The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - LotR1-FotR-Seq02

alatar · 10-25-2005, 09:26 PM

B-A-G E-N-D...that spells comfort.

The sequence starts with the use (again) of the Middle Earth map that allows us to see where we are. You also get a preview of where we know that we're all going, such as Bree. We're going to spend a little time in the Shire, but just look at what's over those mountains.

But first we get to see Bag End. The amount of detail is just incredible! - especially if you consider that much of the detail is superfluous to the story. Who really cares if there are five books or six piled around Bilbo's desk? The answer is that these details add to the feeling of the scene subconsciously. Your brain starts saying, "this is a real place, a real room and the real desk of a real person who likes to write." And it reminds me of many professors' offices...

Peter Jackson stated that he liked the Bag End set so much that he paid to have it stored away, and one day hopes to live in it (though the cynic in me realizes what a pretty penny it would bring at auction...). Hope that PJ realizes that Ian McKellan and Elijah Wood walked off with a few things on their last day of shooting on that set. Obviously nothing too important, or I think that they may not have told me of their crime in one of the DVD appendices.

So, like in the Books, we learn about hobbits. The Shire is a beautiful place, to me more so than what we will see later in Lothlorien. Is that because this place looks more real, or is it personal bias? It's an Edenic home where I could live, assuming that I was half my current height and my desire to wear boots 24/7/365 was purged from my being.

Note that I hate the 'hobbit cleaning his ear' scene. Sure, they're an earthy and simple people, but this is something I don't want to see. Next thing that you know, we'll be experiencing other bodily functions from members of other short races...but I do like Bilbo's laughing at the thought. Ian Holm plays the character well like an eccentric old uncle that you love to have visit - though he annoys the prim and proper half of the family.

And another gripe. Does my first viewing of Sam, the sidekick hero, have to be of him staring amazed at a potted flower? Sure, they're trying to establish him as a gardener, man of the soil, but wasn't there a better way to do it? Could we have seen him planting a sapling? I can just hear the scene director saying, "Okay, now, look lovingly at the flower." Yuck. Sam, you just planted a flower, which, as a gardener, I would have hoped that you've done more than once. You didn't place a garland of flowers on Rosie Cotton's head or a kiss on her lips for gosh sakes!

And still on the same wagon, though I like the clumsiness of the hobbits who are raising the pavilion, as this shows again that they're my kin, but what's with the hobbit who cannot hit the peg? Is he drunk, clumsy, poor-sighted or other? Please, these are hobbits, not stupid silly short people. Having watched the rest of the trilogy, one starts to wonder if PJ equates small with slapstick.

Gandalf in the cart is Gandalf, not an actor. I was immediately sold on the movie after seeing Gandalf here (though the grumbling would still continue, as you all know quite well

).

Now the line about 'there's always been a Baggins living in Bag End/under the hill, and there always will' is a bit confusing. Exactly who takes over after Frodo leaves? We know it's not Sam (though it should have been) and Frodo has no other heirs, so why add the line, especially when delivered with such melancholy by Bilbo? Does he think that he will leave Bag End and the Ring behind, as it is he that is the problem? Doesn’t he consider that by leaving the Ring to Frodo, that Frodo will be taking up the problem where Bilbo leaves it? And that Frodo, too, will find no peace in this paradise?

Bilbo's mania over misplacing the Ring demonstrates that such a prize has its costs. And we get to hear about the "incident with the dragon" and even get to see the map of Erebor. More great details for us fans.

The children, cheering on Gandalf, show us indirectly the character of the wizard. Some older hobbits don't like this disturber of their peace, but what can you say about someone adored by children? And you can see that that fondness is reciprocated. Though how these young children know who this Big Person is is a bit of a mystery, seeing that Bilbo is surprised to see him, as if they’d hadn’t seen each other in a good while.

And Gandalf remarks about Bilbo’s agelessness.

