Stu wrote:

I think the Harfoots are by far the worst aspect that they have shown. They look like a stone-age culture rather than a straightforward pre-industrial culture.

A lot of stealing each others thoughts tonight. My thoughts exactly.

I don't see the point to this race from what we have seen so far. Obviously that is very little but I hoped a longeer trailer would ease my concerns about them, it did the opposite.

I actually like the look of the Harfoots.

I think what they’ve gone for is maybe a sort of wandering tribe (a race that hasn’t exactly settled in a manner that’s obvious to other races yet), and a much more shier and secretive one (desire / ability to easily disappear when the Big Folk come along; not by magic but through close affinity with the earth and by camouflaging with their surroundings).

That’s my read on it anyway; personally I feel their look is certainly more realistic than madcap weed-smoking Radagast with his hair-nest and bird poop all over.

Eorl the Young wrote:

That’s my read on it anyway; personally I feel their look is certainly more realistic than madcap weed-smoking Radagast with his hair-nest and bird poop all over.

Funnily enough, it was the *awful* Radagast that I actually thought of when seeing the Harfoots. A wandering tribe doesn't fit in with Tolkien's version of the things, as they tended to settle in one place, live in holes, etc. But I guess what we are seeing here might just be *some* Harfoots, rather than *all* Harfoots. I think they just look off and very fake.

I have to agree with you on Radagast. I was frankly surprised how easily most fans accepted him after the initial shock had worn off.

A humourous anecdote on the topic of fake - one of my friends in college, after going to watch The Two Towers in the cinema, reported back with “I walked out when this tree started talking…” ?

Eorl the Young wrote:

I have to agree with you on Radagast. I was frankly surprised how easily most fans accepted him after the initial shock had worn off.

A humourous anecdote on the topic of fake - one of my friends in college, after going to watch The Two Towers in the cinema, reported back with “I walked out when this tree started talking…” ?

Ha Ha. Radagast actually had me swearing. I don't think Peter Jackson really understands how strong those giant floppy-eared rabbits would need to be to pull a sled on anything other than snow... The whole thing just looked like something someone made as a joke to prank the production team on April 1st. The fact that it was ever written in shows just what absolute hacks PJ and Boyens really are, IMHO.

My current thinking on the Harfoots is that they seem like filler, the studio insisted that the viewing public are clamouring to see more Hobbits and you have to include them in the TV series.

I expect that I will skip through the Hobbit parts when the show comes out.

Trotter wrote:

I expect that I will skip through the Hobbit parts when the show comes out.

I'm thinking this might be strategy I might try as well. I'm leaning more and more towards stearing clear of this show though, which has alot to do with the allergic reaction towards all things tolkien that Jacksons LotR trilogy gave me. It took years before I picked up the books again as strange as that might sound.

I'm not bored by the Harfoots. I find they have something a bit shakespearian, which could be interesting. I just don't get the wagons thing.

We've seen a lot of wandering Harfoots, but I think it worth pointing out that in the latest character poster for Largo Brandyfoot, there is clearly an underground hobbit hole (with round door) and some stonework in the background:

I sat down with Voice of Geekdom and James Tauner (Digital Tolkien Project) to break down the SDCC trailer for a bit. Hope you enjoy!