A Long-Awaited Trailer

Having now watched the trailer sixteen times, I feel qualified to do a bit of commentary and analysis on the two-and-a-half minutes of glory which were released this morning. I apologize in advance for the "ugly" formatting. I actually chose to do this on purpose, feeling that the size of the picture made up for it going into the sidebar a bit. If you haven't watched the trailer yet, go here now. Right, then. Let's just start from the top, shall we?

Second shot in the trailer, we get the forsaken lands of Angmar. It's one of my favorite passages in the book, when Bilbo sees the ruined castles on the mountains and feels as if something evil had once lived there. (Of course, we know he was right.) It's so deliciously chilling, and it's amazing to actually see it. Kind of makes up for completely missing the Barrow-Downs in Fellowship. On a side note, I suppose you could argue that this is Dol Guldur, but I just don't see it. It doesn't fit with the narration at that point or the shots around it, and it looks too ruinous.

I know this isn't "new" material, but isn't it thrilling to actually see the map?! Yes, it's in LotR, but here is irrefutable proof that The Hobbit is finally truly happening.

Look familiar? Well, some things never change.

Made me smile. Good old Bilbo and his well-rehearsed escape tactics.

Thorin. Like a boss. Okay, okay, you got me: I don't actually have much to say here. Just any excuse to post a picture of Richard Armitage. He's awesome, alright? I did want to point out, though, that I like how he calls it Erebor instead of The Lonely Mountain. Seems more appropriate.

The hobbit on the left here lives close to Bilbo, is concerned enough to inquire as to where he's "off to," and calls him "Mr. Bilbo" as opposed to "Mr. Baggins." Would it be safe to assume that this is Sam Gamgee's "Old Gaffer?" I think so.

Did he say an adventure? A respectable Baggins of Bag End? This will give them something to talk about... May I just take this opportunity to remind you all that Martin Freeman is not only a perfect Bilbo, but also a stupendous actor all around? *cough*gowatchSherlock*cough*

"Why Bilbo Baggins? Perhaps it is because I am afraid. And he gives me courage." I have nothing to add to this line. Just love.

At last, what I would consider a concrete example of something Peter Jackson added which wasn't covered in the book itself. Looks like we get to see the rescue under the Misty Mountains from Gandalf's perspective! One of the complaints I've heard a lot of about LotR is that you don't see Gandalf do enough magic, so this is potentially very exciting.

Was it a bird? Was it a plane? No! It was Radagast the Brown and his magnificent Bunny-Sled! All jokes aside, I can't wait to see what they do with this character.

Yeah, that is definitely a super-creepin' spider. Gulping Gargoyles, those things terrify me.

The "eats it whole" line is already the most popular part of the trailer, so no need to go into that. One of the things I'm the most excited for in the movie is to see how they handle Gollum. It's such an interesting task, reverse-character development. On the one hand, he definitely won't be the Smeagol we all know and love from TTT, but on the other hand he hasn't had to endure fifty years without the ring. Yes, five hundred with it, but still. At this point they could certainly play up the crafty (but not so desperate) side of Gollum. It would be backed up by his attitude and description in the book, and they seem to be headed that direction with this clip of the riddle game. Gollum talks to himself and yet it's not so much the hate we see in the LotR conversations as just straight-forward kill-or-be-killed. Even an interest in companionship, as long as he's not too hungry. So maybe still two sides, but not such pronounced differences between the two? One more eager, closer to his hobbitish-self, and one more possessed by the Ring? We'll see.

(Sorry the picture's so blurry. Everything was moving really fast.) Ah. Here comes the good stuff. These are wargs! I was a little put-off by how stocky and canine they were in LotR; I'd always pictured them more lanky and mangy and very, very lupine. Like this!! Goblins and eagles and wargs, oh my! Except...definite goblins...definite wargs...maybe a glimpse of eagles. So what does this mean about the movie? I think we just got ourselves a pretty solid cut-off point. No Carrock, no Beorn, no Mirkwood, one shot with a few blurs that could be a bird flying past (see below), nothing later than that. (And, no, the spider shot is not evidence of Mirkwood because it's Radagast and can't have anything to do with the dwarves.) I foresee an enormously dramatic cliff-hanger: thirteen dwarves, a hobbit, and a wizard clinging desperately to a handful of trees. Wargs and goblins prowling below. The forest in flames. An eagle's screech. The flash of a wing. And then...black. Ooooh! I'm getting chills just thinking about it!

