I thought Peter Jackson did a great job on the Lord Of The Rings except, the movies were too long, too drawn-out with too many endings. I imagine his reason for making one book (The Hobbit) into three movies is for box office revenue. So, its depressing to think that we probably won't actually see Smaug until the third movie.
While I understand the impatience to get to dessert...
A full length novel is generally much, much longer in terms of plot than the average two to three hour film screenplay. A typical screenplay is more equivalent to a short story or novelette. While The Hobbit is by no means a lengthy tome, it is certainly more than a short story, and when you add in the additional material Jackson is introducing (White Council, Dol Guldur, Radagast, etc.) it would be impossible to cram into a commercially viable screenpla
This is the key point of the debates between the movies and books.
C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien wrote in similar styles which is no wonder since they attended college together and were friends. They both "skip over" the details of long journeys and battles. The final battle in "Lion, Witch and Wardrobe" only took up two pages in the book. Likewise the battle of five armies only took up a few pages until Bilbo was knocked unconscious and the battle was summarized for him upon his awakening.
Today's writers, directors and audiences leave nothing to the imagination. All the details are poured forth so the audience does not have to think.
I'm sure I'll enjoy these movies, too, despite disliking all of unnecessary additions and changes.
nice but (Score:1)
Re: (Score:5, Insightful)
While I understand the impatience to get to dessert...
A full length novel is generally much, much longer in terms of plot than the average two to three hour film screenplay. A typical screenplay is more equivalent to a short story or novelette. While The Hobbit is by no means a lengthy tome, it is certainly more than a short story, and when you add in the additional material Jackson is introducing (White Council, Dol Guldur, Radagast, etc.) it would be impossible to cram into a commercially viable screenpla
Re:nice but (Score:2)
C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien wrote in similar styles which is no wonder since they attended college together and were friends. They both "skip over" the details of long journeys and battles. The final battle in "Lion, Witch and Wardrobe" only took up two pages in the book. Likewise the battle of five armies only took up a few pages until Bilbo was knocked unconscious and the battle was summarized for him upon his awakening.
Today's writers, directors and audiences leave nothing to the imagination. All the details are poured forth so the audience does not have to think.
I'm sure I'll enjoy these movies, too, despite disliking all of unnecessary additions and changes.