Seems like an odd question, I know. But when Thorin and company are visiting Beorn, it seems as if the camera focuses on the bees pretty heavily. Is there any significance of the bees or is it just for scenery?
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Bee closeups are Peter Jackson's equivalent of J.J.Abrams' lens glare?– DVK-on-Ahch-ToCommented Mar 24, 2015 at 22:56
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1When I saw it in IMAX, it came across as an easy way to pander to people who like 'in-your-face-3D'.– Gridley QuayleCommented Mar 25, 2015 at 0:06
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1 Answer
This one comes directly from the book:
And such bees! Bilbo had never seen anything like them.
"If one was to sting me," he thought, "I should swell up as big again as I am!"
They were bigger than hornets. The drones were bigger than your thumb, a good deal, and the bands of yellow on their deep black bodies shone like fiery gold.
"We are getting near," said Gandalf. "We are on the edge of his bee-pastures."
As for the reason, Beorn's animals are noted in the book to be somewhat special:
At any rate he is under no enchantment but his own. He lives in an oak-wood and has a great wooden house; and as a man he keeps cattle and horses which are nearly as marvellous as himself. They work for him and talk to him. He does not eat them; neither does he hunt or eat wild animals. He keeps hives and hives of great fierce bees, and lives most on cream and honey.
There's no other reason given, and we must be satisfied with the explanation that Beorn is a magical person ("under no enchantment but his own") who keeps special animals.
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Wow it's been a while since I read the books. Didn't remember this part. Nice find.– JakenCommented Mar 24, 2015 at 23:12