The Hobbit: The Battle Of Five Armies: I’m Glad THAT’S Over … !

11th April, 2015.

You know, I’m something of a film fan.

Well … 

I’m someone that likes watching films, let’s put it that way.

I think the term film fan possibly implies a level of geekiness that really isn’t me.   At least, as far as films are concerned.

At any rate, I like a film, every-so-often.   I’ll quite happily sit through something … if I believe it will repay me with an evening’s entertainment.

I’ve done that, tonight.

In purchasing — purchasing, note — the third part in Peter Jackson’s take on J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit: called The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies.

And having sat through some one hundred and forty-four minutes of movie?   Can’t help but think someone’s bitten off a bit more than he can chew.

I don’t know about director, Peter Jackson … but I know I’ve got work in the morning!

Right at the moment, it’s 22:50.   And I’m due to whole my ageing carcass out of bed incredibly early: to get myself into work for 10:30.

I’ve done stupider things, in my time: as I’m sure friends and family will tell you.

Right now … ?

Right now, I’m trying to think of a stupider one than watching a long movie, before a seriously early morning.

And RIGHT NOW … ?   I’m going to hit the save button on TextEdit so I can climb into the sack … 

~≈†≈~

The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug: That’s More Like It …

11th April, 2014.

You know, it really is getting late.

Really.

But then, that’s one disadvantage to renting a film that lasts as long as the one I rented, this evening.

You tend to end up with monsters.

Which, now I mention it, is possibly more appropriate than I thought.

At ANY rate … ?

I’ve actually managed to have an evening free, tonight.

A free evening, and enough credit on my iTunes Store account to rent a film.

The one in question … ?

Was the second part of Peter Jackson’s version of The Hobbit: called The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

I’m thinking three things, right now.

1. Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of Smaug was INCREDIBLE … !
2. So were the scenes with Smaug.
3. And, by GODS, that’s an impressively big dragon!

You can tell something caught my eye, can’t you … ?

Hmmm … Let me get some sleep: I think my brain could do with disconnecting … !

~≈†≈~

The Daily Teaser — 22-9-2013: They’re Taking The Hobbits To Isengard

Ohhhh … 

My back is killing me … !

Lord know’s what’s happened there, but I think the combination of running for the bus on Thursday, and an old mattress, are ganging together to attack me … !

At least, that’s what it feels like.

I think … possibly … that I might just pay a visit to my doctor, if it gets much worse: we’ll see.

At any rate, let’s get a move on, shall we?   Yes, lets.

~≈Ì≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Graham* asking a question about yesterday’s first and second questions, and Debbi† both telling us about her Sunday, and bagging eleven out of twelve.

Let’s see how they — and you — do with today’s rather Hobbity questions, shall we?

Here they are, along with the ‘How To’, license and video … 

Q1) In J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth, 22nd September sees the birthdays of Frodo and Bilbo.   What’s their family name … ?

Q2) More to the point, what was the name of the family home … ?

Q3) In The Fellowship of the Rings, Frodo is a member of the group that has to destroy what … ?

Q4) Name any of the other eight members of that group. 

Q5) The object in question — when ‘found‘ by Bilbo — had been dropped by whom … ?

Q6) Bilbo famously found it, on an adventure with Gandalf and thirteen dwarves.   Name one of those dwarves.

Q7) J. R. R. Tolkien famously created the stories about Bilbo, Frodo and Middle Earth.   Who directed the recent film versions … ?

Q8) Finally … where exactly on Middle Earth do Bilbo and Frodo live … ?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 21st September, 1866, saw the birth of writer, H. G Wells.   What did the H stand for … ?

A1) Herbert.

Q2) More to the point, what did the G stand for … ?

A2) George.

Q3) Wells is one of three writers known as the ‘Father Of Science Fiction’.   Name the French writer he shares the title with.

Q3) Jules Verne.

Q4) Which American writer do they share the title with … ?

A4) Hugo Gernsback.

Q5) H. G. is also noted for creating war-games, despite being a pacifist.   Name either of the non-fiction books with which he created war-gaming.

A5) Floor Games and Little Wars: or Little Wars: a game for boys from twelve years of age to one hundred and fifty and for that more intelligent sort of girl who likes boys' games and books, to give it its full title.

Q6) Which left wing society was Wells a member of … ?

A6) The Fabian Society.

Q7) His first science fiction novel was original published in May of 1895.   What was it called … ?

A7) The Time Machine.

Q8) Griffin is the protagonist of which of Wells novels … ?

A8) The Invisible Man.

Q9) Which of Wells novels’ sees Mr Barnstable travel to a utopia 3000 years into the future … ?

A9) Men Like Gods.

Q10) One of Wells’ non-fiction works — World Brain — covered Wells’ belief in the creation of a World … what … ?

A10) Encyclopædia.   (Step forward Jimmy Wales … )

Q11) Which of Wells novels’ is set on an island in the Pacific … ?

A11) The Island Of Doctor Moreau.

Q12) And FINALLY … Which Tommy Steele film is based on the H. G. Wells novel, Kipps … ?

A12) Half a Sixpence.

Enjoy those.

I’ll leave you with this quote …

“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.”

The opening lines of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit

And this tune … 

I’d also suggest that we fill pipes, and grab more pies.

Just to get into that Hobbit vibe.

Have a good day.

*        I refer the Honourable Gentleman to The Comment I left him as a response to his comment … 

†        I’m surprised, actually, Debbi: was that the first time you’ve come across Jeff Wayne … ?   I didn’t know he’d given comedy a try, but his War Of The Worlds album is extremely well known.   To be perfectly frank, it’s the version of the story I first came across‡, rather than the 1950s movie.

