Here’s a link to Amazon and the soundtrack ( including, of course, that hauntingly beautiful Misty Mountains song with RA and the fellow dwarves). The soundtrack is now available for pre-order with the release expected on December 11. There is both a special edition and a regular edition available. The deluxe edition includes Academy Award-winning composer Howard Shore‘s score for the film, along with seven extended score cues, six bonus tracks and deluxe liner notes in a 2 CD hardbound digibook. The score was recorded at the legendary Abbey Roads Studios with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Why do I have a feeling there will be an awful lot of Hobbiting going on between now and mid-December . . . with the jingle of cash registers ringing merrily as the juggernaut continues?
Ever since I first heard this song a few weeks ago as part of the soundtrack to an excellent 2009 Australian filmIn Her Skin I have been haunted by it. It’s a beautiful, powerful piece of music. (Sorry for the annoying ad at the beginning, but you can skip it after a few seconds.)
If I could buy the soundtrack I would, as there are several songs I really like, but it’s not available. I did purchase this particular song from iTunes and I suspect I will be making some sort of video set to it. The John Butler Trio is an Australian roots and jam band led by guitarist and vocalist John Butler. I will be listening to more of their music.
As for the film, it tells the true story of a 15-year-old Melbourne girl named Rachel Barber who disappears one afternoon in 1999, leaving her family facing their worst nightmare. Mr. and Mrs. Barber are determined to find Rachel in spite of little initial assistance from the police, who assume she’s just another runaway teen. Great performances all around, including Guy Pearce and Miranda Otto as the concerned parents and Sam Neill as the divorced businessman and father of Caroline, Rachel’s former babysitter and neighbor.
Guy Pearce and Miranda Otto as the Barbers searching the streets of Melbourne for their daughter.
Ruth Bradley is simply outstanding as Caroline, a deeply disturbed young woman who knows much more about what happened to the promising young ballet dancer than she will admit. Written and directed by Simone North, the film shows great respect for Rachel and her family as the story unfolds. I should stress it is not for the faint of heart.
At the end of the film we see the real Rachel’s photo and I found tears coming to my eyes. Apparently in the DVD extras Otto begins to tear up more than once while discussing Rachel, obviously impacted as well by her story. I saw the film on satellite and have ordered the DVD; it is also available through streaming video at Amazon and, I am guessing, Netflix and similar sites. If you enjoy true-life mysteries that stick close to the facts and a story offering strong performances and taunt psychological suspense, I highly recommend this film.
Ruth Bradley and Sam Neill in a scene from “In Her Skin.”
We need to have our satellite dish adjusted, a project Benny will take on later. Those 25 mph winds we experienced recently knocked the little dish just enough askew that the signal goes in and out at an annoying high frequency. I bring this up because whenever it does go out for a prolonged period of time, I have a tendency to click the DVR button. And in my recordings, I go to “Nothing But Trailers” and a two-minute recording I have there.
And with the Surround Sound on I watch The Hobbit trailer and enjoy the sight and sound of Richard Armitage as Thorin. Sitting majestically astride his “pony,” smoking his pipe in a deeply pensive mood and leading the dwarfs in the Misty Mountain song at Bilbo’s house; the close up showing those ever-expressive eyes, wide and somber and beautiful, fringed in those lovely long lashes, as he speaks with Gandalf. Oh, those deep, dulcet tones.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched it, but I never seem to grow tired of it. I find myself singing that song to myself quite a lot. There’s such a lovely haunting quality to it.
I hope we get many more dwarf tunes through the course of the three movies, including a raucous drinking song sung by a lot of dirty, filthy, sweaty, naughty raucous dwarfs who like to party hard. That would be SWELL.
BTW those autumnal colors really do suit our warrior dwarf, don’t they?
As many of you know, I am a hugeGame of Thrones fan. I have even gotten a couple of you to watch it and also become hooked. You can thank me later. 😉
Yes, it can be graphic at times in terms of both sex and violence. It’s not for the very young, the very delicate or overly squeamish. But for grownups who enjoy an array of interesting characters played by very talented actors, literate and witty scripts and engaging storylines, it’s a winner.
HBO has taken this whole other world imagined by author GRR Martin and brought its various kingdoms and inhabitants to vivid life on the screen. I admit I watched the episode with the great battle near the send of series 2 no less than five times, I found it that compelling.
Heck, I even love the opening credits. They are phenomenally creative and imaginative and the theme song is wonderful. The theme music has an epic feel and I love the cello. Hmmm, who does that cello remind me of?
There are many performers on GoT whose work I truly like. But one who was new to me who has completely won me over is young Maisie Williams, who plays Arya Stark, the feisty youngest daughter of Lord Ned Stark.
Maisie Williams during a break on the set of GoT. I think this picture is just too cute.
Maisie, who is 15, has appeared in musical theater and is an accomplished dancer, performing tap, jazz, ballet en pointe along with gymnastics and trampolining. But GoT was her first onscreen role. I think this pint-sized actess (she’s five feet tall) holds her on against much more experienced performers such as Sean Bean and Charles Dance.
Maisie as Arya in the guise of a young boy in the second series of GoT.
She is set to appear in an upcoming television series The Secret of Crickley Hall and will return in the third season of GoT (can’t hardly wait!!)
Here is a clip from Season 2 with Arya and Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance)
I truly look forward to seeing Maisie in other roles and I would love to see her acting with a certain TDHBEW, too. Of course, I would also love to see our Richard pop up on GoT. I haven’t read the books so I have no idea which character I might want him to play. I’d just enjoy seeing him on one of my favorite shows.
Thanks to @richkitsch at Twitter, I found this full-length version of a Hitfix interview with RA where he is discussing the singing in TH. I also learned that dwarves are not only smelly, they like to party really hard. 😉
the armitage effect 