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King of the Dead

2014-08-29T02:12:26Z

76.113.141.81: /* History */

{{men infobox
| image=[[File:Grant Gould - King of the Dead 2.jpg|175px]]
| name=King of the Dead
| pronun=
| othernames=King of the Mountains
| titles=
| position=
| location=[[White Mountains]]
| affiliation=[[Sauron]], [[Gondor]]
| language=
| birth=[[Second Age]]
| birthlocation=
| rule=
| death=
| deathlocation=
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=
| parentage=
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=Spear
| steed=
}}
The '''King of the Mountains''', or later, the '''King of the Dead''', was the ruler of the [[Oathbreakers]].

== History ==
He was the King of the [[Men of the Mountains]], and when the [[Realms in Exile]] were founded, he met [[Isildur]] at [[Erech]] and swore his affiliation to [[Gondor]] on behalf of his people.

Then the time came when their former lord, [[Sauron]] arose again, and Isildur summoned them, but the Men of the Mountains were unwilling to turn against Sauron as they worshipped him during the [[Dark Years]]. Isildur cursed them for not fulfilling their oath, that there will be no other King after him, and they will never find rest, until someone else calls for them.

His people dwindled and in the following centuries, the [[Wraiths|wraith]] of the '''King of the Dead''' was a terrifying rumor for the [[Men of Gondor]] south of the Mountains.

During the [[War of the Ring]], [[Aragorn]] came to the [[Paths of the Dead]] as the [[Heir of Isildur]] and offered him to redeem themselves. On their way to Erech, people were scared of the news that the King of the Dead was out again, and defenders and foes alike fled away.<ref>{{RK|Company}}</ref>

The Oathbreakers followed the [[Grey Company]] to [[Pelargir]] where they drove off the enemy. Having fulfilled their oath, the King of the Dead broke and threw down his spear, bowed to [[Aragorn]] and turned away, as the Shadow Host vanished.<ref>{{RK|Debate}}</ref>
{{references}}
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:Pre-Númenóreans]]
[[Category:Second Age characters]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

2013-11-17T14:25:18Z

76.113.141.81: /* Cast */

{{film infobox
| image=[[File:The Hobbit - The Desolation of Smaug - poster 1.jpg|250px]]
| name=''The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug''
| director=[[Peter Jackson]]<ref name="HBTitles">{{webcite|articleurl=http://www.thehobbitblog.com/?p=2563|articlename=Titles and Release Dates Announced|dated=31-May-2011|website=[http://www.thehobbitblog.com/ The Hobbit Blog]|accessed=21-Dec-2011}}</ref> [[Andy Serkis]] (Second Unit Director)<ref name="HBAndy">
{{webcite|articleurl=http://www.thehobbitblog.com/?p=2234|articlename=Andy Serkis to serve as Second Unit Director|dated=8-April-2011|website=[http://www.thehobbitblog.com/ The Hobbit Blog]|accessed=21-Dec-2011}}</ref>
| producer=Peter Jackson [[Fran Walsh]] [[Carolynne Cunningham]] [[Zane Weiner]] [[Philippa Boyens]] (Co-Producer) [[Eileen Moran]] (Co-Producer) [[Alan Horn]] (Executive Producer) [[Toby Emmerich]] (Executive Producer) [[Ken Kamins]] (Executive Producer) [[Caroline Blackwood]]<ref name="HBTitles"/>
| writer=Peter Jackson Fran Walsh Philippa Boyens<ref name="HBTitles"/>
| narrator=
| starring=[[Martin Freeman]] [[Ian McKellen]] [[Richard Armitage]]<ref name="PJCasting1">{{webcite|author=[[Peter Jackson]]|articleurl=http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150168211921558|articlename=Production begins in New Zealand on The Hobbit|dated=20-March-2011|website=FB|accessed=21-Dec-2011}}</ref> ''[[The Hobbit (film series)#Confirmed cast|See cast section below for more]]''
| music=[[Howard Shore]]<ref name="PJCasting1"/>
| cinematography=[[Andrew Lesnie]]<ref name="PJCasting1"/>
| editing=
| studio=[[New Line Cinema]] [[MGM]] [[WingNut Films]]<ref name="HBTitles"/>
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.|Warner Bros. Pictures]]<ref name="HBTitles"/>
| released=[[13 December]] [[2013]]<ref name="HBTitles2">{{webcite|articleurl=http://www.thehobbitblog.com/the-hobbit-trilogy-titles-and-release-dates/|articlename=The Hobbit Trilogy titles and release dates|dated=2-September-2012|website=[http://www.thehobbitblog.com/ The Hobbit Blog]|accessed=2-September-2012}}</ref>
| runtime=
| country=[[New Zealand]] [[United Kingdom]] [[United States]]
| language=English
| budget=
| website=[http://www.thehobbit.com/ TheHobbit.com]
| imdb_id=tt1170358
}}
'''''The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug''''' is the second of [[Peter Jackson]]'s [[The Hobbit (film series)|''The Hobbit'' film trilogy]] based on [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s [[1937]] novel ''[[The Hobbit]]''. It will be released on [[13 December]] [[2013]] in North America. It will have been preceded by ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey|An Unexpected Journey]]'' in [[2012]] and will be followed by ''[[The Hobbit: There and Back Again|There and Back Again]]'' in [[2014]].

==Synopsis==
{{Blockquote|“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” continues the adventure of the title character [[Bilbo Baggins]] as he journeys with the Wizard [[Gandalf]] and thirteen Dwarves, led by [[Thorin|Thorin Oakenshield]], on an epic quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain and the lost Dwarf Kingdom of [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]].

''Having survived the beginning of their unexpected journey, the Company continues East, encountering along the way the skin-changer [[Beorn]] and a swarm of giant Spiders in the treacherous forest of [[Mirkwood]]. After escaping capture by the dangerous [[Elves of Mirkwood|Wood-elves]], the Dwarves journey to Lake-town, and finally to the Lonely Mountain itself, where they must face the greatest danger of all — a creature more terrifying than any other; one which will test not only the depth of their courage but the limits of their friendship and the wisdom of the journey itself — the Dragon [[Smaug]].''|[[Warner Bros.]]<ref>{{webcite|articleurl=http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2013/10/17/80789-warner-bros-full-synopsis-for-the-hobbit-the-desolation-of-smaug-provides-some-plot-hints/|articlename=Warner Bros. full synopsis for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug provides some plot hints?|dated=17-October-2013|website=TORN|accessed=17-October-2013}}</ref>}}

==People involved==
:''See:[[The Hobbit (film series)#People involved|''The Hobbit'' (film series)#People involved]]''

===Cast===
:''See also:[[The Hobbit (film series)#Cast|''The Hobbit'' (film series)#Cast]]''
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Richard Armitage]] || [[Thorin]]
|-
| [[John Bell]] || [[Bain]]
|-
| [[Manu Bennett]] || [[Azog]]
|-
| [[Orlando Bloom]] || [[Legolas]]
|-
| [[Jed Brophy]] || [[Nori]]
|-
| [[Adam Brown]] || [[Ori]]
|-
| [[John Callen]] || [[Óin]]
|-
| [[Benedict Cumberbatch]] || [[Smaug]]
|-
| [[Luke Evans]] || [[Bard]]
|-
| [[Martin Freeman]] || [[Bilbo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Stephen Fry]] || [[Master of Lake-town]]
|-
| [[Ryan Gage]] || [[Alfrid]]
|-
| [[Mark Hadlow]] || [[Dori]]
|-
| [[Peter Hambleton]] || [[Glóin]]
|-
| [[Stephen Hunter]] || [[Bombur]]
|-
| [[William Kircher]] || [[Bifur]]
|-
| [[Evangeline Lilly]] || [[Tauriel]]
|-
| [[Lawrence Makoare]] || ?
|-
| [[Sylvester McCoy]] || [[Radagast|Radagast the Brown]]
|-
| [[Ian McKellen]] || [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Graham McTavish]] || [[Dwalin]]
|-
| [[James Nesbitt]] || [[Bofur]]
|-
| [[Dean O'Gorman]] || [[Fíli]]
|-
| [[Lee Pace]] || [[Thranduil]]
|-
| [[Mikael Persbrandt]] || [[Beorn]]
|-
| [[Ken Stott]] || [[Balin]]
|-
| [[Aidan Turner]] || [[Kíli]]
|}

==Gallery==
{{Seealso|:Category:Images from The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug}}
{{Gallery
|title=Pictures from ''The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug''
|height=200
|width=300
|lines=2
|File:The Hobbit - The Desolation of Smaug - Attercop!.jpg|[[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]] fights the spiders of [[Mirkwood]]
|File:The Hobbit - The Desolation of Smaug - Bilbo and Sting.jpg|Bilbo and [[Sting]]
|File:The Hobbit - The Desolation of Smaug - Packing the Dwarves.jpg|[[Barrels Out of Bond]]
|File:The Hobbit - The Desolation of Smaug - Bilbo in the Lonely Mountain.jpg|Bilbo in the [[Lonely Mountain]]
|File:The Hobbit - The Desolation of Smaug - Tauriel.jpg|[[Tauriel]]
|File:The Hobbit - The Desolation of Smaug - Legolas in Mirkwood.jpg|[[Legolas]] confronts [[Thorin and Company]]
|File:The Hobbit - The Desolation of Smaug - Gandalf in Dol Guldur.jpg|[[Gandalf]] in [[Dol Guldur]]
|File:The Hobbit - The Desolation of Smaug - Dale.jpg|[[Dale]] in ruins
|File:The Hobbit - The Desolation of Smaug - Bilbo and the butterflies in the canopy of Mirkwood.jpg|Bilbo and the butterflies in the canopy of [[Mirkwood]]
|File:The Hobbit - The Desolation of Smaug - Azog.jpg|[[Azog]]
}}

==Trailer==
{{VideosHD|fnaojlfdUbs|Os1G8RtqY2c|lfflhfn1W-o}}

==See also==
*[[The Hobbit (film series)|''The Hobbit'' (film series)]]
**''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey|An Unexpected Journey]]''
**''[[The Hobbit: There and Back Again|There and Back Again]]''
*[[:Category:Images from The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug|Images from ''The Desolation of Smaug'']]
*[[:Category:Images of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug posters|''The Desolation of Smaug'' posters]]
*''The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug'' tie-in books:
**''[[The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: Chronicles: Art & Design]]''
**''[[The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: Official Movie Guide]]''
**''[[The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: Visual Companion]]''
**Children's books:
***''[[The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: Sticker Book]]''
***''[[The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: The Movie Storybook]]''
***''[[The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: Ultimate Sticker Collection]]''
***''[[The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: Activity Book]]''
***''[[The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: Annual 2014]]''

==External links==
*[http://www.thehobbit.com/ TheHobbit.com] (official website)
*[http://www.thehobbitblog.com/ TheHobbitBlog.com] (official blog)
*[http://www.facebook.com/PeterJacksonNZ Peter Jackson's Facebook page]

{{references}}

{{films}}

{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Hobbit (film series)| ]]

The Hobbit (1977 film)

2013-07-05T06:34:42Z

76.113.141.81: /* Synopsis */

{{disambig-more|The Hobbit|[[The Hobbit (disambiguation)]]}}
{{film infobox
| image=[[File:The Hobbit (1977 film) - Cover.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Hobbit
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]] [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=Arthur Rankin, Jr. Jules Bass
| writer=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] (original novel) Romeo Muller (screenplay)
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]] [[Richard Boone]] [[Hans Conried]] [[John Huston]]
| music=Maury Laws (music) Jules Bass (lyrics/lyrical adaptations)
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=NBC (original transmission) [[Warner Bros.]] (home video)
| released=[[27 November|November 27]], [[1977]]
| runtime=77 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget=$3 million (est.)
| website=
| imdb_id=tt0077687
}}'''''The Hobbit''''' was a [[1977]] animated television movie by [[Rankin/Bass]] Productions based on [[The Hobbit|the book of the same name]]. It manages to retell most of the story within its 77-minute span. An LP with the soundtrack and dialog from the movie was also released in 1977 by [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] through its Buena Vista Records label, and, by popular demand, an edited version (along with accompanying "storyteller read-alongs") was later reissued for the Mouse Factory's Disneyland Records imprint.

===Cast===
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Actor !! Role(s)
|-
| [[Orson Bean]] || [[Bilbo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Richard Boone]] || [[Smaug]]
|-
| [[Hans Conried]] || [[Thorin]]
|-
| [[John Huston]] || [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Otto Preminger]] || The [[Thranduil|Elvenking]]
|-
| [[Cyril Ritchard]] || [[Elrond]]
|-
| [[Brother Theodore]] || [[Gollum]]
|-
| [[Paul Frees]] || [[Bombur]], [[Dwalin]], Troll #1
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Balin]], The [[Gwaihir|Lord of the Eagles]], [[Fíli]], [[Kíli]], Troll #3, Goblin guard
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Dori]], The [[Great Goblin]], [[Bard]]
|-
| Jack DeLeon || [[Nori]], [[Bofur]], various Dwarves & Goblins
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || vocalist
|-
| Thurl Ravenscroft (uncredited) || background voices, ensemble vocalist
|}

The film was produced and directed by [[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]] and [[Jules Bass]] and adapted for the screen by Romeo Muller; with Rankin taking on the additional duties of production designer, and Bass adapting some of Tolkien's original lyrics, as well as contributing, along with Maury Laws, an original theme song, "The Greatest Adventure (The Ballad of the Hobbit)," sung by [[Glenn Yarbrough]].

The same team, along with Bean, Huston, Theodore, Frees, Messick, Stephenson, and Ravenscroft returned for the 1980 adaption of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]''.

===Synopsis===
[[Bilbo Baggins]] the [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] is smoking outside when suddenly [[Gandalf]] the [[Wizards|Wizard]] appears and tells him he wants to hire a burglar. With him are thirteen [[Dwarves]]: [[Thorin]] (their leader), [[Balin]], [[Dwalin]], [[Fíli]], [[Kíli]], [[Dori]], [[Nori]], [[Ori]], [[Óin]], [[Glóin]], [[Bifur]], [[Bofur]], and [[Bombur]]. After they eat, they explain to Bilbo that the evil [[Dragons|Dragon]] [[Smaug]] stole their treasure in the [[Lonely Mountain]], and they need Bilbo to help them reclaim it.

They set out next morning, and eventually seek shelter from a storm in a forest. There they see three [[Trolls]]. Thorin tells Bilbo to steal some meat from them; however, the trolls catch them and try to eat them, until Gandalf returns and the sun rises, turning the three trolls to stone. Bilbo finds their cave and Gandalf and Thorin each take a sword. Bilbo also takes a smaller sword. Gandalf suspects that the trolls might have stolen them. He also gives Thorin the map of the Lonely Mountain (Erebor) and the key to the secret passage into the mountain.

They then arrive at [[Rivendell]], the city of the [[Elves]], where [[Elrond]] gives them food. He says that Gandalf's sword is called [[Glamdring]] the Foe-Hammer, and Thorin's sword is called [[Orcrist]] the Goblin Cleaver, and that they are elven blades. He holds the map up to the moon, revealing the moon letters on it, that says to stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks in order to see the secret passage. Afterward, they continue their journey, but are caught in another storm and seek shelter in a cave. Once inside, Gandalf disappears again, and the ponies are stolen by [[Goblins]]. Bilbo and the dwarves try to save the ponies but are also captured by the Goblins. The [[Great Goblin]] tries to eat Thorin for carrying Orcrist, but is killed by Gandalf. They continue through the cave, but Bilbo falls into a hole.

Bilbo wakes up in a cave, where a dark creature named [[Gollum]] lives. After finding a [[The One Ring|golden ring]] on the ground, Bilbo is challenged to a riddle contest by Gollum: if Bilbo wins, Gollum shows him the way out, but if Gollum wins, he gets to eat Bilbo. After a few riddles, Bilbo asks what he has in his pocket. Gollum is unable to answer correctly and, thus, loses, but first decides to show Bilbo his ring, only to find it missing. By the time he returns, Bilbo puts the ring on and turns invisible. Gollum thinks Bilbo knows the way out and goes to head him off. Bilbo follows him and runs past him out of the cave.

After meeting up with Gandalf and the dwarves, Bilbo continues his journey with them only to run into Goblins and [[Wargs]]. They are chased up a tree, and the Goblins set the trees on fire, but [[Eagles]] rescue them. The [[Gwaihir|Lord of the Eagles]] did so because Gandalf healed him from an arrow-wound a long time ago. The Eagles take them to the edge of [[Mirkwood]], and it is here where Gandalf leaves them for good, leaving Bilbo in charge and instructing him to write a log.

Wandering through Mirkwood, Bilbo and the Dwarves are captured by [[Spiders]], but Bilbo escapes by killing a spider with his sword. He then names his sword "[[Sting]]." He finds the Dwarves and cuts them free, killing a spider with a rock. While the Dwarves flee, Bilbo stays behind to put on his ring and then fight the spiders, who are forced to retreat. When Bilbo finds the Dwarves, they are captured by [[Elves of Mirkwood|Wood-elves]], but he follows them in secret with the aid of his ring. The [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] orders them locked away because, out of greed for the treasure, they won't tell him why they were in the forest.

After a while, Bilbo figures a way out: he steals a key from a drunken guard to get them out of their prison cells, and has them hide in empty barrels (with him riding on top of one) along the river, out of Mirkwood and toward [[Lake-town]]. When they arrive at Lake-town, Thorin introduces himself as the grandson of the king under the mountain. [[Bard]] the guardsman and his men give them food, and they continue toward the end of their journey at the Lonely Mountain.

Bilbo finds the secret door while the thrush knocks, and Thorin unlocks it with the key. Bilbo enters to steal treasure from Smaug, and puts the ring on to avoid being seen. He speaks in riddles to him, and observes that he has a weakness; a scale on his chest is missing. Bilbo takes off the ring before he leaves, taking a cup with him, and Smaug breathes fire at him. He believes Bilbo to be from Lake-town, and goes there to destroy it in revenge. A thrush, at Bilbo's command, tells Bard of Smaug's weakness, and Bard shoots Smaug with his black arrow, killing him, but destroying Lake-town in the process.

Bard leads an army of men to the Lonely Mountain to inform Bilbo and the dwarves that Smaug is dead and that he has been made king, and requests a share of the treasure to help rebuild Laketown. Bilbo is willing to do this, as there is enough for all of them, but Thorin refuses. The Elvenking and his army arrive, also with the intent of getting treasure, and a three-way war is declared between Dwarves, Elves, and [[Men]]. The dwarves seem outnumbered until Balin informs Thorin that an army of dwarves led by his cousin [[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin]] is coming.

Just when the three armies meet up to battle, Gandalf appears and tells them that an army of Goblins is coming. Thorin, Bard, and the Elvenking join forces to fight the Goblins; however, they are at a disadvantage until the Eagles show up, making it a "[[Battle of Five Armies]]." The Goblins are defeated, but Thorin is mortally wounded, and dies from his injuries. He does, however, part from Bilbo in friendship. With his share of the treasure, Bilbo returns to his quiet life in the [[Shire]], with Gandalf accompanying him on his way back.

====Scenes====
# "[[Bilbo's Visitors]]" (4:07)
# "[[Outlining the Adventure]]" (3:53)
# "Credits" (2:20)
# "[[Troublesome Trolls]]" (3:35)
# "[[Lonely Mountain Map]]" (3:06)
# "[[Elves of Rivendell (scene)|Elves of Rivendell]]" (3:04)
# "[[Goblin Attack]]" (3:33)
# "[[Gollum's Riddler]]" (6:20)
# "[[Follow the Leader]]" (4:28)
# "[[Funny Little Things]]" (2:12)
# "[[Flown to Mirkwood]]" (2:36)
# "[[Forest Diary]]" (3:04)
# "[[Spider's Web]]" (1:19)
# "[[Sting Strikes]]" (2:00)
# "[[Wood Elves (scene)|Wood Elves]]" (2:50)
# "[[Laketown (scene)|Laketown]]" (2:04)
# "[[Secret Doorway]]" (2:09)
# "[[Smaug's Lair]]" (4:14)
# "[[Weak Spot]]" (4:31)
# "[[Black Arrow's Mark]]" (3:08)
# "[[Treasure Clash]]" (2:59)
# "[[Five Armies Meet]]" (4:42)
# "[[Farewell, Thorin]]" (2:07)
# "[[Only Beginning]]" (1:50)
# "End Credits" (0:56)

===Critical Reaction===
The movie was first broadcast on NBC in the United States, on [[27 November|November 27]], [[1977]], and was tailored to children: the story was done in a very light-hearted style, and featured a lot of songs (most of which came from the book). Much of the story was simplified and several key parts are omitted.

The art is both praised and criticized. Some reviewers regard it as a strong point of the movie. Inaccuracies in the depictions draws a lot of criticism from Tolkien fans: Gandalf has a hood instead of a hat, despite clearly being described in the book; Gollum looks like some sort of frog-creature (though the book does describe his large eyes and webbed feet); Elrond has a beard despite the book outright saying that Elves do not have beards; the Wood-elves, rather than being the "fair folk," are almost as ugly as the goblins (and the Elvenking has a thick German accent); Smaug is extremely hairy for being a Dragon.

In 1977, NBC, Rankin and Bass won a Peabody Award for ''The Hobbit''[http://www.peabody.uga.edu/winners/PeabodyWinnersBook.pdf]. The movie was also nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in [[1978]], but lost to ''Star Wars''.

===Differences from the book===
While the movie is quite faithful to the story, it is at its core still a child-oriented musical adaptation, and therefore not a perfect adaptation of Tolkien's novel. Most of the changes are found as omissions rather than modifications of the plot.

# All the Dwarves show up with Gandalf all at once in the film rather than coming in groups the day after Gandalf meets Bilbo and puts a mark on his door.
# The company leaves Bilbo's house on ponies, but after that the ponies are not seen until they are lost in crossing the [[Misty Mountains]]. In the book, the company rode ponies from [[Bag End]] to Rivendell.
# Bilbo is noticed by the Trolls as he sneaks up to steal some meat rather than disclosed by the Trolls' [[Talking purse|"talking" purse]].
# The Dwarves flee in terror from the Trolls and are picked up one at a time instead of walking blindly into the camp and being ambushed (except for Thorin, who puts up a fight).
# Gandalf apparently has the power to make the dawn come earlier in dispatching the Trolls rather than tricking them by throwing his voice.
# The Troll cave does not have a locked door as in the book.
# Gandalf gives Thorin the [[Thrór's Map|Map of Thrór]] and the key in the troll cave rather than back at Bag End.
# Up in the mountains, there are no stone giants playing games amidst the storm.
# Gandalf is missing in the cave when the goblins emerge, rather than sleeping when it happens. The Dwarves run into the tunnel rather than being grabbed.
# The Dwarves do not fight the goblins in the tunnel.
# Bilbo specifically asked Gollum what he has in his pocket rather than muttering it aloud to himself. Gollum does not even try to guess instead of demanding three guesses. Only four riddles are said in the movie (there were ten in the book).
# Bilbo pulls the ring out of his pocket after Gollum says he's looking for his "golden ring, magical ring."
# Bilbo has no trouble getting out the back door; no Goblins to sneak by or tight spots to fit through.
# Rather than meet the Wargs in the forest, the Goblins come with them, riding on them and wielding torches (despite the Wargs' fear of fire in the book).
# The Great Eagles do not take the company to their eyries, but to the edge of Mirkwood, bypassing [[Beorn]] (who does not appear in the movie).
# The incident at the enchanted river, including Bombur's magical sleep, is omitted.
# Bilbo has to fight and kill only four spiders rather than dozens and dozens. Bilbo's sword, Sting, always glows in the movie regardless of whether goblins are nearby or not.
# Thorin is captured with the other Dwarves by the spiders and then the Wood-elves rather than before them.
# The feasts of the Wood-elves are omitted (yet are referred to in Bilbo's log after the Wood-elves capture him and the Dwarves).
# There is no stop over from the journey via barrels from the Wood-elves' castle to Lake-town.
# There is no [[Master of Lake-town|Master]] in Lake-town; Bard the guardsman runs the city.
# The company does not make camp at the base of the mountain.
# Balin does not go with Bilbo into the secret entrance.
# Bilbo has only one audience with Smaug and the thrush is present. Bilbo orders the thrush to seek Bard to tell him of Smaug's weakness.
# The [[Arkenstone]] and all that goes with it is omitted.
# [[Roäc]] the raven is omitted. In the book, the ravens tell the Dwarves that Smaug is slain and is sent to Dáin to call for assistance. In the movie, the Dwarves wait, lost inside the Lonely Mountain for a week and it is never explained why Dáin arrives at such an opportune moment.
# The company discovers the two armies coming when they are on the doorstep rather than being warned in advance.
# Since the Arkenstone is omitted, Thorin instead loses respect for Bilbo through his supposed lack of understanding of honor and war.
# Thorin and the dwarves plan a suicidal last stand against the elves and men in a pitched battle outside the mountain and are pleasantly surprised when Dáin's army arrives.
# [[Ravenhill]] is not mentioned.
# The armies in the Battle of the Five Armies are divided differently (Bilbo counts the Goblins and Wargs as one army; the Eagles are counted as a separate army).
# Beorn is not present in the Battle of the Five Armies. Also, [[Bolg]] is never mentioned nor seen.
# In the book, only Thorin, Fíli and Kíli die from the battle, leaving 10 survivors from Thorin's company. In the movie, Thorin, Bombur and five other unnamed dwarves are all killed. (In fact, Bombur was one of the few Dwarves in the quest known to be still alive in the days of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.) Glóin is the only other dwarf whose fate is officially revealed in the movie, as he is seen covering up Thorin with a blanket after he dies. Another dwarf (who does not clearly resemble anyone from the company) then lays Orcrist on top of Thorin's body. It's possible that this could be Dáin.
# Most of the return journey, including winter at Beorn's home, a stop at Rivendell, and digging up gold they buried by the troll camp, is omitted.
# The auction back at Bag End is omitted.
# Gandalf and Balin's visit to Bag End years later is omitted.

===Follow-up===
At the end of the film, Gandalf reveals to Bilbo that he is not only aware of Bilbo's ring, but knows that it is in fact [[The One Ring]], and foreshadows the events of ''The Lord of the Rings''. In the books, the ring is not discovered to be The One Ring until ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''. Such an indication would lead one to believe that Rankin/Bass was always intending to do a follow-up using story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings''. Indeed, production had already begun on their adaptation of ''The Return of the King'' before ''The Hobbit'' had even originally aired[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0]. However, it remains a mystery as to whether or not their plans for what story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings'' were originally intended for inclusion in this follow-up were at all affected by the 1978 [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation by Ralph Bakshi]], which was also in production at that point.

===External Links===
* {{WP| The Hobbit (1977 film)}}
* ''[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077687/ The Hobbit]'' at [http://www.imdb.com/ IMDb]
{{films}}

{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Hobbit (1977 film)| ]]

The Return of the King (1980 film)

2013-04-12T08:15:45Z

76.113.141.81: /* Synopsis */

{{disambig-more|The Return of the King|[[The Return of the King (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox

| image=[[Image:RankinBass' The Return of the King.png|250px]]
| name=The Return of the King
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| writer=[[Romeo Muller]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]], [[Theodore Bikel]], [[William Conrad]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Casey Kasem]]
| music=[[Maury Laws]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.]]
| released=[[11 May|May 11]], [[1980]]
| runtime=98 minutes
| country=United States
| language=English
| budget=
| website=
| imdb_id=0079802
}}'''''The Return of the King''''' (subtitled '''''A Story of the Hobbits''''') is an animated adaptation of the [[The Lord of the Rings|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 [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|animated version of ''The Hobbit'']].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! 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|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Casey Kasem]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Roddy McDowall]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Sonny Melendrez]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Théoden|Theoden]], [[Mouth of Sauron]], [[Easterlings|Easterling]]
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Witch-king|Witch-king of Angmar]], Gondorian Guard
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || Minstrel of Gondor
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
Because Rankin/Bass had begun production on this movie even before [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation of ''The Lord of the Rings'']] had been released[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=1&], they 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 and literally beginning the movie where its [[The Return of the King|literary counterpart]] does (apart from its use of a framing device to bookend the movie). The movie's visual style is largely shared with the 1977 ''The Hobbit''. Its plot unfolds as follows:

During the 129th birthday celebration for [[Bilbo Baggins]] in [[Rivendell]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], Bilbo's nephew, tells the story of his quest to destroy the [[One Ring]]. Frodo begins his story with [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise (Sam) Gamgee]], his friend and companion, treading through [[Mordor]] as Ring-bearer in Frodo's abscence, as he is being held captive there by orcs. During his journey, Sam begins to question his thoughts about claiming the Ring himself, but being humble, he never gives in to the treacherous temptations. In due course, he progresses back to [[Cirith Ungol]] to rescue Frodo. Meanwhile, the wizard [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]] and the hobbit [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] arrive at [[Minas Tirith]], the capital of the country of [[Gondor]] to warn [[Denethor]], the Steward of the Throne, about the upcoming war—only to discover that the Steward has lost his mind by believing the war will be the end of mankind.
Meanwhile, at Cirith Ungol, Sam rescues Frodo and returns the Ring. The two then continue on to finish their quest at [[Mount Doom]], only to be attacked by their past guide, [[Gollum]]. As Sam holds Gollum off, Frodo makes it to the [[Crack of Doom]]. But at the Crack, Frodo is finally unable to resist the power of the Ring any longer and claims it for his own. At the same time, Gondor's neighboring country, Rohan, helps it claim victory in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. After searching for some time for Frodo in Mount Doom, Sam discovers Gollum and an invisible Frodo fighting over the Ring, which results in Gollum biting off Frodo's finger to claim it. While dancing with joy at the retrieval of his "Precious," Gollum loses his footing and falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron is defeated. Months later, Frodo's friend, [[Aragorn]], is crowned King of Gondor. The film concludes back in the present with Frodo agreeing to accompany Bilbo, Gandalf and [[Elrond]] in leaving Middle-Earth. Sam, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and Pippin bid them all farewell as they depart across the sea.

===Scenes===
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1980 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]"
# "[[Frodo of the Nine Fingers (scene)|Frodo of the Nine Fingers]]"
# "Credits"
# "[[Crossing into Mordor]]"
# "[[The Bearer of the Ring (scene)|The Bearer of the Ring]]"
# "[[Samwise the Strong]]"
# "[[Less Can Be More (scene)|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 (scene)|Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes]]"
# "[[Mount Doom (1980 scene)|Mount Doom]]"
# "[[The Gollum]]"
# "[[Theoden Falls]]"
# "[[Claimed By the Ring]]"
# "[[Eowyn Triumphs]]"
# "[[Choice of Evils (scene)|Choice of Evils]]"
# "[[End of the Ring]]"
# "[[On Eagles' Wings]]"
# "[[The Return of the King (scene)|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 .[http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10000654] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and [[Peter Jackson]]'s later [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|live-action film]].[http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/r/return-of-the-king.html][http://decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/1989] 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]]". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/usercomments]

==Marketing==

In the absence of an official sequel to Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'' has come to be marketed by [[Warner Bros.]] as the final part of a loose animated Tolkien trilogy, preceded by ''The Hobbit''. The middle film is very different in tone and character design, however, and the final two films do not join up seamlessly, as both omit various segments from ''The Two Towers'', most notably regarding the events in [[Shelob]]'s lair and the [[Ents]]' march on [[Isengard]]. Other omissions in the Rankin/Bass version include the characters of [[Legolas]], [[Gimli]], [[Arwen]], [[Saruman]], [[Éomer]], and [[Faramir]] (though it's possible the latter makes a brief appearance; there is an unidentified Man - who has no lines of dialogue - who accompanies [[Éowyn]] on horseback during Aragorn's coronation, and the two of them exchange rather knowing looks). Even Aragorn doesn't have much dialogue or screentime despite being the 'King' of the movie's title.

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''.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Return of the King (1980 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/ The Return of the King] at [http://imdb.com/ IMDb]

{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Return of the King (1980 film)| ]]

The Return of the King (1980 film)

2013-04-12T03:59:20Z

76.113.141.81: /* Marketing */

{{disambig-more|The Return of the King|[[The Return of the King (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox

| image=[[Image:RankinBass' The Return of the King.png|250px]]
| name=The Return of the King
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| writer=[[Romeo Muller]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]], [[Theodore Bikel]], [[William Conrad]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Casey Kasem]]
| music=[[Maury Laws]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.]]
| released=[[11 May|May 11]], [[1980]]
| runtime=98 minutes
| country=United States
| language=English
| budget=
| website=
| imdb_id=0079802
}}'''''The Return of the King''''' (subtitled '''''A Story of the Hobbits''''') is an animated adaptation of the [[The Lord of the Rings|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 [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|animated version of ''The Hobbit'']].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! 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|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Casey Kasem]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Roddy McDowall]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Sonny Melendrez]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Théoden|Theoden]], [[Mouth of Sauron]], [[Easterlings|Easterling]]
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Witch-king|Witch-king of Angmar]], Gondorian Guard
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || Minstrel of Gondor
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
Because Rankin/Bass had begun production on this movie even before [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation of ''The Lord of the Rings'']] had been released[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=1&], they 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 and literally beginning the events where its [[The Return of the King|literary counterpart]] does (apart from its use of a framing device to bookend the movie). The movie's visual style is largely shared with the 1977 ''The Hobbit''. Its plot unfolds as follows:

During the 129th birthday celebration for [[Bilbo Baggins]] in [[Rivendell]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], Bilbo's nephew, tells the story of his quest to destroy the [[One Ring]]. Frodo begins his story with [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise (Sam) Gamgee]], his friend and companion, treading through [[Mordor]] as Ring-bearer in Frodo's abscence, as he is being held captive there by orcs. During his journey, Sam begins to question his thoughts about claiming the Ring himself, but being humble, he never gives in to the treacherous temptations. In due course, he progresses back to [[Cirith Ungol]] to rescue Frodo. Meanwhile, the wizard [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]] and the hobbit [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] arrive at [[Minas Tirith]], the capital of the country of [[Gondor]] to warn [[Denethor]], the Steward of the Throne, about the upcoming war—only to discover that the Steward has lost his mind by believing the war will be the end of mankind.
Meanwhile, at Cirith Ungol, Sam rescues Frodo and returns the Ring. The two then continue on to finish their quest at [[Mount Doom]], only to be attacked by their past guide, [[Gollum]]. As Sam holds Gollum off, Frodo makes it to the [[Crack of Doom]]. But at the Crack, Frodo is finally unable to resist the power of the Ring any longer and claims it for his own. At the same time, Gondor's neighboring country, Rohan, helps it claim victory in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. After searching for some time for Frodo in Mount Doom, Sam discovers Gollum and an invisible Frodo fighting over the Ring, which results in Gollum biting off Frodo's finger to claim it. While dancing with joy at the retrieval of his "Precious," Gollum loses his footing and falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron is defeated. Months later, Frodo's friend, [[Aragorn]], is crowned King of Gondor. The film concludes back in the present with Frodo agreeing to accompany Bilbo, Gandalf and [[Elrond]] in leaving Middle-Earth. Sam, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and Pippin bid them all farewell as they depart across the sea.

===Scenes===
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1980 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]"
# "[[Frodo of the Nine Fingers (scene)|Frodo of the Nine Fingers]]"
# "Credits"
# "[[Crossing into Mordor]]"
# "[[The Bearer of the Ring (scene)|The Bearer of the Ring]]"
# "[[Samwise the Strong]]"
# "[[Less Can Be More (scene)|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 (scene)|Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes]]"
# "[[Mount Doom (1980 scene)|Mount Doom]]"
# "[[The Gollum]]"
# "[[Theoden Falls]]"
# "[[Claimed By the Ring]]"
# "[[Eowyn Triumphs]]"
# "[[Choice of Evils (scene)|Choice of Evils]]"
# "[[End of the Ring]]"
# "[[On Eagles' Wings]]"
# "[[The Return of the King (scene)|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 .[http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10000654] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and [[Peter Jackson]]'s later [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|live-action film]].[http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/r/return-of-the-king.html][http://decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/1989] 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]]". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/usercomments]

==Marketing==

In the absence of an official sequel to Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'' has come to be marketed by [[Warner Bros.]] as the final part of a loose animated Tolkien trilogy, preceded by ''The Hobbit''. The middle film is very different in tone and character design, however, and the final two films do not join up seamlessly, as both omit various segments from ''The Two Towers'', most notably regarding the events in [[Shelob]]'s lair and the [[Ents]]' march on [[Isengard]]. Other omissions in the Rankin/Bass version include the characters of [[Legolas]], [[Gimli]], [[Arwen]], [[Saruman]], [[Éomer]], and [[Faramir]] (though it's possible the latter makes a brief appearance; there is an unidentified Man - who has no lines of dialogue - who accompanies [[Éowyn]] on horseback during Aragorn's coronation, and the two of them exchange rather knowing looks). Even Aragorn doesn't have much dialogue or screentime despite being the 'King' of the movie's title.

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''.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Return of the King (1980 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/ The Return of the King] at [http://imdb.com/ IMDb]

{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Return of the King (1980 film)| ]]

The Return of the King (1980 film)

2013-04-12T03:48:15Z

76.113.141.81: /* Synopsis */

{{disambig-more|The Return of the King|[[The Return of the King (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox

| image=[[Image:RankinBass' The Return of the King.png|250px]]
| name=The Return of the King
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| writer=[[Romeo Muller]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]], [[Theodore Bikel]], [[William Conrad]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Casey Kasem]]
| music=[[Maury Laws]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.]]
| released=[[11 May|May 11]], [[1980]]
| runtime=98 minutes
| country=United States
| language=English
| budget=
| website=
| imdb_id=0079802
}}'''''The Return of the King''''' (subtitled '''''A Story of the Hobbits''''') is an animated adaptation of the [[The Lord of the Rings|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 [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|animated version of ''The Hobbit'']].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! 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|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Casey Kasem]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Roddy McDowall]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Sonny Melendrez]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Théoden|Theoden]], [[Mouth of Sauron]], [[Easterlings|Easterling]]
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Witch-king|Witch-king of Angmar]], Gondorian Guard
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || Minstrel of Gondor
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
Because Rankin/Bass had begun production on this movie even before [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation of ''The Lord of the Rings'']] had been released[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=1&], they 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 and literally beginning the events where its [[The Return of the King|literary counterpart]] does (apart from its use of a framing device to bookend the movie). The movie's visual style is largely shared with the 1977 ''The Hobbit''. Its plot unfolds as follows:

During the 129th birthday celebration for [[Bilbo Baggins]] in [[Rivendell]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], Bilbo's nephew, tells the story of his quest to destroy the [[One Ring]]. Frodo begins his story with [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise (Sam) Gamgee]], his friend and companion, treading through [[Mordor]] as Ring-bearer in Frodo's abscence, as he is being held captive there by orcs. During his journey, Sam begins to question his thoughts about claiming the Ring himself, but being humble, he never gives in to the treacherous temptations. In due course, he progresses back to [[Cirith Ungol]] to rescue Frodo. Meanwhile, the wizard [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]] and the hobbit [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] arrive at [[Minas Tirith]], the capital of the country of [[Gondor]] to warn [[Denethor]], the Steward of the Throne, about the upcoming war—only to discover that the Steward has lost his mind by believing the war will be the end of mankind.
Meanwhile, at Cirith Ungol, Sam rescues Frodo and returns the Ring. The two then continue on to finish their quest at [[Mount Doom]], only to be attacked by their past guide, [[Gollum]]. As Sam holds Gollum off, Frodo makes it to the [[Crack of Doom]]. But at the Crack, Frodo is finally unable to resist the power of the Ring any longer and claims it for his own. At the same time, Gondor's neighboring country, Rohan, helps it claim victory in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. After searching for some time for Frodo in Mount Doom, Sam discovers Gollum and an invisible Frodo fighting over the Ring, which results in Gollum biting off Frodo's finger to claim it. While dancing with joy at the retrieval of his "Precious," Gollum loses his footing and falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron is defeated. Months later, Frodo's friend, [[Aragorn]], is crowned King of Gondor. The film concludes back in the present with Frodo agreeing to accompany Bilbo, Gandalf and [[Elrond]] in leaving Middle-Earth. Sam, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and Pippin bid them all farewell as they depart across the sea.

===Scenes===
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1980 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]"
# "[[Frodo of the Nine Fingers (scene)|Frodo of the Nine Fingers]]"
# "Credits"
# "[[Crossing into Mordor]]"
# "[[The Bearer of the Ring (scene)|The Bearer of the Ring]]"
# "[[Samwise the Strong]]"
# "[[Less Can Be More (scene)|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 (scene)|Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes]]"
# "[[Mount Doom (1980 scene)|Mount Doom]]"
# "[[The Gollum]]"
# "[[Theoden Falls]]"
# "[[Claimed By the Ring]]"
# "[[Eowyn Triumphs]]"
# "[[Choice of Evils (scene)|Choice of Evils]]"
# "[[End of the Ring]]"
# "[[On Eagles' Wings]]"
# "[[The Return of the King (scene)|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 .[http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10000654] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and [[Peter Jackson]]'s later [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|live-action film]].[http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/r/return-of-the-king.html][http://decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/1989] 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]]". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/usercomments]

==Marketing==

In the absence of an official sequel to Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'' has come to be marketed by [[Warner Bros.]] as the final part of a loose animated Tolkien trilogy, preceded by ''The Hobbit''. The middle film is very different in tone and character design, however, and the final two films do not join up seamlessly, as both omit various segments from ''[[The Two Towers]]'', most notably regarding the events in [[Shelob]]'s lair and the [[Ents]]' march on [[Isengard]]. Other omissions in the Rankin/Bass version include the characters of [[Legolas]], [[Gimli]], [[Arwen]], [[Saruman]], [[Éomer]], and [[Faramir]] (though it's possible the latter makes a brief appearance; there is an unidentified Man - who has no lines of dialogue - who accompanies [[Éowyn]] on horseback during Aragorn's coronation, and the two of them exchange rather knowing looks). Even Aragorn doesn't have much dialogue or screentime despite being the 'King' of the movie's title.

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''.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Return of the King (1980 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/ The Return of the King] at [http://imdb.com/ IMDb]

{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Return of the King (1980 film)| ]]

The Return of the King (1980 film)

2013-04-12T03:39:40Z

76.113.141.81: /* Synopsis */

{{disambig-more|The Return of the King|[[The Return of the King (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox

| image=[[Image:RankinBass' The Return of the King.png|250px]]
| name=The Return of the King
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| writer=[[Romeo Muller]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]], [[Theodore Bikel]], [[William Conrad]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Casey Kasem]]
| music=[[Maury Laws]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.]]
| released=[[11 May|May 11]], [[1980]]
| runtime=98 minutes
| country=United States
| language=English
| budget=
| website=
| imdb_id=0079802
}}'''''The Return of the King''''' (subtitled '''''A Story of the Hobbits''''') is an animated adaptation of the [[The Lord of the Rings|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 [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|animated version of ''The Hobbit'']].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! 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|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Casey Kasem]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Roddy McDowall]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Sonny Melendrez]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Théoden|Theoden]], [[Mouth of Sauron]], [[Easterlings|Easterling]]
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Witch-king|Witch-king of Angmar]], Gondorian Guard
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || Minstrel of Gondor
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
Because Rankin/Bass had begun production on this movie even before [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation of ''The Lord of the Rings'']] had been released[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=1&], they 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 and literally beginning the events where its [[The Return of the King|literary counterpart]] does (apart from its use of a framing device to bookend the movie). Its visual style is largely shared with the 1977 ''The Hobbit''. Its plot unfolds as follows:

During the 129th birthday celebration for [[Bilbo Baggins]] in [[Rivendell]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], Bilbo's nephew, tells the story of his quest to destroy the [[One Ring]]. Frodo begins his story with [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise (Sam) Gamgee]], his friend and companion, treading through [[Mordor]] as Ring-bearer in Frodo's abscence, as he is being held captive there by orcs. During his journey, Sam begins to question his thoughts about claiming the Ring himself, but being humble, he never gives in to the treacherous temptations. In due course, he progresses back to [[Cirith Ungol]] to rescue Frodo. Meanwhile, the wizard [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]] and the hobbit [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] arrive at [[Minas Tirith]], the capital of the country of [[Gondor]] to warn [[Denethor]], the Steward of the Throne, about the upcoming war—only to discover that the Steward has lost his mind by believing the war will be the end of mankind.
Meanwhile, at Cirith Ungol, Sam rescues Frodo and returns the Ring. The two then continue on to finish their quest at [[Mount Doom]], only to be attacked by their past guide, [[Gollum]]. As Sam holds Gollum off, Frodo makes it to the [[Crack of Doom]]. But at the Crack, Frodo is finally unable to resist the power of the Ring any longer and claims it for his own. At the same time, Gondor's neighboring country, Rohan, helps it claim victory in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. After searching for some time for Frodo in Mount Doom, Sam discovers Gollum and an invisible Frodo fighting over the Ring, which results in Gollum biting off Frodo's finger to claim it. While dancing with joy at the retrieval of his "Precious," Gollum loses his footing and falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron is defeated. Months later, Frodo's friend, [[Aragorn]], is crowned King of Gondor. The film concludes back in the present with Frodo agreeing to accompany Bilbo, Gandalf and [[Elrond]] in leaving Middle-Earth. Sam, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and Pippin bid them all farewell as they depart across the sea.

