The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Chronicles: Art and Design: The Epic Title Continues ... Into the Archive

 

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Chronicles: Art and Design (2014) written by Daniel Falconer with a forward by John Howe. 

These are beautiful books, but I don't know why I continue to buy them, except that I started the series, they're Tolkien-adjacent, and I have a compulsive streak. There is, thankfully, only one more (Cloaks and Daggers) but it is of course the most expensive for some reason. Could it possibly be because of Evangeline Lilly as Tauriel on its cover? The cover here is much more ... abstract.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Chronicles: The Art of War

 

This book arrived very late in the afternoon and was delivered by accident to our neighbor's house, and we  received her mail. After a mutual exchange of hostages I was finally able to relax; it had been out for delivery since 8:44 AM and I had made many weary journeys out to the mailbox on my game leg throughout the day. It has cost me more trouble and anxiety than many more eagerly anticipated books.

 

I wonder even now why I bother with these volumes by WETA, beautiful as they are. I began buying them, of course, long before I realized what a glorious dud The Hobbit Trilogy was going to be. Perhaps it is just my OCD wanting to finish what I started, perhaps it is the insight gained from these pages into what a teasing might-have-been the Trilogy turned out to be: how could so many wonderful designs and careful decisions somehow add up to ... that?

Even after many years the books are not cheap, but still I buy them when I can. I lack one more volume, titled "Cloaks and Daggers" (costume and weapon design - thrilling, no?), even more expensive than "The Art of War", and I shall probably get it when the occasion arises. Even though I can barely stand to watch the movies again. Yet. But such a fool I am.  

J. R. R. Tolkien: The Peter Jackson Films

‘The Lord of the Rings’ Official Movie Guide, by Brian Sibley. (2001)

Coming out when it did it was, of course, confined to images from the first movie. Nevertheless, it discussed Tolkien and his work, Peter Jackson and his vision, and the actors and artists behind the movies. Was there any follow up by Sibley after the release of all the films? I don’t know, and I’m almost too tired to find out.

Ranking: Keeper.

File Code: Movie Guide. Hardback.

‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ Visual Companion (2001); ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’ Visual Companion (Foreword by Viggo Mortensen) (2002); ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’ Visual Companion (2003), by Jude Fisher.

You can’t tell the players (or the playing fields) without a program. Large, profusely illustrated with stills from the movies, simply told, I eagerly snapped up these books and everything else to do with the movies, which were the fulfilment and the ratification of a decades old dream. One could stare gloatingly upon them until the movies themselves were released on DVD.

Ranking: Keepers.

File Code: Visual Companions. Film. Hardback.

The Lord of the Rings: The Art of ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ (2002); The Lord of the Rings: The Art of ‘The Two Towers’ (2003); The Lord of the Rings: The Art of ‘The Return of the King’ (2004); The Art of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ (2004), by Gary Russell.

Presents pre-production art, concept art by Alan Lee and John Howe, set design, creature workshop, props, and costume concepts from the whole film-making process. Each book positively oozes with imagery; the text is just a pretext and explanation for the pictures.

Ranking: Keepers.

File Code: Movie Art. Middle-Earth. Hardbacks.

‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ Visual Companion (Foreword by Martin Freeman) (2012); ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ Visual Companion (Introduction by Richard Armitage)(2013); ‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies’ Visual Companion (Introduction by Sir Ian McKellen)(2014), by Jude Fisher.

“Jude Fisher is the pseudonym for Jane Johnson, who is the Publisher of HarperCollins' science fiction and fantasy list, Voyager. She has also been involved in the publishing of JRR Tolkien's works for many years.” – FantasticFiction.com. Oh, dear. We had hoped so much for the ‘Hobbit’ movies, especially after the ‘LOTR’ movie trilogy success. But it was plagued with problems from the start. There is a good film, maybe even two, lurking in there, under Peter Jackson competing with Peter Jackson, and trying to stretch The Hobbit into another epic, like a small bit of good butter spread over too much bread. Anyway, it’s not for lack of good actors and good production design, as these books go to show.

Ranking: Keepers.

File Code: Visual Companions to Films. Hardbacks.

‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ Official Movie Guide (2012); ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ Official Movie Guide (2013); ‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies’ Official Movie Guide (2014), by Brian Sibley.

