Petty's Purist LotR Edits [2]

Please this time let him have got it right!!!!

Hooray! It works!


{{{About bloody time! }}}

Thank Grud for that! Now Im off to bloody bed- I expect to read a full review here in the morning Orwell.

I'll leave it up back at start and do your damned review after lunch!

{{{The things I do for that Scotshobbit! I really wonder why I bother sometimes! I mean, what's he ever done for me? }}}

Where the bloody review Orwell?!!!!

yeah Orwie!

DOnt encourage him Mrs Figg!
The only acceptable excuse for this oZ laziness is if he's out fghting fires (although I hope he isnt!)

flipping heck they are getting blasted by Smaug fire in Oz. I hope the Ozzies among us are ok? it sounds horrific.

Even Ozhobbits have gotta eat, sleep, work and put up with their families!

While a bit stilted for obvious reasons, I think your edit shows that the movie could easily have been a fantastic adaptation of the book, with no harm done to the movie's entertainment value. I could see the reason for your severe cutting of material, but it sometimes hurts the narrative flow a bit. Nonetheless, a great effort Petty. If PJ took what you've got with a view to smoothing it out and building scenes a bit (a half hour of new footage, no more, could do it!), I think I would be very happy with the movie.

Still don't like the dwarves dropping their swords only to be put on a spit though. Why not have them fight while the ogres throw sacks over them? A reasonable compromise to the book - with Thorin at the last thrusting a burning stick in Bert's eye, or whoever? Great cinema!

The stilted scenes could easily be expanded slightly to increase tension and flow. Which confirms for me that a close adaptation of The Hobbit is achieveable, and great entertainment would be had! Tolkien was a very visual writer, after all.

Have to say, I am really impressed with how Bag End was done. I like the dwarves, I like Bilbo, I like Gandalf.

Hurrah you actually watched it - which scenes did you feel were 'stilted' (just in case there is some editing wizadrly I can use to help that).

I too like the Bag End scenes but I have to say I do prefer my own cut where it doesnt all descend into a shouting match- I hate that bit, reminds me of the Council of Elrond- I think shouting is PJ's way of not having to write any good dialogue. It strikes me as sloppy and lazy every time (in both films).

Agree with the way the troll fight ends being awful but withthe current footage there's just no way round keeping it in there, sadly.

But thanks for downloading, watching and commenting Orwell.

I've been put through a difficult process with not much help from you, but I am a forgiving sort!

I'll give one example of 'stilted'. The Stone Giants are cool as you have them, but then it has Thorin and Comany ducking into the cave. If somehow we could keep a little of the drama, it might have been better, but of course you can only do what you can with what you've got.

One part I bemoaned the loss of --- could a little bit of the goblin attack on Bilbo stay, then you can still have them toppling off the walkway? I really like the scene where he comes to (which bit is reminiscent of the book) only to watch the grisly scene of Gollum pulling the goblin away. I even liked the goblin's little fight with the "squeaker"(???) when the Ring pops out of his pocketses (rags). The Ring bit not brilliant but passable. I guess you can't please everyone...

Could any of the Azog trees-on-fire scene have been kept? That seems a bit too stilted too.

I could go on - but none of my complaints would undermine (to my mind) the great work you've done. PJ is mainly the problem. He can do Tolkien quite well when he wants, but it's all his PJaying that tends to irk.

I'll give an example of PJ at his best (or what I think is). The Bag End scenes (mainly) are good. Gandalf drinking the little glass of wine is wonderful (even if it makes his head hitting the chandelier more than redundant). Keeping Thorin off scene until most of the silliness is over is good, I think. In this way there is no fear of Thorin being in any way silly - he was an Important Dwarve, remember! Indeed, he took himself very seriously in the book.

If somehow we could keep a little of the drama, it might have been better, but of course you can only do what you can with what you've got. - Orwell

Sadly true- what I needed was a pulled back shot with them scurrying to cover along the mountain path with lghtining and giants in the background to bridg that gap better- but there isnt one.

could a little bit of the goblin attack on Bilbo stay, then you can still have them toppling off the walkway?- Orwell

In short no. And for a couple of reasons- one I dont think Bilbo should be even forced into the use of Sting as a weapon at this point, its way to early- and more importantly dramatically I think it works much better if the viewer works out whose ring it is about the same time as Gollum makes the connections- much scarier.

Could any of the Azog trees-on-fire scene have been kept? - Orwell

Its still there- just shorter as I really detested the toppling trees thing- bad enough PJ hangs them all of the cliff (again) it was just way to over the top to have every tree topple first too.
The extended edition might provide a shot or two I could use to stretch it out a bit- of course if PJ had kept the goblins laughing at them and setting the trees on fire it wouldnt have needed fixed!



I agree that it was a good idea and one of the better things in the script, to seperate out Thorin out at the start, a little melodamtic when he knocks on the door, but it works effectively as cinema.

Thanks for the more detailed analysis Orwell, all helps when it comes to later edits.

I hope you havent got rid of sexy Thandypants.

Fraid so Mrs Figg- he should be introduced when they get there and not before!
Besides that way builds anticipation which is at least half the fun after all.

Figgs is so hard to please

Tell me about it!

If the goblin rushes at Bilbo with his sword then you cut straight to them falling then cut to Bilbo waking up, it might work. All we need is the approach of Gollum, then that last shot of them struggling before they fall.

And Gollum did wonder if he'd lost his Ring when strangling the horrid 'squeaker.' The way you've had Bilbo dicover the Ring, you are left with no reason how the Ring came to be lying around. Just a thougt.

just got back from seeing it again. I like it better this time. But goblin Town, the Stone Giants and Azog are still irritating and boring.

I also noticed in the battle between Azog and Thorin in the flashback battle of Thingumybob. Thorin is wearing the Mithril shirt that was given to Frodo. Thats why he can be chomped on by a warg and still survive.

I thought the mithril shirt had been made for a child?

I seem to remember it was a 'kingly' or 'princely gift' so it was probably Thorins before he dies in the BO5A, and was bequeathed to Bilbo. How else would he have had a gift that was worth the price of the Shire?

No Figgs The mithril shirt and a helm encrusted with jewels where given to Bilbo as a gift from Thorin it was made for a Prince (though he is mentioned by name ) It came out of the Hoard of treasure Smaug had . Later when Bilbo gets found out about his betrayal of giving the Arkenstone to Bard And Thranduil , which Bilbo kindof claimed as His 1/13th share of the treasure , Thorin kicks him out of the mountain and tells him that he can keep the mail But he doesnt deserve it and thats all he is getting ( What a awnry bitch Thorin is ) , The Helm was damaged in BOFA

Incidently I dont remember Thranduil ever being mentioned by name in the book, I think he was always referrred to as the Elven King , Thats one of the reasons IMO Legolamb shouldnt even show up in The Hobbit

In the Council of Elrond Gloin complains that Gollum was treated much better by Thranduil than Thorin and company. So I don't think there's a legitimate complaint to Leg'o'lust showing up in the Hobbit other than it feels a contrivance meant to pull in the fairer sex.