This joke is probably old news to most everyone, but I just watched Oscar nominated The Martian and giggled like the dickens during the Elrond Scene. The scene is almost directly from the novel – which makes it even funnier.
Without further adieu, I’ll just set it up by saying that, in an effort to solve problems in rescuing stranded Astronaut Mark Watney and getting him home from Mars, the NASA bigs hold a meeting to discuss an audacious plan.
For some reason, I don’t think this is the first time an actor in a later film referred to one of his earlier films. I’ll have to check that out; but something like it almost happened, and would have delighted Richard Armitage fans. I squealed with delight when I read the scene in the book, Urban and the Shed Crew where Chop reads The Hobbit to Urban. Had Candida Brady included the scene in the film – well – Richard Armitage reading The Hobbit – a book that changed his life twice – I simply love the idea of Richard Armitage playing a guy who’s using the story of Thorin Oakenshield to motivate a kid who can’t read.
The Martian’s director, Ridley Scott, wanted to toss or modify the Elrond scene, thinking the reference was silly. He was overruled. I wonder if Candace Brady decided to scrap the scene in Urban and the Shed Crew because she thought it would be silly ( or Maybe Armitage did?). If so, too bad.
I recommend The Martian if you can use about 90 minutes a pure, joyful entertainment with plenty of fun pop culture/comic book references. The end result is never doubted in this movie.
Sean Bean only sort of dies.
Armitage Agonistes 