Waiting for 'The Battle of the Five Armies' [2]

Oh gosh, I wasn't gone that long.

Found this on TORn and find it so telling about how poor the film makers are as script writers...
The Hobbit,” says Philppa Boyens, “Is a very blokey story! Although Professor Tolkien wrote some wonderful female characters, you are very aware of the lack of them in this book.”...

The writers examined other possibilities, as Peter Jackson explains: ‘We thought about having a character in Lake-town, but the idea that, as screenwriters, interested us the most and that we thought we could explore and take in directions that would be interesting was the idea of a female Elven character. Frann and I always loved the little thread in The Lord of the Rings storyline about the devotion of Gimli - a rough, doughtly Dwarf- for the Lady Galadriel. There was something about that story of a love that could never be, that spoke to the idea that you can find attraction anywhere and it can be surprising.

'The idea developed into a plot-line featuring a love-story between Tauriel and Kili the Dwarf. 'Because of the rancour and animosity existing between the two races,' says Philippa, 'it was an idea that was too tempting to ignore and not so outlandish to be impossible. In the culture of Middle-earth it is historical, rather than natural, for Dwarves and Elves to hate each other. We wanted to show that if you leave two young people alone, they will find common interests and shared experiences, so that's what we did.'

I'm not sure what's so bad about that specific quote.

Edit: It would have been nice if they didn't immediately jump to the conclusion that a female character needs to be in a romantic relationship I guess.

What seems so bad to me is, that they cast Gimli as a love sick school boy, hankering after an older woman. He was in AWE of Galadriel, I wouldnt say he was so in love with her ? He would have felt the boundaries between the 2 races. Its not so bad for an Elf to love a human tho. Theres things I have strong feelings for or about but Im not in love & pinning. And its a "blokey story" ? yeah, and ? Im a woman & it certainly doesnt bother me if theres hardly any ladies ! Why is it necessary to always have lots of women about ? I can enjoy an action story without women, scheezch

bungobaggins wrote:

Eldorion wrote:A gay porn parody of The Hobbit would probably find a way to tell its "story" without feeling a lack of "feminine energy".  Just saying.

The Throbbit. Starring: Dildo Bangings, Thorny Oakenwood, Gay Ladriel, and Ram 'em Fast the Brown.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/102423446245440399708/posts/KvCfmr8JRWk?pid=6083147222223066882&oid=102423446245440399708

We all no which dwarves die, unless PJ has a change of mind, but does anyone think
Tauriel will die. Think i mentioned it in another post a year or so back. No sign of
her in LOTR's. Makes sense to kill her off because if you watched all 6 films, it would be
like what happened to Tauriel.

I wouldn't be surprised if she dies, but it's not like we see or hear anything about Thranduil or any of the Dwarves other than Balin in LOTR either, so I don't think it's a sure thing that she's gonna kick the bucket.

Yeah, I have no idea where that saying comes from.

You should start a funny sayings thread.
Then we can talk till the cows come home

Eldorion wrote:I wouldn't be surprised if she dies, but it's not like we see or hear anything about Thranduil or any of the Dwarves other than Balin in LOTR either, so I don't think it's a sure thing that she's gonna kick the bucket.

Yeah I'm hoping she dies... course I am hoping more than Kili, Fili, and Thor in die. The only dwarfs really needed to survive are Ori who writes th ed book in the mines of Moria, Balin who is buried in Moria, Oin whom the watcher in the water gets, and Gloin whom is in Rivendell at the council of Elrond. .. Although Oin is iffy since that is just Tolkien lore and not noted in Jacksons films.

But all the other dwarfs since they are not mentioned further in LOTR are fair game to get killed off. I personally hope at least 3 more dwarfs die, say Nori, Bifur (mainly cause I still hate that stupid Axe in his head), and say Doris or Bombur, since the later didn't have any lines anyways. I'm also hoping to see Radagast die at the hands of Sauron cause we all know Gandalf has his staff in FOTR. And for some reason I see the master of Lake town dying, not sure why on that one. I personally want to see him run off and his end is unknown. But I can't see Jackson leaving that loose end since Bard will be leading the men into battle.

Tauriel and kili will have a Viking send off lying together in the same flaming boat in the lake, Kili will be clutching her hand with the stone laid on his chest. All very tragic and tear-jerking.

NOT.

I agree that the Master will likely get an onscreen fate (as will Alfrid). His role has been beefed up too much for it to end the same way as in the book.

I don't particularly want Tauriel or many of the Dwarves to die, although it's too late in the game now for me to be emotionally invested in the film versions of any of these characters anyway.

That's an interesting point about Radagast. I think the staffs have always been kinda over-analyzed. There's not much to suggest that there's anything unique or special about any individual staff, or that a wizard couldn't just make a new staff whenever he needed one. The closest we get to this would probably be the breaking of Saruman's staff, but I've always interpreted that as a largely symbolic measure. And Gandalf being able to break Saruman's staff was still a demonstration of power over him, even if the staff wasn't a receptacle of power or something. That said, it's hard to imagine that the resemblance between Radagast's staff and Gandalf's FOTR is a coincidence, so we'll see.

I think it was important in the films to have a visual marker of Wizardship, and thats what the staffs do, otherwise its just some old bloke with no symbol of power. Like the swords of Aragorn etc give power to the owners. With a staff he suddenly becomes magical and mysterious. bit like Harry Potters wand, its a traditional visual symbol of magic not very subtle, but in a fantasy film its logical.

I think a wizards staff is a sign of status, Gandalf did pick up a snazzy new one when he became all manicured & groomed as the white wizard.

I get what you mean from a visual and symbolic standpoint, Mrs Figg, and I don't disagree. But I've talked to some people who are under the impression that a wizard's power comes from their staff or some such, and I don't think that's really born out by either the books or the films.

Is it time for a sing-song?!

Raise your buckie and all together now-

'Ohhhhh, a wizards staff has a knob on the end,
a knob on the end, a knob on the end,
Ohhhhh, a wizards staff has a knob on the end,
best not meddle or twist it!'

My uncle Billy had a 10ft........................ no, best not !!

Well in the EE of ROTK, Gandalf says "you're staff is broken!" as if to imply Saruman's power is gone. But since they are technically Maiar, then they wouldn't really need staffs to use their power. Melian didn't have one and I guess Sauron had the ring eventually, but before that he didn't have any channel for his power either.

staffs are not only symbolic of Wizards, staffs are symbols of journeys too. people use them when going on a long and difficult walk or quest. Pilgrims use them on the road, so its also symbolic of Gandalf's journey from Grey to White and his trials and travels on the quest.

http://insidemovies.ew.com/2014/11/21/the-hobbit-last-goodbye-music-video/

Good lord that was effective. Tugged on my heart strings involuntarily Adds ten points on the sentiment side. The song is growing on me too.