As a superfan of fantasy and film, Brian Sibley certainly has the credentials to talk up these films. I’m sure he was paid well to cheerlead them along, and indeed there is much that can be honestly admired. But I’m afraid his admiration for the people and the processes surrounding the movies might have lulled his critical responses to sleep, and, after all, he is not being paid to find fault or point out possible errors of judgement. Beautiful books, though, full of art and photos.

Ranking: Keepers.

File Code: Movie Guide Tie-Ins, Softcover.

‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ Chronicles: Art and Design, written by Daniel Falconer; ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ Chronicles II: Creatures and Characters, written by Daniel Falconer (Introduction by Andy Serkis); ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ Chronicles: Art and Design, by Daniel Falconer (Introduction by Alan Lee).

“Daniel Falconer is a creature, costume, armour, weapon and prop designer for films and known best for his work with Weta on The Lord of the Rings film trilogy and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” – Wikipedia. These beautifully bound books are mainly pretenses to show off the gorgeous production art from ‘The Hobbit’ movies, and they don’t disappoint (unlike the movies themselves). They include (in order of publication): a facsimile of Bilbo’s Contract with Thorin & Company; a fold-out comparative size chart of creatures and characters; and a fold-out portrait of the Master of Lake Town. There is one other in the series, from “Desolation’: “Cloaks and Daggers”, which includes a foldout of the hobbit market from ‘An Unexpected Journey’.

Ranking: Keepers.

File Code: Art and Design. Film. Hardback.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Photo Guide, Edited by Alison Sage. (2001)

“Over 70 Fantastic Pictures.” Bought, of course, when the ‘Fellowship’ was just coming out and enthusiasm was at a fever pitch. If there were any more Guides for the other movies, I didn’t bother to get them.

Ranking: Keeper.

File Code: Movie Photo Album. Softcover.

Items from the Wish List: More Tolkien!

 

Unfinished Tales by J. R. R. Tolkien  (Author), Christopher Tolkien (Editor), Alan Lee (Illustrator), John Howe (Illustrator), Ted Nasmith (Illustrator)

To celebrate its 40th anniversary, the first ever illustrated edition of this collection of tales which takes readers further into the stories told in The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion, featuring 18 full-colour paintings depicting scenes from the First, Second and Third Ages of Middle-earth.

Unfinished Tales is a collection of narratives ranging in time from the Elder Days of Middle-earth to the end of the War of the Ring, and provides those who have read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings with a whole collection of background and new stories.

The book concentrates on the realm of Middle-earth and comprises such elements as The Quest of Erebor, Gandalf’s lively account of how it was that he came to send the Dwarves to the celebrated party at Bag-End; the emergence of the sea-god Ulmo before the eyes of Tuor on the coast of Beleriand; and an exact description of the military organization of the Riders of Rohan.

Unfinished Tales also contains the only story about the long ages of Númenor before its downfall, and all that is known about such matters as the Five Wizards, the Palantíri and the legend of Amroth. The tales were edited by Christopher Tolkien, who provides a short commentary on each story, helping the reader to fill in the gaps and put each story into the context of the rest of his father’s writings.

In celebration of its 40th anniversary, this new edition features 18 stunning paintings from critically acclaimed Tolkien artists, Alan Lee, John Howe & Ted Nasmith, which reveal the three Ages of Middle-earth like never before. – Amazon.

Perilous and Fair: Women in the Works and Life of J. R. R. Tolkien by Janet Brennan Croft  (Author, Editor), Phoebe C. Linton (Contributor), Una McCormack (Contributor), John D. Rateliff (Contributor), Melanie A. Rawls (Contributor), Robin Anne Reid (Contributor), & 3 more

Since the earliest scholarship on The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion, critics have discussed how the works of J. R. R. Tolkien seem either to ignore women or to place them on unattainable pedestals. To remedy such claims that Tolkien’s fiction has nothing useful or modern to say about women, Perilous and Fair focuses critical attention on views that interpret women in Tolkien’s works and life as enacting essential, rather than merely supportive roles. Perilous and Fair includes seven classic articles as well as seven new examinations of women in Tolkien’s works and life. These fourteen articles bring together perspectives not only on Tolkien’s most commonly discussed female characters-- Éowyn, Galadriel, and Lúthien—but also on less studied figures such as Nienna, Yavanna, Shelob, and Arwen. Among others, the collection features such diverse critical approaches and methods as literary source study, historical context, feminist theory, biographical investigation, close-reading textual analysis, Jungian archetypes, and fanfiction reader-response. – Amazon.

