Sir Peter Jackson has released preview footage from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey to mixed reviews.
The director was present at the CinemaCon convention in Las Vegas yesterday when 10 minutes of the eagerly awaited footage was screened.
In his introduction Sir Peter explained that his adaptation of JRR Tolkien's classic fantasy was shot using new digital technology that records at 48-frames per second, double the usual rate.
"The movement feels much more real," explained Jackson. "It's much more gentle on the eyes."
Some attendees at the screening were critical of the technology, suggesting the effects were jarring and looked cheap.
"It reminds me of when I first saw Blu-Ray, in that it takes away that warm feeling of film," one cinema owner told Variety magazine.
However, the clips were described as a work in progress and Sir Peter and his team have until the film's release in December to smooth out any wrinkles in post-production.
Only cinemas equipped with appropriate technology will be able
to screen The Hobbit in the 48fps rate, all others will play it in
standard 24fps rate.