The Hunt for Gollum

[Kuruharan]

I just finished watching it.

They definitely mimicked PJs style, right down to the style of cuts and everything.

I still enjoyed it though. Very impressive for what they had to work with.

I do have a few nit-picks.

*spoilers of a sort*

Gandalf was sure in the film, years prior to when he was in the books, that Bilbo's ring was the One Ring.

It seemed a little odd that the other ranger didn't know who Aragorn was.

Then there is the bag business, but that is forgivable because of their understandable desire to cut down on CGI.

[Elmo]

Highlight for spoiler
That scene with Arwen is identical the PJ one. Aragorn gets wounded, and sees her!

[Thinlómien]

Technics and costumes and pictures - wow! One wouldn't believe it's amateur work.

Acting - well... not good but some of PJ's actors were pretty bad too.

Script - *cries* There was no point in it, no plot and the dialogue was horrible! And the uncanonicity... *sigh*

But still, overall, quite nice. Not going into details before more people have seen it.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

I have no problem with the bag, a clever way to do it (and it was cute at times ).

Otherwise, like Lommy said: effect - really brilliant. Acting: poorer. Script: basically, there was none, let's face it.

And it is basically an attempt for a PJ-clone.

Otherwise, UNCANONICITY level: horrible. "Where did you hear that rumour?" Why would somebody speak of that there? And how did HE get THERE anyway? Nonsense!!! Also things like that Gandalf (and the less Aragorn) did not know about the Nine before Saruman (even in the movies!)... and such.

Overall, I give it more points than to PJ: given that it was an amateur work, it is really amazing - especially the effects. Only it is so close to PJ and the way these "cool" movies are made nowadays that it hurts... (dialogue and such)

[Bêthberry]

Listening to that voice over narration, I receive an inspiration.

Perhaps we can have a Barrow Downs competition, on a separate thread, where each of us provides a version of the voice-over narration. And then we can entice Fordim Hedgethistle back to run a poll to see whose narration is the most popular, whose is the most canonical, whose is the most effective, whose is the most spine-tinglingly enticing, etc.

What say ye all?

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

What say ye all?

That'd be cool.

I'm still wondering why Aragorn speaks Czech, though. Cute!

[Pitchwife]

Very well done, great fun to watch, and very little that struck me outright as contradicting the book, at least at the first viewing. Nice job!

I was kind of reluctant to nitpick on premiere night, but as Kuru started it before me, I might as well go on:

* s*p*o*i*l*e*r*s *

Gandalf was sure in the film, years prior to when he was in the books, that Bilbo's ring was the One Ring.

This bothered me, too, so I checked the chronology in the Tale of Years:

3001 Bilbo's farewell feast. Gandalf suspects his ring to be the One Ring. The guard on the Shire is doubled. Gandalf seeks for news of Gollum and calls on the help of Aragorn. [...]
3009 Gandalf and Aragorn renew their hunt for Gollum at intervals during the next eight years [...]
3017 Gollum is released from Mordor. He is taken by Aragorn in the Dead Marshes, and brought to Thranduil in Mirkwood.

So the makers of the Hunt actually condensed 16 years into 40 minutes (much like Peter Jackson did with the time between Bilbo's party and Frodo's departure, and maybe with the intention to make their chronology match Jackson's?). According to the book, Gandalf may not have been sure about the Ring when he first talked to Aragorn, but he had a strong hunch. Altogether, I think the film's treatment of the matter is defendable.

It seemed a little odd that the other ranger didn't know who Aragorn was.

Agreed - that whole scene was a little odd indeed. The other Ranger introduces himself as Arithir, son of Ar-whatsoever (btw, should they have the royal prefix in their names?). Aragorn introduces himself with "I'm Strider" - using his Bree nickname, not his Dúnedain name. Arithir says "I've heard of you" - now, is this the way the Dúnedain greet their chieftain, the Heir of Isildur???
Or did the makers assume that Aragorn used 'Strider' as a sort of incognito, and the fact that 'Strider' = Aragorn, the Heir of Isildur was known only to the top ranks of Dúnedain hierarchy?

Another point: Is it just me, or does anybody else also think that those Mirkwood Elves might have showed up a few seconds earlier? I almost expected them to applaud coolly and say something like, "Nice swordsmanship." (Aragorn smiles happily and collapses from exhaustion.)
And of course Aragorn looked even younger than Viggo, who looked way too young for my taste.

Good moments:
- Orc dialogue: exactly the right tone (cf Ugluk and Grishnakh, Gorbat and Shagrat);
- How Aragorn discovered the use of fire against the Nazgûl;
- That flower Aragorn reached for when he was poisoned - was that supposed to be Athelas? (I like to think it was.)

And the bag was a clever solution, as Legate already said. "Bagses! Bagses! We hates it, my preciousss!"

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Pitchwife

Agreed - that whole scene was a little odd indeed. The other Ranger introduces himself as Arithir, son of Ar-whatsoever (btw, should they have the royal prefix in their names?).

No, they certainly shouldn't, unless it is a forgotten cousin of Aragorn. Anyway, this guy is just horrible - what is he doing there? Apparently, all parts of Middle-Earth are full of traveling Dúnedain who have been everywhere from Rhun to Harad.

[Elmo]

Do you reckon that strange Dunedain is a spy for Sauron? Only reason he wouldn't know who his flipping chief was! Sauron didn't know about Aragorn so it is possible. Or maybe it was just simply bad plotting

[Rikae]

Well,I for one am disappointed. The one advantage amateurs have is the freedom to be original and creative, and these folks lifted every line and every shot directly from PJ. One could have gotten almost the same result by piecing together clips from LOTR, to be honest.

"By fans for fans" clearly refers to movie fans - I eagerly await something by and for book fans!

[Gwathagor]

Originally Posted by Rikae

Well,I for one am disappointed. The one advantage amateurs have is the freedom to be original and creative, and these folks lifted every line and every shot directly from PJ. One could have gotten almost the same result by piecing together clips from LOTR, to be honest.

That's exactly the same impression I got. *shakes head* Heck, I probably could have written a better script.