And so it begins--The Hobbit is being made.
Guillermo Del Toro is officially confirmed to be helming the project with PJ and Fran producing. I haven't heard anything about Phillippa Boyens yet (I really like her spirit and what she in particular brought to the LOTR films).
I'm a little disappointed with the choice of Del Toro (even though it's been practically a no-question for months). I would have opted for Peter Weir (Master and Commander, Gallipoli, Truman Show, Dead Poets Society) to helm it. But such is life.
I just didn't like Pans Labyrinth--I didn't see the appeal. It looked cool but beyond that, I didn't get it. Maybe is some Spanish culture thing. Hellboy was alright, the primary achievement of which was getting made in the first place--with a sequel to boot! On the plus side, I'm particularly interested to see how his comments about animatronics pan out in the finished film.
I'm still confident that the films will be well worth seeing and cherishing--just not the level of LOTR . I say this because I wonder if these people have gotten a little too confident which, combined with a much bigger budget (inevitable) than the precursors is a traditional recipe for disappointment.
I'm also not worried about the infamous "second film." I don't think they would proceed with such a project without something special in mind. My only concern would be the potential for the time-honored core story of The Hobbit to be cannibalized by the presence of this "second film." I hope that they give as much thought and soul into the Hobbit as they did for the trilogy and not be distracted by this "second film."
I also hope that they have learned at this point that comprehensive DVDs (with both the theatrical cut, extended cut, extensive documentaries, extensive audio commentaries, and archival packaging) are absolutely the way to go. Please please please please don't miss out on this MGM/Warner/Newline.
All that to say, I'm relieved that it has finally begun. This is going to be a grand five years or so during which I will happily be doing the following:
1: Following production details exhaustively (praying that Ian Mckellan doesn't die before production ends--I know, I'm evil---but I do pray for other things other than movies I'll have you know)>
2:Re-reading the LOTR trilogy (7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and probably 11th time--about once a year as I did when the original trilogy was being released).
3: Re-reading The Hobbit (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and probably 9th time--again probably once a year as I've done previously)
4: Worrying unceasingly about the actor cast as Bilbo living up to Ian Holm.
5: Re-reading The Silmarillion (4th and 5th time most likely--great book but a hard read).
6: Watching teaser and theatrical trailers over and over again.
7: Re-reading The Children of Hurin (3rd, and 4th time most likely).
8: Standing in line one cold night in 2010 for many hours at my local theater with my family of nerds and dorks who also like to waste their lives. How I love you so.
9: Going to see The Hobbit in 2010 at least three times--If I do many more viewings than that I sometimes feel that it's too much and the DVD is then less special.
10: Purchasing the soundtrack (after seeing the movie--always) by Howard Shore with the credit song by Enya (please please bring her voice back to Middle Earth where it belongs).
11: Hopefully watching the Oscars in 2011 to support the nominations (somehow I doubt wins) that The Hobbit will receive.
12: Watching teasers and theatrical trailers for the "second film" over and over again.
13: Shelling out $80 for a gift-box set of The Hobbit and spending 10-15 hours binging through the film and bonus features.
14: Standing in line yet once again on a cold night in 2011 with my loved ones...awaiting the final installment of this group of Tolkien adaptations.
15: Watching "The Second Film" in 2011 with a tired and hopefully loving group of film-goers.
16: Breathing a sigh of relief and closure as I go home in the cold.
17: Purchasing the soundtrack by Howard Shore with the credit song by Karin Bergquist (or Amy Lee?). Preferably Berquist.
18: Watching the Oscars in 2012 to support the nominations awarded to "the second film."
19: Picking up the final $80 DVD boxed set and once again binging on the film and features.
20: Suddenly, I'll turn around and breathe another sigh of closure. What an awesome fourteen years it has been watching the birth of Middle Earth on screen. By this time I'll be twenty-six years old, and, if all goes as planned, I'll finally be done with graduate work in film (if God wills it). I might even be married by this time...who knows?
21: Then it will all be over...for the moment. Smile And we'll wait with baited breath for the "Next Generation's Star Wars."
