Middle-earth Journeys

Nicely creative, Lindariel--thanks for the link. For me, the most disturbing part of this version is the dwarves coming to blows with each other!

Well, Tolkien does say that "Oin and Gloin began to fight." He had already mentioned them quarrelling and bickering over lighting the fire; the logical next step is that they came to blows. I rather like the Gimli-like pugnaciousness Dreamflower ascribes to his father Gloin; he/she also makes some interesting distinctions in personality among the dwarves, even within the confines of a very short story. Let's hope GdT, PJ & Co., and the actors they cast as the dwarves also take the time to give us 13 distinct personalities.

Yes, I appreciated that in the story, too. Luckily, Tolkien arranged the dwarves in small groups for us: I'm not sure I could tell the difference between Fili and Kili, but I could distinguish one of them from Bombur!

That's an interesting take on it all - Tolkien would have loved that idea and it would have fitted into his whole fascination with stories and how they develop in the retelling.

I tend to be a worry-pot at my young age, and I am indeed quite worried about the Hobbit. Then my younger brother reminded me of something I should have thought of before my hair started falling out in stress (thats sarcasm, don't worry) - the LoTR was supposed to be unfilmable and look what PJ did - 13 Oscars later, we are all in awe of what he has done. I think that instead of worrying, we should let PJ's genius shine through. I'll leave it to him and know that he will give the Hobbit the best treatment ever.

Always have faith in Pete - according to the LoTR DVD behind the scenes extended edition.

I think it will be fine too. I'm sure a lot of thought has gone into choosing Del Toro and PJ will make every effort to ensure the films are every bit as good as the Trilogy.

TOR.n published a link to this essay on some possibilities for the Hobbit movie:

http://www.thecimmerian.com/?p=2322

I don't know who this person is and I don't even understand all the references, but this is the best thing I've read on the Hobbit! I hope GdT is reading! He's arguing that, for these movies to work, some of the deeper and darker background to the story has to be portrayed, which may not be possible since the moviemakers don't have the rights to that material. Among many other fine points, he says that the actor playing Thorin has to be magnificent.

Thanks for finding this, Merry! How apt for us, after our discussion in the other thread about how badly the Dwarves come off in The Hobbit. It's great to see gathered together in one place all of the many losses and horrors and injustices the Dwarves had suffered over the long years, and to be reminded that it was their basic nature to hold a grudge and never forget an insult.

I agree that Thorin MUST be brilliantly cast, and once again, I heartily nominate Alan Rickman for the job!

Gosh - that's a long read! I've bookmarked it to come back to later.

It's worth it, Iolanthe!

I think you're right about Alan Rickman, Lindariel. Audiences would respond to him well, after our love/hate affair with him in the Harry Potter movies. I also think that Thorin has to have something of the romantic about him, underneath all those prosthetics, and maybe Rickman could carry that off as well.

I think he's a very interesting choice and he's such a fine actor - I think he could capture the 'larger than life' element of Thorin and his bluster without destroying our sympathy for him.

Alan Rickman. Yes, that could very well work. I've just watched Sweeny Todd where Rickman plays a judge on which Todd gets revenge for distroying his life. Rickman plays arrogance, authority, obnoxiousness and power BRILLIANTLY - the nature of a King or a warlord (Thorin?). Besides the fact that he's good looking (my mordor side particularly found him appealing in the Harry Potter movies) he plays as if he knows that he is gorgeous, giving him that arduous arrogance, if that makes sense at all. I completely agree with Rickman.

Del Toro, if you're listening: PICK RICKMAN!!!!!

I must say, I absolutely love and admire the nature of the dwarves. I love the elves too, but they are too accepting of what happens around them. What happened when evil crept into the world? They all fled to the Gray Havens leaving to Valinor. What did the dwarves do when attacked in Moria? They fought. They remind me of the Vikings with their "never say die" attitude. They will stand and fight until no dwarf longer draws breath, rather than run away and hide. Granted, it's better to run away in some situations to return to fight another day, but their put-your-front-foot-forward, never-say-die, proud nature is really inspirational to me when I'm feeling down (which happens a lot with my demanding job).

Well said, lyanness. If GdT doesn't pick that up, or if he treats dwarves as merely comic relief, The Hobbit will fail.

I liked Rickman a lot in 'Sense and Sensibility', too. Some of that brooding romantic pride could look good on Thorin, if they do it right.

There's some interesting news at TOR.n about the possibility of a trilogy of prequel movies. Plus a picture of Viggo and Sean Bean together . . .