The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies Grade/Discuss (Spoilers)

[kirk55555]

If any movie didn't need an extra 20 minutes, its this one

If anything, WB should release a trimmed-down version of the trilogy, preferably as two movies instead of three, as originally intended.

I'd buy that bluray.

Yeah. It wouldn't even be that hard to do. You could cut two hours out of this trilogy and lose nothing of value. You'd lose a few characters maybe, but nothing major. Eliminating every scene with the female elf, Legolas, and the Gandalf/Saruman/Galadriel/Elrond council/fight scenes would probably get you most of the way there. I'd say to eliminate the stupid white orc, but he's too connected to some of the important scenes to get rid of.

 

[Mr Light]

I'm so excited for the EE, but it's going to be so sad because this is the FINAL EVER Middle Earth release. The last time we'll ever get new footage.

 

[Skywalker]

Until the next movie, anyway.

 

[Mr Light]

They don't have the rights to anything else. After this, we'll have to wait ten years for someone else to remake LOTR which is going to be terrible

 

[The Old Mixer]

If they'd padded out the LOTR book content in the same proportions that they did for The Hobbit, they'd still be working on putting out LOTR films today....

Chapter 37: Samwise Stubs His Toe and Bemoans His Great Misery

 

[Locutus of Bored]

They don't have the rights to anything else.

No Silmarillion five part film series?

 

[fireproof78]

They don't have the rights to anything else.

No Silmarillion five part film series?

I have no doubts that Christopher Tolkien's ironclad will will have multiple statements saying, "Do not sell any of my father's properties to any studios under any circumstances...ever!"

 

[Skywalker]

They don't have the rights to anything else.

There's still a ton of material in the Appendices that they could eventually adapt when Warner Bros. decides they want more money.

 

[Gaith]

^ New Line has the rights to make Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit adaptations. But just because, say, Aragorn is a LotR character, doesn't necessarily mean New Line can just up and make a movie about his early Ranger-ing days... depends on the language of the contract, probably.

 

[Skywalker]

The Appendices are part of The Lord of the Rings. Both movie trilogies contain material from them. I am 100% positive that if New Line/Warner Bros. wanted to make a movie about Aragorn in his early days, they would legally be well within their rights to do so, so long as they stick to what's contained within the Appendices and don't add in any material from outside of the source material they're allowed to adapt from (LOTR and Hobbit).

Although that scene at the beginning of The Desolation of Smaug, with Gandalf meeting Thorin and discussing a plan to kill Smaug and retake Erebor, was highly reminiscent of a scene from Unfinished Tales, which IIRC is not included among the works that New Line/Warner Bros. can adapt.

 

[Disco]

They don't have the rights to anything else.

No Silmarillion five part film series?

I have no doubts that Christopher Tolkien's ironclad will will have multiple statements saying, "Do not sell any of my father's properties to any studios under any circumstances...ever!"

I disagree. They'll bank the money.

 

[Mach5]

No Silmarillion five part film series?

I have no doubts that Christopher Tolkien's ironclad will will have multiple statements saying, "Do not sell any of my father's properties to any studios under any circumstances...ever!"

I disagree. They'll bank the money.

Those rights are already as good as sold.

And I don't think that kind of will could be legally executed (enforced).

Christopher Tolkien could, theoretically, make those properties public domain, no? Any copyright lawyers around here?

 

[Saul]

Battle of the Five Armies Extended Edition DVD available November 17

The EE adds 20 minutes to the movie and it will be rated R.

What the fuck?!

Maybe sales weren't good on the last two EEs and they need to spice this one up a bit.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

No one else is curious and/or bothered that this new footage is rated R?

 

[Mach5]

No one else is curious and/or bothered that this new footage is rated R?

Evangeline Lilly's topless shots?

 

[BeatleJWOL]

No one else is curious

Absolutely!

and/or bothered that this new footage is rated R?

Nope!

I mean, this is still a Peter Jackson film, after all.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

No one else is curious and/or bothered that this new footage is rated R?

I suspect it's more blood and gore during the battle itself, which was quite anti-septic, I thought. It is strange that a children's book is getting an R-rating with its movie adaptation, but wars are bloody things.

 

[fireproof78]

No Silmarillion five part film series?

I have no doubts that Christopher Tolkien's ironclad will will have multiple statements saying, "Do not sell any of my father's properties to any studios under any circumstances...ever!"

I disagree. They'll bank the money.

I could be wrong, but I think that many underestimate CT's hatred of the film adaptations, with the Hobbit seeming to confirm his bias against the film industry. His father was also dubious of film and adaptations so I don't see the experience improving that opinion.

Secondly, most of the money, at least according to this article, does not go to the Tolkien estate, which means they have little to gain in terms of financials. It seems that the Hollywood accounting has hit the Tolkien estate rather hard in that they had to lawsuit up in order to see any of the LOTR profits.

Granted, the film rights to the books are still in Warner Brothers hands so, yes, they can adapt LOTR and the Hobbit again and again. But, they won't likely see any other property from the Tolkien Estate released for adaptation.

Again, very few realize the passion that CT has for his father's work and the films are nowhere close to his vision of that work.

 

[Gaith]

No one else is curious and/or bothered that this new footage is rated R?

Curious? Not really. The theatrical had so many beheadings the MPAA probably would've been happy to have given it an R if New Line had requested one. (These being the same assholes that gave The King's Speech an R for a few f-bombs uttered as part of a therapy session.) Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if New Line had requested an R for the extended cut for publicity's sake. The extended LotR releases were justly buzzed-about and popular, but I doubt a fraction as many of us fans give a shit about purchasing and enduring even more Battle of the Four/Five/Whatever Armies.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I have no doubts that Christopher Tolkien's ironclad will will have multiple statements saying, "Do not sell any of my father's properties to any studios under any circumstances...ever!"

I disagree. They'll bank the money.

I could be wrong, but I think that many underestimate CT's hatred of the film adaptations, with the Hobbit seeming to confirm his bias against the film industry. His father was also dubious of film and adaptations so I don't see the experience improving that opinion.

Secondly, most of the money, at least according to this article, does not go to the Tolkien estate, which means they have little to gain in terms of financials. It seems that the Hollywood accounting has hit the Tolkien estate rather hard in that they had to lawsuit up in order to see any of the LOTR profits.

Granted, the film rights to the books are still in Warner Brothers hands so, yes, they can adapt LOTR and the Hobbit again and again. But, they won't likely see any other property from the Tolkien Estate released for adaptation.

Again, very few realize the passion that CT has for his father's work and the films are nowhere close to his vision of that work.

While right about most of that, I think you're underestimating how many people realize Christopher Tolkien's feelings on the matter. I think it's safe to say quite a few Tolkien fans realize his passion for his father's work and hate for the films, even to the point of hating him because they know they won't see The Silmarillion adapted.