===Scenes===
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1980 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]"
# "[[Frodo of the Nine Fingers (scene)|Frodo of the Nine Fingers]]"
# "Credits"
# "[[Crossing into Mordor]]"
# "[[The Bearer of the Ring (scene)|The Bearer of the Ring]]"
# "[[Samwise the Strong]]"
# "[[Less Can Be More (scene)|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 (scene)|Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes]]"
# "[[Mount Doom (1980 scene)|Mount Doom]]"
# "[[The Gollum]]"
# "[[Theoden Falls]]"
# "[[Claimed By the Ring]]"
# "[[Eowyn Triumphs]]"
# "[[Choice of Evils (scene)|Choice of Evils]]"
# "[[End of the Ring]]"
# "[[On Eagles' Wings]]"
# "[[The Return of the King (scene)|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 .[http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10000654] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and [[Peter Jackson]]'s later [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|live-action film]].[http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/r/return-of-the-king.html][http://decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/1989] 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]]". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/usercomments]

==Marketing==

In the absence of an official sequel to Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'' has come to be marketed by [[Warner Bros.]] as the final part of a loose animated Tolkien trilogy, preceded by ''The Hobbit''. The middle film is very different in tone and character design, however, and the final two films do not join up seamlessly, as both omit various segments from ''[[The Two Towers]]'', most notably regarding the events in [[Shelob]]'s lair and the [[Ents]]' march on [[Isengard]]. Other omissions in the Rankin/Bass version include the characters of [[Legolas]], [[Gimli]], [[Arwen]], [[Saruman]], [[Éomer]], and [[Faramir]] (though it's possible the latter makes a brief appearance; there is an unidentified Man - who has no lines of dialogue - who accompanies [[Éowyn]] on horseback during Aragorn's coronation, and the two of them exchange rather knowing looks). Even Aragorn doesn't have much dialogue or screentime despite being the 'King' of the movie's title.

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''.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Return of the King (1980 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/ The Return of the King] at [http://imdb.com/ IMDb]

{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Return of the King (1980 film)| ]]

The Return of the King (1980 film)

2013-04-12T03:19:08Z

76.113.141.81: /* Synopsis */

{{disambig-more|The Return of the King|[[The Return of the King (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox

| image=[[Image:RankinBass' The Return of the King.png|250px]]
| name=The Return of the King
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| writer=[[Romeo Muller]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]], [[Theodore Bikel]], [[William Conrad]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Casey Kasem]]
| music=[[Maury Laws]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.]]
| released=[[11 May|May 11]], [[1980]]
| runtime=98 minutes
| country=United States
| language=English
| budget=
| website=
| imdb_id=0079802
}}'''''The Return of the King''''' (subtitled '''''A Story of the Hobbits''''') is an animated adaptation of the [[The Lord of the Rings|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 [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|animated version of ''The Hobbit'']].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! 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|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Casey Kasem]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Roddy McDowall]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Sonny Melendrez]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Théoden|Theoden]], [[Mouth of Sauron]], [[Easterlings|Easterling]]
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Witch-king|Witch-king of Angmar]], Gondorian Guard
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || Minstrel of Gondor
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
Because Rankin/Bass had begun production on this movie even before [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation of ''The Lord of the Rings'']] had been released[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=1&], they 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 and beginning the events literally where its [[The Return of the King|literary counterpart]] does (apart from its use of a framing device to bookend the movie). Its visual style is largely shared with the 1977 ''The Hobbit''. Its plot unfolds as follows:

During the 129th birthday celebration for [[Bilbo Baggins]] in [[Rivendell]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], Bilbo's nephew, tells the story of his quest to destroy the [[One Ring]]. Frodo begins his story with [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise (Sam) Gamgee]], his friend and companion, treading through [[Mordor]] as Ring-bearer in Frodo's abscence, as he is being held captive there by orcs. During his journey, Sam begins to question his thoughts about claiming the Ring himself, but being humble, he never gives in to the treacherous temptations. In due course, he progresses back to [[Cirith Ungol]] to rescue Frodo. Meanwhile, the wizard [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]] and the hobbit [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] arrive at [[Minas Tirith]], the capital of the country of [[Gondor]] to warn [[Denethor]], the Steward of the Throne, about the upcoming war—only to discover that the Steward has lost his mind by believing the war will be the end of mankind.
Meanwhile, at Cirith Ungol, Sam rescues Frodo and returns the Ring. The two then continue on to finish their quest at [[Mount Doom]], only to be attacked by their past guide, [[Gollum]]. As Sam holds Gollum off, Frodo makes it to the [[Crack of Doom]]. But at the Crack, Frodo is finally unable to resist the power of the Ring any longer and claims it for his own. At the same time, Gondor's neighboring country, Rohan, helps it claim victory in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. After searching for some time for Frodo in Mount Doom, Sam discovers Gollum and an invisible Frodo fighting over the Ring, which results in Gollum biting off Frodo's finger to claim it. While dancing with joy at the retrieval of his "Precious," Gollum loses his footing and falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron is defeated. Months later, Frodo's friend, [[Aragorn]], is crowned King of Gondor. The film concludes back in the present with Frodo agreeing to accompany Bilbo, Gandalf and [[Elrond]] in leaving Middle-Earth. Sam, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and Pippin bid them all farewell as they depart across the sea.

===Scenes===
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1980 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]"
# "[[Frodo of the Nine Fingers (scene)|Frodo of the Nine Fingers]]"
# "Credits"
# "[[Crossing into Mordor]]"
# "[[The Bearer of the Ring (scene)|The Bearer of the Ring]]"
# "[[Samwise the Strong]]"
# "[[Less Can Be More (scene)|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 (scene)|Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes]]"
# "[[Mount Doom (1980 scene)|Mount Doom]]"
# "[[The Gollum]]"
# "[[Theoden Falls]]"
# "[[Claimed By the Ring]]"
# "[[Eowyn Triumphs]]"
# "[[Choice of Evils (scene)|Choice of Evils]]"
# "[[End of the Ring]]"
# "[[On Eagles' Wings]]"
# "[[The Return of the King (scene)|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 .[http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10000654] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and [[Peter Jackson]]'s later [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|live-action film]].[http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/r/return-of-the-king.html][http://decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/1989] 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]]". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/usercomments]

==Marketing==

In the absence of an official sequel to Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'' has come to be marketed by [[Warner Bros.]] as the final part of a loose animated Tolkien trilogy, preceded by ''The Hobbit''. The middle film is very different in tone and character design, however, and the final two films do not join up seamlessly, as both omit various segments from ''[[The Two Towers]]'', most notably regarding the events in [[Shelob]]'s lair and the [[Ents]]' march on [[Isengard]]. Other omissions in the Rankin/Bass version include the characters of [[Legolas]], [[Gimli]], [[Arwen]], [[Saruman]], [[Éomer]], and [[Faramir]] (though it's possible the latter makes a brief appearance; there is an unidentified Man - who has no lines of dialogue - who accompanies [[Éowyn]] on horseback during Aragorn's coronation, and the two of them exchange rather knowing looks). Even Aragorn doesn't have much dialogue or screentime despite being the 'King' of the movie's title.

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''.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Return of the King (1980 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/ The Return of the King] at [http://imdb.com/ IMDb]

{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Return of the King (1980 film)| ]]

The Return of the King (1980 film)

2013-04-12T03:16:42Z

76.113.141.81: /* Synopsis */

{{disambig-more|The Return of the King|[[The Return of the King (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox

| image=[[Image:RankinBass' The Return of the King.png|250px]]
| name=The Return of the King
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| writer=[[Romeo Muller]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]], [[Theodore Bikel]], [[William Conrad]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Casey Kasem]]
| music=[[Maury Laws]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.]]
| released=[[11 May|May 11]], [[1980]]
| runtime=98 minutes
| country=United States
| language=English
| budget=
| website=
| imdb_id=0079802
}}'''''The Return of the King''''' (subtitled '''''A Story of the Hobbits''''') is an animated adaptation of the [[The Lord of the Rings|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 [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|animated version of ''The Hobbit'']].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! 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|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Casey Kasem]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Roddy McDowall]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Sonny Melendrez]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Théoden|Theoden]], [[Mouth of Sauron]], [[Easterlings|Easterling]]
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Witch-king|Witch-king of Angmar]], Gondorian Guard
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || Minstrel of Gondor
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
Because Rankin/Bass had begun production on this movie even before [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation of ''The Lord of the Rings'']] had been released[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=1&], they 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 and beginning the events literally where its [[The Return of the King|literary counterpart]] does (apart from its use of a framing device to bookend the movie). Its visual style is largely shared with the 1977 ''The Hobbit''. Its plot unfolds as follows:

During the 129th birthday celebration for [[Bilbo Baggins]] in [[Rivendell]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], Bilbo's nephew, tells the story of his quest to destroy the [[One Ring]]. Frodo begins his story with [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise (Sam) Gamgee]], his friend and companion, treading through [[Mordor]] as Ring-bearer in Frodo's abscence, as he is being held captive there by orcs. During his journey, Sam begins to question his thoughts about claiming the Ring himself, but being humble, he never gives in to the treacherous temptations. In due course, he progresses back to [[Cirith Ungol]] to rescue Frodo. Meanwhile, the wizard [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]] and the hobbit [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] arrive at [[Minas Tirith]], the capital of the country of [[Gondor]] to warn [[Denethor]], the Steward of the Throne, about the upcoming war—only to discover that the Steward has lost his mind by believing the war will be the end of mankind.
Meanwhile, at Cirith Ungol, Sam rescues Frodo and returns the Ring. The two then continue on to finish their quest at [[Mount Doom]], only to be attacked by their past guide, [[Gollum]]. As Sam holds Gollum off, Frodo makes it to the [[Crack of Doom]]. But at the Crack, Frodo is finally unable to resist the power of the Ring any longer and claims it for his own. At the same time, Gondor's neighboring country, Rohan, helps it claim victory in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. After searching for some time for Frodo in Mount Doom, Sam discovers Gollum and an invisible Frodo fighting over the Ring, which results in Gollum biting off Frodo's finger to claim it. While dancing with joy at the retrieval of his "Precious," Gollum loses his footing and falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron is defeated. Months later, Frodo's friend, [[Aragorn]], is crowned King of Gondor. The film concludes back in the present with Frodo agreeing to accompany Bilbo, Gandalf and [[Elrond]] in leaving Middle-Earth. Sam, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and Pippin bid them all farewell as they depart across the sea.

===Scenes===
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1980 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]"
# "[[Frodo of the Nine Fingers (scene)|Frodo of the Nine Fingers]]"
# "Credits"
# "[[Crossing into Mordor]]"
# "[[The Bearer of the Ring (scene)|The Bearer of the Ring]]"
# "[[Samwise the Strong]]"
# "[[Less Can Be More (scene)|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 (scene)|Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes]]"
# "[[Mount Doom (1980 scene)|Mount Doom]]"
# "[[The Gollum]]"
# "[[Theoden Falls]]"
# "[[Claimed By the Ring]]"
# "[[Eowyn Triumphs]]"
# "[[Choice of Evils (scene)|Choice of Evils]]"
# "[[End of the Ring]]"
# "[[On Eagles' Wings]]"
# "[[The Return of the King (scene)|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 .[http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10000654] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and [[Peter Jackson]]'s later [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|live-action film]].[http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/r/return-of-the-king.html][http://decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/1989] 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]]". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/usercomments]

==Marketing==

In the absence of an official sequel to Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'' has come to be marketed by [[Warner Bros.]] as the final part of a loose animated Tolkien trilogy, preceded by ''The Hobbit''. The middle film is very different in tone and character design, however, and the final two films do not join up seamlessly, as both omit various segments from ''[[The Two Towers]]'', most notably regarding the events in [[Shelob]]'s lair and the [[Ents]]' march on [[Isengard]]. Other omissions in the Rankin/Bass version include the characters of [[Legolas]], [[Gimli]], [[Arwen]], [[Saruman]], [[Éomer]], and [[Faramir]] (though it's possible the latter makes a brief appearance; there is an unidentified Man - who has no lines of dialogue - who accompanies [[Éowyn]] on horseback during Aragorn's coronation, and the two of them exchange rather knowing looks). Even Aragorn doesn't have much dialogue or screentime despite being the 'King' of the movie's title.

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''.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Return of the King (1980 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/ The Return of the King] at [http://imdb.com/ IMDb]

{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Return of the King (1980 film)| ]]

The Return of the King (1980 film)

2013-04-12T03:15:40Z

76.113.141.81: /* Synopsis */

{{disambig-more|The Return of the King|[[The Return of the King (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox

| image=[[Image:RankinBass' The Return of the King.png|250px]]
| name=The Return of the King
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| writer=[[Romeo Muller]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]], [[Theodore Bikel]], [[William Conrad]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Casey Kasem]]
| music=[[Maury Laws]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.]]
| released=[[11 May|May 11]], [[1980]]
| runtime=98 minutes
| country=United States
| language=English
| budget=
| website=
| imdb_id=0079802
}}'''''The Return of the King''''' (subtitled '''''A Story of the Hobbits''''') is an animated adaptation of the [[The Lord of the Rings|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 [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|animated version of ''The Hobbit'']].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! 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|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Casey Kasem]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Roddy McDowall]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Sonny Melendrez]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Théoden|Theoden]], [[Mouth of Sauron]], [[Easterlings|Easterling]]
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Witch-king|Witch-king of Angmar]], Gondorian Guard
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || Minstrel of Gondor
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
Because Rankin/Bass had begun production on this movie even before [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation of ''The Lord of the Rings'']] had been released[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=1&], they 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 and beginning the events literally where its [[The Return of the King|literary counterpart]] does (outside its use of a framing device to bookend the movie). Its visual style is largely shared with the 1977 ''The Hobbit''. Its plot unfolds as follows:

During the 129th birthday celebration for [[Bilbo Baggins]] in [[Rivendell]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], Bilbo's nephew, tells the story of his quest to destroy the [[One Ring]]. Frodo begins his story with [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise (Sam) Gamgee]], his friend and companion, treading through [[Mordor]] as Ring-bearer in Frodo's abscence, as he is being held captive there by orcs. During his journey, Sam begins to question his thoughts about claiming the Ring himself, but being humble, he never gives in to the treacherous temptations. In due course, he progresses back to [[Cirith Ungol]] to rescue Frodo. Meanwhile, the wizard [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]] and the hobbit [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] arrive at [[Minas Tirith]], the capital of the country of [[Gondor]] to warn [[Denethor]], the Steward of the Throne, about the upcoming war—only to discover that the Steward has lost his mind by believing the war will be the end of mankind.
Meanwhile, at Cirith Ungol, Sam rescues Frodo and returns the Ring. The two then continue on to finish their quest at [[Mount Doom]], only to be attacked by their past guide, [[Gollum]]. As Sam holds Gollum off, Frodo makes it to the [[Crack of Doom]]. But at the Crack, Frodo is finally unable to resist the power of the Ring any longer and claims it for his own. At the same time, Gondor's neighboring country, Rohan, helps it claim victory in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. After searching for some time for Frodo in Mount Doom, Sam discovers Gollum and an invisible Frodo fighting over the Ring, which results in Gollum biting off Frodo's finger to claim it. While dancing with joy at the retrieval of his "Precious," Gollum loses his footing and falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron is defeated. Months later, Frodo's friend, [[Aragorn]], is crowned King of Gondor. The film concludes back in the present with Frodo agreeing to accompany Bilbo, Gandalf and [[Elrond]] in leaving Middle-Earth. Sam, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and Pippin bid them all farewell as they depart across the sea.

===Scenes===
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1980 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]"
# "[[Frodo of the Nine Fingers (scene)|Frodo of the Nine Fingers]]"
# "Credits"
# "[[Crossing into Mordor]]"
# "[[The Bearer of the Ring (scene)|The Bearer of the Ring]]"
# "[[Samwise the Strong]]"
# "[[Less Can Be More (scene)|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 (scene)|Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes]]"
# "[[Mount Doom (1980 scene)|Mount Doom]]"
# "[[The Gollum]]"
# "[[Theoden Falls]]"
# "[[Claimed By the Ring]]"
# "[[Eowyn Triumphs]]"
# "[[Choice of Evils (scene)|Choice of Evils]]"
# "[[End of the Ring]]"
# "[[On Eagles' Wings]]"
# "[[The Return of the King (scene)|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 .[http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10000654] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and [[Peter Jackson]]'s later [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|live-action film]].[http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/r/return-of-the-king.html][http://decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/1989] 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]]". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/usercomments]

==Marketing==

In the absence of an official sequel to Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'' has come to be marketed by [[Warner Bros.]] as the final part of a loose animated Tolkien trilogy, preceded by ''The Hobbit''. The middle film is very different in tone and character design, however, and the final two films do not join up seamlessly, as both omit various segments from ''[[The Two Towers]]'', most notably regarding the events in [[Shelob]]'s lair and the [[Ents]]' march on [[Isengard]]. Other omissions in the Rankin/Bass version include the characters of [[Legolas]], [[Gimli]], [[Arwen]], [[Saruman]], [[Éomer]], and [[Faramir]] (though it's possible the latter makes a brief appearance; there is an unidentified Man - who has no lines of dialogue - who accompanies [[Éowyn]] on horseback during Aragorn's coronation, and the two of them exchange rather knowing looks). Even Aragorn doesn't have much dialogue or screentime despite being the 'King' of the movie's title.

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''.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Return of the King (1980 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/ The Return of the King] at [http://imdb.com/ IMDb]

{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Return of the King (1980 film)| ]]

The Return of the King (1980 film)

2013-04-12T03:13:59Z

76.113.141.81: /* Synopsis */

{{disambig-more|The Return of the King|[[The Return of the King (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox

| image=[[Image:RankinBass' The Return of the King.png|250px]]
| name=The Return of the King
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| writer=[[Romeo Muller]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]], [[Theodore Bikel]], [[William Conrad]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Casey Kasem]]
| music=[[Maury Laws]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.]]
| released=[[11 May|May 11]], [[1980]]
| runtime=98 minutes
| country=United States
| language=English
| budget=
| website=
| imdb_id=0079802
}}'''''The Return of the King''''' (subtitled '''''A Story of the Hobbits''''') is an animated adaptation of the [[The Lord of the Rings|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 [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|animated version of ''The Hobbit'']].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! 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|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Casey Kasem]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Roddy McDowall]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Sonny Melendrez]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Théoden|Theoden]], [[Mouth of Sauron]], [[Easterlings|Easterling]]
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Witch-king|Witch-king of Angmar]], Gondorian Guard
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || Minstrel of Gondor
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
Because Rankin/Bass had begun production this movie even before [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation of ''The Lord of the Rings'']] had been released[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=1&], they 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 and beginning the events literally where its [[The Return of the King|literary counterpart]] does (outside its use of a framing device to bookend the movie). Its visual style is largely shared with the 1977 ''The Hobbit''. Its plot unfolds as follows:

During the 129th birthday celebration for [[Bilbo Baggins]] in [[Rivendell]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], Bilbo's nephew, tells the story of his quest to destroy the [[One Ring]]. Frodo begins his story with [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise (Sam) Gamgee]], his friend and companion, treading through [[Mordor]] as Ring-bearer in Frodo's abscence, as he is being held captive there by orcs. During his journey, Sam begins to question his thoughts about claiming the Ring himself, but being humble, he never gives in to the treacherous temptations. In due course, he progresses back to [[Cirith Ungol]] to rescue Frodo. Meanwhile, the wizard [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]] and the hobbit [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] arrive at [[Minas Tirith]], the capital of the country of [[Gondor]] to warn [[Denethor]], the Steward of the Throne, about the upcoming war—only to discover that the Steward has lost his mind by believing the war will be the end of mankind.
Meanwhile, at Cirith Ungol, Sam rescues Frodo and returns the Ring. The two then continue on to finish their quest at [[Mount Doom]], only to be attacked by their past guide, [[Gollum]]. As Sam holds Gollum off, Frodo makes it to the [[Crack of Doom]]. But at the Crack, Frodo is finally unable to resist the power of the Ring any longer and claims it for his own. At the same time, Gondor's neighboring country, Rohan, helps it claim victory in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. After searching for some time for Frodo in Mount Doom, Sam discovers Gollum and an invisible Frodo fighting over the Ring, which results in Gollum biting off Frodo's finger to claim it. While dancing with joy at the retrieval of his "Precious," Gollum loses his footing and falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron is defeated. Months later, Frodo's friend, [[Aragorn]], is crowned King of Gondor. The film concludes back in the present with Frodo agreeing to accompany Bilbo, Gandalf and [[Elrond]] in leaving Middle-Earth. Sam, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and Pippin bid them all farewell as they depart across the sea.

===Scenes===
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1980 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]"
# "[[Frodo of the Nine Fingers (scene)|Frodo of the Nine Fingers]]"
# "Credits"
# "[[Crossing into Mordor]]"
# "[[The Bearer of the Ring (scene)|The Bearer of the Ring]]"
# "[[Samwise the Strong]]"
# "[[Less Can Be More (scene)|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 (scene)|Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes]]"
# "[[Mount Doom (1980 scene)|Mount Doom]]"
# "[[The Gollum]]"
# "[[Theoden Falls]]"
# "[[Claimed By the Ring]]"
# "[[Eowyn Triumphs]]"
# "[[Choice of Evils (scene)|Choice of Evils]]"
# "[[End of the Ring]]"
# "[[On Eagles' Wings]]"
# "[[The Return of the King (scene)|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 .[http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10000654] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and [[Peter Jackson]]'s later [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|live-action film]].[http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/r/return-of-the-king.html][http://decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/1989] 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]]". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/usercomments]

==Marketing==

In the absence of an official sequel to Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'' has come to be marketed by [[Warner Bros.]] as the final part of a loose animated Tolkien trilogy, preceded by ''The Hobbit''. The middle film is very different in tone and character design, however, and the final two films do not join up seamlessly, as both omit various segments from ''[[The Two Towers]]'', most notably regarding the events in [[Shelob]]'s lair and the [[Ents]]' march on [[Isengard]]. Other omissions in the Rankin/Bass version include the characters of [[Legolas]], [[Gimli]], [[Arwen]], [[Saruman]], [[Éomer]], and [[Faramir]] (though it's possible the latter makes a brief appearance; there is an unidentified Man - who has no lines of dialogue - who accompanies [[Éowyn]] on horseback during Aragorn's coronation, and the two of them exchange rather knowing looks). Even Aragorn doesn't have much dialogue or screentime despite being the 'King' of the movie's title.

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''.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Return of the King (1980 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/ The Return of the King] at [http://imdb.com/ IMDb]

{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Return of the King (1980 film)| ]]

The Return of the King (1980 film)

2013-04-12T03:08:51Z

76.113.141.81: /* Synopsis */

{{disambig-more|The Return of the King|[[The Return of the King (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox

| image=[[Image:RankinBass' The Return of the King.png|250px]]
| name=The Return of the King
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| writer=[[Romeo Muller]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]], [[Theodore Bikel]], [[William Conrad]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Casey Kasem]]
| music=[[Maury Laws]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.]]
| released=[[11 May|May 11]], [[1980]]
| runtime=98 minutes
| country=United States
| language=English
| budget=
| website=
| imdb_id=0079802
}}'''''The Return of the King''''' (subtitled '''''A Story of the Hobbits''''') is an animated adaptation of the [[The Lord of the Rings|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 [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|animated version of ''The Hobbit'']].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! 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|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Casey Kasem]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Roddy McDowall]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Sonny Melendrez]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Théoden|Theoden]], [[Mouth of Sauron]], [[Easterlings|Easterling]]
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Witch-king|Witch-king of Angmar]], Gondorian Guard
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || Minstrel of Gondor
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
Because Rankin/Bass had begun production this movie even before [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation of ''The Lord of the Rings'']] had been released [http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=1&], they 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 and (outside of its use of a framing device) beginning the events literally where its [The Return of the King|literary counterpart] does. Its visual style is largely shared with the 1977 ''Hobbit''. Its plot unfolds as follows:

During the 129th birthday celebration for [[Bilbo Baggins]] in [[Rivendell]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], Bilbo's nephew, tells the story of his quest to destroy the [[One Ring]]. Frodo begins his story with [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise (Sam) Gamgee]], his friend and companion, treading through [[Mordor]] as Ring-bearer in Frodo's abscence, as he is being held captive there by orcs. During his journey, Sam begins to question his thoughts about claiming the Ring himself, but being humble, he never gives in to the treacherous temptations. In due course, he progresses back to [[Cirith Ungol]] to rescue Frodo. Meanwhile, the wizard [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]] and the hobbit [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] arrive at [[Minas Tirith]], the capital of the country of [[Gondor]] to warn [[Denethor]], the Steward of the Throne, about the upcoming war—only to discover that the Steward has lost his mind by believing the war will be the end of mankind.
Meanwhile, at Cirith Ungol, Sam rescues Frodo and returns the Ring. The two then continue on to finish their quest at [[Mount Doom]], only to be attacked by their past guide, [[Gollum]]. As Sam holds Gollum off, Frodo makes it to the [[Crack of Doom]]. But at the Crack, Frodo is finally unable to resist the power of the Ring any longer and claims it for his own. At the same time, Gondor's neighboring country, Rohan, helps it claim victory in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. After searching for some time for Frodo in Mount Doom, Sam discovers Gollum and an invisible Frodo fighting over the Ring, which results in Gollum biting off Frodo's finger to claim it. While dancing with joy at the retrieval of his "Precious," Gollum loses his footing and falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron is defeated. Months later, Frodo's friend, [[Aragorn]], is crowned King of Gondor. The film concludes back in the present with Frodo agreeing to accompany Bilbo, Gandalf and [[Elrond]] in leaving Middle-Earth. Sam, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and Pippin bid them all farewell as they depart across the sea.

===Scenes===
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1980 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]"
# "[[Frodo of the Nine Fingers (scene)|Frodo of the Nine Fingers]]"
# "Credits"
# "[[Crossing into Mordor]]"
# "[[The Bearer of the Ring (scene)|The Bearer of the Ring]]"
# "[[Samwise the Strong]]"
# "[[Less Can Be More (scene)|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 (scene)|Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes]]"
# "[[Mount Doom (1980 scene)|Mount Doom]]"
# "[[The Gollum]]"
# "[[Theoden Falls]]"
# "[[Claimed By the Ring]]"
# "[[Eowyn Triumphs]]"
# "[[Choice of Evils (scene)|Choice of Evils]]"
# "[[End of the Ring]]"
# "[[On Eagles' Wings]]"
# "[[The Return of the King (scene)|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 .[http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10000654] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and [[Peter Jackson]]'s later [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|live-action film]].[http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/r/return-of-the-king.html][http://decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/1989] 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]]". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/usercomments]

==Marketing==

In the absence of an official sequel to Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'' has come to be marketed by [[Warner Bros.]] as the final part of a loose animated Tolkien trilogy, preceded by ''The Hobbit''. The middle film is very different in tone and character design, however, and the final two films do not join up seamlessly, as both omit various segments from ''[[The Two Towers]]'', most notably regarding the events in [[Shelob]]'s lair and the [[Ents]]' march on [[Isengard]]. Other omissions in the Rankin/Bass version include the characters of [[Legolas]], [[Gimli]], [[Arwen]], [[Saruman]], [[Éomer]], and [[Faramir]] (though it's possible the latter makes a brief appearance; there is an unidentified Man - who has no lines of dialogue - who accompanies [[Éowyn]] on horseback during Aragorn's coronation, and the two of them exchange rather knowing looks). Even Aragorn doesn't have much dialogue or screentime despite being the 'King' of the movie's title.

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''.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Return of the King (1980 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/ The Return of the King] at [http://imdb.com/ IMDb]

{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Return of the King (1980 film)| ]]

The Return of the King (1980 film)

2013-04-12T02:50:00Z

76.113.141.81:

{{disambig-more|The Return of the King|[[The Return of the King (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox

| image=[[Image:RankinBass' The Return of the King.png|250px]]
| name=The Return of the King
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| writer=[[Romeo Muller]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]], [[Theodore Bikel]], [[William Conrad]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Casey Kasem]]
| music=[[Maury Laws]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.]]
| released=[[11 May|May 11]], [[1980]]
| runtime=98 minutes
| country=United States
| language=English
| budget=
| website=
| imdb_id=0079802
}}'''''The Return of the King''''' (subtitled '''''A Story of the Hobbits''''') is an animated adaptation of the [[The Lord of the Rings|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 [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|animated version of ''The Hobbit'']].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! 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|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Casey Kasem]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Roddy McDowall]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Sonny Melendrez]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Théoden|Theoden]], [[Mouth of Sauron]], [[Easterlings|Easterling]]
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Witch-king|Witch-king of Angmar]], Gondorian Guard
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || Minstrel of Gondor
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
Rather than picking up where [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|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''. Its plot unfolds as follows:

During the 129th birthday celebration for [[Bilbo Baggins]] in [[Rivendell]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], Bilbo's nephew, tells the story of his quest to destroy the [[One Ring]]. Frodo begins his story with [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise (Sam) Gamgee]], his friend and companion, treading through [[Mordor]] as Ring-bearer in Frodo's abscence, as he is being held captive there by orcs. During his journey, Sam begins to question his thoughts about claiming the Ring himself, but being humble, he never gives in to the treacherous temptations. In due course, he progresses back to [[Cirith Ungol]] to rescue Frodo. Meanwhile, the wizard [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]] and the hobbit [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] arrive at [[Minas Tirith]], the capital of the country of [[Gondor]] to warn [[Denethor]], the Steward of the Throne, about the upcoming war—only to discover that the Steward has lost his mind by believing the war will be the end of mankind.
Meanwhile, at Cirith Ungol, Sam rescues Frodo and returns the Ring. The two then continue on to finish their quest at [[Mount Doom]], only to be attacked by their past guide, [[Gollum]]. As Sam holds Gollum off, Frodo makes it to the [[Crack of Doom]]. But at the Crack, Frodo is finally unable to resist the power of the Ring any longer and claims it for his own. At the same time, Gondor's neighboring country, Rohan, helps it claim victory in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. After searching for some time for Frodo in Mount Doom, Sam discovers Gollum and an invisible Frodo fighting over the Ring, which results in Gollum biting off Frodo's finger to claim it. While dancing with joy at the retrieval of his "Precious," Gollum loses his footing and falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron is defeated. Months later, Frodo's friend, [[Aragorn]], is crowned King of Gondor. The film concludes back in the present with Frodo agreeing to accompany Bilbo, Gandalf and [[Elrond]] in leaving Middle-Earth. Sam, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and Pippin bid them all farewell as they depart across the sea.

===Scenes===
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1980 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]"
# "[[Frodo of the Nine Fingers (scene)|Frodo of the Nine Fingers]]"
# "Credits"
# "[[Crossing into Mordor]]"
# "[[The Bearer of the Ring (scene)|The Bearer of the Ring]]"
# "[[Samwise the Strong]]"
# "[[Less Can Be More (scene)|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 (scene)|Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes]]"
# "[[Mount Doom (1980 scene)|Mount Doom]]"
# "[[The Gollum]]"
# "[[Theoden Falls]]"
# "[[Claimed By the Ring]]"
# "[[Eowyn Triumphs]]"
# "[[Choice of Evils (scene)|Choice of Evils]]"
# "[[End of the Ring]]"
# "[[On Eagles' Wings]]"
# "[[The Return of the King (scene)|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 .[http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10000654] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and [[Peter Jackson]]'s later [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|live-action film]].[http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/r/return-of-the-king.html][http://decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/1989] 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]]". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/usercomments]

==Marketing==

In the absence of an official sequel to Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'' has come to be marketed by [[Warner Bros.]] as the final part of a loose animated Tolkien trilogy, preceded by ''The Hobbit''. The middle film is very different in tone and character design, however, and the final two films do not join up seamlessly, as both omit various segments from ''[[The Two Towers]]'', most notably regarding the events in [[Shelob]]'s lair and the [[Ents]]' march on [[Isengard]]. Other omissions in the Rankin/Bass version include the characters of [[Legolas]], [[Gimli]], [[Arwen]], [[Saruman]], [[Éomer]], and [[Faramir]] (though it's possible the latter makes a brief appearance; there is an unidentified Man - who has no lines of dialogue - who accompanies [[Éowyn]] on horseback during Aragorn's coronation, and the two of them exchange rather knowing looks). Even Aragorn doesn't have much dialogue or screentime despite being the 'King' of the movie's title.

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''.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Return of the King (1980 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/ The Return of the King] at [http://imdb.com/ IMDb]

{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Return of the King (1980 film)| ]]

The Return of the King (1980 film)

2013-04-12T02:49:30Z

76.113.141.81:

{{disambig-more|The Return of the King|[[The Return of the King (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox

| image=[[Image:RankinBass' The Return of the King.png|250px]]
| name=The Return of the King
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| writer=[[Romeo Muller]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]], [[Theodore Bikel]], [[William Conrad]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Casey Kasem]]
| music=[[Maury Laws]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.]]
| released=[[11 May|May 11]], [[1980]]
| runtime=98 minutes
| country=United States
| language=English
| budget=
| website=
| imdb_id=0079802
}}'''''The Return of the King''''' (subtitled ''''A Story of the Hobbits'''') is an animated adaptation of the [[The Lord of the Rings|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 [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|animated version of ''The Hobbit'']].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! 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|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Casey Kasem]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Roddy McDowall]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Sonny Melendrez]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Théoden|Theoden]], [[Mouth of Sauron]], [[Easterlings|Easterling]]
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Witch-king|Witch-king of Angmar]], Gondorian Guard
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || Minstrel of Gondor
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
Rather than picking up where [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|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''. Its plot unfolds as follows:

During the 129th birthday celebration for [[Bilbo Baggins]] in [[Rivendell]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], Bilbo's nephew, tells the story of his quest to destroy the [[One Ring]]. Frodo begins his story with [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise (Sam) Gamgee]], his friend and companion, treading through [[Mordor]] as Ring-bearer in Frodo's abscence, as he is being held captive there by orcs. During his journey, Sam begins to question his thoughts about claiming the Ring himself, but being humble, he never gives in to the treacherous temptations. In due course, he progresses back to [[Cirith Ungol]] to rescue Frodo. Meanwhile, the wizard [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]] and the hobbit [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] arrive at [[Minas Tirith]], the capital of the country of [[Gondor]] to warn [[Denethor]], the Steward of the Throne, about the upcoming war—only to discover that the Steward has lost his mind by believing the war will be the end of mankind.
Meanwhile, at Cirith Ungol, Sam rescues Frodo and returns the Ring. The two then continue on to finish their quest at [[Mount Doom]], only to be attacked by their past guide, [[Gollum]]. As Sam holds Gollum off, Frodo makes it to the [[Crack of Doom]]. But at the Crack, Frodo is finally unable to resist the power of the Ring any longer and claims it for his own. At the same time, Gondor's neighboring country, Rohan, helps it claim victory in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. After searching for some time for Frodo in Mount Doom, Sam discovers Gollum and an invisible Frodo fighting over the Ring, which results in Gollum biting off Frodo's finger to claim it. While dancing with joy at the retrieval of his "Precious," Gollum loses his footing and falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron is defeated. Months later, Frodo's friend, [[Aragorn]], is crowned King of Gondor. The film concludes back in the present with Frodo agreeing to accompany Bilbo, Gandalf and [[Elrond]] in leaving Middle-Earth. Sam, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and Pippin bid them all farewell as they depart across the sea.

===Scenes===
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1980 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]"
# "[[Frodo of the Nine Fingers (scene)|Frodo of the Nine Fingers]]"
# "Credits"
# "[[Crossing into Mordor]]"
# "[[The Bearer of the Ring (scene)|The Bearer of the Ring]]"
# "[[Samwise the Strong]]"
# "[[Less Can Be More (scene)|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 (scene)|Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes]]"
# "[[Mount Doom (1980 scene)|Mount Doom]]"
# "[[The Gollum]]"
# "[[Theoden Falls]]"
# "[[Claimed By the Ring]]"
# "[[Eowyn Triumphs]]"
# "[[Choice of Evils (scene)|Choice of Evils]]"
# "[[End of the Ring]]"
# "[[On Eagles' Wings]]"
# "[[The Return of the King (scene)|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 .[http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10000654] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and [[Peter Jackson]]'s later [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|live-action film]].[http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/r/return-of-the-king.html][http://decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/1989] 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]]". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/usercomments]

==Marketing==

In the absence of an official sequel to Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'' has come to be marketed by [[Warner Bros.]] as the final part of a loose animated Tolkien trilogy, preceded by ''The Hobbit''. The middle film is very different in tone and character design, however, and the final two films do not join up seamlessly, as both omit various segments from ''[[The Two Towers]]'', most notably regarding the events in [[Shelob]]'s lair and the [[Ents]]' march on [[Isengard]]. Other omissions in the Rankin/Bass version include the characters of [[Legolas]], [[Gimli]], [[Arwen]], [[Saruman]], [[Éomer]], and [[Faramir]] (though it's possible the latter makes a brief appearance; there is an unidentified Man - who has no lines of dialogue - who accompanies [[Éowyn]] on horseback during Aragorn's coronation, and the two of them exchange rather knowing looks). Even Aragorn doesn't have much dialogue or screentime despite being the 'King' of the movie's title.

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''.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Return of the King (1980 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/ The Return of the King] at [http://imdb.com/ IMDb]

{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Return of the King (1980 film)| ]]

The Return of the King (1980 film)

2013-04-12T02:48:56Z

76.113.141.81:

{{disambig-more|The Return of the King|[[The Return of the King (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox

| image=[[Image:RankinBass' The Return of the King.png|250px]]
| name=The Return of the King
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| writer=[[Romeo Muller]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]], [[Theodore Bikel]], [[William Conrad]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Casey Kasem]]
| music=[[Maury Laws]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.]]
| released=[[11 May|May 11]], [[1980]]
| runtime=98 minutes
| country=United States
| language=English
| budget=
| website=
| imdb_id=0079802
}}'''''The Return of the King''''' (subtitled '''A Story of the Hobbits''') is an animated adaptation of the [[The Lord of the Rings|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 [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|animated version of ''The Hobbit'']].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! 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|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Casey Kasem]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Roddy McDowall]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Sonny Melendrez]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Théoden|Theoden]], [[Mouth of Sauron]], [[Easterlings|Easterling]]
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Witch-king|Witch-king of Angmar]], Gondorian Guard
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || Minstrel of Gondor
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
Rather than picking up where [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|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''. Its plot unfolds as follows:

During the 129th birthday celebration for [[Bilbo Baggins]] in [[Rivendell]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], Bilbo's nephew, tells the story of his quest to destroy the [[One Ring]]. Frodo begins his story with [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise (Sam) Gamgee]], his friend and companion, treading through [[Mordor]] as Ring-bearer in Frodo's abscence, as he is being held captive there by orcs. During his journey, Sam begins to question his thoughts about claiming the Ring himself, but being humble, he never gives in to the treacherous temptations. In due course, he progresses back to [[Cirith Ungol]] to rescue Frodo. Meanwhile, the wizard [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]] and the hobbit [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] arrive at [[Minas Tirith]], the capital of the country of [[Gondor]] to warn [[Denethor]], the Steward of the Throne, about the upcoming war—only to discover that the Steward has lost his mind by believing the war will be the end of mankind.
Meanwhile, at Cirith Ungol, Sam rescues Frodo and returns the Ring. The two then continue on to finish their quest at [[Mount Doom]], only to be attacked by their past guide, [[Gollum]]. As Sam holds Gollum off, Frodo makes it to the [[Crack of Doom]]. But at the Crack, Frodo is finally unable to resist the power of the Ring any longer and claims it for his own. At the same time, Gondor's neighboring country, Rohan, helps it claim victory in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. After searching for some time for Frodo in Mount Doom, Sam discovers Gollum and an invisible Frodo fighting over the Ring, which results in Gollum biting off Frodo's finger to claim it. While dancing with joy at the retrieval of his "Precious," Gollum loses his footing and falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron is defeated. Months later, Frodo's friend, [[Aragorn]], is crowned King of Gondor. The film concludes back in the present with Frodo agreeing to accompany Bilbo, Gandalf and [[Elrond]] in leaving Middle-Earth. Sam, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and Pippin bid them all farewell as they depart across the sea.

===Scenes===
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1980 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]"
# "[[Frodo of the Nine Fingers (scene)|Frodo of the Nine Fingers]]"
# "Credits"
# "[[Crossing into Mordor]]"
# "[[The Bearer of the Ring (scene)|The Bearer of the Ring]]"
# "[[Samwise the Strong]]"
# "[[Less Can Be More (scene)|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 (scene)|Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes]]"
# "[[Mount Doom (1980 scene)|Mount Doom]]"
# "[[The Gollum]]"
# "[[Theoden Falls]]"
# "[[Claimed By the Ring]]"
# "[[Eowyn Triumphs]]"
# "[[Choice of Evils (scene)|Choice of Evils]]"
# "[[End of the Ring]]"
# "[[On Eagles' Wings]]"
# "[[The Return of the King (scene)|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 .[http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10000654] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and [[Peter Jackson]]'s later [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|live-action film]].[http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/r/return-of-the-king.html][http://decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/1989] 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]]". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/usercomments]

==Marketing==

In the absence of an official sequel to Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'' has come to be marketed by [[Warner Bros.]] as the final part of a loose animated Tolkien trilogy, preceded by ''The Hobbit''. The middle film is very different in tone and character design, however, and the final two films do not join up seamlessly, as both omit various segments from ''[[The Two Towers]]'', most notably regarding the events in [[Shelob]]'s lair and the [[Ents]]' march on [[Isengard]]. Other omissions in the Rankin/Bass version include the characters of [[Legolas]], [[Gimli]], [[Arwen]], [[Saruman]], [[Éomer]], and [[Faramir]] (though it's possible the latter makes a brief appearance; there is an unidentified Man - who has no lines of dialogue - who accompanies [[Éowyn]] on horseback during Aragorn's coronation, and the two of them exchange rather knowing looks). Even Aragorn doesn't have much dialogue or screentime despite being the 'King' of the movie's title.

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''.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Return of the King (1980 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/ The Return of the King] at [http://imdb.com/ IMDb]

{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Return of the King (1980 film)| ]]

The Return of the King (1980 film)

2013-04-12T02:47:55Z

76.113.141.81:

{{disambig-more|The Return of the King|[[The Return of the King (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox

| image=[[Image:RankinBass' The Return of the King.png|250px]]
| name=The Return of the King
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| writer=[[Romeo Muller]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]], [[Theodore Bikel]], [[William Conrad]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Casey Kasem]]
| music=[[Maury Laws]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.]]
| released=[[11 May|May 11]], [[1980]]
| runtime=98 minutes
| country=United States
| language=English
| budget=
| website=
| imdb_id=0079802
}}'''''The Return of the King''''' (subtitled ''A Story of the Hobbits'') is an animated adaptation of the [[The Lord of the Rings|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 [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|animated version of ''The Hobbit'']].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! 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|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Casey Kasem]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Roddy McDowall]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Sonny Melendrez]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Théoden|Theoden]], [[Mouth of Sauron]], [[Easterlings|Easterling]]
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Witch-king|Witch-king of Angmar]], Gondorian Guard
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || Minstrel of Gondor
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
Rather than picking up where [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|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''. Its plot unfolds as follows:

During the 129th birthday celebration for [[Bilbo Baggins]] in [[Rivendell]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], Bilbo's nephew, tells the story of his quest to destroy the [[One Ring]]. Frodo begins his story with [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise (Sam) Gamgee]], his friend and companion, treading through [[Mordor]] as Ring-bearer in Frodo's abscence, as he is being held captive there by orcs. During his journey, Sam begins to question his thoughts about claiming the Ring himself, but being humble, he never gives in to the treacherous temptations. In due course, he progresses back to [[Cirith Ungol]] to rescue Frodo. Meanwhile, the wizard [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]] and the hobbit [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] arrive at [[Minas Tirith]], the capital of the country of [[Gondor]] to warn [[Denethor]], the Steward of the Throne, about the upcoming war—only to discover that the Steward has lost his mind by believing the war will be the end of mankind.
Meanwhile, at Cirith Ungol, Sam rescues Frodo and returns the Ring. The two then continue on to finish their quest at [[Mount Doom]], only to be attacked by their past guide, [[Gollum]]. As Sam holds Gollum off, Frodo makes it to the [[Crack of Doom]]. But at the Crack, Frodo is finally unable to resist the power of the Ring any longer and claims it for his own. At the same time, Gondor's neighboring country, Rohan, helps it claim victory in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. After searching for some time for Frodo in Mount Doom, Sam discovers Gollum and an invisible Frodo fighting over the Ring, which results in Gollum biting off Frodo's finger to claim it. While dancing with joy at the retrieval of his "Precious," Gollum loses his footing and falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron is defeated. Months later, Frodo's friend, [[Aragorn]], is crowned King of Gondor. The film concludes back in the present with Frodo agreeing to accompany Bilbo, Gandalf and [[Elrond]] in leaving Middle-Earth. Sam, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and Pippin bid them all farewell as they depart across the sea.

