Second viewing of TH:TBO5A

[dreamflower]

My impressions of BO5A were even better this time around. Not too much spoilerish-ness, but a little, so I will cut.

I teared up a few more places this time, especially when you could watch Bilbo angsting over Thorin's dragon-sickness, and his growing realization he'd have to betray his friend for his own good. And my appreciation of Balin made me sad as I remembered Moria.

I actually warmed up just a little to Tauriel and Legolas this time--I began to realize their purpose wasn't the romance sub-plot, but they were there to bring about some of the thaw in Thranduil's character.

I loathe the Alfrid character even more. *sheesh* If I ever write a movie-verse AU of this the first thing I will do is kill him off...

I cried even more at Thorin's death scene. Oh BILBO!

And THIS time I got to appreciate the ending and the credits, as there were few people in last night's showing. Alan Lee is so gifted! Does anyone know if there are screen-caps of the portraits up now anywhere? Links anyone?

I've decided that the lines in "The Last Goodbye" that really get me are these:

Many places I have been
Many sorrows I have seen
But I don't regret
Nor will I forget
All who took the road with me

The tears just overflow right there. Because that's just how I imagine all the hobbits feeling after their return home: they are glad to go home, but they have other homes too, now, places and people that live in their hearts and will always be there, exerting a little tug away from the Shire. Yes, there are those they love in the Shire, and their roots are deep. But they have other family now, and they miss them.

Comments

[shirebound]

That song has been playing endlessly in my mind for days now. It's so poignant and PERFECT.

[dreamflower]

It is perfect. It just captures everything!

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

I wept when Bain stood bracing the arrow for his father, and when Bilbo had to betray Thorin, and of course when Kili and Thorin died. The acting was superb in all those scenes. And Billy's song, oh dear, it wrenched my heart. I hope all the Alan Lee portraits will appear somewhere online, so I can save them.

[dreamflower]

Yes, to all of that!

[claudia603.livejournal.com]

i actually can't bear the song because it is too sad (I have a strange super sensitivity to sad, evocative music), but man, he is talented (Billy).

I hadn't thought about Tauriel/Kili existing to thaw out Tharanduil before...

And oh yes, the agony that Bilbo has while watching Thorin is just heart-wrenching!

[dreamflower]

I'm afraid I love sad songs when they are that insightful.

[savageseraph.livejournal.com]

I pretty much weep through the whole last 20 minutes or so of the film. I think I might go back and see it again tomorrow.

And one of the things that disappointed me most in he film is that Alfrid didn't meet the bad end he so justly deserved.

[dreamflower]

And one of the things that disappointed me most in he film is that Alfrid didn't meet the bad end he so justly deserved.

I found myself counting off the missed opportunities to get rid of him...

[elasg.livejournal.com]

I really liked the way PJ handled Balin too. Once, when I was watching FOTR, I teared up when they reached his tomb and my daughter asked me who the person in the crypt was. I explained, but it wasn't until the Hobbit movies, when I reminded her that this was the character whose tomb is in Moria, that she teared up. I might be making a little fan there - well at least I hope so. It'd be nice to get her interested in something with more depth than some of the anime she follows.

What I really liked was seeing the battle between the Necromancer, Gandalf, Galadriel and Elrond. And we thought she looked funky in Lothlorien! LOL!

[dreamflower]

I've always had a theory that Frodo actually met Balin at some point. That's my head-canon, anyway.

Yes, the battle was awesome, and considering it was PJ, rather short. But Galadriel was AWESOME!