DoS extended edition recommendations

This is what I would recommend updating in the extended edition of DoS (from my memory of the theatrical version) - what do you think should/will be added?

- some evidence of the party descending the hinterland in peace (if the orc tracking must start again)
- the river scene and sleepy Bombur
- a reason for their leaving/losing the path that consists of more than an unspecified enchantment and unconvincing camera angles (eg risking Gandalf's advice for food/supplies)
- some kind of orc raid elite ninja team prep scene, including a basis for their knowing the location of the remaining dwarfs in laketown (I would have removed this completely as it takes the emphasis off Smaug's imminent attack)
- less conversing about trinkets in front of live dragons (at least do it in the passageway); or say provide a reason for Smaug losing Bilbo's scent and being unaware of his conversation with Thorin (eg being caught up in anger)
- some rationale for the party running around dwarf city with a dragon rather than retreating ("do you want to be trapped in here?")
- note I would have preferred to have seen a quiet (closed barrel) exit from the wood elf fortress (at least until after the portcullis), but this would be really hard to change

I dont think we will get a descending in peace scene- it doesn't fit with PJ's seeming idea that they should be pursued relentlessly throughout the story.

I think Beorn will be the first major addition. We know there was some sort of scene outdoors in the gardens between Beorn and Gandalf.
And way back the actor who plays Beorn talked about a scene where Beorn interrogates and kills an orc.
So whilst I doubt very much they ever shot the books intro to Beorn, it is possible there is some part left of Gandalf telling him their story and Beorn going out to find an orc to confirm it.

Mirkwood by the sounds of what they shot could be much different.
My guess would be its possible to restructure that sequence so they are there longer, run low on food and Thorin spots and pursues the white Hart, which in PJ's is the Elven King and he leads them to and leaps across the river, leading into the Bombur scene.
That would at least be closer to the book than the underwhelming and just weird trippy Mirkwood we got in the TE.

I would rather they lost the whole raid on Laketown, but I doubt it, and if previous EE's are any guide we are likely to get more not less of this stuff.

Same goes for the ludicrous ending sequence, rather than less of that abomination we are almost certainly going to get even more stupidity and Smaug being reduced to an non-threatening joke.

richardbrucebaxter wrote:This is what I would recommend updating in the extended edition of DoS (from my memory of the theatrical version) - what do you think should/will be added?

- some evidence of the party descending the hinterland in peace (if the orc tracking must start again)
- the river scene and sleepy Bombur
- a reason for their leaving/losing the path that consists of more than an unspecified enchantment and unconvincing camera angles (eg risking Gandalf's advice for food/supplies)
- some kind of orc raid elite ninja team prep scene, including a basis for their knowing the location of the remaining dwarfs in laketown (I would have removed this completely as it takes the emphasis off Smaug's imminent attack)
- less conversing about trinkets in front of live dragons (at least do it in the passageway); or say provide a reason for Smaug losing Bilbo's scent and being unaware of his conversation with Thorin (eg being caught up in anger)
- some rationale for the party running around dwarf city with a dragon rather than retreating ("do you want to be trapped in here?")
- note I would have preferred to have seen a quiet (closed barrel) exit from the wood elf fortress (at least until after the portcullis), but this would be really hard to change

One can dream

... of a film actually based on the Hobbit.   

to be honest I dont give a monkeys bar refilming the Whole damn shooting match.

This has probably been posted before, but Armitage's comments about the white stag in Mirkwood are not encouraging.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOg72b405QI#t=165

I doubt they we will get anything from the book right and folks have way too much hope that the EE of DOS will somehow magically turn it into a good film. Nothing short of remaking them with an actual script could do that.

I read there will be 25 minutes of extra DOS footage. More additional content means less emphasis on Orcs (and less disrupting cuts); so I am expecting it should help like it did with AUJ extended edition. It may not be the original Hobbit but it has the potential to be a good film.

It might be better than the theatrical cut of DOS (though I'm not holding my breath), but they'd need to make a lot of cuts and changes, not simply additions, to turn DOS into a genuinely good film. IMO.

