My prediction is that Bolg will appear as a villian and badass in the next 2 films but will not have any relation (father son ect...) to Azog whatsoever and will simply serve as another villian.

Ah, but isn't Bolg meant to be less evil than Azog. Azog wants to kill Thorin's lot just because he wants to kill them, Bolg wants to kill them for revenge.

_________________
"I am the Flying Spagetti Monster. Thou shall have no other monsters before me"
-FSM.

Did not realize Bolg was Gregor Clegane on GoT, Im kinda [word deleted] now for him, as the new Gregor sucks, and to loose your role, then not even be featured in the film you left it for...that stinks, but I guess that's show business.

Debating wether to go one more time to see it, HFR spoiled me, 2d was awful, I need my fix!

Saw it in 2D standard definition before. Going tonight to see it again in 3d IMAX.

According to the Lego sets, Azog's part was going to be played by Yazneg (including the tree/fire scene) with, I'm assuming, Bolg as the big baddy they report to at Weathertop.

_________________
Respectfully,
Jonathan

Do what is right, love mercy, and walk humbly

Battle Companies

I wonder why they changed it. If they revealed that Bolg was Azog's son, then wouldn't the same themes have been established with a Bolg-Thorin "rivalry" as opposed to Azog-Thorin? Maybe they thought they could get more material for three movies with Azog.

I do not watch Game of Thrones, but I feel bad for Conan Stevens that he sacrificed his role on a popular TV show to do a movie he was only briefly flashed in. Googling his name suggests he will have a more prominent role in the Desolation of Smaug, but that just brings up so many more questions about the Azog-Bolg choice. I don't like the idea of hyping Azog up as the main villain for the trilogy in AUJ, then killing him off in DoS. It just seems redundant (not that that's necessarily what they'll do).

Also--does anyone find it odd that GW made models for Bolg and two random orcs named Fimbul and Narzug (can't find any more info on them), while Azog and Yazneg are left without miniatures? Evidence suggests that these changes were pretty last minute.

Well, I took my girlfriend (who has always resisted watching the LOTR trilogy with me) to the cinema to watch The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey on Christmas eve (instead of pantomine this year)...

... And absolutely loved it.

You could tell in the Lord of the Rings trilogy that they were really struggling at times to fit things in as well fit things together. Really, we could have had 6 more balanced movies rather than the 3 but I enjoyed them all the same.

A lot has been made of the decision to make The Hobbit; a much smaller piece of work, into a trilogy like Lord of the Rings. However, it allows the film a more natural pace which works very well. It also gives the opportunity to give Tolkien fans what we all thirst after, which is to develop plot lines beyond the written story, making strong reference to all of that beautiful material Tolkien left us.

I have read some comments about it being too slapstick, too cartoony... but I have to disagree. I thoroughly enjoyed it! The prologue and the flashback to Moria were especially well done (I thought PJ struggled with the prologue in FotR, although I still enjoyed it) and I had goosebumps when Thorin decides to charge Azog.

Much has been made of the use of CGI... again, I have to say I hardly noticed it. Not like the new star wars movies where it is overbearing.

I liked some of the slight changes to create further themes and individual journeys in the book. I didn't think the whole Bilbo wanting to help the Dwarves reclaim their home was overdone and was a nice mini story within the story. Same with the Thranduil episode, I can see why these things were done.

I'm sure for most of us, nothing will ever replace the books but the movie interpretations have been good fun and I can't wait till December 2013.

My girlfriend also loved it, and in turn as already watched the Fellowship with me at last!

_________________
Subscribe to the GBHL YouTube for daily SBG content http://Www.youtube.com/gbhlpodcast
*5th in 2014 GBHL

Congratulations in turning your girlfriend into an LOTR girlfriend!

She was gutted when The Hobbit ended when it did... When it cut to credits, she exclaimed pretty loudly "That's surely not it! What happens next." So I think she's looking forward to it too.

Although on the flip side she did expose my secret geekiness to her family the other day, after I didn't get to bed until 3am painting my first ever figures, it was a worryingly scathing attack on "painting models" and being a secret warhammer gamer. I did have to explain that I wasn't into warhammer, or games workshop particularly and have never played a game in my life... I'm just a fan of Lord of the Rings and strategy games... there is a difference!

