Hobbits are afoot.

Bilbo Baggins, at your service!

Get ready for it, brace yourselves, and please don't throw things at me....


I don't like the Lord of the Rings films. I know, take away my geek card right now.  I was bored.  Very very bored.  I have fallen asleep in my several unsuccessful attempts to watch them.  Call me crazy, but my favorite part of the whole mess was Smeagol/Gollum, despite the fact that he's basically the Jar Jar Binks of this series.

The LOTR trilogy worked better than a tranquilizer in putting me to sleep.  They were so long, and don't even get my started on the extended editions. I will admit, they did make me want to visit New Zealand.  The cinematography was incredible. Maybe part of my problem is that the story is so long and drawn out, it's an epic tale, no doubt, and I wouldn't slight anyone who rank it among the best tales of all time.  Tolkien painted a pretty picture, and Jackson made it real.  It's admirable.

This being said, I'm very much looking forward to The Hobbit in December.  Perhaps the major difference being that I've read the book, which I adored.  Just watching the trailer makes me giddy. I recently finished reading it.  This was my second attempt to tackle this novel.  My first try was as a pre-teen.  My attention span back then was worse than it is now, and well, I got bored.  Maybe that's why I didn't care for the LOTR films.  I remembered how boring old, Bilbo was.  Now that I've travelled there and back again with him, I'm stoked to see how Jackson treats our short friend with the hairy feet.

Since I'd seen the trailer before hand, and I was already familiar with Gandalf, I sort of imagined the characters the way they are presented here.  I look forward to visiting Middle Earth now.


 

Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away ere break of day
To seek the pale enchanted gold.

 






With the recent announcement that there will be three, I can't help but wonder if that third film is just a money grab, or if it's really needed. Jackson and company seem to think so. Then again he also thought that the original films needed to be well over 3 hours in the extended editions.


And now for the audience participation bit.  Since I've read the Hobbit and I'm looking forward to the film treatments, I'm starting to wonder if I'll be more interested in the other movies if I read the books.What do you think?  Should I read the books, and then give the LOTR another go?  Do you think I'll be a crazy psycho who claims that the books will always be superior to the films?

With that, I'll leave you to your dreams of dragons and treasure.

JP