===Scenes===
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1980 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]"
# "[[Frodo of the Nine Fingers (scene)|Frodo of the Nine Fingers]]"
# "Credits"
# "[[Crossing into Mordor]]"
# "[[The Bearer of the Ring (scene)|The Bearer of the Ring]]"
# "[[Samwise the Strong]]"
# "[[Less Can Be More (scene)|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 (scene)|Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes]]"
# "[[Mount Doom (1980 scene)|Mount Doom]]"
# "[[The Gollum]]"
# "[[Theoden Falls]]"
# "[[Claimed By the Ring]]"
# "[[Eowyn Triumphs]]"
# "[[Choice of Evils (scene)|Choice of Evils]]"
# "[[End of the Ring]]"
# "[[On Eagles' Wings]]"
# "[[The Return of the King (scene)|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 .[http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10000654] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and [[Peter Jackson]]'s later [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|live-action film]].[http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/r/return-of-the-king.html][http://decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/1989] 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]]". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/usercomments]

==Marketing==

In the absence of an official sequel to Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'' has come to be marketed by [[Warner Bros.]] as the final part of a loose animated Tolkien trilogy, preceded by ''The Hobbit''. The middle film is very different in tone and character design, however, and the final two films do not join up seamlessly, as both omit various segments from ''[[The Two Towers]]'', most notably regarding the events in [[Shelob]]'s lair and the [[Ents]]' march on [[Isengard]]. Other omissions in the Rankin/Bass version include the characters of [[Legolas]], [[Gimli]], [[Arwen]], [[Saruman]], [[Éomer]], and [[Faramir]] (though it's possible the latter makes a brief appearance; there is an unidentified Man - who has no lines of dialogue - who accompanies [[Éowyn]] on horseback during Aragorn's coronation, and the two of them exchange rather knowing looks). Even Aragorn doesn't have much dialogue or screentime despite being the 'King' of the movie's title.

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''.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Return of the King (1980 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/ The Return of the King] at [http://imdb.com/ IMDb]

{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Return of the King (1980 film)| ]]

The Hobbit (1977 film)

2013-04-11T04:07:09Z

76.113.141.81: /* Differences from the book */

{{disambig-more|The Hobbit|[[The Hobbit (disambiguation)]]}}
{{film infobox
| image=[[File:The Hobbit (1977 film) - Cover.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Hobbit
| director=[[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Rankin/Bass]]
| writer=Romeo Muller
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Maury Laws [[Glenn Yarbrough]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=
| released=[[27 November]] [[1977]]
| runtime=77 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget=$3 million
| website=
| imdb_id=tt0077687
}}'''''The Hobbit''''' was a [[1977]] animated television movie by [[Rankin/Bass]] Productions of [[The Hobbit|the book of the same name]]. It manages to retell most of the story within its 77 minute span. An LP with the soundtrack and dialog from the movie was also released in 1977 by [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]], through its Buena Vista Records label, although, by popular demand, an edited version, along with accompanying "storyteller read-alongs," was later issued for the Mouse Factory's Disneyland Records imprint.

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Role !! Actor
|-
| [[Bilbo Baggins]] || [[Orson Bean]]
|-
| [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]] || [[John Huston]]
|-
| The [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] || [[Otto Preminger]]
|-
| [[Smaug]] || [[Richard Boone]]
|-
| [[Elrond]] || [[Cyril Ritchard]]
|-
| [[Thorin]] || [[Hans Conried]]
|-
| [[Gollum]] || [[Brother Theodore]]
|-
| [[Bombur]] || [[Paul Frees]]
|-
| [[Balin]] || [[Don Messick]]
|-
| [[Gwaihir|Lord of the Eagles]] || Don Messick
|-
| [[Dori]] || [[John Stephenson]]
|-
| The [[Great Goblin]] || John Stephenson
|-
| [[Bard]] || John Stephenson
|}

The film was produced and directed by [[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] and [[Jules Bass]] and adapted for the screen by Romeo Muller; with Rankin taking on the additional duties of production designer, and Bass adapting some of Tolkien's original lyrics, as well as contributing, along with Maury Laws, an original theme song, "The Greatest Adventure (The Ballad of the Hobbit)," sung by [[Glenn Yarbrough]].

The same team, along with Bean, Huston, Theodore, Frees, Messick, and Stephenson returned for the 1980 adaption of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]''.

==Scenes==
# "[[Bilbo's Visitors]]" (4:07)
# "[[Outlining the Adventure]]" (3:53)
# "Credits" (2:20)
# "[[Troublesome Trolls]]" (3:35)
# "[[Lonely Mountain Map]]" (3:06)
# "[[Elves of Rivendell (scene)|Elves of Rivendell]]" (3:04)
# "[[Goblin Attack]]" (3:33)
# "[[Gollum's Riddler]]" (6:20)
# "[[Follow the leader]]" (4:28)
# "[[Funny Little Things]]" (2:12)
# "[[Flown to Mirkwood]]" (2:36)
# "[[Forest Diary]]" (3:04)
# "[[Spider's Web]]" (1:19)
# "[[Sting Strikes]]" (2:00)
# "[[Wood Elves (scene)|Wood Elves]]" (2:50)
# "[[Laketown (scene)|Laketown]]" (2:04)
# "[[Secret Doorway]]" (2:09)
# "[[Smaug's Lair]]" (4:14)
# "[[Weak Spot]]" (4:31)
# "[[Black Arrow's Mark]]" (3:08)
# "[[Treasure Clash]]" (2:59)
# "[[Five Armies Meet]]" (4:42)
# "[[Farewell, Thorin]]" (2:07)
# "[[Only Beginning]]" (1:50)
# "End Credits" (0:56)

== Critical Reaction ==
The movie was first broadcast on NBC in the United States, on [[26 November|November 26]], [[1977]], and was tailored to children: the story was done in a very light-hearted style, and featured a lot of songs (most of which came from the book). Much of the story was simplified and several key parts are omitted.

The art is both praised and criticized. Some reviewers regard it as a strong point of the movie. Inaccuracies in the depictions draws a lot of criticism from Tolkien fans: Gandalf has a hood instead of a hat, despite clearly being described in the book; Gollum looks like some sort of frog-creature (though the book does describe his large eyes and webbed feet); Elrond has a beard despite the book outright saying that Elves do not have beards; the [[Elves of Mirkwood|Wood-elves]], rather than being the "fair folk," are even uglier than the goblins (and the [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] has a thick German accent for some reason); Smaug is extremely hairy for being a [[Dragons|dragon]].

In 1977, NBC, Rankin and Bass won a Peabody Award for ''The Hobbit''[http://www.peabody.uga.edu/winners/PeabodyWinnersBook.pdf]. The movie was also nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in [[1978]], but lost to ''Star Wars''.

==Differences from the book==
While the movie is quite faithful to the story, it is at its core still a child-oriented musical adaptation, and therefore not a perfect adaptation of Tolkien's novel. Most of the changes are found as omissions rather than modifications of the plot.

# All the Dwarves show up with Gandalf all at once in the film rather than coming in groups the day after Gandalf meets Bilbo and puts a mark on his door.
# The company leaves Bilbo's house on ponies, but after that the ponies are not seen until they are lost in crossing the [[Misty Mountains]]. In the book, the company rode ponies from [[Bag End]] to [[Rivendell]].
# Bilbo is noticed by the Trolls as he sneaks up to steal some meat rather than disclosed by the Trolls' [[Talking purse|"talking" purse]].
# The Dwarves flee in terror from the Trolls and are picked up one at a time instead of walking blindly into the camp and being ambushed (except for Thorin, who puts up a fight).
# Gandalf apparently has the power to make the dawn come earlier in dispatching the Trolls rather than tricking them by throwing his voice.
# The Troll cave does not have a locked door like in the book.
# Gandalf gives Thorin the Map of Thrór and the key in the troll cave rather than back at Bag End.
# Up in the mountains, there are no stone giants playing games amidst the storm.
# Gandalf is missing in the cave when the goblins emerge, rather than sleeping when it happens. The Dwarves run into the tunnel rather than being grabbed.
# The Dwarves do not fight the goblins in the tunnel.
# Bilbo specifically asked Gollum what he has in his pocket rather than muttering it aloud to himself. Gollum does not even try to guess instead of demanding three guesses. Only four riddles are said in the movie (there were ten in the book).
# Bilbo pulls the ring out of his pocket after Gollum says he's looking for his "golden ring, magical ring".
# Bilbo has no trouble getting out the back door (no goblins to sneak by or tight spots to fit through).
# Rather than meet the Wargs in the forest, the goblins come with them, riding on them and wielding torches (despite the Wargs' fear of fire in the book).
# The Great Eagles do not take the company to their eyries, but to the edge of [[Mirkwood]], bypassing [[Beorn]] (who does not appear in the movie).
# The incident at the enchanted river, including [[Bombur]]'s magical sleep, is omitted.
# The feasts of the Wood-elves are omitted (yet are referred to when the Wood-elves capture the Dwarves).
# Bilbo has to fight and kill only four spiders rather than dozens and dozens. Bilbo's sword, [[Sting]], always glows in the movie regardless of whether goblins are nearby or not.
# Thorin is captured with the other Dwarves by the spiders and then the Wood-elves.
# There is no stop over from the journey via barrels from the Wood-elves' castle to [[Lake-town]].
# There is no Master in Laketown; [[Bard]] the guardsman runs the city.
# The company does not make camp at the base of the mountain.
# Balin does not go with Bilbo into the secret entrance.
# Bilbo has only one audience with Smaug and the thrush is present. Bilbo orders the thrush to seek Bard to tell him of Smaug's weakness.
# The [[Arkenstone]] and all that goes with it is omitted.
# [[Roäc]] the raven is omitted. In the book, the ravens tell the Dwarves that Smaug is slain and is sent to [[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin]] to call for assistance. In the movie, the Dwarves wait, lost inside the Lonely Mountain for a week and it is never explained why Dáin arrives at such an opportune moment.
# The company discovers the two armies coming when they are on the doorstep rather than being warned in advance.
# Since the Arkenstone is omitted, Thorin instead loses respect for Bilbo through his supposed lack of understanding of honor and war.
# Thorin and the dwarves plan a suicidal last stand against the elves and men in a pitched battle outside the mountain and are pleasantly surprised when Dáin's army arrives.
# [[Ravenhill]] is not mentioned.
# The armies in the Battle of the Five Armies are divided differently (Bilbo counts the Goblins and Wargs as one army; the Eagles are counted as a separate army).
# Beorn is not present in the Battle of Five Armies. Also, [[Bolg]] is never mentioned nor seen.
# In the book, only Thorin, [[Fíli]] and [[Kíli]] die from the battle, leaving 10 survivors from Thorin's company. In the movie, Thorin, Bombur and five other unnamed dwarves are all killed. (In fact, Bombur was one of the few Dwarves in the quest known to be still alive in the days of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.) [[Glóin]] is the only other dwarf whose fate is officially revealed in the movie, as he is seen covering up Thorin with a blanket after he dies. Another dwarf (who does not clearly resemble anyone from the company) then lays [[Orcrist]] on top of Thorin's body. It's possible that this could be Dáin.
# Most of the return journey, including winter at Beorn's home, a stop at Rivendell, and digging up gold they buried by the troll camp, is omitted.
# The auction back at Bag End is omitted.
# Gandalf and Balin's visit to Bag End years later is omitted.

==Follow-up==
At the end of the film, Gandalf reveals to Bilbo that he is not only aware of Bilbo's ring, but knows that it is in fact the [[One Ring]], and foreshadows the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. In the books, the ring is not discovered to be the One Ring until ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''. Such an indication would lead one to believe that Rankin/Bass was always intending to do a follow-up using story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings''. Indeed, production had already begun on their adaptation of ''The Return of the King'' before ''The Hobbit'' had even originally aired[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0]. However, it remains a mystery as to whether or not their plans for what story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings'' were originally conceived for inclusion in this follow-up were at all affected by the 1978 [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation by Ralph Bakshi]], which was also in production at that point.

== External Links ==
* {{WP| The Hobbit (1977 film)}}
* ''[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077687/ The Hobbit]'' at [http://www.imdb.com/ IMDb]
{{films}}

{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Hobbit (1977 film)| ]]

The Hobbit (1977 film)

2013-04-11T02:48:02Z

76.113.141.81: /* Differences from the book */

{{disambig-more|The Hobbit|[[The Hobbit (disambiguation)]]}}
{{film infobox
| image=[[File:The Hobbit (1977 film) - Cover.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Hobbit
| director=[[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Rankin/Bass]]
| writer=Romeo Muller
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Maury Laws [[Glenn Yarbrough]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=
| released=[[27 November]] [[1977]]
| runtime=77 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget=$3 million
| website=
| imdb_id=tt0077687
}}'''''The Hobbit''''' was a [[1977]] animated television movie by [[Rankin/Bass]] Productions of [[The Hobbit|the book of the same name]]. It manages to retell most of the story within its 77 minute span. An LP with the soundtrack and dialog from the movie was also released in 1977 by [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]], through its Buena Vista Records label, although, by popular demand, an edited version, along with accompanying "storyteller read-alongs," was later issued for the Mouse Factory's Disneyland Records imprint.

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Role !! Actor
|-
| [[Bilbo Baggins]] || [[Orson Bean]]
|-
| [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]] || [[John Huston]]
|-
| The [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] || [[Otto Preminger]]
|-
| [[Smaug]] || [[Richard Boone]]
|-
| [[Elrond]] || [[Cyril Ritchard]]
|-
| [[Thorin]] || [[Hans Conried]]
|-
| [[Gollum]] || [[Brother Theodore]]
|-
| [[Bombur]] || [[Paul Frees]]
|-
| [[Balin]] || [[Don Messick]]
|-
| [[Gwaihir|Lord of the Eagles]] || Don Messick
|-
| [[Dori]] || [[John Stephenson]]
|-
| The [[Great Goblin]] || John Stephenson
|-
| [[Bard]] || John Stephenson
|}

The film was produced and directed by [[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] and [[Jules Bass]] and adapted for the screen by Romeo Muller; with Rankin taking on the additional duties of production designer, and Bass adapting some of Tolkien's original lyrics, as well as contributing, along with Maury Laws, an original theme song, "The Greatest Adventure (The Ballad of the Hobbit)," sung by [[Glenn Yarbrough]].

The same team, along with Bean, Huston, Theodore, Frees, Messick, and Stephenson returned for the 1980 adaption of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]''.

==Scenes==
# "[[Bilbo's Visitors]]" (4:07)
# "[[Outlining the Adventure]]" (3:53)
# "Credits" (2:20)
# "[[Troublesome Trolls]]" (3:35)
# "[[Lonely Mountain Map]]" (3:06)
# "[[Elves of Rivendell (scene)|Elves of Rivendell]]" (3:04)
# "[[Goblin Attack]]" (3:33)
# "[[Gollum's Riddler]]" (6:20)
# "[[Follow the leader]]" (4:28)
# "[[Funny Little Things]]" (2:12)
# "[[Flown to Mirkwood]]" (2:36)
# "[[Forest Diary]]" (3:04)
# "[[Spider's Web]]" (1:19)
# "[[Sting Strikes]]" (2:00)
# "[[Wood Elves (scene)|Wood Elves]]" (2:50)
# "[[Laketown (scene)|Laketown]]" (2:04)
# "[[Secret Doorway]]" (2:09)
# "[[Smaug's Lair]]" (4:14)
# "[[Weak Spot]]" (4:31)
# "[[Black Arrow's Mark]]" (3:08)
# "[[Treasure Clash]]" (2:59)
# "[[Five Armies Meet]]" (4:42)
# "[[Farewell, Thorin]]" (2:07)
# "[[Only Beginning]]" (1:50)
# "End Credits" (0:56)

== Critical Reaction ==
The movie was first broadcast on NBC in the United States, on [[26 November|November 26]], [[1977]], and was tailored to children: the story was done in a very light-hearted style, and featured a lot of songs (most of which came from the book). Much of the story was simplified and several key parts are omitted.

The art is both praised and criticized. Some reviewers regard it as a strong point of the movie. Inaccuracies in the depictions draws a lot of criticism from Tolkien fans: Gandalf has a hood instead of a hat, despite clearly being described in the book; Gollum looks like some sort of frog-creature (though the book does describe his large eyes and webbed feet); Elrond has a beard despite the book outright saying that Elves do not have beards; the [[Elves of Mirkwood|Wood-elves]], rather than being the "fair folk," are even uglier than the goblins (and the [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] has a thick German accent for some reason); Smaug is extremely hairy for being a [[Dragons|dragon]].

In 1977, NBC, Rankin and Bass won a Peabody Award for ''The Hobbit''[http://www.peabody.uga.edu/winners/PeabodyWinnersBook.pdf]. The movie was also nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in [[1978]], but lost to ''Star Wars''.

==Differences from the book==
While the movie is quite faithful to the story, it is at its core still a child-oriented musical adaptation, and therefore not a perfect adaptation of Tolkien's novel. Most of the changes are found as omissions rather than modifications of the plot.

# All the Dwarves show up with Gandalf all at once in the film rather than coming in groups the day after Gandalf meets Bilbo and puts a mark on his door.
# The company leaves Bilbo's house on ponies, but after that the ponies are not seen until they are lost in crossing the [[Misty Mountains]]. In the book, the company rode ponies from [[Bag End]] to [[Rivendell]].
# Bilbo is noticed by the Trolls as he sneaks up to steal some meat rather than disclosed by the Trolls' [[Talking purse|"talking" purse]].
# The Dwarves flee in terror from the Trolls and are picked up one at a time instead of walking blindly into the camp and being ambushed (except for Thorin, who puts up a fight).
# Gandalf apparently has the power to make the dawn come earlier and dispatching the Trolls rather than tricking them by throwing his voice.
# The Troll cave does not have a locked door like in the book.
# Gandalf gives Thorin the Map of Thrór and the key in the troll cave rather than back at Bag End.
# Up in the mountains, there are no stone giants playing games amidst the storm.
# Gandalf is missing in the cave when the goblins emerge, rather than sleeping when it happens. The Dwarves run into the tunnel rather than being grabbed.
# The Dwarves do not fight the goblins in the tunnel.
# Bilbo specifically asked Gollum what he has in his pocket rather than muttering it aloud to himself. Gollum does not even try to guess instead of demanding three guesses. Only four riddles are said in the movie (there were ten in the book).
# Bilbo pulls the ring out of his pocket after Gollum says he's looking for his "golden ring, magical ring".
# Bilbo has no trouble getting out the back door (no goblins to sneak by or tight spots to fit through).
# Rather than meet the Wargs in the forest, the goblins come with them, riding on them and wielding torches (despite the Wargs' fear of fire in the book).
# The Great Eagles do not take the company to their eyries, but to the edge of [[Mirkwood]], bypassing [[Beorn]] (who does not appears in the movie).
# The incident at the enchanted river, including [[Bombur]]'s magical sleep, is omitted.
# The feasts of the Wood-elves are omitted (yet are referred to when the Wood-elves capture the Dwarves).
# Bilbo has to fight and kill only four spiders rather than dozens and dozens. Bilbo's sword, [[Sting]], always glows in the movie regardless of whether goblins are nearby or not.
# Thorin is captured with the other Dwarves by the spiders and then the Wood-elves.
# There is no stop over from the journey via barrels from the Wood-elves' castle to [[Lake-town]].
# There is no Master in Laketown; [[Bard]] the guardsman runs the city.
# The company does not make camp at the base of the mountain.
# Balin does not go with Bilbo into the secret entrance.
# Bilbo has only one audience with Smaug and the thrush is present. Bilbo orders the thrush to seek Bard to tell him of Smaug's weakness.
# The [[Arkenstone]] and all that goes with it is omitted.
# [[Roäc]] the raven is omitted. In the book, the ravens tell the Dwarves that Smaug is slain and is sent to [[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin]] to call for assistance. In the movie, the Dwarves wait, lost inside the Lonely Mountain for a week and it is never explained why Dáin arrives at such an opportune moment.
# The company discovers the two armies coming when they are on the doorstep rather than being warned in advance.
# Since the Arkenstone is omitted, Thorin instead loses respect for Bilbo through his supposed lack of understanding of honor and war.
# Thorin and the dwarves plan a suicidal last stand against the elves and men in a pitched battle outside the mountain and are pleasantly surprised when Dáin's army arrives.
# [[Ravenhill]] is not mentioned.
# The armies in the Battle of the Five Armies are divided differently (Bilbo counts the Goblins and Wargs as one army; the Eagles are counted as a separate army).
# Beorn is not present in the Battle of Five Armies. Also, [[Bolg]] is never mentioned nor seen.
# In the book, only Thorin, [[Fíli]] and [[Kíli]] die from the battle, leaving 10 survivors from Thorin's company. In the movie, Thorin, Bombur and five other unnamed dwarves are all killed. (In fact, Bombur was one of the few Dwarves in the quest known to be still alive in the days of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.) [[Glóin]] is the only other dwarf whose fate is officially revealed in the movie, as he is seen covering up Thorin with a blanket after he dies. Another dwarf (who does not clearly resemble anyone from the company) then lays [[Orcrist]] on top of Thorin's body. It's possible that this could be Dáin.
# Most of the return journey, including winter at Beorn's home, a stop at Rivendell, and digging up gold they buried by the troll camp, is omitted.
# The auction back at Bag End is omitted.
# Gandalf and Balin's visit to Bag End years later is omitted.

==Follow-up==
At the end of the film, Gandalf reveals to Bilbo that he is not only aware of Bilbo's ring, but knows that it is in fact the [[One Ring]], and foreshadows the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. In the books, the ring is not discovered to be the One Ring until ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''. Such an indication would lead one to believe that Rankin/Bass was always intending to do a follow-up using story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings''. Indeed, production had already begun on their adaptation of ''The Return of the King'' before ''The Hobbit'' had even originally aired[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0]. However, it remains a mystery as to whether or not their plans for what story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings'' were originally conceived for inclusion in this follow-up were at all affected by the 1978 [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation by Ralph Bakshi]], which was also in production at that point.

== External Links ==
* {{WP| The Hobbit (1977 film)}}
* ''[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077687/ The Hobbit]'' at [http://www.imdb.com/ IMDb]
{{films}}

{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Hobbit (1977 film)| ]]

The Hobbit (1977 film)

2013-04-11T02:38:18Z

76.113.141.81: /* Differences from the book */

{{disambig-more|The Hobbit|[[The Hobbit (disambiguation)]]}}
{{film infobox
| image=[[File:The Hobbit (1977 film) - Cover.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Hobbit
| director=[[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Rankin/Bass]]
| writer=Romeo Muller
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Maury Laws [[Glenn Yarbrough]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=
| released=[[27 November]] [[1977]]
| runtime=77 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget=$3 million
| website=
| imdb_id=tt0077687
}}'''''The Hobbit''''' was a [[1977]] animated television movie by [[Rankin/Bass]] Productions of [[The Hobbit|the book of the same name]]. It manages to retell most of the story within its 77 minute span. An LP with the soundtrack and dialog from the movie was also released in 1977 by [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]], through its Buena Vista Records label, although, by popular demand, an edited version, along with accompanying "storyteller read-alongs," was later issued for the Mouse Factory's Disneyland Records imprint.

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Role !! Actor
|-
| [[Bilbo Baggins]] || [[Orson Bean]]
|-
| [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]] || [[John Huston]]
|-
| The [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] || [[Otto Preminger]]
|-
| [[Smaug]] || [[Richard Boone]]
|-
| [[Elrond]] || [[Cyril Ritchard]]
|-
| [[Thorin]] || [[Hans Conried]]
|-
| [[Gollum]] || [[Brother Theodore]]
|-
| [[Bombur]] || [[Paul Frees]]
|-
| [[Balin]] || [[Don Messick]]
|-
| [[Gwaihir|Lord of the Eagles]] || Don Messick
|-
| [[Dori]] || [[John Stephenson]]
|-
| The [[Great Goblin]] || John Stephenson
|-
| [[Bard]] || John Stephenson
|}

The film was produced and directed by [[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] and [[Jules Bass]] and adapted for the screen by Romeo Muller; with Rankin taking on the additional duties of production designer, and Bass adapting some of Tolkien's original lyrics, as well as contributing, along with Maury Laws, an original theme song, "The Greatest Adventure (The Ballad of the Hobbit)," sung by [[Glenn Yarbrough]].

The same team, along with Bean, Huston, Theodore, Frees, Messick, and Stephenson returned for the 1980 adaption of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]''.

==Scenes==
# "[[Bilbo's Visitors]]" (4:07)
# "[[Outlining the Adventure]]" (3:53)
# "Credits" (2:20)
# "[[Troublesome Trolls]]" (3:35)
# "[[Lonely Mountain Map]]" (3:06)
# "[[Elves of Rivendell (scene)|Elves of Rivendell]]" (3:04)
# "[[Goblin Attack]]" (3:33)
# "[[Gollum's Riddler]]" (6:20)
# "[[Follow the leader]]" (4:28)
# "[[Funny Little Things]]" (2:12)
# "[[Flown to Mirkwood]]" (2:36)
# "[[Forest Diary]]" (3:04)
# "[[Spider's Web]]" (1:19)
# "[[Sting Strikes]]" (2:00)
# "[[Wood Elves (scene)|Wood Elves]]" (2:50)
# "[[Laketown (scene)|Laketown]]" (2:04)
# "[[Secret Doorway]]" (2:09)
# "[[Smaug's Lair]]" (4:14)
# "[[Weak Spot]]" (4:31)
# "[[Black Arrow's Mark]]" (3:08)
# "[[Treasure Clash]]" (2:59)
# "[[Five Armies Meet]]" (4:42)
# "[[Farewell, Thorin]]" (2:07)
# "[[Only Beginning]]" (1:50)
# "End Credits" (0:56)

== Critical Reaction ==
The movie was first broadcast on NBC in the United States, on [[26 November|November 26]], [[1977]], and was tailored to children: the story was done in a very light-hearted style, and featured a lot of songs (most of which came from the book). Much of the story was simplified and several key parts are omitted.

The art is both praised and criticized. Some reviewers regard it as a strong point of the movie. Inaccuracies in the depictions draws a lot of criticism from Tolkien fans: Gandalf has a hood instead of a hat, despite clearly being described in the book; Gollum looks like some sort of frog-creature (though the book does describe his large eyes and webbed feet); Elrond has a beard despite the book outright saying that Elves do not have beards; the [[Elves of Mirkwood|Wood-elves]], rather than being the "fair folk," are even uglier than the goblins (and the [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] has a thick German accent for some reason); Smaug is extremely hairy for being a [[Dragons|dragon]].

In 1977, NBC, Rankin and Bass won a Peabody Award for ''The Hobbit''[http://www.peabody.uga.edu/winners/PeabodyWinnersBook.pdf]. The movie was also nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in [[1978]], but lost to ''Star Wars''.

==Differences from the book==
While the movie is quite faithful to the story, it is at its core still a child-oriented musical adaptation, and therefore not a perfect adaptation of Tolkien's novel. Most of the changes are found as omissions rather than modifications of the plot.

# All the Dwarves show up with Gandalf all at once in the film rather than coming in groups the day after Gandalf meets Bilbo and puts a mark on his door.
# The company leaves Bilbo's house on ponies, but after that the ponies are not seen until they are lost in crossing the [[Misty Mountains]]. In the book, the company rode ponies from [[Bag End]] to [[Rivendell]].
# Bilbo is noticed by the Trolls as he sneaks up to steal some meat rather than disclosed by the Trolls' [[Talking purse|"talking" purse]].
# The Dwarves flee in terror from the Trolls and are picked up one at a time instead of walking blindly into the camp and being ambushed (except for Thorin, who puts up a fight).
# Gandalf apparently has the power to make the dawn come earlier and dispatching the Trolls rather than tricking them by throwing his voice.
# The Troll cave does not have a locked door like in the book.
# Gandalf gives Thorin the Map of Thrór and the key in the troll cave rather than back at Bag End.
# Up in the mountains, there are no stone giants playing games amidst the storm.
# Gandalf is missing in the cave when the goblins emerge, rather than sleeping when it happens. The Dwarves run into the tunnel rather than being grabbed.
# The Dwarves do not fight the goblins in the tunnel.
# Bilbo specifically asked Gollum what he has in his pocket rather than muttering it aloud to himself. Gollum does not even try to guess instead of demanding three guesses. Only four riddles are said in the movie (there were ten in the book).
# Bilbo pulls the ring out of his pocket after Gollum says he's looking for his "golden ring, magical ring".
# Bilbo has no trouble getting out the back door (no goblins to sneak by or tight spots to fit through).
# Rather than meet the Wargs in the forest, the goblins come with them, riding on them and wielding torches (despite the Wargs' fear of fire in the book).
# The Great Eagles do not take the company to their eyries, but to the edge of [[Mirkwood]], bypassing [[Beorn]] (who does not appears in the movie).
# The incident at the enchanted river, including [[Bombur]]'s magical sleep, is omitted.
# The feasts of the Wood-elves are omitted (yet are referred to when the Wood-elves capture the Dwarves).
# Bilbo has to fight and kill only four spiders rather than dozens and dozens. Bilbo's sword, [[Sting]], always glows in the movie regardless of whether goblins are nearby or not.
# Thorin is captured with the other Dwarves by the spiders and then the Wood-elves.
# There is no stop over from the journey via barrels from the Wood-elves' castle to [[Lake-town]].
# There is no Master in Laketown; [[Bard]] the guardsman runs the city.
# The company does not make camp at the base of the mountain.
# Balin does not go with Bilbo into the secret entrance.
# Bilbo has only one audience with Smaug and the thrush is present. Bilbo orders the thrush to seek Bard to tell him of Smaug's weakness.
# The [[Arkenstone]] and all that goes with it is omitted.
# [[Roäc]] the raven is omitted. In the book, the ravens tell the Dwarves that Smaug is slain and is sent to [[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin]] to call for assistance. In the movie, the Dwarves wait, lost inside the Lonely Mountain for a week and it is never explained why Dáin arrives at such an opportune moment.
# The company discovers the two armies coming when they are on the doorstep rather than being warned in advance.
# Since the Arkenstone is omitted, Thorin instead loses respect for Bilbo through his supposed lack of understanding of honor and war.
# Thorin and the dwarves plan a suicidal last stand against the elves and men in a pitched battle outside the mountain and are pleasantly surprised when Dáin's army arrives.
# [[Ravenhill]] is not mentioned.
# The armies in the Battle of the Five Armies are divided differently (Bilbo counts the Goblins and Wargs as one army, the Eagles are counted as a separate army).
# Beorn is not present in the Battle of Five Armies. Also, [[Bolg]] is never mentioned nor seen.
# In the book, only Thorin, [[Fíli]] and [[Kíli]] die from the battle, leaving 10 survivors from Thorin's company. In the movie, Thorin, Bombur and five other unnamed dwarves are all killed. (In fact, Bombur was one of the few Dwarves in the quest known to be still alive in the days of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.) [[Glóin]] is the only other dwarf whose fate is officially revealed in the movie, as he is seen covering up Thorin with a blanket after he dies. Another dwarf (who does not clearly resemble anyone from the company) then lays [[Orcrist]] on top of Thorin's body. It's possible that this could be Dáin.
# Most of the return journey, including winter at Beorn's home, a stop at Rivendell, and digging up gold they buried by the troll camp, is omitted.
# The auction back at Bag End is omitted.
# Gandalf and Balin's visit to Bag End years later is omitted.

==Follow-up==
At the end of the film, Gandalf reveals to Bilbo that he is not only aware of Bilbo's ring, but knows that it is in fact the [[One Ring]], and foreshadows the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. In the books, the ring is not discovered to be the One Ring until ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''. Such an indication would lead one to believe that Rankin/Bass was always intending to do a follow-up using story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings''. Indeed, production had already begun on their adaptation of ''The Return of the King'' before ''The Hobbit'' had even originally aired[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0]. However, it remains a mystery as to whether or not their plans for what story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings'' were originally conceived for inclusion in this follow-up were at all affected by the 1978 [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation by Ralph Bakshi]], which was also in production at that point.

== External Links ==
* {{WP| The Hobbit (1977 film)}}
* ''[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077687/ The Hobbit]'' at [http://www.imdb.com/ IMDb]
{{films}}

{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Hobbit (1977 film)| ]]

Aragorn

2013-04-09T12:02:11Z

76.113.141.81: /* Portrayal in adaptations */

{{disambig-two|the King of [[Gondor]] and [[Arnor]]|[[Chieftains of the Dúnedain|Chieftain of the Dúnedain]]|[[Aragorn I]]}}
{{arnorian
| image=[[File:John Howe - Elessar.jpg|250px]]
| name=Aragorn II
| othernames=[[Aragorn|Aragorn II]], [[Elessar]], [[Thorongil]], Strider ([[Aragorn#Names and titles|see more below]])
| position=[[Chieftains of the Dúnedain|Chieftain of the Dúnedain]] and King of the [[Reunited Kingdom]]
| birth=[[1 March]] {{TA|2931}}
| rule={{TA|3019}} - {{FoA|120}}
| death={{FoA|120}} (210 years old)
| gender=Male
| parentage=[[Arathorn II]] & [[Gilraen]]
| spouse=[[Arwen|Arwen Undómiel]]
| children=[[Eldarion]], at least two daughters
| hair=dark, flecked with grey<ref name="Sign">{{FR|Sign}}</ref>
}}{{Pronounce|Aragorn Elessar.mp3|Ardamir}}
<center>{{quote|Tall as the sea-kings of old, he stood above all that were near; ancient of days he seemed and yet in the flower of manhood; and wisdom sat upon his brow, and strength and healing were in his hands, and a light was about him.|''[[The Return of the King]]'', [[The Steward and the King]]}}</center>
'''Aragorn''' ([[Sindarin|S]], pron. {{IPA|[ˈaraɡorn]}}; 1 March [[Third Age]] {{TA|2931|n}} – [[Fourth Age]] {{FoA|120|n}}, aged 210 years<ref>{{HM|AB}}.</ref>) was the son of [[Arathorn II]] and [[Gilraen]]. He was a [[Chieftains of the Dúnedain|Chieftain of the Dúnedain]] and a direct descendant through many generations of [[Isildur]], the last [[High King of the Dúnedain|High King]] of both [[Arnor]] and [[Gondor]]. Aragorn would become the greatest man of his time, leading the [[Dúnedain|Men of the West]] against [[Sauron]]'s forces, helping to destroy [[the One Ring]], and reuniting the [[Reunited Kingdom|Kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor]].

==History==
===Early Life===
At his birth in {{TA|2931}}, he received the name Aragorn from his father, Arathorn. But his grandmother, Ivorwen, noted with foresight that Aragorn would one day wear on his breast a green stone; from this would come his royal name ''Elessar'' ([[Quenya]] for "Elfstone"), and he would be a healer and a renewer.

When Aragorn was two years old, his father was slain when an [[Orcs|Orc]] arrow pierced his eye. As was the tradition of his people, Aragorn was fostered in [[Rivendell]] by [[Elrond]] as if he was his own son. By Elrond's order, his identity was kept secret, as he feared he would be slain like his father and grandfather. Aragorn was named '''''[[Estel]]''''' ([[Sindarin]] for "Hope") instead, and was not told about his heritage until he came of age in {{TA|2951}}. During his life in Rivendell he accompanied the sons of Elrond, [[Elrohir]] and [[Elladan]], on their journeys. <ref name="A1v">{{App|A1v}}</ref>

Elrond revealed to "Estel" his true name and ancestry when he returned from a journey with Elrohir and Elladan in 2951, when Aragorn was twenty years old, and delivered to him the heirlooms of his House: the shards of [[Narsil]] and the [[Ring of Barahir]]. Later, Aragorn met and fell in love with [[Arwen]], daughter of Elrond, who had newly returned from [[Lothlórien]].<ref name="A1v"/>
[[File:Stephen Hickman - Aragorn and Arwen.jpg|thumb|200px|left|''Aragorn and Arwen'' by [[Stephen Hickman]]]]

===Life as a Ranger===
Estel took up his proper name as Aragorn, sixteenth of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain, and after he took leave of his mother and Elrond he went into [[The Wild]].<ref name="A1v"/> In [[Third Age 2953|2953]] he was not present in Rivendell for the last meeting of the [[White Council]]. Aragorn met [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]] in [[Third Age 2956|2956]], and they became great friends.<ref name="TA">{{App|TA}}</ref> At Gandalf's advice he started to become interested in [[the Shire]] and became known as '''''Strider''''' in this region.
[[File:Catherine Chmiel - Ecthelion,Thorongil and Boromir study.jpg|thumb|200px|right|"Thorongil" with [[Ecthelion II]], by [[Catherine Karina Chmiel]]]]
From [[Third Age 2957|2957]] to [[Third Age 2980|2980]] Aragorn took great journeys, serving in the armies of King [[Thengel]] of [[Rohan]], and Steward [[Ecthelion II]] of Gondor.<ref name="TA"/> Many of his tasks weakened [[Sauron]] and his allies, which during the [[War of the Ring]] helped the West survive. His name in Gondor and Rohan was '''''Thorongil''''' (Sindarin for "Eagle of the Star"), and became one of Ecthelion II's most important advisers. He warned Ecthelion of the [[Corsairs of Umbar]], who threathened the [[Southern Fiefs]] and was eventually allowed by Ecthelion to attack [[Umbar]]. He led a [[Surprise Attack on Umbar|Surprise Attack on the Havens of Umbar]] with a few Gondorian ships, destroying many of their ships and slaying its lord with only few casualties. After his return in [[Pelargir]] he crossed the [[Anduin]] and left Gondor to travel into the far East and South "exploring the hearts of men good and evil" and learning about the "plots and devices" of the servants of the Dark Lord.<ref>{{App|A1ivS}}</ref>

Later in 2980 on his return to Rivendell he entered [[Lothlórien]], and there once again met Arwen in [[Caras Galadhon]]. For one season they lived together in Lórien. At midsummer he gave her the heirloom of his House, the [[Ring of Barahir]], and Arwen pledged her hand to him in marriage.<ref name="A1v"/>

Elrond gave his foster-son permission to marry his daughter, on the condition that he must first become king of both Gondor and Arnor, for only a king would be worthy of Arwen's hand. This may seem a harsh condition, but it should be noted that it is significantly more lenient than the closest precedent: King [[Thingol]]'s request that [[Beren]] obtain a [[Silmarils|Silmaril]] from [[Morgoth]] before marrying his daughter [[Lúthien]].<ref name="A1v"/>

===Hunt for Gollum===
In the year [[Third Age 3001|3001]], as a now revealed [[Sauron]] continued to regain power in [[Mordor]], Aragorn began assisting [[Gandalf]] for news of [[Gollum]]. Gandalf suspected that the ring [[Bilbo Baggins]] found near Gollum's lake was in fact [[the One Ring]]. In {{TA|3007}} shortly returns to [[Eriador]] where he visits his mother for the last time, she dies before that year's spring.

In [[Third Age 3017|3017]] after searching intermittently over the years,<ref name="TA"/> Aragorn finally overtakes Gollum in the [[Dead Marshes]] on [[1 February]]. With Gollum he travelled through the northern [[Emyn Muil]], to prevent being found by Sauron's spies, and crossed the Anduin at the [[Sarn Gebir]]. He travelled further north along the edges of [[Fangorn]] and through Lórien,<ref name="UT">{{UT|Hunt}}</ref> where the Elves sent a message to Gandalf.<ref>{{UT|Hunt}}, Note 5</ref> He travelled alongside the Anduin to the north until he arrived at the [[Carrock]]. With the aid of the [[Beornings]] he crossed the Anduin with Gollum and entered [[Mirkwood]]. He took Gollum to [[Thranduil]] in to be held captive.<ref name="UT"/> He then returns west where he meets with Gandalf at [[Sarn Ford]] and learns of [[Frodo Baggins]]' plan to leave the shire with the ring.<ref name="Strider">{{FR|Strider}}</ref>

===War of the Ring===
[[File:Timothy Ide - Frodo at the Prancing Pony.jpg|thumb|Aragorn watching "[[Mr. Underhill]]".]]
Aragorn and his [[Rangers of the North|Rangers]] kept watch over the border of [[the Shire]] waiting for sight of Frodo. While staying in [[Bree]], Aragorn crossed the paths of four hobbits in [[The Prancing Pony]]. Aragorn watched as the hobbits clumsily hid their names and intentions. He watched as [[Frodo Baggins]], the leader of the party, fell from a table and disappeared as he put the ring on. Aragorn, whose name was given as Strider, seemed to show no surprise, only annoyance at Frodo’s foolish vanishing act. He arranged for an interview that night, where he warned them of the [[Nazgûl|Black Riders]] and [[Bill Ferny]], then bluntly requested that they use him as a guide. After some consideration, and a note given them by the forgetful [[Barliman Butterbur]] from Gandalf condoning him, Frodo agreed.
[[File:Jef Murray - Amon Sûl.jpg|thumb|left|''Amon Sûl'' by Jef Murray]]
Aragorn’s plan to reach Rivendell was to first head toward [[Archet]] and bear right to [[Weathertop]]. After the [[Ambush at Weathertop]] and the wounding of Frodo, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] took over the position as leader of the Hobbits. After a while they met [[Glorfindel]], a friend of Aragorn’s, and it was not much later that they arrived in Rivendell.

At the Council of Elrond Aragorn was as a member of the [[Fellowship of the Ring]]. Aragorn's intentions were to travel with the company for a while before returning to [[Gondor]] with [[Boromir]].
====Leading the Fellowship of the Ring====
Aragorn encouraged the taking of the [[Caradhras|Redhorn Pass]], which ended in disaster. He reluctantly conceded to Gandalf’s plan to pass through [[Khazad-dûm|Moria]], though his sense of foresight warned him for Gandalf. Indeed, after Gandalf fell into the abyss with [[Durin's Bane]], Aragorn was naturally elected leader of the company, despite some resentment by Boromir.

Aragorn again amazed the rest of the Fellowship by his apparent closeness to the people of [[Lothlórien]], and his friendship with [[Celeborn]] and [[Galadriel]]. At their departure, Galadriel offered him the [[Elfstone]] as a wedding gift from the family of the Elven bride to the groom, foretelling his marriage to Arwen.<ref>{{MR|P3II3}}</ref>. It was worn by Aragorn ever after and from that he later took the name '''Elessar'''.

Even at the [[Rauros|Falls of Rauros]] he was undecided, leaving it to Frodo for the final decision. For though it was obvious he wished to go to [[Minas Tirith]] with Boromir, he yet felt that it was his duty to go where the [[Ring-bearer]] chose.

[[File:Inger Edelfeldt - Death of Boromir.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Aragorn at the death of Boromir, by [[Inger Edelfeldt]]]]
After Frodo escaped him and Boromir perished, he with the remaining members of the Fellowship, namely [[Legolas]] and [[Gimli]], chose to try and save [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] from the [[Uruk-hai]] that had ambushed them, forming the group that would later be known as the [[Three Hunters]].

He met [[Éomer]] in the fields of [[Rohan]], and an instant friendship formed, both feeling the honesty and lordliness of the other. Éomer took a risk for his sake, giving him horses, with the promise that one day soon Aragorn would return to [[Edoras]]. Aragorn, tracking the Hobbits, followed into Fangorn forest, where he met the resurrected [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]]. After the restoration of [[Théoden]], he rode to [[Helm's Deep]] to fight in the [[Battle of the Hornburg]]. There he, alongside his new-found “brother” Éomer, and King Théoden, marshaled the defense against [[Saruman]]’s army. His revealed majesty upon the battlements of the Hornburg as he waited for the dawn caused some of the [[Dunlendings|Wild men]] to pause and shudder, and he heralded the return of Gandalf with [[Erkenbrand]].

After Pippin’s terrifying experience with the [[Orthanc-stone]], Gandalf presented it in a formal manner to Aragorn, its rightful master, who hinted that it would be used by him eventually. After the departure of Gandalf and Pippin to Minas Tirith, he rode for a while longer with Théoden, meeting up with his friend [[Halbarad]] of the North, [[Elladan]] and [[Elrohir]], and a company of staunch and fearless Rangers. Elladan and Elrohir gave him a message from Elrond: "''The days are short. If thou art in haste, remember the [[Paths of the Dead]]''". Halbarad bore a gift from the Lady Arwen – the [[Standard of Elendil]]. Aragorn knew the path set before him.

====Return of the King====
A little while later Aragorn took his companions and his rangers and set out for [[Dunharrow]], departing from the King’s company. His course was clear: to take the Paths of the Dead, to summon the [[Oathbreakers|Dead Men]]. In Dunharrow, he met the lady [[Éowyn]], who had fallen in love with him. After making it clear that he could not accept her love, he turned towards the evil road with the dawn.

The [[Grey Company]] passed through the [[Dark Door]] and the [[Dwimorberg]], the Dead following, and coming at last to the [[Stone of Erech]], Aragorn summoned them to his aid. They drew their swords and blew their horns in answer, and swept down upon the [[Corsairs of Umbar|Corsairs]] at [[Pelargir]] drove the mariners away. Aragorn released them, and took the [[Black Ships]] north to Minas Tirith, where the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]] raged. The Standard of Elendil broke forth, and his Dúnedain swept down, giving the final blow to the army of [[Gothmog (Lieutenant of Morgul)|Gothmog]]. The counter-attacked army of [[Sauron]] crumbled utterly. But Aragorn did not enter the city.
[[File:Luca Michelucci - 1999 - March.jpg|thumb|175px|left|The Black ships, by [[Luca Michelucci]]]]
Aragorn, furling his banner, appointed [[Imrahil]] the temporary lord of the City, as the law demanded. Eventually, however, Aragorn did come to the [[Houses of Healing]], where he tended and restored Merry, Éowyn, and [[Faramir]], in accordance with the prophecy “''The hands of the king are the hands of a healer, and so shall the rightful king be known''”. Aragorn then left the city, hooded and cloaked, and yet the people of Minas Tirith followed him, for they had heard rumours. Yet when in the morning they saw the banner of [[Dol Amroth]], they wondered if the Return of the King had been but a dream.

Aragorn held [[Last Debate|council]] with his trusted companions, namely Gandalf, Éomer, Imrahil, and Elrond’s sons – Halbarad had fallen in battle. He agreed to draw forth the forces of [[Mordor]] for the benefit of the [[Quest of the Ring]], and so arranged matters for the [[Battle of the Morannon]]. After the destruction of the Ring in [[Mount Doom|Orodruin]] and victory at the [[Morannon]], Aragorn returned at last in the triumphant manner that befitted his position. He was crowned at the gates of Minas Tirith, winning the hearts of the people of [[Gondor]].

