Bilbo Baggins tries to adjust to this pony-riding business
Demosthenes: Yes, you can have a pony. It may take a bit of getting used to, though. Is that Bombur’s cauldron strapped to the panniers?
MrCere: Did the horse act on cue or did Freeman have a difficult animal that worked well for the shoot? I see the animal and viewers see a “pony” not “horse” which makes an important difference IMHO.
It’s fair day in Hobbiton.
Random note: We’ve all read AICN’s account of filming these scenes — could that be the infamous well-endowed pig?
Calisuri: Some of those Hobbits in the background look familiar, can’t quite place them though!
Demosthenes: The market scene in Hobbiton/Bywater that we heard about via AICN. You can see Bilbo has bought groceries. He looks quite calm, so obviously neither the Sackville Bagginses nor Gandalf have accosted him. Yet.
Earl: Leroy the pig must be quite a handful… he’s been harnessed like a horse.
Garfeimao: Wearing the same yellow vest and green scarf from when he met Gandalf, only adding the blue jacket. Yes, Hobbits really can be very ostentatious in their garments.
MrCere: I like that we get to see the business of Hobbiton without it being an event such as a party. This is just a day in the life, which is an interesting difference of cinema vs. book.
“I cannot just go running off into the blue…”
The would-be “burglar,” Bilbo races from Bag End clutching his contract.
Calisuri: I’m not sure he would run over the fence and the hills with the ‘agreement’ trailing like that.
Demosthenes: Trailing a long contract, and letter from Thorin & Co, Bilbo dashes for the Green Dragon Inn. It looks as though he actually stopped to pack though, which somewhat defeats the effect.
MrCere: That contract simply must go on display. It’s an excellent prop / artifact that fans would love to see, and likely constructed by TORn-friend Daniel Reeve.
Quickbeam: Still clutching the “agreement” he received from Thorin, Bilbo has just been rushed out the door by Gandalf after that funny exchange: “You have never dusted the mantelpiece!” giving him only ten minutes to run all the way to Bywater.
“… I am a Baggins of Bag End!”
Demosthenes: Bilbo, stridently: “I just can’t go running off into the blue. I am a Baggins of Bag End!”
maegwen: The first moment in the trailer where we see Martin Freeman speaking as Bilbo — and he nails it. Yes, sir, you are a Baggins of Bag End, indeed. But, where did this scene come from? More on that later.
MrCere: While all the media hubbub was speculating about who would wear Bilbo’s feet for this movie; and the gossip-mill was floating names such as James McAvoy; and crazy, unfounded internet rumors cast first Shia LaBeouf, then Daniel Radcliffe and then David Tennant — the production always wanted Freeman. Some TORn staff championed the cause long before the announcement came. Now, with this trailer out, I think nearly everybody agrees he is perfect.
A flummoxed Bilbo is about to have his life changed.
Demosthenes: Bilbo opens his door, suddenly confronted by Gandalf and a throng of dwarves for a bit of tea and conspiracy.
maegwen: Upcoming we have the character introduction sequence. Before we “meet” the individual dwarves, there is a shot of all the dwarves in the entryway en-masse. If this is a change made for the film, it makes sense. Having the dwarves arrive together — rather than in small bunches — saves time and gives the audience the chance to see them in context to each other. A long, drawn-out scene of dwarves knocking at the door and disappearing into another room would definitely drag momentum. This would tighten things up considerably.
“Bilbo, allow me to introduce…”
Gandalf begins the trailer’s introduction sequence.
Demosthenes: Bilbo meets Thorin and Co in Bag End. Sounds more like they arrive all at once, though?
Earl: It seems they all probably arrive around late-evening or night-time (not at tea time) as you can see through the window that the sky is dark.
maegwen: Thorin is in the hall of Bag End in this scene with the other dwarves standing by. I can imagine a quick succession of “Fili, Kili, Oin, Gloin, Ori, Dori, Nori,” etc. and then the long pause before dramatically introducing Thorin.
MrCere: Contrary to what the brilliant, hard-working maegwen just said, I am far from convinced the dwarves will be introduced all at once to the audience. The comedy of another and another and another knock on the door bringing more guests, and what it reveals to us about Bilbo as he reacts seems like cinematic gold. And, just as Bilbo meets them all, the audience will need to meet them. I still believe we will see them introduced in pairs or individually, just like the book. Have I mentioned how great maegwen is?
