Some fans have expressed concern that Peter Jackson melding The Hobbit with Tolkien’s later, weightier work will rob the former of its light spirit. Might it lose its intimate tone?
In the latest issue of SFX (#229, in the shops Wednesday 14 November), Andy Serkis and Philippa Boyens reveal their thoughts on the tone and style that the movie versions will assume.
Serkis: “We saw our version of The Hobbit as an extension or prequel, so it can be thought of as six films. But it has just tons of humour in it! The characters are very vivid, especially the Dwarves – they’re individual and exciting and fun. There are characters and sub-plots which give it this texture and depth like Rings, but that isn’t to say it doesn’t have a brighter tone.”
Boyens agrees: “Even though Professor Tolkien did write it for children, it was always set against a larger whole. There are very strong elements that lead you into the wider mythology embedded in The Hobbit. But we wanted very much to keep its unique tone, that’s part of its charm! So we worked very hard at that, especially in this first film, which is your introduction to it all. The Dwarves, for instance, are very different to a bunch of posh Elves on a quest – they’re much more like a rugby team!”
SFX #229 is on sale from November 14. From that date you’ll be able to order a copy from