FREAKING STONE GIANT. That is all.

They look like cave trolls. And as far as I can remember, cave trolls say "Argunhgheah!" These trolls are supposed to be complaining about mutton, and have names like Bill. This is one of those places where the light-hearted fairy story qualities of The Hobbit need to be reconciled with the sweeping grand fantasy of LotR. I'm intrigued to see how they'll do it.

See? There's so much playfulness in The Hobbit that just isn't there in LotR, so then you get the complaints that Merry, Pippin, and Gimli were "cheapened" into "pure comic relief." People can't say that about Hobbit because the lighter tone is all right there in the book. I'm not saying it won't be epic--watch the trailers, for crying out loud!--simply that we're in for a fun ride.

More of Thorin bossing. "I would take each and every one of these dwarves over the mightiest army. Loyalty. Honor. A willing heart. I can ask no more than that." Whoo!

And now my absolute favorite line in this trailer: "Home is now behind you. The world is ahead." Was your reaction as emotional as mine? I mean really: Gandalf says it to Bilbo. Bilbo writes it in one of his songs when he gets back. All his younger relatives learn all his songs. And then Pippin sings it in Denethor's hall. Wow. This attention to detail is why we love Peter Jackson and Co.

Here's that shot I mentioned earlier. You can see the eagle flashing past behind Gandalf's right shoulder. The more I think about it the more convinced I am--this would make a fantastic ending point. Nothing short of conclusive later footage in another trailer is going to convince me otherwise.

Right. It's funny and all. It made me giggle. But what is it? I honestly don't have a clue. It must be in the Misty Mountains somewhere, but that sure doesn't look like a goblin to me, nor does the joking seem to fit in that situation. Looks like a troll (a stupid troll) but that doesn't fit either, because the trolls turn to stone, end of story. Opionions? What is the goitered monstrosity?

Ah-hah! You think we're done, don't you? Well, we're not! Huzzah! In case you missed it, there are five separate endings to this trailer! The one with the dwarves, and four others. So a few more quick thoughts.

  The Sting Ending. Balin. Balin always has been and always will be my favorite of the dwarves. Isn't he wonderful, folks?

 The Gandalf Ending. Ah, I love their relationship. They're so much fun! And it makes me excited for the "What about very old friends" moment in LotR. It's strange, isn't? Being excited for how a  prequel will retroactively affect your perception of the sequels?

 The Bilbo Ending. "Incineration?!" Once more, all together now: Martin Freeman. Worship him.

The Gollum Ending. Um...just go back up and read what I wrote about Gollum earlier, because this clip backs me up even more.

Yes, now we are officially (finally) done. Sorry it was so long, but I hope you enjoyed it! And I want to hear your thoughts, arguments, etc. What did you think? Do you want to argue a point? Do tell!

~Carrots

Epic

It is actually impossible to push through two swinging doors (such as the entrance to the kitchens in the Cannon) without picturing Aragorn's entrance to Helm's Deep. Try it. I dare you.

A Poem

Dinner Rush

The Cannon Center

holds its breath.

The quivering stillness

of prey in front of a predator.

The deer in the headlights.

The rabbit looking at the wolf.

The antelope that knows the lion is just around the corner.

Here they come.

The Scullery Maid

Actually, her name isn't Beth. It's Ella, naturally. Lady Lorn calls her Beth because the last scullery maid was named Beth and she can't be bothered to tell them apart, not when there are much more important things to be kept track of. The Newtons' dinner party was the height of elegance and she is determined to outshine them. If the candlesticks on the mantle in the dining room are still tarnished on Friday there will be hell to pay downstairs.
The cook simply calls her Girl.

Escapism

The dish room becomes infinitely more manageable (even enjoyable) when you are not Kat, a minimum-wage college student, but a scullery maid named Beth who's trying to save up enough money to marry the footman.

Be of Good Cheer

There's a saying in the scullery:

"Life is like the PowerSoak.

 You never know what will come up next but you know eventually it will hurt."

The scullery isn't a particularly optimistic place. 

All Dolled Up

Here's the thing about my job: on days off, like today, it is so nice to shave and know it matters because my legs won't be covered by baggy checkerboard pants. To do my hair and know I won't ruin it by stuffing it under a baggy black snood. To put on makeup and know it won't be steamed off.