A Middle-earth Traveler: Sketches from Bag End to Mordor by John Howe  (Author)

A Middle-earth Traveler is an illustrated guide to J.R.R. Tolkien's most famous creation, with lavish art showing the many locations and characters the author described in his classic novels, along with notes on their importance to the world.

A Middle-earth Traveler presents a walking tour of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, visiting not only places central to his stories, but also those just over the hill or beyond the horizon. Events from Tolkien’s books are explored—battles of the different ages that are almost legend by the time of The Lord of the Rings; lost kingdoms and ancient myths, as well as those places only hinted at: kingdoms of the far North and lands beyond the seas.

Sketches that have an ‘on-the-spot’ feel to them are interwoven with the artist’s observations gleaned from Tolkien’s books and recollections of his time spent in Middle-earth while working alongside Peter Jackson on the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film trilogies. Combining concept work produced for films, existing Middle-earth art, and many new paintings and sketches exclusive to this book, A Middle-earth Traveler will take the reader on a unique and unforgettable journey across Tolkien’s magical landscape. – Amazon.

The Hobbit: The Art of War: The Battle of the Five Armies: Chronicles by Weta

Presented by Academy Award-winning director Sir Peter Jackson, the ultimate insider’s look at the conflicts and battles waged in The Hobbit movie trilogy: how they were devised, composed, designed, staged and more.

Smaug’s fiery attack on Lake-town, the White Council’s raid of Dol Guldur, the ferocious Battle of the Five Armies itself—all of the conflicts waged in The Hobbit motion picture trilogy are examined in exquisite detail from the first skirmish to the ultimate conflagration in the trilogy’s dramatic conclusion.

The Hobbit: The Art of War brings together all of the special effects imagery in the Weta archives and unprecedented access to Sir Peter Jackson—the genius behind some of the world’s biggest motion-picture franchises, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit—who shares his expertise and encyclopedic knowledge with fans as never before.

The Hobbit: The Art of War takes fans inside this creative visionary’s mind and gives them an understanding of how he plotted each and every movement captured on film. Jackson offers in-depth discussions of the strategies of each army, the tactics they employed, and the significance of each collision between rival cultures. The cast members from the three films also share personal stories of how their characters’ tales are resolved.

Meet the armies of digitally generated creatures these heroes must overcome, delve into the world of Weta Digital and the Motion Capture Studio. Discover how the largely digital battles were achieved, from the design and creation of the battles’ creatures and the fight choreography, to the extended environments and visual effects necessary to make Tolkien’s world vividly real. The Hobbit: The Art of War is packed with lavish galleries showcasing the costumes, armor, weapons, and props integral to the battles, as well as the stories behind their creation.

With never-before-heard behind-the-scenes, on-the-set, and in-the-studio stories, and exclusive detailed content, The Hobbit: The Art of War is the ultimate Hobbit fan’s encyclopedia and a must have for all aficionados of the craft of filmmaking. – Amazon.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Chronicles: Cloaks & Daggers by Weta

The ultimate insider look at the filmmaking process of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, a continuation of the two of the world’s biggest motion-picture franchises, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings, by one of the world’s most notable directors, Peter Jackson.

Richly illustrated with behind-the-scenes photographs, digital renders, and film stills, this comprehensive book explores the costumes and props, including armour, weapons and jewelry, made for the first two films. Chapters will be broken down by type and character: Dwarves, Wizards, Hobbits, Rivendell Elves, Mirkwood Elves and more.

The book will lean heavily on beautiful studio and on-set photography of the finished pieces as well as film stills that provide context. Concept art, detail shots and imagery of materials samples and mock-ups will also be used to weave stories around the finished items. Behind the scenes processes will be showcased with supporting photographs of elements being created.

First-hand accounts from the actors, artists, digital effects specialists, and many other crew members describe the process and how the production unfolded, while also sharing insights into the characters. The book will have a bonus feature, unique to this book.

Compiled by Weta Workshop designer Daniel Falconer and featuring a wealth of stunning imagery, this book puts the reader face-to-face with all of the creatures and characters that populate the first two films in the Peter Jackson trilogy. – Amazon.