I've been resenting the fact that they took this small book and blew it up to be possibly even longer than LOTR. I just hate the whole "we're splitting this one book into more than one movie" trend and have since DH. So I wasn't in a rush to see this, but I went with a group of fellow pervy hobbit fanciers, and it turned out to actually draw me in more than I expected. Some of the ways PJ found to add more weight--both in terms of the plot and the emotions--I thought worked pretty well. One moment I really liked was Bilbo's refusal/acceptance of the call.
Not going to lie, I did side eye the announcement about Peter Jackson making The Hobbit into three movies. I mean, really? However, I liked the movie (only attended because someone offered to buy me a ticket) in terms of the atmosphere, and realising, belatedly, I enjoyed reacquainting myself with Middle Earth.
In terms of the refusal/acceptance, that's an old trope to the point of biblical. I do remember reading bible stories about Jonah, who refused to the point of running away and ended up being swallowed by a whale before accepting the Lord's word, or Jacob who pretty much wrestled with an angel (my bible studies knowledge has faded over the years; once I left my parents' house, I stopped going to Mass) before he acquiesced to what was needed.
Even Jesus pretty much upon sensing what lay before him (crucifixion) actually prayed in Garden of Gethsemane, and sweated blood before he finally said yes, and embodied St John 3:16. So yeah, biblical, trope is biblical.
For Peter Jackson, when he had them sing Misty Mountains Cold, it showed communion, it had a shared message, it was prophecy and intent. So when Bilbo Bagins woke up the next morning he instinctively knew what he'd be missing. Not just adventure, but bonds of company and shared intent. So when he tears from the Shire going on an adventure, my heart ran along as fast as his feet.
The Hobbit is an instance of refusal/acceptance being done right, because we get to realise what the character would have missed/the opportunity he was about to turn down would have been of great import. From a lot of the books I've read and movies I've seen, they haven't struck me with the import of yes like The Hobbit did- and I love the Star Wars trilogy (the original) to distraction, clunky, chunky and imperfect as they are.
Just popping in to say, 'This'
Not going to lie, I did side eye the announcement about Peter Jackson making The Hobbit into three movies. I mean, really? However, I liked the movie (only attended because someone offered to buy me a ticket) in terms of the atmosphere, and realising, belatedly, I enjoyed reacquainting myself with Middle Earth.
In terms of the refusal/acceptance, that's an old trope to the point of biblical. I do remember reading bible stories about Jonah, who refused to the point of running away and ended up being swallowed by a whale before accepting the Lord's word, or Jacob who pretty much wrestled with an angel (my bible studies knowledge has faded over the years; once I left my parents' house, I stopped going to Mass) before he acquiesced to what was needed.
Even Jesus pretty much upon sensing what lay before him (crucifixion) actually prayed in Garden of Gethsemane, and sweated blood before he finally said yes, and embodied St John 3:16. So yeah, biblical, trope is biblical.
For Peter Jackson, when he had them sing Misty Mountains Cold, it showed communion, it had a shared message, it was prophecy and intent. So when Bilbo Bagins woke up the next morning he instinctively knew what he'd be missing. Not just adventure, but bonds of company and shared intent. So when he tears from the Shire going on an adventure, my heart ran along as fast as his feet.
The Hobbit is an instance of refusal/acceptance being done right, because we get to realise what the character would have missed/the opportunity he was about to turn down would have been of great import. From a lot of the books I've read and movies I've seen, they haven't struck me with the import of yes like The Hobbit did- and I love the Star Wars trilogy (the original) to distraction, clunky, chunky and imperfect as they are.