The Hobbit: Battle of Five Studios (Part 2/2)

Lindsay Ellis・2 minutes read

Sir Peter Jackson's journey with "The Hobbit" movies involved significant changes, rushed production, and external influences impacting the original story and characters, leading to dissatisfaction among fans and critics. The reliance on heavy CGI, questionable character arcs, unnecessary additions, and deviations from the original plot detracted from the emotional core of Bilbo's journey and friendship with the dwarves.

Insights

  • The Hobbit movies faced significant challenges due to changes in directors, rushed production, external influences, and deviations from the original story, impacting the overall coherence and quality of the films.
  • The use of CGI, the inclusion of unnecessary characters and storylines driven by mass market appeal, and the thematic shifts in character portrayals, such as Thorin resembling Aragorn, led to a departure from the source material's essence, affecting the emotional depth and core relationships within the narrative.

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Recent questions

  • Why did Guillermo del Toro leave The Hobbit project?

    Creative differences and production delays.

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Summary

00:00

Peter Jackson's Turbulent Journey with The Hobbit

  • Sir Peter Jackson welcomes visitors to Hobbiton, expressing gratitude for their presence.
  • The movie set in New Zealand, known as Hobbiton, aims to evoke childhood magic.
  • Jackson's lawsuit against New Line Cinema in 2005 leads to his exclusion from The Hobbit project.
  • Guillermo del Toro is chosen to direct The Hobbit movies, aiming for a distinct visual and tonal approach.
  • Warner Brothers acquires rights to The Lord of the Rings but not The Hobbit due to MGM's financial issues.
  • Del Toro's departure from The Hobbit project raises questions about the reasons behind it.
  • Peter Jackson takes over directing The Hobbit, leading to significant changes and a rushed production.
  • Various external influences, including producer Saul Zaents and Harvey Weinstein, impact The Hobbit movies.
  • Changes in the movie's direction, including added fight scenes and a love story, affect the original story.
  • The core cast of The Hobbit experiences shifts in character importance and production delays, leading to dissatisfaction.

14:13

"The Hobbit: CGI Overload and Character Changes"

  • The reliance on CGI was heavier in The Hobbit compared to The Lord of the Rings, as forced perspective couldn't be utilized effectively.
  • The frame rate of 48 frames per second in The Hobbit varied among viewers, with some finding it more bothersome than others due to its impact on CGI rendering time and computer power.
  • Visual effects suffered due to CGI artists having insufficient time for many shots, resulting in discrepancies like the realistic appearance of Gollum versus the less convincing melting gold on a dragon.
  • The 3D 48 frames per second version of The Hobbit is only available in prints, not on Blu-ray, where it plays at 23.98 frames per second.
  • The decision to use CGI for Dáin instead of makeup like the other dwarves was not explained, leading to an uncanny valley effect.
  • Characters from The Lord of the Rings were included in The Hobbit, such as Galadriel, Saruman, Frodo, and Legolas, deviating from the original plot.
  • Legolas' character arc in The Hobbit, including his mother's death and strained relationship with his father, lacked clear motivation and consequence.
  • The addition of Tauriel, a character not in the original book, and the love triangle involving her, Legolas, and Kíli, felt forced and out of place in the narrative.
  • The inclusion of unnecessary characters and storylines, like Tauriel's love triangle, was driven by studio demands for mass market appeal, detracting from the emotional core of Bilbo's journey and friendship with the dwarves.
  • Thorin's portrayal in The Hobbit, resembling Aragorn more than a traditional dwarf, was a thematic callback to the character's role as a king reclaiming his crown, deviating from the iconic dwarvish look initially intended by the director.

26:34

Thorin's character arc and relationships analyzed.

  • Thorin's appearance is compared to Aragorn, while Kíli resembles an anime character, with the dwarves in the movie transitioning from cartoonish to more mainstream and Game of Thrones-like.
  • Thorin's character arc in the film focuses on regaining his honor and heritage, with the filmmakers bridging his importance as a dwarf with his narrative in the book.
  • The relationship between Thorin and Bilbo is a significant aspect of the movie, with Thorin's arrogance serving as a foundation for their dynamic.
  • The restructuring of certain key moments in the film, like Thorin's change-of-heart with Bilbo, is criticized for diluting the emotional core and impacting the character development.
  • The emotional core of the story, particularly the relationship between Bilbo and the dwarves, is highlighted as crucial, but is seen to diminish as the movies progress, leading to a lack of focus on the core characters and themes.
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