The big news: they built Hobbiton. I mean they actually built it, not out of styrofoam but out of real materials that will last for decades this time, so it will be a real, lasting place you can visit.
The big news: they built Hobbiton. I mean they actually built it, not out of styrofoam but out of real materials that will last for decades this time, so it will be a real, lasting place you can visit.
...how much is airfare to New Zealand, again?
Start saving.
In the book, everybody sings. The dwarves sing and the elves sing and the goblins sing (both when their winning and when their getting their asses set on fire). I wonder how much singing they'll slip in.
"Nothing is gonna save us forever but a lot of things can save us today." - Night in the Woods
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syndalisGetting ClassyOn the WallRegistered User, Loves Apple Productsregular
The Hobbit should win an Oscar for Best Musical
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Let's play Mario Kart or something...
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AtomikaLive fast and get fucked or whateverRegistered Userregular
edited December 2011
The singing was one of the things that always bogs down any run through The Hobbit I ever attempted. It's just goddamned everywhere. I would like a bit salvaged for the film (which it looks like it isn't going to be a problem), but I hope it's cut down to just a handful.
Changing the subject: my wife is awesome. For Christmas, she bought me the Red Book of Westmarch
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Mego Thor"I say thee...NAY!"Registered Userregular
Okay, is there like an album or something that I can get that has the songs from the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings? I'm trying to find a halfway decent recording of "The Road Goes Ever On and On" and it's just not happening.
Thorne, that's an awesome avatar of Thorin!
(I couldn't help myself.)
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syndalisGetting ClassyOn the WallRegistered User, Loves Apple Productsregular
The singing was one of the things that always bogs down any run through The Hobbit I ever attempted. It's just goddamned everywhere. I would like a bit salvaged for the film (which it looks like it isn't going to be a problem), but I hope it's cut down to just a handful.
I guess chalk it up to difference of opinion then; the singing in the books was compelling and awesome to me. I love the fact that Tolkien spent so much time on language, music and history when creating his world, and what little of it found its way into LOTR was fantastic.
I want Goblin Town to be sung, goddamn it. Done properly it could be ominous and creepy as fuck.
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HedgethornAssociate Professor of Historical Hobby HorsesIn the Lions' DenRegistered Userregular
edited January 2012
So you know that there was an animated version of the Hobbit. But did you know that the Rankin-Bass adaptation was the second animated version of the Hobbit?
So a man named Bill Snyder came across a 1937 British children's book and saw at once its potential; he acquired the film rights in 1964 for a fairly small amount because no one knew the author yet. The only condition was that the rights would revert if no motion picture were made by June 30, 1966. That book was The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien. ...
And then, with the publication of the paperback LOTR, Tolkien exploded into public recognition as the clock was ticking. Suddenly the film rights held by Snyder were much more valuable, and he wasn't going to risk losing them. But there was a loophole: the Tolkien lawyers had been a little sloppy in their language, and thus all Snyder had to do to keep the rights was produce some kind of full-color motion picture. So he made Deitch cut down his script to a short short and in thirty days had the very first film version of The Hobbit thrown together, all twelve minutes of it. Because of it Snyder was able to keep the rights long enough to sell them back for much more than he had paid for them.
I thought it was really quite a shame that the Bill Nighy as Smaug rumors never panned out. He has a really rare ability to hit a sweet spot between smug and old-man-grumpy that fits the character perfectly.
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AManFromEarthLet's get to twerk!The King in the SwampRegistered Userregular
I thought it was really quite a shame that the Bill Nighy as Smaug rumors never panned out. He has a really rare ability to hit a sweet spot between smug and old-man-grumpy that fits the character perfectly.
Aaaaannnd I finished reading the Hobbit. I started on paperback and ended it on a Kindle. I wonder how that happened. :P
Before starting LotR, may I ask (I really don't know please don't hurt me) why the three majors stories are broken up into six books instead of the three famous titles? Or is that some cosmetic choice that Tolkien did? Like "Fellowship of the Ring" is two books and so is Two Towers and RotK.
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AtomikaLive fast and get fucked or whateverRegistered Userregular
Aaaaannnd I finished reading the Hobbit. I started on paperback and ended it on a Kindle. I wonder how that happened. :P
Before starting LotR, may I ask (I really don't know please don't hurt me) why the three majors stories are broken up into six books instead of the three famous titles? Or is that some cosmetic choice that Tolkien did? Like "Fellowship of the Ring" is two books and so is Two Towers and RotK.
Well, Tolkien just wrote it all kinda at once, I don't think it was supposed to be read episodically. You'll find once you get into the books that it doesn't really follow the films at all, and all the events happen sequestered wholesale. Instead of following the modern pulp tradition of telling several interweaving story lines, Tolkien breaks it all up into whole chunks.
"You want Frodo and Sam? Well, here's 200 straight pages of it. Finish that, and then and ONLY then will I tell you about Helms Deep."
