Two caps, and then I am resolutely turning to my work
“So this is the Hobbit!”
“What of it?”
Wednesday is the day where all my plans for the week have to come fruition, so THIS IS NOT CONVENIENT!
My main observation is that what you really get from this trailer is a sense of Thorin’s voice — and how Armitage has lowered his usual tone into an authoritative, even scraping bass at times. He sounds really regal, determined. At the same time, in his challenge to Elrond, he manages to communicate power, and the undertone of humiliation that’s a response to the challenge — do I not have the right to do this? he seems to ask with his “what of it?”, as if his rights have been challenged too often in the past. The sound was almost better than the visuals. I really like this trailer, too, because it incorporates some humor and playfulness against the gloom of trailer #1.
The other thing, which I was wondering this morning while I was getting reading to go to work — because the BBC World Report is broadcast in my public radio market in the morning, and I always wonder if he listens to it, or if he’s gone native for news — is, if you’re Richard Armitage, what do you do on a day like today? He presumably has to work, too, and can’t take the day and watch the coverage spread across the Internet.
Richard Armitage — I just can’t, can’t wait for this. I hope you have a great day. You made mine, once again! And yeah, the people who are saying these films will make you into a megastar — if the trailers are any indication, they are NOT wrong.
Beautiful caps, thanks.
you’re welcome!
Just going to the movies to simply hear his booming voice is all of a sudden not such a bad idea.
I played it in my lecture auditorium today, and even w/o digital sound, he was really impressive.
I have to try that in the surround sound classroom tomorrow!
It’s as close as we get to movie quality sound
we have stereo — and you really have to be sitting in the middle of the classroom. Not high tech but he still sounds great.
that happened to me with the first trailer — I wasn’t planning to go to hear it in the theaters but then I did.
Resolute, riiiiight…this was a total time-sucker today, I have to admit.
yeah, I eventually got it turned off and myself on task but it was a huge effort (motivated mostly by fear of looking like an idiot in front of students). Wednesday!!! Who premiers a trailer on a Wednesday!
glad I’m not the only one.
I have been pretty ambivalent about The Hobbit. I was enthralled by the story as a child…my second grade teacher read it to us all year, but I never really connected with The Lord if the Rings films. HOWEVER, that voice! “What of it?”…made my toes curl! I’m officially off the fence.
Another ticket sold! Cha-ching!!
I’m sure Peter Jackson et al will be SO relieved
totally. Did you see they were actually targeting you? Good to know their strategy worked.
“What of it’! (sharp contraction of the smooth muscles!)
I’m definitely adding that phrase to my vocabulary.
His voice, lowered, is incredible ! I had to rewatch the trailer a few times to focus on what I was watching because I was too distracted by THE voice. Said voice sending thrills through my voice. At last, I get the Thorin vibe. I want a pocket Armitage !
I’m sure the marketing machine would be happy to supply you with one
I confess I actually prefer this trailer to the first- love the playfulness and humour in it! And oh yes, the voice the voice THE VOICE…
Yes. It was simultaneously more epic and more humorous.
I agree with you about the voice. To me his voice was the “voice over” for the entire trailer. I think we’re already beginning to see what we’ve seen in the past — and that is RA’s presence overshodowing the other actors. I’ve remember reading reviews of other “new” actors and the critics will say they “stole” the scene/show. I think RA has the potential to do that in every scene. Since I haven’t seen the movie, I could be wrong — but I kinda doubt it.
that’s a good point about it being the “voiceover.” It really does sound majestic rolling around you (I tried it out in a classroom). I feel like there’s been a sort of slow burn on this issue — as if they realized during filming what they were getting and are now setting us up to see him emerge on screen in a way that they had not anticipated when they started the project.
Agreed — IMHO his talent is underestimated — probably not for long though. Just saw that there’s controversy about another “voice” — Daniel Day Lewis’s version of Lincoln’s voice. Just goes to show how important it is to get it right – even for established actors like Day Lewis. Reminds me of the conversation going on awhile ago about whether or not RA would nail the OK accent in his new movie.
Interesting, b/c afaik there are no recordings of Lincoln. He is said to have not had a very good speaking voice, though, iirc. What’s the controversy?
I’m worried about the OK accent. As is probably clear from my satire of yesterday.
Folks was expecting a baritone voice, but DDL’s interpretation was described as baritone-tenor — some said it was too high, weak. I was a little surprised when I heard it. I saw where someone from the IL, KY area said his accent was dead on. For me — before there was RA, there was DDL. I never was as obsessed with him as I was RA — except for The Last of the Mohicans — it took me awhile to get over that one.
I’ve got a lot of catching up to do…hoping to do that this weekend. From what I’ve been able to skim through looks like you’ve been super busy too.
I remember vaguely that he was supposed to have a reedy voice. ??? I was a big Abraham Lincoln groupie as a pre-teen, it ended abruptly when I learned that he wasn’t actually an abolitionist (I was a very black / white thinker in those days). I’m sure if DDL was doing it his accent was perfect.
busy: yeah — unanticipatedly. Feel like I’ve been hit by another storm phase of Armitagemania.
I just know the Voice has a slightly strong effect. No detail about effect available.:)
makes the guts quake (and other things), so to speak.
It is Thursday and I am finally getting to see some of the new Hobbit trailer and pictures, so far they are great. After the movie comes out I think we will be hearing a lot about the voice.
I agree. I should write more about that.