Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Been There and Now We're Back Again

Peter Jackson signs on to produce The Hobbit.

This is both a good thing and a bad thing. The Lord of the Rings suffered because three three-hour movies wasn't enough time to tell the story. Especially when you start adding stuff... but I won't go there.

I fear that two movies will be too much time to tell The Hobbit. It's not that complicated of a story - There and Back Again - but a lot happens, too much for one movie, but not enough, I fear, for two, unless they plan to really drag out the Battle of Five Armies for, like, half the second movie. And frankly, that wouldn't surprise me a bit. I don't know that I would mind that. I think it would be cool to see dwarf armies in battle - it has the advantage of never having been done. And they could really add to the depth of the story by including some historical information that ties the Mines of Moria, the goblin war, and the seven rings of the dwarves into the story in a way that isn't presented in the original Hobbit.

If I were writing the screenplay, I would start it with Gandalf's chance encounter on the road to Bree. If you're reading this, Mr. Jackson, I am available. I have trained myself, body, mind and soul, for this task for the last twenty years. Call ME!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello,
My name is Arthur Grady I live in Syracuse New York. Sorry I haven't read all your blog but maybe you can explain this new installment of the dwarven race being written by Douglas Niles. Which I have only read this one book from him which doesn’t make me want to read any others. (But I still will because really the only book with all dwarven leads and main characters) Though I’m saddened because I believe you are a far better writer and his a average one at best. though of course I will feel upset because it's hard to find good dwarf books I am a great dwarf buff ever since I knew what they were (which in every aspect is like me). So at the aspect of this writer and his absurd and horrible changes to what I believe you originally started of course I would be upset with this change of author’s. So it is with a sad heart that I want to know what happened to you writing this series.

Jeff Crook said...

Arthur, I am only familiar with Doug's previous work. Doug is certainly one of the best Dragonlance authors outside of Weis and Hickman. I haven't heard that he is continuing the Dark Thane storyline. If he is, I hope he does well by it.

Jeff Crook said...

Following up, it looks like the first book of a new series called Dwarf Home is indeed in progress, with the first book being The Secret of Pax Tharkas.

All I can say is, of all the authors to carry on the story from Dark Thane, I'd choose Doug. I was never contacted about the storyline while Doug was writing this book, but that is the way Dragonlance books are often written.