And now for an aside: Having recently attended my 20th (yes, 2-0) high school reunion, I was struck not by how some had changed but more so by one of my friends who hadn’t. We speak routinely electronically yet rarely have the time to meet, with families and all. Anyway, theories abound, and I’ve considered that she’s either been frozen in ice, has discovered either the elixir vitae or time travel, bears one of the Rings of Power or is a doppleganger. I was able to scratch her skin, and so we’ll see what the DNA tests show. Anyway, my point is that one does not consider that someone hasn’t aged a bit after not having seen them for a week or two - especially amongst men, as these two, though Hobbit and Maia, appear to be. Gandalf’s observation of Bilbo to me indicates that they haven’t seen each other for 5 -10 years at the very least, yet we have the children’s recognition of the Grey One. Munching on minutia? You betcha. But just something that I’ve noted.

And note about notes: I bought the FotR soundtrack, and just love the melody (not a musician, and so insert correct term here) that occurs right when Frodo leaves Gandalf's cart. This mini theme reoccurs - obviously to remind one of the Shire - and it really brings a peace with it each time it’s heard. Kudos to Howard Shore.

The pan of the Shire, leading up to Gandalf's arrival at Bag End, is what is missing in other big films. Though I'm not exactly sure what is real in the pan, I think that that's the point. You get the feeling that the Shire is a place in which you could go now and visit - it's not CG. What PJ really gets right is the scenery. New Zealand is Middle Earth.

The shot of Gandalf's back as Bilbo opens the door is NOT Gandalf. Not sure if it's a sequencing thing, but this Gandalf doesn't look the like one that was riding in the cart. It may be his hair, his cloak, the color of his hair, cloak, hat etc. Or maybe it's just me.

The sizing effects, special or otherwise, of Gandalf and Bilbo work really well. You never get the feeling that these two human actors are never in the same scene/shot/reality together. You just see two old friends getting reacquainted. Even watching at slo-mo it’s hard to see the trickery. As PJ states somewhere in the commentary, once he established that hobbits were small but real, the rest would be easy.

And don’t you just love the shot where Ian McKellen bangs his head against the doorway? Ouch! An accident, but played off well by a great actor. And its inclusion into the film was also a good idea. We learn visually that Gandalf is tall, Bag End is small and Gandalf is not a perfect angelic being.

Glad to hear the 'butter scraped over too much bread' quote where Bilbo becomes more serious; this movie is about more than just overly attached ear wax. The smoking-bonding of these two old friends not only adds more from the books, but is a great pause before the chaos of the party. Somewhere it was noted that party scenes are notoriously hard to film, but it seemed that these extras (some family members) and actors were really enjoying themselves. The dancing, fireworks, tales to small hobbits all add to the festive atmosphere. The wigs that all but one hobbit extra wears weren’t the best props though.

I could do without the introduction of Merry and Pippin; understanding that we need to see that they are fools at the beginning doesn't make me like them any more. The touching moment between Bilbo and Frodo, lightened by the "gaffer's own brew' was a way to soften a touching moment - or was it a "dumbing down" where we wouldn't want to go too long without some fluff? Peter Jackson seemingly oscillates between the serious and the not so serious. The tension increases, yet we get a moment now and then to catch our breath (and, I think, to make sure that no viewer is lost along the way).

And the Dragon! Clever way to show that Bilbo (and Frodo) are the odd Hobbits. Bilbo is the least concerned, as he should be, having faced the real deal those many years back. It's hints like these, along with the Lonely Mountain map and the reference by Gandalf that make me love this sequence - details that are placed in the story, seemingly, just for us. Bilbo looks a bit too manic/psycho/desperate/unsure when he finally decided to disappear, as he's just too happy about it when arriving back at Bag End. Paranoia is one thing, but schizophrenia too? I like it that Gandalf beats him there - it makes Gandalf appear a bit more mysterious, and not just some conjurer of cheap tricks.

Then we finally come to it. Bilbo becomes the addict that he fears himself being stretched into. Luckily Gandalf is there to talk him down. And when Gandalf asserts himself, seemingly done with only a change of lighting, it’s just right out of the book. You get the sense that Gandalf has a dangerous side, yet isn’t going to pull out a mace and start thwopping Bilbo on the head. We see the kindness in his eyes, his love for Bilbo and this helps Bilbo finally let go. Bilbo is back to his jolly self, marching and singing down the lane. Gandalf knows that they will meet again, adding to the puzzle.

The drop of the Ring, magnet and microphone enhanced, is ominous. It’s as if the Ring is staying put, waiting for someone to enter the door. But who will its next bearer be? That would be next week’s sequence.