===Reign as Elessar===
[[File:Brothers Hildebrandt - Return of the King.jpg|thumb|[[Brothers Hildebrandt]] - The Return of the King]]Aragorn ruled the [[Reunited Kingdom]] of Gondor and Arnor until year 120 of the [[Fourth Age]].

Some days after his coronation, Gandalf took Elessar up the slopes of Mount [[Mindolluin]], and there he found the scion of [[Nimloth of Númenor|Nimloth]], the symbol of his mastery of the [[Reunited Kingdom]]. Elrond and Arwen came to Gondor and Elrond gave ELessar the [[Sceptre of Annúminas]] signifying the Kingship of Arnor. He wedded Arwen on Midsummer's day of 3019, and then was forced to bid his old friends farewell. He turned back to his new kingdom as the [[Fourth Age]] dawned and the Ringbearers left the shores of Middle-earth forever.

He founded the royal [[House of Telcontar]], he had a son and a number of daughters.

Elessar gave his [[Steward]] Faramir the title [[Lord of Emyn Arnen]] and created him as [[Prince of Ithilien]]<ref>{{RK|Steward}}</ref>. He declared the [[Drúadan Forest]] to belong to the [[Drúedain]] and a protected enclave of his Kingdom.<ref>{{RK|Partings}}</ref> He also re-established the Great [[Council of Gondor]] whose chief councellor was the Steward<ref>{{L|244}}</ref>. He also renewed the [[Oath of Cirion]] with Éomer.

One of his first tasks in the re-ordering of his realm was the restoration of [[Orthanc]] and ordered the [[Orthanc-stone]] to be returned there. With this opportunity, many secrets and hoarded treasures were revealed including the [[Elendilmir]] which Saruman took from Isildur's body. Elessar recieved the Elemdilmir with reverence and took it with him as he established his full kingship of [[Arnor]].<ref>{{UT|Isen}}</ref>

As for the [[Shire]], he declared it a Free Land under the protection of the Northern Sceptre and forbid Men from entering it. He appointed the [[Thain]], the [[Master of Buckland]], and the [[Mayor of Michel Delving]] Counsellors of the North-kingdom. Also he offered to the Shire the [[Westmarch|lands]] up to the [[Emyn Beraid]].<ref>{{App|Later}}</ref>

King Elessar died after 210 years of life and 122 years of rule and was succeeded by his son [[Eldarion]]. His wife Arwen, now mortal, gave up her life shortly afterwards in year 121, aged 2,901.

==Etymology==
The name '''''Aragorn''''' is [[Sindarin]], meaning '''"Revered King"''', from ''[[aran]]'' ("king") and ''[[gorn|(n)gorn]]'' ("dreaded, revered").<ref>{{PE|17}}, p. 113</ref>

This clear etymology from Tolkien was not revealed until the publication in 2007 of "Words, Phrases & Passages in ''The Lord of the Rings''", a late 1950s manuscript. Before that, several theories were proposed:
*[[Ruth S. Noel]] and several others proposed "King of the Tree",<ref>[[Ruth S. Noel]], ''[[The Languages of Tolkien's Middle-earth]]'', p. 114</ref> but Tolkien specifically said that this was not the case.<ref>{{L|347}}</ref>
*[[David Salo]] deduces "Having Kingly Valor"<ref>[[David Salo]], ''[[A Gateway to Sindarin]]'', p. 341</ref> from Tolkien's cryptic "'Kingly Valour' (for so is that name interpreted)".<ref>{{PM|Foreword}}, p. xii</ref> This is still the most often cited etymology; Robert Ireland's ''[[A Tolkien Dictionary]]'' gives the variation "Royal Zeal".<ref>Robert Ireland, ''[[A Tolkien Dictionary]]'', [http://www.quicksilver899.com/Tolkien/LOTR/LOTR_AC.html The Lord of the Rings A-C].</ref>
*[[Carl F. Hostetter]] proposed the meanings "King of the Globe" or "King of the Hill" in his analysis of the [[King's Letter]].<ref>[[Carl F. Hostetter]], "The 'King's Letter': An Historical and Comparative Analysis", [[Vinyar Tengwar 31|''Vinyar Tengwar'' 31]], p. 18</ref>

The [[Quenya]] form of ''Aragorn'' was '''''Aracorno'''''.<ref name="WP">{{PE|17}}, p. 71</ref>

===Names and titles===
* '''Aragorn II''' - Aragorn's name as [[Chieftains of the Dúnedain|Chieftain of the Dúnedain]]. He was likely named after [[Aragorn I]].
* [[Thorongil]] - [[Sindarin|S]] "Eagle of the Star", a pseudonym used in [[Gondor]] and [[Rohan]]. Pronounced {{IPA|[θoˈroŋɡil]}}.
* '''Elessar''' - [[Quenya|Q]] "Elfstone", Aragorn's name as a king. Despite popular use as such, Aragorn was never known as "Aragorn Elessar", "Aragorn II Elessar" or "[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|King Aragorn]]". Pronounced {{IPA|[eˈlesːar]}}.
* [[Envinyatar|''Envinyatar'', the Renewer]]
* '''Edhelharn''' - The [[Sindarin]] equivalent of Elessar, used in the King's Letter.<ref>{{SD|XI2}}, p. 128ff</ref> Pronounced {{IPA|[eˈðel.harn]}}.
* [[Elfstone]] - The [[Westron|Common Speech]] version of the previous two.
* [[Estel]] - [[Quenya|Q]]. Usually glossed as "Hope", the concept ''estel'' more widely means "hope, trust, a temper of mind, steady fixed in purpose, and difficult to dissuade and unlikely to fall into despair or abandon its purpose". Pronounced {{IPA|[ˈestel]}}.
* [[Strider (Aragorn)|Strider]] - A sobriquet given by the men of [[Bree]]. Aragorn used it mockingly.
* '''Wingfoot''' - A honorary name given by [[Éomer]] after the pursuit of the [[Uruk-hai]] through the [[Eastemnet]].<ref>{{TT|III2}}</ref>
* [[Telcontar]] - A [[Quenya]] form of "Strider", this was the name of Elessar's Royal House. It was not used independently. Pronounced {{IPA|[telˈkontar]}}.
* [[Heir of Isildur|Isildur's Heir]] - A poetic address, as he was the heir of [[Isildur]].
* '''The Dúnadan''' - "[[Dúnedain|Man of the West]]", a name given by [[Bilbo Baggins]] when their friendship evolved.
* '''Longshanks''' - another, though less frequently used, sobriquet in Bree, ascribed to [[Bill Ferny]]. The legs of the [[Bree-landers|Bree-men]] were shorter than the legs of the [[Dúnedain]].
* '''Arakorno''' - A rare Quenya form of Aragorn, which only appeared in a discussion about the words for Quenya "and".<ref name="WP"/> Pronounced {{IPA|[ˌaraˈkorno]}}.

==Family tree==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree | EAR |y| ELW | | GAL |y| CEL |GAL=[[Galadriel]]|CEL=[[Celeborn]]|EAR=[[Eärendil]]|ELW=[[Elwing]]}}
{{familytree | | | |)|-|-|-|.| | | |!| | | |}}
{{familytree | | | ROS | | RON |y| CLB | | |ROS=[[Elros]]|RON=[[Elrond]]|CLB=[[Celebrían]]}}
{{familytree | | | |:| | | | | |!| | | | | |}}
{{familytree | | | KON | | | | |!| | | | | |KON=''[[Kings of Númenor]]''}}
{{familytree | | | |:| | | | | |!| | | | | |}}
{{familytree | | | LOA | | | | |!| | | | | |LOA=''[[Lords of Andúnië]]''}}
{{familytree | | | |:| | | | | |!| | | | | |}}
{{familytree | | | ELE | | | | |!| | | | | |ELE=[[Elendil]]}}
{{familytree | |,|-|^|-|.| | | |!| | | | | |}}
{{familytree | ISI | | ANA | | |!| | | | | |ISI=[[Isildur]]|ANA=[[Anárion]]}}
{{familytree | |:| | | |:| | | |!| | | | | |}}
{{familytree | KOA | | KOG | | |!| | | | | |KOA=''[[Kings of Arnor]]''|KOG=''[[Kings of Gondor]]''}}
{{familytree | |:| | | |:| | | |!| | | | | |}}
{{familytree | KOA | | OND | | |!| | | | | |OND=[[Ondoher]]|KOA=''[[Kings of Arthedain]]''}}
{{familytree | |:| | | |!| | | |!| | | | | |}}
{{familytree | ARV |V| FIR | | |!| | | | | |ARV=[[Arvedui]]|FIR=[[Fíriel]]}}
{{familytree | | | |:| | | | | |!| | | | | |}}
{{familytree | | | COD | | | | |!| | | | | |COD=''[[Chieftains of the Dúnedain]]''}}
{{familytree | | | |:| | | | | |!| | | | | |}}
{{familytree | | | ART |y| GIL |!| | | | | |ART=[[Arathorn II]]|GIL=[[Gilraen]]}}
{{familytree | | | | | |!| | | |!| | | | | |}}
{{familytree | | | | | ARA |y| ARW | | | | |ARA='''ARAGORN '''|ARW=[[Arwen]]}}
{{familytree | | | | | |,|-|^|-|.| | | | | |}}
{{familytree | | | | | ELD | | SDS | | | | |ELD=[[Eldarion]]|SDS=''several sisters''}}
{{familytree/end}}

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In the earliest unpublished versions of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' (see ''[[The History of The Lord of the Rings]]''), the character that later became Aragorn was called '''''[[Trotter]]''''' instead of Strider, and was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] instead of a [[Men|Man]]. He had wooden feet, because he had once traveled to Mordor and been tortured there.

==Portrayal in adaptations==
<center><gallery>
File:WiMe-Aragorn&Frodo VS Nazgul-1-.png|<center>''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth]]''</center>
File:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film) - Strider.jpg|<center>[[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]</center>
File:The Return of the King (1980 film) - Aragorn.jpg|<center>''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|Rankin/Bass' The Return of the King]]''</center>
File:The Lord of the Rings - The Motion Picture Trilogy - Aragorn.jpg|<center>[[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (film series)]]</center>
File:Aragorn Anduril viv lotr.JPG|<center>[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]</center>
File:Aragorn LOTRO.jpg|<center>''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''</center>
File:2011-12-23 00061.jpg|<center>''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]''</center>
File:LEGO Aragorn poster.png|<center>Aragorn as a ''[[Lego]] mini figure''</center>
</gallery></center>

'''1955: [[The Lord of the Rings (1955 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1955 radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Aragorn is provided by [[Godfrey Kenton]].

'''1978: [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]:'''
:The voice of Aragorn is provided by [[John Hurt]]. Some critics have accused this character of looking too much like a [[wikipedia:Stereotypes_of_Native_Americans|stereotype of a Native American]].

'''1979: [[The Lord of the Rings (1979 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1979 radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Aragorn is provided by [[Tom Luce]].

'''1980: ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|Rankin/Bass' The Return of the King]]'':'''
:Aragorn was voiced by [[Theodore Bikel]].

'''1981: [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1981 radio series)]]:'''
:Aragorn was voiced by [[Robert Stephens]].

'''1988: ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth]]'':'''
:Aragorn is a playable character. He has brown hair and is bearded, he bears a golden sword.

'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring|Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:Aragorn is played by [[Viggo Mortensen]], though, [[Stuart Townsend]] was originally cast in the role. Townsend was deemed too young. Mortensen had just two weeks to train for his first scene, the standoff with the [[Nazgûl]] at [[Weathertop]]. Mortensen portrays Aragorn full of self-doubt; a change that was presumably made to fit him in the modern "anti-hero" jacket.

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]:'''
:[[Daran Norris]] provided the voice of Aragorn, who is one of the three playable characters.

'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers|Peter Jackson's The Two Towers]]'':'''
:Aragorn's part is this film is largely similar to the events in book. The most significant difference being that in the book, there was no [[Wargs|Warg]] attack on the party traveling to Helm's Deep and Aragorn did not fall down a cliff.

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' (video game)]]:'''
:Aragorn is one of the three playable characters.

'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|Peter Jackson's The Return of the King]]'':'''
:Aragorn shows great trouble over the choice whether or not he should become king, whereas in the book, there is no doubt of his purpose to return as the king from the very first time his lineage is revealed.

'''2003: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (video game)]]:'''
:Aragorn is a playable character, his storyline is dubbed "Path of a King". He journey through Paths of the Dead with Legolas and Gimli, later they fight on Pelennor fields and at the Black Gate.

'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring|Sierra's War of the Ring]]'':'''
:Aragorn is a Hero Unit for the Free People side. He is present in Lothlorien, Battle of Hornburg and Siege of the Minas Morgul.

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth]]'':'''
:Aragorn is a Hero Unit for the Rohan faction in skirmishes, he also accompanies the Fellowship in the storyline mode.

'''2006: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'':'''
:Aragorn is now the Hero for the Men of the West faction.

'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:In the Prologue, Aragorn saves Men/Hobbit characters from brigands, but is forced to leave soon, as he has to intercept Frodo in Bree. Later arriving at the Prancing Pony, the characters meet him again and help him looking in surrounding area for Hobbits, who did not arrive in time. When player returns, Aragorn and the Hobbits already departed, and their next meeting is in Rivendell, where Aragorn entrusts the player with defense of the North while the Fellowship is gone. Later, in [[Lórien]], Aragorn is seen residing in [[Caras Galadhon]]

'''2009: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: Conquest]]'':'''
:Aragorn is a playable hero available in several missions.

'''2011: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]'':'''
:Aragorn is an important character of the game, and is mentioned as one of the much honored heroes of the [[War of the Ring]] in the introduction of the game.<ref name="Prologue">[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]], ''Prologue''</ref>
:He is a friend of two of the game's main characters, [[Eradan (video game character)|Eradan]] and [[Andriel]]. Aragorn had met [[Andriel]] during his visits at [[Rivendell]],<ref name="Backstory Andriel">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.warinthenorth.com/the-game/heroes/backstory#elfAnchor|articlename=Elven Character: Andriel's History|dated=|website=War in the North|accessed=25 December 2011}}</ref> while he had met Eradan, when he served as Ranger at Sarn Ford. Aragorn was impressed by his skills and bravery, and taught him much about tracking. Eradan was a companion of Aragorn on many of his journeys. Aragorn trusted Eradan much, though he never told him what the reason was behind the protection of [[the Shire]].<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.warinthenorth.com/the-game/heroes/backstory#dunedainAnchor|articlename=Human Character: Eradan's History|dated=|website=War in the North|accessed=24 December 2011}}</ref>

:Eradan, Andriel and [[Farin (video game character)|Farin]] meet Aragorn in the Prancing Pony to warn him, on Halbarad's request, after the Nazgûl attacked and defeated the [[Rangers of the North|Rangers]] at [[Sarn Ford]], and entered the Shire. They also tell him about an conservation between the Witch-king and [[Agandaûr]], which the three heroes overheard shortly after the attack. Agandaûr summoned the [[Orcs of the Misty Mountains]] and assembled an army in [[Fornost]], which plans to aid the Nazgûl in their search to [[the One Ring]]. Aragorn sends Eradan, Andriel and Farin to Fornost, to stop Agandaûr and his army.<ref name="Prologue"/> While Eradan, Andriel, Farin, [[Elladan]] and [[Elrohir]] stopped Agandaûr's army,<ref>[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]], ''Chapter 1: Fornost''</ref> Aragorn met with [[Frodo Baggins]] and left Bree.<ref>[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]], ''Chapter 2: The Barrow Downs'', Bree</ref>

'''2012: ''[[Lego|Lego The Lord of the Rings]]'':'''
:A mini figure of Aragorn is included in the [[Lego#Sets|sets]] '''Attack at Weathertop''' and '''The Battle of Helm's Deep'''.<ref name="2012 sets">{{webcite|author=Calisuri|articleurl=http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2012/02/12/53563-more-lord-of-the-rings-lego-details-from-toy-fare-2012/|articlename=More Lord of the Rings LEGO Details from Toy Fare 2012|dated=12 February 2012|website=TORN|accessed=18 February 2012}}</ref>

'''See also:''' [http://dare.ubvu.vu.nl/bitstream/1871/10975/1/Aragorn_Final.pdf "Aragorn Seen Through Different Media"] by [[Connie Veugen]], comparing the introduction of Strider in Ralph Bakshi's film, the radio play, Peter Jackson's film and [[Vivendi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|video game]] of ''The Fellowship of the Ring.

==Titles==
{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=gondorian
| house=[[House of Telcontar]] Continuation of the senior branch of the [[House of Isildur]]
| born=[[1 March|March 1]], {{TA|2931}}
| died={{FoA|120}}
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Arathorn II]]
| list=[[Chieftains of the Dúnedain|Chieftain of the Dúnedain]]
| dates={{TA|2933}} – {{TA|3019|n}}
| next=Position abolished
| nvac=None
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Gandalf]]
| list=Leader of the [[Fellowship of the Ring]]
| dates=[[15 January|January 15]] - [[22 August|August 22]], {{TA|3019}}
| next=Position abolished
| nvac=None
}}
{{seq
| pvac=Vacant
| prev=Last held by: '''[[Eärnur]]''', 969 years earlier
| list=34th [[Kings of Gondor|King of Gondor]]
| dates={{TA|3019}} – {{FoA|120}}
| next=[[Eldarion]]
| nrow=4
}}
{{seq
| pvac=Vacant
| prev=Last held by: '''[[Eärendur]]''', 2,158 years earlier
| list=11th [[Kings of Arnor|King of Arnor]]
| dates={{TA|3019}} – {{FoA|120}}
}}
{{seq
| pvac=Vacant
| prev=Last held by: '''[[Isildur]]''', 3,017 years earlier
| list=3rd [[High King of the Dúnedain|High King]] of the [[Reunited Kingdom]]
| dates={{TA|3019}} – {{FoA|120}}
}}
{{seq
| pvac=None
| prev=New title
| list=Head of the [[House of Telcontar]]
| dates={{TA|3019}} – {{FoA|120}}
}}
{{seq-end}}{{northernline}}
{{fellowship}}

==See also==
*[[:Category:Images of Aragorn|Images of Aragorn]]
*[[Timeline of Aragorn]]
{{references}}
[[Category:Characters in The Silmarillion]]
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:Chieftains of the Dúnedain]]
[[Category:Featured Articles]]
[[Category:House of Aranarth]]
[[Category:House of Telcontar| ]]
[[Category:Masculine names]]
[[Category:Rulers of Arnor]]
[[Category:Rulers of Gondor]]
[[Category:Sindarin names]]
[[de:Aragorn II.]]
[[fa:آراگورن دوم]]
[[fr:/encyclo/personnages/hommes/3a/dunedain/dunedain_du_nord/aragorn_ii]]
[[fi:Aragorn II]]

The Return of the King (1980 film)

2013-04-09T03:16:08Z

76.113.141.81: /* Marketing */

{{disambig-more|The Return of the King|[[The Return of the King (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox

| image=[[Image:RankinBass' The Return of the King.png|250px]]
| name=The Return of the King
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| writer=[[Romeo Muller]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]], [[Theodore Bikel]], [[William Conrad]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Casey Kasem]]
| music=[[Maury Laws]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.]]
| released=[[11 May|May 11]], [[1980]]
| runtime=98 minutes
| country=United States
| language=English
| budget=
| website=
| imdb_id=0079802
}}'''''The Return of the King''''' is an animated adaptation of the [[The Lord of the Rings|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 [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|animated version of ''The Hobbit'']].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! 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|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Casey Kasem]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Roddy McDowall]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Sonny Melendrez]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Théoden|Theoden]], [[Mouth of Sauron]], [[Easterlings|Easterling]]
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Witch-king|Witch-king of Angmar]], Gondorian Guard
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || Minstrel of Gondor
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
Rather than picking up where [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|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''. Its plot unfolds as follows:

During the 129th birthday celebration for [[Bilbo Baggins]] in [[Rivendell]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], Bilbo's nephew, tells the story of his quest to destroy the [[One Ring]]. Frodo begins his story with [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise (Sam) Gamgee]], his friend and companion, treading through [[Mordor]] as Ring-bearer in Frodo's abscence, as he is being held captive there by orcs. During his journey, Sam begins to question his thoughts about claiming the Ring himself, but being humble, he never gives in to the treacherous temptations. In due course, he progresses back to [[Cirith Ungol]] to rescue Frodo. Meanwhile, the wizard [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]] and the hobbit [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] arrive at [[Minas Tirith]], the capital of the country of [[Gondor]] to warn [[Denethor]], the Steward of the Throne, about the upcoming war—only to discover that the Steward has lost his mind by believing the war will be the end of mankind.
Meanwhile, at Cirith Ungol, Sam rescues Frodo and returns the Ring. The two then continue on to finish their quest at [[Mount Doom]], only to be attacked by their past guide, [[Gollum]]. As Sam holds Gollum off, Frodo makes it to the [[Crack of Doom]]. But at the Crack, Frodo is finally unable to resist the power of the Ring any longer and claims it for his own. At the same time, Gondor's neighboring country, Rohan, helps it claim victory in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. After searching for some time for Frodo in Mount Doom, Sam discovers Gollum and an invisible Frodo fighting over the Ring, which results in Gollum biting off Frodo's finger to claim it. While dancing with joy at the retrieval of his "Precious," Gollum loses his footing and falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron is defeated. Months later, Frodo's friend, [[Aragorn]], is crowned King of Gondor. The film concludes back in the present with Frodo agreeing to accompany Bilbo, Gandalf and [[Elrond]] in leaving Middle-Earth. Sam, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and Pippin bid them all farewell as they depart across the sea.

===Scenes===
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1980 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]"
# "[[Frodo of the Nine Fingers (scene)|Frodo of the Nine Fingers]]"
# "Credits"
# "[[Crossing into Mordor]]"
# "[[The Bearer of the Ring (scene)|The Bearer of the Ring]]"
# "[[Samwise the Strong]]"
# "[[Less Can Be More (scene)|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 (scene)|Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes]]"
# "[[Mount Doom (1980 scene)|Mount Doom]]"
# "[[The Gollum]]"
# "[[Theoden Falls]]"
# "[[Claimed By the Ring]]"
# "[[Eowyn Triumphs]]"
# "[[Choice of Evils (scene)|Choice of Evils]]"
# "[[End of the Ring]]"
# "[[On Eagles' Wings]]"
# "[[The Return of the King (scene)|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 .[http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10000654] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and [[Peter Jackson]]'s later [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|live-action film]].[http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/r/return-of-the-king.html][http://decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/1989] 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]]". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/usercomments]

==Marketing==

In the absence of an official sequel to Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'' has come to be marketed by [[Warner Bros.]] as the final part of a loose animated Tolkien trilogy, preceded by ''The Hobbit''. The middle film is very different in tone and character design, however, and the final two films do not join up seamlessly, as both omit various segments from ''[[The Two Towers]]'', most notably regarding the events in [[Shelob]]'s lair and the [[Ents]]' march on [[Isengard]]. Other omissions in the Rankin/Bass version include the characters of [[Legolas]], [[Gimli]], [[Arwen]], [[Saruman]], [[Éomer]], and [[Faramir]] (though it's possible the latter makes a brief appearance; there is an unidentified Man - who has no lines of dialogue - who accompanies [[Éowyn]] on horseback during Aragorn's coronation, and the two of them exchange rather knowing looks). Even Aragorn doesn't have much dialogue or screentime despite being the 'King' of the movie's title.

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''.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Return of the King (1980 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/ The Return of the King] at [http://imdb.com/ IMDb]

{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Return of the King (1980 film)| ]]

The Return of the King (1980 film)

2013-04-09T03:14:59Z

76.113.141.81: /* Marketing */

{{disambig-more|The Return of the King|[[The Return of the King (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox

| image=[[Image:RankinBass' The Return of the King.png|250px]]
| name=The Return of the King
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| writer=[[Romeo Muller]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]], [[Theodore Bikel]], [[William Conrad]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Casey Kasem]]
| music=[[Maury Laws]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.]]
| released=[[11 May|May 11]], [[1980]]
| runtime=98 minutes
| country=United States
| language=English
| budget=
| website=
| imdb_id=0079802
}}'''''The Return of the King''''' is an animated adaptation of the [[The Lord of the Rings|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 [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|animated version of ''The Hobbit'']].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! 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|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Casey Kasem]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Roddy McDowall]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Sonny Melendrez]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Théoden|Theoden]], [[Mouth of Sauron]], [[Easterlings|Easterling]]
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Witch-king|Witch-king of Angmar]], Gondorian Guard
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || Minstrel of Gondor
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
Rather than picking up where [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|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''. Its plot unfolds as follows:

During the 129th birthday celebration for [[Bilbo Baggins]] in [[Rivendell]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], Bilbo's nephew, tells the story of his quest to destroy the [[One Ring]]. Frodo begins his story with [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise (Sam) Gamgee]], his friend and companion, treading through [[Mordor]] as Ring-bearer in Frodo's abscence, as he is being held captive there by orcs. During his journey, Sam begins to question his thoughts about claiming the Ring himself, but being humble, he never gives in to the treacherous temptations. In due course, he progresses back to [[Cirith Ungol]] to rescue Frodo. Meanwhile, the wizard [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]] and the hobbit [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] arrive at [[Minas Tirith]], the capital of the country of [[Gondor]] to warn [[Denethor]], the Steward of the Throne, about the upcoming war—only to discover that the Steward has lost his mind by believing the war will be the end of mankind.
Meanwhile, at Cirith Ungol, Sam rescues Frodo and returns the Ring. The two then continue on to finish their quest at [[Mount Doom]], only to be attacked by their past guide, [[Gollum]]. As Sam holds Gollum off, Frodo makes it to the [[Crack of Doom]]. But at the Crack, Frodo is finally unable to resist the power of the Ring any longer and claims it for his own. At the same time, Gondor's neighboring country, Rohan, helps it claim victory in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. After searching for some time for Frodo in Mount Doom, Sam discovers Gollum and an invisible Frodo fighting over the Ring, which results in Gollum biting off Frodo's finger to claim it. While dancing with joy at the retrieval of his "Precious," Gollum loses his footing and falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron is defeated. Months later, Frodo's friend, [[Aragorn]], is crowned King of Gondor. The film concludes back in the present with Frodo agreeing to accompany Bilbo, Gandalf and [[Elrond]] in leaving Middle-Earth. Sam, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and Pippin bid them all farewell as they depart across the sea.

===Scenes===
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1980 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]"
# "[[Frodo of the Nine Fingers (scene)|Frodo of the Nine Fingers]]"
# "Credits"
# "[[Crossing into Mordor]]"
# "[[The Bearer of the Ring (scene)|The Bearer of the Ring]]"
# "[[Samwise the Strong]]"
# "[[Less Can Be More (scene)|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 (scene)|Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes]]"
# "[[Mount Doom (1980 scene)|Mount Doom]]"
# "[[The Gollum]]"
# "[[Theoden Falls]]"
# "[[Claimed By the Ring]]"
# "[[Eowyn Triumphs]]"
# "[[Choice of Evils (scene)|Choice of Evils]]"
# "[[End of the Ring]]"
# "[[On Eagles' Wings]]"
# "[[The Return of the King (scene)|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 .[http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10000654] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and [[Peter Jackson]]'s later [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|live-action film]].[http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/r/return-of-the-king.html][http://decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/1989] 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]]". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/usercomments]

==Marketing==

In the absence of an official sequel to Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'' has come to be marketed by [[Warner Bros.]] as the final part of a loose animated Tolkien trilogy, preceded by ''The Hobbit'' (to which Rankin/Bass originally marketed ''The Return of the King'' as a direct sequel). The middle film is very different in tone and character design, however, and the final two films do not join up seamlessly, as both omit various segments from ''[[The Two Towers]]'', most notably regarding the events in [[Shelob]]'s lair and the [[Ents]]' march on [[Isengard]]. Other omissions in the Rankin/Bass version include the characters of [[Legolas]], [[Gimli]], [[Arwen]], [[Saruman]], [[Éomer]], and [[Faramir]] (though it's possible the latter makes a brief appearance; there is an unidentified Man - who has no lines of dialogue - who accompanies [[Éowyn]] on horseback during Aragorn's coronation, and the two of them exchange rather knowing looks). Even Aragorn doesn't have much dialogue or screentime despite being the 'King' of the movie's title.

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''.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Return of the King (1980 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/ The Return of the King] at [http://imdb.com/ IMDb]

{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Return of the King (1980 film)| ]]

The Return of the King (1980 film)

2013-04-09T03:14:07Z

76.113.141.81: /* Marketing */

{{disambig-more|The Return of the King|[[The Return of the King (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox

| image=[[Image:RankinBass' The Return of the King.png|250px]]
| name=The Return of the King
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| writer=[[Romeo Muller]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]], [[Theodore Bikel]], [[William Conrad]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Casey Kasem]]
| music=[[Maury Laws]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.]]
| released=[[11 May|May 11]], [[1980]]
| runtime=98 minutes
| country=United States
| language=English
| budget=
| website=
| imdb_id=0079802
}}'''''The Return of the King''''' is an animated adaptation of the [[The Lord of the Rings|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 [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|animated version of ''The Hobbit'']].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! 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|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Casey Kasem]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Roddy McDowall]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Sonny Melendrez]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Théoden|Theoden]], [[Mouth of Sauron]], [[Easterlings|Easterling]]
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Witch-king|Witch-king of Angmar]], Gondorian Guard
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || Minstrel of Gondor
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
Rather than picking up where [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|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''. Its plot unfolds as follows:

During the 129th birthday celebration for [[Bilbo Baggins]] in [[Rivendell]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], Bilbo's nephew, tells the story of his quest to destroy the [[One Ring]]. Frodo begins his story with [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise (Sam) Gamgee]], his friend and companion, treading through [[Mordor]] as Ring-bearer in Frodo's abscence, as he is being held captive there by orcs. During his journey, Sam begins to question his thoughts about claiming the Ring himself, but being humble, he never gives in to the treacherous temptations. In due course, he progresses back to [[Cirith Ungol]] to rescue Frodo. Meanwhile, the wizard [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]] and the hobbit [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] arrive at [[Minas Tirith]], the capital of the country of [[Gondor]] to warn [[Denethor]], the Steward of the Throne, about the upcoming war—only to discover that the Steward has lost his mind by believing the war will be the end of mankind.
Meanwhile, at Cirith Ungol, Sam rescues Frodo and returns the Ring. The two then continue on to finish their quest at [[Mount Doom]], only to be attacked by their past guide, [[Gollum]]. As Sam holds Gollum off, Frodo makes it to the [[Crack of Doom]]. But at the Crack, Frodo is finally unable to resist the power of the Ring any longer and claims it for his own. At the same time, Gondor's neighboring country, Rohan, helps it claim victory in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. After searching for some time for Frodo in Mount Doom, Sam discovers Gollum and an invisible Frodo fighting over the Ring, which results in Gollum biting off Frodo's finger to claim it. While dancing with joy at the retrieval of his "Precious," Gollum loses his footing and falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron is defeated. Months later, Frodo's friend, [[Aragorn]], is crowned King of Gondor. The film concludes back in the present with Frodo agreeing to accompany Bilbo, Gandalf and [[Elrond]] in leaving Middle-Earth. Sam, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and Pippin bid them all farewell as they depart across the sea.

===Scenes===
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1980 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]"
# "[[Frodo of the Nine Fingers (scene)|Frodo of the Nine Fingers]]"
# "Credits"
# "[[Crossing into Mordor]]"
# "[[The Bearer of the Ring (scene)|The Bearer of the Ring]]"
# "[[Samwise the Strong]]"
# "[[Less Can Be More (scene)|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 (scene)|Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes]]"
# "[[Mount Doom (1980 scene)|Mount Doom]]"
# "[[The Gollum]]"
# "[[Theoden Falls]]"
# "[[Claimed By the Ring]]"
# "[[Eowyn Triumphs]]"
# "[[Choice of Evils (scene)|Choice of Evils]]"
# "[[End of the Ring]]"
# "[[On Eagles' Wings]]"
# "[[The Return of the King (scene)|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 .[http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10000654] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and [[Peter Jackson]]'s later [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|live-action film]].[http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/r/return-of-the-king.html][http://decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/1989] 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]]". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/usercomments]

==Marketing==

In the absence of an official sequel to Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'' has come to be marketed by [[Warner Bros.]] as the final part of a loose animated Tolkien trilogy preceded by ''The Hobbit'' (to which Rankin/Bass originally marketed ''The Return of the King'' as a direct sequel). The middle film is very different in tone and character design, however, and the final two films do not join up seamlessly, as both omit various segments from ''[[The Two Towers]]'', most notably regarding the events in [[Shelob]]'s lair and the [[Ents]]' march on [[Isengard]]. Other omissions in the Rankin/Bass version include the characters of [[Legolas]], [[Gimli]], [[Arwen]], [[Saruman]], [[Éomer]], and [[Faramir]] (though it's possible the latter makes a brief appearance; there is an unidentified Man - who has no lines of dialogue - who accompanies [[Éowyn]] on horseback during Aragorn's coronation, and the two of them exchange rather knowing looks). Even Aragorn doesn't have much dialogue or screentime despite being the 'King' of the movie's title.

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''.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Return of the King (1980 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/ The Return of the King] at [http://imdb.com/ IMDb]

{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Return of the King (1980 film)| ]]

The Return of the King (1980 film)

2013-04-09T03:13:38Z

76.113.141.81: /* Marketing */

{{disambig-more|The Return of the King|[[The Return of the King (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox

| image=[[Image:RankinBass' The Return of the King.png|250px]]
| name=The Return of the King
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| writer=[[Romeo Muller]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]], [[Theodore Bikel]], [[William Conrad]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Casey Kasem]]
| music=[[Maury Laws]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.]]
| released=[[11 May|May 11]], [[1980]]
| runtime=98 minutes
| country=United States
| language=English
| budget=
| website=
| imdb_id=0079802
}}'''''The Return of the King''''' is an animated adaptation of the [[The Lord of the Rings|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 [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|animated version of ''The Hobbit'']].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! 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|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Casey Kasem]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Roddy McDowall]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Sonny Melendrez]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Théoden|Theoden]], [[Mouth of Sauron]], [[Easterlings|Easterling]]
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Witch-king|Witch-king of Angmar]], Gondorian Guard
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || Minstrel of Gondor
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
Rather than picking up where [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|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''. Its plot unfolds as follows:

During the 129th birthday celebration for [[Bilbo Baggins]] in [[Rivendell]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], Bilbo's nephew, tells the story of his quest to destroy the [[One Ring]]. Frodo begins his story with [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise (Sam) Gamgee]], his friend and companion, treading through [[Mordor]] as Ring-bearer in Frodo's abscence, as he is being held captive there by orcs. During his journey, Sam begins to question his thoughts about claiming the Ring himself, but being humble, he never gives in to the treacherous temptations. In due course, he progresses back to [[Cirith Ungol]] to rescue Frodo. Meanwhile, the wizard [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]] and the hobbit [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] arrive at [[Minas Tirith]], the capital of the country of [[Gondor]] to warn [[Denethor]], the Steward of the Throne, about the upcoming war—only to discover that the Steward has lost his mind by believing the war will be the end of mankind.
Meanwhile, at Cirith Ungol, Sam rescues Frodo and returns the Ring. The two then continue on to finish their quest at [[Mount Doom]], only to be attacked by their past guide, [[Gollum]]. As Sam holds Gollum off, Frodo makes it to the [[Crack of Doom]]. But at the Crack, Frodo is finally unable to resist the power of the Ring any longer and claims it for his own. At the same time, Gondor's neighboring country, Rohan, helps it claim victory in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. After searching for some time for Frodo in Mount Doom, Sam discovers Gollum and an invisible Frodo fighting over the Ring, which results in Gollum biting off Frodo's finger to claim it. While dancing with joy at the retrieval of his "Precious," Gollum loses his footing and falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron is defeated. Months later, Frodo's friend, [[Aragorn]], is crowned King of Gondor. The film concludes back in the present with Frodo agreeing to accompany Bilbo, Gandalf and [[Elrond]] in leaving Middle-Earth. Sam, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and Pippin bid them all farewell as they depart across the sea.

===Scenes===
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1980 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]"
# "[[Frodo of the Nine Fingers (scene)|Frodo of the Nine Fingers]]"
# "Credits"
# "[[Crossing into Mordor]]"
# "[[The Bearer of the Ring (scene)|The Bearer of the Ring]]"
# "[[Samwise the Strong]]"
# "[[Less Can Be More (scene)|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 (scene)|Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes]]"
# "[[Mount Doom (1980 scene)|Mount Doom]]"
# "[[The Gollum]]"
# "[[Theoden Falls]]"
# "[[Claimed By the Ring]]"
# "[[Eowyn Triumphs]]"
# "[[Choice of Evils (scene)|Choice of Evils]]"
# "[[End of the Ring]]"
# "[[On Eagles' Wings]]"
# "[[The Return of the King (scene)|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 .[http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10000654] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and [[Peter Jackson]]'s later [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|live-action film]].[http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/r/return-of-the-king.html][http://decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/1989] 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]]". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/usercomments]

==Marketing==

In the absence of an official sequel to Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'' has come to be marketed by [[Warner Bros.]] as the final part of a loose animated Tolkien trilogy preceded by ''The Hobbit''(to which Rankin/Bass originally marketed ''The Return of the King'' as a direct sequel). The middle film is very different in tone and character design, however, and the final two films do not join up seamlessly, as both omit various segments from ''[[The Two Towers]]'', most notably regarding the events in [[Shelob]]'s lair and the [[Ents]]' march on [[Isengard]]. Other omissions in the Rankin/Bass version include the characters of [[Legolas]], [[Gimli]], [[Arwen]], [[Saruman]], [[Éomer]], and [[Faramir]] (though it's possible the latter makes a brief appearance; there is an unidentified Man - who has no lines of dialogue - who accompanies [[Éowyn]] on horseback during Aragorn's coronation, and the two of them exchange rather knowing looks). Even Aragorn doesn't have much dialogue or screentime despite being the 'King' of the movie's title.

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''.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Return of the King (1980 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/ The Return of the King] at [http://imdb.com/ IMDb]

{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Return of the King (1980 film)| ]]

The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)

2013-04-09T03:01:15Z

76.113.141.81: /* Differences from the book */

{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox
| image=[[Image:Bakshi-lotr.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Lord of the Rings
| director=[[Ralph Bakshi]]
| producer=[[Saul Zaentz]]
| writer=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] [[Ralph Bakshi]] [[Peter S. Beagle]] 
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Leonard Rosenman
| cinematography=Timothy Galfas
| editing=Donald W. Ernst Peter Kirby
| distributor=[[United Artists]]
| released=[[15 November|November 15]]th, [[1978]]
| runtime=132 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget= $4 million
| website=[http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings Official website]
| imdb_id=0077869
}}'''''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings''''' is an animated film produced and directed by [[Ralph Bakshi]], and released to theaters in 1978. It was an adaptation of the first half of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Bakshi's most ambitious effort (and his most famous after his animated adaptation of the underground comic ''Fritz the Cat''), the film was produced by [[Saul Zaentz]]'s Fantasy Films, but distributed to theaters by United Artists.

==Synopsis==
Long ago, in the early years of the [[Second Age]], the great Elven-smiths forged Rings of Power — Nine for mortal [[Men]], Seven for the [[Dwarves|Dwarf-lords]], and three for the fair [[Elves|Elf-rulers]]. But then, the Dark Lord [[Sauron]] learned the craft of ring-making and made the Master Ring — [[The One Ring]] to rule them all. With the One Ring, [[Middle-earth]] is his and he cannot be overcome. As the last alliance of Men and Elves fell beneath his power, the ring fell into the hands of Prince [[Isildur]] of the mighty kings from across the sea. He did not destroy the ring, and because of this, the spirit of Sauron lived on and began to take shape and grow again.

The Ring had a will of its own, and had a way of slipping from hand to hand, so that it might at last get back to its master. The Ring lay in the bottom of a lake for thousands of years. During those years, Sauron captured the nine Rings that were made for Men and turned their owners into the [[Nazgûl|Ringwraiths]]: terrible shadows under his great shadow who roamed the world searching for the One Ring.

The Ring, meanwhile, was found by two friends. One of them, [[Sméagol]], was so enticed by the Ring's power that he killed his friend [[Déagol]] to get it. Sméagol possessed the Ring for hundreds of years, during which it warped him into a twisted, gurgling wretch known only as Gollum, until his "Precious" was discovered (some might say stolen) by the hobbit [[Bilbo Baggins]].

Several years later, in a land called [[the Shire]], Bilbo is celebrating his 111th (or eleventy-first, as it is called) birthday, on the same day that his nephew [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] celebrates his 33rd birthday, (his "coming of age"). During his speech, Bilbo slips the Ring on, and confusion arises as the party notices that their host has suddenly disappeared into thin air!

[[Gandalf]] the wizard, however, knows the truth behind this act. In Bilbo's hobbit hole, Gandalf tells him to leave the Ring for Frodo, but Bilbo seems unwilling to give it up. He does, finally, agree, and leaves the Shire.

Gandalf realizes that the "magic" ring is in fact the one ring forged by Sauron, the evil lord. He knows the Shire is in danger, soon Sauron will learn that the Ring is in the possession of a Baggins and send his "wraiths" after him. Heeding Gandalf's advice, Frodo leaves his home, taking the Ring with him. He hopes to reach [[Rivendell]], where he will be safe from Sauron, and where those wiser than he can decide what to do about the Ring.
In his journey he is accompanied by three hobbit friends, [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]], and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]]. From the start they are pursued by Black Riders (Sauron's Ringwraiths or Nazgûl). Narrowly escaping these and other dangers and meeting other interesting characters en route they eventually come to [[Bree]], where they meet [[Aragorn|Strider]], another friend of Gandalf who leads them the rest of the way to Rivendell, through further hardships. Frodo is stabbed upon the mountain of [[Weathertop]] by the [[Witch-king|chief of the Nazgûl]], with a "[[Morgul blade]]" — as part of the knife stays inside him, he gets sicker on the rest of the journey.

At Rivendell, Frodo meets his uncle Bilbo whom he had not seen since he left Hobbiton years before; Bilbo seems much older and weaker, and, for a terrible moment, is once again held in sway of the Ring. Bilbo, Gandalf, and others argue about what should be done with the One Ring. Finally, Frodo stands up, and willfully volunteers to go to [[Mordor]], where the Ring can be destroyed.
Frodo sets forth from Rivendell with eight companions: two Men, [[Aragorn]] and [[Boromir]], son of the [[Stewards of Gondor|Steward]] of the land of [[Gondor]]; an [[Elves|Elven]] prince, [[Legolas]]; Frodo's old friend and powerful wizard, Gandalf; [[Gimli]] the [[Dwarves|Dwarf]]; and Frodo's original three hobbit companions. These Nine Walkers were chosen to represent all the free races of Middle-earth and as a balance to the Nine Riders.

Their attempt to cross the [[Misty Mountains]] is foiled by heavy snow, so they are forced to take a path under the mountains via [[Moria]], an ancient Dwarf kingdom, now full of [[Orcs]] and other evil creatures, where Gandalf falls into the abyss after battling a [[Durin's Bane|Balrog]].
The remaining eight members of the Fellowship then spend some time in the elf-haven of [[Lothlórien]], where they receive [[Gifts of Galadriel|gifts]] from the elf queen [[Galadriel]] that in many cases prove useful later in the quest. They leave Lórien by river, but Frodo begins to realize the Ring is having a malevolent effect on some members of the party, especially Boromir, who tries to take the Ring from Frodo. In the process, Frodo puts it on to escape him. Later, Boromir is killed by Orcs while trying to defend Merry and Pippin, whom the Orcs capture.

Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, tracking Merry and Pippin, come across the [[Rohirrim|Riders of Rohan]] who tell them that they attacked the Orcs the previous night and left no survivors.

However, Strider is able to find small prints and they follow these into [[Fangorn Forest]], where they meet a white wizard who they at first believe to be [[Saruman]], but who turns out to be their wizard friend Gandalf, whom they believed had perished in the mines of Moria. He tells them of his fall into the abyss, his battle to the death with the Balrog and his reawakening.

The four ride to Rohan's capital, [[Edoras]], and persuade King [[Théoden]] that his people are in danger. In the process, Saruman's agent in Edoras, [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]], who had been keeping Théoden subdued and weak for years, is expelled from the city. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas then travel to the defensive fortification [[Helm's Deep]] while Gandalf goes north in search of [[Éomer]]'s men in the north of [[Rohan]] to bring as reinforcements.

Hobbits Merry and Pippin escape from the Orcs who captured them when the orcs themselves are attacked by the Riders of Rohan. Merry and Pippin head into nearby Fangorn Forest where they encounter treelike giants called [[Ents]]. These guardians of the forest generally keep to themselves, but are moved to oppose the menace posed to the trees by the wizard Saruman.

