Elements of An Unexpected Journey (pt 1) I would have changed

If you've followed my January posts you'll get the idea I am pretty favorable toward disc one of the Extended Edition of An Unexpected Journey. Truly I did not find much to criticize or complain about. I use those words cautiously because I am no filmmaker and therefore do not really know the difficulties of bringing something life onscreen; particularly a beloved book which many guard jealously. So I suppose this is more of a dream instead of a critique. One thing working against me, having read Tolkien chronologically, is wanting to see elements in the film that Peter Jackson would never have the rights too. I will point that out when necessary. Here are some points I would have liked to see incorporated:

• Azog is called the Defiler; but other than beheading Thror in battle there is no real reason. Check this out. I wish Peter Jackson had and I would have followed this scene pretty closely. It gives another reason for the Dwarven attack on Moria--revenge. And can you imagine seeing AZOG scrolled across Thror's head? Intense!
• During the Dwarf-Orc Wars we see not only Thorin rise as a warrior-leader but also Dain son of Nain: "Up the steps after him leaped a Dwarf with a  red axe. It was Dain Ironfoot, Nain's son. Right before the doors he caught Azog, and there he slew him, and hewed off his head. That was a great feat, for Dain was then only a stripling in the reckoning of Dwarves" (p. 356, The Return of the King). Plus it's revealed that Dain peers into Moria and spies Dúrin's Bane - a glimpse of a Balrog is no bad thing. 
• I would have preferred the movie followed Tolkien here as well. I get why the Dwarves needed to be chased, to create some tension, but why couldn't have Bolg been leading the chase? That makes more sense to me; he's looking for Thorin to avenge his father (Azog). Truth be told: the extended appearance of Azog was very disconcerting to me. He should be dead! I suppose, and this is how I've had to justify it, it could be contrived that the Necromancer raised Azog from the dead since that's what Necromancer's do and Radagast hints at that power in the movie. Plus, we have no context for Dain when he finally appears.
• I love how Gandalf's idea to pair Bilbo with Thorin came to be--this would have been awesome but no rights to it for Peter Jackson, alas you can read here.

So all in all not too many issues so far. Several places I wish the book had been followed more closely (and given Jackon's movie making history I'm still sort of surprised the first bullet point wasn't followed) and one missed opportunity (due to book rights and all that jazz) that I think could have been, in someway, added in to fill in some gaps.