Fan Outrage and The Hobbit Movies

[deborahjross]

I really don't care that Peter Jackson changed so much of The Hobbit. I loved the book; I love the films. To me, they're not the same story. I get to enjoy two marvelous stories instead of one, and surely that's a good thing. And I think Howard Shore's music is glorious and a total hoot to play on the piano.

Comments

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

I adored the second movie--saw it yesterday.

[jaylake.livejournal.com]

I got no outrage, but I do have some disappointment. Jackson's LotR was reasonably faithful to the original material, mostly cutting things for length and without a huge number of directorial intrusions, and most of them for solid reasons (expanding Arwen's character, for example). Those really were films that made a strong and sincere effort to tell the story of the books.

This led me to have some expectations about The Hobbit which were deeply and sadly misplaced. Based not on some fan-fantasy wishing about the movies, but rather based on Jackson's prior track record with closely related source material. As you say, they're not the same story. These really are films that make no particular effort at all to tell the story of the book.

I think that's a plausible kind of disappointment that doesn't deserve to be dismissed as fan outrage.

[jaylake.livejournal.com]

PS, I enjoyed and was highly entertained by the second movie, more so than the first. They just weren't what I'd wanted or been led to expect.

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

Good points. I had been led to believe that The Hobbit movies would incorporate much material from various other texts. In order to do that and keep the story balanced, I expected that Jackson would make other changes. Sometimes sneak peeks and reviews spoil things, but in this case, they helped me to re-adjust my expectations.

I went back to see the second one again, this time to a packed theater. I giggled at Jackson's cameo-with-carrot. My neighbor whispered, "I don't get it." I told him. He chortled with delight.