Guillermo del Toro will direct 2-part version of The Hobbit; opinions, EB?

[Ichirou]

It was confirmed yesterday or the day before.  Peter Jackson will be producing, del Toro will be directing.  It's going to be a 2-part version, probably going changing the storyline up a bit and using elements from other pieces of Middle-Earth fiction to make the story a bit more "epic."

For me, del Toro is a very hit-or-miss director.  Aside from The Devil's Backbone and Pan's Labyrinth, I've never seen a film of his which I've found particularly great.  I wasn't a fan of Hellboy, Blade 2 was fun for what it was (but I don't own the DVD and will probably never see it again)...a lot of people like his work because he tends to use practical effects a lot instead of over-relying on CGI.

What do you guys think?

[TVC15]

So wait, is it a 2 part Hobbit movie, or is part 1 the Hobbit and part 2 is some garbage Jackson is writing himself?

[The Fake Shemp]

I really like Del Toro a lot, but I don't like this move.  I've been a Del Toro fan before he had his breakout hit with Pan's Labyrinth, which I own and adore, and really dig his work on Hellboy.  Even though both Hellboy and Blade II are just fun adventure movies at best, he makes them with a lot of heart.  There's always a soul to his work.

I really think this is a bad idea.

[Ichirou]

2-part Hobbit movie using bits from different pieces of Tolkien fiction for extra padding (i.e., what Aragorn and Legolas or whoever were up to while Bilbo was on his journey with Gandalf).  Jackson is going to be the producer, and when he was interviewed at Ain't It Cool News, that's what he said he would do with the movie if he was in charge of it.

I hate the idea of a 2-part Hobbit.  It's basically a very simple children's story, but it looks like they're going to unnecessarily complicate it to provide stronger connections to the LotR film trilogy.

[The Fake Shemp]

They might as well make it a trilogy, and have Bilbo travel into a parallel future which is actually 20th century America!!!

[TVC15]

As I have stated before, The Hobbit is not a del Toro movie.  It's not particularly dark at all, and if he makes it dark, he's not being true to the material.  I'm hoping he is doing this so he could earn rep and make his own "King Kong".  Unfortunately, he is wasting his en fuego talent on this shit.  He's on a roll and he pisses away what could possible be the height of his power.

[Ichirou]

One of the other things I'm curious about is what they'll do for monster designs and such.  Del Toro has a pretty unique aesthetic sensibility, I wonder if he'll dismiss it in favor of keeping continuity with what Jackson and Weta did for Lord of the Rings.  Or maybe we'll get a Smaug that looks like one of the Old Ones from Hellboy.

[Phoenix Dark]

I will see it on day one regardless. But alas, the idea of a two part adaption of The Hobbit reeks of cashing in. And if the rumors are true, and the second film is instead basically "Aragorn and Assorted LOTR Characters go on Adventures", eh...I suppose that's better than making two Hobbit films, but it's still rather unnecessary.

In a perfect world The Hobbit would be left alone, or to another animated adaption. I'm not convinced the story will work as a film, without choping it up. It's basically Gandalf, Bilbo, and twelve dwarves going on an adventure. LOTR is awesome in part because most of the members of the Fellowship brought something interesting to the story. How will audiences react to a bunch of hairy old dwarves, even if they decide to go all Snow White on our asses (grumpy dwarf, sleepy dwarf, sexually ambiguous dwarf, etc).

[Eel O'Brian]

i guess just one movie couldn't contain all the hobbit faggotry

[TVC15]

I think Jackson only knows how to make bloated epics these days, and that feel won't jive with the Hobbit.  And if it is the Hobbit in two movies, as Ichi says, then yes, it is Jacksonbloated already.  BEAUTY KILLED TEH BEAST

[Phoenix Dark]

I think Jackson only knows how to make bloated epics these days, and that feel won't jive with the Hobbit.  And if it is the Hobbit in two movies, as Ichi says, then yes, it is Jacksonbloated already.  BEAUTY KILLED TEH BEAST

STFU King Kong is 8/10 material

[The Fake Shemp]

I'm Peter Jackson'd out.

[Eel O'Brian]

well, they need that extra movie for those 20 minute slowmo shots of hobbits having pillow fights and shit

[The Fake Shemp]

Phoenix Dark likes King Kong because he believes it's an allegory for an outcast black man getting a white woman.

[Eel O'Brian]

you wouldn't think it would be possible to make a movie about a giant ape wrestling dinosaurs and stomping on the military boring, but there you have it

[Ichirou]

Ain't It Cool News is blocked at work, but if you guys do a search for Peter Jackson and The Hobbit, you should be able to find the interview where he talks about his vision for a 2-part version of The Hobbit.  This interview was done back when he and New Line were in litigation and it seemed like he might not be involved in the movie at all, but now that he's a producer and one of the main creative forces, I'm sure his "vision" is what will come to the screen.

[Eel O'Brian]

between harry knowles, pre lotr jackson, and del toro, the combined cholesterol level had to be close to 1500

[The Fake Shemp]

Imagine Harry Knowles, pre-LOTR Peter Jackson and Guillermo Del Toro in an orgy.

[Eel O'Brian]

i remember watching king kong with a friend, and halfway through the movie i pressed the remote button to bring up how much time was left, then just shaking my head in disbelief

[TVC15]

Remember, Guillermo is no longer obese.  Recall in the last update that Harry said he was talking to del Toro about the surgery he had recently gotten, and that Harry was considering.

I love it when Harry mentions how grossly obese he is.

The middle hour of King Kong is pretty fun.  When they are on the island.  The other 7 hours are zzzzzzzzz.

