Comments on: Out On A Limb with Quickbeam: “Where Exactly Art Thou, Radagast?”

By: Endyre

Endyre — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 23:48:00 +0000

also, just an aside, 10 years from now, when Peter Jackson is making a trilogy based on The Silmarillion…… can we please have Joss Whedon and Guilermo Del Toro involved too?

Thx, cheers etc.

(Beren & Luthien 2022)

By: Endyre

Endyre — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 23:45:00 +0000

having characters weave in and out of the story, even major characters being wholly absent for the most of it as Radagast is in LOTR, i think adds huge weight to JRRT’s writing…. it contributes to this vastness you get in his stories, where the world is just so big and there’s so much going on.

having Radagast just dissapear from the story adds to the feeling of the unknown you get in LOTR, that ‘anything could happen’, he’s such an intriguiging character, to have him just vanish from the story adds to the mystery, the sense that you dont know whats going to happen in this strange world, & makes you wonder about all the other amazing things you’re missing out on just because Bilbo or the fellowship dont bump into them on their journeys.

in terms of being a master story writer, one of the best the western world has ever produced, the fact that it would take hundreds of years (thousands?!) of writing to flesh out the entire Tolkein universe.. the mind boggles.

i dont think tolkien ‘forgot’ radagast, and im really looking forward to seeing him in the upcoming films (i hope he’s dirty and muddy and looks like a homeless man who sleeps in the forest)

as long as he doesnt use a sheild as a snowboard, or use ‘witty’ modern quips like “not the beard!” or “game over!” *gags* then im good.

By: Geoff Howell

Geoff Howell — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:44:00 +0000

I am really excited to see Radagast, I simply adore Istari and wish Tolkien had done more with them – side tales of their adventures etc. Surprisingly, Radagast was always one of my favourite, even with as little action he does get.

I think the south is more fitting from a cinematic story telling point of view. PJ will want to keep a smooth pace, and level out the layers of possible confusion to the viewers – essentially to make The Hobbit as accessible as possible.

I wholly agree the necromancer fight will happen at the end of part 1, or at the very beginning of part 2 to get that one off to a fighting start. It will really depend where in assumedly 3 hours the story will be…

By: M. Rooney

M. Rooney — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 21:28:00 +0000

Radagast is mentioned in The Hobbit, plays a role very early in LotR (in both the published work and in the chronological development of Tolkien’s writing), and then simply disappears. Though the mission of the Istari is to galvanize resistance to Sauron, he is wholly AWOL during the War of the Ring, when even off-stage action gets mention in the Appendices, and even when his bailiwick (birds) play a pivotal role in assisting his fellow Maia in the rescue of the Ringbearer. I cannot help but conclude this is a case where JRRT nodded and simply forgot about the character. His afterthoughts in the Letters do not show any considered reason for the omission.

So this is a case where I think free invention on Jackson et al. is justifiable. I hope it won’t be a cringe-worthy as some of Arwen’s or Faramir’s scenes were in the previous films, but I won’t be terribly upset if Radagast engages in a variety of non-canonical action. My guess is that he will be killed in the attack on Dol Guldur — the absence of a major player in LotR would be too inexplicable otherwise, and the slaying of an Istari will offer some dramatic punch to Sauron (who has nothing else to do but run away from the pretty elf witch and the wizards). It would be nice to have him dissolve into a CG swarm of moths, perhaps …..

By: Gbvenom

Gbvenom — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 22:32:00 +0000

I think he’s the moth. It would make total complete sense.

By: TomBombadil

TomBombadil — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 22:31:00 +0000

I say that positioning his home toward the southern border of Mirkwood is smarter, simply for the fact that it could explain why he left his home in the first place(Dol Guldur), and it could be a very strategic position for P.J., which could give him an opportunity to flesh out the story a bit.

By: TomBombadil

TomBombadil — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 22:28:00 +0000

That isn’t a bad idea actually.

By: Sentient 6

Sentient 6 — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 22:02:00 +0000

PJ probably will not comply to any content in the Unfinished Tales. He skipped a lot of the scene where Isildur loses the ring. Also, Radagast could arrive in Middle-Earth with Saruman. There is no canon answer. And the arrive of the Istari will not be there for sure. About a great battle.. it is the battle in front of Moria, for sure! It is a way to introduce Thorin and his nickname Oakenshield!

By: Gothmog Bauglir

Gothmog Bauglir — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 21:57:00 +0000

Is he the moth of LOTR????

By: nkalanaga

nkalanaga — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 17:44:00 +0000

I like that idea. It makes sense both economically (one actor) and within the story.

By: nkalanaga

nkalanaga — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 04:33:00 +0000

As for understanding the Raven, today’s ravens are quite capable of learning and speaking basic human speech. I’ve never heard of anyone teaching a thrush to speak, but they might be able to find a real speaking raven.

By: L.J. Kiosq

L.J. Kiosq — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 18:28:00 +0000

Haven’t we already seen an article about Radagast meeting Gandalf and the company of fourteen shortly after them raiding the Troll Cave, warning them about the spiders and all? It was almost a year ago, however, so maybe the info was inaccurate.

I would once again like to say that just because we haven’t heard a cast for the animal voices, doesn’t mean there won’t be any. I am 99% sure that our three trolls friends will be talking, and we haven’t heard about casting for them. Why do we know they will talk? Because Gandalf mimics their voices to confuse them until dawn arrives.