Yes, The Hobbit looked weird in HFR, but not all the time. I’ll admit, I had serious concerns when the movie first started and characters and objects started moving all smooth and stuff. And [slight spoilers] when we see the flashback of the dwarves being kicked out of Erebor at the beginning of the movie, everything looked like miniatures to me including the dwarves and their stronghold. [end spoilers] But once I got accustomed to the faster frame rate and smoothness of the motion (there’s hardly any blur!) I really enjoyed what I was seeing. Yes, sometimes things looked like a behind-the-scenes video and not a “real” film, but the colors were bright and vivid and the 3D was among the best I’ve seen. When we come across trolls, orcs and mountain giants, they look incredibly real, and I was pretty much in awe of what I was looking at with every new scene. Now, whether that was due to the effects themselves, or the HFR or 3D, I’m not sure. When I see it again, I’ll see the regular, 24fps version just to compare the experiences.
So what did I think of the movie itself? Well, despite hearing (among critics and friends) incredibly mixed reviews beforehand, I absolutely loved the film and can’t wait to see it again! Yes, some scenes could have (should have?) been trimmed, and the movie would’ve moved along more quickly had it been only 2 hours, but as a big fan of The Hobbit book and animated movie, I literally had a smile on my face nearly the entire running time. Needless to say, if you dig Middle-earth and are either a fan of the Lord of the Rings books or movies, it’s a must-see. Peter Jackson and Co. did not disappoint. And, yes: even with its many distractions, I recommend seeing it in HFR 3D, if only to judge whether you like the new format or not.
I’m really curious as to what you BOTreaders thought about the Hobbit and what format you saw it in, so if you’ve seen it, click and comment below:
So what'd you think of The Hobbit?
- Skipped opening weekend but will see it soon. (37%, 107 Votes)
- Loved it unabashedly and will keep loving it forever, preciousss. (25%, 71 Votes)
- Loved it, but it had problems. (20%, 57 Votes)
- Didn't see it and have no plans to. (11%, 32 Votes)
- Liked it. Nothing more, nothing less. (6%, 18 Votes)
- Meh. It was okay. (1%, 4 Votes)
Total Voters: 289
Loading ...How did you see the Hobbit?
- I saw it as movies are meant to be seen: 24fps, 2D (49%, 73 Votes)
- I spiced it up a lot: 48fps HFR, 3D (21%, 31 Votes)
- I spiced it up a bit: 24fps, 3D (17%, 26 Votes)
- I was King under the Mountain: 48fps HFR, 3D, True IMAX (9%, 14 Votes)
- I went big and fast: 48fps HFR, 3D, Lie-MAX (3%, 5 Votes)
Total Voters: 149
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Won’t get me seeing it in 3D, sorry And if the only way for HFR is 3D, well, so be it.
I have weird eyes, can’t view 3D movies without an astonishing headache, so I don’t try.
But I do intend to see it! I read the books when I was… much younger than I am now, and appreciated Jackson’s work.
if 3D gave me a headache, i’d skip it too, mephron! i’ll probably end up seeing a 2D, 24fps, non-HFR showing next to see if all the hullaballoo over HFR 3D is all that.
and check you out – you just achieved the Shades of Firsting! wear them well: these provide headache-free 3D lenses for “weird” eyes! and make everything appear HFR (for good or ill.):
😎
I usually get headaches from the 3D too, but I saw it in 3D cause my friends bought to the tickets (beggars can’t be choosers) and honestly I didn’t even get a small headache! I was very pleasantly surprised. So don’t know if you want to give it a try or not but the HFR was well worth it! And it is only the second movie I’ve ever seen in 3D that was worth it, the first being Avatar.
i agree, JP – the 3D was totally worth it! and good to hear that HFR was headache-free for you (which has been the case for others apparently, too), although i’ve read it’s now making some people nauseous. heheh. you win some, you lose some.
