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
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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.
Well that ship has already sailed with this thread...
I'll be good on the new thread....BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
It appears that he was called into jury duty and was chosen to serve. Thus, my quest this morning was a pointless endeavor. I've got 8 cups of coffee sitting there, untouched for the most part. Oh well!
That's just wrong...
MTV Ruins The Two Towers Experience
Demosthenes @ 3:03 pm EST
Demosthenes here ... I'm about to rant. And while it might not be the opinion of the entire site ... I'm still going to rant!
Some people have been 'lucky' enough to see Two Towers courtesy of MTV's Movie House. I use quotes because MTV apparently decided it would be a very cool thing to walk in on the climax of the film and begin interviewing people while the film was still running.
I don't think words begin to explain exactly how furious and frustrated some of those people are this morning. Apparently, AICN has received a minor flood of complaints about this. To give you an idea, here's an excerpt from one unfortunate viewer:
Now I guess I'm not supposed to complain because they did provide me with a free movie, but can we please talk about the sheer stupidity of having a show where the movie-goers are interrupted DURING the film to see what they think!?
OK, ok...if that's what they want their show to be about, who am I to stop them....but COME ON - how about a night-vision camera.....and if that IS what they use...how about a night-vision camera that doesn't need a big, bright freakin' light on it that shines RIGHT IN THE EYES OF THE AUDIENCE!
You can read more firsthand experiences at AICN here. Be warned in advance though, a lot of these people didn't exactly hold back. If strong languange bothers you, you might like to skip it.
I wouldn't normally call any moviegoer who saw Two Towers early unfortunate, but I'd prefer to wait (for months if I had to!) rather than be put through that sort of irritation.
It is, of course, true that MTV put on this screening. So in one sense they can do whatever they like ... and, at the end of the day, they're there to make ratings and money, not to be a charity. But aren't they just shooting themselves in the foot? Isn't this simply downright rude?
MTV obviously doesn't care for The Two Towers ... but I find it odd - and highly disappointing - that they obviously don't care about the moviegoing experience either.
I mean, it's kind of hard to enjoy a film when a camera light is doing awful things to the screen or some guy is next to you whispering questions into your ear.
I have to stop at the supermarket on the way home and stock up on some necessaries. I'll be sure to grab a can of SPAM in a tribute of today's pervasive theme. :)
I'll be checking the prices of Christmas trees whiel I'm there, so please pray that I do not fall over and die from sticker shock. I've heard from various people that trees are now over $30 for a 4-5 footer. And that's for those needle shedding trees! Grrrr....
I will attempt to be back tonight, once again. Let's see if I can manage it this time!
That was CHEESY!
When we first started doing the Christmas production at our church, I told the Mrs. the only way we could is if we went with an artificial tree. In "normal" years, we put it up on Friday after Thanksgiving (since we run right into tech rehearsals) and leave it up through Epiphany (January 6). No way we could do that with a real tree.
Have a good evening.
I guess that it will be mostly die-hard fans and that they will want to hear what is going on and keep small talk to a minimum. I also want to go early to avoid the people who have seen it already and keep saying "Watch what happens now!" or "This is a good part coming up!" or "Wait until you see how so and so does this or that".
That is one of my biggest pet peeves about the theatre. Some people lack any type of courtesy for other movie-goers.
Have a good evening.
You too, Corin!
Hi, 2JM, how deep does it have to be there? I don't think my well is any deeper than about 29 feet, but we've been drinking out of it for the 12 years we've been living here.
See y'all tomorrow.
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