The Return of the King (1980 film)
The Return of the King is an animated adaptation of the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien which was released by Rankin/Bass as a TV special in 1980. It has since been released on VHS and DVD.
The film was created by the same team which had worked on the 1977 animated version of The Hobbit.
Cast
Actor | Role |
---|---|
Orson Bean | Frodo Baggins, Bilbo Baggins |
Nellie Bellflower | Éowyn |
Theodore Bikel | Aragorn |
Brother Theodore | Gollum |
William Conrad | Denethor |
Paul Frees | Elrond, Whip Orc |
John Huston | Gandalf the Grey |
Casey Kasem | Meriadoc Brandybuck |
Roddy McDowall | Samwise Gamgee |
Sonny Melendrez | Peregrin Took |
Don Messick | Theoden, Mouth of Sauron, Easterling |
John Stephenson | Witch-king of Angmar, Gondorian Guard |
Glenn Yarbrough | Minstrel of Gondor |
Synopsis
Rather than picking up where Ralph Bakshi's animated adaptation of The Lord of the Rings had left off in 1978, Rankin-Bass present The Return of the King as a sequel to their 1977 adaptation of The Hobbit — giving the audience a brief recap of the events, and adapting a few story events from The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers, while leaving out some major details. The visual style of The Return of the King is largely shared with the 1977 Hobbit.
Scenes
- "Prologue: A Ring's Tale"
- "Frodo of the Nine Fingers"
- "Credits"
- "Crossing into Mordor"
- "The Bearer of the Ring"
- "Samwise the Strong"
- "Less Can Be More"
- "Under Siege"
- "Denethor's Black Vision"
- "The Two Watchers"
- "Great Elf Warrior"
- "Rescuing Frodo"
- "The Power"
- "Team Magic"
- "Weary Fugitives"
- "Vale of Gorgoroth"
- "Where There's a Whip"
- "Enemy At The Gates"
- "Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes"
- "Mount Doom"
- "The Gollum"
- "Theoden Falls"
- "Claimed By the Ring"
- "Eowyn Triumphs"
- "Choice of Evils"
- "End of the Ring"
- "On Eagles' Wings"
- "The Return of the King"
- "Farewells"
- "End Credits"
Reception
Reception for the animated TV special is varied. Some commentators view it affectionately as an adaptation which children and parents can enjoy together .[1] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and Peter Jackson's later live-action film.[2][3] Glenn Yarborough's songs are widely derided, although some admit to a campy affection for the surprisingly tuneful Orc marching song "Where There's a Whip, There's a Way" or the ballad "Frodo of the Nine Fingers". [4]
The animated Return of the King is available on DVD from Warner Bros., both individually and as a "boxed trilogy" with the Rankin/Bass The Hobbit and Bakshi's The Lord of the Rings.