An Unexpected Journey, or the morning after

[Boromir88]

I also heard a guy say "You're not a TRUE fan of the books if you like this movie." But I was too sleepy and pleasanty content to knock him off his high elk.

And that I also will semi-credit the movie with...you know those 60s TV Batman episodes? Holy fish paste, Batman! Well, now, I can exclaim, Holy elk riders! (or the longer version...Holy elk riding, Elven King!)

[davem]

Thranduil on the stag is straight out of Geoffrey of Monmouth's Vita Merlini. Can't help wondering if the rabbit sled has any precursors in legend or folklore.

[radagastly]

originally posted by davem:

Can't help wondering if the rabbit sled has any precursors in legend or folklore.

Perhaps from Beatrix Potter?:

http://infernalcakewalk.com/post/651...cinderella-she

[Kuruharan]

Originally Posted by Boromir88

I also heard a guy say "You're not a TRUE fan of the books if you like this movie." But I was too sleepy and pleasanty content to knock him off his high elk.

And that I also will semi-credit the movie with...you know those 60s TV Batman episodes? Holy fish paste, Batman! Well, now, I can exclaim, Holy elk riders! (or the longer version...Holy elk riding, Elven King!)

So I gather with elk riding elves, it is pretty much a given that we will see pig riding dwarves.

[Elmo]

I thought it was excellent except the Galadriel and Radagast bits. Dol Guldor isn't how I imagined it at all.

The bit when Bilbo realises why the dwarves are so desperate to get their home back Amazing acting by Freeman, brilliantly captured the conflict between the Took and the Baggins within Bilbo.

[Kitanna]

Originally Posted by Boromir88

I also heard a guy say "You're not a TRUE fan of the books if you like this movie." But I was too sleepy and pleasanty content to knock him off his high elk.

Oh, psh.

Since my mom is making me go with her, I'll reserve my final judgement until I see it again. I wasn't really swept away when I saw it yesterday though.

I thought the beginning was good and considering later parts, fairly true to the book (changed slightly but not for the worst).

However I couldn't stand Radagast. It would have been better if Radagast had shown up and retold everything for Gandalf rather than having an awkward segway into saving a hedgehog. Even though it was an adorable CGI hedgehog. Then he has a sled pulled by rabbits on steroids? It felt too much like a podrace, "Hey look what we can do with a computer". In fact a lot of scenes felt like "look where we are now with technologically."

The vendetta was forced on us, not like the company didn't fall into enough trouble without that, but it was worked in well.

My favorite scene was Saruman telling everyone not to worry and that Radagast was a nutter butter. I thought it was a very nice addition. Though why were the dwarves sneaking out as thieves in the night?

Right now I give it ***. But I did buy the soundtrack when it was released. The dwarf songs and any theme that was a variant on the Misty Mountain theme was wonderful.