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| Hmm... I think it's time for a rewatch! |
I love The Lord of the Rings trilogy helmed by Peter Jackson. He pulled together an insanely talented and dedicated crew to realize a vision intended to honour Tolkien's vision.
Sure, they trimmed some here and there, and they did up-level certain roles, but overall, the films feel very much like the books. At least to me. He had some of the most prominent Tolkien illustrators on the design team, so visually it tracks with a lot of paintings I'd seen in previous years. It fit my imagination, and in some cases, exceeded it.
I like the theatrical releases, to be honest; the director's cut adds a lot more stuff, but much of it doesn't feel essential and it slows the pacing of the film. Films are not books, and my attention span isn't what it used to be.
But the trilogy is undeniably a triumph of artistry, a rare case where film does justice to a beloved set of books.
The Hobbit trilogy, on the other hand, is something I can't say much positive about, so I will say nothing.
We all know, from LOTR, that Peter Jackson can do right by Tolkien. We all know he believes passionately in doing so. I did not feel that came through with The Hobbit.
Then, in my caffeine fuelled deep dives into the darkest pits of the internet, I came across this video:
It explains so, so much.
This is why we can't have nice things.
