Exciting times for Hobbit fans! Last week the Digital Download of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey became available, and tomorrow (March 19th) is the date when American fans can take home copies of the movie on DVD and Blu-ray; plus of course we’re all eagerly awaiting Peter Jackson’s live first look at The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug on Sunday 24th March! To help pass the time till then, TORn has some videos to share!
Staffer greendragon was fortunate enough to meet recently with Thorin, Bofur and Gollum – also known as those charming gents Richard Armitage, James Nesbitt and Andy Serkis. They discussed topics such as how it feels to be part of a billion dollar grossing movie, what they hope to see in the Extended Editions, and what went into creating the roles they play. In the first of three videos, here’s what Richard Armitage had to say.
Continue reading “Richard Armitage talks to TheOneRing.net”
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A cool new infographic for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has just become available. This one details each of the key characters from the film, along with a succinct line that gives an insight into the personality of each character.
Still, I must nitpick. Galadriel is not “the oldest of all the Elves in Middle-earth”. At the time of the Third Age, the oldest of the Eldar still in Middle-earth (that we know of), is the Telerin elf, and Lord of the Grey Havens, Cirdan the Shipwright. And we do see Cirdan briefly in the film adaptations of The Lord of the Rings — initially in the prologue sequence where the Three Rings are distributed by Celebrimbor (see here) and then at the end of The Return of the King when he greets the departing Frodo, Gandalf and co as they take ship for Valinor (see that one here). So Cirdan the Shipwright certainly exists in the movie universe.
You can read a little about speculation about the age of Cirdan in this old Greenbooks post by Staffer Turgon. Basically, Cirdan undertook The Great Journey (but stayed in Middle-earth); Galadriel was born in Valinor after the Vanyar, Noldor and some of the Telerin elves finished The Great Journey and reached Aman. Ergo Cirdan is the older of the two.
Anyway, arguments over canon aside, this is cool. Enjoy!
Continue reading “The Hobbit: new ‘company of characters’ info-graphic!”
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Just a gentle reminder that as of yesterday, you are now able to download a digital copy of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey from iTunes, Xbox, PlayStation, Amazon, Vudu and CinemaNow. both iTunes and Amazon. Woo! And remember, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey to be available on Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack and 2-disc DVD Special Edition on 3/19. If you are like me, you’ll end up owning both a digital version and a physical version. One simply cannot get enough Middle-earth! Enjoy! [Amazon.com] [iTunes] [Vudu] [Xbox] [CinemaNow]
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You’d like to ask Peter Jackson a question during the Sneak Peek at Desolation of Smaug that’s happening on March 24?
Well, the good news is that you can submit your video question (it looks like Jackson and his team are only accepting video questions) right now. You can submit your video question anytime from March 12-19 via any of the following means. Continue reading “How to ask Jackson your Sneak Peek question”
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The release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is just around the corner. In anticipation, Warner Bros has released a series of teaser videos profiling some of the features and extras folks will get to enjoy. And a bit of a plug for the very first sneak peak at the Desolation of Smaug that people will be able to get on March 24! Continue reading “Video: Warner Bros teases The Hobbit DVD-Blu-ray release”
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Following on from MrCere’s excellent post yesterday, telling you all about the different formats tempting you to part with your cash and take home The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, here is a ‘mini-review’ of the Blu-ray 3D Combo pack which will be available in the United States. Staffer greendragon was fortunate enough to receive a copy of the Blu-ray/DVD pack in advance of a press junket taking place in London today; here are her thoughts on the precious!
First of all, the packaging is beautiful. The cardboard slip case has the lenticular image of Gandalf which we saw on one of Empire magazine’s covers. Underneath this slip case, the box has the same image on the front, with the back showing a small picture of Bilbo running off from the Shire, contract in hand, above the details of the contents.
This ‘combo pack’ is the five disc version: it contains the movie (over two discs) on 3D Blu-ray; one disc of the movie on 2D Blu-ray; one disc of the 2D DVD version; and one disc of ‘Special Features’. These features are, as MrCere mentioned, the ten Production Videos which Peter Jackson published on his facebook page during the making of the film. I agree with MrCere’s thought that, whilst this may not be adding anything new, it is very nice to have all these videos gathered in one place, where you can easily find them to watch them again and again. One word of caution, however: if you are purchasing a Blu-ray combo pack with the thought that you will get a Blu-ray player ‘one day’ and in the meantime will watch the film on the DVD which comes in the set, note that the Special Features disc is a Blu-ray, not a DVD.
As with all the different versions available for purchase, this pack also comes with details on how to access your ‘UltraViolet’ copy of the movie, so that you can download and stream the standard definition theatrical version of the film to your various devices.
Sitting at my laptop in London, I haven’t been able to try out the Blu-ray discs, but I did watch the DVD last night. The main menu shows footage from the film, playing on a loop; it starts with a zoom in on the map of Middle-earth, a shot of Bag End, and then the dwarves singing part of the Misty Mountains song. Following scenes include Bilbo running to join them on their journey, the trolls gathered around their fire, Radagast and his rabbits fleeing the orcs, and shots in Rivendell, Goblin Town and Gollum’s cave. The montage ends with Bilbo drawing Sting for the first time; and then the loop starts again.
The movie is divided into thirty-two scenes, and the scene selection menu has part of the map of Middle-earth in the background. The other menu choice from the main menu is for languages; the DVD can be played in English, French or Spanish, and has subtitles also in those languages. The background for this menu is a picture of a pensive-looking Gandalf, seated by a tree and smoking his pipe.
As for the film – well, of course I love the film. It thrills me to hear that opening melody and to know I can now watch this movie whenever I like! After all these years of waiting for The Hobbit, it seems even a little surreal to have these discs in my hands. I must confess, though, I rather wish that the home entertainment release could have been a little later; I’d like to have seen An Unexpected Journey in the cinema a few more times before I moved to a smaller screen!
The Blu-ray and DVD of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be available for you to take home in the US from March 19th; but if you just can’t wait that long, digital download (from retailers such as iTunes, Amazon and Vudu) will be available from March 12th. The hard copies (in whatever format you purchase) and digital downloads from ‘select digital retailers’ will come with a code which will enable viewers to watch the live stream of Peter Jackson’s sneak peek of the next movie, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. This will play live on March 24th at 3pm Eastern/noon Pacific time; so if you’re in the US and eager for a glimpse of the second part of the trilogy, (and let’s face it, if you’re reading TORn, you probably are eager for a glimpse!), be sure to get your copy of An Unexpected Journey before March 24th, so you’ll be ready to watch! (MrCere’s article lists the April release dates for the Blu-ray and DVD in some other parts of the world; I’m told by Warner Bros. that codes for the sneak peek will be available outside the US – for example, possibly given to those who preorder a Blu-ray or DVD – but as yet there’s no confirmation on details for that. We’ll let you know as soon as we hear!)
Finally – as MrCere mentioned yesterday, the press release which came with this Blu-ray pack from Warner Bros. confirmed that this ‘home entertainment release will be followed by an Extended Edition available just in time for the holidays’. Now THAT is something I can’t wait to see!
You can preorder this Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack here; or preorder the digital download here.
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