Movie "The Hunt for Gollum" May 3 2009

[Lefty Scaevola]

A trailer at the BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8022623.stm

another at The Register (an online IT Newspaper)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04...nt_for_gollum/

[Earniel]

I have to say, the trailer looks most impressive for the budget they had. (Although I don't remember the actual hunt involved that many characters and was that exciting. Interesting.) I'm curious to see what they've made of it. Looks like they went out of their way to get characters to look and sound like those from the New Line movies. Impressive.

[Varnafindë]

I'm curious, too - I've just downloaded something that at 49.3 KB just isn't a working movie.
And everything else seems to be gone from the site ...

[Gordis]

Here is the film:

The Hunt for Gollum-High resolution

The Hunt - Low res

[Tinman]

It wasn't bad. I really wish the director would have had his own vision though, instead of peter jacksons. Not that I didnt enjoy peter jacksons take on the world... but it was just that, Peter Jacksons'. I think part of film is having your own ideas. I would like to see more original work... not more knock offs.

[Varnafindë]

For some reason I couldn't take the fighting seriously. It didn't help that I could only see it in one small window on the screen, and that I couldn't get enough light on it - but there was something about "he's alone against the enemy - I suppose he's meant to do it all alone, then - yes, he's taking the enemy out all alone. Yawn." Too predictable?

I guess I would also have preferred something that didn't try to look - and sound - like Peter Jackson had made it. They even used parts of Howard Shores themes in their original music.

[The Dread Pirate Roberts]

The fighting seemed to be in slow motion to me, even when it was supposed to be at full speed.

[Gordis]

Originally Posted by Varnafindë

"he's alone against the enemy - I suppose he's meant to do it all alone, then - yes, he's taking the enemy out all alone. Yawn."

Yes, exactly. How trite...

And note the orcs are running towards Aragorn in a pack, then stop, assemble, growl - but attack him one at a time, like noble knights they are....

And it seems that's exactly what Aragorn expects them to do, as he doesn't even try to protect his back, putting a tree-trunk behind him.

Anyway they are the same problems that PJ constantly had. Unrealistic fights with loud music.

[mithrand1r]

Originally Posted by Varnafindë

For some reason I couldn't take the fighting seriously. It didn't help that I could only see it in one small window on the screen, and that I couldn't get enough light on it - but there was something about "he's alone against the enemy - I suppose he's meant to do it all alone, then - yes, he's taking the enemy out all alone. Yawn." Too predictable?

I guess I would also have preferred something that didn't try to look - and sound - like Peter Jackson had made it. They even used parts of Howard Shores themes in their original music.

True it did seem very similar to PJ in feel. The actors even resembled their movie counterparts.

I think it was a decent effort though. (especially for under $5000)

The time frame of events was difficult for me to judge. The scene at the 13:00 mark (Where he silently removes one of 2 orcs was incredible to me.) was an amazing act that I find difficult to accomplish.

The orc fight was unrealistic. With the orc superiority of numbers, they should have been able to overwhem the ranger. (but it would not be fun ifthe hero lost )

[Gordis]

A good ranger is not the one who can single-handedly win a fight against 30 uruks. A good ranger is the one who can avoid the situation when he would be forced to do it.
How silly you must be to let 30 orcs surround you on open ground in plain daylight?

[mithrand1r]

Originally Posted by Gordis

A good ranger is not the one who can single-handedly win a fight against 30 uruks. A good ranger is the one who can avoid the situation when he would be forced to do it.
How silly you must be to let 30 orcs surround you on open ground in plain daylight?

Of course this is assuming that there he would be able to find a better place to face the orcs by nightfall. Again assuming that he is unable to avoid the orcs in the first place.

I think it would have been funny if he tied gollum up in a tree.

[Mark of Cenla]

I like it, and ... considering the price ... I choose to leave it at that. Peace and goodwill.

[The Dread Pirate Roberts]

Hurin killed so many orcs single-handedly that his movement was hampered and he was then captured by balrogs, who apparently had been sitting back watching the carnage and LOLing.

[Gordis]

I suppose that the number of orcs slain by a Great Hero (like Hurin) constantly grows in the telling. And as it was a fairly ancient tale...

[hectorberlioz]

I've just watched the film, and really it's pretty good. It isn't "for the fans" of the books, though. Blatant imitation of PJ's vision: from the soft-voiced Aragorn to the typeface used in the credits. Nevertheless, it was a very very GOOD imitation of PJ's vision. There were a few conspicuous things they could have toned down: 1) what's with all the pipes, all the time? 2) Arwen? 3) the sack Aragorn carries Gollum in changes size, and furthermore Aragorn seems to think it's no heavier than a sack full of freshly-picked pipeweed.

For me the biggest weakness was the Aragorn/Arwen scene, which was basically a recreation of what we've seen in RotK. It just didn't need to be in there, except variety. And if you ask me, the film was doing fine without it.

But, all round a nice, lovely, and mostly well-done film. I enjoyed it, and I appreciate the labor of love that went into making it...even if it was love of the movies, not the books

PS: If you haven't seen a good version of the film due to the screen and sound quality, let me just point you to YouTube, which now has the definitive version of it there posted. Just type in "the hunt for gollum," and you'll find the desired result