Last week a bit of an uproar broke out over the advance footage of The Hobbit that Peter Jackson screened at CinemaCon. The issue in question is that The Hobbit — the adaptation of the Tolkien classic that Jackson is splitting into two movies — is being shot not in the standard 24 frames per second, but in a revolutionary, groundbreaking, first-of-its-kind 48 frames per second. As E! helpfully explains, “Despite his declaration that the new frame rate would offer up hyper-real visuals with a clarity and depth audiences don't get at 24 fps, providing a richer, more immersive big-screen experience, several film exhibitors and bloggers felt 48 fps wasn't ‘cinematic’ enough in the vein of his Lord of the Rings trilogy, comparing it to the crisp imagery people find on a hi-def television set.” A round of preemptive griping and groaning ensued, and a nation of Tolkien obsessives waited, hopefully, for Jackson to bow down to their technical expertise and remedy the error of his ways. But nope. Uh-uh. Petey Jackson ain’t having it.
Chuck Klosterman: Everyone assumes Ronnie James Dio lived in an ancient windswept realm populated by dragons and elfin thieves, but that's only a fraction of his mythos; after his three-year stint in Black Sabbath, he sometimes roamed sexualized dreamscapes dominated by teenage magicians. It's sad there are not videos like this today, since this was an excellent way for American kids to learn about lightning and telekinetic conjuring. Things get a little confusing at the 2:30 mark (I feel like Dio's conflict with the invisible werebear/alien should have been a larger part of the narrative), but at least the onscreen action corresponds with the song's undeniable chorus. At least we get an accurate portrait of unfathomable reality. Today, this brand of information is far too politicized.
Dan Silver: After raking in billions of dollars at the Box Office, and winning numerous Academy Awards, it was only a matter of time before the Hollywood suits came back to search for their “precious.” But as the title states, The Hobbit took “an unexpected journey” -- through financial and studio turmoil, rights ownership disputes, and a lost director (all places worse than Mordor) –- back to the big screen. But there’s no reason to go into any further detail on the behind-the-scenes drama from the past because for the first time in nearly eight years, we’re finally given a peek at the return to Middle Earth.
For Ring fans, this trailer does not disappoint. It’s a perfect blend of the familiar with the unknown.
