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Talk:The Hobbit (film series)

2009-11-05T23:56:07Z

76.109.163.155:

Dudes, this is awesome news! Dwarf lord

[[Hyarion]] wrote: "Unfortunately due to disputes between the distributing rights and the filming rights progress is slow." Is this correctly worded? It reads rather odd! --[[User:Earendilyon|Earendilyon]] 13:42, 1 September 2006 (EDT)

:It sounds better if we add a few commas in there: "Unfortunately, due to disputes between the distributing rights and the filming rights, progress is slow." --[[User:Narfil Palùrfalas|Narfil Palùrfalas]] 16:03, 1 September 2006 (EDT)

PJ not doing The Hobbit? At least we'll be spared of his revisionism. Sorry, Ringers! [[User:Rog|Rog]] 16:06, 20 November 2006 (EST)

:[[Peter Jackson]] was actually confirmed last year to be producing/writing/etc for the film, however Guillermo del Toro, as of today, will be directing the film. As the other articles on films use the director's name I moved the article to keep with the standard. --[[User:Hyarion|Hyarion]] 22:24, 24 April 2008 (EDT)

==Tolkien Estate litigation==
Is there still litigation with the Tolkien estate that might slow progress? --[[User:Plant doc|Plant doc]]

:New Line is currently resolving the situation with the Tolkien Estate and my guess is if they are already announcing GDT as the director they must have confidence it will be resolved shortly. --[[User:Hyarion|Hyarion]] 17:50, 25 April 2008 (EDT)

==Smaug==
It's speculated that Christopher Lee will be voicing Smaug instead of appearing as Saruman.
http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2008/07/13/29211-christopher-lee-offers-his-voice-for-smaug-wont-go-back-to-nz/

Riddles in the Dark

2009-10-22T22:46:11Z

76.109.163.155:

{{hchapters}}
'''Riddles in the Dark''' is the 5th chapter in ''[[The Hobbit]]''.
{{stub}}
[[Category:The Hobbit chapters]]
[[fi:Arvoituksia pimeässä]]

After waking up in the dark goblin tunnels, Bilbo discovered that he was all alone. He fumbled about on all fours, and he soon found a little metal ring, which he put into his pocket almost without thinking. Through searching his pockets, he found the dagger he had found in the troll hoard, and discovered by its pale glow that it too was an Elvish blade, and that goblins were around, but not close enough to worry about. He decided that his only choice was to go forward, so he traveled down the goblin tunnel.

Bilbo's way was soon obstructed by an icy pool in the path, but before he could collect his wits, he was met by Gollum, a dark creature of unknown species living down in the pool, who used his luminous eyes to catch fish, and always talked to himself, calling himself "my precious". He thought Bilbo might make a tasty treat, but he didn't want to attack while Bilbo was carrying a weapon. To gain time, he challenged Bilbo to a game of riddles, with very dangerous terms: if Gollum asked a riddle Bilbo couldn't answer, he would have to allow himself to be eaten. However, if Bilbo asked a riddle Gollum couldn't answer, he promised to show the hobbit the way out. Seeing that he had no choice, Bilbo agreed, and the two exchanged several riddles, each getting harder and harder. At last, Bilbo was unable to think of a riddle, though Gollum pressed him to ask just one more. Feeling about his pockets, he found the ring he had found earlier and had forgotten about, and asked out loud to himself, "What have I got in my pocket?". Gollum was outraged, thinking it was a riddle, so Bilbo chose it as his last riddle. Gollum guessed wrong three times, and was now forced to show Bilbo the way out.