10-25-2005, 09:26 PM	#1
alatar Doubting Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Heaven's basement Posts: 2,466	LotR1-FotR-Seq02 B-A-G E-N-D...that spells comfort. The sequence starts with the use (again) of the Middle Earth map that allows us to see where we are. You also get a preview of where we know that we're all going, such as Bree. We're going to spend a little time in the Shire, but just look at what's over those mountains. But first we get to see Bag End. The amount of detail is just incredible! - especially if you consider that much of the detail is superfluous to the story. Who really cares if there are five books or six piled around Bilbo's desk? The answer is that these details add to the feeling of the scene subconsciously. Your brain starts saying, "this is a real place, a real room and the real desk of a real person who likes to write." And it reminds me of many professors' offices... Peter Jackson stated that he liked the Bag End set so much that he paid to have it stored away, and one day hopes to live in it (though the cynic in me realizes what a pretty penny it would bring at auction...). Hope that PJ realizes that Ian McKellan and Elijah Wood walked off with a few things on their last day of shooting on that set. Obviously nothing too important, or I think that they may not have told me of their crime in one of the DVD appendices. So, like in the Books, we learn about hobbits. The Shire is a beautiful place, to me more so than what we will see later in Lothlorien. Is that because this place looks more real, or is it personal bias? It's an Edenic home where I could live, assuming that I was half my current height and my desire to wear boots 24/7/365 was purged from my being. Note that I hate the 'hobbit cleaning his ear' scene. Sure, they're an earthy and simple people, but this is something I don't want to see. Next thing that you know, we'll be experiencing other bodily functions from members of other short races...but I do like Bilbo's laughing at the thought. Ian Holm plays the character well like an eccentric old uncle that you love to have visit - though he annoys the prim and proper half of the family. And another gripe. Does my first viewing of Sam, the sidekick hero, have to be of him staring amazed at a potted flower? Sure, they're trying to establish him as a gardener, man of the soil, but wasn't there a better way to do it? Could we have seen him planting a sapling? I can just hear the scene director saying, "Okay, now, look lovingly at the flower." Yuck. Sam, you just planted a flower, which, as a gardener, I would have hoped that you've done more than once. You didn't place a garland of flowers on Rosie Cotton's head or a kiss on her lips for gosh sakes! And still on the same wagon, though I like the clumsiness of the hobbits who are raising the pavilion, as this shows again that they're my kin, but what's with the hobbit who cannot hit the peg? Is he drunk, clumsy, poor-sighted or other? Please, these are hobbits, not stupid silly short people. Having watched the rest of the trilogy, one starts to wonder if PJ equates small with slapstick. Gandalf in the cart is Gandalf, not an actor. I was immediately sold on the movie after seeing Gandalf here (though the grumbling would still continue, as you all know quite well ). Now the line about 'there's always been a Baggins living in Bag End/under the hill, and there always will' is a bit confusing. Exactly who takes over after Frodo leaves? We know it's not Sam (though it should have been) and Frodo has no other heirs, so why add the line, especially when delivered with such melancholy by Bilbo? Does he think that he will leave Bag End and the Ring behind, as it is he that is the problem? Doesn’t he consider that by leaving the Ring to Frodo, that Frodo will be taking up the problem where Bilbo leaves it? And that Frodo, too, will find no peace in this paradise? Bilbo's mania over misplacing the Ring demonstrates that such a prize has its costs. And we get to hear about the "incident with the dragon" and even get to see the map of Erebor. More great details for us fans. The children, cheering on Gandalf, show us indirectly the character of the wizard. Some older hobbits don't like this disturber of their peace, but what can you say about someone adored by children? And you can see that that fondness is reciprocated. Though how these young children know who this Big Person is is a bit of a mystery, seeing that Bilbo is surprised to see him, as if they’d hadn’t seen each other in a good while. And Gandalf remarks about Bilbo’s agelessness. And now for an aside: Having recently attended my 20th (yes, 2-0) high school reunion, I was struck not by how some had changed but more so by one of my friends who hadn’t. We speak routinely electronically yet rarely have the time to meet, with families and all. Anyway, theories abound, and I’ve considered that she’s either been frozen in ice, has discovered either the elixir vitae or time travel, bears one of