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lu tzeSweeping the monestary steps.Registered Userregular
Aaaaannnd I finished reading the Hobbit. I started on paperback and ended it on a Kindle. I wonder how that happened. :P
Before starting LotR, may I ask (I really don't know please don't hurt me) why the three majors stories are broken up into six books instead of the three famous titles? Or is that some cosmetic choice that Tolkien did? Like "Fellowship of the Ring" is two books and so is Two Towers and RotK.
The publishers thought the books were too big, so they split them up.
The Hobbit is a children's book by the way, don't go into LotR with the expectation that it'll be more of the same. The tone is very different, and you might find it a little hard going in comparison... it can be a downright tortuous read in parts.
In fact I wouldn't blame you if you never finished the bloody thing.
To save yourself some pain skip the prologue unless you reaaaaaaaaaally need to know everything about hobbits. Skip Tom Bombadil if he starts bogging things down, acquire Barrow Downs (sadly couldn't appear in the movie since it depends on the former/not that great pacing). Songs can be a hit or miss, skip as necessary.
Oh I know. I read up to Gandalf explaining what The Ring really was, then went back and read The Hobbit with a big goofy smile during the dwarf rave in Chapter 1.
I finished The Hobbit and am about to pick up LotR all over again.
And a good book for children is always better than a shitty book for adults. (Insert Atlas Shrugged joke from Paul Krugman here)
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lu tzeSweeping the monestary steps.Registered Userregular
edited January 2012
I agree completely, The Hobbit is still one of my favourite books and I'm in my thirties. I've lost count of the number of times I've read it, but I don't think "dozens" would be much of an exaggeration.
Just thought I'd give fair warning about LotR. They're great books, but not necessarily good ones, if you get my meaning. In comparison to The Hobbit I've read LotR like, twice and a half... because fuck that.
lu tze on
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SixCaches Tweets in the mainframe cyberhexRegistered Userregular
I know a fair number of people who feel completely the opposite, and I tend to agree. I've read LotR many times,but could only stomach The Hobbit once or twice.
I thought it was really quite a shame that the Bill Nighy as Smaug rumors never panned out. He has a really rare ability to hit a sweet spot between smug and old-man-grumpy that fits the character perfectly.
I was hoping for Leonard Nimoy but Nighy would be good too.
I know a fair number of people who feel completely the opposite, and I tend to agree. I've read LotR many times,but could only stomach The Hobbit once or twice.
Each to their own, you can't deny that LotR is atrociously written in places though.
I lost count of the number of "and lo!"'s he threw in towards the end.
I know a fair number of people who feel completely the opposite, and I tend to agree. I've read LotR many times,but could only stomach The Hobbit once or twice.
Each to their own, you can't deny that LotR is atrociously written in places though.
I lost count of the number of "and lo!"'s he threw in towards the end.
I've never tried to count anything like that, but I've never noticed any over-use of phrase in LOTR. Reading ASOIAF however, I was constantly distracted by the repeated "words are wind", "black wings black words", and the like.
To save yourself some pain skip the prologue unless you reaaaaaaaaaally need to know everything about hobbits. Skip Tom Bombadil if he starts bogging things down, acquire Barrow Downs (sadly couldn't appear in the movie since it depends on the former/not that great pacing). Songs can be a hit or miss, skip as necessary.
Atomic Ross' and lu tze's info/advice is spot on.
It's funny, lots of people are apparently bugged by Tom Bombadil, but I love the guy.
None has ever caught him yet, for Tom, he is the master / His songs are stronger songs, and his feet are faster.
GreasyKidsStuffMOMMM!ROAST BEEF WANTS TO KISS GIRLS ON THE TITTIES!Registered Userregular
The LotR novels were absolute chores for my young mind to comprehend and slog through about 75% of the time, it was really unfortunate. Maybe someday I'll read them again...
The Hobbit is great though, read that around the same time and it's lots of fun.
I tried reading Lord of the Rings for the first time when I was twelve or so and just couldn't get into them. Then I tried again at fifteen and I read them all four times in three years.
Didn't listen to the video, but from what I recall Feanor was a bad-ass motherfucker. He wasn't after Morgoth because Morgoth was "evil" we was just fuckin' pissed that Morgoth stole his Silmarils and he wasn't about to stop at anything to get them back.
"Simple, real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time." -Mustrum Ridcully in Terry Pratchett's Hogfather p. 142 (HarperPrism 1996)
Didn't listen to the video, but from what I recall Feanor was a bad-ass motherfucker. He wasn't after Morgoth because Morgoth was "evil" we was just fuckin' pissed that Morgoth stole his Silmarils and he wasn't about to stop at anything to get them back.
Against the will of The Valar. He left heaven on earth and dragged an entire race with him into death.
I found that awesome quote. As always, Paul Krugman is awesome.
There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.
Woah, that quote was Krugman? I always assumed it was some anonymous internet user. Krugman is indeed awesome.
Though it is interesting to note the similarities between Feanor and John Galt. Galt, of course would have been a tragic character (in a Bioshock sense of course) if Ayn Rand was at all realistic about human nature.