Jereme: I have a condition called ‘strabismus’, which is also called lazy eye. short form: without concentration and work, my eyes don’t point in the same direction. (I also can’t legally drive, even with corrective lenses, because of the degree of it.) The ophthalmologist told me that the reason I get the headaches when at 3D movies is because I’m forcing my eyes to go in directions they normally don’t.
Which sucks a lot, I gotta tell you.
if only the Shades corrected strabismus!
well, here’s hoping science figures out how to fix it cheaply and effectively in the future, mephron. 🙂
Ugh I really want to see the movie, it was one of the first books I ever read but with Christmas almost here i just have to much cooking and preparing to
For family..
I plan to see it next week, but for now I lowered my expectations like I do for every movie/ game I want to see. It helps doing that, I’m rarely disappointed with films after doing so.
and since it’s nearly 3 hours, it’s not just a quick trip to the movies, Satoshieyes! it’s quite a commitment, but worth it. eh, wait until the crowds die down to see it. it’s doing well so you’ll have plenty of time after the holiday madness. 🙂
my lowered expectations may account for why i loved it so much, so i approve of your plan to do the same!
I’m trying to avoid reviews, but I’m such a big Martin Freeman fan that I’d go even if all the sources I respect thought it was a three-hour cinematic cowpie–luckily, what opinions have sneaked past the fingers in my ears seem favorable so far.
I may take a vacation day and go tomorrow–but only 2D at 24fps. I don’t have much in the way of stereoptic vision and I have no idea what 48fps would do to me.
i can tell you that Martin Freeman was the perfect choice for Bilbo, Sarah W! loved what he did with the character. and seeing as how 2D, 24fps is the top choice in the new BOTpoll, you’ll be in good company seeing the film in that format. 🙂
I haven’t seen it yet, but I definitely want to! Perhaps we will end up seeing it over the holidays rather than waiting till we get back. Like mephron, I don’t generally enjoy the 3D experience all that much, but everyone else in my family likes it so that will probably be the way we go. We don’t have IMax or Lie-Max (whatever that is), so those aren’t a choice.
If I don’t have a chance to talk to you again before Christmas, have a great one! I hope to come back to see the Christmas Bat strip(s) though. 🙂 I loves me some Christmas Bat.
heheh. “Lie-Max” is another name for the “IMAX Experience” which isn’t true IMAX, it’s just a big screen, Shanna. it irks me that IMAX and theater owners would try and dupe moviegoers like that. grrr…
but, yes – see it in 3D! i think you’ll dig it. and have an AWESOME Christmas! (i know you will!) hope to hear about it after the holidays. and if all goes well, the Christmas Bat will arrive in the very next strip. 😀
I saw it in 2D at normal speeds and it looked fine to me. Although I would love to see it at the higher rate in 3D now that I’ve seen it in normally, might try that this weekend if I get my shopping done this week.
As for the movie itself, I wasn’t bored even though some of the scenes did seem to last longer than they should have, still, I enjoyed it a great deal. Some scenes blew me away, like when the mountains were fighting and the riddle scene between Bilbo and Smeagal had me smiling the entire time. Can’t wait to see where they take the story.
glad to hear the 2D, 48fps version works as well, TPC. if you see the HFR version, let us know what you think.
and both of the scenes you mentioned looked AMAZING in the 3D HFR!
*drags out the soapbox*
Spoiler Alerts do not count for a book that was published 30 something years before I was even born! Having read the book when I was younger and seen the cartoon version back in the 80’s, you can’t really spoil anything for true fans that KNOW what is going to happen!
*puts the soap box away*
Good Morning BOTiverse! Incase we do not meet again before hand, Happy Holidays to you one and all and GD it MERRY CHRISTMAS!
ha! it’s true, Pixie – i shouldn’t have to put Spoiler Warnings on something as classic as The Hobbit, but i was reminded of just how many people haven’t actually read the book when i learned about half the people i saw it with weren’t familiar with the material. i know: crazy, right!?
and Merry Christmas to you and yours, too!
