The Hobbit (lost high-frame rate versions of high fantasy adventure film trilogy based on novel; 2012-2014): Difference between revisions
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In April 2011, Peter Jackson announced on his official Facebook page that he would be filming the ''The Hobbit'' trilogy (at that time planned to be a duology) in a new format dubbed high-frame rate which doubled the usual filming FPS from 24 to 48. Jackson made the switch due to the "hugely enhanced clarity and smoothness" 48 FPS offered and due to it being easier on the eyes, especially when watching it in 3D.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">[https://theverge.com/2014/12/19/7422633/hfr-might-work-even-though-it-looks-really-awful ''The Hobbit’s vision for the future of cinema looks awful, but it just might work'' by Jacob Kastrenakes from The Verge.] Retrieved 7 Apr '23.</ref> | In April 2011, Peter Jackson announced on his official Facebook page that he would be filming the ''The Hobbit'' trilogy (at that time planned to be a duology) in a new format dubbed high-frame rate which doubled the usual filming FPS from 24 to 48. Jackson made the switch due to the "hugely enhanced clarity and smoothness" 48 FPS offered and due to it being easier on the eyes, especially when watching it in 3D.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">[https://theverge.com/2014/12/19/7422633/hfr-might-work-even-though-it-looks-really-awful ''The Hobbit’s vision for the future of cinema looks awful, but it just might work'' by Jacob Kastrenakes from The Verge.] Retrieved 7 Apr '23.</ref> | ||
Despite the excitement for HFR from Jackson and other directors, when ''The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey'' released into theaters in December 2012 the HFR showings of the film were widely panned. While Jackson claimed that HFR would lead to a more immersive viewing experience, most audience members found it did the opposite, with many comparing the experience to watching a home video or TV soap opera.<ref name=":1" /><ref>[https://gizmodo.com/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-masterclass-in-why-48-fps-fai-5969817 ''The Hobbit: An Unexpected Masterclass in Why 48 FPS Fails'' by Vincent Laforet from Gizmondo.] Retrieved 7 Apr '23</ref> Jackson tried to tone down the HFR in the remaining two films | Despite the excitement for HFR from Jackson and other directors, when ''The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey'' released into theaters in December 2012 the HFR showings of the film were widely panned. While Jackson claimed that HFR would lead to a more immersive viewing experience, most audience members found it did the opposite, with many comparing the experience to watching a home video or TV soap opera.<ref name=":1" /><ref>[https://gizmodo.com/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-masterclass-in-why-48-fps-fai-5969817 ''The Hobbit: An Unexpected Masterclass in Why 48 FPS Fails'' by Vincent Laforet from Gizmondo.] Retrieved 7 Apr '23</ref> Jackson tried to tone down the HFR in the remaining two films (''The Desolation of Smaug'' & ''The Battle of the Five Armies'') in an effort to address these complaints, but it did little to convince audiences that HFR was the future of cinema.<ref name=":1" /><ref>[https://theguardian.com/film/2013/dec/13/peter-jackson-48fps-tone-down-hobbit-desolation-smaug-hd ''Peter Jackson admits to 'softening' HD version of The Desolation of Smaug'' by Ben Childs from The Guardian.] Retrieved 7 Apr '23.</ref> | ||
==Availability== | ==Availability== |
Revision as of 13:28, 24 May 2023
The Hobbit is a trilogy of high fantasy adventure films based on the J. R. R. Tolkien novel of the same name. They were directed by Peter Jackson and serve as prequels to Jackson's earlier The Lord of the Rings trilogy. In an effort to improve the film viewing experience, Jackson filmed the entire trilogy in 48 frames per second (FPS) instead of the standard 24 FPS common in most films.[1] Despite his efforts the high-frame-rate (HFR) versions never received a home media release and remain mostly lost.
Background
In April 2011, Peter Jackson announced on his official Facebook page that he would be filming the The Hobbit trilogy (at that time planned to be a duology) in a new format dubbed high-frame rate which doubled the usual filming FPS from 24 to 48. Jackson made the switch due to the "hugely enhanced clarity and smoothness" 48 FPS offered and due to it being easier on the eyes, especially when watching it in 3D.[1][2]
Despite the excitement for HFR from Jackson and other directors, when The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey released into theaters in December 2012 the HFR showings of the film were widely panned. While Jackson claimed that HFR would lead to a more immersive viewing experience, most audience members found it did the opposite, with many comparing the experience to watching a home video or TV soap opera.[2][3] Jackson tried to tone down the HFR in the remaining two films (The Desolation of Smaug & The Battle of the Five Armies) in an effort to address these complaints, but it did little to convince audiences that HFR was the future of cinema.[2][4]
Availability
While it is unknown why the HFR versions of the films were never released on home media it's likely due to a combination of negative reception and technical limitations. The only footage from the HFR versions still publicly available comes from certain trailers that were released in 48 FPS.
Gallery
See Also
- The Lord of the Rings (lost BBC radio series; 1955)
- The Hobbit (found animated film adaptation of novel; 1966)
- Khraniteli (found Soviet TV adaptation of "The Fellowship of the Ring" novel; 1991)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Peter Jackson Explains Why He's Shooting 'The Hobbit' At 48 Frames Per Second by Peter Sciretta from SlashFilm. Retrieved 7 Apr '23.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Hobbit’s vision for the future of cinema looks awful, but it just might work by Jacob Kastrenakes from The Verge. Retrieved 7 Apr '23.
- ↑ The Hobbit: An Unexpected Masterclass in Why 48 FPS Fails by Vincent Laforet from Gizmondo. Retrieved 7 Apr '23
- ↑ Peter Jackson admits to 'softening' HD version of The Desolation of Smaug by Ben Childs from The Guardian. Retrieved 7 Apr '23.