Guardian columnist James Russell writes in a sure-to-be-controversial piece that he doesn’t think the move to make the Hobbit into a trilogy is all about money. Rather, he wonders, is Peter Jackson “pushing his new Tolkien project to ridiculous extremes because he has nothing else to offer?”
He writes: “I think something much more dispiriting has motivated the decision: creative stagnation.”
“Who knows, the movie(s) might be good, and I might have to eat my words. While it may be maddening for those who see cold, hard profit as the prime motivation behind The Hobbit, it looks sad rather than venal to me. Jackson used to be a genuinely capable and interesting figure, with a particular talent for pioneering technical accomplishments (his decision to film in 48fps is the most compelling thing about The Hobbit). It sounds crazy to say, in light of the visionary epic fantasies he has created, but surely he could choose more creatively ambitious projects than this.”
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From stuff.co.nz: New Zealand’s film and TV industry has risen to become one of the country’s most lucrative – reeling in more than $3.23 billion last year. The sector’s contribution to gross domestic product was $2.78 billion, representing 1.4 per cent of New Zealand’s total GDP, a PricewaterhouseCoopers report found. The sector also supported 21,315 fulltime-equivalent jobs. Film Auckland chairman Pete Rive welcomed the study as an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the local screen community. He hailed Spartacus, Mr Pip, Emperor (starring Matthew Fox), and The Hobbit as examples of recent successes. Read More…
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Now that we have three films to think about, one of the questions a lot of people are wondering is: “How will this affect the screenplay for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey?”. Just where will the first film end? In this Greenbooks guest post, Thomas Monteath outlines his thoughts on just how the first Hobbit film could work. These views are his own, and do not necessarily represent those of TheOneRing.net or its staff.
WARNING: Spoilers and speculation! Continue reading “Greenbooks guest post: unexpected journey; predictable break”
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Have you snagged your copy yet? One of our very favorite magazines and supporter of our Road to DragonCon Adventure, EMPIRE Magazine, has published their ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ edition and it is quite impressive! This special edition of the magazine features a detailing of their set visit in New Zealand, with a special focus on Gollum and Bilbo’s ‘Riddles in the Dark’ sequence. For those of you who can’t pick up a copy of the magazine locally, check out the iPad edition. The US iPad edition of EMPIRE is available in iTunes store, and it is a complete steal for only $20/yr, $1.99/mo or $4.99 an issue. EMPIRE is one of the best entertainment magazines out there and have always treated Tolkien fans to some amazing content. Make sure to pick up your copy! [iPad Editon] [iTunes] [EMPIRE Online]
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Welcome to our collection of TORn’s hottest topics for the past week. If you’ve 
fallen behind on what’s happening on the Message Boards, here’s a great way to catch the highlights. Or if you’re new to TORn and want to enjoy some great conversations, just follow the links to some of our most popular discussions. Watch this space as every weekend we will spotlight the most popular buzz on TORn’s Message Boards. Everyone is welcome, so come on in and join in the fun!
Continue reading “TORn Message Boards Weekly Roundup – August 26, 2012”
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Many Ringers have wondered how much of Guillermo Del Toro’s conceptual work and vision we’ll end up seeing in The Hobbit. In a video interview with io9‘s Annalee Newitz, Peter Jackson provides the answer: not much. Del Toro had already invested 18 months in concept designs for the creatures and the world of The Hobbit waiting for movie to be greenlit. But in 2010 he left the project because of the delays, and Jackson eventually took over.
Jackson says: “I looked at his designs and I said: ‘The only person who can make a Guillermo Del Toro movie is Guillermo. It shouldn’t be me. I can’t put my head into somebody else’s idea — I have to generate it from the beginning.’ So really I redesigned the film pretty much. Some of Guillermo’s DNA is in there…”
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