As I am sure everyone knows by now, Sir Peter is bringing us a Q&A session and live sneak preview of the second installment of The Hobbit trilogy, Desolation of Smaug (or is that “Schmaug?” 😉 ) this afternoon at 3 p.m. EST today.
If you are planning to participate and haven’t already, I suggest you take a look at this post at TORn, There’s some good info here:
I have mixed feelings about this event. As much as I am eager for any little morsel I can obtain about the next movie(dare I hope for wet roaring Thorin in a barrel??) , it bothers me it is more or less limited to fans here in North America. And since the box office for THAUJ was actually larger overseas than domestically, it seems more than a little unfair. Since I tend to be a champion of inclusivity rather than exclusivity, it dampens some of my enthusiasm. I have already been hacked off about all these “exclusive” extras on the various editions of TH DVD. I mean, we are loyal and enthusiastic fans, but we ain’t made of money, folks!
Then, of course, there is the ever-present issue of my not-so-high-speed internet. Who knows how it will behave? I can only hope for the best and not stress out over it, as life will go on. Starting to wax more and more philosophical in my mature years.
Finally, there is the matter of the fact something unpleasant going on in the region of my previously fractured tailbone. We had storms all night long and between arthritis and FMS, this surely played a factor in the pain reaching out to bite me in the–well, you get the idea.
Simply leaning down to pick up a 2-liter bottle from the floor in the kitchen this morning set it off. I hobbled back to the bedroom and my heating pad and popped an aspirin and Aleve. Hoping it eases off soon. 😦
So, are you planning to watch? Thoughts? Rants? Hopes?
(I will be back later, assuming all goes well and I do see it, to talk about the event.)
I am of two minds–part of me wants to wait and be enthralled as I was when seeing “The Hobbit” for the first time (although I was the same last night when watching it again, even as rotten as I’m feeling at the moment). Actually, a BIG part of me feels that way, so I’m thinking I probably won’t watch–plus, we only have one laptop, which makes it difficult for both of us to watch something at the same time. I will probably content myself with watching the background information and films on the second disc for now. There’s something to be said for blissful anticipation–although I will be most interested to see the insights from others who do watch. Enjoy!
Also–hope you’re feeling better soon, Angie. Sounds like you’re having a rough time, and I’m sorry.
Oh, I agree about the exclusivity of all of these Hobbitty extras. I can’t see my special extras on my version because I don’t have Bluray! I am planning on seeing it though. Hope you’re feeling better soon. We’re having rain/sleet/snow mix, so my hip is saying “Hello!”
Hope you feel better, Angie! And {fingers crossed} that your internet behaves itself!!!
I’ll be there. I admit it, I’m the sucker they’re always talking about. I’m really interested in what Sir Peter has to say. And I’m an information junkie. 😉
Thanks, Zan, pain a little better, I just find myself feeling in need of a nap again and with less than half-hour to go. 😉 I always show up at these shindigs, I just hope it goes smoothly. I still wince over the whole Twitter debacle. *ouch*
I’d hope this would have to be better than that!
Surely!! I was so disappointed in the cumulative results of Richard on Twitter, on radio and on Lorraine, that I can only hope for MUCH better things today. 😉
I’ll be very interested in your views–hope your Internet behaves itself.
Stay awake — no drinking! *giggle*
I hope so too! re: Twitter … hey, if nothing else, we all had a great time. Too bad they couldn’t join in with us. Unless, of course, they were actually following along with all our silliness and LTAO. 😉
What a great thought, Zan. If they were following your conversations, no wonder there was a huge lag in answering some dumb questions.
I avoided the alcohol this time around. 😉
I’m in Europe, so no hope for me. Meanwhile, I, too, am disturbed by WB’s efforts to keep extracting money from fans. Isn’t it enough to go see the movie (sometimes several times), buy the books, buy figures and Legos, buy the DVDs and Blu-ray editions, and so on? Some of us are tapped out, facing expenses that would daunt even someone with deep pockets. Does WB only want rich fans? I think what WB is doing is poor practice. I’ll be lucky to see The Desolation of Smaug when it opens in cinemas here. Meanwhile, if I had any discretionary funds, I’d be spending them on Amazon via RAnet, so some of it would go to Richard’s preferred charities.
What a great idea! Makes me wish I had some–discretionary funds, that is.
The great thing is that the commission that RANet donates to charity applies to everything you can get from Amazon (but not third-party sellers), so I could order things I actually need, not just things I want badly. Just think of the possibilities.
Yes, it’s a really good program.
WB has had four or five films in a row lose money, so I am wondering if they are trying to milk this cash cow for all its worth. Sort of jaundiced view, but not impossible.
Not jaundiced, but I suspect realistic. Otherwise, why license the images for instant coffee, etc.? I understand that WB is now in litigation over video game rights, which may represent millions of dollars. Why all this unless they’re desperate? Even at the risk of annoying fans who can’t or won’t spend the money?
Could very well be.
Apparently the first part of my comment got eaten by the WP dragon. I wanted to tell you I’m sorry you’re having such a rough time. Sending tender virtual hugs, healing thoughts, and wishes for respite from the pain. May the kitties apply their version of feline healing. It must get better, yes?
Thank you, dear. It’s been somewhat of a painful afternoon. Can’t really get comfortable as I would like to do.
Well you know my thoughts on the matter! I won’t harp on about it as I have already had a rant on Twitter about it all. I just think that in this day and age where the world is really a smaller place thanks to technology it’s a shame that everyone is still rewarded (or penalised) for living in certain counties. And the fact that PJ is from NZ but – and I believe this is all purely about money -still chooses USA to not only have this event but release the DVD before anywhere else is greedy and selfish. Oh, look at that I am having a rant! I will climb down off my soap box now.
All that aside, I’m really glad that you DO get to take part Angie and I’m reying on you to let us all know how it went and if you did in fact get to see our wet, roaring dwarf (ohhh there’s my happy place)
Actually it doesn’t look like I am going to be taking part. My screen shows nothing. Zero, Zip.
I’m sorry 😦
It’s finally working, but the buffering is taking forever. And I had to get up to go to bathroom earlier so pain is back up. *sigh* Finally got off Twitter because I got tired of everyone talking about stuff I hadn’t seen/might not see. LOL
I’m glad its working, i hope some pics of our luscious dwarf will help numb the pain, try and rest today. I’m off twitter too – all the tweets of ‘oh there’s Thorin’ and ‘look at Thorin’ were making me cross! Feeling rather sorry for myself now.
Yeah, it’s frustrating, when you know you can’t see it, too. I’ve just gotten to part with Luke Evans’ little interview, which was ages ago for everyone else, I think LOL Enjoyed Serv’s screen caps at her blog.
Hopefully she will put up some more. I’m so late for work now and in such a foul mood. Mrs Hepworth is not to be trifled with today! My poor class is going to cop it if there is one foot out of line ;-).
I’m so glad it’s working for you though, even if it is slow it will be worth the wait. Let me now all about it later and I hope you’re feeling better xxx
I got nothing and so I just closed down the site. Maybe, I should have been more patient! But I’ve been working on my taxes, so my patience is in short supply!
I can understand that. Well, TBH, I don’t think you missed an awful lot, except for that last scene everyone’s talking about with Thorin announcing “We are the dwarves of Erebor, and we’ve come to reclaim our homeland.”
Oh, what a bummer!
See next post. I managed to snag the best part of the thing. 😉
I did. He is the god of my idolatry–but that’s nothing new.
I kind of figured that out. 😉
Well, until I can come up with something better.