The Hobbit ... in Malta!

Once again, Peter Jackson relieves my mind. I feared a quick little tale filled with comic relief with cameos of our favourite LOTR characters. I could not imagine how they could have multiple releases for The Hobbit (read the story....pretty cut and dried!). However, his inclusion of Tolkien lore to set up a better perspective of why the The Hobbit happened really justifies the length. If this is kept up, the transition into the LOTR will be flawless. Instead of the feared 'cute' cameos, it becomes very clear of the power these characters have, yet how much difference can be made "in the small things", as Gandalf predicts when Galadriel asks "why the Hobbit" in reference to this particular quest.

Personally, this was an extra meaningful moment in the history of Tolkien films. Ten years ago, Eric and I came down here to Malta from our Devon wedding for our honeymoon and saw the first release of the LOTR series in Valetta. Our anxiety that the Fellowship would be sold out required early stalking of the theatre with assumptions we'd have a major fight on our hands to get decent seats. In reality, the theatre was nearly empty with only American and Japanese tourists filling the few used seats in quiet reverence to the unfolding brilliance. Now, we embark on the Hobbit series on the same island. I was less anxious about masses descending on all three theatres on Malta given our experience with the Fellowship, but still remain in shock how low of a priority the Maltese have towards Tolkien films.

A note about the Maltese approach to movies. We went to a northern theatre several villages away from the tourist area, so these attendees were only Maltese. These people do NOT take movies seriously. I could provide an essay on the lack of respect the locals have for proper movie attention, but sufficing for a small example, these Maltese ladies behind us babbled the whole time. Not whispers...oh no. Just straight out talking as if they were at a coffee shoppe. Seriously? Nobody seemed to care. A row in front of us has a phone ring...(issue #1) ...and is answered (sin of all time has occurred)! I couldn't help but think how these people would have been feathered and tarred in the USA, and probably burnt at the stake in London. Laid back islands are great for a holiday, but can add a great deal of trauma to the movie experience.