At Helm's Deep, Théoden's forces resist an onslaught of Orcs and Men sent by Saruman, and Gandalf arrives the next morning with the Riders of Rohan just in time. The fleeing orcs run into a forest of [[Huorn]]s — creatures halfway between tree and Ent — and none escape. Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Gandalf and the army of Rohan then head to Saruman's stronghold at [[Isengard]].
Frodo and Sam discover Gollum stalking them as they try to reach [[Mount Doom]] to destroy the One Ring. Gollum hopes to reclaim the Ring. Sam loathes and distrusts him, but Frodo pities him, and so lets him live in return for guidance to Mount Doom. Gollum promises to lead them to a secret entrance to Mordor. Gollum, who is briefly torn between keeping his word to Frodo and reclaiming his "Precious," is ominously overheard to say "[[Shelob|''she'']] might help us..." as he leads Frodo and Sam to [[Cirith Ungol]].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Voice Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Norman Bird]] || [[Bilbo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Lucille Bliss]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[David Buck]] || [[Gimli]]
|-
| [[Simon Chandler]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Michael Graham Cox]] || [[Boromir]]
|-
| [[Annette Crosbie]] || [[Galadriel]]
|-
| [[Anthony Daniels]] || [[Legolas]]
|-
| [[Michael Deacon]] || [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]]
|-
| [[Christopher Guard]] || [[Frodo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Dominic Guard]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[John Hurt]] || [[Aragorn]]
|-
| [[Fraser Kerr]] || [[Saruman|(S)Aruman]]
|-
| [[André Morell]] || [[Elrond]]
|-
| [[Michael Scholes]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Mel Smith]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[William Squire]] || [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Philip Stone]] || [[Théoden]]
|-
| [[Alan Tilvern]] || [[Barliman Butterbur|Innkeeper]]
|-
| [[John Westbrook]] || [[Treebeard]]
|-
| [[Peter Woodthorpe]] || [[Gollum]]
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Character Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Aesop Aquarian]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sharon Baird]] || [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Stan Barrett]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Billy Barty]] || [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Herb Braha]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Hank Calia]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Albert Cirimele]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mike Clifford]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Delfino]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[David Dotson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Russ Earnest]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Louis Elias]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Fay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Carmen Filpi]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Paul Gale]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Ruth Gay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Lenny Geer]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harriett Gibson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Michael Lee Gogin]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Bob Haney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Chuck Hayward]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Art Hern]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Hice]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Loren Janes]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gary Jensen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Santy Josol]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John L]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Larry Larsen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sam Laws]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Terry Leonard]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Peter Looney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Dennis Madalone]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Tommy Madden]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Buck Maffei]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patty Maloney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jerry Maren]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harry Monty]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Morson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John A. Neris]] || [[Gandalf]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Jeri Lea Ray]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Pete Risch]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Walt Robles]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mic Rodgers]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Angelo Rossitto]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Felix Silla]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patrick Sullivan Burke]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jack Verbois]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gregg Walker]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Donn Whyte]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Trey Wilson]] || Character Actor
|}

===Scenes===
# "Credits" (0:40)
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1978 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]" (3:41)
# "[[Bilbo's Farewell]]" (2:05)
# "[[Frodo's Quest]]" (6:24)
# "[[Saruman's Sorcery]]" (2:43)
# "[[Sinister Horseman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Inn at Bree]]" (3:52)
# "[[Aragorn's Vow]]" (3:54)
# "[[Black Riders Invade]]" (2:50)
# "[[Rider Swordsman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Cornered]]" (5:59)
# "[[Wall of Water]]" (2:39)
# "[[Gandalf's Update]]" (2:51)
# "[[Coucil of Elrond (scene)|Council of Elrond]]" (4:39)
# "[[Frodo's Quest Renewed]]" (2:19)
# "[[Change in Route]]" (2:40)
# "[[Grabbed at the Gateway]]" (2:44)
# "[[Inside the Mine]]" (3:04)
# "[[Under Siege]]" (3:51)
# "[[Balrog Strikes]]" (0:39)
# "[[Homage to Gandalf]]" (3:27)
# "[[Galadriel's Test]]" (3:05)
# "[[Borimir's Madness]]" ''(sic)'' (4:21)
# "[[Borimir's Sacrifice]]" ''(sic)'' (0:49)
# "[[Following the Orcs]]" (5:12)
# "[[Whiteskins Attack]]" (4:55)
# "[[The Gollum]]" (1:36)
# "[[Escape in Mid-battle]]" (4:38)
# "[[Treebeard (1978 scene)|Treebeard]]" (3:24)
# "[[Back from the Abyss]]" (1:55)
# "[[Theoden of Rohan]]" (3:48)
# "[[Gollum gets Touchy]]" (4:57)
# "[[The Orcs Advance]]" (4:42)
# "[[Cave Retreat]]" (4:36)
# "[[Two Weary Hobbits]]" (2:50)
# "[[Outnumbered]]" (2:05)
# "[[Gandalf Triumphant]]" (3:19)
# "End Credits" (2:34)

== Differences from the book ==
The movie makes a few deviations from the book, but overall follows Tolkien's narrative quite closely. Many parts of the novel explaining the transition from one part of the plot to another were omitted which makes the middle part of the movie somewhat difficult to follow, if the viewer is unfamiliar with the story.
* In the film's prologue it is suggested that the Elves created the 19 [[Rings of Power]] for their Kings, and for those of the Dwarves and Men. Sauron then ''learned'' the craft of ring-making ''after'' that. In the original story it is Sauron who teaches the Elven smiths this ability, and only after their defiance he distributed them to Dwarves and Men.
* Another deviation suggests that the Last Alliance of Men and Elves was losing the war, which contradicts the original story.
* As in Tolkien's novel, Saruman the White adopts the title "Saruman of Many Colours"; however, his robes are neither white nor multi-coloured, but red.
* Saruman is sometimes called "Aruman". It is believed that this name was derived to keep viewers from confusing the character with Sauron, but it is not done consistently.
* The film greatly condenses Frodo's journey from Bag End to Bree; for example, Crickhollow, Brandy Hall, the Old Forest, and the Barrow Downs do not appear. These segments were presumably eliminated (as they were in the Jackson films) for pacing reasons, as well as to intensify the Nazgûl's threat to the hobbits. Because of this, [[Tom Bombadil]] also does not appear in the film.
* The scene where the Nazgûl arrive in the hobbits' room at the Prancing Pony and begin slashing at their beds only to find that they are not there, and pillows have been placed to form the figures of their bodies is not in the book. A passage does appear that states that hobbit beds wind up slashed during the night, but the townsfolk of Bree are the perpetrators, not the Nazgûl. This scene also appears in Jackson's version.
* Just as in Jackson's films, the [[Glorfindel|first elf]] which the hobbits and Aragorn encounter on their journey is changed -- this time to [[Legolas]].
* [[Arwen]] does not appear, nor is she mentioned.
* Aragorn carries a broken sword (presumably [[Narsil]]) up to the Rivendell section of the story, where he presents it at the Council of Elrond. However, the sword's reforging into [[Andúril]] is never shown (or mentioned) in the film, even though Aragorn carries an unbroken blade for the remainder of the film.
* Gimli appears to be about the same height as the rest of the non-hobbits in the Fellowship.
* There is no mention of the Uruk-hai, or, at least, they are not at all differentiated from the regular Orcs.
* [[Éowyn]] makes only a brief appearance and has no spoken dialogue.
* While [[Éomer]] is mentioned, he is never officially identified (thus, he also has no spoken dialogue). Also, as in the Jackson films, it is ''he'' and his forces with whom Gandalf arrives near the end of the Battle of Helm's Deep instead of [[Erkenbrand]]'s. Éomer and his men are also portrayed as sort of rogue warriors in this film with no direct affiliation to Rohan.
* [[Faramir]] does not appear, nor is he mentioned.
* The "Fires of Isengard" appear as magical projectiles.

== Production ==
===Animation===
Much of the film used live-action footage which was then rotoscoped to produce an animated look [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/38.html] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/39.html]. This saved production costs and arguably gave the animated characters a more realistic look. For the live-action portion of the production, Bakshi and his cast and crew arrived in Spain where the rotoscope models acted out their parts in costume. The actions of [[Bilbo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] were performed by [[Billy Barty]], [[Sharon Baird]] performed the part of [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[John A. Neris]] was Gandalf[http://books.google.com/books?id=fTI1yeZd-tkC&pg=PA154&lpg=PA154&dq=%22aesop+aquarian%22+%22billy+barty%22+%22sharon+baird%22&source=web&ots=C5jvDP0VA9&sig=_W2bXiWtu0mfcOJYZOxMBjapJR8&hl=nl&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result].

Of the rotoscoping, Bakshi said "I didn't start thinking about shooting the film totally in live action until I saw it really start to work so well. I learned lots of things about the process, like rippling. One scene, some figures were standing on a hill and a big gust of wind came up and the shadows moved back and forth on the clothes and it was unbelievable in animation. I don't think I could get the feeling of cold on the screen without showing snow or an icicle on some guy's nose. The characters have weight and they move correctly."

"Making two pictures (the live action reference and the actual animated feature) in two years is crazy. Most directors when they finish editing, they are finished; we were just starting. I got more than I expected. The crew is young. The crew loves it. If the crew loves it, it's usually a great sign. They aren't older animators trying to snow me for jobs next year."[http://www.jimhillmedia.com/article_printer.php?id=768]

Following the live-action shoot, each frame of the live footage was then broken down into individual frames, and then printed out, and placed behind animation cels. The details of each frame were copied and painted onto cels. Both the live-action and animated sequences were storyboarded. [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=20] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=10] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=11]
===Voice cast===
After finishing in Spain, Bakshi went to the [[BBC]]'s recording studios in London. He cast several stars - William Squire, John Hurt - and used several of the BBC Repertory Company's stock actors, like Peter Woodthorpe, Anthony Daniels, Norman Bird and Michael Graham Cox. The actors recorded the lines with each other, but were required to pause for two seconds after each line, to smoothen the recording. This caused some stilted dialogue in the finished product[http://www.anthonydaniels.com/qa/index.html].

==Reception==
The film was originally intended to be distributed as '''''The Lord of the Rings, Part One''''', but United Artists dropped the "Part One" from the title, believing moviegoers would not pay full ticket prices to see half a movie. Says Ralph Bakshi: "United Artists at that time was terrified to say 'Part One.' I remember sitting in meetings screaming my head off saying, 'You can't do this!' Had it said 'Part One,' I think everyone would have respected it. But because it didn't say 'Part One,' everyone came in expecting to see the entire three books, and that's where the confusion comes in" [http://www.tolkiengesellschaft.de/v4/alleszutolkien/filme/bakshi/bakshisoutingheute.shtml]. In interviews, Bakshi sometimes referred to the film as ''The Lord of the Rings, Part One.''

Critics were generally mixed in their responses to the film. Roger Ebert called Bakshi's effort a "mixed blessing" and "an entirely respectable, occasionally impressive job ... [which] still falls far short of the charm and sweep of the original story." Vincent Canby of the ''New York Times'' called the film "both numbing and impressive". Film website Rotten Tomatoes, which compiles reviews from a wide range of critics, gives the film a score of 50.

Despite criticism, the film grossed $30,471,420 at the box office[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lordoftherings78.htm] (the budget was $8 million), but United Artists, who believed the film to be a flop, refused to fund a sequel which would have completed Tolkien's story on film.

==Follow-up==
In light of the theatrical ''The Lord of the Rings, Part Two'' adaptation being scrapped, a means of "finishing" Tolkien's story and making it more complete for audiences then inadvertently fell on the [[Rankin/Bass]] animation studio (fresh on the heels of the success of its previous [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|TV adaptation of ''The Hobbit'']]) in producing an animated TV special based on the [[The Return of the King|final part]] of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Their adaptation of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]'' finished the story and answered most of the questions raised by Bakshi's animated film. Despite this, several unresolved story developments between the ending of ''The Lord of the Rings'' and the beginning of ''The Return of the King'' were left unexplained, especially the Ents' march on Isengard (along with Merry eventually taking up with the Army of Rohan, and Gandalf and Pippin's subsequent journey to Gondor), the betrayal of Frodo by Gollum, and the attack of [[Shelob]] the monster spider-creature on Frodo and Sam. It should be noted, however, that production for this Rankin/Bass follow-up had begun even before their version of ''The Hobbit'' had originally aired (let alone before Bakshi's theatrical film had premiered)[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0], so Rankin/Bass can't be entirely blamed for this flaw in continuity.

[[Warner Bros.]] (the rights holder to the post-1974 Rankin/Bass library and most of the Saul Zaentz theatrical backlog) has released ''The Hobbit,'' ''The Lord of the Rings,'' and ''The Return of the King'' on VHS and DVD, both packaged separately and as a boxed-set "trilogy" of films.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077869/ The Lord of the Rings] at [http://www.imdb.com/ IMDb]
* [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings ''The Lord of the Rings'' at Ralph Bakshi.com]
* [http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/tolkien/lord-of-the-rings.html Screen captures from the laserdisc edition]
*[http://flyingmoose.org/tolksarc/bakshi/bakshi.htm Ralph Bakshi's Lord of the Rings, Part One: A Critique] - a humorous critique of the film and satire of its shortcomings
{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)| ]]
[[de:Lord of the Rings (Zeichentrickfilm)]]
[[fi:The Lord of the Rings (1978)]]

The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)

2013-04-09T03:00:31Z

76.113.141.81: /* Differences from the book */

{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox
| image=[[Image:Bakshi-lotr.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Lord of the Rings
| director=[[Ralph Bakshi]]
| producer=[[Saul Zaentz]]
| writer=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] [[Ralph Bakshi]] [[Peter S. Beagle]] 
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Leonard Rosenman
| cinematography=Timothy Galfas
| editing=Donald W. Ernst Peter Kirby
| distributor=[[United Artists]]
| released=[[15 November|November 15]]th, [[1978]]
| runtime=132 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget= $4 million
| website=[http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings Official website]
| imdb_id=0077869
}}'''''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings''''' is an animated film produced and directed by [[Ralph Bakshi]], and released to theaters in 1978. It was an adaptation of the first half of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Bakshi's most ambitious effort (and his most famous after his animated adaptation of the underground comic ''Fritz the Cat''), the film was produced by [[Saul Zaentz]]'s Fantasy Films, but distributed to theaters by United Artists.

==Synopsis==
Long ago, in the early years of the [[Second Age]], the great Elven-smiths forged Rings of Power — Nine for mortal [[Men]], Seven for the [[Dwarves|Dwarf-lords]], and three for the fair [[Elves|Elf-rulers]]. But then, the Dark Lord [[Sauron]] learned the craft of ring-making and made the Master Ring — [[The One Ring]] to rule them all. With the One Ring, [[Middle-earth]] is his and he cannot be overcome. As the last alliance of Men and Elves fell beneath his power, the ring fell into the hands of Prince [[Isildur]] of the mighty kings from across the sea. He did not destroy the ring, and because of this, the spirit of Sauron lived on and began to take shape and grow again.

The Ring had a will of its own, and had a way of slipping from hand to hand, so that it might at last get back to its master. The Ring lay in the bottom of a lake for thousands of years. During those years, Sauron captured the nine Rings that were made for Men and turned their owners into the [[Nazgûl|Ringwraiths]]: terrible shadows under his great shadow who roamed the world searching for the One Ring.

The Ring, meanwhile, was found by two friends. One of them, [[Sméagol]], was so enticed by the Ring's power that he killed his friend [[Déagol]] to get it. Sméagol possessed the Ring for hundreds of years, during which it warped him into a twisted, gurgling wretch known only as Gollum, until his "Precious" was discovered (some might say stolen) by the hobbit [[Bilbo Baggins]].

Several years later, in a land called [[the Shire]], Bilbo is celebrating his 111th (or eleventy-first, as it is called) birthday, on the same day that his nephew [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] celebrates his 33rd birthday, (his "coming of age"). During his speech, Bilbo slips the Ring on, and confusion arises as the party notices that their host has suddenly disappeared into thin air!

[[Gandalf]] the wizard, however, knows the truth behind this act. In Bilbo's hobbit hole, Gandalf tells him to leave the Ring for Frodo, but Bilbo seems unwilling to give it up. He does, finally, agree, and leaves the Shire.

Gandalf realizes that the "magic" ring is in fact the one ring forged by Sauron, the evil lord. He knows the Shire is in danger, soon Sauron will learn that the Ring is in the possession of a Baggins and send his "wraiths" after him. Heeding Gandalf's advice, Frodo leaves his home, taking the Ring with him. He hopes to reach [[Rivendell]], where he will be safe from Sauron, and where those wiser than he can decide what to do about the Ring.
In his journey he is accompanied by three hobbit friends, [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]], and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]]. From the start they are pursued by Black Riders (Sauron's Ringwraiths or Nazgûl). Narrowly escaping these and other dangers and meeting other interesting characters en route they eventually come to [[Bree]], where they meet [[Aragorn|Strider]], another friend of Gandalf who leads them the rest of the way to Rivendell, through further hardships. Frodo is stabbed upon the mountain of [[Weathertop]] by the [[Witch-king|chief of the Nazgûl]], with a "[[Morgul blade]]" — as part of the knife stays inside him, he gets sicker on the rest of the journey.

At Rivendell, Frodo meets his uncle Bilbo whom he had not seen since he left Hobbiton years before; Bilbo seems much older and weaker, and, for a terrible moment, is once again held in sway of the Ring. Bilbo, Gandalf, and others argue about what should be done with the One Ring. Finally, Frodo stands up, and willfully volunteers to go to [[Mordor]], where the Ring can be destroyed.
Frodo sets forth from Rivendell with eight companions: two Men, [[Aragorn]] and [[Boromir]], son of the [[Stewards of Gondor|Steward]] of the land of [[Gondor]]; an [[Elves|Elven]] prince, [[Legolas]]; Frodo's old friend and powerful wizard, Gandalf; [[Gimli]] the [[Dwarves|Dwarf]]; and Frodo's original three hobbit companions. These Nine Walkers were chosen to represent all the free races of Middle-earth and as a balance to the Nine Riders.

Their attempt to cross the [[Misty Mountains]] is foiled by heavy snow, so they are forced to take a path under the mountains via [[Moria]], an ancient Dwarf kingdom, now full of [[Orcs]] and other evil creatures, where Gandalf falls into the abyss after battling a [[Durin's Bane|Balrog]].
The remaining eight members of the Fellowship then spend some time in the elf-haven of [[Lothlórien]], where they receive [[Gifts of Galadriel|gifts]] from the elf queen [[Galadriel]] that in many cases prove useful later in the quest. They leave Lórien by river, but Frodo begins to realize the Ring is having a malevolent effect on some members of the party, especially Boromir, who tries to take the Ring from Frodo. In the process, Frodo puts it on to escape him. Later, Boromir is killed by Orcs while trying to defend Merry and Pippin, whom the Orcs capture.

Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, tracking Merry and Pippin, come across the [[Rohirrim|Riders of Rohan]] who tell them that they attacked the Orcs the previous night and left no survivors.

However, Strider is able to find small prints and they follow these into [[Fangorn Forest]], where they meet a white wizard who they at first believe to be [[Saruman]], but who turns out to be their wizard friend Gandalf, whom they believed had perished in the mines of Moria. He tells them of his fall into the abyss, his battle to the death with the Balrog and his reawakening.

The four ride to Rohan's capital, [[Edoras]], and persuade King [[Théoden]] that his people are in danger. In the process, Saruman's agent in Edoras, [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]], who had been keeping Théoden subdued and weak for years, is expelled from the city. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas then travel to the defensive fortification [[Helm's Deep]] while Gandalf goes north in search of [[Éomer]]'s men in the north of [[Rohan]] to bring as reinforcements.

Hobbits Merry and Pippin escape from the Orcs who captured them when the orcs themselves are attacked by the Riders of Rohan. Merry and Pippin head into nearby Fangorn Forest where they encounter treelike giants called [[Ents]]. These guardians of the forest generally keep to themselves, but are moved to oppose the menace posed to the trees by the wizard Saruman.

At Helm's Deep, Théoden's forces resist an onslaught of Orcs and Men sent by Saruman, and Gandalf arrives the next morning with the Riders of Rohan just in time. The fleeing orcs run into a forest of [[Huorn]]s — creatures halfway between tree and Ent — and none escape. Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Gandalf and the army of Rohan then head to Saruman's stronghold at [[Isengard]].
Frodo and Sam discover Gollum stalking them as they try to reach [[Mount Doom]] to destroy the One Ring. Gollum hopes to reclaim the Ring. Sam loathes and distrusts him, but Frodo pities him, and so lets him live in return for guidance to Mount Doom. Gollum promises to lead them to a secret entrance to Mordor. Gollum, who is briefly torn between keeping his word to Frodo and reclaiming his "Precious," is ominously overheard to say "[[Shelob|''she'']] might help us..." as he leads Frodo and Sam to [[Cirith Ungol]].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Voice Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Norman Bird]] || [[Bilbo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Lucille Bliss]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[David Buck]] || [[Gimli]]
|-
| [[Simon Chandler]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Michael Graham Cox]] || [[Boromir]]
|-
| [[Annette Crosbie]] || [[Galadriel]]
|-
| [[Anthony Daniels]] || [[Legolas]]
|-
| [[Michael Deacon]] || [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]]
|-
| [[Christopher Guard]] || [[Frodo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Dominic Guard]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[John Hurt]] || [[Aragorn]]
|-
| [[Fraser Kerr]] || [[Saruman|(S)Aruman]]
|-
| [[André Morell]] || [[Elrond]]
|-
| [[Michael Scholes]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Mel Smith]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[William Squire]] || [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Philip Stone]] || [[Théoden]]
|-
| [[Alan Tilvern]] || [[Barliman Butterbur|Innkeeper]]
|-
| [[John Westbrook]] || [[Treebeard]]
|-
| [[Peter Woodthorpe]] || [[Gollum]]
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Character Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Aesop Aquarian]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sharon Baird]] || [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Stan Barrett]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Billy Barty]] || [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Herb Braha]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Hank Calia]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Albert Cirimele]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mike Clifford]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Delfino]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[David Dotson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Russ Earnest]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Louis Elias]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Fay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Carmen Filpi]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Paul Gale]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Ruth Gay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Lenny Geer]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harriett Gibson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Michael Lee Gogin]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Bob Haney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Chuck Hayward]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Art Hern]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Hice]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Loren Janes]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gary Jensen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Santy Josol]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John L]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Larry Larsen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sam Laws]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Terry Leonard]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Peter Looney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Dennis Madalone]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Tommy Madden]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Buck Maffei]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patty Maloney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jerry Maren]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harry Monty]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Morson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John A. Neris]] || [[Gandalf]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Jeri Lea Ray]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Pete Risch]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Walt Robles]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mic Rodgers]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Angelo Rossitto]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Felix Silla]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patrick Sullivan Burke]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jack Verbois]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gregg Walker]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Donn Whyte]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Trey Wilson]] || Character Actor
|}

===Scenes===
# "Credits" (0:40)
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1978 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]" (3:41)
# "[[Bilbo's Farewell]]" (2:05)
# "[[Frodo's Quest]]" (6:24)
# "[[Saruman's Sorcery]]" (2:43)
# "[[Sinister Horseman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Inn at Bree]]" (3:52)
# "[[Aragorn's Vow]]" (3:54)
# "[[Black Riders Invade]]" (2:50)
# "[[Rider Swordsman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Cornered]]" (5:59)
# "[[Wall of Water]]" (2:39)
# "[[Gandalf's Update]]" (2:51)
# "[[Coucil of Elrond (scene)|Council of Elrond]]" (4:39)
# "[[Frodo's Quest Renewed]]" (2:19)
# "[[Change in Route]]" (2:40)
# "[[Grabbed at the Gateway]]" (2:44)
# "[[Inside the Mine]]" (3:04)
# "[[Under Siege]]" (3:51)
# "[[Balrog Strikes]]" (0:39)
# "[[Homage to Gandalf]]" (3:27)
# "[[Galadriel's Test]]" (3:05)
# "[[Borimir's Madness]]" ''(sic)'' (4:21)
# "[[Borimir's Sacrifice]]" ''(sic)'' (0:49)
# "[[Following the Orcs]]" (5:12)
# "[[Whiteskins Attack]]" (4:55)
# "[[The Gollum]]" (1:36)
# "[[Escape in Mid-battle]]" (4:38)
# "[[Treebeard (1978 scene)|Treebeard]]" (3:24)
# "[[Back from the Abyss]]" (1:55)
# "[[Theoden of Rohan]]" (3:48)
# "[[Gollum gets Touchy]]" (4:57)
# "[[The Orcs Advance]]" (4:42)
# "[[Cave Retreat]]" (4:36)
# "[[Two Weary Hobbits]]" (2:50)
# "[[Outnumbered]]" (2:05)
# "[[Gandalf Triumphant]]" (3:19)
# "End Credits" (2:34)

== Differences from the book ==
The movie makes a few deviations from the book, but overall follows Tolkien's narrative quite closely. Many parts of the novel explaining the transition from one part of the plot to another were omitted which makes the middle part of the movie somewhat difficult to follow, if the viewer is unfamiliar with the story.
* In the film's prologue it is suggested that the Elves created the 19 [[Rings of Power]] for their Kings, and for those of the Dwarves and Men. Sauron then ''learned'' the craft of ring-making ''after'' that. In the original story it is Sauron who teaches the Elven smiths this ability, and only after their defiance he distributed them to Dwarves and Men.
* Another deviation suggests that the last alliance of men and elves was losing the war which contradicts the original story.
* As in Tolkien's novel, Saruman the White adopts the title "Saruman of Many Colours"; however, his robes are neither white nor multi-coloured, but red.
* Saruman is sometimes called "Aruman". It is believed that this name was derived to keep viewers from confusing the character with Sauron, but it is not done consistently.
* The film greatly condenses Frodo's journey from Bag End to Bree; for example, Crickhollow, Brandy Hall, the Old Forest, and the Barrow Downs do not appear. These segments were presumably eliminated (as they were in the Jackson films) for pacing reasons, as well as to intensify the Nazgûl's threat to the hobbits. Because of this, [[Tom Bombadil]] also does not appear in the film.
* The scene where the Nazgûl arrive in the hobbits' room at the Prancing Pony and begin slashing at their beds only to find that they are not there, and pillows have been placed to form the figures of their bodies is not in the book. A passage does appear that states that hobbit beds wind up slashed during the night, but the townsfolk of Bree are the perpetrators, not the Nazgûl. This scene also appears in Jackson's version.
* Just as in Jackson's films, the [[Glorfindel|first elf]] which the hobbits and Aragorn encounter on their journey is changed -- this time to [[Legolas]].
* [[Arwen]] does not appear, nor is she mentioned.
* Aragorn carries a broken sword (presumably [[Narsil]]) up to the Rivendell section of the story, where he presents it at the Council of Elrond. However, the sword's reforging into [[Andúril]] is never shown (or mentioned) in the film, even though Aragorn carries an unbroken blade for the remainder of the film.
* Gimli appears to be about the same height as the rest of the non-hobbits in the Fellowship.
* There is no mention of the Uruk-hai, or, at least, they are not at all differentiated from the regular Orcs.
* [[Éowyn]] makes only a brief appearance and has no spoken dialogue.
* While [[Éomer]] is mentioned, he is never officially identified (thus, he also has no spoken dialogue). Also, as in the Jackson films, it is ''he'' and his forces with whom Gandalf arrives near the end of the Battle of Helm's Deep instead of [[Erkenbrand]]'s. Éomer and his men are also portrayed as sort of rogue warriors in this film with no direct affiliation to Rohan.
* [[Faramir]] does not appear, nor is he mentioned.
* The "Fires of Isengard" appear as magical projectiles.

== Production ==
===Animation===
Much of the film used live-action footage which was then rotoscoped to produce an animated look [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/38.html] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/39.html]. This saved production costs and arguably gave the animated characters a more realistic look. For the live-action portion of the production, Bakshi and his cast and crew arrived in Spain where the rotoscope models acted out their parts in costume. The actions of [[Bilbo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] were performed by [[Billy Barty]], [[Sharon Baird]] performed the part of [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[John A. Neris]] was Gandalf[http://books.google.com/books?id=fTI1yeZd-tkC&pg=PA154&lpg=PA154&dq=%22aesop+aquarian%22+%22billy+barty%22+%22sharon+baird%22&source=web&ots=C5jvDP0VA9&sig=_W2bXiWtu0mfcOJYZOxMBjapJR8&hl=nl&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result].

Of the rotoscoping, Bakshi said "I didn't start thinking about shooting the film totally in live action until I saw it really start to work so well. I learned lots of things about the process, like rippling. One scene, some figures were standing on a hill and a big gust of wind came up and the shadows moved back and forth on the clothes and it was unbelievable in animation. I don't think I could get the feeling of cold on the screen without showing snow or an icicle on some guy's nose. The characters have weight and they move correctly."

"Making two pictures (the live action reference and the actual animated feature) in two years is crazy. Most directors when they finish editing, they are finished; we were just starting. I got more than I expected. The crew is young. The crew loves it. If the crew loves it, it's usually a great sign. They aren't older animators trying to snow me for jobs next year."[http://www.jimhillmedia.com/article_printer.php?id=768]

Following the live-action shoot, each frame of the live footage was then broken down into individual frames, and then printed out, and placed behind animation cels. The details of each frame were copied and painted onto cels. Both the live-action and animated sequences were storyboarded. [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=20] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=10] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=11]
===Voice cast===
After finishing in Spain, Bakshi went to the [[BBC]]'s recording studios in London. He cast several stars - William Squire, John Hurt - and used several of the BBC Repertory Company's stock actors, like Peter Woodthorpe, Anthony Daniels, Norman Bird and Michael Graham Cox. The actors recorded the lines with each other, but were required to pause for two seconds after each line, to smoothen the recording. This caused some stilted dialogue in the finished product[http://www.anthonydaniels.com/qa/index.html].

==Reception==
The film was originally intended to be distributed as '''''The Lord of the Rings, Part One''''', but United Artists dropped the "Part One" from the title, believing moviegoers would not pay full ticket prices to see half a movie. Says Ralph Bakshi: "United Artists at that time was terrified to say 'Part One.' I remember sitting in meetings screaming my head off saying, 'You can't do this!' Had it said 'Part One,' I think everyone would have respected it. But because it didn't say 'Part One,' everyone came in expecting to see the entire three books, and that's where the confusion comes in" [http://www.tolkiengesellschaft.de/v4/alleszutolkien/filme/bakshi/bakshisoutingheute.shtml]. In interviews, Bakshi sometimes referred to the film as ''The Lord of the Rings, Part One.''

Critics were generally mixed in their responses to the film. Roger Ebert called Bakshi's effort a "mixed blessing" and "an entirely respectable, occasionally impressive job ... [which] still falls far short of the charm and sweep of the original story." Vincent Canby of the ''New York Times'' called the film "both numbing and impressive". Film website Rotten Tomatoes, which compiles reviews from a wide range of critics, gives the film a score of 50.

Despite criticism, the film grossed $30,471,420 at the box office[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lordoftherings78.htm] (the budget was $8 million), but United Artists, who believed the film to be a flop, refused to fund a sequel which would have completed Tolkien's story on film.

==Follow-up==
In light of the theatrical ''The Lord of the Rings, Part Two'' adaptation being scrapped, a means of "finishing" Tolkien's story and making it more complete for audiences then inadvertently fell on the [[Rankin/Bass]] animation studio (fresh on the heels of the success of its previous [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|TV adaptation of ''The Hobbit'']]) in producing an animated TV special based on the [[The Return of the King|final part]] of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Their adaptation of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]'' finished the story and answered most of the questions raised by Bakshi's animated film. Despite this, several unresolved story developments between the ending of ''The Lord of the Rings'' and the beginning of ''The Return of the King'' were left unexplained, especially the Ents' march on Isengard (along with Merry eventually taking up with the Army of Rohan, and Gandalf and Pippin's subsequent journey to Gondor), the betrayal of Frodo by Gollum, and the attack of [[Shelob]] the monster spider-creature on Frodo and Sam. It should be noted, however, that production for this Rankin/Bass follow-up had begun even before their version of ''The Hobbit'' had originally aired (let alone before Bakshi's theatrical film had premiered)[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0], so Rankin/Bass can't be entirely blamed for this flaw in continuity.

[[Warner Bros.]] (the rights holder to the post-1974 Rankin/Bass library and most of the Saul Zaentz theatrical backlog) has released ''The Hobbit,'' ''The Lord of the Rings,'' and ''The Return of the King'' on VHS and DVD, both packaged separately and as a boxed-set "trilogy" of films.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077869/ The Lord of the Rings] at [http://www.imdb.com/ IMDb]
* [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings ''The Lord of the Rings'' at Ralph Bakshi.com]
* [http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/tolkien/lord-of-the-rings.html Screen captures from the laserdisc edition]
*[http://flyingmoose.org/tolksarc/bakshi/bakshi.htm Ralph Bakshi's Lord of the Rings, Part One: A Critique] - a humorous critique of the film and satire of its shortcomings
{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)| ]]
[[de:Lord of the Rings (Zeichentrickfilm)]]
[[fi:The Lord of the Rings (1978)]]

The Hobbit (1977 film)

2013-04-07T11:15:13Z

76.113.141.81: /* Differences from the books */

{{disambig-more|The Hobbit|[[The Hobbit (disambiguation)]]}}
{{film infobox
| image=[[File:The Hobbit (1977 film) - Cover.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Hobbit
| director=[[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Rankin/Bass]]
| writer=Romeo Muller
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Maury Laws [[Glenn Yarbrough]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=
| released=[[27 November]] [[1977]]
| runtime=77 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget=$3 million
| website=
| imdb_id=tt0077687
}}'''''The Hobbit''''' was a [[1977]] animated television movie by [[Rankin/Bass]] Productions of [[The Hobbit|the book of the same name]]. It manages to retell most of the story within its 77 minute span. An LP with the soundtrack and dialog from the movie was also released in 1977 by [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]], through its Buena Vista Records label, although, by popular demand, an edited version, along with accompanying "storyteller read-alongs," was later issued for the Mouse Factory's Disneyland Records imprint.

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Role !! Actor
|-
| [[Bilbo Baggins]] || [[Orson Bean]]
|-
| [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]] || [[John Huston]]
|-
| The [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] || [[Otto Preminger]]
|-
| [[Smaug]] || [[Richard Boone]]
|-
| [[Elrond]] || [[Cyril Ritchard]]
|-
| [[Thorin]] || [[Hans Conried]]
|-
| [[Gollum]] || [[Brother Theodore]]
|-
| [[Bombur]] || [[Paul Frees]]
|-
| [[Balin]] || [[Don Messick]]
|-
| [[Gwaihir|Lord of the Eagles]] || Don Messick
|-
| [[Dori]] || [[John Stephenson]]
|-
| The [[Great Goblin]] || John Stephenson
|-
| [[Bard]] || John Stephenson
|}

The film was produced and directed by [[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] and [[Jules Bass]] and adapted for the screen by Romeo Muller; with Rankin taking on the additional duties of production designer, and Bass adapting some of Tolkien's original lyrics, as well as contributing, along with Maury Laws, an original theme song, "The Greatest Adventure (The Ballad of the Hobbit)," sung by [[Glenn Yarbrough]].

The same team, along with Bean, Huston, Theodore, Frees, Messick, and Stephenson returned for the 1980 adaption of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]''.

==Scenes==
# "[[Bilbo's Visitors]]" (4:07)
# "[[Outlining the Adventure]]" (3:53)
# "Credits" (2:20)
# "[[Troublesome Trolls]]" (3:35)
# "[[Lonely Mountain Map]]" (3:06)
# "[[Elves of Rivendell (scene)|Elves of Rivendell]]" (3:04)
# "[[Goblin Attack]]" (3:33)
# "[[Gollum's Riddler]]" (6:20)
# "[[Follow the leader]]" (4:28)
# "[[Funny Little Things]]" (2:12)
# "[[Flown to Mirkwood]]" (2:36)
# "[[Forest Diary]]" (3:04)
# "[[Spider's Web]]" (1:19)
# "[[Sting Strikes]]" (2:00)
# "[[Wood Elves (scene)|Wood Elves]]" (2:50)
# "[[Laketown (scene)|Laketown]]" (2:04)
# "[[Secret Doorway]]" (2:09)
# "[[Smaug's Lair]]" (4:14)
# "[[Weak Spot]]" (4:31)
# "[[Black Arrow's Mark]]" (3:08)
# "[[Treasure Clash]]" (2:59)
# "[[Five Armies Meet]]" (4:42)
# "[[Farewell, Thorin]]" (2:07)
# "[[Only Beginning]]" (1:50)
# "End Credits" (0:56)

== Critical Reaction ==
The movie was first broadcast on NBC in the United States, on [[26 November|November 26]], [[1977]], and was tailored to children: the story was done in a very light-hearted style, and featured a lot of songs (most of which came from the book). Much of the story was simplified and several key parts are omitted.

The art is both praised and criticized. Some reviewers regard it as a strong point of the movie. Inaccuracies in the depictions draws a lot of criticism from Tolkien fans: Gandalf has a hood instead of a hat, despite clearly being described in the book; Gollum looks like some sort of frog-creature (though the book does describe his large eyes and webbed feet); Elrond has a beard despite the book outright saying that Elves do not have beards; the [[Elves of Mirkwood|Wood-elves]], rather than being the "fair folk," are even uglier than the goblins (and the [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] has a thick German accent for some reason); Smaug is extremely hairy for being a [[Dragons|dragon]].

In 1977, NBC, Rankin and Bass won a Peabody Award for ''The Hobbit''[http://www.peabody.uga.edu/winners/PeabodyWinnersBook.pdf]. The movie was also nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in [[1978]], but lost to ''Star Wars''.

==Differences from the book==
While the movie is quite faithful to the story, it is at its core still a child-oriented musical adaptation, and therefore not a perfect adaptation of Tolkien's novel. Most of the changes are found as omissions rather than modifications of the plot.

# All the Dwarves show up with Gandalf all at once in the film rather than coming in groups the day after Gandalf meets Bilbo and puts a mark on his door.
# The company leaves Bilbo's house on ponies, but after that the ponies are not seen until they are lost in crossing the [[Misty Mountains]]. In the book, the company rode ponies from [[Bag End]] to [[Rivendell]].
# Bilbo is noticed by the Trolls as he sneaks up to steal some meat rather than disclosed by the Trolls' [[Talking purse|"talking" purse]].
# The Dwarves flee in terror from the Trolls and are picked up one at a time instead of walking blindly into the camp and being ambushed (except for Thorin, who puts up a fight).
# Gandalf apparently has the power to make the dawn come earlier and dispatching the Trolls rather than tricking them by throwing his voice.
# The Troll cave does not have a locked door like in the book.
# Gandalf gives Thorin the Map of Thrór and the key in the troll cave rather than back at Bag End.
# Up in the mountains, there are no stone giants playing games amidst the storm.
# Gandalf is missing in the cave when the goblins emerge, rather than sleeping when it happens. The Dwarves run into the tunnel rather than being grabbed.
# The Dwarves do not fight the goblins in the tunnel.
# Bilbo specifically asked Gollum what he has in his pocket rather than muttering it aloud to himself. Gollum does not even try to guess instead of demanding three guesses. Only four riddles are said in the movie (there were ten in the book).
# Bilbo pulls the ring out of his pocket after Gollum says he's looking for his "golden ring, magical ring".
# Bilbo has no trouble getting out the back door (no goblins to sneak by or tight spots to fit through).
# Rather than meet the Wargs in the forest, the goblins come with them, riding on them and wielding torches (despite the Wargs' fear of fire in the book).
# The Great Eagles do not take the company to their eyries, but to the edge of [[Mirkwood]], bypassing [[Beorn]] (who does not appears in the movie).
# The incident at the enchanted river, including [[Bombur]]'s magical sleep, is omitted.
# The feasts of the Wood-elves are omitted (yet are referred to when the Wood-elves capture the Dwarves).
# Bilbo has to fight and kill only four spiders rather than dozens and dozens. Bilbo's sword, [[Sting]], always glows in the movie regardless of whether goblins are nearby or not.
# Thorin is captured with the other Dwarves by the spiders and then the Wood-elves.
# There is no stop over from the journey via barrels from the Wood-elves' castle to [[Lake-town]].
# There is no Master in Laketown; [[Bard]] the guardsman runs the city.
# The company does not make camp at the base of the mountain.
# Balin does not go with Bilbo into the secret entrance.
# Bilbo has only one audience with Smaug and the thrush is present. Bilbo orders the thrush to seek Bard to tell him of Smaug's weakness.
# The [[Arkenstone]] and all that goes with it is omitted.
# [[Roäc]] the raven is omitted. In the book, the ravens tell the Dwarves that Smaug is slain and is sent to [[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin]] to call for assistance. In the movie, the Dwarves wait, lost inside the Lonely Mountain for a week and it is never explained why Dáin arrives at such an opportune moment.
# The company discovers the two armies coming when they are on the doorstep rather than being warned in advance.
# Since the Arkenstone is omitted, Thorin instead loses respect for Bilbo through his supposed lack of understanding of honor and war.
# Thorin and the dwarves plan a suicidal last stand against the elves and men in a pitched battle outside the mountain and are pleasantly surprised when Dáin's army arrives.
# [[Ravenhill]] is not mentioned.
# The armies in the Battle of the Five Armies are divided differently (Bilbo counts the Goblins and Wargs as one army, the Eagles are counted as a separate army).
# The Battle of the Five Armies happens differently: notably, Beorn is not there.
# In the book, only Thorin, [[Fíli]] and [[Kíli]] die from the battle, leaving 10 survivors from Thorin's company. In the movie, Thorin, Bombur and five other unnamed dwarves are all killed. (In fact, Bombur was one of the few Dwarves in the quest known to be still alive in the days of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.) [[Glóin]] is the only other dwarf whose fate is officially revealed in the movie, as he is seen covering up Thorin with a blanket after he dies. Another dwarf (who does not clearly resemble anyone from the company) then lays [[Orcrist]] on top of Thorin's body. It's possible that this could be Dáin.
# Most of the return journey, including winter at Beorn's home, a stop at Rivendell, and digging up gold they buried by the troll camp, is omitted.
# The auction back at Bag End is omitted.
# Balin and Gandalf's visit, years later, is omitted.

==Follow-up==
At the end of the film, Gandalf reveals to Bilbo that he is not only aware of Bilbo's ring, but knows that it is in fact the [[One Ring]], and foreshadows the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. In the books, the ring is not discovered to be the One Ring until ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''. Such an indication would lead one to believe that Rankin/Bass was always intending to do a follow-up using story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings''. Indeed, production had already begun on their adaptation of ''The Return of the King'' before ''The Hobbit'' had even originally aired[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0]. However, it remains a mystery as to whether or not their plans for what story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings'' were originally conceived for inclusion in this follow-up were at all affected by the 1978 [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation by Ralph Bakshi]], which was also in production at that point.

== External Links ==
* {{WP| The Hobbit (1977 film)}}
* ''[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077687/ The Hobbit]'' at [http://www.imdb.com/ IMDb]
{{films}}

{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Hobbit (1977 film)| ]]

The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)

2013-04-05T12:47:50Z

76.113.141.81: /* Differences from the book */

{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox
| image=[[Image:Bakshi-lotr.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Lord of the Rings
| director=[[Ralph Bakshi]]
| producer=[[Saul Zaentz]]
| writer=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] [[Ralph Bakshi]] [[Peter S. Beagle]] 
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Leonard Rosenman
| cinematography=Timothy Galfas
| editing=Donald W. Ernst Peter Kirby
| distributor=[[United Artists]]
| released=[[15 November|November 15]]th, [[1978]]
| runtime=132 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget= $4 million
| website=[http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings Official website]
| imdb_id=0077869
}}'''''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings''''' is an animated film produced and directed by [[Ralph Bakshi]], and released to theaters in 1978. It was an adaptation of the first half of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Bakshi's most ambitious effort (and his most famous after his animated adaptation of the underground comic ''Fritz the Cat''), the film was produced by [[Saul Zaentz]]'s Fantasy Films, but distributed to theaters by United Artists.

==Synopsis==
Long ago, in the early years of the [[Second Age]], the great Elven-smiths forged Rings of Power — Nine for mortal [[Men]], Seven for the [[Dwarves|Dwarf-lords]], and three for the fair [[Elves|Elf-rulers]]. But then, the Dark Lord [[Sauron]] learned the craft of ring-making and made the Master Ring — [[The One Ring]] to rule them all. With the One Ring, [[Middle-earth]] is his and he cannot be overcome. As the last alliance of Men and Elves fell beneath his power, the ring fell into the hands of Prince [[Isildur]] of the mighty kings from across the sea. He did not destroy the ring, and because of this, the spirit of Sauron lived on and began to take shape and grow again.

The Ring had a will of its own, and had a way of slipping from hand to hand, so that it might at last get back to its master. The Ring lay in the bottom of a lake for thousands of years. During those years, Sauron captured the nine Rings that were made for Men and turned their owners into the [[Nazgûl|Ringwraiths]]: terrible shadows under his great shadow who roamed the world searching for the One Ring.

The Ring, meanwhile, was found by two friends. One of them, [[Sméagol]], was so enticed by the Ring's power that he killed his friend [[Déagol]] to get it. Sméagol possessed the Ring for hundreds of years, during which it warped him into a twisted, gurgling wretch known only as Gollum, until his "Precious" was discovered (some might say stolen) by the hobbit [[Bilbo Baggins]].

Several years later, in a land called [[the Shire]], Bilbo is celebrating his 111th (or eleventy-first, as it is called) birthday, on the same day that his nephew [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] celebrates his 33rd birthday, (his "coming of age"). During his speech, Bilbo slips the Ring on, and confusion arises as the party notices that their host has suddenly disappeared into thin air!

[[Gandalf]] the wizard, however, knows the truth behind this act. In Bilbo's hobbit hole, Gandalf tells him to leave the Ring for Frodo, but Bilbo seems unwilling to give it up. He does, finally, agree, and leaves the Shire.