Okay so I went and saw it in 3D HFR and it was AMAZING! Normally I have issues with 3D and I didn’t at all with this one. Don’t know if the 3D was that good, or because of the HFR or what. Speaking of the HFR it was like going from a normal TV to a HD TV. Or going from DVD to Blu-Ray. It takes about 5-10minutes for your eyes to get used to it but then it’s fine. Everything was so much clearer it was like we weren’t watching a movie but more like watching a play go on, or just something outside. It was great and definitely helped with the immersion feel. My only complaint about the movie was that they took too many liberties from the book. They added in things from the Simillarion (sp?), and then made some characters more than they were in the book. They also left out certain characters and just made it into a very different feel in the movie overall than it was in the book. There was an overuse of fighting scenes that didn’t need to be there. But in the end would I go see it again? YES! Is it something I will own some day? YES! Did Peter Jackson do the book justice? Ask me after the 3rd movie.
i hear the HFR helps 3D because the extra frames create less strobing and so less headaches, JP. and i totally agree – for good or ill, everything’s much clearer and looks much more realistic. and yeah, while some additions seemed to just pad out the story – something that probably wouldn’t have been necessary had this been contained in 1 or 2 movies – i do relish the opportunity to hang out in Middle-earth as much as possible. and i also completely agree that we’ll have to wait to see the entire story before we can fully judge PJ! can’t wait for those next films. 😀
I’m with you. I think it looked weird! I’m not a purist, I just like things the way they’re meant to be. ; )
heheh. i wonder if it’ll still look weird in a few years when we’re all used to HFR, FunnyShaffer… hmm.
I’ve seen the old cartoon Hobbit and read the book, I’m interested to see the newest one.
i love the cartoon, Anime fan, and can still remember (and sing!) the songs from it. was kinda hoping they’d incorporate some of those into the new movie. 🙂
I need to read the Hobbit before I see it >>
yes! i’m sure you’ll fly through it, dj. it’s much tighter and an easier read than the LOTR books.
Haven’t seen The Hobbit yet. Will probably wait for DVD. But I just can’t stand the idea of 48fps. This isn’t even a movie purist thing, it just looks CHEAP. Like an old episode of Doctor Who, or a TV in the store with the hz cranked way up. I just can’t stand the idea of having a movie look like a PBS documentary.
it does take some getting used to, Saeed, and i can’t say i want to see movies this way from now on, but it is pretty cool once you get used to it. hoping they improve the tech in future movies!
Hey Jeff, it’s HFR, right? Because you keep calling it HFS, hehe. 😉
So you already corrected those references, you sly dog! (without giving me due credit yet, but ah well, I only do it for the sake of humanity; the compulsive proofreading, that is)
actually, a friendly BOTreader discretely emailed me about it and i edited the error before seeing your notice here on the boards.
yep – check out the past couple comics, Kim: it’s HFR. if i called it HFS in a couple comments, it was an oversight. but you knew that already, didn’t you?
Speaking of technical questions, I might as well ask an expert…
What exactly is the difference between “True” IMAX and “Lie-MAX”?
(epic admission: as far as I know, I’ve never seen either. sigh)
Yes, I did see that you replied to an earlier comment about this, but I was hoping for a few more details… How can one tell the difference? Solely by whether it’s called the “IMAX Experience” or just IMAX? What is the actual size difference? And most importantly, where in the Los Angeles area can one find The Real Thing? (just in case I decide to go that way for my eventual viewing of The Hobbit Part 1)
if the notice for the showing reads “IMAX Experience” you know its Lie-MAX. if it’s just “IMAX” then you can be pretty sure it’s the real deal, and since there are only a few “real” IMAX theaters in L.A. anymore, it’s pretty easy to distinguish. although, even if you’re seeing a movie on an IMAX screen doesn’t mean it’s true 70mm IMAX, which make things even more frustrating. anyway, true IMAX movies aren’t even shot or projected in the same dimensions as traditional movies. it’s a more “square-ish” screen: 76′ x 97′ vs. ≈ 28′ x 58′. in most cases, Lie-MAX is still better than your average movie screen, i just get annoyed by the deception. as for where you can see The Real Thing? here’s a Google map of the theaters: IMAX/Lie-Max Theaters. hope this helps.
