MovieChat Forums > The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) Discussion > Thank you Peter for the extended version...

Thank you Peter for the extended versions. And forgive me.

posted 9 years ago by hal-9010
15 replies | jump to latest

The Extended version of the Hobbit hit the spot right on.

I am a fan of Tolkien and his books. Not the kind of fan that knows every little detail, but the kind of fan that admires those who do. When LOTR came out I forgave easily the liberties taken and I enjoyed the movies tremendously. Their extended cuts even more so, and really the only way to go.

So I was very happy when I learned that Del Toro was not going to hold the reins of The Hobbit, and I was thrilled to learn that the old LOTR team would take over.

And as I watched the three movies over several years in the cinema I was gravely disappointed. Until the last one I was still defending them the best I could, but as the last one ended, I realized what a tremendous fail it was. A complete misunderstanding. I thought the liberties taken and the overall spirit of the whole book was severely lost. Even the essence of our dear Bilbo never quite came through. It was more a film celebrating Legolas and Bard than the Hobbit, and in so loosing what makes the story great.

I bought the extended versions before Christmas hoping but not really believing. Now, I am not entirely sure if it was the changes or simply watching them back to back or the mere fact that my expectations were low, but man was I entertained and man was it one hell of a ride....

I liked the liberties taken, I liked how LOTR was woven into the story now and I bought the whole Tauriel thing better. I freaking loved Bilbo and saw the respect for him which I think the theatrical versions lacked. For all my bad words and criticism in the last year or so, I take it back. The extended versions tells the story, and tells the story well. What more can I ask for?

I watched some of the extra material – of which there are many many hours, and I can see the amount of love and dedication the team put in to it. I see that they went over much of what I would have chosen and I see why they decided to go perhaps in different directions. I truly and very strongly appreciate all the hard work and what they have done to these fantastic books.

Now I realize that with the extended versions I actually got the movies I was hoping for; they gave me an honorable set of prequels to Lord of The Rings and an fantastic story to get lost in. All in all, thank you Peter and forgive me for doubting your intentions.

___________
** I am normally not a praying man, but if you are up there, please save me Superman **

[–] BigBadEd 9 years ago

Arse licker

[–] hal-9010 9 years ago

No thank you, but good luck in your quest.

___________
** I am normally not a praying man, but if you are up there, please save me Superman **

[–] Daenerys-Stormborn 9 years ago

You rock PJ ma man! WOoohooo yay!

Extended versions is da best! The longer the better (applies to both LoTR and Hobbit)

тrυe coυrage ιѕ noт aвoυт ĸnowιng wнen тo тaĸe a lιғe, вυт wнen тo ѕpare one.

[–] tonygea 9 years ago

Actually I appreciate the extended versions also in both trilogies.
Now, I understand what Peter Jackson was trying to do with Hobbit trilogy and I appreciate his efforts. When LOTR of the rings came out it was a revolution in many aspects , but I mention this one: Peter Jackson made 3 movies of 3 hours each one and made the audience to ask for more. And he gave it with the extended versions. This was never done before, I think, but the problem is that filming so epic book (I love it) PJ has to cut some plot lines. So he has material for six movies and has to make 3. What PJ made with the Hobbit trilogy is the opposite: the book is short, is for kids but he wanted the movie to be more as prequel to LOTR and I think he did it: all the plotlines taken form the Appendices, Bofur's song in the extended version of AUJ (which is actually Frodo's song in the Pouncing Pony), more than one elf mentioned in name, etc. Obviously those are movies make with love to the Tolkien material that's why I like most of "added" elements (well, not all of them, of course) and the most intelligent of them are cut in the theatrical versions obviously for commercial purposes. Anyway, we still have the extended ones.

But generally I think that the nerdom is doing the same thing with Hobbit movies as with Star wars prequels: whining ad hating them with mostly weird purposes. Well, in lower degree, but the "method" is the same.

[–] hal-9010 9 years ago

well said.

___________
** I am normally not a praying man, but if you are up there, please save me Superman **

[–] JTurner82 8 years ago

I do see where Jackson was coming from as well. I don't think THE HOBBIT trilogy pays off as successfully as THE LORD OF THE RINGS, but THE HOBBIT trilogy is certainly not BAD by any means. I do think it would have been better to make it shorter, but despite the sometimes overuse of CGI and occasionally dodgy moment, I still found the HOBBIT movies to be enjoyable. The performances were very well done, and the effects, overall, were well done and well suited to the fabric of the story. I wasn't so sold on Tauriel either, but I could tolerate it.

