How I 'Fixed' The Hobbit
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 เม.ย. 2020
- This was my quest to find the Arkenstone, to unearth "The Hobbit" movies that I hoped were buried beneath their flaws and missteps.
Armed only with my love & respect for this world and the creative minds behind it - as well as some editing software - this is what I found...
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If you're interested in checking out these cuts of The Hobbit trilogy, just shoot me an email: thehartbeatmail@gmail.com
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PATREON: / chrishartwell
LETTERBOXD: letterboxd.com/chrishartwe77/
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I do not own any of the footage or music from "The Hobbit" that is used in this video - บันเทิง
I am still waiting for the day peter jackson sees your cut and realizes he made a wonderful movie full of heart hidden under many useless scenes
Say what you like but maybe approach this as though PJ was brought in late and Warner Bros was responsible for what we got. Peter Jackson probably would have only made one movie with far more lead time than he was given
@@Driretlan I think the major issue with the trilogy is that PJ only ever originally planned to produce the films...Guillermo del Toro intended to direct from the outset, but after the film was stuck in development hell for years (thanks in large part to the sheer number of studios / rights holders to be appeased among other issues, he walked and a new director needed to be found ASAP. PJ "took one for the team" and I don't think his heart was really in it to the degree it was for LotR. That said, the trilogy (it was originally planned as two films, not three) isn't nearly as bad as some folks seem to think it was, but yeah, judicious editing could have made for a series of tighter, less goofy, more emotionally satisfying movies.
@@scaleicons i watched lotr interviews and bts footage some days ago and after that i watched the hobbit production diaries on Peter Jackson's youtube channel.
watching those really brightened my day, even the hobbit ones where there is so much going on on-set.
🤡
Considering everything that I've read from behind the scenes, it's kind of a miracle these films came out as well as they did.
It's true! I really don't think PJ and company could've done it without the 20+ years of experience under their belts.
@@ChrisHartwell Right. Although the Hobbit trilogy didn't live up to the standard of the previous LOTR films, it could've been really, really bad.
Kind of reminds me of Justice League as well. A lot of flack is thrown Joss Whedon's way when it's amazing the movie is even as good as it is. Both Peter Jackson and Joss Whedon somehow made a cake without all the ingredients, it might not be the best cake you've ever had, but it's a miracle it even looks and tastes like cake in the first place.
@@thewatcher8573 Kevin Tsujihara really left Whedon out to dry just for a bonus.
@@Scrapluv yeah, dick move bro
Just watched all three. These are, without a doubt, the definitive fan-edits. There's only a single moment in all three movies that genuinely felt clunky, the scene where bofur runs to the river after sleeping in too late and sees the other dwarves who got left behind. (The eyelines don't really match, and it's kinda quickly paced, but it's such a small moment it really doesn't matter much.)
I've tried and tried and tried to find a 1-movie edit that worked, and while I was fine with the Maple Films edit and the Bilbo edition, there's just no getting around the fact that the transition between the first and second movies just isn't possible to make seamless. Hartwell took the right approach and simply left the trilogy a trilogy and worked to make the movies work on their own. Other editors made edits based on set-pieces or moments they wanted to get rid of, but Hartwell made his edits based on the demands of the story, which is always the right approach in movie making. I will happily put these on my roster for my next Middle Earth binge-fest. I really hope these take off and get noticed, and I hope Mr. Hartwell has a long and fruitful career in the industry, should he choose.
Reading this brought such a smile to my face - thank you!! _So_ happy that you enjoyed!
How did you get these?
@Pierreuhh contact the guy who made the video via the email he lists in the description. He tells you more at the end of the vid
@@terragthegreat175 But that was like 2 years ago. Will he still pass the edit today?
@@carlosgabrielmartinezcorde2984 only one way to find out
If you're interested in checking out these cuts of The Hobbit trilogy, just shoot me an email: thehartbeatmail@gmail.com
P.S. Yes, they're _still_ available :)
You're probably already aware of this, but in case you're not... Have you tried the Fanedit Info method?
Dropped you an email!
@@devilskind92 I was not, until now, aware of Fanedit Info! Thanks for the tip!
@@lukemartin8211 Got it, good sir!
Email sent as well. Sounds like a labor of love. Can't wait to see it!
Just finished “An Unexpected Journey” and I was simply amazed! I never watched the original movies before, I loved the book too much and I wouldn’t bear to watch a bad adaptation of it but your cut is simply phenomenal!!! Enjoyed every moment of the movie and it didn’t seem like it was edited from the original. I applaud you! 👏👏
Can’t wait to watch the other two, very excited!
p
The first movie isn’t that bad as an adaptation
@@ChadKakashi yeah it’s mostly the next two that are considered bad. It probably should’ve just been a duo-logy or a 3 hour movie.
Well I just finished watching your edits and I’ve gotta say they exceeded expectations that were already pretty high! Phenomenal job! Watching these brought back the magic I felt watching them when I was younger! I’m excited to see what you’ve done with the extended edits! Thank you so much for your hard work!
So, so glad that they worked so well for you, bud!
Is the Goblin town song in there
@@stopwatchstudios9622 gladly, it's not
@@ashutoshsharma9553 ugh I don’t like it as much as the second song the great goblin sings but I do think the Goblin song adds more culture to the Goblins
How do we watch?
