The Hobbit

I’d already done a blog on Lord of the Rings (LOTR), now it’s hobbit time.   For some reason I had tackled LOTR in print, and even digested The Silmarillion as well, but had never read this one.  With the new Peter Jackson film coming out, I decided to read the book once and for all.  I enjoyed it. 

The original 1933 book by J.R.R. Tolkien came long before LOTR was published in the 1950s.  It’s considerably shorter and warmer and casual than LOTR (Central Scrutinizer: “Hey, it’s me again.”), which makes it somewhat easier to read.

Plot:  Hobbit (Bilbo) goes on adventure with Dwarf (Thorin) and his friends, plus a powerful magic guy (Gandalf), to win the dwarves’ treasure back from the dragon (Smaug) who took it.  Along the way the group meets trolls, goblins, High elves, wood elves, spiders, eagles, wolves, and even humans.  Bilbo finds a magic ring which makes him invisible, but this upsets its prior owner, the freak (Gollum).    Bilbo talks to the dragon, and learns a weakness.   Told of this weakness, Archer (Bard) shoots down the dragon.  Dwarves refuse to share treasure with Bard.  War breaks out between dwarves, elves and men.  Goblins attack.  Dwarves, men and elves team up and defeat goblins.  Dwarves reconsider and share treasure.  Everyone goes home.  Happy ending.

The 2012 movie is part one of a trilogy to be released in subsequent eons.  Back in the 1970s, the Rankin-Bass people (responsible for such holiday classics as “The Year Without A Santa Claus”) took a stab at doing an animated film of “The Hobbit”.  This version adds some goofy music, and really makes Bilbo look like a dull tub of inoffensive goo.  The best which can be said for this effort is that it is very quick and efficient.

Jackson’s effort seems like an intense steroid injection to get “The Hobbit” bulked up to the heavier specs of LOTR.   Freeman is a substantial figure, even with hairy feet.   The biggest boost is explaining what Gandalf was up to during the brief interludes of the story where he leaves Bilbo and Thorin to their own devices, which means including characters who were in LOTR but not The Hobbit itself.   The intensity is also dialed up – yes, to LOTR spec. 

At first I was upset that “Hobbit” was split into three like LOTR instead of kept at one – until I actually watched the film, in 48 fps format – and understood what Jackson was trying to do.   I suppose ultimate judgment should be deferred until the final installment is released (and I’ve had a chance to see it) but if the first of the trilogy is any indication, I’d say I agree with both the attempt and the execution.   Huzzah!  Bully!