I will say that unlike the STAR WARS prequels, the HOBBIT movies are, while not quite on the same level as TLOR, are still very much a B-tier trilogy, and I don't mean that as an insult at all. It's a "good" trilogy, not an "outstanding" trilogy. The STAR WARS prequels had issues, however; Lucas was much of a technical director than an actors' director, and the rough performances in those movies shows. He did, however, manage to somewhat redeem himself with REVENGE OF THE SITH. That is to say, it's not a GREAT movie by any means, but it certainly captures the spirit of the STAR WARS trilogy, or comes close to it, better than THE PHANTOM MENACE or ATTACK OF THE CLONES could. There still were problems: Hayden Christensen, although better overall than AOTC, still had the occasional wooden moment, and some moments dragged too long. But it was still solid overall.

The HOBBIT movies have flaws, too: the story is sometimes stretched a bit too thin and there are some goofy moments that feel more like Jackson putting his own touch. But Jackson IS a good filmmaker, and I still found the movies enjoyable either way.

[–] otter 8 years ago

I disagree with everything you've said - I think the "Hobbit" trilogy are BAD films, and that the extended version is worse than the theatrical.

I love the books, I love Middle-Earth and want to enjoy everything that happens there - I tried to love the "Hobbit" movies, but the fact is they're just terrible AS FILMS. They are cartoonish and horribly edited, even sequences that start out good drag as they're extended too long to have any excitement, the attempts at humor all fall flat, performances are generally terrible and the leading character is hardly given any time at the forefront, same for New Zealand which ought to be given a starring role as Middle Earth, but which is barely seen. These films are failures both as films, and as representations of Tolkien's work, and the extended versions are worse because the editing is even slacker and there is even more irrelevant crap piled over the story of Bilbo Baggins going on an adventure.

I like the "Star WArs" prequels more than the "Hobbit" trilogy. Sure, both are flawed, but the "Star Wars" prequels have some stuff than is interesting (Palpatine's rise to power), some stuff that looks way cool (the opening of RotS), some genuinely fun moments (Yoda vs. Dooku). Sadly, the "Hobbit" films do not contain any stuff that is interesting, way cool, or genuinely fun.

“Seventy-seven courses and a regicide, never a wedding like it!

[–] Greyhelm81 9 years ago

A lot of people just have bad taste in movies. The hobbit films were just as terrible as the force awakens.

[–] dalefl 9 years ago

I have to disagree with your opinion. The OP was right. I liked the new Star Wars movie too, but it doesn't take anything away from the depth of Jackson's movies. Bad taste is it? You've shown your hand by your very words.

[–] Otaku-sempai 9 years ago

You didn't like SW:TFA? Fine. Good for you. But accusing anyone who did like it of having bad taste just underlines your own biases and marks you as pretentious. Why should anyone care about your gorram opinion? 

"A revolution without dancing is a revolution not worth having." - V

[–] Ambianwinediet 8 years ago

force awakens did what it had to do. please OT fans please PT fans and please and bring in new fans.

was it a rehash of AH, ESB and ROJ? sure!!! but was its elements passable enough to understand why they had to balance the three groups i mentioned above

hell ya

their commitemewnt to practical effects when possible was admirable.. and 99% of movies now adays dont even try and instead

[–] ZakkWyldeMyLittlePony 9 years ago

I need to check out the extended edition some time.

RIP
Ronnie James Dio
1942-2010

[–] filmlife-04472 9 years ago

I actually wanted to see Guillermo´s version of Middle-earth...:(

[–] hal-9010 9 years ago

For sure, I am curious too and especially because he has quite unique and spectacular visions in many of his other films. Anyway, at the time is was published that Peter would continue, I felt then it was the right way to go for this story.

Cheers

[–] Eriador2016 8 years ago

Well said hal-9010.

I'm not as tolerate as you are, I still hate the story of Tauriel.
But I agree that the extended version is better, and it changes how I view the Hobbit trilogy.

Even with the theatrical version, when it first came out, I didn't blame PJ for what I didn't like. I know he had some tough choice. I regret his decision of HFR and filming digitally and the overuse of CGI, but he does strongly have his own vision, and I wouldn't insult him because of that.

Think of it like that: The Hobbit movies could have been much worse. How many fantasy literature books have turned into succesful movies? So few. And why? Because so many things can go wrong, especially with a well-known book that everybody claim to "understand the point" better than the director. So I'm aware of all the weak points of the Hobbit movies, but I appreciate it while it lasts.

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