Here's the follow-up interview to the announcement with TORN:
TORN's interview with Guillermo Del Toro
I'm a little disappointed with the choice of Del Toro (even though it's been practically a no-question for months). I would have opted for Peter Weir (Master and Commander, Gallipoli, Truman Show, Dead Poets Society) to helm it. But such is life.
I just didn't like Pans Labyrinth--I didn't see the appeal. It looked cool but beyond that, I didn't get it. Maybe is some Spanish culture thing. Hellboy was alright, the primary achievement of which was getting made in the first place--with a sequel to boot! On the plus side, I'm particularly interested to see how his comments about animatronics pan out in the finished film.
I'm still confident that the films will be well worth seeing and cherishing--just not the level of LOTR . I say this because I wonder if these people have gotten a little too confident which, combined with a much bigger budget (inevitable) than the precursors is a traditional recipe for disappointment.
I'm also not worried about the infamous "second film." I don't think they would proceed with such a project without something special in mind. My only concern would be the potential for the time-honored core story of The Hobbit to be cannibalized by the presence of this "second film." I hope that they give as much thought and soul into the Hobbit as they did for the trilogy and not be distracted by this "second film."
I also hope that they have learned at this point that comprehensive DVDs (with both the theatrical cut, extended cut, extensive documentaries, extensive audio commentaries, and archival packaging) are absolutely the way to go. Please please please please don't miss out on this MGM/Warner/Newline.
All that to say, I'm relieved that it has finally begun. This is going to be a grand five years or so during which I will happily be doing the following:
1: Following production details exhaustively (praying that Ian Mckellan doesn't die before production ends--I know, I'm evil---but I do pray for other things other than movies I'll have you know)>
2:Re-reading the LOTR trilogy (7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and probably 11th time--about once a year as I did when the original trilogy was being released).
3: Re-reading The Hobbit (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and probably 9th time--again probably once a year as I've done previously)
4: Worrying unceasingly about the actor cast as Bilbo living up to Ian Holm.
5: Re-reading The Silmarillion (4th and 5th time most likely--great book but a hard read).
6: Watching teaser and theatrical trailers over and over again.
7: Re-reading The Children of Hurin (3rd, and 4th time most likely).
8: Standing in line one cold night in 2010 for many hours at my local theater with my family of nerds and dorks who also like to waste their lives. How I love you so.
9: Going to see The Hobbit in 2010 at least three times--If I do many more viewings than that I sometimes feel that it's too much and the DVD is then less special.
10: Purchasing the soundtrack (after seeing the movie--always) by Howard Shore with the credit song by Enya (please please bring her voice back to Middle Earth where it belongs).
11: Hopefully watching the Oscars in 2011 to support the nominations (somehow I doubt wins) that The Hobbit will receive.
12: Watching teasers and theatrical trailers for the "second film" over and over again.
13: Shelling out $80 for a gift-box set of The Hobbit and spending 10-15 hours binging through the film and bonus features.
14: Standing in line yet once again on a cold night in 2011 with my loved ones...awaiting the final installment of this group of Tolkien adaptations.
15: Watching "The Second Film" in 2011 with a tired and hopefully loving group of film-goers.
16: Breathing a sigh of relief and closure as I go home in the cold.
17: Purchasing the soundtrack by Howard Shore with the credit song by Karin Bergquist (or Amy Lee?). Preferably Berquist.
18: Watching the Oscars in 2012 to support the nominations awarded to "the second film."
19: Picking up the final $80 DVD boxed set and once again binging on the film and features.
20: Suddenly, I'll turn around and breathe another sigh of closure. What an awesome fourteen years it has been watching the birth of Middle Earth on screen. By this time I'll be twenty-six years old, and, if all goes as planned, I'll finally be done with graduate work in film (if God wills it). I might even be married by this time...who knows?
21: Then it will all be over...for the moment. Smile And we'll wait with baited breath for the "Next Generation's Star Wars."
Here's the follow-up interview to the announcement with TORN:
TORN's interview with Guillermo Del Toro
posted by Your humble servant at 12:46 PM
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