The Hobbit - The Precious edition

[chipbayless]

I might try that. I was also thinking of using some shots of the dwarves walking in the mine from the second film to show a bit more of the mine itself without Smaug.

Thats a good idea.

Though your going for a completely different vibe with this edit than Wraith, one thing that would service the film is an idea from him. Start off the first movie with the flashback of Gandalf speaking to Thorin from Desolation Of Smaug.
That way you can sidestep Old Bilbo until the end of the third film, which is much more emotionally resonant imo.

 

[DonkeyKonga]

Thinking about adding a small narration to the start of each film. I want to skip the bear roaring and Bilbo seeing it, because it makes it appear like the bear will have a huge role in the story, plus it doesn't look all that impressive in that shot.
Now the audience can be like: what bear? Just like the dwarfs lol.

Plus, that title transition is just too good imo.

 

[DonkeyKonga]

All three openings now begin in a story-telling fashion. We don't see Bilbo, we only hear him tell a part of the tale.

- First film opens with : in a hole in a ground there lives a hobbit. We don't see Frodo, just some shire stuff before cutting to Gandalf. (this is the only cut I'm not 100% satisfied with, but I will have to make due with the fact there is no shot of young Bilbo blowing a circle of smoke.)

- Second film opens with 'The first thing they heard was' part of the Smaug bit of the narration.

- The third film starts with the narration of Erebor as a city and how his King was driven mad by gold.

It's a bit strange perhaps on paper, because the narration now basically goes in reverse narratively, but it works for each film pretty well. Then again, it might not work for others, we will have to wait and find out haha
Every part of the narration now works for the theme of each film, which is pretty cool imo

 

[chipbayless]

All three openings now begin in a story-telling fashion. We don't see Bilbo, we only hear him tell a part of the tale.

- First film opens with : in a hole in a ground there lives a hobbit. We don't see Frodo, just some shire stuff before cutting to Gandalf. (this is the only cut I'm not 100% satisfied with, but I will have to make due with the fact there is no shot of young Bilbo blowing a circle of smoke.)

- Second film opens with 'The first thing they heard was' part of the Smaug bit of the narration.

- The third film starts with the narration of Erebor as a city and how his King was driven mad by gold.

It's a bit strange perhaps on paper, because the narration now basically goes in reverse narratively, but it works for each film pretty well. Then again, it might not work for others, we will have to wait and find out haha
Every part of the narration now works for the theme of each film, which is pretty cool imo

This is a brilliant idea

 

[chipbayless]

Thinking about adding a small narration to the start of each film. I want to skip the bear roaring and Bilbo seeing it, because it makes it appear like the bear will have a huge role in the story, plus it doesn't look all that impressive in that shot.
Now the audience can be like: what bear? Just like the dwarfs lol.

Plus, that title transition is just too good imo.

I think the idea behind the bear is Beorn is the one who turns the BOTFA around in the book. Jackson tries showing that during the battle, that when Beorn shows up everything changes. Its just the battle scene is too crowded, so Beorn doesnt get enough emphasis
So if you trim the battle significantly, then the shot of the Bear will be foreshadowing for what turns around the final battle.

 

[DonkeyKonga]

I think the idea behind the bear is Beorn is the one who turns the BOTFA around in the book. Jackson tries showing that during the battle, that when Beorn shows up everything changes. Its just the battle scene is too crowded, so Beorn doesnt get enough emphasis
So if you trim the battle significantly, then the shot of the Bear will be foreshadowing for what turns around the final battle.

Oh the bear will be in the film for sure, just not in the war. I hate how he gets dropped like a nuclear bomb. Its far too super hero-ish.

The first time we see the bear will be when they run for the house.

 

[chipbayless]

Oh the bear will be in the film for sure, just not in the war. I hate how he gets dropped like a nuclear bomb. Its far too super hero-ish.

The first time we see the bear will be when they run for the house.

Hmm... But if you need a BIG turnaround for the Battle then, with some light rescoring, Beorn getting dropped by the Eagles would service the final Battle very very well.
It also completes his arc.

 

[chipbayless]

All three openings now begin in a story-telling fashion. We don't see Bilbo, we only hear him tell a part of the tale.

- First film opens with : in a hole in a ground there lives a hobbit. We don't see Frodo, just some shire stuff before cutting to Gandalf. (this is the only cut I'm not 100% satisfied with, but I will have to make due with the fact there is no shot of young Bilbo blowing a circle of smoke.)

- Second film opens with 'The first thing they heard was' part of the Smaug bit of the narration.

- The third film starts with the narration of Erebor as a city and how his King was driven mad by gold.

It's a bit strange perhaps on paper, because the narration now basically goes in reverse narratively, but it works for each film pretty well. Then again, it might not work for others, we will have to wait and find out haha
Every part of the narration now works for the theme of each film, which is pretty cool imo

By the way, an EXCELLENT opening shot would be when Bilbo sneaks out of his house to look around the shire after Gandalf leaves. You dont need Gandalf meeting Bilbo at the opening. This recontextualizes the scene so that we see the boredom of Bilbo, we also see that hes not a super popular Hobbit, as well as servicing as an excellent introduction to Hobbits and the shire in general. It would go PERFECTLY with his narration "concerning hobbits", where you can cut to various hobbit scenes as Bilbo is sneaking around.


So during the opening narration, just show the scene where Bilbo is wandering through the shire, intercut with various hobbits, then cut to night time. When the dwarves come, thats the first time Bilbo sees Gandalf in the film. (obviously, canon wise hes seen Gandalf before.)