Having seen these edits I can confirm that Chris has fixed nearly every issue I had when I first watched them. His decisive edits have removed everything that distracts from the true emotional core of the films, and I managed to shed actual tears for the ending for the first time. A brilliant demonstration of how films can be made or broken in the editing stages!
I aways liked The Hobbit trilogy, but after seeing so much negativity towards it, I started to ignore the films and pretend I didn't care about them anymore. But I do. They are genuinely better than most adventure movies we get nowadays and PJ, even under so much pressure from WB, still made them with care and love. I watched all three of them on cinema, the first one with my grandma, and she liked it a lot. I grew up waiting to see Smaug and reading the book to know how everything would end. This video made me remember why I like these movies. Thank you. I'll make another comment here as soon as I watch your cut.
Just watched the edits. These are really amazing cuts of the hobbit that not only make them much more enjoyable to watch, but also maintain some adherence to Peter Jackson’s vision instead of cutting out everything that isn’t in the book. Beautiful.
Having watched the re-cut trilogy back-to-back, I can say this is the best version that The Hobbit trilogy that could be made. You cut away what was necessary, and restructured the story to make Bilbo and Thorin's journeys the focus. I agree with cutting out some stuff like the Necromancer vs. the Council, even if we did have to lose Christopher Lee. Contrariwise, I'm glad you didn't cut all of the extra subplots out, like reducing Legolas to a cameo, or completely cutting out Tauriel and Kili's romance, purely because they aren't in the books. My favourite alteration was putting Smaug's attack on Lake-town at the end of the second film rather than keeping it as the opening of the third. I greatly enjoyed these re-cuts and thank you for the fantastic job you did on them.
I could listen to you talk about Middle Earth for ages. It's almost soothing to the soul in a way lol Keep being awesome!
Haha! Thanks a lot! It really is one of my greatest passions (if you can't tell)!
Just finished watching all three - although I've seen the theatrical and extended cuts, this one really tightens up the story and makes it pass without any excessive action, lulls, boredom or loss of focus.
Even with my high expectations going in, I'm actually surprised at how well it came together - it's really like not a second was wasted, and everything flows the way it seemed it was always meant to. Seriously impressed with this.
Hey Chris, really enjoyed these cuts. Particularly: the first two. I loved how you tightened things up and kept the focus on Bilbo and Thorin. I do have one suggestion though. Personally, I hate it when movies utilize both audio and visual flashbacks to moments earlier in the film or in previous films. I felt this pretty strongly in BotFA and I really think those moments are not needed. The audience has been paying attention, we can connect the dots. We don’t need to see Bilbo picking up the Arkenstone because when he pulls it out we can put together that he’s had it the whole time. We don’t need to hear Thorin remember Thranduil say “white gems of pure starlight.” We can just see Thorin pick them up after Thranduil mentions them to Bard. And I don’t think we need to hear Thorin say “I know an elf-lord who would like these” or whatever it is he says. He can just smirk and we get the idea. The only flashback that I think works is the audio flashbacks during Thorin’s descent into madness. Otherwise, your cut of the film is much stronger. There are still some moments with Legolas and Tauriel that I would cut (“there is no love in you”), but that’s more my personal preference. I really appreciate the work you’ve done these past two years and I thank you for helping me love these movies again. I look forward to watching the updated versions!
Yes, YES, YES!! This is exactly what this trilogy needs. I love how you focus on exactly the right story elements and clear away the distractions to get to the heart of what worked in this trilogy. Excellent work! God bless you sir and you continued brilliance.
This comment’s long overdue; Chris sent me his cut of the trilogy almost a year ago and the amount of humility he has towars this project is to his credit. I remember watching each of these movies in theaters back in the day, and recall wishing that if they could only shake off the extra narrative weight they would capture the pacing and energy of the LotR films. These do.
Thank you. Chris Hartwell, your vision of how to "fix" the Hobbit trilogy is without a doubt the best there is. After searching far and wide, and seeing all the editions of this beloved world, yours truly gets to the core of what made them great in the first place.
Without a doubt in my mind, your edit must have been the one that introduced my family to the world of hobbits.
I assure you that everyone LOVES it!
Now, I tell you folks, who have not seen the edition. You are missing out on the best there is.
Farewell...
I am Daniel Olvera.
Just finished all three of your edits. I'd like to thank you for sharing it because honestly it made me fall in love with the series all over again. By the end of it, I was using my pocket handkerchief to wipe my satisfied tears and longing to sign a contract of wondrous adventure. I must confess I grew apathetic to the original films when seeing them for the first time, primarily for their length and bloat, but after seeing your cuts, I've grown to appreciate them to such a degree that I would never have imagined before. Thank you so much for all your hard work!
Wow! I watched your cut last night and I have to say it feels pretty perfect. You really did this film a service by helping the audience to focus in on the most important parts of the story without all the distraction. I'm really impressed. This is a fantastic demonstration of what a good editor can accomplish. This version works in so many ways that the original edit did not. Thanks for this. Great job! Can't wait for the cuts of Part 2 and 3!
Just seen the Unexpected Journey cut. It’s genuinely brilliant. You’ve managed to make a decent film pretty damn near close to amazing by only really removing things and adjusting the chronology of scenes. Well done.
How did you see it?
saw
Where can you find all his cuts?
