Ian McKellen in a scene from "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.'(Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures)
The new Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is causing some unexpected reaction.
Some
in the audience for the New Zealand premiere last week are reporting
that the high-speed cinematography is not good for the stomach or the
head.
The Daily Mail
reports that U.K.'s Sunday Times quotes one "avid Middle Earth fan,",
who had flown to New Zealand from Australia for the Nov. 28 world
premiere, as saying, "My eyes cannot take everything in, it's dizzying,
now I have a migraine."
Another fan apparently tweeted: "It works
for the big snowy mountains, but in close-ups the pictures strobes. I
left loving the movie but feeling sick."
And another described
having motion sickness similar to being on a rollercoaster, saying, "You
have to hold your stomach down and let your eyes pop at first to
adjust. This is not for wimps."
Ian McKellan explained this morning on Live! with Kelly and Michael,
"The normal way we see a movie is 24 frames per second. Just know that.
the way the human eye sees ... is 60 frames per second. The movie is
halfway between at 48 frames. I've not seen it, but what you apparently
get is a real sense of reality. And with the 3D it doesn't come out at
you, but rather takes you inside."
X-Men director Bryan
Singer was in New Zealand for the Nov. 28 premiere and didn't have any
problem - other than being jealous of Peter Jackson's work. He tweeted
afterward: "Just saw #Hobbit. Having some serious frame rate envy.
Amazing and involving. Loved it! And @ianmckellen118, my friend, you are
brilliant!"
USA Today