Re-watching "The Hobbit"

[wiseheart]

The film finally got out on DVD, so I bought it on the spot. Despite the fact that Peter Jackson's interpretation is lightyears away from mine, I admired Martin Freeman's acting a great deal, so I decided that it would be worth the investition.

Having the film on DVD has the advantage that I cold fast-forward the gratutious fighting scenes (honestly, who needs to see the same punch fom six different angles) and that I could watch it in 2D, without the annoying 3D effects and having another pair of glasses perched over the ones I already have to wear.

This time, I got to pay the individual Dwarves more attention. With the exception of Thorin, Balin and perhaps Bofur, I still find their portrayal insulting. If one turns a children's book into a 2-hour-fighting & monster spectacle, one shouldn't make the main protagonists look like idiots.

Ah, well, the Elves didn't come out any better. Apparently, anorexia is a requirement to be an Elf - I wonder how they managed to fight the Orcs; one sneeze from an Orc would have blown tehm across half Eriador. Plus, I don't udnerstand why PJ keeps casting the ugliest people possible to play Elves.

At least Christopher Lee still has incredible presence. And without the bad manicure he had in LotR, he actually looked respectable, despite the ridiculous wig he was forced to wear. It looks like our kitchen curtains, it really does. And Gandalf has apparently strated drinking in the meantime, if his puffy face is any indication. I don't understand. Ian McKellen doesn't have a puffy face in the interviews. Sow hy does have Gandalf? Unless the horrible Barbie-pink jacket makes the actor appear slimmer and the wizerd's hat makes him look fat.


Oh, and by the way - in an attempt of self-destructive madness, I ventured to the Hobbit section of FF.Net. Yeah, I know, curiosity killed the cat. I thought it couldn't be any worse than a LOTR-section after the first movie came out. Guess what? I was wrong. It's full of 'modern girl falls into ME'- Mary Sues, female!Bilbo insanity, Bilbo raised by Dwarves stupidity, Darwen incest of the worst sort, modern AUs where everyone is human and various other atrocities. I was never so relieved as when I found Dreamflower's drabble.

And we still have two other movies coming to spread the insanity. *headdesk*

Comments

[tyellas.livejournal.com]

I know that, here in NZ, Peter Jackson has always had difficulty casting Elves. Sad to say, Wellington is lacking in tall beauties. Casting agents here have chased suitable elvish candidates down the street to try and recruit them!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Hehe. On the other hand, he managed to cast amazing Uruk-hai, and that, too, is worth something.