JACK'S BLOG
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12/16/2012 2 Comments Did you place bets? Could I sit through The Hobbit without going to the restroom?Oh Dark Thirty
I DID IT! I sat through the entire screening of The Hobbit without urinating. Don't scoff. It's no mean accomplishment for a man of my years. The woman sitting to my right, just past my wife, failed. Poor dear had to climb over our cramped limbs and scurry off to the privy with just ten minutes remaining in the show.
How did I do it? You may well ask. I prepared. I used the bare minimum of water to swallow my medications this morning. Yes, medications, plural. It's ordinary for a man of my years. (Pay attention. I already confessed to that in the first chapter.) I then deprived myself of my orange juice and breakfast. I avoided my morning coffee. That put me in a foul mood for the rest of the day. Honestly, I didn't think that I wanted to survive.
Was it worth it? You bet your sweet bippy it was. (Google Rowen & Martin's Laugh In if you fail to understand that reference.) The film was a visual feast. As far as I'm concerned, New Zealand may now sink beneath the waves. It has served its purpose. (...as a film location for the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit – pay attention.) What else is it good for? If God really intended for folk to live there he would have pushed it closer to civilization. What are you expecting – a review of the film? You have to be kidding. It's The Hobbit. Either you've read the story or you're an illiterate. If you have read the book, you have only one question to ask: Is the film true to the story? What? Didn't you see the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It was made by the same crew. Of course it's true to the book. Yes, I know that there are some who complain about any attempt to render a beloved book into film. Did you see what happened with Dune? The producers of that film were almost lynched by the people who loved Frank Herbert's classic tale. (Frank Herbert wrote Dune. Do I have to explain everything?) Actually, I like Dune, both the film and the book. They were two different experiences, both enjoyable. There will be no such problem with The Hobbit. The film is true to J.R. Tolkien's original story. Yes, the director took some license for the benefit of the literary-deprived in the audience who hadn't read the book. They also gave a little screen time to characters, such as Sauron, who is barely a footnote in the book. I suppose fans of the Lord of the Rings trilogy liked the evil wizard. They even used the same actor to play the role. Once again, Gollum stole the show. My wife and I had watched a story about the actor who plays him, Andy Serkis, on CBS Sunday Morning. His expressions and inflections bring the character to life. The electronic wizardry that animates him on the screen is truly miraculous.
We saw The Hobbit in 3D on an Imax screen. (My wife and I get senior discounts.) Of course, my son who sat next to me warned me not to grab at things that appeared in front of my face. (I embarrass him that way sometimes.) My wife agreed with me that it was worth the few extra dollars, not for the thrill of dodging things flying into the audience, but rather for the scenery. (Did I mention that it was filmed in New Zealand?) Surprisingly, the interior scenes were among the best when viewed in 3D. We seemed to be sitting among the actors.
Complaints? Yes, my wife complained that some combat scenes, especially towards the end, were too drawn out – especially when you're old and you've been deprived of a trip to the restroom far longer than you're prepared. I agreed with her. However, modern audiences need their fix and this movie will give it to them.
2 Comments
12/17/2012 12:28:12 am
On your recommendation, I will go see the Hobbit. I have never been a fan of fantasy. Did not like the movie Lord of the Rings. Thought it far too slow. But if you think I should see the Hobbit, I will.
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Jack Durish
12/17/2012 03:25:51 am
Great. Something else I'll be responsible for
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