Gandalf realizes that the "magic" ring is in fact the one ring forged by Sauron, the evil lord. He knows the Shire is in danger, soon Sauron will learn that the Ring is in the possession of a Baggins and send his "wraiths" after him. Heeding Gandalf's advice, Frodo leaves his home, taking the Ring with him. He hopes to reach [[Rivendell]], where he will be safe from Sauron, and where those wiser than he can decide what to do about the Ring.
In his journey he is accompanied by three hobbit friends, [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]], and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]]. From the start they are pursued by Black Riders (Sauron's Ringwraiths or Nazgûl). Narrowly escaping these and other dangers and meeting other interesting characters en route they eventually come to [[Bree]], where they meet [[Aragorn|Strider]], another friend of Gandalf who leads them the rest of the way to Rivendell, through further hardships. Frodo is stabbed upon the mountain of [[Weathertop]] by the [[Witch-king|chief of the Nazgûl]], with a "[[Morgul blade]]" — as part of the knife stays inside him, he gets sicker on the rest of the journey.

At Rivendell, Frodo meets his uncle Bilbo whom he had not seen since he left Hobbiton years before; Bilbo seems much older and weaker, and, for a terrible moment, is once again held in sway of the Ring. Bilbo, Gandalf, and others argue about what should be done with the One Ring. Finally, Frodo stands up, and willfully volunteers to go to [[Mordor]], where the Ring can be destroyed.
Frodo sets forth from Rivendell with eight companions: two Men, [[Aragorn]] and [[Boromir]], son of the [[Stewards of Gondor|Steward]] of the land of [[Gondor]]; an [[Elves|Elven]] prince, [[Legolas]]; Frodo's old friend and powerful wizard, Gandalf; [[Gimli]] the [[Dwarves|Dwarf]]; and Frodo's original three hobbit companions. These Nine Walkers were chosen to represent all the free races of Middle-earth and as a balance to the Nine Riders.

Their attempt to cross the [[Misty Mountains]] is foiled by heavy snow, so they are forced to take a path under the mountains via [[Moria]], an ancient Dwarf kingdom, now full of [[Orcs]] and other evil creatures, where Gandalf falls into the abyss after battling a [[Durin's Bane|Balrog]].
The remaining eight members of the Fellowship then spend some time in the elf-haven of [[Lothlórien]], where they receive [[Gifts of Galadriel|gifts]] from the elf queen [[Galadriel]] that in many cases prove useful later in the quest. They leave Lórien by river, but Frodo begins to realize the Ring is having a malevolent effect on some members of the party, especially Boromir, who tries to take the Ring from Frodo. In the process, Frodo puts it on to escape him. Later, Boromir is killed by Orcs while trying to defend Merry and Pippin, whom the Orcs capture.

Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, tracking Merry and Pippin, come across the [[Rohirrim|Riders of Rohan]] who tell them that they attacked the Orcs the previous night and left no survivors.

However, Strider is able to find small prints and they follow these into [[Fangorn Forest]], where they meet a white wizard who they at first believe to be [[Saruman]], but who turns out to be their wizard friend Gandalf, whom they believed had perished in the mines of Moria. He tells them of his fall into the abyss, his battle to the death with the Balrog and his reawakening.

The four ride to Rohan's capital, [[Edoras]], and persuade King [[Théoden]] that his people are in danger. In the process, Saruman's agent in Edoras, [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]], who had been keeping Théoden subdued and weak for years, is expelled from the city. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas then travel to the defensive fortification [[Helm's Deep]] while Gandalf goes north in search of [[Éomer]]'s men in the north of [[Rohan]] to bring as reinforcements.

Hobbits Merry and Pippin escape from the Orcs who captured them when the orcs themselves are attacked by the Riders of Rohan. Merry and Pippin head into nearby Fangorn Forest where they encounter treelike giants called [[Ents]]. These guardians of the forest generally keep to themselves, but are moved to oppose the menace posed to the trees by the wizard Saruman.

At Helm's Deep, Théoden's forces resist an onslaught of Orcs and Men sent by Saruman, and Gandalf arrives the next morning with the Riders of Rohan just in time. The fleeing orcs run into a forest of [[Huorn]]s — creatures halfway between tree and Ent — and none escape. Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Gandalf and the army of Rohan then head to Saruman's stronghold at [[Isengard]].
Frodo and Sam discover Gollum stalking them as they try to reach [[Mount Doom]] to destroy the One Ring. Gollum hopes to reclaim the Ring. Sam loathes and distrusts him, but Frodo pities him, and so lets him live in return for guidance to Mount Doom. Gollum promises to lead them to a secret entrance to Mordor. Gollum, who is briefly torn between keeping his word to Frodo and reclaiming his "Precious," is ominously overheard to say "[[Shelob|''she'']] might help us..." as he leads Frodo and Sam to [[Cirith Ungol]].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Voice Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Norman Bird]] || [[Bilbo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Lucille Bliss]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[David Buck]] || [[Gimli]]
|-
| [[Simon Chandler]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Michael Graham Cox]] || [[Boromir]]
|-
| [[Annette Crosbie]] || [[Galadriel]]
|-
| [[Anthony Daniels]] || [[Legolas]]
|-
| [[Michael Deacon]] || [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]]
|-
| [[Christopher Guard]] || [[Frodo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Dominic Guard]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[John Hurt]] || [[Aragorn]]
|-
| [[Fraser Kerr]] || [[Saruman|(S)Aruman]]
|-
| [[André Morell]] || [[Elrond]]
|-
| [[Michael Scholes]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Mel Smith]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[William Squire]] || [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Philip Stone]] || [[Théoden]]
|-
| [[Alan Tilvern]] || [[Barliman Butterbur|Innkeeper]]
|-
| [[John Westbrook]] || [[Treebeard]]
|-
| [[Peter Woodthorpe]] || [[Gollum]]
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Character Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Aesop Aquarian]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sharon Baird]] || [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Stan Barrett]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Billy Barty]] || [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Herb Braha]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Hank Calia]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Albert Cirimele]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mike Clifford]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Delfino]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[David Dotson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Russ Earnest]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Louis Elias]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Fay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Carmen Filpi]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Paul Gale]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Ruth Gay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Lenny Geer]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harriett Gibson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Michael Lee Gogin]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Bob Haney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Chuck Hayward]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Art Hern]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Hice]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Loren Janes]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gary Jensen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Santy Josol]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John L]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Larry Larsen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sam Laws]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Terry Leonard]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Peter Looney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Dennis Madalone]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Tommy Madden]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Buck Maffei]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patty Maloney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jerry Maren]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harry Monty]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Morson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John A. Neris]] || [[Gandalf]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Jeri Lea Ray]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Pete Risch]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Walt Robles]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mic Rodgers]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Angelo Rossitto]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Felix Silla]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patrick Sullivan Burke]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jack Verbois]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gregg Walker]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Donn Whyte]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Trey Wilson]] || Character Actor
|}

===Scenes===
# "Credits" (0:40)
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1978 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]" (3:41)
# "[[Bilbo's Farewell]]" (2:05)
# "[[Frodo's Quest]]" (6:24)
# "[[Saruman's Sorcery]]" (2:43)
# "[[Sinister Horseman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Inn at Bree]]" (3:52)
# "[[Aragorn's Vow]]" (3:54)
# "[[Black Riders Invade]]" (2:50)
# "[[Rider Swordsman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Cornered]]" (5:59)
# "[[Wall of Water]]" (2:39)
# "[[Gandalf's Update]]" (2:51)
# "[[Coucil of Elrond (scene)|Council of Elrond]]" (4:39)
# "[[Frodo's Quest Renewed]]" (2:19)
# "[[Change in Route]]" (2:40)
# "[[Grabbed at the Gateway]]" (2:44)
# "[[Inside the Mine]]" (3:04)
# "[[Under Siege]]" (3:51)
# "[[Balrog Strikes]]" (0:39)
# "[[Homage to Gandalf]]" (3:27)
# "[[Galadriel's Test]]" (3:05)
# "[[Borimir's Madness]]" ''(sic)'' (4:21)
# "[[Borimir's Sacrifice]]" ''(sic)'' (0:49)
# "[[Following the Orcs]]" (5:12)
# "[[Whiteskins Attack]]" (4:55)
# "[[The Gollum]]" (1:36)
# "[[Escape in Mid-battle]]" (4:38)
# "[[Treebeard (1978 scene)|Treebeard]]" (3:24)
# "[[Back from the Abyss]]" (1:55)
# "[[Theoden of Rohan]]" (3:48)
# "[[Gollum gets Touchy]]" (4:57)
# "[[The Orcs Advance]]" (4:42)
# "[[Cave Retreat]]" (4:36)
# "[[Two Weary Hobbits]]" (2:50)
# "[[Outnumbered]]" (2:05)
# "[[Gandalf Triumphant]]" (3:19)
# "End Credits" (2:34)

== Differences from the book ==
The movie makes a few deviations from the book, but overall follows Tolkien's narrative quite closely. Many parts of the novel explaining the transition from one part of the plot to another were omitted which makes the middle part of the movie somewhat difficult to follow, if the viewer is unfamiliar with the story.
* In the film's prologue it is suggested that the Elves created the 19 [[Rings of Power]] for their Kings, Dwarves and Men. Sauron then ''learned'' the craft of ring-making ''after'' that. In the original story it is Sauron who teaches the Elven smiths this ability, and only after their defiance he distributed them to Dwarves and Men.
* Another deviation suggests that the last alliance of men and elves was losing the war which contradicts the original story.
* As in Tolkien's novel, Saruman the White adopts the title "Saruman of Many Colours"; however, his robes are neither white nor multi-colored, but red.
*Saruman is sometimes called "Aruman". It is believed that this name was meant to eliminate confusion with Sauron, although this is not done consistently.
* The scene where the Nazgûl arrive in the hobbits' room at the Prancing Pony and begin slashing at their beds only to find that they are not there, and pillows have been placed to form the figures of their bodies is not in the book. A passage does appear that states that hobbit beds wind up slashed during the night, but the townsfolk of Bree are the perpetrators, not the Nazgûl. This scene also appears in Jackson's version.
* Just as in Jackson's films, the [[Glorfindel|first elf]] that the hobbits and Aragorn encounter on their journey is changed -- this time to [[Legolas]].
* Like Jackson's films, Bakshi's film does not include the character of [[Tom Bombadil]] (presumably, as with the former, for pacing reasons, as well as to intensify the Nazgûl's threat to the hobbits).
* [[Arwen]] does not appear, nor is she mentioned.
* Aragorn carries a broken sword (presumably [[Narsil]]) up to the Rivendell section of the story where he presents it to the council. However, the sword's reforging into Andúril is never shown (or mentioned) in the film, even though Aragorn carries an unbroken blade for the remainder of the film.
* Gimli appears to be about the same height as the rest of the non-hobbits in the Fellowship.
* There is no mention of the Uruk-hai in the film, or, at least, they are not differentiated from the Orcs.
* [[Éowyn]] makes only a brief appearance and has no spoken dialogue.
* While [[Éomer]] is mentioned, he is never officially identified (thus, he also has no spoken dialogue). Also, as in the Jackson films, it is ''he'' and his forces with whom Gandalf arrives near the end of the Battle of Helm's Deep instead of [[Erkenbrand]]'s. Éomer and his men are also portrayed as sort of rogue warriors in this film with no direct affiliation to Rohan.
* [[Faramir]] does not appear, nor is he mentioned.
* The "Fires of Isengard" appear as magical projectiles.

== Production ==
===Animation===
Much of the film used live-action footage which was then rotoscoped to produce an animated look [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/38.html] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/39.html]. This saved production costs and arguably gave the animated characters a more realistic look. For the live-action portion of the production, Bakshi and his cast and crew arrived in Spain where the rotoscope models acted out their parts in costume. The actions of [[Bilbo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] were performed by [[Billy Barty]], [[Sharon Baird]] performed the part of [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[John A. Neris]] was Gandalf[http://books.google.com/books?id=fTI1yeZd-tkC&pg=PA154&lpg=PA154&dq=%22aesop+aquarian%22+%22billy+barty%22+%22sharon+baird%22&source=web&ots=C5jvDP0VA9&sig=_W2bXiWtu0mfcOJYZOxMBjapJR8&hl=nl&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result].

Of the rotoscoping, Bakshi said "I didn't start thinking about shooting the film totally in live action until I saw it really start to work so well. I learned lots of things about the process, like rippling. One scene, some figures were standing on a hill and a big gust of wind came up and the shadows moved back and forth on the clothes and it was unbelievable in animation. I don't think I could get the feeling of cold on the screen without showing snow or an icicle on some guy's nose. The characters have weight and they move correctly."

"Making two pictures (the live action reference and the actual animated feature) in two years is crazy. Most directors when they finish editing, they are finished; we were just starting. I got more than I expected. The crew is young. The crew loves it. If the crew loves it, it's usually a great sign. They aren't older animators trying to snow me for jobs next year."[http://www.jimhillmedia.com/article_printer.php?id=768]

Following the live-action shoot, each frame of the live footage was then broken down into individual frames, and then printed out, and placed behind animation cels. The details of each frame were copied and painted onto cels. Both the live-action and animated sequences were storyboarded. [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=20] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=10] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=11]
===Voice cast===
After finishing in Spain, Bakshi went to the [[BBC]]'s recording studios in London. He cast several stars - William Squire, John Hurt - and used several of the BBC Repertory Company's stock actors, like Peter Woodthorpe, Anthony Daniels, Norman Bird and Michael Graham Cox. The actors recorded the lines with each other, but were required to pause for two seconds after each line, to smoothen the recording. This caused some stilted dialogue in the finished product[http://www.anthonydaniels.com/qa/index.html].

==Reception==
The film was originally intended to be distributed as '''''The Lord of the Rings, Part One''''', but United Artists dropped the "Part One" from the title, believing moviegoers would not pay full ticket prices to see half a movie. Says Ralph Bakshi: "United Artists at that time was terrified to say 'Part One.' I remember sitting in meetings screaming my head off saying, 'You can't do this!' Had it said 'Part One,' I think everyone would have respected it. But because it didn't say 'Part One,' everyone came in expecting to see the entire three books, and that's where the confusion comes in" [http://www.tolkiengesellschaft.de/v4/alleszutolkien/filme/bakshi/bakshisoutingheute.shtml]. In interviews, Bakshi sometimes referred to the film as ''The Lord of the Rings, Part One.''

Critics were generally mixed in their responses to the film. Roger Ebert called Bakshi's effort a "mixed blessing" and "an entirely respectable, occasionally impressive job ... [which] still falls far short of the charm and sweep of the original story." Vincent Canby of the ''New York Times'' called the film "both numbing and impressive". Film website Rotten Tomatoes, which compiles reviews from a wide range of critics, gives the film a score of 50.

Despite criticism, the film grossed $30,471,420 at the box office[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lordoftherings78.htm] (the budget was $8 million), but United Artists, who believed the film to be a flop, refused to fund a sequel which would have completed Tolkien's story on film.

==Follow-up==
In light of the theatrical ''The Lord of the Rings, Part Two'' adaptation being scrapped, a means of "finishing" Tolkien's story and making it more complete for audiences then inadvertently fell on the [[Rankin/Bass]] animation studio (fresh on the heels of the success of its previous [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|TV adaptation of ''The Hobbit'']]) in producing an animated TV special based on the [[The Return of the King|final part]] of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Their adaptation of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]'' finished the story and answered most of the questions raised by Bakshi's animated film. Despite this, several unresolved story developments between the ending of ''The Lord of the Rings'' and the beginning of ''The Return of the King'' were left unexplained, especially the Ents' march on Isengard (along with Merry eventually taking up with the Army of Rohan, and Gandalf and Pippin's subsequent journey to Gondor), the betrayal of Frodo by Gollum, and the attack of [[Shelob]] the monster spider-creature on Frodo and Sam. It should be noted, however, that production for this Rankin/Bass follow-up had begun even before their version of ''The Hobbit'' had originally aired (let alone before Bakshi's theatrical film had premiered)[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0], so Rankin/Bass can't be entirely blamed for this flaw in continuity.

[[Warner Bros.]] (the rights holder to the post-1974 Rankin/Bass library and most of the Saul Zaentz theatrical backlog) has released ''The Hobbit,'' ''The Lord of the Rings,'' and ''The Return of the King'' on VHS and DVD, both packaged separately and as a boxed-set "trilogy" of films.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077869/ The Lord of the Rings] at [http://www.imdb.com/ IMDb]
* [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings ''The Lord of the Rings'' at Ralph Bakshi.com]
* [http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/tolkien/lord-of-the-rings.html Screen captures from the laserdisc edition]
*[http://flyingmoose.org/tolksarc/bakshi/bakshi.htm Ralph Bakshi's Lord of the Rings, Part One: A Critique] - a humorous critique of the film and satire of its shortcomings
{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)| ]]
[[de:Lord of the Rings (Zeichentrickfilm)]]
[[fi:The Lord of the Rings (1978)]]

The Hobbit (1977 film)

2013-04-05T12:05:00Z

76.113.141.81: /* Follow-up */

{{disambig-more|The Hobbit|[[The Hobbit (disambiguation)]]}}
{{film infobox
| image=[[File:The Hobbit (1977 film) - Cover.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Hobbit
| director=[[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Rankin/Bass]]
| writer=Romeo Muller
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Maury Laws [[Glenn Yarbrough]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=
| released=[[27 November]] [[1977]]
| runtime=77 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget=$3 million
| website=
| imdb_id=tt0077687
}}'''''The Hobbit''''' was a [[1977]] animated television movie by [[Rankin/Bass]] Productions of [[The Hobbit|the book of the same name]]. It manages to retell most of the story within its 77 minute span. An LP with the soundtrack and dialog from the movie was also released in 1977 by [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]], through its Buena Vista Records label, although, by popular demand, an edited version, along with accompanying "storyteller read-alongs," was later issued for the Mouse Factory's Disneyland Records imprint.

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Role !! Actor
|-
| [[Bilbo Baggins]] || [[Orson Bean]]
|-
| [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]] || [[John Huston]]
|-
| The [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] || [[Otto Preminger]]
|-
| [[Smaug]] || [[Richard Boone]]
|-
| [[Elrond]] || [[Cyril Ritchard]]
|-
| [[Thorin]] || [[Hans Conried]]
|-
| [[Gollum]] || [[Brother Theodore]]
|-
| [[Bombur]] || [[Paul Frees]]
|-
| [[Balin]] || [[Don Messick]]
|-
| [[Gwaihir|Lord of the Eagles]] || Don Messick
|-
| [[Dori]] || [[John Stephenson]]
|-
| The [[Great Goblin]] || John Stephenson
|-
| [[Bard]] || John Stephenson
|}

The film was produced and directed by [[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] and [[Jules Bass]] and adapted for the screen by Romeo Muller; with Rankin taking on the additional duties of production designer, and Bass adapting some of Tolkien's original lyrics, as well as contributing, along with Maury Laws, an original theme song, "The Greatest Adventure (The Ballad of the Hobbit)," sung by [[Glenn Yarbrough]].

The same team, along with Bean, Huston, Theodore, Frees, Messick, and Stephenson returned for the 1980 adaption of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]''.

==Scenes==
# "[[Bilbo's Visitors]]" (4:07)
# "[[Outlining the Adventure]]" (3:53)
# "Credits" (2:20)
# "[[Troublesome Trolls]]" (3:35)
# "[[Lonely Mountain Map]]" (3:06)
# "[[Elves of Rivendell (scene)|Elves of Rivendell]]" (3:04)
# "[[Goblin Attack]]" (3:33)
# "[[Gollum's Riddler]]" (6:20)
# "[[Follow the leader]]" (4:28)
# "[[Funny Little Things]]" (2:12)
# "[[Flown to Mirkwood]]" (2:36)
# "[[Forest Diary]]" (3:04)
# "[[Spider's Web]]" (1:19)
# "[[Sting Strikes]]" (2:00)
# "[[Wood Elves (scene)|Wood Elves]]" (2:50)
# "[[Laketown (scene)|Laketown]]" (2:04)
# "[[Secret Doorway]]" (2:09)
# "[[Smaug's Lair]]" (4:14)
# "[[Weak Spot]]" (4:31)
# "[[Black Arrow's Mark]]" (3:08)
# "[[Treasure Clash]]" (2:59)
# "[[Five Armies Meet]]" (4:42)
# "[[Farewell, Thorin]]" (2:07)
# "[[Only Beginning]]" (1:50)
# "End Credits" (0:56)

== Critical Reaction ==
The movie was first broadcast on NBC in the United States, on [[26 November|November 26]], [[1977]], and was tailored to children: the story was done in a very light-hearted style, and featured a lot of songs (most of which came from the book). Much of the story was simplified and several key parts are omitted.

The art is both praised and criticized. Some reviewers regard it as a strong point of the movie. Inaccuracies in the depictions draws a lot of criticism from Tolkien fans: Gandalf has a hood instead of a hat, despite clearly being described in the book; Gollum looks like some sort of frog-creature (though the book does describe his large eyes and webbed feet); Elrond has a beard despite the book outright saying that Elves do not have beards; the [[Elves of Mirkwood|Wood-elves]], rather than being the "fair folk," are even uglier than the goblins (and the [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] has a thick German accent for some reason); Smaug is extremely hairy for being a [[Dragons|dragon]].

In 1977, NBC, Rankin and Bass won a Peabody Award for ''The Hobbit''[http://www.peabody.uga.edu/winners/PeabodyWinnersBook.pdf]. The movie was also nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in [[1978]], but lost to ''Star Wars''.

==Differences from the books==
While the movie is quite faithful to the story, it is at its core still a child-oriented musical adaptation, and therefore not a perfect adaptation of Tolkien's novel. Most of the changes are found as omissions rather than modifications of the plot.

# All the Dwarves show up with Gandalf all at once in the film rather than coming in groups the day after Gandalf meets Bilbo and puts a mark on his door.
# The company leaves Bilbo's house on ponies, but after that the ponies are not seen until they are lost in crossing the [[Misty Mountains]]. In the book, the company rode ponies from [[Bag End]] to [[Rivendell]].
# Bilbo is noticed by the Trolls as he sneaks up to steal some meat rather than disclosed by the Trolls' [[Talking purse|"talking" purse]].
# The Dwarves flee in terror from the Trolls and are picked up one at a time instead of walking blindly into the camp and being ambushed (except for Thorin, who puts up a fight).
# Gandalf apparently has the power to make the dawn come earlier and dispatching the Trolls rather than tricking them by throwing his voice.
# The Troll cave does not have a locked door like in the book.
# Gandalf gives Thorin the Map of Thrór and the key in the troll cave rather than back at Bag End.
# Up in the mountains, there are no stone giants playing games amidst the storm.
# Gandalf is missing in the cave when the goblins emerge, rather than sleeping when it happens. The Dwarves run into the tunnel rather than being grabbed.
# The Dwarves do not fight the goblins in the tunnel.
# Bilbo specifically asked Gollum what he has in his pocket rather than muttering it aloud to himself. Gollum does not even try to guess instead of demanding three guesses. Only four riddles are said in the movie (there were ten in the book).
# Bilbo pulls the ring out of his pocket after Gollum says he's looking for his "golden ring, magical ring".
# Bilbo has no trouble getting out the back door (no goblins to sneak by or tight spots to fit through).
# Rather than meet the Wargs in the forest, the goblins come with them, riding on them and wielding torches (despite the Wargs' fear of fire in the book).
# The Great Eagles do not take the company to their eyries, but to the edge of [[Mirkwood]], bypassing [[Beorn]] (who does not appears in the movie).
# The incident at the enchanted river, including [[Bombur]]'s magical sleep, is omitted.
# The feasts of the Wood-elves are omitted (yet are referred to when the Wood-elves capture the Dwarves).
# Bilbo has to fight and kill only four spiders rather than dozens and dozens. Bilbo's sword, [[Sting]], always glows in the movie regardless of whether goblins are nearby or not.
# Thorin is captured with the other Dwarves by the spiders and then the Wood-elves.
# There is no stop over from the journey via barrels from the Wood-elves' castle to [[Lake-town]].
# There is no Master in Laketown; [[Bard]] the guardsman runs the city.
# The company does not make camp at the base of the mountain.
# Balin does not go with Bilbo into the secret entrance.
# Bilbo has only one audience with Smaug and the thrush is present. Bilbo orders the thrush to seek Bard to tell him of Smaug's weakness.
# The [[Arkenstone]] and all that goes with it is omitted.
# [[Roäc]] the raven is omitted. In the book, the ravens tell the Dwarves that Smaug is slain and is sent to [[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin]] to call for assistance. In the movie, the Dwarves wait, lost inside the Lonely Mountain for a week and it is never explained why Dáin arrives at such an opportune moment.
# The company discovers the two armies coming when they are on the doorstep rather than being warned in advance.
# Since the Arkenstone is omitted, Thorin instead loses respect for Bilbo through his supposed lack of understanding of honor and war.
# Thorin and the dwarves plan a suicidal last stand against the elves and men in a pitched battle outside the mountain and are pleasantly surprised when Dáin's army arrives.
# [[Ravenhill]] is not mentioned.
# The armies in the Battle of the Five Armies are divided differently (Bilbo counts the Goblins and Wargs as one army, the Eagles are counted as a separate army).
# The Battle of the Five Armies happens differently: notably, Beorn is not there.
# In the book, only Thorin, [[Fíli]] and [[Kíli]] die from the battle, leaving 10 survivors from Thorin's company. In the movie, Thorin, Bombur and five other unnamed dwarves are all killed. (In fact, Bombur was one of the few Dwarves in the quest known to be still alive in the days of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.) [[Glóin]] is the only other dwarf whose fate is officially revealed in the movie, as he is seen covering up Thorin with a blanket after he dies. Another dwarf (who does not clearly resemble anyone from the company) then lays [[Orcrist]] on top of Thorin's body. It's possible that this could be Dáin.
# Most of the return journey, including winter at Beorn's home, a stop at Rivendell, and digging up gold they buried by the troll camp, is omitted.
# The auction back at Bag End is omitted.
# Balin and Gandalf's visit, years later, is omitted.

==Follow-up==
At the end of the film, Gandalf reveals to Bilbo that he is not only aware of Bilbo's ring, but knows that it is in fact the [[One Ring]], and foreshadows the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. In the books, the ring is not discovered to be the One Ring until ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''. Such an indication would lead one to believe that Rankin/Bass was always intending to do a follow-up using story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings''. Indeed, production had already begun on their adaptation of ''The Return of the King'' before ''The Hobbit'' had even originally aired[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0]. However, it remains a mystery as to whether or not their plans for what story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings'' were originally conceived for inclusion in this follow-up were at all affected by the 1978 [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation by Ralph Bakshi]], which was also in production at that point.

== External Links ==
* {{WP| The Hobbit (1977 film)}}
* ''[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077687/ The Hobbit]'' at [http://www.imdb.com/ IMDb]
{{films}}

{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Hobbit (1977 film)| ]]

The Hobbit (1977 film)

2013-04-05T11:36:34Z

76.113.141.81: /* External Links */

{{disambig-more|The Hobbit|[[The Hobbit (disambiguation)]]}}
{{film infobox
| image=[[File:The Hobbit (1977 film) - Cover.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Hobbit
| director=[[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Rankin/Bass]]
| writer=Romeo Muller
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Maury Laws [[Glenn Yarbrough]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=
| released=[[27 November]] [[1977]]
| runtime=77 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget=$3 million
| website=
| imdb_id=tt0077687
}}'''''The Hobbit''''' was a [[1977]] animated television movie by [[Rankin/Bass]] Productions of [[The Hobbit|the book of the same name]]. It manages to retell most of the story within its 77 minute span. An LP with the soundtrack and dialog from the movie was also released in 1977 by [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]], through its Buena Vista Records label, although, by popular demand, an edited version, along with accompanying "storyteller read-alongs," was later issued for the Mouse Factory's Disneyland Records imprint.

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Role !! Actor
|-
| [[Bilbo Baggins]] || [[Orson Bean]]
|-
| [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]] || [[John Huston]]
|-
| The [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] || [[Otto Preminger]]
|-
| [[Smaug]] || [[Richard Boone]]
|-
| [[Elrond]] || [[Cyril Ritchard]]
|-
| [[Thorin]] || [[Hans Conried]]
|-
| [[Gollum]] || [[Brother Theodore]]
|-
| [[Bombur]] || [[Paul Frees]]
|-
| [[Balin]] || [[Don Messick]]
|-
| [[Gwaihir|Lord of the Eagles]] || Don Messick
|-
| [[Dori]] || [[John Stephenson]]
|-
| The [[Great Goblin]] || John Stephenson
|-
| [[Bard]] || John Stephenson
|}

The film was produced and directed by [[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] and [[Jules Bass]] and adapted for the screen by Romeo Muller; with Rankin taking on the additional duties of production designer, and Bass adapting some of Tolkien's original lyrics, as well as contributing, along with Maury Laws, an original theme song, "The Greatest Adventure (The Ballad of the Hobbit)," sung by [[Glenn Yarbrough]].

The same team, along with Bean, Huston, Theodore, Frees, Messick, and Stephenson returned for the 1980 adaption of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]''.

==Scenes==
# "[[Bilbo's Visitors]]" (4:07)
# "[[Outlining the Adventure]]" (3:53)
# "Credits" (2:20)
# "[[Troublesome Trolls]]" (3:35)
# "[[Lonely Mountain Map]]" (3:06)
# "[[Elves of Rivendell (scene)|Elves of Rivendell]]" (3:04)
# "[[Goblin Attack]]" (3:33)
# "[[Gollum's Riddler]]" (6:20)
# "[[Follow the leader]]" (4:28)
# "[[Funny Little Things]]" (2:12)
# "[[Flown to Mirkwood]]" (2:36)
# "[[Forest Diary]]" (3:04)
# "[[Spider's Web]]" (1:19)
# "[[Sting Strikes]]" (2:00)
# "[[Wood Elves (scene)|Wood Elves]]" (2:50)
# "[[Laketown (scene)|Laketown]]" (2:04)
# "[[Secret Doorway]]" (2:09)
# "[[Smaug's Lair]]" (4:14)
# "[[Weak Spot]]" (4:31)
# "[[Black Arrow's Mark]]" (3:08)
# "[[Treasure Clash]]" (2:59)
# "[[Five Armies Meet]]" (4:42)
# "[[Farewell, Thorin]]" (2:07)
# "[[Only Beginning]]" (1:50)
# "End Credits" (0:56)

== Critical Reaction ==
The movie was first broadcast on NBC in the United States, on [[26 November|November 26]], [[1977]], and was tailored to children: the story was done in a very light-hearted style, and featured a lot of songs (most of which came from the book). Much of the story was simplified and several key parts are omitted.

The art is both praised and criticized. Some reviewers regard it as a strong point of the movie. Inaccuracies in the depictions draws a lot of criticism from Tolkien fans: Gandalf has a hood instead of a hat, despite clearly being described in the book; Gollum looks like some sort of frog-creature (though the book does describe his large eyes and webbed feet); Elrond has a beard despite the book outright saying that Elves do not have beards; the [[Elves of Mirkwood|Wood-elves]], rather than being the "fair folk," are even uglier than the goblins (and the [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] has a thick German accent for some reason); Smaug is extremely hairy for being a [[Dragons|dragon]].

In 1977, NBC, Rankin and Bass won a Peabody Award for ''The Hobbit''[http://www.peabody.uga.edu/winners/PeabodyWinnersBook.pdf]. The movie was also nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in [[1978]], but lost to ''Star Wars''.

==Differences from the books==
While the movie is quite faithful to the story, it is at its core still a child-oriented musical adaptation, and therefore not a perfect adaptation of Tolkien's novel. Most of the changes are found as omissions rather than modifications of the plot.

# All the Dwarves show up with Gandalf all at once in the film rather than coming in groups the day after Gandalf meets Bilbo and puts a mark on his door.
# The company leaves Bilbo's house on ponies, but after that the ponies are not seen until they are lost in crossing the [[Misty Mountains]]. In the book, the company rode ponies from [[Bag End]] to [[Rivendell]].
# Bilbo is noticed by the Trolls as he sneaks up to steal some meat rather than disclosed by the Trolls' [[Talking purse|"talking" purse]].
# The Dwarves flee in terror from the Trolls and are picked up one at a time instead of walking blindly into the camp and being ambushed (except for Thorin, who puts up a fight).
# Gandalf apparently has the power to make the dawn come earlier and dispatching the Trolls rather than tricking them by throwing his voice.
# The Troll cave does not have a locked door like in the book.
# Gandalf gives Thorin the Map of Thrór and the key in the troll cave rather than back at Bag End.
# Up in the mountains, there are no stone giants playing games amidst the storm.
# Gandalf is missing in the cave when the goblins emerge, rather than sleeping when it happens. The Dwarves run into the tunnel rather than being grabbed.
# The Dwarves do not fight the goblins in the tunnel.
# Bilbo specifically asked Gollum what he has in his pocket rather than muttering it aloud to himself. Gollum does not even try to guess instead of demanding three guesses. Only four riddles are said in the movie (there were ten in the book).
# Bilbo pulls the ring out of his pocket after Gollum says he's looking for his "golden ring, magical ring".
# Bilbo has no trouble getting out the back door (no goblins to sneak by or tight spots to fit through).
# Rather than meet the Wargs in the forest, the goblins come with them, riding on them and wielding torches (despite the Wargs' fear of fire in the book).
# The Great Eagles do not take the company to their eyries, but to the edge of [[Mirkwood]], bypassing [[Beorn]] (who does not appears in the movie).
# The incident at the enchanted river, including [[Bombur]]'s magical sleep, is omitted.
# The feasts of the Wood-elves are omitted (yet are referred to when the Wood-elves capture the Dwarves).
# Bilbo has to fight and kill only four spiders rather than dozens and dozens. Bilbo's sword, [[Sting]], always glows in the movie regardless of whether goblins are nearby or not.
# Thorin is captured with the other Dwarves by the spiders and then the Wood-elves.
# There is no stop over from the journey via barrels from the Wood-elves' castle to [[Lake-town]].
# There is no Master in Laketown; [[Bard]] the guardsman runs the city.
# The company does not make camp at the base of the mountain.
# Balin does not go with Bilbo into the secret entrance.
# Bilbo has only one audience with Smaug and the thrush is present. Bilbo orders the thrush to seek Bard to tell him of Smaug's weakness.
# The [[Arkenstone]] and all that goes with it is omitted.
# [[Roäc]] the raven is omitted. In the book, the ravens tell the Dwarves that Smaug is slain and is sent to [[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin]] to call for assistance. In the movie, the Dwarves wait, lost inside the Lonely Mountain for a week and it is never explained why Dáin arrives at such an opportune moment.
# The company discovers the two armies coming when they are on the doorstep rather than being warned in advance.
# Since the Arkenstone is omitted, Thorin instead loses respect for Bilbo through his supposed lack of understanding of honor and war.
# Thorin and the dwarves plan a suicidal last stand against the elves and men in a pitched battle outside the mountain and are pleasantly surprised when Dáin's army arrives.
# [[Ravenhill]] is not mentioned.
# The armies in the Battle of the Five Armies are divided differently (Bilbo counts the Goblins and Wargs as one army, the Eagles are counted as a separate army).
# The Battle of the Five Armies happens differently: notably, Beorn is not there.
# In the book, only Thorin, [[Fíli]] and [[Kíli]] die from the battle, leaving 10 survivors from Thorin's company. In the movie, Thorin, Bombur and five other unnamed dwarves are all killed. (In fact, Bombur was one of the few Dwarves in the quest known to be still alive in the days of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.) [[Glóin]] is the only other dwarf whose fate is officially revealed in the movie, as he is seen covering up Thorin with a blanket after he dies. Another dwarf (who does not clearly resemble anyone from the company) then lays [[Orcrist]] on top of Thorin's body. It's possible that this could be Dáin.
# Most of the return journey, including winter at Beorn's home, a stop at Rivendell, and digging up gold they buried by the troll camp, is omitted.
# The auction back at Bag End is omitted.
# Balin and Gandalf's visit, years later, is omitted.

==Follow-up==
At the end of the film, Gandalf reveals to Bilbo that he is not only aware of Bilbo's ring, but knows that it is in fact the [[One Ring]], and foreshadows the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. In the books, the ring is not discovered to be the One Ring until ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''. Such an indication would lead one to believe that Rankin/Bass was always intending to do a follow-up using story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings''. Indeed, production had already begun on their adaptation of ''The Return of the King'' before ''The Hobbit'' had even originally aired. [http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0] However, it remains a mystery as to whether or not their plans for what story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings'' were originally conceived for inclusion in this follow-up were at all affected by the 1978 [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation by Ralph Bakshi]], which was also in production at that point.

== External Links ==
* {{WP| The Hobbit (1977 film)}}
* ''[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077687/ The Hobbit]'' at [http://www.imdb.com/ IMDb]
{{films}}

{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Hobbit (1977 film)| ]]

The Hobbit (1977 film)

2013-04-05T11:35:52Z

76.113.141.81: /* External Links */

{{disambig-more|The Hobbit|[[The Hobbit (disambiguation)]]}}
{{film infobox
| image=[[File:The Hobbit (1977 film) - Cover.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Hobbit
| director=[[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Rankin/Bass]]
| writer=Romeo Muller
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Maury Laws [[Glenn Yarbrough]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=
| released=[[27 November]] [[1977]]
| runtime=77 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget=$3 million
| website=
| imdb_id=tt0077687
}}'''''The Hobbit''''' was a [[1977]] animated television movie by [[Rankin/Bass]] Productions of [[The Hobbit|the book of the same name]]. It manages to retell most of the story within its 77 minute span. An LP with the soundtrack and dialog from the movie was also released in 1977 by [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]], through its Buena Vista Records label, although, by popular demand, an edited version, along with accompanying "storyteller read-alongs," was later issued for the Mouse Factory's Disneyland Records imprint.

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Role !! Actor
|-
| [[Bilbo Baggins]] || [[Orson Bean]]
|-
| [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]] || [[John Huston]]
|-
| The [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] || [[Otto Preminger]]
|-
| [[Smaug]] || [[Richard Boone]]
|-
| [[Elrond]] || [[Cyril Ritchard]]
|-
| [[Thorin]] || [[Hans Conried]]
|-
| [[Gollum]] || [[Brother Theodore]]
|-
| [[Bombur]] || [[Paul Frees]]
|-
| [[Balin]] || [[Don Messick]]
|-
| [[Gwaihir|Lord of the Eagles]] || Don Messick
|-
| [[Dori]] || [[John Stephenson]]
|-
| The [[Great Goblin]] || John Stephenson
|-
| [[Bard]] || John Stephenson
|}

The film was produced and directed by [[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] and [[Jules Bass]] and adapted for the screen by Romeo Muller; with Rankin taking on the additional duties of production designer, and Bass adapting some of Tolkien's original lyrics, as well as contributing, along with Maury Laws, an original theme song, "The Greatest Adventure (The Ballad of the Hobbit)," sung by [[Glenn Yarbrough]].

The same team, along with Bean, Huston, Theodore, Frees, Messick, and Stephenson returned for the 1980 adaption of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]''.

==Scenes==
# "[[Bilbo's Visitors]]" (4:07)
# "[[Outlining the Adventure]]" (3:53)
# "Credits" (2:20)
# "[[Troublesome Trolls]]" (3:35)
# "[[Lonely Mountain Map]]" (3:06)
# "[[Elves of Rivendell (scene)|Elves of Rivendell]]" (3:04)
# "[[Goblin Attack]]" (3:33)
# "[[Gollum's Riddler]]" (6:20)
# "[[Follow the leader]]" (4:28)
# "[[Funny Little Things]]" (2:12)
# "[[Flown to Mirkwood]]" (2:36)
# "[[Forest Diary]]" (3:04)
# "[[Spider's Web]]" (1:19)
# "[[Sting Strikes]]" (2:00)
# "[[Wood Elves (scene)|Wood Elves]]" (2:50)
# "[[Laketown (scene)|Laketown]]" (2:04)
# "[[Secret Doorway]]" (2:09)
# "[[Smaug's Lair]]" (4:14)
# "[[Weak Spot]]" (4:31)
# "[[Black Arrow's Mark]]" (3:08)
# "[[Treasure Clash]]" (2:59)
# "[[Five Armies Meet]]" (4:42)
# "[[Farewell, Thorin]]" (2:07)
# "[[Only Beginning]]" (1:50)
# "End Credits" (0:56)

== Critical Reaction ==
The movie was first broadcast on NBC in the United States, on [[26 November|November 26]], [[1977]], and was tailored to children: the story was done in a very light-hearted style, and featured a lot of songs (most of which came from the book). Much of the story was simplified and several key parts are omitted.

The art is both praised and criticized. Some reviewers regard it as a strong point of the movie. Inaccuracies in the depictions draws a lot of criticism from Tolkien fans: Gandalf has a hood instead of a hat, despite clearly being described in the book; Gollum looks like some sort of frog-creature (though the book does describe his large eyes and webbed feet); Elrond has a beard despite the book outright saying that Elves do not have beards; the [[Elves of Mirkwood|Wood-elves]], rather than being the "fair folk," are even uglier than the goblins (and the [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] has a thick German accent for some reason); Smaug is extremely hairy for being a [[Dragons|dragon]].

In 1977, NBC, Rankin and Bass won a Peabody Award for ''The Hobbit''[http://www.peabody.uga.edu/winners/PeabodyWinnersBook.pdf]. The movie was also nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in [[1978]], but lost to ''Star Wars''.

==Differences from the books==
While the movie is quite faithful to the story, it is at its core still a child-oriented musical adaptation, and therefore not a perfect adaptation of Tolkien's novel. Most of the changes are found as omissions rather than modifications of the plot.

# All the Dwarves show up with Gandalf all at once in the film rather than coming in groups the day after Gandalf meets Bilbo and puts a mark on his door.
# The company leaves Bilbo's house on ponies, but after that the ponies are not seen until they are lost in crossing the [[Misty Mountains]]. In the book, the company rode ponies from [[Bag End]] to [[Rivendell]].
# Bilbo is noticed by the Trolls as he sneaks up to steal some meat rather than disclosed by the Trolls' [[Talking purse|"talking" purse]].
# The Dwarves flee in terror from the Trolls and are picked up one at a time instead of walking blindly into the camp and being ambushed (except for Thorin, who puts up a fight).
# Gandalf apparently has the power to make the dawn come earlier and dispatching the Trolls rather than tricking them by throwing his voice.
# The Troll cave does not have a locked door like in the book.
# Gandalf gives Thorin the Map of Thrór and the key in the troll cave rather than back at Bag End.
# Up in the mountains, there are no stone giants playing games amidst the storm.
# Gandalf is missing in the cave when the goblins emerge, rather than sleeping when it happens. The Dwarves run into the tunnel rather than being grabbed.
# The Dwarves do not fight the goblins in the tunnel.
# Bilbo specifically asked Gollum what he has in his pocket rather than muttering it aloud to himself. Gollum does not even try to guess instead of demanding three guesses. Only four riddles are said in the movie (there were ten in the book).
# Bilbo pulls the ring out of his pocket after Gollum says he's looking for his "golden ring, magical ring".
# Bilbo has no trouble getting out the back door (no goblins to sneak by or tight spots to fit through).
# Rather than meet the Wargs in the forest, the goblins come with them, riding on them and wielding torches (despite the Wargs' fear of fire in the book).
# The Great Eagles do not take the company to their eyries, but to the edge of [[Mirkwood]], bypassing [[Beorn]] (who does not appears in the movie).
# The incident at the enchanted river, including [[Bombur]]'s magical sleep, is omitted.
# The feasts of the Wood-elves are omitted (yet are referred to when the Wood-elves capture the Dwarves).
# Bilbo has to fight and kill only four spiders rather than dozens and dozens. Bilbo's sword, [[Sting]], always glows in the movie regardless of whether goblins are nearby or not.
# Thorin is captured with the other Dwarves by the spiders and then the Wood-elves.
# There is no stop over from the journey via barrels from the Wood-elves' castle to [[Lake-town]].
# There is no Master in Laketown; [[Bard]] the guardsman runs the city.
# The company does not make camp at the base of the mountain.
# Balin does not go with Bilbo into the secret entrance.
# Bilbo has only one audience with Smaug and the thrush is present. Bilbo orders the thrush to seek Bard to tell him of Smaug's weakness.
# The [[Arkenstone]] and all that goes with it is omitted.
# [[Roäc]] the raven is omitted. In the book, the ravens tell the Dwarves that Smaug is slain and is sent to [[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin]] to call for assistance. In the movie, the Dwarves wait, lost inside the Lonely Mountain for a week and it is never explained why Dáin arrives at such an opportune moment.
# The company discovers the two armies coming when they are on the doorstep rather than being warned in advance.
# Since the Arkenstone is omitted, Thorin instead loses respect for Bilbo through his supposed lack of understanding of honor and war.
# Thorin and the dwarves plan a suicidal last stand against the elves and men in a pitched battle outside the mountain and are pleasantly surprised when Dáin's army arrives.
# [[Ravenhill]] is not mentioned.
# The armies in the Battle of the Five Armies are divided differently (Bilbo counts the Goblins and Wargs as one army, the Eagles are counted as a separate army).
# The Battle of the Five Armies happens differently: notably, Beorn is not there.
# In the book, only Thorin, [[Fíli]] and [[Kíli]] die from the battle, leaving 10 survivors from Thorin's company. In the movie, Thorin, Bombur and five other unnamed dwarves are all killed. (In fact, Bombur was one of the few Dwarves in the quest known to be still alive in the days of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.) [[Glóin]] is the only other dwarf whose fate is officially revealed in the movie, as he is seen covering up Thorin with a blanket after he dies. Another dwarf (who does not clearly resemble anyone from the company) then lays [[Orcrist]] on top of Thorin's body. It's possible that this could be Dáin.
# Most of the return journey, including winter at Beorn's home, a stop at Rivendell, and digging up gold they buried by the troll camp, is omitted.
# The auction back at Bag End is omitted.
# Balin and Gandalf's visit, years later, is omitted.

