The Hobbit: A Long-Expected Autopsy (Part 1/2)
Lindsay Ellis・33 minutes read
Harper Lee's "Go Set a Watchman" reveals a flawed side of Atticus Finch, deviating from his idealized version in "To Kill a Mockingbird." "The Hobbit" movies faced criticism for being bloated and deviating from the original intent of Tolkien's standalone children's story.
Insights
- Harper Lee's portrayal of Atticus Finch in Go Set a Watchman differs significantly from the idealized version in To Kill a Mockingbird, revealing his flaws and lack of activism, challenging readers' perceptions of the character.
- The decision to split The Hobbit into three movies led to rushed character development, unnecessary additions, and structural problems, detracting from the original childlike tone and resulting in a disjointed and unsatisfactory outcome.
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Recent questions
How does The Hobbit differ from The Lord of the Rings?
The Hobbit focuses on dwarves seeking treasure, while The Lord of the Rings centers on the evil ring, leading to tonal inconsistencies.
What was Tolkien's original intent for The Hobbit?
Tolkien initially intended The Hobbit as a standalone children's story.
How did The Hobbit movies deviate from Tolkien's original intent?
The decision to include Sauron and tie it to The Lord of the Rings altered the tone and plot.
What criticisms were directed towards The Hobbit movies?
The movies faced criticism for being bloated, rushed, and lacking magic.
How did the portrayal of Atticus Finch differ in Go Set a Watchman?
Atticus Finch's flaws and lack of activism were revealed, contrasting with To Kill a Mockingbird.
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Summary
00:00
Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman Analysis
- Harper Lee published her second novel, Go Set a Watchman, less than a year before her death, as a sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird.
- Go Set a Watchman was likely written concurrently with or before To Kill a Mockingbird, with the publisher urging Lee to focus on the childhood aspect in the latter.
- The portrayal of Atticus Finch in Go Set a Watchman differs from the idealized version in To Kill a Mockingbird, revealing his flaws and lack of activism.
- The Hobbit trilogy, released between 2012 and 2014, faced criticism for being bloated and lacking the magic of The Lord of the Rings.
- The Hobbit movies featured returning cast members from The Lord of the Rings, with Martin Freeman's portrayal of Bilbo receiving praise for its authenticity.
- Changes in The Hobbit movies, like making Bilbo's adventure his choice and Benedict Cumberbatch's portrayal of Smaug, were highlighted as improvements.
- The Hobbit's central conflict of dwarves seeking treasure contrasts with The Lord of the Rings' focus on the evil ring, leading to tonal inconsistencies.
- Tolkien's original intent for The Hobbit was a standalone children's story, with later revisions aligning it more closely with The Lord of the Rings.
- The decision to include Sauron in The Hobbit movies deviated from Tolkien's original intent, altering the tone and plot to connect with The Lord of the Rings.
- The success of The Hobbit led Tolkien to develop The Lord of the Rings, transitioning from a children's story to an epic fantasy for adults, influenced by his children's growth.
12:45
Adapting The Hobbit: Faithful or Epic?
- The Hobbit can be adapted faithfully to its childlike tone or as three epic prequels to Lord of the Rings, but not both.
- The Hobbit is 95,000 words long, shorter than Hunger Games but longer than Harry Potter.
- The Lord of the Rings is 177,000 words for Fellowship alone, totaling 1.5 times Game of Thrones.
- The Hobbit's minimalistic style requires pauses for character development to avoid feeling rushed.
- Adapting The Hobbit into two 2-hour movies could have created a memorable product distinct from Lord of the Rings.
- The Hobbit's episodic structure contrasts with Lord of the Rings' three-act Hollywood screenplay structure.
- The Hobbit's plot points are rooted in mythology and folk stories, leading to some anticlimactic moments in the movies.
- Splitting The Hobbit into three movies resulted in rushed character development and unnecessary additions.
- The decision to split two films into three led to structural problems and forced climaxes in The Hobbit movies.
- The added content in The Hobbit movies, like the White Council and orc battles, detracted from the original childlike tone and created unnecessary action scenes.
25:19
Critique of The Hobbit's Lackluster Adaptation
- The storm giant scene in The Hobbit is criticized for its lack of believability, with a mix of mortal danger and cartoonish elements.
- Unlike the tension and mortality felt in The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit's action scenes lack real danger, feeling more like action figures being smashed together.
- The attempt to tie The Hobbit's central conflict with that of The Lord of the Rings is seen as forced and unnecessary, detracting from the story's essence.
- The reveal of the Necromancer's identity in The Hobbit is deemed irrelevant to the plot, lacking impact and meaningful connection to the overall narrative.
- The movies are criticized for wasting moments of brilliance within a product that tries to encompass too much, resulting in a disjointed and unsatisfactory outcome.
- The use of the Ringwraith theme in The Hobbit, instead of creating new music, is highlighted as a missed opportunity and a sign of rushed production.
- Despite having the same creative team as The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit movies are seen as lacking the passion and depth that made the original trilogy so beloved.
- The emotional connection to childhood media, like The Lord of the Rings, is explored, with a desire to recapture the magic and passion experienced as a child.