I was a bit busy this weekend…but I’m dying to see it! I’m hoping to see it in 48 fps, so I can have a good comparison.
worth it, GG11! even if just for curiosity’s sake.
Haven’t seen it yet. Want to. Will probably do the normal 2D and standard frame rate. Keep it simple stupid. 😛
i’m reeeeally hoping to get to a theater to see it at the standard frame rate, TCG, as my curiosity about the difference between that and HFR is getting the better of me the more time that passes! maybe this weekend.
I saw it twice opening weekend but didn’t feel like forking over extra money to see it at 48. Beside my buddy spent nearly $10 just on popcorn and a large drink so he was the crazy one. Overall a great movie.
Also got my Jefbot book vol 1 in the mail and forgot to mention the happy it gave me…more nerdiness to keep me amused this holiday
$10 is a pretty good deal on popcorn and a drink at a movie theater, matt! i swear i can’t get that for under $15 at most of the theaters in L.A. these days.
and happy to hear you got your book! the more nerdiness during the holiday the better, methinks. heheh. thanks for your order!
Sill havent seen it…
dang it, Maryz!
I DO NOT like HFR. Call me old school if you will, but I want movies to look like movies; not like they’re actually happening in front of me. The exception to this, of course, is if Milla Jovovich is on screen. Then I will make a scene trying to crawl through the television and/or movie screen.
ha! well, maybe they’ll shoot the next Resident Evil movie or sequel to The Fifth Element in 3D HFR, Menapace. i just hope i’m not in the theater during your crawl toward the screen when you see it. 😉
I loved The Hobbit except for the additional story about Radagast and Goal Dolgur which was out of place and ruined the pace. I saw it in 2D on Sunday because 3D gives me headaches and I wear glasses so it is annoying. Though, my husband and I may see it again in HFR to find out what it is like.
i know i’m in the minority on this (at least anecdotally amongst friends) but i loved the Radagast scenes, Anonymouse! loved his little rabbit sled, too. only problem was he didn’t seem to understand the whole “leading away” thing vs. “leading toward.” heh. great to hear you loved the movie, though!
Gol Dolgur, stupid autocorrect.
🙂
Now, if you’re going to impersonate Gollum, you have to trill your R’s like so: Pr-r-r-r-eciousss! . . . .Well, maybe he only said it that way once in LOTR, but I just like to show off my ability to trill R’s; it’s why I speak Spanish “con un buen acento”.
i’m pretty good at rolling my Rs too, Bender_Sastre! at least with my mouth. seems i have to practice rolling them with my fingers more. 🙂
I can’t go to the movies without seeing them in Imax! What’s the point otherwise 😛 As for the movie, I loved it, it was an utter delight and it was amazing to me that they added in so much without making it seem tacky or unnecessary. Sure, three movies might just be a ploy to get more money, but I was never bored during this film, everything made me smile and having too much is always better than having too little!
As for HFR…. i didn’t like it. I think the main problem is we like our fantasy to be fantasy, and this film didn’t separate us enough by making things move more lifelike. Plus some intense scenes (especially with Radagast) were just hard to follow from how fast the camera was moving mixed with the 48 FPS. Other scenes, like the trolls, looked perfect!
i felt the same way, humulos – i loved the entire thing, long takes, extra scenes and all! can’t say whether that’ll hold when i see it again and again, especially when i inevitably get the blu-rays, but for now, i loved nearly every minute of it.
and i can’t wait to compare the 24fps version to HFR when i get a chance to check it out. i have a feeling it’ll look much grander (especially the Erebor scenes and dwarves-at-Bilbo’s-scene at the beginning.) but, yeah – that troll scene looked incredible. same with the mountain giants and goblin cave scenes, too.
