy. Jack Black would ruin the movie because of his history in the movies (not saying that he is a bad actor…just saying this isn’t his type of movie)

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