==Follow-up==
At the end of the film, Gandalf reveals to Bilbo that he is not only aware of Bilbo's ring, but knows that it is in fact the [[One Ring]], and foreshadows the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. In the books, the ring is not discovered to be the One Ring until ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''. Such an indication would lead one to believe that Rankin/Bass was always intending to do a follow-up using story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings''. Indeed, production had already begun on their adaptation of ''The Return of the King'' before ''The Hobbit'' had even originally aired. [http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0] However, it remains a mystery as to whether or not their plans for what story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings'' were originally conceived for inclusion in this follow-up were at all affected by the 1978 [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation by Ralph Bakshi]], which was also in production at that point.

== External Links ==
* {WP| The Hobbit (1977 film)}
* ''[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077687/ The Hobbit]'' at [http://www.imdb.com/ IMDb]
{{films}}

{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Hobbit (1977 film)| ]]

The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)

2013-04-05T11:34:34Z

76.113.141.81: /* External links */

{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox
| image=[[Image:Bakshi-lotr.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Lord of the Rings
| director=[[Ralph Bakshi]]
| producer=[[Saul Zaentz]]
| writer=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] [[Ralph Bakshi]] [[Peter S. Beagle]] 
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Leonard Rosenman
| cinematography=Timothy Galfas
| editing=Donald W. Ernst Peter Kirby
| distributor=[[United Artists]]
| released=[[15 November|November 15]]th, [[1978]]
| runtime=132 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget= $4 million
| website=[http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings Official website]
| imdb_id=0077869
}}'''''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings''''' is an animated film produced and directed by [[Ralph Bakshi]], and released to theaters in 1978. It was an adaptation of the first half of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Bakshi's most ambitious effort (and his most famous after his animated adaptation of the underground comic ''Fritz the Cat''), the film was produced by [[Saul Zaentz]]'s Fantasy Films, but distributed to theaters by United Artists.

==Synopsis==
Long ago, in the early years of the [[Second Age]], the great Elven-smiths forged Rings of Power — Nine for mortal [[Men]], Seven for the [[Dwarves|Dwarf-lords]], and three for the fair [[Elves|Elf-rulers]]. But then, the Dark Lord [[Sauron]] learned the craft of ring-making and made the Master Ring — [[The One Ring]] to rule them all. With the One Ring, [[Middle-earth]] is his and he cannot be overcome. As the last alliance of Men and Elves fell beneath his power, the ring fell into the hands of Prince [[Isildur]] of the mighty kings from across the sea. He did not destroy the ring, and because of this, the spirit of Sauron lived on and began to take shape and grow again.

The Ring had a will of its own, and had a way of slipping from hand to hand, so that it might at last get back to its master. The Ring lay in the bottom of a lake for thousands of years. During those years, Sauron captured the nine Rings that were made for Men and turned their owners into the [[Nazgûl|Ringwraiths]]: terrible shadows under his great shadow who roamed the world searching for the One Ring.

The Ring, meanwhile, was found by two friends. One of them, [[Sméagol]], was so enticed by the Ring's power that he killed his friend [[Déagol]] to get it. Sméagol possessed the Ring for hundreds of years, during which it warped him into a twisted, gurgling wretch known only as Gollum, until his "Precious" was discovered (some might say stolen) by the hobbit [[Bilbo Baggins]].

Several years later, in a land called [[the Shire]], Bilbo is celebrating his 111th (or eleventy-first, as it is called) birthday, on the same day that his nephew [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] celebrates his 33rd birthday, (his "coming of age"). During his speech, Bilbo slips the Ring on, and confusion arises as the party notices that their host has suddenly disappeared into thin air!

[[Gandalf]] the wizard, however, knows the truth behind this act. In Bilbo's hobbit hole, Gandalf tells him to leave the Ring for Frodo, but Bilbo seems unwilling to give it up. He does, finally, agree, and leaves the Shire.

Gandalf realizes that the "magic" ring is in fact the one ring forged by Sauron, the evil lord. He knows the Shire is in danger, soon Sauron will learn that the Ring is in the possession of a Baggins and send his "wraiths" after him. Heeding Gandalf's advice, Frodo leaves his home, taking the Ring with him. He hopes to reach [[Rivendell]], where he will be safe from Sauron, and where those wiser than he can decide what to do about the Ring.
In his journey he is accompanied by three hobbit friends, [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]], and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]]. From the start they are pursued by Black Riders (Sauron's Ringwraiths or Nazgûl). Narrowly escaping these and other dangers and meeting other interesting characters en route they eventually come to [[Bree]], where they meet [[Aragorn|Strider]], another friend of Gandalf who leads them the rest of the way to Rivendell, through further hardships. Frodo is stabbed upon the mountain of [[Weathertop]] by the [[Witch-king|chief of the Nazgûl]], with a "[[Morgul blade]]" — as part of the knife stays inside him, he gets sicker on the rest of the journey.

At Rivendell, Frodo meets his uncle Bilbo whom he had not seen since he left Hobbiton years before; Bilbo seems much older and weaker, and, for a terrible moment, is once again held in sway of the Ring. Bilbo, Gandalf, and others argue about what should be done with the One Ring. Finally, Frodo stands up, and willfully volunteers to go to [[Mordor]], where the Ring can be destroyed.
Frodo sets forth from Rivendell with eight companions: two Men, [[Aragorn]] and [[Boromir]], son of the [[Stewards of Gondor|Steward]] of the land of [[Gondor]]; an [[Elves|Elven]] prince, [[Legolas]]; Frodo's old friend and powerful wizard, Gandalf; [[Gimli]] the [[Dwarves|Dwarf]]; and Frodo's original three hobbit companions. These Nine Walkers were chosen to represent all the free races of Middle-earth and as a balance to the Nine Riders.

Their attempt to cross the [[Misty Mountains]] is foiled by heavy snow, so they are forced to take a path under the mountains via [[Moria]], an ancient Dwarf kingdom, now full of [[Orcs]] and other evil creatures, where Gandalf falls into the abyss after battling a [[Durin's Bane|Balrog]].
The remaining eight members of the Fellowship then spend some time in the elf-haven of [[Lothlórien]], where they receive [[Gifts of Galadriel|gifts]] from the elf queen [[Galadriel]] that in many cases prove useful later in the quest. They leave Lórien by river, but Frodo begins to realize the Ring is having a malevolent effect on some members of the party, especially Boromir, who tries to take the Ring from Frodo. In the process, Frodo puts it on to escape him. Later, Boromir is killed by Orcs while trying to defend Merry and Pippin, whom the Orcs capture.

Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, tracking Merry and Pippin, come across the [[Rohirrim|Riders of Rohan]] who tell them that they attacked the Orcs the previous night and left no survivors.

However, Strider is able to find small prints and they follow these into [[Fangorn Forest]], where they meet a white wizard who they at first believe to be [[Saruman]], but who turns out to be their wizard friend Gandalf, whom they believed had perished in the mines of Moria. He tells them of his fall into the abyss, his battle to the death with the Balrog and his reawakening.

The four ride to Rohan's capital, [[Edoras]], and persuade King [[Théoden]] that his people are in danger. In the process, Saruman's agent in Edoras, [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]], who had been keeping Théoden subdued and weak for years, is expelled from the city. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas then travel to the defensive fortification [[Helm's Deep]] while Gandalf goes north in search of [[Éomer]]'s men in the north of [[Rohan]] to bring as reinforcements.

Hobbits Merry and Pippin escape from the Orcs who captured them when the orcs themselves are attacked by the Riders of Rohan. Merry and Pippin head into nearby Fangorn Forest where they encounter treelike giants called [[Ents]]. These guardians of the forest generally keep to themselves, but are moved to oppose the menace posed to the trees by the wizard Saruman.

At Helm's Deep, Théoden's forces resist an onslaught of Orcs and Men sent by Saruman, and Gandalf arrives the next morning with the Riders of Rohan just in time. The fleeing orcs run into a forest of [[Huorn]]s — creatures halfway between tree and Ent — and none escape. Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Gandalf and the army of Rohan then head to Saruman's stronghold at [[Isengard]].
Frodo and Sam discover Gollum stalking them as they try to reach [[Mount Doom]] to destroy the One Ring. Gollum hopes to reclaim the Ring. Sam loathes and distrusts him, but Frodo pities him, and so lets him live in return for guidance to Mount Doom. Gollum promises to lead them to a secret entrance to Mordor. Gollum, who is briefly torn between keeping his word to Frodo and reclaiming his "Precious," is ominously overheard to say "[[Shelob|''she'']] might help us..." as he leads Frodo and Sam to [[Cirith Ungol]].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Voice Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Norman Bird]] || [[Bilbo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Lucille Bliss]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[David Buck]] || [[Gimli]]
|-
| [[Simon Chandler]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Michael Graham Cox]] || [[Boromir]]
|-
| [[Annette Crosbie]] || [[Galadriel]]
|-
| [[Anthony Daniels]] || [[Legolas]]
|-
| [[Michael Deacon]] || [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]]
|-
| [[Christopher Guard]] || [[Frodo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Dominic Guard]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[John Hurt]] || [[Aragorn]]
|-
| [[Fraser Kerr]] || [[Saruman|(S)Aruman]]
|-
| [[André Morell]] || [[Elrond]]
|-
| [[Michael Scholes]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Mel Smith]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[William Squire]] || [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Philip Stone]] || [[Théoden]]
|-
| [[Alan Tilvern]] || [[Barliman Butterbur|Innkeeper]]
|-
| [[John Westbrook]] || [[Treebeard]]
|-
| [[Peter Woodthorpe]] || [[Gollum]]
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Character Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Aesop Aquarian]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sharon Baird]] || [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Stan Barrett]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Billy Barty]] || [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Herb Braha]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Hank Calia]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Albert Cirimele]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mike Clifford]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Delfino]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[David Dotson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Russ Earnest]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Louis Elias]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Fay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Carmen Filpi]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Paul Gale]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Ruth Gay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Lenny Geer]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harriett Gibson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Michael Lee Gogin]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Bob Haney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Chuck Hayward]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Art Hern]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Hice]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Loren Janes]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gary Jensen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Santy Josol]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John L]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Larry Larsen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sam Laws]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Terry Leonard]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Peter Looney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Dennis Madalone]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Tommy Madden]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Buck Maffei]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patty Maloney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jerry Maren]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harry Monty]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Morson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John A. Neris]] || [[Gandalf]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Jeri Lea Ray]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Pete Risch]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Walt Robles]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mic Rodgers]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Angelo Rossitto]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Felix Silla]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patrick Sullivan Burke]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jack Verbois]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gregg Walker]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Donn Whyte]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Trey Wilson]] || Character Actor
|}

===Scenes===
# "Credits" (0:40)
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1978 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]" (3:41)
# "[[Bilbo's Farewell]]" (2:05)
# "[[Frodo's Quest]]" (6:24)
# "[[Saruman's Sorcery]]" (2:43)
# "[[Sinister Horseman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Inn at Bree]]" (3:52)
# "[[Aragorn's Vow]]" (3:54)
# "[[Black Riders Invade]]" (2:50)
# "[[Rider Swordsman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Cornered]]" (5:59)
# "[[Wall of Water]]" (2:39)
# "[[Gandalf's Update]]" (2:51)
# "[[Coucil of Elrond (scene)|Council of Elrond]]" (4:39)
# "[[Frodo's Quest Renewed]]" (2:19)
# "[[Change in Route]]" (2:40)
# "[[Grabbed at the Gateway]]" (2:44)
# "[[Inside the Mine]]" (3:04)
# "[[Under Siege]]" (3:51)
# "[[Balrog Strikes]]" (0:39)
# "[[Homage to Gandalf]]" (3:27)
# "[[Galadriel's Test]]" (3:05)
# "[[Borimir's Madness]]" ''(sic)'' (4:21)
# "[[Borimir's Sacrifice]]" ''(sic)'' (0:49)
# "[[Following the Orcs]]" (5:12)
# "[[Whiteskins Attack]]" (4:55)
# "[[The Gollum]]" (1:36)
# "[[Escape in Mid-battle]]" (4:38)
# "[[Treebeard (1978 scene)|Treebeard]]" (3:24)
# "[[Back from the Abyss]]" (1:55)
# "[[Theoden of Rohan]]" (3:48)
# "[[Gollum gets Touchy]]" (4:57)
# "[[The Orcs Advance]]" (4:42)
# "[[Cave Retreat]]" (4:36)
# "[[Two Weary Hobbits]]" (2:50)
# "[[Outnumbered]]" (2:05)
# "[[Gandalf Triumphant]]" (3:19)
# "End Credits" (2:34)

== Differences from the book ==
The movie makes a few deviations from the book, but overall follows Tolkien's narrative quite closely. Many parts of the novel explaining the transition from one part of the plot to another were omitted which makes the middle part of the movie somewhat difficult to follow, if the viewer is unfamiliar with the story.
* In the film's prologue it is suggested that the Elves created the 19 [[Rings of Power]] for their Kings, Dwarves and Men. Sauron then ''learned'' the craft of ring-making ''after'' that. In the original story it is Sauron who teaches the Elven smiths this ability, and only after their defiance he distributed them to Dwarves and Men.
* Another deviation suggests that the last alliance of men and elves was losing the war which contradicts the original story.
* As in Tolkien's novel, Saruman the White adopts the title "Saruman of Many Colours"; however, his robes are neither white nor multi-colored, but red.
*Saruman is sometimes called "Aruman". It is believed that this name was meant to eliminate confusion with Sauron, although this is not done consistently.
* The scene where the Nazgûl arrive in the hobbits' room at the Prancing Pony and begin slashing at their beds only to find that they are not there, and pillows have been placed to form the figures of their bodies is not in the book. A passage does appear that states that hobbit beds wind up slashed during the night, but the townsfolk of Bree are the perpetrators, not the Nazgûl. This scene also appears in Jackson's version.
* Just as in Jackson's films, the [[Glorfindel|first elf]] that the hobbits and Aragorn meet is changed -- this time to [[Legolas]].
* Like Jackson's films, Bakshi's film does not include the character of [[Tom Bombadil]] (presumably, as with the former, for pacing reasons, as well as to intensify the threat of the Nazgûl to the hobbits).
* [[Arwen]] does not appear, nor is she mentioned.
* Aragorn carries a broken sword (presumably [[Narsil]]) up to the Rivendell section of the story where he presents it to the council. However, the sword's reforging into Andúril is never shown (or mentioned) in the film, even though Aragorn carries an unbroken blade for the remainder of the film.
* Gimli appears to be about the same height as the rest of the non-hobbits in the fellowship.
* There is no mention of the Uruk-hai in the film, or at least they are not differentiated from the Orcs.
* [[Éowyn]] makes only a brief appearance and has no spoken dialogue.
* While [[Éomer]] is mentioned, he is never officially identified (thus, he also has no spoken dialogue). Also, as in the Jackson films, it is ''he'' and his forces with whom Gandalf arrives near the end of the Battle of Helm's Deep instead of [[Erkenbrand]]'s. Éomer and his men are also portrayed as sort of rogue warriors in this film with no direct affiliation to Rohan.
* [[Faramir]] does not appear, nor is he mentioned.
* The "Fires of Isengard" appear as magical projectiles.

== Production ==
===Animation===
Much of the film used live-action footage which was then rotoscoped to produce an animated look [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/38.html] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/39.html]. This saved production costs and arguably gave the animated characters a more realistic look. For the live-action portion of the production, Bakshi and his cast and crew arrived in Spain where the rotoscope models acted out their parts in costume. The actions of [[Bilbo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] were performed by [[Billy Barty]], [[Sharon Baird]] performed the part of [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[John A. Neris]] was Gandalf[http://books.google.com/books?id=fTI1yeZd-tkC&pg=PA154&lpg=PA154&dq=%22aesop+aquarian%22+%22billy+barty%22+%22sharon+baird%22&source=web&ots=C5jvDP0VA9&sig=_W2bXiWtu0mfcOJYZOxMBjapJR8&hl=nl&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result].

Of the rotoscoping, Bakshi said "I didn't start thinking about shooting the film totally in live action until I saw it really start to work so well. I learned lots of things about the process, like rippling. One scene, some figures were standing on a hill and a big gust of wind came up and the shadows moved back and forth on the clothes and it was unbelievable in animation. I don't think I could get the feeling of cold on the screen without showing snow or an icicle on some guy's nose. The characters have weight and they move correctly."

"Making two pictures (the live action reference and the actual animated feature) in two years is crazy. Most directors when they finish editing, they are finished; we were just starting. I got more than I expected. The crew is young. The crew loves it. If the crew loves it, it's usually a great sign. They aren't older animators trying to snow me for jobs next year."[http://www.jimhillmedia.com/article_printer.php?id=768]

Following the live-action shoot, each frame of the live footage was then broken down into individual frames, and then printed out, and placed behind animation cels. The details of each frame were copied and painted onto cels. Both the live-action and animated sequences were storyboarded. [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=20] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=10] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=11]
===Voice cast===
After finishing in Spain, Bakshi went to the [[BBC]]'s recording studios in London. He cast several stars - William Squire, John Hurt - and used several of the BBC Repertory Company's stock actors, like Peter Woodthorpe, Anthony Daniels, Norman Bird and Michael Graham Cox. The actors recorded the lines with each other, but were required to pause for two seconds after each line, to smoothen the recording. This caused some stilted dialogue in the finished product[http://www.anthonydaniels.com/qa/index.html].

==Reception==
The film was originally intended to be distributed as '''''The Lord of the Rings, Part One''''', but United Artists dropped the "Part One" from the title, believing moviegoers would not pay full ticket prices to see half a movie. Says Ralph Bakshi: "United Artists at that time was terrified to say 'Part One.' I remember sitting in meetings screaming my head off saying, 'You can't do this!' Had it said 'Part One,' I think everyone would have respected it. But because it didn't say 'Part One,' everyone came in expecting to see the entire three books, and that's where the confusion comes in" [http://www.tolkiengesellschaft.de/v4/alleszutolkien/filme/bakshi/bakshisoutingheute.shtml]. In interviews, Bakshi sometimes referred to the film as ''The Lord of the Rings, Part One.''

Critics were generally mixed in their responses to the film. Roger Ebert called Bakshi's effort a "mixed blessing" and "an entirely respectable, occasionally impressive job ... [which] still falls far short of the charm and sweep of the original story." Vincent Canby of the ''New York Times'' called the film "both numbing and impressive". Film website Rotten Tomatoes, which compiles reviews from a wide range of critics, gives the film a score of 50.

Despite criticism, the film grossed $30,471,420 at the box office[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lordoftherings78.htm] (the budget was $8 million), but United Artists, who believed the film to be a flop, refused to fund a sequel which would have completed Tolkien's story on film.

==Follow-up==
In light of the theatrical ''The Lord of the Rings, Part Two'' adaptation being scrapped, a means of "finishing" Tolkien's story and making it more complete for audiences then inadvertently fell on the [[Rankin/Bass]] animation studio (fresh on the heels of the success of its previous [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|TV adaptation of ''The Hobbit'']]) in producing an animated TV special based on the [[The Return of the King|final part]] of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Their adaptation of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]'' finished the story and answered most of the questions raised by Bakshi's animated film. Despite this, several unresolved story developments between the ending of ''The Lord of the Rings'' and the beginning of ''The Return of the King'' were left unexplained, especially the Ents' march on Isengard (along with Merry eventually taking up with the Army of Rohan, and Gandalf and Pippin's subsequent journey to Gondor), the betrayal of Frodo by Gollum, and the attack of [[Shelob]] the monster spider-creature on Frodo and Sam. It should be noted, however, that production for this Rankin/Bass follow-up had begun even before their version of ''The Hobbit'' had originally aired (let alone before Bakshi's theatrical film had premiered)[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0], so Rankin/Bass can't be entirely blamed for this flaw in continuity.

[[Warner Bros.]] (the rights holder to the post-1974 Rankin/Bass library and most of the Saul Zaentz theatrical backlog) has released ''The Hobbit,'' ''The Lord of the Rings,'' and ''The Return of the King'' on VHS and DVD, both packaged separately and as a boxed-set "trilogy" of films.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077869/ The Lord of the Rings] at [http://www.imdb.com/ IMDb]
* [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings ''The Lord of the Rings'' at Ralph Bakshi.com]
* [http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/tolkien/lord-of-the-rings.html Screen captures from the laserdisc edition]
*[http://flyingmoose.org/tolksarc/bakshi/bakshi.htm Ralph Bakshi's Lord of the Rings, Part One: A Critique] - a humorous critique of the film and satire of its shortcomings
{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)| ]]
[[de:Lord of the Rings (Zeichentrickfilm)]]
[[fi:The Lord of the Rings (1978)]]

The Return of the King (1980 film)

2013-04-05T11:30:49Z

76.113.141.81: /* External links */

{{disambig-more|The Return of the King|[[The Return of the King (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox

| image=[[Image:RankinBass' The Return of the King.png|250px]]
| name=The Return of the King
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| writer=[[Romeo Muller]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]], [[Theodore Bikel]], [[William Conrad]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Casey Kasem]]
| music=[[Maury Laws]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.]]
| released=[[11 May|May 11]], [[1980]]
| runtime=98 minutes
| country=United States
| language=English
| budget=
| website=
| imdb_id=0079802
}}'''''The Return of the King''''' is an animated adaptation of the [[The Lord of the Rings|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 [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|animated version of ''The Hobbit'']].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! 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|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Casey Kasem]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Roddy McDowall]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Sonny Melendrez]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Théoden|Theoden]], [[Mouth of Sauron]], [[Easterlings|Easterling]]
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Witch-king|Witch-king of Angmar]], Gondorian Guard
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || Minstrel of Gondor
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
Rather than picking up where [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|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''. Its plot unfolds as follows:

During the 129th birthday celebration for [[Bilbo Baggins]] in [[Rivendell]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], Bilbo's nephew, tells the story of his quest to destroy the [[One Ring]]. Frodo begins his story with [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise (Sam) Gamgee]], his friend and companion, treading through [[Mordor]] as Ring-bearer in Frodo's abscence, as he is being held captive there by orcs. During his journey, Sam begins to question his thoughts about claiming the Ring himself, but being humble, he never gives in to the treacherous temptations. In due course, he progresses back to [[Cirith Ungol]] to rescue Frodo. Meanwhile, the wizard [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]] and the hobbit [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] arrive at [[Minas Tirith]], the capital of the country of [[Gondor]] to warn [[Denethor]], the Steward of the Throne, about the upcoming war—only to discover that the Steward has lost his mind by believing the war will be the end of mankind.
Meanwhile, at Cirith Ungol, Sam rescues Frodo and returns the Ring. The two then continue on to finish their quest at [[Mount Doom]], only to be attacked by their past guide, [[Gollum]]. As Sam holds Gollum off, Frodo makes it to the [[Crack of Doom]]. But at the Crack, Frodo is finally unable to resist the power of the Ring any longer and claims it for his own. At the same time, Gondor's neighboring country, Rohan, helps it claim victory in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. After searching for some time for Frodo in Mount Doom, Sam discovers Gollum and an invisible Frodo fighting over the Ring, which results in Gollum biting off Frodo's finger to claim it. While dancing with joy at the retrieval of his "Precious," Gollum loses his footing and falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron is defeated. Months later, Frodo's friend, [[Aragorn]], is crowned King of Gondor. The film concludes back in the present with Frodo agreeing to accompany Bilbo, Gandalf and [[Elrond]] in leaving Middle-Earth. Sam, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and Pippin bid them all farewell as they depart across the sea.

===Scenes===
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1980 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]"
# "[[Frodo of the Nine Fingers (scene)|Frodo of the Nine Fingers]]"
# "Credits"
# "[[Crossing into Mordor]]"
# "[[The Bearer of the Ring (scene)|The Bearer of the Ring]]"
# "[[Samwise the Strong]]"
# "[[Less Can Be More (scene)|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 (scene)|Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes]]"
# "[[Mount Doom (1980 scene)|Mount Doom]]"
# "[[The Gollum]]"
# "[[Theoden Falls]]"
# "[[Claimed By the Ring]]"
# "[[Eowyn Triumphs]]"
# "[[Choice of Evils (scene)|Choice of Evils]]"
# "[[End of the Ring]]"
# "[[On Eagles' Wings]]"
# "[[The Return of the King (scene)|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 .[http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10000654] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and [[Peter Jackson]]'s later [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|live-action film]].[http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/r/return-of-the-king.html][http://decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/1989] 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]]". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/usercomments]

==Marketing==

In the absence of an official sequel to Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'' has come to be marketed by [[Warner Bros.]] as the final part of a loose animated Tolkien trilogy preceded by ''The Hobbit''. The middle film is very different in tone and character design, however, and the final two films do not join up seamlessly, as both omit various segments from ''[[The Two Towers]]'', most notably regarding the events in [[Shelob]]'s lair and the [[Ents]]' march on [[Isengard]]. Other omissions in the Rankin/Bass version include the characters of [[Legolas]], [[Gimli]], [[Arwen]], [[Saruman]], [[Éomer]], and [[Faramir]] (though it's possible the latter makes a brief appearance; there is an unidentified Man - who has no lines of dialogue - who accompanies [[Éowyn]] on horseback during Aragorn's coronation, and the two of them exchange rather knowing looks). Even Aragorn doesn't have much dialogue or screentime despite being the 'King' of the movie's title.

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''.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Return of the King (1980 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/ The Return of the King] at [http://imdb.com/ IMDb]

{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Return of the King (1980 film)| ]]

The Return of the King (1980 film)

2013-04-05T11:30:09Z

76.113.141.81: /* External links */

{{disambig-more|The Return of the King|[[The Return of the King (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox

| image=[[Image:RankinBass' The Return of the King.png|250px]]
| name=The Return of the King
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| writer=[[Romeo Muller]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]], [[Theodore Bikel]], [[William Conrad]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Casey Kasem]]
| music=[[Maury Laws]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.]]
| released=[[11 May|May 11]], [[1980]]
| runtime=98 minutes
| country=United States
| language=English
| budget=
| website=
| imdb_id=0079802
}}'''''The Return of the King''''' is an animated adaptation of the [[The Lord of the Rings|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 [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|animated version of ''The Hobbit'']].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! 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|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Casey Kasem]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Roddy McDowall]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Sonny Melendrez]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Théoden|Theoden]], [[Mouth of Sauron]], [[Easterlings|Easterling]]
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Witch-king|Witch-king of Angmar]], Gondorian Guard
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || Minstrel of Gondor
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
Rather than picking up where [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|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''. Its plot unfolds as follows:

During the 129th birthday celebration for [[Bilbo Baggins]] in [[Rivendell]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], Bilbo's nephew, tells the story of his quest to destroy the [[One Ring]]. Frodo begins his story with [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise (Sam) Gamgee]], his friend and companion, treading through [[Mordor]] as Ring-bearer in Frodo's abscence, as he is being held captive there by orcs. During his journey, Sam begins to question his thoughts about claiming the Ring himself, but being humble, he never gives in to the treacherous temptations. In due course, he progresses back to [[Cirith Ungol]] to rescue Frodo. Meanwhile, the wizard [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]] and the hobbit [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] arrive at [[Minas Tirith]], the capital of the country of [[Gondor]] to warn [[Denethor]], the Steward of the Throne, about the upcoming war—only to discover that the Steward has lost his mind by believing the war will be the end of mankind.
Meanwhile, at Cirith Ungol, Sam rescues Frodo and returns the Ring. The two then continue on to finish their quest at [[Mount Doom]], only to be attacked by their past guide, [[Gollum]]. As Sam holds Gollum off, Frodo makes it to the [[Crack of Doom]]. But at the Crack, Frodo is finally unable to resist the power of the Ring any longer and claims it for his own. At the same time, Gondor's neighboring country, Rohan, helps it claim victory in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. After searching for some time for Frodo in Mount Doom, Sam discovers Gollum and an invisible Frodo fighting over the Ring, which results in Gollum biting off Frodo's finger to claim it. While dancing with joy at the retrieval of his "Precious," Gollum loses his footing and falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron is defeated. Months later, Frodo's friend, [[Aragorn]], is crowned King of Gondor. The film concludes back in the present with Frodo agreeing to accompany Bilbo, Gandalf and [[Elrond]] in leaving Middle-Earth. Sam, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and Pippin bid them all farewell as they depart across the sea.

===Scenes===
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1980 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]"
# "[[Frodo of the Nine Fingers (scene)|Frodo of the Nine Fingers]]"
# "Credits"
# "[[Crossing into Mordor]]"
# "[[The Bearer of the Ring (scene)|The Bearer of the Ring]]"
# "[[Samwise the Strong]]"
# "[[Less Can Be More (scene)|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 (scene)|Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes]]"
# "[[Mount Doom (1980 scene)|Mount Doom]]"
# "[[The Gollum]]"
# "[[Theoden Falls]]"
# "[[Claimed By the Ring]]"
# "[[Eowyn Triumphs]]"
# "[[Choice of Evils (scene)|Choice of Evils]]"
# "[[End of the Ring]]"
# "[[On Eagles' Wings]]"
# "[[The Return of the King (scene)|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 .[http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10000654] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and [[Peter Jackson]]'s later [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|live-action film]].[http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/r/return-of-the-king.html][http://decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/1989] 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]]". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/usercomments]

==Marketing==

In the absence of an official sequel to Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'' has come to be marketed by [[Warner Bros.]] as the final part of a loose animated Tolkien trilogy preceded by ''The Hobbit''. The middle film is very different in tone and character design, however, and the final two films do not join up seamlessly, as both omit various segments from ''[[The Two Towers]]'', most notably regarding the events in [[Shelob]]'s lair and the [[Ents]]' march on [[Isengard]]. Other omissions in the Rankin/Bass version include the characters of [[Legolas]], [[Gimli]], [[Arwen]], [[Saruman]], [[Éomer]], and [[Faramir]] (though it's possible the latter makes a brief appearance; there is an unidentified Man - who has no lines of dialogue - who accompanies [[Éowyn]] on horseback during Aragorn's coronation, and the two of them exchange rather knowing looks). Even Aragorn doesn't have much dialogue or screentime despite being the 'King' of the movie's title.

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''.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Return of the King}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/ The Return of the King] at [http://imdb.com/ IMDb]

{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Return of the King (1980 film)| ]]

The Return of the King (1980 film)

2013-04-05T11:29:40Z

76.113.141.81: /* External links */

{{disambig-more|The Return of the King|[[The Return of the King (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox

| image=[[Image:RankinBass' The Return of the King.png|250px]]
| name=The Return of the King
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| writer=[[Romeo Muller]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]], [[Theodore Bikel]], [[William Conrad]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Casey Kasem]]
| music=[[Maury Laws]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.]]
| released=[[11 May|May 11]], [[1980]]
| runtime=98 minutes
| country=United States
| language=English
| budget=
| website=
| imdb_id=0079802
}}'''''The Return of the King''''' is an animated adaptation of the [[The Lord of the Rings|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 [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|animated version of ''The Hobbit'']].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! 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|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Casey Kasem]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Roddy McDowall]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Sonny Melendrez]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Théoden|Theoden]], [[Mouth of Sauron]], [[Easterlings|Easterling]]
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Witch-king|Witch-king of Angmar]], Gondorian Guard
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || Minstrel of Gondor
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
Rather than picking up where [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|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''. Its plot unfolds as follows:

During the 129th birthday celebration for [[Bilbo Baggins]] in [[Rivendell]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], Bilbo's nephew, tells the story of his quest to destroy the [[One Ring]]. Frodo begins his story with [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise (Sam) Gamgee]], his friend and companion, treading through [[Mordor]] as Ring-bearer in Frodo's abscence, as he is being held captive there by orcs. During his journey, Sam begins to question his thoughts about claiming the Ring himself, but being humble, he never gives in to the treacherous temptations. In due course, he progresses back to [[Cirith Ungol]] to rescue Frodo. Meanwhile, the wizard [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]] and the hobbit [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] arrive at [[Minas Tirith]], the capital of the country of [[Gondor]] to warn [[Denethor]], the Steward of the Throne, about the upcoming war—only to discover that the Steward has lost his mind by believing the war will be the end of mankind.
Meanwhile, at Cirith Ungol, Sam rescues Frodo and returns the Ring. The two then continue on to finish their quest at [[Mount Doom]], only to be attacked by their past guide, [[Gollum]]. As Sam holds Gollum off, Frodo makes it to the [[Crack of Doom]]. But at the Crack, Frodo is finally unable to resist the power of the Ring any longer and claims it for his own. At the same time, Gondor's neighboring country, Rohan, helps it claim victory in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. After searching for some time for Frodo in Mount Doom, Sam discovers Gollum and an invisible Frodo fighting over the Ring, which results in Gollum biting off Frodo's finger to claim it. While dancing with joy at the retrieval of his "Precious," Gollum loses his footing and falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron is defeated. Months later, Frodo's friend, [[Aragorn]], is crowned King of Gondor. The film concludes back in the present with Frodo agreeing to accompany Bilbo, Gandalf and [[Elrond]] in leaving Middle-Earth. Sam, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and Pippin bid them all farewell as they depart across the sea.

===Scenes===
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1980 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]"
# "[[Frodo of the Nine Fingers (scene)|Frodo of the Nine Fingers]]"
# "Credits"
# "[[Crossing into Mordor]]"
# "[[The Bearer of the Ring (scene)|The Bearer of the Ring]]"
# "[[Samwise the Strong]]"
# "[[Less Can Be More (scene)|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 (scene)|Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes]]"
# "[[Mount Doom (1980 scene)|Mount Doom]]"
# "[[The Gollum]]"
# "[[Theoden Falls]]"
# "[[Claimed By the Ring]]"
# "[[Eowyn Triumphs]]"
# "[[Choice of Evils (scene)|Choice of Evils]]"
# "[[End of the Ring]]"
# "[[On Eagles' Wings]]"
# "[[The Return of the King (scene)|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 .[http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10000654] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and [[Peter Jackson]]'s later [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|live-action film]].[http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/r/return-of-the-king.html][http://decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/1989] 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]]". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/usercomments]

==Marketing==

In the absence of an official sequel to Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'' has come to be marketed by [[Warner Bros.]] as the final part of a loose animated Tolkien trilogy preceded by ''The Hobbit''. The middle film is very different in tone and character design, however, and the final two films do not join up seamlessly, as both omit various segments from ''[[The Two Towers]]'', most notably regarding the events in [[Shelob]]'s lair and the [[Ents]]' march on [[Isengard]]. Other omissions in the Rankin/Bass version include the characters of [[Legolas]], [[Gimli]], [[Arwen]], [[Saruman]], [[Éomer]], and [[Faramir]] (though it's possible the latter makes a brief appearance; there is an unidentified Man - who has no lines of dialogue - who accompanies [[Éowyn]] on horseback during Aragorn's coronation, and the two of them exchange rather knowing looks). Even Aragorn doesn't have much dialogue or screentime despite being the 'King' of the movie's title.

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''.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Return of the King}}
[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/ The Return of the King] at [http://imdb.com/ IMDb]

{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Return of the King (1980 film)| ]]

The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)

2013-04-05T11:28:03Z

76.113.141.81: /* External links */

{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox
| image=[[Image:Bakshi-lotr.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Lord of the Rings
| director=[[Ralph Bakshi]]
| producer=[[Saul Zaentz]]
| writer=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] [[Ralph Bakshi]] [[Peter S. Beagle]] 
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Leonard Rosenman
| cinematography=Timothy Galfas
| editing=Donald W. Ernst Peter Kirby
| distributor=[[United Artists]]
| released=[[15 November|November 15]]th, [[1978]]
| runtime=132 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget= $4 million
| website=[http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings Official website]
| imdb_id=0077869
}}'''''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings''''' is an animated film produced and directed by [[Ralph Bakshi]], and released to theaters in 1978. It was an adaptation of the first half of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Bakshi's most ambitious effort (and his most famous after his animated adaptation of the underground comic ''Fritz the Cat''), the film was produced by [[Saul Zaentz]]'s Fantasy Films, but distributed to theaters by United Artists.

==Synopsis==
Long ago, in the early years of the [[Second Age]], the great Elven-smiths forged Rings of Power — Nine for mortal [[Men]], Seven for the [[Dwarves|Dwarf-lords]], and three for the fair [[Elves|Elf-rulers]]. But then, the Dark Lord [[Sauron]] learned the craft of ring-making and made the Master Ring — [[The One Ring]] to rule them all. With the One Ring, [[Middle-earth]] is his and he cannot be overcome. As the last alliance of Men and Elves fell beneath his power, the ring fell into the hands of Prince [[Isildur]] of the mighty kings from across the sea. He did not destroy the ring, and because of this, the spirit of Sauron lived on and began to take shape and grow again.

The Ring had a will of its own, and had a way of slipping from hand to hand, so that it might at last get back to its master. The Ring lay in the bottom of a lake for thousands of years. During those years, Sauron captured the nine Rings that were made for Men and turned their owners into the [[Nazgûl|Ringwraiths]]: terrible shadows under his great shadow who roamed the world searching for the One Ring.

The Ring, meanwhile, was found by two friends. One of them, [[Sméagol]], was so enticed by the Ring's power that he killed his friend [[Déagol]] to get it. Sméagol possessed the Ring for hundreds of years, during which it warped him into a twisted, gurgling wretch known only as Gollum, until his "Precious" was discovered (some might say stolen) by the hobbit [[Bilbo Baggins]].

Several years later, in a land called [[the Shire]], Bilbo is celebrating his 111th (or eleventy-first, as it is called) birthday, on the same day that his nephew [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] celebrates his 33rd birthday, (his "coming of age"). During his speech, Bilbo slips the Ring on, and confusion arises as the party notices that their host has suddenly disappeared into thin air!

[[Gandalf]] the wizard, however, knows the truth behind this act. In Bilbo's hobbit hole, Gandalf tells him to leave the Ring for Frodo, but Bilbo seems unwilling to give it up. He does, finally, agree, and leaves the Shire.

Gandalf realizes that the "magic" ring is in fact the one ring forged by Sauron, the evil lord. He knows the Shire is in danger, soon Sauron will learn that the Ring is in the possession of a Baggins and send his "wraiths" after him. Heeding Gandalf's advice, Frodo leaves his home, taking the Ring with him. He hopes to reach [[Rivendell]], where he will be safe from Sauron, and where those wiser than he can decide what to do about the Ring.
In his journey he is accompanied by three hobbit friends, [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]], and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]]. From the start they are pursued by Black Riders (Sauron's Ringwraiths or Nazgûl). Narrowly escaping these and other dangers and meeting other interesting characters en route they eventually come to [[Bree]], where they meet [[Aragorn|Strider]], another friend of Gandalf who leads them the rest of the way to Rivendell, through further hardships. Frodo is stabbed upon the mountain of [[Weathertop]] by the [[Witch-king|chief of the Nazgûl]], with a "[[Morgul blade]]" — as part of the knife stays inside him, he gets sicker on the rest of the journey.

At Rivendell, Frodo meets his uncle Bilbo whom he had not seen since he left Hobbiton years before; Bilbo seems much older and weaker, and, for a terrible moment, is once again held in sway of the Ring. Bilbo, Gandalf, and others argue about what should be done with the One Ring. Finally, Frodo stands up, and willfully volunteers to go to [[Mordor]], where the Ring can be destroyed.
Frodo sets forth from Rivendell with eight companions: two Men, [[Aragorn]] and [[Boromir]], son of the [[Stewards of Gondor|Steward]] of the land of [[Gondor]]; an [[Elves|Elven]] prince, [[Legolas]]; Frodo's old friend and powerful wizard, Gandalf; [[Gimli]] the [[Dwarves|Dwarf]]; and Frodo's original three hobbit companions. These Nine Walkers were chosen to represent all the free races of Middle-earth and as a balance to the Nine Riders.

Their attempt to cross the [[Misty Mountains]] is foiled by heavy snow, so they are forced to take a path under the mountains via [[Moria]], an ancient Dwarf kingdom, now full of [[Orcs]] and other evil creatures, where Gandalf falls into the abyss after battling a [[Durin's Bane|Balrog]].
The remaining eight members of the Fellowship then spend some time in the elf-haven of [[Lothlórien]], where they receive [[Gifts of Galadriel|gifts]] from the elf queen [[Galadriel]] that in many cases prove useful later in the quest. They leave Lórien by river, but Frodo begins to realize the Ring is having a malevolent effect on some members of the party, especially Boromir, who tries to take the Ring from Frodo. In the process, Frodo puts it on to escape him. Later, Boromir is killed by Orcs while trying to defend Merry and Pippin, whom the Orcs capture.

Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, tracking Merry and Pippin, come across the [[Rohirrim|Riders of Rohan]] who tell them that they attacked the Orcs the previous night and left no survivors.

However, Strider is able to find small prints and they follow these into [[Fangorn Forest]], where they meet a white wizard who they at first believe to be [[Saruman]], but who turns out to be their wizard friend Gandalf, whom they believed had perished in the mines of Moria. He tells them of his fall into the abyss, his battle to the death with the Balrog and his reawakening.

The four ride to Rohan's capital, [[Edoras]], and persuade King [[Théoden]] that his people are in danger. In the process, Saruman's agent in Edoras, [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]], who had been keeping Théoden subdued and weak for years, is expelled from the city. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas then travel to the defensive fortification [[Helm's Deep]] while Gandalf goes north in search of [[Éomer]]'s men in the north of [[Rohan]] to bring as reinforcements.

Hobbits Merry and Pippin escape from the Orcs who captured them when the orcs themselves are attacked by the Riders of Rohan. Merry and Pippin head into nearby Fangorn Forest where they encounter treelike giants called [[Ents]]. These guardians of the forest generally keep to themselves, but are moved to oppose the menace posed to the trees by the wizard Saruman.

At Helm's Deep, Théoden's forces resist an onslaught of Orcs and Men sent by Saruman, and Gandalf arrives the next morning with the Riders of Rohan just in time. The fleeing orcs run into a forest of [[Huorn]]s — creatures halfway between tree and Ent — and none escape. Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Gandalf and the army of Rohan then head to Saruman's stronghold at [[Isengard]].
Frodo and Sam discover Gollum stalking them as they try to reach [[Mount Doom]] to destroy the One Ring. Gollum hopes to reclaim the Ring. Sam loathes and distrusts him, but Frodo pities him, and so lets him live in return for guidance to Mount Doom. Gollum promises to lead them to a secret entrance to Mordor. Gollum, who is briefly torn between keeping his word to Frodo and reclaiming his "Precious," is ominously overheard to say "[[Shelob|''she'']] might help us..." as he leads Frodo and Sam to [[Cirith Ungol]].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Voice Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Norman Bird]] || [[Bilbo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Lucille Bliss]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[David Buck]] || [[Gimli]]
|-
| [[Simon Chandler]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Michael Graham Cox]] || [[Boromir]]
|-
| [[Annette Crosbie]] || [[Galadriel]]
|-
| [[Anthony Daniels]] || [[Legolas]]
|-
| [[Michael Deacon]] || [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]]
|-
| [[Christopher Guard]] || [[Frodo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Dominic Guard]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[John Hurt]] || [[Aragorn]]
|-
| [[Fraser Kerr]] || [[Saruman|(S)Aruman]]
|-
| [[André Morell]] || [[Elrond]]
|-
| [[Michael Scholes]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Mel Smith]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[William Squire]] || [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Philip Stone]] || [[Théoden]]
|-
| [[Alan Tilvern]] || [[Barliman Butterbur|Innkeeper]]
|-
| [[John Westbrook]] || [[Treebeard]]
|-
| [[Peter Woodthorpe]] || [[Gollum]]
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Character Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Aesop Aquarian]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sharon Baird]] || [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Stan Barrett]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Billy Barty]] || [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Herb Braha]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Hank Calia]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Albert Cirimele]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mike Clifford]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Delfino]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[David Dotson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Russ Earnest]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Louis Elias]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Fay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Carmen Filpi]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Paul Gale]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Ruth Gay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Lenny Geer]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harriett Gibson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Michael Lee Gogin]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Bob Haney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Chuck Hayward]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Art Hern]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Hice]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Loren Janes]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gary Jensen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Santy Josol]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John L]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Larry Larsen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sam Laws]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Terry Leonard]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Peter Looney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Dennis Madalone]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Tommy Madden]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Buck Maffei]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patty Maloney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jerry Maren]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harry Monty]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Morson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John A. Neris]] || [[Gandalf]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Jeri Lea Ray]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Pete Risch]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Walt Robles]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mic Rodgers]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Angelo Rossitto]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Felix Silla]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patrick Sullivan Burke]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jack Verbois]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gregg Walker]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Donn Whyte]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Trey Wilson]] || Character Actor
|}

===Scenes===
# "Credits" (0:40)
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1978 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]" (3:41)
# "[[Bilbo's Farewell]]" (2:05)
# "[[Frodo's Quest]]" (6:24)
# "[[Saruman's Sorcery]]" (2:43)
# "[[Sinister Horseman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Inn at Bree]]" (3:52)
# "[[Aragorn's Vow]]" (3:54)
# "[[Black Riders Invade]]" (2:50)
# "[[Rider Swordsman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Cornered]]" (5:59)
# "[[Wall of Water]]" (2:39)
# "[[Gandalf's Update]]" (2:51)
# "[[Coucil of Elrond (scene)|Council of Elrond]]" (4:39)
# "[[Frodo's Quest Renewed]]" (2:19)
# "[[Change in Route]]" (2:40)
# "[[Grabbed at the Gateway]]" (2:44)
# "[[Inside the Mine]]" (3:04)
# "[[Under Siege]]" (3:51)
# "[[Balrog Strikes]]" (0:39)
# "[[Homage to Gandalf]]" (3:27)
# "[[Galadriel's Test]]" (3:05)
# "[[Borimir's Madness]]" ''(sic)'' (4:21)
# "[[Borimir's Sacrifice]]" ''(sic)'' (0:49)
# "[[Following the Orcs]]" (5:12)
# "[[Whiteskins Attack]]" (4:55)
# "[[The Gollum]]" (1:36)
# "[[Escape in Mid-battle]]" (4:38)
# "[[Treebeard (1978 scene)|Treebeard]]" (3:24)
# "[[Back from the Abyss]]" (1:55)
# "[[Theoden of Rohan]]" (3:48)
# "[[Gollum gets Touchy]]" (4:57)
# "[[The Orcs Advance]]" (4:42)
# "[[Cave Retreat]]" (4:36)
# "[[Two Weary Hobbits]]" (2:50)
# "[[Outnumbered]]" (2:05)
# "[[Gandalf Triumphant]]" (3:19)
# "End Credits" (2:34)

== Differences from the book ==
The movie makes a few deviations from the book, but overall follows Tolkien's narrative quite closely. Many parts of the novel explaining the transition from one part of the plot to another were omitted which makes the middle part of the movie somewhat difficult to follow, if the viewer is unfamiliar with the story.
* In the film's prologue it is suggested that the Elves created the 19 [[Rings of Power]] for their Kings, Dwarves and Men. Sauron then ''learned'' the craft of ring-making ''after'' that. In the original story it is Sauron who teaches the Elven smiths this ability, and only after their defiance he distributed them to Dwarves and Men.
* Another deviation suggests that the last alliance of men and elves was losing the war which contradicts the original story.
* As in Tolkien's novel, Saruman the White adopts the title "Saruman of Many Colours"; however, his robes are neither white nor multi-colored, but red.
*Saruman is sometimes called "Aruman". It is believed that this name was meant to eliminate confusion with Sauron, although this is not done consistently.
* The scene where the Nazgûl arrive in the hobbits' room at the Prancing Pony and begin slashing at their beds only to find that they are not there, and pillows have been placed to form the figures of their bodies is not in the book. A passage does appear that states that hobbit beds wind up slashed during the night, but the townsfolk of Bree are the perpetrators, not the Nazgûl. This scene also appears in Jackson's version.
* Just as in Jackson's films, the [[Glorfindel|first elf]] that the hobbits and Aragorn meet is changed -- this time to [[Legolas]].
* Like Jackson's films, Bakshi's film does not include the character of [[Tom Bombadil]] (presumably, as with the former, for pacing reasons, as well as to intensify the threat of the Nazgûl to the hobbits).
* [[Arwen]] does not appear, nor is she mentioned.
* Aragorn carries a broken sword (presumably [[Narsil]]) up to the Rivendell section of the story where he presents it to the council. However, the sword's reforging into Andúril is never shown (or mentioned) in the film, even though Aragorn carries an unbroken blade for the remainder of the film.
* Gimli appears to be about the same height as the rest of the non-hobbits in the fellowship.
* There is no mention of the Uruk-hai in the film, or at least they are not differentiated from the Orcs.
* [[Éowyn]] makes only a brief appearance and has no spoken dialogue.
* While [[Éomer]] is mentioned, he is never officially identified (thus, he also has no spoken dialogue). Also, as in the Jackson films, it is ''he'' and his forces with whom Gandalf arrives near the end of the Battle of Helm's Deep instead of [[Erkenbrand]]'s. Éomer and his men are also portrayed as sort of rogue warriors in this film with no direct affiliation to Rohan.
* [[Faramir]] does not appear, nor is he mentioned.
* The "Fires of Isengard" appear as magical projectiles.