_________________
Subscribe to the GBHL YouTube for daily SBG content http://Www.youtube.com/gbhlpodcast
*5th in 2014 GBHL

Sorry to hear that. Games Workshop fanboys deserve to be mocked. But it can be hard to convince average people that warhammer fans and LOTR fans are too different things. Just ignore it. She'll either get into the painting (girls do sometimes) or she'll just accept it.

Meh, to each their own, not a fan of mockery full stop. Whatever makes you happy, right? But, although not one bit ashamed of my LOTR geekiness, I was surprised by the public outburst.

I had a quiet word in the car on the way home and she continues to be supportive of my new and private hobby

_________________
Subscribe to the GBHL YouTube for daily SBG content http://Www.youtube.com/gbhlpodcast
*5th in 2014 GBHL

Good. You're on your way to getting unsolicited color combination advice for future figures form a certain party.

I bloody hope so, this girl travels the country training people how to colour hair and decorated our house for christmas with home made crafts after a trip to hobbycraft... it was impressive stuff, like something from the movie Elf.

I think I need to sign her up...

_________________
Subscribe to the GBHL YouTube for daily SBG content http://Www.youtube.com/gbhlpodcast
*5th in 2014 GBHL

That ought to do it.

Guys...

...I like Warhammer...

Careful, the LOTR Fan-boys can be as bad as the Warhammer/Warhammer 40k, Fan-boys.

Haha as I said, to each his own!

_________________
Subscribe to the GBHL YouTube for daily SBG content http://Www.youtube.com/gbhlpodcast
*5th in 2014 GBHL

Shame on you!
And shame on you all geekish people! (especially warhammer range ones )

It's pretty funny how painting (ok, more like drawing) something like this:



Is totally acceptable and you get all the "woah you are an artist" comments, while painting this, earns you the golden geek award.



Just support what the people you care about, love doing.
Except if they keep painting chairs and vases, no more chairs! )
(just kidding show them some love too)

_________________
My WIP: http://www.one-ring.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=22962

True fan-boys are fan-boys.

I find it interesting how many people seemed to enjoy the film but at the same time point out many of its weaknesses. I suppose the fanboy/girl must be strong with some I'm going to say it as it is. The film, along with the LoTR trilogy, is a massive failure when judged from the standpoint of creating a living, moving, visual re-creation of Tolkien's world and stories. I don't beat around the bush.

What has been an achievement is simply making beautiful design from the books in some cases. That is not a movie though, that can be done on photoshop, or indeed, left to the talented workers at GW who have done an even better job IMHO. Putting that aside what are we left with? A stream of action sequences interspersed with inane dialogue designed mainly to justify the next series of violent acts committed by characters we are meant to have sympathy for.

Someone said their wife chose the riddle scene with Gollum as their favourite from the film. I agree. This is a rare scene where Tolkien's wit is actually allowed to come through without Jackson forcing orc blood on our faces. (I saw it in 3D at 48fps)

Just before anyone else chimes in, I don't subscribe to the idea of "dumbing down" a film to suit the "audience." I don't know of any film where the millions who watched the finished product played a role in it's creation. A film is the collective product of individual artists and in the case of the Hobbit, Warner Brothers and MGM, who funded it. They bare responsibility for the finished product.

_________________
"When the god had in mind the making of a world through a word (logos) his first thought was Athena"

Yes, but you see, they DO want those millions of people to go see the movies. If they don't then there's no reason for them to make them.

Making films of books are notoriously difficult. Ask 100 different people to describe a main character and you'll get 100 different responses. There are obvious exceptions, like Gandalf, who was very well described but also very well realized imo.

To make films with every facet and detail of the books would not only be tedious for the average viewer, it would be unfeasible for the film makers and studios. They could have spent a few million to add Tom Bombadil to Fellowship of the Ring but at what gain?

Sad thing to say is, I think dumbing down is required for films like this. Small budget indy productions can afford to go over people's heads, but when they're spending hundreds of millions they need the film to appeal to as many people from as many age groups as they can. It's just good business.

_________________
Gondor: 2339pts
Rohan: 1318pts
Dwarves: 2482pts
Elves: 1091pts
Mordor: 2305pts
Isengard: 1762pts
Moria: 1463pts
Evil Men: 381pts