@@Jonnell01 email him with the adess in the description
Goodness. This was the mostly beautiful youtube clip I've seen in ages! I cannot wait to see these edited films. You're so right Chris, the HEART of the book is there in these films, you just have to distill it from the bombast and noise. I eagerly await watching these edits in anyway they manage to make their way to the public forum.
Just finished your edits of this trilogy Chris, and I'm absolutely blown away!
I watched with a group of friends, and already from the start, seeing that classic New Line logo appear on screen was a very good omen.
Honestly at points I felt like I was watching LotR, and I'm now so excited to watch these movies back to back with the original trilogy and have that impressive tonal consistency.
This was a very refreshing take on films that I've always loved but now can appreciate even more, and I can only just thank you so much for all your effort in putting it together! 🧙🏻♂️
All right, I just finished your cut of An Unexpected Journey and I've got to say, this is exactly the kind of stuff I've been looking for.
The removal of the B plot with the Necromancer lets the plot moving more smoothly and makes Bilbo and the dwarves's inner struggles clearer and more relatable (cf the departure from Rivendell, that's brillant editing right there).
Thank you for this, can't wait to see the rest.
Have en excellent day!
This warms my heart! Thanks for the encouraging words! _So_ thrilled that it worked for you!
Recently watched the trilogy with my family, genuinely blown away. The movies just felt better to watch, by getting rid of all the distractions and side plots it set the focus on Bilbo and his journey. Finishing the trilogy felt rewarding. There were plenty of things that just felt more impactful in these cuts that I can't even begin to describe. I always was drawn to The Hobbit movies even with their problems and now seeing them in their peak condition is just wonderful. Thank you Chris for making these cuts.
I just finished watching the last movie of the trilogy.
Chris made an outstanding job 😮
It has really been a pleasure to watch. No needless points, his cut flows perfectly from one scene to another. Very very good job! Thanks for the passion and the effort, I could really feel it, and it was worth!
Just watched the first of the three of his edits. I thoroughly enjoyed. I read the Hobbit countless times and could only stomach watching the film once despite loving Peter Jackson’s original trilogy. The overly bloated and excessively goofy scenes are toned way down and putting the Bilbo and Thorin relationship front and center really keeps this film on focus. Also, the story is more cohesive with less tangents. I’m excited to see the next two
As a bit of a Hobbit defender, it's so great seeing someone highlight that all these films really need is a re edit. Absolutely cannot wait to watch these cuts!
Great Video!
Hello Chris! Just finished ALL of your edits and I just really wanted to thank you! I enjoyed all of them and had a blast watching them. Didn’t feel edited or cut, the pacing was just right and you made all the right decisions (although i wanted to see the dwarves introduced to the Beorn) but everything was brilliant! A huge congratulations to you for such an achievement! You edited them brilliantly and made me (a person who swore not to watch the movies, in order not to be disappointed) love your cuts and willing to rewatch them. Thank you again! 👏👏
I just finished watching your 3 cuts.
It's been about 2 years since I last watched the extended cuts of Jackson's original Hobbit films and if somebody had have shown me your cuts today, without telling me they'd been edited, I would have said 'wow - these are a hell of a lot better than I'd remembered.'
Your editing is so seamless. I often forgot I was watching a fan edit at all. Everything in these new films never overstays their welcome. The Battle of the Five Armies is especially aided by your new cuts. It went from my absolute least favourite out of the original 3, to maybe my very favourite out of your 3... The time, passion and effort you've put into these projects cannot be understated and I applaud you for giving me (and so many others) the chance to reignite the love for these films that was previously hidden under a mask of convoluted side-plot and overstated whacky CGI fight scenes.
Thank you, my friend. Your work is just remarkable.
You’ve done a great job with these cuts, probably the only fan-edit I’ve seen that does not feel choppy or amateurish.
Hey Chris! I just finished watching your cut of An Unexpected Journey and let me just say, it is incredible! Watching your BTS videos after the fact just goes to show how much effort and care you put into these cuts. Good editing is good when you don’t notice it; it’s the bad editing that’s easily noticed. Well, the edits you made with sound design and score are so seamless, they are like you say - invisible. Absolutely incredible. My biggest fear going into this was that because you mentioned in this video that you had cut the Galadriel, Saruman, Gandalf scene in Rivendell, that one of my fav lines of dialogue in the whole trilogy (when Gandalf explains “Saruman believes it is only power...”) wouldn’t be in your cut. But thankfully, you kept it in without it feeling awkward at all, and left me with tears in my eyes. Such a powerful scene and such a fantastic cut of the film. I’m looking forward to watching the next two films. Thank you so much!
I just finished watching the first two movies, and I'm impressed. They don't feel edited. I've seen a few other fan edits, and this one is definately the smoothest and I only knew where the edits were because I'm familiar with the originals. (also I watched your behind the scenes) Excellent work:)
Just watched your edit of the Hobbit, and absolutely loved it! As I was already a big fan of these movies, I must say, these cuts really highlighted my favorite elements, such as the relationship between Bilbo, and Thorin. I'm most likely only going to watch this version from gnow on. Thanks so much!
These are now my default preferred versions of these movies. Such seamless editing and massive improvements to pacing and color timing!