I saw it opening day, but not at the midnight showing (and yes, I dressed up a bit for it; pictures are available if people ask nicely. 😉 ). I honestly didn’t notice most of the technical details, except that it looked gorgeous. I saw it in 2D, no idea of the frame rate or whatever, we just got the one 2D option and several 3D and IMAX options.
Bits and pieces of the storyline bothered me (implying Galadriel was stronger than Gandalf, for a start, grrr…), but the main storyline was absolutely amazing. I’m a Sherlock fan, and knew Martin Freeman could pull it off, and he still astonished me. The only storyline things that bothered me were the pacing. One of my directors used to encourage us to think faster and pick up the cues without letting a lot of dead air in. The editing would have fixed that, if they’d been so inclined. As it was, there was a lot of silences that didn’t need to be there. But Martin Freeman, especially, is amazing at acting into the silences, so I shan’t complain much.
please please please! (consider those pictures nicely asked for. heheh.)
and i agree – Martin Freeman was perfectly cast. every little tic, expression and move he made was great. and yeah, the pacing was a bit off due to the editing. i feel PJ’s movies have been that way ever since King Kong. just a second or two snipped in scenes throughout the movie would’ve helped. (and brought down the running time in a good way.) but still: loved it!
3D normally gives me a headache, but I didn’t have any problems with the HFR… I think the HRF actually helps keep the 3D from appearing as blurry so I was actually able to follow the fast scenes better than I would have otherwise. Plus, I had the Dolby Atmos sound which is just awesome!
As for the storyline… I don’t actually think that it ran slowly. With a trilogy, you except the first movie to include backstory, and I think they did a great job of mixing the backstory in with enough action to keep the story from dragging. I was very happy with the movie and I’m sure that I will see it in the theater again.
oOOoh… “Dolby Atmos”??? i’m not sure i’ve experienced that, Shay! do they play a little soundcheck trailer (like the THX ones) if the theater’s equipped with it?
yeah, i was thinking the same thing about “backstory” – now that the crew is on the road, there’s a bunch of exciting story beats (without spoiling anything for fans not familiar w/ The Hobbit, i’ll just say: barrels, spiders, dragon, Bof5A, etc.) coming up which will probably make parts 2 and 3 even better. can’t wait! 😀
Yeah… they have a trailer too… LOL. But it’s awesome… overhead speakers, side surround, front surround and behind the screen speakers… something like 64 speakers and up to 128 audio streams. Basically, between the 3D and the Atmos, there were times when it really did feel that I was in the middle of a fight… dialogue and sound effects actually follow the characters and track with the camera, so it’s awesome. There are only about 30 theaters in the US with Atmos right now, and I’m lucky enough that one of them is less than 5 miles from me! *happy dance*
Silly little press release from the theater chain I go to… It goes into a little more detail: http://www.emagine-entertainment.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Emagine-presents-Dolby-Atmos.pdf
When are you going to go back to working in a real-life job? The comic is cool but I don’t think it’s going to be a full time job…..yet.
if a cool job comes along, i certainly wouldn’t turn it down, Cotton Eye Joe, but sometimes you just gotta seize the opportunity, and right now, that opportunity is JEFbot. so yes, this is my real-life job!
I only got to see it in 24 fps because I would have had to drive to the next city to see it any faster. If I could have seen the higher frame rate I would have.
makes sense. i’m not sure HFR’s worth the extra drive time, MathLady. how’d you like the 24fps version?
We did the whole shebang, IMAX, 48 fps, 3D, and some new sound tech. Didn’t particularly care for the opening of the movie, but the rest of it was fine. Once I got used to the new frame rate I thought it looked great.
nice! i ended up not seeing the IMAX version, Oz, but i’m curious to see how the movie upscaled to the format, especially with those high def cameras they were using.
Hi,
Off topic, but is there a reason that we can’t see the comic in the RSS feeds any longer?
Great commentary! I liked seeing the water flow, but I couldn’t stop just watching the water flow.