"THE HOBBIT, THE UNEXPECTED JOURNEY" TAKES US BACK TO MIDDLE EARTH!

 Marion Pellicano Ambrose

Get ready to return to Middle Earth! The new trailer for the upcoming movie “The Hobbit, The Unexpected Joutney”, based on the book by JRR Tolkein, was released yesterday. The story of The Hobbit will be divided into two movies , the first being released next December (yes, one whole year from now!)

“The Hobbit” was the “must read” book when I was in college back in 19XX! Everyone was reading it, talking about it, analyzing its themes. It was first published in September of 1937 (and no, that’s NOT when I read it!)

According to Wikipedia: Set in a time "Between the Dawn of Færie and the Dominion of Men", The Hobbit follows the quest of home-loving hobbit Bilbo Baggins to win a share of the treasure guarded by the dragon, Smaug. Bilbo's journey takes him from light-hearted, rural surroundings into darker, deeper territory. The story is told in the form of an episodic quest, and most chapters introduce a specific creature, or type of creature, of Tolkien's Wilderland. By accepting the disreputable, romantic, fey and adventurous side of his nature (the "Tookish" side) and applying his wits and common sense, Bilbo develops a new level of maturity, competence and wisdom. The story reaches its climax in the Battle of Five Armies, where many of the characters and creatures from earlier chapters re-emerge to engage in conflict.

Themes of personal growth and forms of heroism figure in the story. Along with conflict, these themes lead critics to cite Tolkien's own experiences, and those of other writers who fought in World War I, as instrumental in shaping the story. The author's scholarly knowledge of Anglo-Saxon literature and interest in fairy tales are also often noted as influences. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hobbit)

The new film is the prequel to the popular “Lord of the Rings” movie and many of the characters/stars will return in the new Hobbit movie. Gandalf (Ian McKellen), Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) make appearances in the trailer, but we'll have to wait to see Legolas (Orlando Bloom), Elrond (Hugo Weaving) and Saruman (Christopher Lee).
I know many people are looking forward to this film with great anticipation. It may be a year before the release, but at least we now have a trailer to take a sneak peak!