HoLOTR Marathon Part 3
That opening scene. . . wow.
“A little to your left.”
That is the mightiest line in all films, of all time.
Incidentally Luke Evans is gay. Always makes me happy to add another famous LGBTIQA+ person to the ever-increasing list.
The scene against the dead ringbearers is excellent too. Christopher Lee was 93 or so, too ill to travel, and still managed (along with several wigs and a stunt double) to convincingly beat up a bunch of potent enemies with panache to spare. And the affection between Cate Blanchett and Ian McKellan is real.
I genuinely forgot for a second I was watching the Hobbit. I thought it was LOTR. If that’s not the highest possible compliment, I don’t know what is.
The greatest tragedies come sooo close to ending happily, and when Bilbo hides the arkenstone the whole audience can’t help hoping that somehow, despite everything, this time it will end happily.
Oh, this moment between King Thorin and Bilbo, and Bilbo talks about gardening… and the king is sweet and good for a moment… but Bilbo has already betrayed him. For all the best reasons, but also in the worst possible way.
Today I’ll watch things in half-hour chunks, and write grant applications in between.
—1 grant application done, and it’s lunch time. In my defense, I had a big meeting as I continue to sort out the takings from the ZamZam Foundation’s Australian Launch.—
When King Thorin betrays Laketown, it still breaks my heart.
Ooh, hello BIlly Connolly! You and the worms are a much-needed bit of fun as the rest of the film has somewhere between 4 and 73 armies pummelling one another for stupid reasons. The next two hours of my life, with breaks for stupid deaths and a bit of painfully dumb love triangle dialogue here and there.
It’s all done very well, really, with great moments—like that troll as a battering ram, charging his head into the wall and then immediately passing out as the army that hired him runs through the hole.
After going through all the grants I wrote for the Afghan-Australian Community and Settlement Support Grants, I’ve decided to stop at two (specifically, tutoring work and free copies of my “Welcome to Australia” book for refugees & immigrants). So that’s that job done.
I can write a bazillion ZamZam Foundation invoices while I continue to watch. I may have to actually work a full day tomorrow (ugh—only if a friend can’t find anyone else to replace her usual babysitter) but I guess I’ll see.
Battle stag for the win!
Uh oh. When pretty music plays in a battle, you know some elves are going to die.
Lee Pace is great in this. And in “Pushing Daisies” (although be warned that “Pushing Daisies” ends badly due to poorly timed cancellation).
On to the second disc!
The thrill of being within sight of the end will carry me through the misery of the gold-floor-crazy-king scene.
When he comes to his senses and throws his crown away against the golden floor—that is good. Keep that bit.
*sigh* Physics, guys. PHYSICS. You can’t gain purchase on bricks as they’re falling through the air. Ain’t nothing to brace against.
The final fight between King Thorin and the pale orc is cool, with a bleached colour palette and ice cracking. Sadly I don’t care for Thorin any more.
Eagles and Bears and stuff, oh my!
Thanks again, eagles, for flying RIGHT over the king and choosing to go fight a bunch of minions instead of preserving the one remaining member of the line of Durin.
Pipeweed makes everything better. At least a little bit.
Oh no what now? Just more funerals, I hope.
Yup. Just more funerals.
The arkenstone: inspiring ambitious grave-diggers for the rest of time.
Bilbo at home is a perfect thing. As good an ending as a tragedy could hope for.
I do like that Tolkien recognises that a person who goes far from home and sees (and deals out) death is forever changed, and their soul will never recover. Having fought in World War 1 just before he began writing the books, he knows all too well.
Oh, that’s Billy Boyd singing! A voice that will always break the hearts of any Middle Earth film fans.
And that’s The Hobbit done until my next HoLOTR marathon! Because you know there’ll be more in future.
I DON’T have to work a full day tomorrow, fortunately, so things should progress at either the same pace or a little faster.
Felicity Banks 
Neil@kallaroo said,
June 14, 2022 at 2:50 pm
I’ve never watched The Hobbit, but your report has been so entertaining, I’m tempted to give it a whirl.
Felicity Banks said,
June 14, 2022 at 8:32 pm
I assume you’ve seen LOTR?
Neil@kallaroo said,
June 14, 2022 at 9:05 pm
Not properly. In bits and pieces. I have read the books (a long time ago).
Felicity Banks said,
June 15, 2022 at 8:01 am
I’ll allow it. But only just.
HoLOTR Marathon Part 4 | Felicity Banks said,
June 15, 2022 at 9:56 pm
[…] The Hobbit trilogy: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3. […]
Nigel said,
June 15, 2022 at 11:04 pm
Totally agree that the storming of Dol Guldir is one of the highlights of the Hobbit films (the other for me being the stone giants). I wasn’t expecting the White Council to get quite so physical about it, but I did still love the scene.
Dain and the Iron Hills crew were also decent. And a combo of some better writing, Lee Pace’s acting, and some great effects made Thranduil more interestingly messed up and chilling than the book allows. Sadly, I think the battle gets dumber and dumber the longer it goes on. The deaths seem tragic yes, but almost a relief as they each mean the silliness is getting closer to an end.
And yeah, if you’re a Ring bearer I think home becomes a very complex and uncertain thing. And a thing to be treasured.
Felicity Banks said,
June 16, 2022 at 7:59 am
One of the drawbacks of hereditary leadership + immortality is that individuals like Thranduil can run their kingdom however they like for as long as they like. The books and films never go into that—because the “let’s convert a fantasy world into a democracy” plot has been done way too many times—but, *shudder*.
Nigel said,
June 16, 2022 at 1:00 pm
In his defence Thranduil is hardl as messed up as Feanor and Co, but it’s definitely a thing in the movies.
I don’t think thousand year or more reigns have to be static though. Galadriel showed some philosophical change over the ages. As did some of the other elven rulers in the first and second ages. So perhaps Thranduil might mellow a bit too, given enough time.
Felicity Banks said,
June 16, 2022 at 10:00 pm
Sounds like monarchist talk to me.
HoLOTR Marathon Part 5 | Felicity Banks said,
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HoLOTR Marathon Part 6 | Felicity Banks said,
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