Posted on 03/14/2002 5:07:26 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
This is a continuation of the infamous thread New Zealander Builds Hobbit Hole originally posted on January 26, 2001 by John Farson, who at the time undoubtedly thought he had found a rather obscure article that would elicit a few replies and die out. Without knowing it, he became the founder of the Hobbit Hole. For reasons incomprehensible to some, the thread grew to over 4100 replies. It became the place for hobbits and friends of hobbits to chit chat and share LoTR news and views, hang out, and talk amongst ourselves in the comfort of familiar surroundings.
In keeping with the new posting guidelines, the thread idea is continuing here, as will the Green Dragon Inn, our more structured spin-off thread, as soon as we figure out how to move all the good discussion that has been had there. As for the Hobbit Hole, we will just start fresh, bringing only a few mathoms such as the picture above with us to make it feel like home, and perhaps a walk down memory lane:
Our discussion has been light:
It very well may be that a thread named "New Zealander builds Hobbit hole" will end up being the longest Tolkien thread of them all, with some of the best heartfelt content... Sorry John, but I would have rather it had been one with a more distinguished title!… post 252 - HairOfTheDog
However, I can still celebrate, with quiet dignity, the fact that what started as a laugh about some wacko in New Zealand has mutated and grown into a multifaceted discussion of the art, literature, and philosophy that is Tolkien. And now that I've managed to write the most pompous sentence of my entire life, I agree, Rosie… post 506 - JenB
Hah! I was number 1000!! (Elvish victory dance... wait, no; that would be too flitty) … post 1001 - BibChr
Real men don't have to be afraid of being flitty! Go for it. – post 1011 – HairOfTheDog
Seventeen years to research one mystical object seems a bit excessive… post 1007 - JenB
Okay...who's the wise guy who didn't renew Gandalf's research grant?… post 1024 – Overtaxed
To the very philosophical:
…Judas Iscariot obviously was a good man, or he wouldn't have been chosen to be one of the Apostles. He loved Jesus, like all of the Apostles, but he betrayed him. Yet without his betrayal, the Passion and Crucifixion would never have occurred, and mankind would not have been redeemed. So without his self-destruction infinite good would not have been accomplished. I certainly do not mean this to be irreverant but it seems to me that this describes the character of Gollum, in the scenes so movingly portrayed above… Lucius Cornelius Sulla
To fun but heartfelt debates about the integrity and worth of some of the characters…
…Anyone else notice how Boromir treats the hobbits? He's very fond of them but he seems to think of them as children - ruffling Frodo's hair, calls them all 'little ones'. He likes them, but I don't think he really respects them… post 1536 - JenB
Yes... Tolkien told us not to trust Boromir right off the bat when he began to laugh at Bilbo, until he realized that the Council obviously held this hobbit in high esteem. What a pompous dolt… post 1538 - HairOfTheDog
…I think almost every fault of his can be traced directly back to his blindness to anything spiritual or unseen. He considers the halflings as children, because that is what they look like. He considers the only hope of the ring to be in taking it and using it for a victory in the physical realm. He cannot see what the hobbits are truly made of, he cannot see the unseen hope of what the destruction of the ring might mean--the destruction of Sauron himself, and he cannot see the unseen danger that lies in the use of the ring itself… I just feel sorry for Boromir--he is like a blind but honorable man, trying to take the right path on the road but missing the right path entirely because he simply cannot see it… post 1548 - Penny1
Boromir isn't a jerk, he's a jock… post 2401 – Overtaxed
-----------------------------------------
Oh, I think by the time Frodo reaches the Cracks, he's not even himself anymore! I think he's not only on the brink of a dangerous place physically, he's on the brink of losing himself completely during the exchange with Gollum. But for some reason, the take-over isn't complete till he actually has to throw the Ring in. The person speaking to Gollum is not Frodo, but the "Wheel of Fire" that Sam sees. After the Ring is destroyed, Frodo not only comes back to himself, but comes back with the unbearable (to him) knowledge of what it's like to be completely without compassion. I think that's why it's so important to him to be compassionate in the Shire… post 2506 - 2Jedismom
…Regarding Frodo's compassion... it's a little too much at the end. Even Merry tells him that he's going to have to quit being so darn nice. But you're right. He's learned a lesson about evil that very few ever learn since it wasn't an external lesson but an internal one. (Those kinds of lessons have the greatest impact) Not only did he totally succumb to it, but he was rather ruthless to my little Smeagol… post 2516 - carton253
Well that Frodo was a big mean bully! (to Smeagol)… post 2519 – Overtaxed
So as you can see, everything JRR Tolkien (and Peter Jackson) is welcome here in our New Row, our soon-to-be familiar New Hobbit Hole…; philosophy, opinion, good talk and frequent silliness.
I have to wonder, with what happened with the Cinerama (Rings fans persuaded them to bring it back next week) if the fans had known this and had jumped on their theaters in an organized fashion we would have had a lot more theaters showing the movie and the preview than we do.
I'm getting the impression that New Line has been dropping the ball on things like this--first the debacle with the Oscars, now the failure of their marketing department to get the new release into the theaters. They'd better get their act together by the time the next movie comes out...
I am trying not to get too excited...and failing, of course. ;)
I am so bummed I'm going to miss chat tonight! :(
Have a wonderful time!!!! :)
Coming soon to a Hobbit Thread near you...
Tidings of the The TTT Trailer!
Would somebody please explain to me their failure to put in even a title slide at the end of FOTR: To be continued in The Two Towers - December 2002? Why leave a lot of newbies dangling?
Here are the highlights I can remember:
Things I noticed:
Eowyn is beautiful, and that disputed picture is of her! I'm thinking of dyeing my hair blond.
Helm's Deep. It looks like, well, Helm's Deep.
Dead Marshes - better than I'd imagined since I hadn't envisioned the flame spurts.
Faramir - I'll forgive him for being blond because he was so cute!
Everyone catch Treebeard? Not much of a shot, but so cool! Also it looks like Arwen will be reforging Narsil and bringing it out to Aragorn. The shots of the White Rider were great, too. And Theoden is going to be perfect. I could not believe he was chanting that poem and it fit so beautifully!
When we were done, the whole theatre cheered. It was like opening night all over again.
Aragorn is Da Man! Whoo-boy...
*ahem*
Now that I've got that out of my system, the introduction of Gandalf The White literally took my breath away. His way of speaking has completely changed along with how he looks. I am really looking forward to seeing the full transformation.
Eowyn was beautiful and tragic both at the same time. I still have some issues with her and Aragorn sparring, but that scene was excellent--almost enough to win me over. ;) I had a little trouble figuring out who the new characters were. I think I could tell when Faramir was onscreen, but if Eomer was, I missed him completely, and it took me a while to figure out that was Theoden.
My one complaint is that there wasn't nearly enough of any of the hobbits. We barely got 3 brief moments with Frodo and Sam, one shot of Merry and Pippin and one of just Pippin with Treebeard. I would have been more annoyed with that if I hadn't already figured out that that would be the case.
The way it was put together was fabulous--very well done, even down to the length of time the black screen at the end of FOTR was in place to build the anticipation to the breaking point.
The attendance was pretty good for a 12:30 matinee, the theater it was in was a very nice one, so that was a nice surprise. We didn't cheer or clap after the trailer was over, but I think it was because everyone was still a little awed by it.
I am sure I will have more coherent thoughts later, and after I get a chance to see it again.... ;)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.