However, years in the darkness had blackened Gollum's heart and made him sneaky. He asked Bilbo to be patient; he had to get necessary supplies, a "birthday present", as he said. As he paddled off, Bilbo didn't think Gollum was going to come back, but he was wrong. Away on the island in the middle of the lake on which he lived, Gollum kept something very precious: a magic, gold ring. Wearing it made the user invisible, and he often used it when he wanted goblin instead of fish. With it, Gollum would be able to strike Bilbo without him knowing what had hit him. However, when Gollum returned to his cave, he found that the ring had disappeared. His blood-curdling shriek sent shudders down Bilbo's spine, though he wasn't sure what was happening. He was getting annoyed at the delay, and though Gollum pleaded that he had to keep searching, Bilbo reminded him that he had never answered his last riddle. Suddenly, Gollum's mind jumped to a suspicious guess, and he demanded the answer to Bilbo's ridde. He sped back toward the shore, ready to murder the hobbit and reclaim his "precious". Realizing that he was in danger, Bilbo ran back up the tunnel and put his hand in his pocket, the ring slipping onto his finger. He tripped on a snag and fell, but Gollum passed him, much to his surprise. Quietly, he listened to Gollum cursing Bilbo and now guessing that he had found his "birthday present". Through his talk, Bilbo deduced that Gollum's "precious" was a magic ring that made the wearer invisible, but Gollum didn't think Bilbo knew what it did, and was "tricksy", saying that he didn't know the way out, but knew a way in, so he must be off to the "back door". Gollum quickly ran off to head him off, Bilbo following quietly behind. Gollum soon stopped at a low opening, but the loathsome creature stopped right there, for he could sense goblins. To make matters worse, he was now aware that Bilbo might have been behind him, so he was ready for an attempt at escape. Bilbo, frantic to escape, though of stabbing Gollum and killing him, but when he considered how miserable the creature really was, he was moved to pity. Instead of killing him, he leaped over his head before Gollum could snatch at him. As he sped off, Gollum's rage-filled cries echoed: "Thief! Thief! Baggins! We hates it! We hates it forever!"

At the end of the tunnel, Bilbo was relieved to see real sunlight, but forgot his joy when he saw armored goblins watching the giant door it came through, and somehow, the ring had slipped off his finger and made him visible. Before they could catch him, he put it back on and vanished. As the angry goblins frantically searched for him, he slipped past them and reached the door, but it was only open a crack. He tried to squeeze through, but he got his buttons caught in the space between the door and door-post. The goblins spotted his shadow, but before they could catch him, Bilbo tore loose, ripping his buttons off, and allowing him to hurry out of the tunnels and back into the open. Bilbo had escaped out of the Misty Mountains!

The Hobbit (1977 film)

2009-10-15T23:06:56Z

76.109.163.155: /* Differences from the books */

{{film infobox
| image=[[Image:Rankin-Bass The Hobbit.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Hobbit
| director=[[Arthur Rankin Jr.]]<br>[[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Rankin/Bass]]
| writer=Romeo Muller
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Maury Laws<br>[[Glenn Yarbrough]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=
| released=[[November 26]], [[1977]]
| runtime=77 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget=$3 million
| website=
| imdb_id=tt0077687
}}
'''[[The Hobbit]]''' was adapted into an animated television movie by [[Rankin/Bass]] Productions in [[1977]]. It manages to retell most of the story within its 77 minute span. An LP with the soundtrack and dialog from the movie was also released in 1977 --- ironically, by Disney, through its Buena Vista Records label, although, by popular demand, an edited version, along with accompanying "storyteller read-alongs," was later issued for the Mouse Factory's Disneyland Records imprint.

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Role !! Actor
|-
| [[Bilbo Baggins]] || [[Orson Bean]]
|-
| [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]] || [[John Huston]]
|-
| [[Thranduil|the Elvenking]] || [[Otto Preminger]]
|-
| [[Smaug]] || [[Richard Boone]]
|-
| [[Elrond]] || [[Cyril Ritchard]]
|-
| [[Thorin Oakenshield]] || [[Hans Conried]]
|-
| [[Gollum]] || [[Brother Theodore]]
|-
| [[Bombur]] || [[Paul Frees]]
|-
| [[Balin]] || [[Don Messick]]
|-
| [[Gwaihir|Lord of the Eagles]] || Don Messick
|-
| [[Dori]] || [[John Stephenson]]
|-
| [[Great Goblin]] || John Stephenson
|-
| [[Bard]] || John Stephenson
|}

