The Hobbit: Now You’re Tolkien

If you were Peter Jackson, would you want to stop making Lord of the Rings movies?

I expect not. Which is one reason why the first Hobbit movie took us only to the end of Chapter 6, and the second takes us only to the end of Chapter 13.

In the book – spoilers follow, should you not yet have read it –

The Hobbit: Unexpectedly Three Movies

It’s just possible there’s someone reading this blog who, in 75 years, has never read The Hobbit. I know they exist, because that group of people includes my dad, though he has an excuse: he was 10 when it was published, and already not-interested in fantasy.

So, if you are among those people, this blogpost will spoiler you like anything for The Hobbit, or There and Back Again. (The fiftieth anniversary edition, with the lovely illustrations by Michael Hague, is at my elbow as I type.) This may also spoiler you for the movie, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, in which Peter Jackson takes full advantage of the fact that he did a pretty good take on Lord of the Rings and any number of fans trusted him to do a pretty good take on The Hobbit, even though he is blatantly milking it for everything it’s worth and no one should let him even think about the Silmarillion, okay?

According to Forbes, The Hobbit is well on its way to being one of the year’s biggest films: it has already grossed $434 million at the global box office.

Gandalf for the Firth

This is a bit of a story, so have patience.

Kreetch is a fan of The Hobbit: as am I. Due to her shift-patterns, it was impossible for us to go any earlier that Sunday 23rd December, so I booked two seats in the Dominion Cinema, Gold 1 (because she’s worth it) for the 3.20pm showing.

The Dominion is described as “Edinburgh’s most unique and luxurious cinema”. Gold 1 isn’t quite as snazzy as Gold 4, but you get utterly comfy seats in a gorgeous building in Newbattle Terrace that’ll remind you of what cinemas used to be like before they went multiscreen and boxy. (Facebook has some photos.)

Art by food

If you ever wanted your lunch to look too good to eat, bento.