All Good Stories Deserve Some Embellishment

I've been sitting on this post for a while. I had a chance to sneak in 10 more minutes of disc one of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Adventure and watched some great scenes and some foreshadowing that I wonder how intentional it was (caveat I've not watched the Director's commentaries so perhaps my thoughts are moot).

I picked up with Bilbo recovering from his shock of the dangers inherent in Thorin's quest. He's reclining in his chair nursing a cup of tea (presumedly). Gandalf is none too happy with his hand-picked hobbit. In an attempt to sway Bilbo Gandalf tells a tale of his ancestor: tall enough to ride a horse and who led a magnificent charge in the Battle of the Greenfields knocking the head off the chief goblin winning the battle and simultaneously inventing the game off.

It's a nice moment of levity for the scared hobbit and one of the many whimsical charms found in The Hobbit which give it a much different feel from The Lord of the Rings. I must admit it was scenes like these from the book that I wanted to be present but had no idea if they could even work. But this scene came off very well (credit Ian McKellan and Martin Freeman).

Of course what struck out to me is when Bilbo says "I do believe you made that up." To which Gandalf replies: "All good stories deserve some embellishment." I have made up my mind this was a good bit of foreshadowing dropped by Peter Jackson and crew. Particularly for the book lovers like myself. There was never going to be a strict adaptation particularly when trying to make the movie universe flow consistently. I can remember sitting in theatre hearing the line and thinking: ok, be ready. Of course, some of the embellishments were much harder for me to digest than I would have imagined.

Moving on there were some nice bits with Balin and Thorin. I am not familiar with Ken Stott, the actor who plays Balin, but he did well with the character. Minus Thorin he's the most developed dwarf in the company and the most friendly with Bilbo so it was important for him to come across as likable and in the early goings of the movie that's happening.

I will end this blog post talking about a couple of home runs. While reviews for The Hobbit trilogy were mixed (if not bordering on negative) in general I have a positive vibe toward Peter Jackson's work. I think, in large part, because when he hits a home run he crushes it. We are talking a 500+ foot shot not barely clearing the fences. My few minutes of viewing ended with back to back home runs.

Thorin leading the dwarves in song: Far over the Misty Mountains cold... It is powerful, it is beautiful, it is visceral. The sorrow, the power, the hope, the resolve. These 13 dwarves are ready to risk everything to gain back their home (and that's key--for it's all about the home in the early goings). I could not have imagined the scene better.

Nearly right after these powerful images are scenes of Bilbo wandering around his empty house. His Baggins' roots relieved to see the Dwarves gone while his Took roots lamented that fact. Indeed, the Tookish side wins. And the scene of Bilbo bounding out of Bag End racing through the Shire with a  look of pure joy and shouting out: "I'm going on an adventure!" - is played perfectly to how I might have imagined it. Well done.