I watched your cuts, Mr. Hartwell! I've seen a handful of fan edits before, and I think yours are the best. They flowed naturally! You made the right choice in keeping them as separate movies and honoring the fact that these are *movie adaptations*. Many fan edits are too streamlined and don't appreciate the little character moments and interactions. I also love how subtle your editing is. The way you removed the spoken word of "necromancer" from Galadriel's dialogue was so smooth I thought it was the original. I'm also a fan of how you presented Tauriel. She appeared as less of a pining elf girl and more of someone who was there to do good in her world out of compassion. She felt cooler in your edits.
Thank you for creating these cuts and sharing them with us! They're satisfying and will be how I enjoy The Hobbit trilogy from now on!
Just finished the second re-edit. I have to say, they way you condensed the ending was masterful. Repurposing clips to cover up Smaug leaving the mountain covered in gold was particularly well done. Looking forward to the finale!
Thank you _so_ much! It was a real relief when I cracked that nut!
Since I saw them I always had that feeling of wanting to cut out all the stuff I didnt like, because there was so much inbetween that I love. In general I think Im very likely to look past a mediocre or bad execution and enjoy what story is hidden underneath and just shined through in some moments. For me Batman v Superman and the Star Wars prequels fall into this category.
I think your cuts might be very different to what Id edit, but I got a lot of joy out of the way you talked about these movies and Im so excited to see someone approach them with the intention I had as well but actually act on it. Thank you very much for this and keep up the great work!
Excited to share!
I have watched the cut version and I must say. It thoroughly enhanced my experience.. The focus is so much better and thus the emotional beats hit a lot harder. I am planning on showing your edited version to my first time viewing friend with whom I only recently finished the LOTR trilogy.. I think your version is definitely better for a first watch/experience. I am looking forward to the other movies!
This brings me _such_ joy! So excited to hear that you'll get to share this cut with a _first time_ viewer! Thanks for spreading the love!
I just finished your cut of these films; and I just wanted to say that I genuinely enjoyed them!! I remember being so disappointed when the battle of the five armies came out. I’ve only ever seen these once, but I would absolutely rewatch your cuts many times over. The Kili and Tauriel arc in particular was MUCH improved. Thank you for some truly great work!
I just finished 'An Unexpected Journey' and it was bloody brilliant! Peter Jackson set the foundation, and Chris built onto it. I would highly recommend this to anyone left unsatisfied by the Hobbit trilogy, it can only get better from here! Not only is the story of the movie improved, but there is no out of the blue cuts or anything that made me think, "This has obviously been edited,"
I also loved how Chris still keeps parts of Peter's additions in, it helps the story flow and gives it just a little more flavor. Now I still respect the Hobbit for all it did, but wow, this is just so amazing.
Chris, as the dwarves would say, "May your beard grow ever longer!"
Here before I’ve watched them yet but! Just wanted to thank you for your fast response and all the hard work and hours you’ve put into the movies!! Super hyped to see them and will be back as soon as I do :)
I just found your intros to your edits of these movies. Looking forward to being able to watch them!
It's been a minute since Chris Hartwell sent me the edited movies, but I finally have a moment to comment. Personally, I loved the edited versions. Sometimes, I forgot I was watching his edited versions because of how seamless it all felt. There were one or two moments where things were a little awkward, but even so, they were almost unnoticeable. One thing I especially love is how much easier it is to watch the edited versions in one sitting. I love the original trilogy, but I struggled with it sometimes. I did not have this problem with this one, which is fantastic. I intend to go back to his versions whenever I feel like watching the movies.
I also pledged 20$ (USD) to his project on Kickstarter, and he sent me the extended versions of the edited films. Perhaps it's my love for The Hobbit making me biased, and perhaps it's my need to consume any and all Hobbit content I can, but I thought they were worth the price. The editing was also really well done and definitely made the Dol Guldur plotline palatable. Excellent stuff!
I saw you reached your goal on Kickstarter, Mr. Hartwell, and I just wanted to say congratulations! I hope everything continues to go well with your project!
Sincerely,
A Hobbit Fan :)
Great video Chris! Glad I made it on time for the premiere. Cheers:)
Thanks _so_ much! Glad you could make it too!
Hi Chris. Appreciate this video is 3 - 4 years old now, but I’ve dropped you an email if so could get my hands on a copy please that would be awesome!
Just rewatched your edits, and one thing that really stood out to me was your handling of the Dol Guldur subplot. That might be the most intelligent way I've ever seen an editor approach that material. By not revealing Sauron, it feels so much better. The mystery is preserved and LotR viewers would still understand the subtext of it being Sauron. That was just phenomenal editing that I never would have thought of myself. I'm so glad to see how much appreciation your cuts of the films have received. Thank you for all your hard work and passion!
Coming back to this again and still loving the edits. Incredibly well done and well thought out.
These were great! Thank you for your work. These are now my definitive editions of the films. I love how you made me LIKE the characters of both Thorin and Kili. These two I found to be hard to follow in motivation and a tad irritating. Your getting us from one character beat to the next without distraction and delay really made these characters more digestible and relatable. In terms of Kili and Tauriel, less is definitely more. I actually appreciated their attraction that revealed itself by pulling back on things (not full blown romance like in the original films). Well done good sir. Cannot wait to watch the extended editions.
Amazing edits of the films! The definition of “less is more”. It was a fun exercise trying to find out when you made a cut or an edit.