DisruptedCapitalist on
"Simple, real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time." -Mustrum Ridcully in Terry Pratchett's Hogfather p. 142 (HarperPrism 1996)
Woah, that quote was Krugman? I always assumed it was some anonymous internet user. Krugman is indeed awesome.
Though it is interesting to note the similarities between Feanor and John Galt. Galt, of course would have been a tragic character (in a Bioshock sense of course) if Ayn Rand was at all realistic about human nature.
Feanor seems like Kratos to me. Except Feanor can't angry his way to whatever he wants. He comes damn close, but ultimately gets punished.
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The animated movies just got some things right. The Hobbit is gonna have to overcome some of that nostalgia, especially Richard Boone as Smaug.
And my breath...Death!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150554790416807
The big news: they built Hobbiton. I mean they actually built it, not out of styrofoam but out of real materials that will last for decades this time, so it will be a real, lasting place you can visit.
...how much is airfare to New Zealand, again?
Start saving.
In the book, everybody sings. The dwarves sing and the elves sing and the goblins sing (both when their winning and when their getting their asses set on fire). I wonder how much singing they'll slip in.
Oh and the Eagles. The Eagles sing.
"Nothing is gonna save us forever but a lot of things can save us today." - Night in the Woods
Let's play Mario Kart or something...
Changing the subject: my wife is awesome. For Christmas, she bought me the Red Book of Westmarch
Thorne, that's an awesome avatar of Thorin!
(I couldn't help myself.)
I guess chalk it up to difference of opinion then; the singing in the books was compelling and awesome to me. I love the fact that Tolkien spent so much time on language, music and history when creating his world, and what little of it found its way into LOTR was fantastic.
I want Goblin Town to be sung, goddamn it. Done properly it could be ominous and creepy as fuck.
Let's play Mario Kart or something...
http://branemrys.blogspot.com/2012/01/well-that-was-different-take.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBnVL1Y2src
Edit: The full backstory, told by the animator.
It's Martin Freeman's co-star on Sherlock, Benedict Cumberbatch.
I hear she's playing one of the spiders of Mirkwood.
and now I want to watch sherlock
Yes. Yes you do.
the first season is streaming on Netflix, if you have a subscription
That would have been amazing.
Before starting LotR, may I ask (I really don't know please don't hurt me) why the three majors stories are broken up into six books instead of the three famous titles? Or is that some cosmetic choice that Tolkien did? Like "Fellowship of the Ring" is two books and so is Two Towers and RotK.
Well, Tolkien just wrote it all kinda at once, I don't think it was supposed to be read episodically. You'll find once you get into the books that it doesn't really follow the films at all, and all the events happen sequestered wholesale. Instead of following the modern pulp tradition of telling several interweaving story lines, Tolkien breaks it all up into whole chunks.
"You want Frodo and Sam? Well, here's 200 straight pages of it. Finish that, and then and ONLY then will I tell you about Helms Deep."
The Hobbit is a children's book by the way, don't go into LotR with the expectation that it'll be more of the same. The tone is very different, and you might find it a little hard going in comparison... it can be a downright tortuous read in parts.
In fact I wouldn't blame you if you never finished the bloody thing.
Atomic Ross' and lu tze's info/advice is spot on.
I finished The Hobbit and am about to pick up LotR all over again.
And a good book for children is always better than a shitty book for adults. (Insert Atlas Shrugged joke from Paul Krugman here)
Just thought I'd give fair warning about LotR. They're great books, but not necessarily good ones, if you get my meaning. In comparison to The Hobbit I've read LotR like, twice and a half... because fuck that.
Cumberbatch just seems too young but we'll see!
You talk as if this is a bad thing.
I lost count of the number of "and lo!"'s he threw in towards the end.
I've never tried to count anything like that, but I've never noticed any over-use of phrase in LOTR. Reading ASOIAF however, I was constantly distracted by the repeated "words are wind", "black wings black words", and the like.
It's funny, lots of people are apparently bugged by Tom Bombadil, but I love the guy.
None has ever caught him yet, for Tom, he is the master / His songs are stronger songs, and his feet are faster.
The Hobbit is great though, read that around the same time and it's lots of fun.
Then I read The Silmarilion.
Yeah, Feanor's kind of a dick.
Didn't listen to the video, but from what I recall Feanor was a bad-ass motherfucker. He wasn't after Morgoth because Morgoth was "evil" we was just fuckin' pissed that Morgoth stole his Silmarils and he wasn't about to stop at anything to get them back.
Against the will of The Valar. He left heaven on earth and dragged an entire race with him into death.
I found that awesome quote. As always, Paul Krugman is awesome.
Though it is interesting to note the similarities between Feanor and John Galt. Galt, of course would have been a tragic character (in a Bioshock sense of course) if Ayn Rand was at all realistic about human nature.
Feanor seems like Kratos to me. Except Feanor can't angry his way to whatever he wants. He comes damn close, but ultimately gets punished.