 

[DonkeyKonga]

By the way, an EXCELLENT opening shot would be when Bilbo sneaks out of his house to look around the shire after Gandalf leaves. You dont need Gandalf meeting Bilbo at the opening. This recontextualizes the scene so that we see the boredom of Bilbo, we also see that hes not a super popular Hobbit, as well as servicing as an excellent introduction to Hobbits and the shire in general. It would go PERFECTLY with his narration "concerning hobbits", where you can cut to various hobbit scenes as Bilbo is sneaking around.


So during the opening narration, just show the scene where Bilbo is wandering through the shire, intercut with various hobbits, then cut to night time. When the dwarves come, thats the first time Bilbo sees Gandalf in the film. (obviously, canon wise hes seen Gandalf before.)

I already did this, so yeah. We are on the same page for sure lol. The only thing I added was the goodmorning scene. It's just too good to cut out entirely imo.

 

[chipbayless]

I already did this, so yeah. We are on the same page for sure lol. The only thing I added was the goodmorning scene. It's just too good to cut out entirely imo.

We definitely are on the same page then.
Does the good morning happen AFTER Bilbo is seen wandering? I think it would work better that way.

 

[DonkeyKonga]

We definitely are on the same page then.
Does the good morning happen AFTER Bilbo is seen wandering? I think it would work better that way.

That is exactly how it's cut now. I'll render a small bad audio sample

 

[DonkeyKonga]

I will also keep Bard's children. I think they add some much needed drama to Bard and it allows me to keep some of the dwarves in Dale. This imo is a good change, because it again shows drama.
The only thing I'm uncertain of is how to introduce the orc army. I absolutely hate how they just pop up from underneath the tunnels lol, but I don't think there's a way to get rid of this.

 

[chipbayless]

I will also keep Bard's children. I think they add some much needed drama to Bard and it allows me to keep some of the dwarves in Dale. This imo is a good change, because it again shows drama.
The only thing I'm uncertain of is how to introduce the orc army. I absolutely hate how they just pop up from underneath the tunnels lol, but I don't think there's a way to get rid of this.

I agree. Bards kids add alot. Most of Jacksons additions do (except Tauriels obnoxiously steamy love affair with Killi), honestly.

Regarding the Orc army. Maybe you could use the scene from I believe BOTFA where Azog rallies the orcs to the final battle and says something to the effect of TOMORROW WE FIGHT or whatever.
Just cut out his dialogue, but show the army. It could fit nicely after Filli and Killi joke to Bilbo that the orcs are coming after him, and Thorin scolds him for it.

 

[DonkeyKonga]

I agree. Bards kids add alot. Most of Jacksons additions do (except Tauriels obnoxiously steamy love affair with Killi), honestly.

Regarding the Orc army. Maybe you could use the scene from I believe BOTFA where Azog rallies the orcs to the final battle and says something to the effect of TOMORROW WE FIGHT or whatever.
Just cut out his dialogue, but show the army. It could fit nicely after Filli and Killi joke to Bilbo that the orcs are coming after him, and Thorin scolds him for it.

Yeah I thought I HATED everything PJ did, but I was just far too destracted by the 'junk in the trunk' comments between her and the dwarf. So much bad that you start to hate everything lol.

 

[chipbayless]

Yeah I thought I HATED everything PJ did, but I was just far too destracted by the 'junk in the trunk' comments between her and the dwarf. So much bad that you start to hate everything lol.

Totally agree. Honestly, almost everything else he added is fun. But that was just a whole other level of bad and tainted every other choice he made.
I wonder... Is there an edit where all three movies are the exact same, just with that one scene removed? LOL

 

[DonkeyKonga]

Totally agree. Honestly, almost everything else he added is fun. But that was just a whole other level of bad and tainted every other choice he made.
I wonder... Is there an edit where all three movies are the exact same, just with that one scene removed? LOL

The second film is pretty nice overall, it has a few eyebrow raising scenes, but it's really the third one that went thraight to the gutter

 

[chipbayless]

The second film is pretty nice overall, it has a few eyebrow raising scenes, but it's really the third one that went thraight to the gutter

The second film is my favorite too, barrel scene and all.
But I find it impossible to hate the third film (espcially the extended version) honestly.
I'm a Tolkien fan but Im a much bigger splatter fan so its like the equal combination of both for me. Jarring yes, but absolutely awesome.

Honestly all three extended editions are better. People trash these films for being too bloated but theyre very wrong. Theres loads of material from the legendarium, the ROTK appendices, and the unfinished The Hobbit revisions that Jackson draws upon. Actual, canon material that most people who make such claims are unfamiliar with.
How much of the extended editions are you using?

 

[DonkeyKonga]

The second film is my favorite too, barrel scene and all.
But I find it impossible to hate the third film (espcially the extended version) honestly.
I'm a Tolkien fan but Im a much bigger splatter fan so its like the equal combination of both for me. Jarring yes, but absolutely awesome.

Honestly all three extended editions are better. People trash these films for being too bloated but theyre very wrong. Theres loads of material from the legendarium, the ROTK appendices, and the unfinished The Hobbit revisions that Jackson draws upon. Actual, canon material that most people who make such claims are unfamiliar with.
How much of the extended editions are you using?

Only the bits that are well crafted. The problem with the films is the tone, which is completely out of whack. If its overly rediculous it gets cut.

 

[DonkeyKonga]

Things like the orc attack on Bree for example, I really do not like that bit, because Tauriel.

 

[chipbayless]

Things like the orc attack on Bree for example, I really do not like that bit, because Tauriel.

I agree.
Its a noble effort trying to give the films a consistent tone, and its refreshing to see a different edit where somebodies actually making it more lighthearted, not less.

But if you want to change the jarring tone of BOTFA then that films probably only going to be about an hour long.