[Phoenix Dark]

If King Kong was edited better it would be a 9.5 in my book. But everytime I sit down and try to think what to cut, I get stuck. Ok, the dino chase can go, but what else? I LOVE all the character development/comedy on the boat ride. And the black guy and Jimmy bring the lolz.

[Ichirou]

between harry knowles, pre lotr jackson, and del toro, the combined cholesterol level had to be close to 1500

No way.  It's over NINE THOUSAAAAAAAND.

lol

Del Toro is still a chubster, but he's lost a ton of weight.  Jackson is actually thin now. And meanwhile, Harry Knowles has gotten so fat he's actually given up on walking and just uses an electric wheelchair because his legs can't support his weight.

PD, black guy and Jimmy could get cut out entirely.  All the stupid "Heart of Darkness" talk should get cut.

[Eel O'Brian]

Imagine Harry Knowles, pre-LOTR Peter Jackson and Guillermo Del Toro in an orgy.

you wouldn't know where the del toro stopped and the knowles began

[The Fake Shemp]

Once Del Toro loses weight, he'll lose his spark.  Just like Peter Jackson.  Jolly, fat people are the best filmmakers!

[TVC15]

Guillermo looked good at the beginning of Pan's.  He's still chunky, but he lost a lot of weight.

[The Fake Shemp]

He must balance the fat and the creativity.

[Eel O'Brian]

plus i guess there is the lingering thought of a fatal massive heart attack, so they feel like they better get on that whole cinematic legacy thing pretty damned quick

[Eel O'Brian]

knowles crippled himself with his fat laziness, lol

[Ichirou]

Once Del Toro loses weight, he'll lose his spark.  Just like Peter Jackson.  Jolly, fat people are the best filmmakers!

Using that logic, Harry Knowles = Orson Welles (in girth AND talent).

[TVC15]

knowles crippled himself with his fat laziness, lol

[Eel O'Brian]

I used to manage a comic/collectibles store from 91-93, i've met a lot of harry knowles types

i wonder how many old people he and his father ripped off for their movie memorabilia business

[TVC15]

http://tinypic.com/flek.php?f=bh0qiv&s=2

[Eel O'Brian]

hahaha

i used to travel every once in a while with the guy who owned the comic shop to those mall shows he did, and met a bunch of the other dealers, and let me tell you there is no scummier bunch of low-level retail criminals on the face of this earth.

[Ichirou]

I bet he smells really bad.

[TVC15]

I wonder what he looks like naked.

[Eel O'Brian]

like a snowman made out of strawberry ice cream, i would imagine

[Ichirou]

like a snowman made out of strawberry ice cream, i would imagine

omg

[Phoenix Dark]

 

I bought the Reservoir Dogs 2-disk DVD set last month, and I was watching the documentaries while eating when Harry showed up on the screen. I almost dropped my popcorn - I had never seen him speaking. He was reclining in a chair as if he had a nose bleed. How does one get that fat? I've got a fast metabolism and have never had weight problems, but it seems like once you hit 230+ pounds you gotta check yourself dammit.

I bet he can fit his wife's head in his asshole

[Solo]

I think Del Toro is a bit overrated, personally. Pan's was fantastic, but Blade 2, Hellboy are both medicore. Not god awful, but hardly amazing in any respect.

Still though, better than PJ, who is the high king of overrated.

[Ichirou]

I saw Knowles guest-hosting Siskel & Ebert once shortly after Siskel died and he started talking about how much he loved Song of the South and Ebert was sitting across from him and you could actually see him getting pissed off.

[bork]

you wouldn't think it would be possible to make a movie about a giant ape wrestling dinosaurs and stomping on the military boring, but there you have it

Ang Lee went and fucked up a similar plot with the Hulk, so yeah, I could see it happening.  I've still never seen King Kong, not sure if I want to.

[TVC15]

I think Del Toro is a bit overrated, personally. Pan's was fantastic, but Blade 2, Hellboy are both medicore. Not god awful, but hardly amazing in any respect.

Still though, better than PJ, who is the high king of overrated.

del Toro is clearly able to do great things, as evidenced by both Pan's and The Devil's Backbone.  I even like Hellboy, and if anything, he has a consistent visual style between all of his movies.  I figured Hellboy and Blade II were movies he did to get his foot in the door in Shittywood, although that may or may not be the case with Hellboy.  He just needs to stay away from licensed crap like LOTR and Blade and even Hellboy (which I do like) in the future.  He is wasting his talent on this garbage.

[Ichirou]

He just did Hellboy 2, did you know?  It's in post-production now.

[TVC15]

Yep, I know.  I like the comics and I liked the first movie, so I am sure I will enjoy it.  But naturally he can't take Hellboy as far as he could an original creation.

[Himu]

2 parts is unnecessary imo

[Joe Molotov]

Peter Jackson is a modern day Cecil B. DeMille, a real showman. No one else in Hollywood can do spectacle as well as he can.

[Ichirou]

That's actually a fairly accurate assessment of Jackson.  The sheer flash and pompousness of a historical DeMille production was replicated in the LotR and King Kong films.

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

Del Toro is great, but I'd prefer it if he does his own thing.  There had to be a massive payout to get Del Toro, he turned down one of the Harry Potter movies because he wasn't in the mood for mercenary film making then, so why now?  Answer = Bling Bling.

Did anybody ever see the directors cut of Hellboy?  The one that came in the three disc set.  I liked Hellboy well enough that I'm curious to check it out, but Netflix doesn't have it and I'll be danged if I'm going to buy a flick that I'm only a semi-enthused about.

[The Fake Shemp]

The Director's Cut is pretty good - it doesn't add a whole lot, but smooths over some rough edges and fixes a couple of plot holes with a few extra minutes.