The film was produced and directed by [[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] and [[Jules Bass]] and adapted for the screen by Romeo Muller; with Rankin taking on the additional duties of production designer, and Bass adapting some of Tolkien's original lyrics, as well as contributing, along with Maury Laws, an original theme song, "The Greatest Adventure (The Ballad of the Hobbit)," sung by [[Glenn Yarbrough]].

The same team, along with Bean, Huston, Theodore, Frees and Messick, returned for the 1980 adaption of ''[[Rankin/Bass' The Return of the King|The Return of the King]]''.

==Scenes==
# "[[Bilbo's Visitors]]" (4:07)
# "[[Outlining the Adventure]]" (3:53)
# "Credits" (2:20)
# "[[Troublesome Trolls]]" (3:35)
# "[[Lonely Mountain Map]]" (3:06)
# "[[Elves of Rivendell (scene)|Elves of Rivendell]]" (3:04)
# "[[Goblin Attack]]" (3:33)
# "[[Gollum's Riddler]]" (6:20)
# "[[Follow the leader]]" (4:28)
# "[[Funny Little Things]]" (2:12)
# "[[Flown to Mirkwood]]" (2:36)
# "[[Forest Diary]]" (3:04)
# "[[Spider's Web]]" (1:19)
# "[[Sting Strikes]]" (2:00)
# "[[Wood Elves]]" (2:50)
# "[[Laketown (scene)|Laketown]]" (2:04)
# "[[Secret Doorway]]" (2:09)
# "[[Smaug's Lair]]" (4:14)
# "[[Weak Spot]]" (4:31)
# "[[Black Arrow's Mark]]" (3:08)
# "[[Treasure Clash]]" (2:59)
# "[[Five Armies Meet]]" (4:42)
# "[[Farewell, Thorin]]" (2:07)
# "[[Only Beginning]]" (1:50)
# "End Credits" (0:56)

== Critical Reaction ==
The movie was first broadcast on NBC in the United States, on [[November 26]], [[1977]], and was tailored to children: the story was done in a very light-hearted style, and featured a lot of songs (most of which came from book). Much of the story was simplified and several key parts are omitted.

The art is both praised and criticized. Some reviewers regard it as a strong point of the movie. Inaccuracies in the depictions draws a lot of criticism from Tolkien fans: Gandalf has a hood instead of a hat, despite clearly being described in the book; Gollum looks like some sort of frog-creature (though the book does describe his large eyes and webbed feet); Elrond has a beard despite the book outright saying that Elves do not have beards; the [[Wood-elves]], rather than being the "fair folk," are even uglier than the goblins (and the [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] has a thick German accent for some reason); Smaug is extremely hairy for being a [[Dragons|dragon]].

In 1977, NBC, Rankin and Bass won a Peabody Award for ''The Hobbit''[http://www.peabody.uga.edu/winners/PeabodyWinnersBook.pdf]. The movie was also nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in [[1978]], but lost to ''Star Wars''.

==Differences from the books==
While the movie is quite faithful to the story, it is at its core still a child-oriented musical adaptation, and therefore not a perfect adaptation of Tolkien's novel. Most of the changes are found as omissions rather than modifications of the plot.

