A few days ago came a sampling of ‘The Last Goodbye,’ the Billy Boyd preformed closing credit song for THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES. Boyd co-wrote the piece alongside HOBBIT/LOTR movie scribes/producers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens.
The whole song has now become available, and can be heard HERE at Billboard.
This tenor and title of this song, as well as the coming of this film, are tremendously bittersweet and stressful for me. My mom, who read the LORD OF THE RINGS novels multiple times and dutifully read the HOBBIT aloud to me when I was a child, has loved (and seen repeatedly) every one of Jackson’s Tolkien adaptations and has been eagerly awaiting the closing of his cinematic cycle.
Due to progressively grim complications arising from a stroke she had last year, I’m not sure I’m going to be able to physically get her to the theater to see THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES - and I frankly question whether she’ll still be around for the home video issuance. In fact, I would bet against it. A sickly tantalizing irony considering how hard Jackson and company have worked to bring closure to the journey they started back in 2001 - and that my mom is so close to being able to enjoy such closure, yet so incredibly far. Maybe this is one of those bitchy 'Indiana, let it go...' moments we all must face at some point in life.
Sorry to be such a downer here - just one of those unexpectedly contemplative moments I guess. Come what may, THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES releases December 17. Although, some Austin theaters have a full slate of screenings on the 16th, with HOBBIT trilogy marathon screenings on the 15th (including FIVE ARMIES). So, check your local listings carefully for precise timings.
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Glen Oliver
“Merrick”
