The Hobbit in July 2007?

[davem]

Well, he should try reading some Icelandic sagas, where every other character's name seems to be a variation on 'Thor***' (Thorfinn, Thorgil, Thorolf, etc!)

[Elladan and Elrohir]

This thread has seen some interesting discussion (both civil and uncivil), but it has veered woefully off-topic. I would love to see the discussion continue on another thread, but it doesn't really have any place here.

In the meantime, I think it quite likely that there will in fact NOT be a Hobbit movie released in July 2007. There's my feeble attempt to get back on topic.

[narfforc]

Your attempt is not feeble Elladan and Elrohir, it is full of power, let he (she) that hath understanding read thy powerful runes. The Hobbit MOVIE!!!!! is something that the vast majority of us wish for, as much as I like The Sagas and all the other nicey things introduced herewith, we are not discussing the Making of Their Movie.

[davem]

Bit of a side-track, & I've pointed up this issue before but this could affect TH. Previously there have been calls for images of smoking to be banned in movies but now we see:

The Disney Studio has pledged to remove smoking from its family-oriented films.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6916293.stm

"We hope it's the beginning of a domino effect as other studios come into line," he told the BBC News website.

US anti-tobacco organisation The American Legacy Foundation said the announcement was "a good, solid step".

So, even though TH is not to be made by Disney, is this move is likely to be followed by other studios?

Could we really see Bilbo sitting outside Bag End sans Pipe? Personally I can't imagine Bilbo (let alone Gandalf!!!) without his pipe

Or maybe pipes will be excluded from the ban?

Mr Iger made the promise in a letter to US congressman Edward Markey. DVDs that show cigarettes will also carry anti-smoking announcements, he added.

Still, as long as they don't start banning all those cool guns & big explosions ...

[Lalwendë]

I know......it's quite alright to melt children's minds with images of near skeletal middle-aged women with the waist span of a six year old boy and so much plastic surgery and botox they look like the Stepford Wives dipped in plastic. And feed them product placement for greasy burgers and promote a lust for tacky bling. And drugs. And explosions. And assorted dodgy gubbins, but a cancer stick hanging out of someone's mouth is akin to showing them an Al-Qaeda training manual.

Still it will bring an interesting dimension of Thought Police to Tolkien's work to see Bilbo ripping his nictotine replacement patch from his arm as he collapses after the Unexpected Party at bedtime...

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

I know......it's quite alright to melt children's minds with images of near skeletal middle-aged women with the waist span of a six year old boy and so much plastic surgery and botox they look like the Stepford Wives dipped in plastic.

I've always wondered how these waifish Madame Tussaud replicants managed to use the microwave to thaw their Healthy Choice microwaveable dinners. There must be dangers inherent in having so much plastic in close approximation to a heating element.

As far as Bilbo's pipe smoking, I find it interesting that Disney should wish to relegate smoking to the dustbin of political correctness, yet at the same time offer distorted views of princesses unable to find true satisfaction within their lives until their princes arrive to 'complete' them. On the other hand, I must applaud Disney on the fact that Captain Jack Sparrow -- although a murderer, a cheat and a liar -- does not smoke. We wouldn't wish to send the wrong message to our children.

[davem]

The reasoning seems to be that showing characters smoking will encourage impressionable movie goers to smoke. Seems to me that the lawyers could have a field day with this. Isn't it an admission that, despite all their earlier protests, movies do inspire copycat behaviour?

Is alcohol consumption to follow - no beer quaffing Hobbits in case it leads to alcoholism among movie goers?. No six meals a day for Hobbits in case it encourages over-eating & exacerbates the obesity problem?