# All the Dwarves show up with Gandalf all at once in the film rather than coming in groups the day after Gandalf meets Bilbo and puts a mark on his door.
# The company leaves Bilbo's house on ponies, but after that the ponies are not seen until they are lost in crossing the [[Misty Mountains]]. In the book, the company rode ponies from Bag End to Rivendell.
# Bilbo is noticed by the Trolls as he sneaks up to steal some meat rather than disclosed by the Troll's "talking" purse.
# The Dwarves flee in terror from the Trolls and are picked up one at a time instead of walking blindly into the camp and being ambushed (except for Thorin, who puts up a fight).
# Gandalf apparently has the power to make the dawn come earlier and dispatching the Trolls rather than tricking the Trolls by throwing his voice.
# The Troll cave does not have a locked door like in the book.
# Gandalf gives Thorin the Map of Thror and the key in the troll cave rather than back at Bag End.
# Up in the mountains, there are no stone giants playing games amidst the storm.
# Gandalf is missing in the cave when the goblins emerge, rather than sleeping when it happens. The Dwarves run into the tunnel rather than being grabbed.
# The Dwarves do not fight the goblins in the tunnel.
# Bilbo specifically asked Gollum what he has in his pocket rather than muttering it aloud to himself. Gollum does not even try to guess instead of demanding three guesses. Only four riddles are said in the movie (there were ten in the book).
# Bilbo pulls the ring out of his pocket after Gollum says he's looking for his "golden ring, magical ring".
# Bilbo has no trouble getting out the back door (no goblins to sneak by or tight spots to fit through).
# Rather than meet the Wargs in the forest, the goblins come with them, riding on them and wielding torches (despite the Wargs' fear of fire in the book).
# The Great Eagles do not take the company to their eyries, but to the edge of [[Mirkwood]], bypassing [[Beorn]] (who does not appears in the movie).
# The incident at the enchanted river, including [[Bombur]]'s magical sleep, is omitted.
# The feasts of the Wood-elves are omitted (yet are referred to when the Wood-elves capture the Dwarves).
# Bilbo has to fight and kill only four spiders rather than dozens and dozens. Bilbo's sword, [[Sting]], always glows in the movie regardless of whether goblins are nearby or not.
# Thorin is captured with the other Dwarves by the spiders and then the Wood-elves.
# There is no stop over from the journey via barrels from the Wood-elves' castle to [[Lake-town]].
# There is no Master in Laketown; [[Bard]] the guardsman runs the city.
# The company does not make camp at the base of the mountain.
# Balin does not go with Bilbo into the secret entrance.
# Bilbo has only one audience with Smaug and the thrush is present. Bilbo orders the thrush to seek Bard to tell him of Smaug's weakness.
# The [[Arkenstone]] and all that goes with it is omitted.
# [[Roäc]] the raven is omitted. In the book, the ravens tell the Dwarves that Smaug is slain and is sent to [[Dáin II Ironfoot|Dain]] to call for assistance. In the movie, the Dwarves wait, lost inside the Lonely Mountain for a week and it is never explained why Dain arrives at such an opportune moment.
# The company discovers the two armies coming when they are on the doorstep rather than being warned in advance.
# Since the Arkenstone is omitted, Thorin instead loses respect for Bilbo through his supposed lack of understanding of honor and war.
# Thorin and the dwarves plan a suicidal last stand against the elves and men in a pitched battle outside the mountain and are pleasantly surprised when Dain's army arrives.
# [[Ravenhill]] is not mentioned.
# The armies in the Battle of the Five Armies are divided differently (Bilbo counts the Goblins and Wargs as one army, the Eagles are counted as a separate army).
# The Battle of the Five Armies happens differently: notably, Beorn is not there.
# In the book, only Thorin, Kili, and Fili die from the battle, leaving 10 dwarves still alive. In the movie, Thorin, Bombur, and five other unnamed dwarves are killed. (In fact, Bombur was one of the few Dwarves in the quest known to be still alive in the days of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.)
# Most of the return journey, including winter at Beorn's home, a stop at Rivendell, and digging up gold they buried by the troll camp, is omitted.
# The auction back at Bag End is omitted.
# Balin and Gandalf's visit, years later, is omitted.

== External Links ==
* ''[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077687/ The Hobbit]'' at [http://www.imdb.com/ IMDb]
{{films}}

[[Category:Films]]