Just finished them; they were incredible. Your editing down in these films allowed me to appreciate the work Jackson and his crew did with these films much more as it allows the acting, directing, camerawork and action to shine all the more when not bogged down with the excess that is found on the original cuts. Your incredible editing work made it so the films were not only more entertaining; but it also brought forth the emotion that can be found within these films as I was more exposed to the relationship of the two leads. It was a very fun watch and I recommend it to any fan of The Lord of the Rings and Tolkien’s works.
We really enjoyed your edit of the first movie. We didn't really notice a difference which I think is good because it just worked. Looking forward to the other two which you had more significant changes.
We had a small watch party and saw them all.
Let me just say: thank you. I have more words to cherish what you did there but those are the important ones.
Just watched them. I can’t believe it, these cuts actually made me love Battle of the Five Armies. I didn’t think that was possible.
These are 100% the versions I’m going to be watching from now on.
I have recently found this, and have started my journey properly digesting these wonderful re-edits. It has already exceeded my expectations, and made me feel like it's the first time I'm really watching "the hobbit". And for me the hobbit book was more important than even the Lord of the rings. So watching this has already been very special to me. Thank you so much for doing such wonderful work. And allowing me to see something that has been important to me since my childhood.
Really thank you so much!
I just finished the Trilogy that Chris has edited and its been amazing. I highly recommend fans and sceptic newcomers to request a viewing of his hard work. I had a blast enjoying these movies for the first time since I watched The Hobbit was in theaters. Which, like many, left me feeling conflicted and dissatisfied to a point I thought I would never watch them again, to say the least.. but not anymore! The scenes are flawless to a point, you don't miss nor notice what was removed. He also made it more true to the books, given the scenes available. Thanks for all your hard work I will be directing some friends your way
Where can I watch it
@@pavan_kumar556 Email Chris and he will provide you with some links
@@NokMTG thehartbeatmail@gmail.com this is the email right?
@@pavan_kumar556 yes enjoy
Finished watching all 3 of your extended versions and I have to say these will be my definitive movie versions of the Hobbit. Can't wait to watch with my kids. Seamless changes and great pacing. Bravo
Hello Sir
I just watched all of your Extended Editions and i am more than happy with the result. They will make a fine addition to my different editions of the middle earth movies.
Some of the edits are beyond perfect and i can't imagine how much work you put into them! Gonna support you as soon as possible for me!
Thanks a lot and greetings from Germany
Watched these cuts in a single sitting and I have to say that I'm very impressed. Of all the fan edits I've seen, these are the best ones and I can't really see a way these could be significantly improved. Other fan edits try to cut out too much and as such don't flow well as movies. You knew how to 'pick your battles,' so to speak. You knew what to cut and what not to cut in order to keep proper pacing and coherence. As an aspiring film editor myself, I found these cuts to be very skillful and inspired.
All the films were greatly improved and I was most impressed with The Battle of the Five Armies as it was always my least favorite of the trilogy but watching your version revealed a great film that I had not previously noticed under all the bloat of the original version. I even learned to appreciate some of the sillier aspects of these films now that the overall level of silliness had been toned down. The tighter runtime and narrative focus also reveal a more fun and lighthearted experience that actually contrasts well with the sprawling epicness of The Lord of the Rings-trilogy.
You have given me a great gift with these edits as I can finally accept these films as part of a 6-film series that I can enjoy without reservations.
I don't know if you are still interested in doing a similar edit of Peter Jackson's King Kong but I for one would absolutely love to see it. I think you could do that film justice. I always felt that it was a good movie that could be a great movie if only it were about 20 to 30 minutes shorter. Whatever you decide to do in the future, I wish you luck, and I thank you for the brilliant work you have done here!
Thank you so much for sharing such generous and eloquent feedback! It sincerely means a lot.
I do have hopes to (one day) do a "shaved down" cut of Jackson's _King Kong_ and... perhaps _Zack Snyder's Justice League_ as well! :)
After watching all three cuts I am glad to say I can finally fully enjoy the Hobbit movies as I have been wanting to for a long time. I am very impressed with the choices and edits you made and I hope more people get to experience these cuts. It seems the closest to my good memories of watching the movies in theatres when they first came out, it really brings out the best of them, amazing work!
Where did you watch it my friend?
Just finished watching your edit of this trilogy and wow!
There was a great film buried underneath and I want to thank you for uncovering it 😊
Very enjoyable watch especially the 2nd and 3rd film
Great work on keeping and enhancing all the best aspects of this trilogy
Were you emailed them? If so, how long can I expect to wait? Very excited to watch these.
@@ellieporter3270 check the description drop down for the email
Its genuinely incredible how much my viewing pleasure is increased by such seemingly simple changes
Even though I absolutely love the Hobbit movies, even the distracting excess ;p I'm really interested in seeing your edits.
Also, I'm so glad we got another amazing score from Howard Shore, his music lifts these movies up to a whole new level.
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What? How do you absolutely love them? And as much as I love Howard Shore, there were SO many moments where the music just did NOT match what was happening on screen.
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This was great, just watched them with the family today and we enjoyed the movie cuts. I have to admit I barely noticed what was missing or changed, you did a great job making a seamless transition.
Your description of the edit alone has got me hyped to watch it. Agree 100% with your thought process. Although I was disappointed by the hobbit trilogy it did have some fantastic scenes. Have sent you an email, look forward to giving these films a watch!
So, i just watched this cut and i have to say: BRAVO!