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And on top of all this peejers started the ball rolling by including a dumb arse character only used for stupid jokes & eye candy.......Taurial !   
And the way they pronounce her name ?? !!! Towel-rial !? (something to mop up spills..........like the diarrhea Peejers produced !!!)

Best I am hoping for is a few more bits an pieces for the purist edit- but I am not too hopeful.

richardbrucebaxter wrote:I read there will be 25 minutes of extra DOS footage. More additional content means less emphasis on Orcs.....

    

err....maybe.

EE or not it will still be a boring travesty. Beorn springs to mind as one of the very worst corruptions.

I can barely remember the film, so I don't really have much to add (though yes, more Beorn, The Journey up the slopes of Erebor, Bombur and the enchanted river, and perhaps some added context for the orcs sneaking silently into Laketown without waking anyone/the Thrain prologue would be fun)

I wonder have much Persbrandt will feature in the special features? After his 'incident'...

Looking forward to another illuminating commentary (whether I'm referring to positive or negative connotations I'll leave up to you) from PJ and Co.

Still intrigued if the big yin might make an early appearance.

azriel wrote:
And the way they pronounce her name ?? !!! Towel-rial !? (something to mop up spills..........like the diarrhea Peejers produced !!!)

the name pronounciation is actually spot on... although i would have gone for the Ta-O-ree-elle  


i liked beorn's house, just not beorn...


when is that goddamn trailer coming???

what's wrong about dos and literally the whole hobbit trilogy is the trying to re-make lotr.... like i agree they should add a female character, but they fucked that up too.. soo.... 

richard bruce baxter, i wanna ask about your avatar..
Ash Olook? really?

Eldorion wrote:This has probably been posted before, but Armitage's comments about the white stag in Mirkwood are not encouraging.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOg72b405QI#t=165

lol, i kinda liked that touch.

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Amazon.co.uk is listing DOS-EE as having a November 3 release date, which is in line with expectations.  There's a fair chance that the digital version will be available a week or two prior, though.  Local dates may vary as well, of course.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hobbit-Desolation-Smaug-Extended-Blu-ray/dp/B00LTQPA40?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1405512280&sr=1-72

I can't imagine that movie being any longer.

Supposedly it will be extended by 25 minutes, though that hasn't been finalized yet (not publicly, anyway).

I actually could see room for an improvement in an EE of DOS.  Don't get me wrong, there's a lot that I would cut, but unlike the first movie, in which eeeeeeevveeryythiiiiiing dragged, DOS zooms through parts of the story with a bizarre disregard for everything but the end goal of Lake-town and the political drama there.  I think Beorn and Mirkwood could be, if not good, at least decent parts of the film if given some room to breathe.  But again, there's plenty that I would remove from DOS if I was in the editor's chair.

I cant think of one thing I like. I could have liked Martin Freeman as Bilbo if he had been allowed to act and been the main character, if he had been allowed to grow and we had seen things from his perspective , I could have liked Thranduil if he hadnt been so hammy, I might have liked the sets if they had allowed us two seconds to take in the details, I might have liked Tauriel if she hadnt been part of a corny love triangle, I might have tolerated it if it hadnt shoehorned in LOTR at every opportunity. I may have liked the Dwarves if they had been in the background and dressed like Dwarves. But it totally lacks magic so it would have sucked anyway.

i can't see the EE improving DOS too much. Stuff like Tauriel, and the CGI crapfest like Bolg and Azog plus all of Jackson's made up story about Sauron being behind it all, needs no expansion. Beorn or Mirkwood are two areas that could use some expansion to fill out the actual Hobbit story. Smaug's conversation with Bilbo could be expanded upon some, just so long as its not the dwarfs fighting the dragon garbage that Jackson made up which was already over long before the first minute ever finished playing on the screen.

But then again Jackson never really has cared about what Tolkien would have wanted in his EE anyways. I'm sure Jackson will expand all the things that are unnecessary and keep all the Tolkien based content to a minimum. Since he obviously feels HIS story is better anyways