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 just saw where Penny posted the picture earlier...oh well! I still like it. ARGH I can't WAIT! How much longer must I endure the wait!!???
I went into the chat not too long ago and it worked ok at that time. It comes and goes though, I've noticed. I hope it's ok tomorrow night for the Oscars Chat!
I don't know if you saw Bill O'Reilly last night, but he and his movie specialist both predicted LOTR for best picture, keeping my fingures crossed! (My toes too, but with the hair on my feet you can't tell)!
These books are classics. I know nothing of the Harry Potter books, mainly because I don't really care for fantasy. It takes something spectacular when it comes to fantasy reading to make me interested and LOTR has it. I believe it's not just the story (though the story is the BEST), but it's Tolkien's style of writing and the depth he puts into every statement. We here in the HH can discuss a single sentence for several hundred posts, because of his depth. That's what I like. I can really wrap my mind in his work.
I do love a really gorey murder mystery though...even a poorly-written one!
On E!, it seemed like the people they interviewed had it down to being between Moulin Rouge and ABM? What is THAT all about?
Here's a question...if we do win this year, what happens to our chances for the next two years? Is it possible that winning this year will mean we won't win for RotK (which I'm anticipating is going to be the absolute best of the three)?
This is hard to say, because there has been no parallel to this filming of three movies at one time. The closest that I can remember is that Back to the Future II and Back to the Future III were filmed together and released a year apart. The Star Wars movies were filmed seperately, and were other action adventures, but like the Back to the Future movies, they were never going to win a major oscar anyhow. Godfather II did win major oscars, but it was filmed years after the Godfather, so there is no precedent for LOTR at all.
ABM is successful for a movie which is not a box office smash, and is thought to be of the highest quality. It has been hurt by the Weinstein political attacks. Moulin Rouge has gotten a lot of talk from those who like its corrupt values which are the values of Hollywood, also they like Ms. Kidman, I think.
LOTR has a number of things against it.
It is a New Zealand production with relatively unknown actors directed by a director not taken seriously by many in previous years.
It is a fantasy, and many, including Medved, I guess, look down on all costume dramas, except for historical dramas, like Gladiator.
It has positive values which can even be interpreted as Christian values.
It has made, and will make a lot of money, and while they like to get paid well, they look down on pictures that do well.
The fact that it was even nominated, not to mention being a serious contender, against these considerations is a measure of LOTR's quality.
It was odd to me what the critics were saying, though, because most of the predictions I thought had been placing LotR up higher in its chances than the folks on E! were.
Ah well, I'm still not expecting much from the Oscars tomorrow night. I know everyone from LotR is just thrilled to even be nominated.
Remember the title of Medved's book, Hollywood Hates America, is only too true, and shows how unlikely a win is for LOTR. Medved as a conservative wants to be taken seriously, and, whether he likes it or not, is sure that supporting a fantasy because of its moral values will mark him even more than he is already marked. Of course, maybe he just is not receptive to the genre, we all know plenty of conservatives on FR who are not, some of them very intelligent ones.
'TWO TOWERS' TRAILER DURING OSCARS!
No word on whether it will be a seperate commercial or shown during the ceremony, but Oscar viewers will have the first opportunity to see the new trailer for the 'Fellowship of the Ring' sequel!
Written by: Mattman Posted: Fri, March 15, 2002
Source: Pulpfilm.com
Nothing on TORN yet... (though I did send the spymaster the link - hopefully they will verify and let us know!)
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.