To me it is the best cut out there of the movies, not because it's "closer" to the books, but because it works great as a trilogy! I loved that you kept a simple explanation of why did Gandalf leaves the company in the begining of the first movie and you used as the "prologue" scene in the third. Even though i don't like the scenes with Tauriel and Legolas in the original movies, i think that you made it work in the cut!
You did an amazing job!
thanks again for sharing your cuts with me. I can't wait to watch them this month. hoping to watch them with my wife and kids over Xmas break.
The _perfect_ time of year to watch Middle Earth movies!!
These edits were brilliant! It's amazing how much more cohesive and powerful these films become after a little judicious trimming. I now own three original-cut movies of the trilogy that I will never watch again.
I just watched your cut. I had not watched the full films since the BotFA came out, since I was sincerely disappointed, yet there where many things about the Hobbit that I loved, and your edit really makes them shine. Not only did you make me like this films as much as I wanted, but I am sure I am going to rewatch them some time. Thank you for your work, you managed to polish a beautiful work that was hidden under a lot of bloat. The pacing was great and focusing the story on the relationship between Thorin and Bilbo was perfect. I loved how Gandalf's absence in the second movie was a continuing source of tension, something that with his sideplot was lost. And the short recap of Dol Guldur as a prologue to the last movie was perfect, especially since the destruction of Lake Town took is natural place as the conclusion of the Desolation of Smaug. There are many things which could be said in praise of this fan cut, great work
Chris these cuts are fantastic! They're my preferred way of watching the films now. The pacing you've achieved is much better than that of the original films. I just got your Extended Cuts and I'm very much looking forward to seeing what you've added. Cheers man!
YAY! So happy to hear that!
I can't wait for you to see the extra content found in those extended cuts too - especially for Middle Earth nerds, the added scenes are a real joy to experience!
These cuts have to be the best thing that has happened to Tolkien fans in a *WHILE!*
After the years I've come to appreciate these movies more, but after this cuts, oh my lord, they're even better!
Thanks for sharing these fantastic edits. I appreciate how much you respect the integrity of the dramatic and narrative arcs far more than anyone else I've seen. i read your're very valid reason for not including the funeral scene for the emotional reasons below but as so much of the final two films revolves around the Arkenstone i think it would resolve that storyline nicely and provide a bit of a reson for Dains presence in the film. Apart from that I think you did an incredible job and these edits will be the ones I watch from now on. Thanks
I just watched your cut of the first film. It was a breath of fresh air. Thanks for doing these. It made the film into what I hoped to be watching in the cinema in 2012! I look forward to watching the others later this week.
Just got to watch Part 1. You did a wonderful job! The pacing was excellent; not at all choppy. It´s been some time since I watched the original. I was suprised you took off over half an hour because it didn´t seem like anything important was missing.
Maybe the film has overall grown on me over time, but scenes I once found kinda silly felt way better in this cut, some even triumphant.
Very exited for part two!
After watching these cuts I have a new found appreciation for these movies and what they were trying to convey, thank you for making them!
YES! This brings warm feelings to my heart!
Awesome job with the edits! I always new there were really good movies in there and you really managed to bring them out!
I watched your edit of the films this week, and I'm very impressed. I didn't remember these films too fondly, but what you turned them into (especially film 3) was nothing short of amazing!
😭 < those are tears of joy!
It sincerely brings _so_ much happiness to my heart to read this! For people to love these films as much as they deserve has ever been by _primary_ aim! So happy that they're working that much better for you!
If you're so obliged, share this video essay around so we can continue to spread the goodness :)
Thank you for sharing these amazing cuts, Chris! So far I have enjoyed them quite a lot. I am huge Tolkien fan (also paint the sbg minies) so anytime someone knowledgeable does a good cut of the hobbit trilogy I get pretty excited. Keep the good work flowing!!
Wow, amazing! Quality is top notch. I hadn't seen the originals since their initial release so I could barely remember what was cut and since the editing was so professional it felt like so smooth. Amazing how some skillfull editing can unveil an awesome trilogy! Nothing can touch the LOTR trilogy but this is a pretty darn good trilogy on its own. Thank you Chris for allowing me to enjoy the Hobbit story again!!
Wow. . .just wow! I knew there was a great movie buried in there somewhere, and you've proven it. My family and I enjoyed this immensely, in our opinion, the careful editing elevated The Hobbit in line with the LOTR films. Great job cutting out the distractions, and adding in canon scenes that had been deleted in the original release. I didn't realize they had actually filmed the scene where Gandalf and Bilbo introduced the dwarves to Beorn, one of my favorite passages in the book, what a treasure! Delightful to see Legolas in a cameo : ) With the story more in focus, it's a well-told, beautiful rendition of a beloved book. Can't help thinking Tolkien himself would have approved.
Just donated. Thank you Christoffer. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the first film. Looking forward to the next ones. Not to mention the extended verions. Again, Thank you VERY much for this.
You are most welcome! And thank _you_ for your generous support!
Such a good cut, well done. Makes the movies something I'd want to share with my kids.
Maybe the real Arkenstone was the friends we made along the way.
Gotta say, I watched the extended cuts the first time and couldn't remember a thing from them. This time around I was much more mesmerized, it changed my opinions on the trilogy all together, so thanks and good job.
Almost finished watching The Desolation of Smaug and I have to say - this is the best way to watch the Trilogy. It keeps all the heartful scenes - which the other cuts cut because of book inaccuracy - even though they added to the story and characters.
