Hobbits Seeing Double!

So Peter Jackson is going to be filming "The Hobbit" after all, I hear today, but no wait, there will be 2 films. Then later I read that rather than breaking "The Hobbit" into two parts, the first film is to be a prequel. What prequel? I don't recall any prequel to "The Hobbit". Is someone just going to make something up? Because if they do it'll be a load of bloody nonsense! Surely they must split the book into 2 distinct parts. I have a feeling someone got their wires crossed someplace on the news reportage front!

Another slight copncern I might have is; just what angle will Jackson take for these films? "The Lord of the Rings" films were intended for a largely adult audience, as the book was meant for adults, but "The Hobbit" was written for children, but if he makes these films for children, there's a chance that he'll miss out at the Box Office. If I was Jackson I'd pitch this film at kids, but make it dark enough that and adult audience could take it seriously. Unfortunately, the book also has a large dose of humour, which I suspect will be lost in script writing.

Anyhow, as good as "The Lord of the Rings" films were, they could never do justice to Tolkien's writing. No slight on Peter Jackson, because nobody could have done the book justice, it's such a fantastic work, probably in the Top 10 all time books, in my opinion! As for that Harry Potter nonsense, I've never read those books and have no desire to, the films are so bad, I think they're insulting to children. The fact that so many adults also enjoy them speaks volumes to me about literacy in this country (and others too it seems). If that's you then I apologise, but seriously, read a book for grown-ups. Visit a library or something, feed your brain for a change, instead of starving it of oxygen in front of the T.V. I think I've said this before, but nevermind, it bears repeating

The New Adventures Of Tintin!

I know it's not entirely new news, as I heard about it a couple weeks back, or rather read it on Digg, but for anyone who still hasn't heard the news, Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson are going to be making a trilogy of films based on the adventures of Tintin, including one together.

Now, I don't know how anyone else feels about this, but personally, I have grave reservations. Allegedly, the films will be in a format similar to Polar Express, presumably so they can have a host of celebrities do character voices. My main reservation is that they're going to Americanise it, which would surely be tragic and completely ruin it. Secondly, are they going to base the films on the original books? and, if not, who's going to write the screenplays? Are they going to set in in the same time period, or bring it up to date? Because if the do, it will suck!

There are so many things they could do to inadvertently destroy it, and I can't help thinking that anyone who grew up reading the books and watching the cartoon series, may well be bitterly disappointed with the outcome. I remember as a child, hiring out The Black Island, from the library, and I thought it was superbly written. Of course, as an adult, I can see that it was slightly ridiculous and portayed a stereotypical Scotland rather than the real Scotland, but by God it was a fun read for a child!

So, fingers crossed they do the right thing, or else they'll have legions of closet Tintin fans to answer to!