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Should I watch LOTR and then Hobbit or the reverse?

Fat4all

Fat4all

Woke up, got a money tag, swears a lot
Member
Oct 25, 2017
92,529
here
Flaurehn said:
Watch LOTR Extended, and then Lindsay Ellis's videos about why The Hobbit is a horrible production. Don't bother with the actual Hobbit movies.
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its such a bummer, because you can see with the first movie that they had a lot of energy going into it and nailed a lot of the little Hobbit details, especially with the Dwarves

but that was also when they thought they would only be filming two movies

by the end everyone is just out of it
 
Roygbiv95

Roygbiv95

Alt account
Banned
Jan 24, 2019
1,037
Honestly if you really do plan on watching both I'd say start with The Hobbit since it was released first in book form. The movies are LOTR --> TH but the stories themselves were released chronologically with The Hobbit coming first. Also LOTR (be sure to watch the Extended editions) are much better films and would end your experience with the Middle Earth on a positive note.
 
Burrman

Burrman

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
7,633
Extended version of LOTR then the Hobbit standard. The LOTR movies are masterpieces and I still like the Hobbit movies quite a bit despite the reception they got. The first two hobbit movies are pretty good IMO, but the third one was really disappointing.
 
Plotinus

Plotinus

Member
Oct 30, 2017
348
Watch the two-hour fan edit of The Hobbit by Fiona van Dahl.

Then watch the Lord of the Rings extended. The extended versions of The Two Towers and Return of the King are dubious improvements, but the extendeds are the de facto standard.
 
Rendering...

Rendering...

Member
Oct 30, 2017
19,089
UnderSiege said:
Always release order.
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Absolutely this.

LotR is the main attraction. The Hobbit is the bloated and not-as-good spinoff. Well, prequel.

Ignore people who say the Hobbit trilogy is as bad as the Star Wars prequels. It's definitely not. The acting and writing are actually competent. But after the absolute masterpiece of the LotR trilogy, it's a significant step down. You're going from brilliant to average.
 
Vonocourt

Vonocourt

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,612
LotR theatrical, and if you dug it, watch the extended editions.

Then Hobbit films if you're still interested, the first one is a decent enough ride. Don't remember much about the second one, and never saw the third.
 
Plotinus

Plotinus

Member
Oct 30, 2017
348
I got you man. Here's what you're gonna do.
  • Watch the 1966 Hobbit movie, to whet your appetite.
  • Then, watch the 1985 Soviet live-action Hobbit to get the whole Hobbit story.
  • Next, watch the glorious Ralph Bakshi Lord of the Rings.
  • Finally, complete the story with the Rankin & Bass Return of the King.
Just the way J. R. R. intended it.
 
Master Of Illusion

Master Of Illusion

Alt Account
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Mar 18, 2019
856
Rendering... said:
Absolutely this.

LotR is the main attraction. The Hobbit is the bloated and not-as-good spinoff. Well, prequel.

Ignore people who say the Hobbit trilogy is as bad as the Star Wars prequels. It's definitely not. The acting and writing are actually competent. But after the absolute masterpiece of the LotR trilogy, it's a significant step down. You're going from brilliant to average.
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At least The Prequels are entertaining. The Hobbit put me into a coma last time I tried to sit through it.
 
Rendering...

Rendering...

Member
Oct 30, 2017
19,089
Master Of Illusion said:
At least The Prequels are entertaining. The Hobbit put me into a coma last time I tried to sit through it.
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The Hobbit has good-to-great acting and production values. It looks nice, it sounds nice, the characters are at least decent.

The prequels are full of painfully bad dialogue and hammy acting. And structurally they're an utter mess. The just fail at the fundamentals of cinematic storytelling, much more severely than the worst of the Hobbit movies do.
 
FaceHugger

FaceHugger

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Oct 27, 2017
13,949
USA
I'd read The Hobbit, and only watch the extended versions of TLotR.

The first Hobbit film is largely watchable if you're a fan of the book. Just to see some of the set pieces and scenes. But the second two are awful.
 
Mistwalker

Mistwalker

Member
Oct 27, 2017
134
I would say The Hobbit first, provided it's either the book or the fan-edit version of the movie(s).

Then the LOTR trilogy, I'm tempted to suggest the extended editions but either works (and you can always go back and watch the extended if you go theatrical first).

I'd save the full Hobbit extended movies for last, if you need to see more and wonder, "What if these movies were slapped together garbage full of unnecessary tropes and side plots?"
 
Master Of Illusion

Master Of Illusion

Alt Account
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Mar 18, 2019
856
Rendering... said:
The Hobbit has good-to-great acting and production values. It looks nice, it sounds nice, the characters are at least decent.

The prequels are full of painfully bad dialogue and hammy acting. And structurally they're an utter mess. The just fail at the fundamentals of cinematic storytelling, much more severely than the worst of the Hobbit movies do.
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That's all nice and well, but if it fails to entertain, that itself is the biggest sin you could make with a piece of work that's main job is to act as, you know... entertainment.
 
Stiler

Stiler

Avenger
Oct 29, 2017
6,659
LOTR trilogy extended first, it's such a great adventure movie.

The Hobbit isn't a terrible movie, it's not as good as LOTR and it was rushed but it's still an enjoyable adventure movie that we don't really get these days.


Martin Freeman has something to say about all the naysayers and hate,
giphy.gif
 
pikachief

pikachief

Prophet of Truth
Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,518
LotR trilogy 1st

Hobbit Trilogy NONETH.

Really though, watch the hobbit movies one at a time and stop when you stop enjoying them. I liked the first but the second wasnt too great imo, and it just gets worse.
 
Huey

Huey

Member
Oct 27, 2017
13,178
Just LOTR. If you must watch the hobbit, watch the fan edit. Please heed this advice

Calamari41 said:
Read The Hobbit, then watch LotR. You can read through that book in less time than it will take to watch the horrible Hobbit movie trilogy. And you will enjoy the callbacks in LotR.
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Or follow this excellent piece of advice.
 
Moara

Moara

â–˛ Legend â–˛
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Oct 25, 2017
23,832
signal said:
I think it's from Extended Edition only that might be why. And got you my friend

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I still can't believe this shit exists. This is the kind of dumb logic you think about when you're a kid, or those old memes about infinite energy with cartoon physics, except this was completely serious lol
 
jb1234

jb1234

Very low key
Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,224
LotR theatrical cuts (save extended for a rewatch) and skip the Hobbit.
 
CloudWolf

CloudWolf

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Oct 26, 2017
15,591
You should watch Lord of the Rings and then skip The Hobbit and act like it doesn't exist. It's better that way.
 
Jisgsaw

Jisgsaw

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,355
Calamari41 said:
Read The Hobbit, then watch LotR. You can read through that book in less time than it will take to watch the horrible Hobbit movie trilogy. And you will enjoy the callbacks in LotR.
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Exactly this.
The Hobbit is a pretty short and (if you can survive the first 50 or so pages of Hobbit descriptions) quite enjoyable.
LOTR movies are masterpieces, and much faster to go through than the books, while being largely pretty faithfull.
 
Ferrs

Ferrs

Avenger
Oct 26, 2017
18,829
Release order, Teathrical cuts. Extended are for rewatch if you actually like the movies.
 
Servbot24

Servbot24

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
43,055
Do not watch Hobbit first.

Start with standard LotR, and if you love them go back and watch the extended versions.
 
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