This cut understands that changes HAVE to be made when going from book to film.
Just trims the bloat perfectly and seamlessly presents this tale as it should have been presented.
Thank you!
my biggest gripe with either the original theatrical, original extended and these cuts are the white council/ dol goldur scenes. in the original and extended they are thrown in haphazardly. in these cuts they are gone. if they were a continuous thing in one place, it makes way more sense. id say after the escape from mirkwood is a perfect place and then we can stay with the dwarves for the rest of the film.
Every year around this time me and my friend group do a rewatch of the Lord of the Rings films. We’d been skipping the Hobbit in recent years just because they felt overly long and tonally not right. I’ve got to say though this edit is truly great and made me really enjoy watching these movies again. I’ll go through the movies real quick and lay out what I liked about this edit
An Unexpected Journey: this movie has the least changed about it and I think that it works very well as an introduction into the more consistent tone these edits bring. One thing my roommate did notice was that during the final confrontation with Azog the music is different from the theatrical versions of the film. The original music choice works there but doesn’t make sense in the context of the scene so this is actually one of those improvements that straight up makes the film better through the music, great work in regards to that.
Desolation of Smaug: now we start getting into where the trilogy had problems. But I can say this edit really fixed that, almost to an incredible extent. This movie is just so much more streamlined and consistent with its tone. There are some segments that are cut out completely and a first time viewer would never be able to notice. Hell, the one reason we even noticed was because we knew what segments had taken place originally. It’s that seamless.
Battle of Five Armies: the most improved of the three in my opinion. Pretty much all of the dumb action sequences are removed leaving us with the parts that really matter. It feels like a great conclusion that doesn’t take too long to come around. Really excellent work with maintaining the energetic action while simultaneously scaling it back to keep the stakes high. I’m also glad Thorin’s funeral was included, that was a scene I think is really important to have.
Overall I think this is a great fan edit that should really be necessary viewing for anyone who loves the cinematic world Jackson built for this story. I can’t stress enough just how good the actual editing talent is here. Like, the usage of certain shots to mask cuts while keeping a scene seamless is really quite incredible and never once took any of us out of the films aside from us going “oh yeah, there was a cut scene back there”. This never happened due to the edit but rather the fact we’d seen the theatrical and extended editions of the films before. Excellent work and I can say with confidence that these will be the versions we watch going forwards!
You've completely sold me on the Hobbit as diamonds in the rough. Truly wish I could see this cut version. You made me want to see three movies I've not thought of revisiting ever.
Awesome! Just shoot me a message - email in the description - and I'll send them over for you to watch :)
Hey Chris! I just finished Battle of the Five Armies and gotta congratulate you for not only all the hard work you put in. But for creating something that just felt far more about the people in this story than the giant effect extravaganza's they became. I hadn't watched these since their theatrical run and was left disappointed. But rewatching your cuts I found myself swept up in the wonder of this world and universe again and actually got emotional at parts I knew were coming. I think all the work you put forth really helped to ground the story for people like me! To be more specific, people who love the lord of the rings, but still want something that feels earned and coherent. There's nothing wrong with more content, but in this case the heavy trimming worked in this stories advantage. Keep up the good work as always and I look forward to sharing these with some friends I've known who have never gotten around to The Hobbit at all!
So I just watched your cut! Thanks again for it! Its been a while since I last threw in my own bluray so the memory of the theatrical cut wasnt as fresh in mind and I hadnt seen the extended version before. Also english is not my mother tongue, so it was the first time hearing the original voices for me.
That out of the way, I was very invested and none of the originally distracting scenes were left to pull me out of the experience. Not to undersell your effort, the opposite really, it seemed so natural, not like anything was changed at all. I especially was surprised how much more it felt like a character study with occasional fantasy set pieces and of course world building and setting. Those scenes in Rivendell added so much to the whole arc of Bilbo as well as those of Gandalf and Thorin. But all in all there are just a lot of really, really great scenes and pieces of dialogue and acting in this one. Like the whole beginning, and the Balin callback and of course Gollum.
So far Ive always enjoyed the Silmarillion parts of this trilogy, but you already mentioned it here, that you cut those scenes out, so it didnt come as a disappointment to me. Again, tying into what I said about Rivendell, I think you handled Galadriel very well as an side character for Gandalfs storyline and he himself was nicely mysterious and thus expanding the world beyond the dwarves adventure in a different yet intriguing way.
There were some cuts, you made, I noticed because of the sound mainly, but I still have the movie very present despite not having seen it for a while and of course I was looking for your edits. In the first third or so I thought the sound was a little bit behind or too fast, I dont know, but that might have been on my part and I didnt notice it later on.
So yeah, again thank you so very much for doing this! Like I said in another comment, I always wanted to edit them myself and brush the dust off of this diamond. Now Im really interested in seeing what youve done with the other films, because I have the feeling they made it a bit harder for you. Although I must admit, that seemingly against the common opinion I enjoy the third movie a lot. Like until the point the dwarves around Thorin join the battle, for me its almost perfect, lotr levels perfect almost. Ill be sure to let you know, what I thought about your edit, once I get to see it ;)
I hope your well and keep it up! Wish you the best!
Thank you so much for the extremely generous comment! It's so very exciting to hear that this new cut it working for anyone other than me!