‡        Actually, I think it’s the version many here in the UK will have come across: certainly of my age, anyway.

THE Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Padded … or otherwise

10th May, 2013.

You know … 

After one night where I’ve had zero sleep — a couple of night’s ago, since you ask — to a night, like tonight, where I’m going to clamber into bed at a comparatively late hour.

MOSTLY … ?

Well, mostly because I wanted to get started on a post about the film I’ve just seen.

You’re PROBABLY not needing to ask what the film was, are you … ?

But just so you know … ?

It’s was the recently released DVD version of the 2012 film, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

And for starters … ?

I’m going to thank an old friend, Graham, for loaning me his copy.

There’s a reason for that.

Partly that Graham’s a kindly old soul who likes being nice to people.   And PARTLY because I asked him politely.

The reason I asked … ?

Actually … is iTunes … 

Normally, I’m a huge fan of Apple products and services.   I’ve written enthusiastically about them enough, over the years to give you a clue about that.

Usually,  I’m happy to rent films through them.   Except The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

Which, at standard definition, measured up at 2.92 gigabytes.   Something I, with my 40gb download, wasn’t going to contemplate doing*.

So, I, for one, was glad to borrow his copy …

Remind me to have some sleep and tell you about it.

~≈†≈~

13th May, 2013

Which — it has to be said — took a long time!

Well … to be fair, the sleeping didn’t take that long.   But the weekend did: mostly where I was help my mother shift a lot of furniture from one room to another.

Quite a lot of stuff, actually …

At ANY rate … ?

At any rate, I was going to try to sum up The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

The film — the first in a trilogy based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s original novel — opens just before the famous eleventy-first Birthday Party, with Ian Holm reprising his role as Bilbo Baggins: who, in explaining how he went on his first adventure, tells us all about the Fall of the Kingdom of Erebor†, easten-most Kingdom of Dwarves.

After it gets invaded by the dragon, Smaug.

After its King, Thrain, his heir, Thror‡, are killed: either in the battle or after.

And Thorin Oakenshield, the remaining heir to the throne of the Lonely Mountain, is left exiled and wondering Middle-Earth, with the remains of his people.

Thorin, of course, is determined to win back his kingdom.   Having eventually decided on a plan to take some of his best warriors to the Lonely Mountain, he seeks out an old friend, to see what advise he has.

Those of who’ve read the story will realise … that Gandalf immediately suggests a burglar … 

Which is where the film starts … 

~≈†≈~

With, of course, a flash-back to Martin Freeman as a much younger Bilbo: calmly sitting on his porch, enjoying a pipe full of tobacco, when he … 

Well, I’d explain more: but I’d suggest seeing this.

There’s reasons: there’s also an argument to deal with, as well, as I’m very aware that some who’ve seen the film — including a couple of old friends, Graham and Kevin D — feel the film has quite excessive amounts of padding to its name.

I can see their point.

There’s a scene — late on in the film — where the Company is travelling through the Misty Mountains, and are incidental victims of some Storm Giants.

That was a completely pointless scene to watch: as it’s derived from a — literal — throw-away line in Tolkien’s original text.

I felt much the same about with a lot of the scenes with Radagast the Brown: although, in the case of Radagast, he’s only given a minor mention in one appendix.   Although, to be frank, I do like Sylvester McCoy, having felt he was rather badly scripted for in Dr Who,

On the other hand … ?

On the other hand, there’s a scene where Gandalf has to report into the White Council: consisting of him, Saruman, Galadriel and Elrond Half Elven.    Padding … ?   Possibly.   If I remember correctly, this only gets a mention in another of the Appendices to the Lord Of The Rings.

And … ?   Well: while I’m not convinced it’s a piece of padding — The Hobbit’s shift from two to three parts is well known — it’s one of the scenes that could possibly have waited for the Directors Cut.

On the other hand … ?

On the other hand, one could ALSO apply that logic to the opening scenes: those that show us the Fall of Erebor.

Again, while this is arguable padding, that could well have awaiting a Director Cut, I’m ALSO aware that not many modern movie audiences would have necessarily have seen read the original books, in which this is discussed.

Frankly … ?   Frankly, from where I’m sitting, having it at that opening part of the first film allows Jackson and company to fill us in on much needed details: with necessarily having to have read all the books.

So … 

Arguably … ?

Arguably, yes, one can say this first film in the trilogy is padded: and possibly to an excessive degree.

On the other hand … ?

On the other hand, I rather enjoyed it.

And hope that the two later films are shorter, having had much of the extraneous stuff out of the way.

Now, if you’ll excuse me … ?   I’m going to have to get the book out of the library … 

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

★★☆☆

*        I’ll be honest, here, if I may … ?   I’ve long been an advocate of using DVD-ripping software like HandBrake to make backups of all your DVDs: AND copies you can play on your iPod.   Why, after all, should you play twice … ?   At ANY rate … ?   At any rate, I did any experimental rip of the film, with HandBrake 0.9.8: at it’s default settings, that gave me a copy of the film at a resolution of 1009*426 pixels, a bit rate of 1,360 … and a size of 1.66 GB.   I have to ask what Apple are playing at, sometimes: although, to be fair, I believe they’d be doing something like this at a resolution of x by 720: a much larger height, and comparative length: that of course, would show up as a larger data-rate, and thus as a larger size file.

†        I should add, here, that the dwarves in the film are, by Tolkien’s own accounts, of the Folk of Durin: Thorin, for example, is a direct descendant of Durin 1st Deathless.   There were, as he himself mentioned in Quenta Silmarillion, six other houses.

‡        Going by the book, Gandalf is given the Key to the Secret Door of Erebor by Thrain: after the latter is captured by the Necromancer: Sauron, in other words.