the Rings of Power or is a doppleganger. I was able to scratch her skin, and so we’ll see what the DNA tests show. Anyway, my point is that one does not consider that someone hasn’t aged a bit after not having seen them for a week or two - especially amongst men, as these two, though Hobbit and Maia, appear to be. Gandalf’s observation of Bilbo to me indicates that they haven’t seen each other for 5 -10 years at the very least, yet we have the children’s recognition of the Grey One. Munching on minutia? You betcha. But just something that I’ve noted. And note about notes: I bought the FotR soundtrack, and just love the melody (not a musician, and so insert correct term here) that occurs right when Frodo leaves Gandalf's cart. This mini theme reoccurs - obviously to remind one of the Shire - and it really brings a peace with it each time it’s heard. Kudos to Howard Shore. The pan of the Shire, leading up to Gandalf's arrival at Bag End, is what is missing in other big films. Though I'm not exactly sure what is real in the pan, I think that that's the point. You get the feeling that the Shire is a place in which you could go now and visit - it's not CG. What PJ really gets right is the scenery. New Zealand is Middle Earth. The shot of Gandalf's back as Bilbo opens the door is NOT Gandalf. Not sure if it's a sequencing thing, but this Gandalf doesn't look the like one that was riding in the cart. It may be his hair, his cloak, the color of his hair, cloak, hat etc. Or maybe it's just me. The sizing effects, special or otherwise, of Gandalf and Bilbo work really well. You never get the feeling that these two human actors are never in the same scene/shot/reality together. You just see two old friends getting reacquainted. Even watching at slo-mo it’s hard to see the trickery. As PJ states somewhere in the commentary, once he established that hobbits were small but real, the rest would be easy. And don’t you just love the shot where Ian McKellen bangs his head against the doorway? Ouch! An accident, but played off well by a great actor. And its inclusion into the film was also a good idea. We learn visually that Gandalf is tall, Bag End is small and Gandalf is not a perfect angelic being. Glad to hear the 'butter scraped over too much bread' quote where Bilbo becomes more serious; this movie is about more than just overly attached ear wax. The smoking-bonding of these two old friends not only adds more from the books, but is a great pause before the chaos of the party. Somewhere it was noted that party scenes are notoriously hard to film, but it seemed that these extras (some family members) and actors were really enjoying themselves. The dancing, fireworks, tales to small hobbits all add to the festive atmosphere. The wigs that all but one hobbit extra wears weren’t the best props though. I could do without the introduction of Merry and Pippin; understanding that we need to see that they are fools at the beginning doesn't make me like them any more. The touching moment between Bilbo and Frodo, lightened by the "gaffer's own brew' was a way to soften a touching moment - or was it a "dumbing down" where we wouldn't want to go too long without some fluff? Peter Jackson seemingly oscillates between the serious and the not so serious. The tension increases, yet we get a moment now and then to catch our breath (and, I think, to make sure that no viewer is lost along the way). And the Dragon! Clever way to show that Bilbo (and Frodo) are the odd Hobbits. Bilbo is the least concerned, as he should be, having faced the real deal those many years back. It's hints like these, along with the Lonely Mountain map and the reference by Gandalf that make me love this sequence - details that are placed in the story, seemingly, just for us. Bilbo looks a bit too manic/psycho/desperate/unsure when he finally decided to disappear, as he's just too happy about it when arriving back at Bag End. Paranoia is one thing, but schizophrenia too? I like it that Gandalf beats him there - it makes Gandalf appear a bit more mysterious, and not just some conjurer of cheap tricks. Then we finally come to it. Bilbo becomes the addict that he fears himself being stretched into. Luckily Gandalf is there to talk him down. And when Gandalf asserts himself, seemingly done with only a change of lighting, it’s just right out of the book. You get the sense that Gandalf has a dangerous side, yet isn’t going to pull out a mace and start thwopping Bilbo on the head. We see the kindness in his eyes, his love for Bilbo and this helps Bilbo finally let go. Bilbo is back to his jolly self, marching and singing down the lane. Gandalf knows that they will meet again, adding to the puzzle. The drop of the Ring, magnet and microphone enhanced, is ominous. It’s as if the Ring is staying put, waiting for someone to enter the door. But who will its next bearer be? That would be next week’s sequence. __________________ There is naught that you can do, other than to resist, with hope or without it.