Being the perfectionist that I am though, I was bummed to hear that you found distracting audio issues! I don't _think_ the sync is off (though I will check), and I am curious where specifically the audio transitions weren't seamless. I put a lot of work into making them as invisible as I could and I would love to only further perfect things.
Thanks again for the support!
I just found a couple of crazy, little audio mistakes! I'm mortified! Thanks for helping me along!
@@ChrisHartwell No problem, happy I could help! Its these sounds that remained where you cut something, right? Or at least it sounded like someone starting to speak and being cut off, I thought.
As I am not a perfectionist at all that didnt really bother me and I couldnt imagine going back into the editor and working on these. Do you plan on doing so?
@@DerLaberheld Oh, yes! ;) Having already invested so much time into them, it just feels so unsatisfying _not_ having the best final product possible!
An awesome video Chris. You did a great job. Makes me want to rewatch the trilogy since it's been so long.
Fantastic! I did feel the originals felt bloated, and now having watched your edit I do feel you have trimmed the film to be more of an emotional journey than I experienced when I saw Unxpected Journey upon its release. I applaud your motivation to do this and your respect for the original source material and films. You have enhanced the Hobbit Trilogy from my perspective, not detracted from what has gone before. And I now have a deeper appreciation for what Peter Jackson sought to achieve. Thanks
I have watched an unexpected journey now and it was great. Everything went together so much better and the story was much more focused. It was like that was how the film was meant to be. In fact I can barely remember what the changes were because this just seems like the real movie. Bravo, sir
Your cuts of all three films were excellent. Thanks for the time and effort! Highly recommend 👍
Hello, not a while ago I finished your extended trilogy, for the 4th time and I must say, this is the ULTIMATE way how to watch these movies. It perfectly keeps the heart of PJ's filmmaking, and Tolkien's Middle-Earth, not being 100 % faithful to the book, but I don't mind that much. You did excacly what theese movies needed to perfection. Cutting all of the anoying filler plot lines, reducing the overstreached cartoony CGI action, but still keep the emotional moments, heck you made them even better. And created Hobit trilogy that goes with LOTR trilogy, like a nice, fun, fairytale prequely trilogy, who I think perfectly introduces newcommers to Middle-Earth. And I love you for that, thank you.
I must congratulate you. So much thought and effort on your part has undoubtedly paid off. I was expecting that there was a decent film buried in there somewhere, but you found an excellent one. I like that Bilbo's story is emotionally more fulfilled and that much of the excess has been tamed. Those rabbits though, they need booting into orbit!
These versions are simply great. The things that you have cut completely out that just aren't needed, the things that are tweeked to simply better tell the story and capture the essense of the book, just amazing work👏🏻 I never tought I would be able to enjoy these films in the long run because of waaay to much added nonsense(lovestory, stupid "humour" characters, dumb cgi cartoony action etc) that I feel ruined them, but now I finally can☺️👌🏻👍🏻
I watched the edit of the first one and you captured the magic of the book beautifully! I will definitely be watching your versions from now on
After a year of having this sitting on my PC, I finally watched it. From three bloated films I thought had promise you managed to create beautiful films that I would love to have on disc. What's more you turned the worst of the trilogy "The Battle of Five Armies" into my favourite.
Truly the work of a wizard.
Just watched your cut of the first film, and I have to say that I loved it. No longer is the hobbit riddled with strings of side plots trying to tie it to the lord of the rings, but rather what it could've been, a story of Bilbo and his journey. And even though you didn't cut as much of the first film as you say you have of the rest of the films I still felt much closer to the story, and the beats of the story were clearer. Having watched the films in the theaters, and half a dozen times at home this viewing felt fresh and new even with the relatively slight changes shifting focus from a couple narratives to only one. Thank you Chris for this amazing experience, and can't wait for your cut of the second and third film!
Risto H.
_SO_ elated to hear that you enjoyed the 1st film and _SO_ excited to share the 2nd and 3rd!
Dear Chris,
Thank you so much for creating such a beautiful rendition of the Hobbit that not only improved the overall experience of an adventure movie, but help the viewer appreciate more of the vision Peter Jackson was going for, not to mention being more reflective to the original source. My husband and I saw your edit of both the theatrical and extended editions over the Holidays through Vimeo, and we loved it! We are both huge Lord of the Rings fans and movie lovers, so we really had mixed emotions on the Peter Jackson’s creation of the Hobbit. Your edit brought more cohesiveness to the material and plot that improved the watch-ability between scenes, as well as bring more focus and impact to what the characters were going through during each scene. I love where you shared in the movie above that your goal wasn’t to “fix” a “bad movie”, but to bring out what beauty there was, and smooth out the rough edges that detracted from what moved the story forward. I would suggest to any viewers/readers to give yourselves the chance of reliving The Hobbit experience with Chris’ edit; his work and passion for each project is worth supporting him through whatever means you can. I look forward to seeing more Chris, and thank you again for your willingness to share it with us!!
I still would prefer cutting out the storm giant scene and re edit it to make it seem like Bilbo slip and fall off like M4 did.
Thank you so much for making and sharing these! I have just finished Botfa and the whole story just felt more like one continuous adventure and was less jarring than the original cuts. Although I have the originals on DVD I think I’ll be returning to these edits in future :)
_TRULY_ wonderful to hear! So happy that these new cuts have enabled you to more fully enjoy this wonderful universe :D
Your cuts of The Hobbit movies are wonderful