Even a year before the film premieres, Hobbitmania is in full swing.  Fans have been anticipating the showing of the teaser trailer for months, and for some, this is the ultimate Christmas present (well at least it’s better than that knitted cardigan your Aunt Hazel made for you).  Watching it last week confirmed that the faith I’ve had in the project for the past year was not misplaced, to put it mildly.  After reading numerous reviews, it appears to me that Peter Jackson’s vision of The Hobbit meets or exceeds fan expectations.  More art and soul have gone into making this two and a half minute film clip than many movies I’ve seen.  There are several places where I felt chills upon viewing (and hearing) these scenes, and many reviewers describe feeling a similar rush of emotion as they watch it.

Admittedly, it would be hard to fail given that the Oscar winning combination of composer Howard Shore, writers Jackson, Walsh, and Boyens, and Weta Workshop are at the helm.  The story and characters are already beloved in their literary forms, and in the case of a few, (like Gandalf and Bilbo,) their previous cinema incarnations have been warmly accepted.  The only thing that might hinder the sale of this tale to an audience clamoring for more Tolkien, is the inclusion of 13 squabbling dwarves, a possibility which Jackson took very seriously before signing on to direct the project.  But after initially viewing so may belligerent heroes as a drawback, he discovered that “their energy and disdain of anything politically correct brings a new kind of spirit to the film” (Total Film, February 2012).  Although smaller than average height, they have larger-than-life personalities, and the trailer promises viewers will have no shortage of characters to love!

Continue reading →