== Production ==
===Animation===
Much of the film used live-action footage which was then rotoscoped to produce an animated look [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/38.html] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/39.html]. This saved production costs and arguably gave the animated characters a more realistic look. For the live-action portion of the production, Bakshi and his cast and crew arrived in Spain where the rotoscope models acted out their parts in costume. The actions of [[Bilbo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] were performed by [[Billy Barty]], [[Sharon Baird]] performed the part of [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[John A. Neris]] was Gandalf[http://books.google.com/books?id=fTI1yeZd-tkC&pg=PA154&lpg=PA154&dq=%22aesop+aquarian%22+%22billy+barty%22+%22sharon+baird%22&source=web&ots=C5jvDP0VA9&sig=_W2bXiWtu0mfcOJYZOxMBjapJR8&hl=nl&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result].

Of the rotoscoping, Bakshi said "I didn't start thinking about shooting the film totally in live action until I saw it really start to work so well. I learned lots of things about the process, like rippling. One scene, some figures were standing on a hill and a big gust of wind came up and the shadows moved back and forth on the clothes and it was unbelievable in animation. I don't think I could get the feeling of cold on the screen without showing snow or an icicle on some guy's nose. The characters have weight and they move correctly."

"Making two pictures (the live action reference and the actual animated feature) in two years is crazy. Most directors when they finish editing, they are finished; we were just starting. I got more than I expected. The crew is young. The crew loves it. If the crew loves it, it's usually a great sign. They aren't older animators trying to snow me for jobs next year."[http://www.jimhillmedia.com/article_printer.php?id=768]

Following the live-action shoot, each frame of the live footage was then broken down into individual frames, and then printed out, and placed behind animation cels. The details of each frame were copied and painted onto cels. Both the live-action and animated sequences were storyboarded. [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=20] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=10] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=11]
===Voice cast===
After finishing in Spain, Bakshi went to the [[BBC]]'s recording studios in London. He cast several stars - William Squire, John Hurt - and used several of the BBC Repertory Company's stock actors, like Peter Woodthorpe, Anthony Daniels, Norman Bird and Michael Graham Cox. The actors recorded the lines with each other, but were required to pause for two seconds after each line, to smoothen the recording. This caused some stilted dialogue in the finished product[http://www.anthonydaniels.com/qa/index.html].

==Reception==
The film was originally intended to be distributed as '''''The Lord of the Rings, Part One''''', but United Artists dropped the "Part One" from the title, believing moviegoers would not pay full ticket prices to see half a movie. Says Ralph Bakshi: "United Artists at that time was terrified to say 'Part One.' I remember sitting in meetings screaming my head off saying, 'You can't do this!' Had it said 'Part One,' I think everyone would have respected it. But because it didn't say 'Part One,' everyone came in expecting to see the entire three books, and that's where the confusion comes in" [http://www.tolkiengesellschaft.de/v4/alleszutolkien/filme/bakshi/bakshisoutingheute.shtml]. In interviews, Bakshi sometimes referred to the film as ''The Lord of the Rings, Part One.''

Critics were generally mixed in their responses to the film. Roger Ebert called Bakshi's effort a "mixed blessing" and "an entirely respectable, occasionally impressive job ... [which] still falls far short of the charm and sweep of the original story." Vincent Canby of the ''New York Times'' called the film "both numbing and impressive". Film website Rotten Tomatoes, which compiles reviews from a wide range of critics, gives the film a score of 50.

Despite criticism, the film grossed $30,471,420 at the box office[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lordoftherings78.htm] (the budget was $8 million), but United Artists, who believed the film to be a flop, refused to fund a sequel which would have completed Tolkien's story on film.

==Follow-up==
In light of the theatrical ''The Lord of the Rings, Part Two'' adaptation being scrapped, a means of "finishing" Tolkien's story and making it more complete for audiences then inadvertently fell on the [[Rankin/Bass]] animation studio (fresh on the heels of the success of its previous [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|TV adaptation of ''The Hobbit'']]) in producing an animated TV special based on the [[The Return of the King|final part]] of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Their adaptation of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]'' finished the story and answered most of the questions raised by Bakshi's animated film. Despite this, several unresolved story developments between the ending of ''The Lord of the Rings'' and the beginning of ''The Return of the King'' were left unexplained, especially the Ents' march on Isengard (along with Merry eventually taking up with the Army of Rohan, and Gandalf and Pippin's subsequent journey to Gondor), the betrayal of Frodo by Gollum, and the attack of [[Shelob]] the monster spider-creature on Frodo and Sam. It should be noted, however, that production for this Rankin/Bass follow-up had begun even before their version of ''The Hobbit'' had originally aired (let alone before Bakshi's theatrical film had premiered)[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0], so Rankin/Bass can't be entirely blamed for this flaw in continuity.

[[Warner Bros.]] (the rights holder to the post-1974 Rankin/Bass library and most of the Saul Zaentz theatrical backlog) has released ''The Hobbit,'' ''The Lord of the Rings,'' and ''The Return of the King'' on VHS and DVD, both packaged separately and as a boxed-set "trilogy" of films.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077869/ The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)] at [http://www.imdb.com/ IMDb]
* [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings ''The Lord of the Rings'' at Ralph Bakshi.com]
* [http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/tolkien/lord-of-the-rings.html Screen captures from the laserdisc edition]
*[http://flyingmoose.org/tolksarc/bakshi/bakshi.htm Ralph Bakshi's Lord of the Rings, Part One: A Critique] - a humorous critique of the film and satire of its shortcomings
{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)| ]]
[[de:Lord of the Rings (Zeichentrickfilm)]]
[[fi:The Lord of the Rings (1978)]]

The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)

2013-04-05T11:20:21Z

76.113.141.81: /* Reception */

{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox
| image=[[Image:Bakshi-lotr.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Lord of the Rings
| director=[[Ralph Bakshi]]
| producer=[[Saul Zaentz]]
| writer=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] [[Ralph Bakshi]] [[Peter S. Beagle]] 
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Leonard Rosenman
| cinematography=Timothy Galfas
| editing=Donald W. Ernst Peter Kirby
| distributor=[[United Artists]]
| released=[[15 November|November 15]]th, [[1978]]
| runtime=132 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget= $4 million
| website=[http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings Official website]
| imdb_id=0077869
}}'''''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings''''' is an animated film produced and directed by [[Ralph Bakshi]], and released to theaters in 1978. It was an adaptation of the first half of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Bakshi's most ambitious effort (and his most famous after his animated adaptation of the underground comic ''Fritz the Cat''), the film was produced by [[Saul Zaentz]]'s Fantasy Films, but distributed to theaters by United Artists.

==Synopsis==
Long ago, in the early years of the [[Second Age]], the great Elven-smiths forged Rings of Power — Nine for mortal [[Men]], Seven for the [[Dwarves|Dwarf-lords]], and three for the fair [[Elves|Elf-rulers]]. But then, the Dark Lord [[Sauron]] learned the craft of ring-making and made the Master Ring — [[The One Ring]] to rule them all. With the One Ring, [[Middle-earth]] is his and he cannot be overcome. As the last alliance of Men and Elves fell beneath his power, the ring fell into the hands of Prince [[Isildur]] of the mighty kings from across the sea. He did not destroy the ring, and because of this, the spirit of Sauron lived on and began to take shape and grow again.

The Ring had a will of its own, and had a way of slipping from hand to hand, so that it might at last get back to its master. The Ring lay in the bottom of a lake for thousands of years. During those years, Sauron captured the nine Rings that were made for Men and turned their owners into the [[Nazgûl|Ringwraiths]]: terrible shadows under his great shadow who roamed the world searching for the One Ring.

The Ring, meanwhile, was found by two friends. One of them, [[Sméagol]], was so enticed by the Ring's power that he killed his friend [[Déagol]] to get it. Sméagol possessed the Ring for hundreds of years, during which it warped him into a twisted, gurgling wretch known only as Gollum, until his "Precious" was discovered (some might say stolen) by the hobbit [[Bilbo Baggins]].

Several years later, in a land called [[the Shire]], Bilbo is celebrating his 111th (or eleventy-first, as it is called) birthday, on the same day that his nephew [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] celebrates his 33rd birthday, (his "coming of age"). During his speech, Bilbo slips the Ring on, and confusion arises as the party notices that their host has suddenly disappeared into thin air!

[[Gandalf]] the wizard, however, knows the truth behind this act. In Bilbo's hobbit hole, Gandalf tells him to leave the Ring for Frodo, but Bilbo seems unwilling to give it up. He does, finally, agree, and leaves the Shire.

Gandalf realizes that the "magic" ring is in fact the one ring forged by Sauron, the evil lord. He knows the Shire is in danger, soon Sauron will learn that the Ring is in the possession of a Baggins and send his "wraiths" after him. Heeding Gandalf's advice, Frodo leaves his home, taking the Ring with him. He hopes to reach [[Rivendell]], where he will be safe from Sauron, and where those wiser than he can decide what to do about the Ring.
In his journey he is accompanied by three hobbit friends, [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]], and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]]. From the start they are pursued by Black Riders (Sauron's Ringwraiths or Nazgûl). Narrowly escaping these and other dangers and meeting other interesting characters en route they eventually come to [[Bree]], where they meet [[Aragorn|Strider]], another friend of Gandalf who leads them the rest of the way to Rivendell, through further hardships. Frodo is stabbed upon the mountain of [[Weathertop]] by the [[Witch-king|chief of the Nazgûl]], with a "[[Morgul blade]]" — as part of the knife stays inside him, he gets sicker on the rest of the journey.

At Rivendell, Frodo meets his uncle Bilbo whom he had not seen since he left Hobbiton years before; Bilbo seems much older and weaker, and, for a terrible moment, is once again held in sway of the Ring. Bilbo, Gandalf, and others argue about what should be done with the One Ring. Finally, Frodo stands up, and willfully volunteers to go to [[Mordor]], where the Ring can be destroyed.
Frodo sets forth from Rivendell with eight companions: two Men, [[Aragorn]] and [[Boromir]], son of the [[Stewards of Gondor|Steward]] of the land of [[Gondor]]; an [[Elves|Elven]] prince, [[Legolas]]; Frodo's old friend and powerful wizard, Gandalf; [[Gimli]] the [[Dwarves|Dwarf]]; and Frodo's original three hobbit companions. These Nine Walkers were chosen to represent all the free races of Middle-earth and as a balance to the Nine Riders.

Their attempt to cross the [[Misty Mountains]] is foiled by heavy snow, so they are forced to take a path under the mountains via [[Moria]], an ancient Dwarf kingdom, now full of [[Orcs]] and other evil creatures, where Gandalf falls into the abyss after battling a [[Durin's Bane|Balrog]].
The remaining eight members of the Fellowship then spend some time in the elf-haven of [[Lothlórien]], where they receive [[Gifts of Galadriel|gifts]] from the elf queen [[Galadriel]] that in many cases prove useful later in the quest. They leave Lórien by river, but Frodo begins to realize the Ring is having a malevolent effect on some members of the party, especially Boromir, who tries to take the Ring from Frodo. In the process, Frodo puts it on to escape him. Later, Boromir is killed by Orcs while trying to defend Merry and Pippin, whom the Orcs capture.

Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, tracking Merry and Pippin, come across the [[Rohirrim|Riders of Rohan]] who tell them that they attacked the Orcs the previous night and left no survivors.

However, Strider is able to find small prints and they follow these into [[Fangorn Forest]], where they meet a white wizard who they at first believe to be [[Saruman]], but who turns out to be their wizard friend Gandalf, whom they believed had perished in the mines of Moria. He tells them of his fall into the abyss, his battle to the death with the Balrog and his reawakening.

The four ride to Rohan's capital, [[Edoras]], and persuade King [[Théoden]] that his people are in danger. In the process, Saruman's agent in Edoras, [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]], who had been keeping Théoden subdued and weak for years, is expelled from the city. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas then travel to the defensive fortification [[Helm's Deep]] while Gandalf goes north in search of [[Éomer]]'s men in the north of [[Rohan]] to bring as reinforcements.

Hobbits Merry and Pippin escape from the Orcs who captured them when the orcs themselves are attacked by the Riders of Rohan. Merry and Pippin head into nearby Fangorn Forest where they encounter treelike giants called [[Ents]]. These guardians of the forest generally keep to themselves, but are moved to oppose the menace posed to the trees by the wizard Saruman.

At Helm's Deep, Théoden's forces resist an onslaught of Orcs and Men sent by Saruman, and Gandalf arrives the next morning with the Riders of Rohan just in time. The fleeing orcs run into a forest of [[Huorn]]s — creatures halfway between tree and Ent — and none escape. Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Gandalf and the army of Rohan then head to Saruman's stronghold at [[Isengard]].
Frodo and Sam discover Gollum stalking them as they try to reach [[Mount Doom]] to destroy the One Ring. Gollum hopes to reclaim the Ring. Sam loathes and distrusts him, but Frodo pities him, and so lets him live in return for guidance to Mount Doom. Gollum promises to lead them to a secret entrance to Mordor. Gollum, who is briefly torn between keeping his word to Frodo and reclaiming his "Precious," is ominously overheard to say "[[Shelob|''she'']] might help us..." as he leads Frodo and Sam to [[Cirith Ungol]].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Voice Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Norman Bird]] || [[Bilbo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Lucille Bliss]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[David Buck]] || [[Gimli]]
|-
| [[Simon Chandler]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Michael Graham Cox]] || [[Boromir]]
|-
| [[Annette Crosbie]] || [[Galadriel]]
|-
| [[Anthony Daniels]] || [[Legolas]]
|-
| [[Michael Deacon]] || [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]]
|-
| [[Christopher Guard]] || [[Frodo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Dominic Guard]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[John Hurt]] || [[Aragorn]]
|-
| [[Fraser Kerr]] || [[Saruman|(S)Aruman]]
|-
| [[André Morell]] || [[Elrond]]
|-
| [[Michael Scholes]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Mel Smith]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[William Squire]] || [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Philip Stone]] || [[Théoden]]
|-
| [[Alan Tilvern]] || [[Barliman Butterbur|Innkeeper]]
|-
| [[John Westbrook]] || [[Treebeard]]
|-
| [[Peter Woodthorpe]] || [[Gollum]]
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Character Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Aesop Aquarian]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sharon Baird]] || [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Stan Barrett]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Billy Barty]] || [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Herb Braha]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Hank Calia]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Albert Cirimele]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mike Clifford]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Delfino]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[David Dotson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Russ Earnest]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Louis Elias]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Fay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Carmen Filpi]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Paul Gale]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Ruth Gay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Lenny Geer]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harriett Gibson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Michael Lee Gogin]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Bob Haney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Chuck Hayward]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Art Hern]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Hice]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Loren Janes]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gary Jensen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Santy Josol]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John L]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Larry Larsen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sam Laws]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Terry Leonard]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Peter Looney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Dennis Madalone]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Tommy Madden]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Buck Maffei]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patty Maloney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jerry Maren]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harry Monty]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Morson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John A. Neris]] || [[Gandalf]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Jeri Lea Ray]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Pete Risch]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Walt Robles]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mic Rodgers]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Angelo Rossitto]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Felix Silla]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patrick Sullivan Burke]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jack Verbois]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gregg Walker]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Donn Whyte]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Trey Wilson]] || Character Actor
|}

===Scenes===
# "Credits" (0:40)
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1978 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]" (3:41)
# "[[Bilbo's Farewell]]" (2:05)
# "[[Frodo's Quest]]" (6:24)
# "[[Saruman's Sorcery]]" (2:43)
# "[[Sinister Horseman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Inn at Bree]]" (3:52)
# "[[Aragorn's Vow]]" (3:54)
# "[[Black Riders Invade]]" (2:50)
# "[[Rider Swordsman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Cornered]]" (5:59)
# "[[Wall of Water]]" (2:39)
# "[[Gandalf's Update]]" (2:51)
# "[[Coucil of Elrond (scene)|Council of Elrond]]" (4:39)
# "[[Frodo's Quest Renewed]]" (2:19)
# "[[Change in Route]]" (2:40)
# "[[Grabbed at the Gateway]]" (2:44)
# "[[Inside the Mine]]" (3:04)
# "[[Under Siege]]" (3:51)
# "[[Balrog Strikes]]" (0:39)
# "[[Homage to Gandalf]]" (3:27)
# "[[Galadriel's Test]]" (3:05)
# "[[Borimir's Madness]]" ''(sic)'' (4:21)
# "[[Borimir's Sacrifice]]" ''(sic)'' (0:49)
# "[[Following the Orcs]]" (5:12)
# "[[Whiteskins Attack]]" (4:55)
# "[[The Gollum]]" (1:36)
# "[[Escape in Mid-battle]]" (4:38)
# "[[Treebeard (1978 scene)|Treebeard]]" (3:24)
# "[[Back from the Abyss]]" (1:55)
# "[[Theoden of Rohan]]" (3:48)
# "[[Gollum gets Touchy]]" (4:57)
# "[[The Orcs Advance]]" (4:42)
# "[[Cave Retreat]]" (4:36)
# "[[Two Weary Hobbits]]" (2:50)
# "[[Outnumbered]]" (2:05)
# "[[Gandalf Triumphant]]" (3:19)
# "End Credits" (2:34)

== Differences from the book ==
The movie makes a few deviations from the book, but overall follows Tolkien's narrative quite closely. Many parts of the novel explaining the transition from one part of the plot to another were omitted which makes the middle part of the movie somewhat difficult to follow, if the viewer is unfamiliar with the story.
* In the film's prologue it is suggested that the Elves created the 19 [[Rings of Power]] for their Kings, Dwarves and Men. Sauron then ''learned'' the craft of ring-making ''after'' that. In the original story it is Sauron who teaches the Elven smiths this ability, and only after their defiance he distributed them to Dwarves and Men.
* Another deviation suggests that the last alliance of men and elves was losing the war which contradicts the original story.
* As in Tolkien's novel, Saruman the White adopts the title "Saruman of Many Colours"; however, his robes are neither white nor multi-colored, but red.
*Saruman is sometimes called "Aruman". It is believed that this name was meant to eliminate confusion with Sauron, although this is not done consistently.
* The scene where the Nazgûl arrive in the hobbits' room at the Prancing Pony and begin slashing at their beds only to find that they are not there, and pillows have been placed to form the figures of their bodies is not in the book. A passage does appear that states that hobbit beds wind up slashed during the night, but the townsfolk of Bree are the perpetrators, not the Nazgûl. This scene also appears in Jackson's version.
* Just as in Jackson's films, the [[Glorfindel|first elf]] that the hobbits and Aragorn meet is changed -- this time to [[Legolas]].
* Like Jackson's films, Bakshi's film does not include the character of [[Tom Bombadil]] (presumably, as with the former, for pacing reasons, as well as to intensify the threat of the Nazgûl to the hobbits).
* [[Arwen]] does not appear, nor is she mentioned.
* Aragorn carries a broken sword (presumably [[Narsil]]) up to the Rivendell section of the story where he presents it to the council. However, the sword's reforging into Andúril is never shown (or mentioned) in the film, even though Aragorn carries an unbroken blade for the remainder of the film.
* Gimli appears to be about the same height as the rest of the non-hobbits in the fellowship.
* There is no mention of the Uruk-hai in the film, or at least they are not differentiated from the Orcs.
* [[Éowyn]] makes only a brief appearance and has no spoken dialogue.
* While [[Éomer]] is mentioned, he is never officially identified (thus, he also has no spoken dialogue). Also, as in the Jackson films, it is ''he'' and his forces with whom Gandalf arrives near the end of the Battle of Helm's Deep instead of [[Erkenbrand]]'s. Éomer and his men are also portrayed as sort of rogue warriors in this film with no direct affiliation to Rohan.
* [[Faramir]] does not appear, nor is he mentioned.
* The "Fires of Isengard" appear as magical projectiles.

== Production ==
===Animation===
Much of the film used live-action footage which was then rotoscoped to produce an animated look [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/38.html] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/39.html]. This saved production costs and arguably gave the animated characters a more realistic look. For the live-action portion of the production, Bakshi and his cast and crew arrived in Spain where the rotoscope models acted out their parts in costume. The actions of [[Bilbo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] were performed by [[Billy Barty]], [[Sharon Baird]] performed the part of [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[John A. Neris]] was Gandalf[http://books.google.com/books?id=fTI1yeZd-tkC&pg=PA154&lpg=PA154&dq=%22aesop+aquarian%22+%22billy+barty%22+%22sharon+baird%22&source=web&ots=C5jvDP0VA9&sig=_W2bXiWtu0mfcOJYZOxMBjapJR8&hl=nl&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result].

Of the rotoscoping, Bakshi said "I didn't start thinking about shooting the film totally in live action until I saw it really start to work so well. I learned lots of things about the process, like rippling. One scene, some figures were standing on a hill and a big gust of wind came up and the shadows moved back and forth on the clothes and it was unbelievable in animation. I don't think I could get the feeling of cold on the screen without showing snow or an icicle on some guy's nose. The characters have weight and they move correctly."

"Making two pictures (the live action reference and the actual animated feature) in two years is crazy. Most directors when they finish editing, they are finished; we were just starting. I got more than I expected. The crew is young. The crew loves it. If the crew loves it, it's usually a great sign. They aren't older animators trying to snow me for jobs next year."[http://www.jimhillmedia.com/article_printer.php?id=768]

Following the live-action shoot, each frame of the live footage was then broken down into individual frames, and then printed out, and placed behind animation cels. The details of each frame were copied and painted onto cels. Both the live-action and animated sequences were storyboarded. [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=20] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=10] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=11]
===Voice cast===
After finishing in Spain, Bakshi went to the [[BBC]]'s recording studios in London. He cast several stars - William Squire, John Hurt - and used several of the BBC Repertory Company's stock actors, like Peter Woodthorpe, Anthony Daniels, Norman Bird and Michael Graham Cox. The actors recorded the lines with each other, but were required to pause for two seconds after each line, to smoothen the recording. This caused some stilted dialogue in the finished product[http://www.anthonydaniels.com/qa/index.html].

==Reception==
The film was originally intended to be distributed as '''''The Lord of the Rings, Part One''''', but United Artists dropped the "Part One" from the title, believing moviegoers would not pay full ticket prices to see half a movie. Says Ralph Bakshi: "United Artists at that time was terrified to say 'Part One.' I remember sitting in meetings screaming my head off saying, 'You can't do this!' Had it said 'Part One,' I think everyone would have respected it. But because it didn't say 'Part One,' everyone came in expecting to see the entire three books, and that's where the confusion comes in" [http://www.tolkiengesellschaft.de/v4/alleszutolkien/filme/bakshi/bakshisoutingheute.shtml]. In interviews, Bakshi sometimes referred to the film as ''The Lord of the Rings, Part One.''

Critics were generally mixed in their responses to the film. Roger Ebert called Bakshi's effort a "mixed blessing" and "an entirely respectable, occasionally impressive job ... [which] still falls far short of the charm and sweep of the original story." Vincent Canby of the ''New York Times'' called the film "both numbing and impressive". Film website Rotten Tomatoes, which compiles reviews from a wide range of critics, gives the film a score of 50.

Despite criticism, the film grossed $30,471,420 at the box office[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lordoftherings78.htm] (the budget was $8 million), but United Artists, who believed the film to be a flop, refused to fund a sequel which would have completed Tolkien's story on film.

==Follow-up==
In light of the theatrical ''The Lord of the Rings, Part Two'' adaptation being scrapped, a means of "finishing" Tolkien's story and making it more complete for audiences then inadvertently fell on the [[Rankin/Bass]] animation studio (fresh on the heels of the success of its previous [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|TV adaptation of ''The Hobbit'']]) in producing an animated TV special based on the [[The Return of the King|final part]] of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Their adaptation of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]'' finished the story and answered most of the questions raised by Bakshi's animated film. Despite this, several unresolved story developments between the ending of ''The Lord of the Rings'' and the beginning of ''The Return of the King'' were left unexplained, especially the Ents' march on Isengard (along with Merry eventually taking up with the Army of Rohan, and Gandalf and Pippin's subsequent journey to Gondor), the betrayal of Frodo by Gollum, and the attack of [[Shelob]] the monster spider-creature on Frodo and Sam. It should be noted, however, that production for this Rankin/Bass follow-up had begun even before their version of ''The Hobbit'' had originally aired (let alone before Bakshi's theatrical film had premiered)[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0], so Rankin/Bass can't be entirely blamed for this flaw in continuity.

[[Warner Bros.]] (the rights holder to the post-1974 Rankin/Bass library and most of the Saul Zaentz theatrical backlog) has released ''The Hobbit,'' ''The Lord of the Rings,'' and ''The Return of the King'' on VHS and DVD, both packaged separately and as a boxed-set "trilogy" of films.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077869/ The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)] at IMDb
* [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings ''The Lord of the Rings'' at Ralph Bakshi.com]
* [http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/tolkien/lord-of-the-rings.html Screen captures from the laserdisc edition]
*[http://flyingmoose.org/tolksarc/bakshi/bakshi.htm Ralph Bakshi's Lord of the Rings, Part One: A Critique] - a humorous critique of the film and satire of its shortcomings
{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)| ]]
[[de:Lord of the Rings (Zeichentrickfilm)]]
[[fi:The Lord of the Rings (1978)]]

The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)

2013-04-05T03:24:17Z

76.113.141.81: /* Differences from the book */

{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox
| image=[[Image:Bakshi-lotr.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Lord of the Rings
| director=[[Ralph Bakshi]]
| producer=[[Saul Zaentz]]
| writer=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] [[Ralph Bakshi]] [[Peter S. Beagle]] 
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Leonard Rosenman
| cinematography=Timothy Galfas
| editing=Donald W. Ernst Peter Kirby
| distributor=[[United Artists]]
| released=[[15 November|November 15]]th, [[1978]]
| runtime=132 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget= $4 million
| website=[http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings Official website]
| imdb_id=0077869
}}'''''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings''''' is an animated film produced and directed by [[Ralph Bakshi]], and released to theaters in 1978. It was an adaptation of the first half of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Bakshi's most ambitious effort (and his most famous after his animated adaptation of the underground comic ''Fritz the Cat''), the film was produced by [[Saul Zaentz]]'s Fantasy Films, but distributed to theaters by United Artists.

==Synopsis==
Long ago, in the early years of the [[Second Age]], the great Elven-smiths forged Rings of Power — Nine for mortal [[Men]], Seven for the [[Dwarves|Dwarf-lords]], and three for the fair [[Elves|Elf-rulers]]. But then, the Dark Lord [[Sauron]] learned the craft of ring-making and made the Master Ring — [[The One Ring]] to rule them all. With the One Ring, [[Middle-earth]] is his and he cannot be overcome. As the last alliance of Men and Elves fell beneath his power, the ring fell into the hands of Prince [[Isildur]] of the mighty kings from across the sea. He did not destroy the ring, and because of this, the spirit of Sauron lived on and began to take shape and grow again.

The Ring had a will of its own, and had a way of slipping from hand to hand, so that it might at last get back to its master. The Ring lay in the bottom of a lake for thousands of years. During those years, Sauron captured the nine Rings that were made for Men and turned their owners into the [[Nazgûl|Ringwraiths]]: terrible shadows under his great shadow who roamed the world searching for the One Ring.

The Ring, meanwhile, was found by two friends. One of them, [[Sméagol]], was so enticed by the Ring's power that he killed his friend [[Déagol]] to get it. Sméagol possessed the Ring for hundreds of years, during which it warped him into a twisted, gurgling wretch known only as Gollum, until his "Precious" was discovered (some might say stolen) by the hobbit [[Bilbo Baggins]].

Several years later, in a land called [[the Shire]], Bilbo is celebrating his 111th (or eleventy-first, as it is called) birthday, on the same day that his nephew [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] celebrates his 33rd birthday, (his "coming of age"). During his speech, Bilbo slips the Ring on, and confusion arises as the party notices that their host has suddenly disappeared into thin air!

[[Gandalf]] the wizard, however, knows the truth behind this act. In Bilbo's hobbit hole, Gandalf tells him to leave the Ring for Frodo, but Bilbo seems unwilling to give it up. He does, finally, agree, and leaves the Shire.

Gandalf realizes that the "magic" ring is in fact the one ring forged by Sauron, the evil lord. He knows the Shire is in danger, soon Sauron will learn that the Ring is in the possession of a Baggins and send his "wraiths" after him. Heeding Gandalf's advice, Frodo leaves his home, taking the Ring with him. He hopes to reach [[Rivendell]], where he will be safe from Sauron, and where those wiser than he can decide what to do about the Ring.
In his journey he is accompanied by three hobbit friends, [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]], and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]]. From the start they are pursued by Black Riders (Sauron's Ringwraiths or Nazgûl). Narrowly escaping these and other dangers and meeting other interesting characters en route they eventually come to [[Bree]], where they meet [[Aragorn|Strider]], another friend of Gandalf who leads them the rest of the way to Rivendell, through further hardships. Frodo is stabbed upon the mountain of [[Weathertop]] by the [[Witch-king|chief of the Nazgûl]], with a "[[Morgul blade]]" — as part of the knife stays inside him, he gets sicker on the rest of the journey.

At Rivendell, Frodo meets his uncle Bilbo whom he had not seen since he left Hobbiton years before; Bilbo seems much older and weaker, and, for a terrible moment, is once again held in sway of the Ring. Bilbo, Gandalf, and others argue about what should be done with the One Ring. Finally, Frodo stands up, and willfully volunteers to go to [[Mordor]], where the Ring can be destroyed.
Frodo sets forth from Rivendell with eight companions: two Men, [[Aragorn]] and [[Boromir]], son of the [[Stewards of Gondor|Steward]] of the land of [[Gondor]]; an [[Elves|Elven]] prince, [[Legolas]]; Frodo's old friend and powerful wizard, Gandalf; [[Gimli]] the [[Dwarves|Dwarf]]; and Frodo's original three hobbit companions. These Nine Walkers were chosen to represent all the free races of Middle-earth and as a balance to the Nine Riders.

Their attempt to cross the [[Misty Mountains]] is foiled by heavy snow, so they are forced to take a path under the mountains via [[Moria]], an ancient Dwarf kingdom, now full of [[Orcs]] and other evil creatures, where Gandalf falls into the abyss after battling a [[Durin's Bane|Balrog]].
The remaining eight members of the Fellowship then spend some time in the elf-haven of [[Lothlórien]], where they receive [[Gifts of Galadriel|gifts]] from the elf queen [[Galadriel]] that in many cases prove useful later in the quest. They leave Lórien by river, but Frodo begins to realize the Ring is having a malevolent effect on some members of the party, especially Boromir, who tries to take the Ring from Frodo. In the process, Frodo puts it on to escape him. Later, Boromir is killed by Orcs while trying to defend Merry and Pippin, whom the Orcs capture.

Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, tracking Merry and Pippin, come across the [[Rohirrim|Riders of Rohan]] who tell them that they attacked the Orcs the previous night and left no survivors.

However, Strider is able to find small prints and they follow these into [[Fangorn Forest]], where they meet a white wizard who they at first believe to be [[Saruman]], but who turns out to be their wizard friend Gandalf, whom they believed had perished in the mines of Moria. He tells them of his fall into the abyss, his battle to the death with the Balrog and his reawakening.

The four ride to Rohan's capital, [[Edoras]], and persuade King [[Théoden]] that his people are in danger. In the process, Saruman's agent in Edoras, [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]], who had been keeping Théoden subdued and weak for years, is expelled from the city. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas then travel to the defensive fortification [[Helm's Deep]] while Gandalf goes north in search of [[Éomer]]'s men in the north of [[Rohan]] to bring as reinforcements.

Hobbits Merry and Pippin escape from the Orcs who captured them when the orcs themselves are attacked by the Riders of Rohan. Merry and Pippin head into nearby Fangorn Forest where they encounter treelike giants called [[Ents]]. These guardians of the forest generally keep to themselves, but are moved to oppose the menace posed to the trees by the wizard Saruman.

At Helm's Deep, Théoden's forces resist an onslaught of Orcs and Men sent by Saruman, and Gandalf arrives the next morning with the Riders of Rohan just in time. The fleeing orcs run into a forest of [[Huorn]]s — creatures halfway between tree and Ent — and none escape. Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Gandalf and the army of Rohan then head to Saruman's stronghold at [[Isengard]].
Frodo and Sam discover Gollum stalking them as they try to reach [[Mount Doom]] to destroy the One Ring. Gollum hopes to reclaim the Ring. Sam loathes and distrusts him, but Frodo pities him, and so lets him live in return for guidance to Mount Doom. Gollum promises to lead them to a secret entrance to Mordor. Gollum, who is briefly torn between keeping his word to Frodo and reclaiming his "Precious," is ominously overheard to say "[[Shelob|''she'']] might help us..." as he leads Frodo and Sam to [[Cirith Ungol]].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Voice Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Norman Bird]] || [[Bilbo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Lucille Bliss]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[David Buck]] || [[Gimli]]
|-
| [[Simon Chandler]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Michael Graham Cox]] || [[Boromir]]
|-
| [[Annette Crosbie]] || [[Galadriel]]
|-
| [[Anthony Daniels]] || [[Legolas]]
|-
| [[Michael Deacon]] || [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]]
|-
| [[Christopher Guard]] || [[Frodo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Dominic Guard]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[John Hurt]] || [[Aragorn]]
|-
| [[Fraser Kerr]] || [[Saruman|(S)Aruman]]
|-
| [[André Morell]] || [[Elrond]]
|-
| [[Michael Scholes]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Mel Smith]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[William Squire]] || [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Philip Stone]] || [[Théoden]]
|-
| [[Alan Tilvern]] || [[Barliman Butterbur|Innkeeper]]
|-
| [[John Westbrook]] || [[Treebeard]]
|-
| [[Peter Woodthorpe]] || [[Gollum]]
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Character Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Aesop Aquarian]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sharon Baird]] || [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Stan Barrett]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Billy Barty]] || [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Herb Braha]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Hank Calia]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Albert Cirimele]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mike Clifford]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Delfino]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[David Dotson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Russ Earnest]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Louis Elias]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Fay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Carmen Filpi]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Paul Gale]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Ruth Gay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Lenny Geer]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harriett Gibson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Michael Lee Gogin]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Bob Haney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Chuck Hayward]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Art Hern]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Hice]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Loren Janes]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gary Jensen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Santy Josol]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John L]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Larry Larsen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sam Laws]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Terry Leonard]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Peter Looney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Dennis Madalone]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Tommy Madden]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Buck Maffei]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patty Maloney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jerry Maren]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harry Monty]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Morson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John A. Neris]] || [[Gandalf]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Jeri Lea Ray]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Pete Risch]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Walt Robles]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mic Rodgers]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Angelo Rossitto]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Felix Silla]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patrick Sullivan Burke]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jack Verbois]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gregg Walker]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Donn Whyte]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Trey Wilson]] || Character Actor
|}

===Scenes===
# "Credits" (0:40)
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1978 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]" (3:41)
# "[[Bilbo's Farewell]]" (2:05)
# "[[Frodo's Quest]]" (6:24)
# "[[Saruman's Sorcery]]" (2:43)
# "[[Sinister Horseman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Inn at Bree]]" (3:52)
# "[[Aragorn's Vow]]" (3:54)
# "[[Black Riders Invade]]" (2:50)
# "[[Rider Swordsman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Cornered]]" (5:59)
# "[[Wall of Water]]" (2:39)
# "[[Gandalf's Update]]" (2:51)
# "[[Coucil of Elrond (scene)|Council of Elrond]]" (4:39)
# "[[Frodo's Quest Renewed]]" (2:19)
# "[[Change in Route]]" (2:40)
# "[[Grabbed at the Gateway]]" (2:44)
# "[[Inside the Mine]]" (3:04)
# "[[Under Siege]]" (3:51)
# "[[Balrog Strikes]]" (0:39)
# "[[Homage to Gandalf]]" (3:27)
# "[[Galadriel's Test]]" (3:05)
# "[[Borimir's Madness]]" ''(sic)'' (4:21)
# "[[Borimir's Sacrifice]]" ''(sic)'' (0:49)
# "[[Following the Orcs]]" (5:12)
# "[[Whiteskins Attack]]" (4:55)
# "[[The Gollum]]" (1:36)
# "[[Escape in Mid-battle]]" (4:38)
# "[[Treebeard (1978 scene)|Treebeard]]" (3:24)
# "[[Back from the Abyss]]" (1:55)
# "[[Theoden of Rohan]]" (3:48)
# "[[Gollum gets Touchy]]" (4:57)
# "[[The Orcs Advance]]" (4:42)
# "[[Cave Retreat]]" (4:36)
# "[[Two Weary Hobbits]]" (2:50)
# "[[Outnumbered]]" (2:05)
# "[[Gandalf Triumphant]]" (3:19)
# "End Credits" (2:34)

== Differences from the book ==
The movie makes a few deviations from the book, but overall follows Tolkien's narrative quite closely. Many parts of the novel explaining the transition from one part of the plot to another were omitted which makes the middle part of the movie somewhat difficult to follow, if the viewer is unfamiliar with the story.
* In the film's prologue it is suggested that Sauron ''learned'' the craft of ring-making ''after'' the 19 lesser rings were made whilst in the original story it is Sauron who teaches the Elven smiths this ability.
* Another deviation suggests that the last alliance of men and elves was losing the war which contradicts the original story.
* As in Tolkien's novel, Saruman the White adopts the title "Saruman of Many Colours"; however, his robes are neither white nor multi-colored, but red.
*Saruman is sometimes called "Aruman". It is believed that this name was meant to eliminate confusion with Sauron.
* The scene where the Nazgûl arrive in the hobbits' room at the Prancing Pony and begin slashing at their beds only to find that they are not there, and pillows have been placed to form the figures of their bodies is not in the book, but it is in both Jackson's and Bakshi's film versions. A passage does appear that states that hobbit beds wind up slashed during the night, but the townsfolk of Bree are the perpetrators, not the Nazgûl.
* Just as in Jackson's films, the [[Glorfindel|first elf]] that the hobbits and Aragorn meet is changed -- this time to [[Legolas]].
* Like Jackson's films, Bakshi's film does not include the character of [[Tom Bombadil]] (presumably, as with the former, for pacing reasons, as well as to intensify the threat of the Nazgûl to the hobbits).
* [[Arwen]] does not appear, nor is she mentioned.
* Aragorn carries a broken sword (presumably [[Narsil]]) up to the Rivendell section of the story where he presents it to the council. However, the sword's reforging into Andúril is never shown (or mentioned) in the film, even though Aragorn carries an unbroken blade for the remainder of the film.
* Gimli appears to be about the same height as the rest of the non-hobbits in the fellowship.
* No differentiation is made between the Orcs and Uruk-hai in the film; in fact, there is no mention of the latter at all.
* [[Éowyn]] makes only a brief appearance and has no spoken dialogue.
* While [[Éomer]] is mentioned, he is never officially identified (thus, he also has no spoken dialogue). Also, as in the Jackson films, it is ''he'' and his forces with whom Gandalf arrives near the end of the Battle of Helm's Deep instead of [[Erkenbrand]]'s. Éomer and his men are also portrayed as sort of rogue warriors in this film with no direct affiliation to Rohan.
* [[Faramir]] does not appear, nor is he mentioned.
* The "Fires of Isengard" appear as magical projectiles.

== Production ==
===Animation===
Much of the film used live-action footage which was then rotoscoped to produce an animated look [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/38.html] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/39.html]. This saved production costs and arguably gave the animated characters a more realistic look. For the live-action portion of the production, Bakshi and his cast and crew arrived in Spain where the rotoscope models acted out their parts in costume. The actions of [[Bilbo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] were performed by [[Billy Barty]], [[Sharon Baird]] performed the part of [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[John A. Neris]] was Gandalf[http://books.google.com/books?id=fTI1yeZd-tkC&pg=PA154&lpg=PA154&dq=%22aesop+aquarian%22+%22billy+barty%22+%22sharon+baird%22&source=web&ots=C5jvDP0VA9&sig=_W2bXiWtu0mfcOJYZOxMBjapJR8&hl=nl&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result].

Of the rotoscoping, Bakshi said "I didn't start thinking about shooting the film totally in live action until I saw it really start to work so well. I learned lots of things about the process, like rippling. One scene, some figures were standing on a hill and a big gust of wind came up and the shadows moved back and forth on the clothes and it was unbelievable in animation. I don't think I could get the feeling of cold on the screen without showing snow or an icicle on some guy's nose. The characters have weight and they move correctly."

"Making two pictures (the live action reference and the actual animated feature) in two years is crazy. Most directors when they finish editing, they are finished; we were just starting. I got more than I expected. The crew is young. The crew loves it. If the crew loves it, it's usually a great sign. They aren't older animators trying to snow me for jobs next year."[http://www.jimhillmedia.com/article_printer.php?id=768]

Following the live-action shoot, each frame of the live footage was then broken down into individual frames, and then printed out, and placed behind animation cels. The details of each frame were copied and painted onto cels. Both the live-action and animated sequences were storyboarded. [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=20] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=10] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=11]
===Voice cast===
After finishing in Spain, Bakshi went to the [[BBC]]'s recording studios in London. He cast several stars - William Squire, John Hurt - and used several of the BBC Repertory Company's stock actors, like Peter Woodthorpe, Anthony Daniels, Norman Bird and Michael Graham Cox. The actors recorded the lines with each other, but were required to pause for two seconds after each line, to smoothen the recording. This caused some stilted dialogue in the finished product[http://www.anthonydaniels.com/qa/index.html].

==Reception==
The film was originally intended to be distributed as '''''The Lord of the Rings, Part One''''', but United Artists dropped the "Part One" from the title, believing moviegoers would not pay full ticket prices to see half a movie. Says Ralph Bakshi: "United Artists at that time was terrified to say 'Part One.' I remember sitting in meetings screaming my head off saying, 'You can't do this.'" "Had it said 'Part One,' I think everyone would have respected it. But because it didn't say 'Part One,' everyone came in expecting to see the entire three books, and that's where the confusion comes in" [http://www.tolkiengesellschaft.de/v4/alleszutolkien/filme/bakshi/bakshisoutingheute.shtml]. In interviews, Bakshi sometimes referred to the film as ''The Lord of the Rings, Part One.''

Critics were generally mixed in their responses to the film. Roger Ebert called Bakshi's effort a "mixed blessing" and "an entirely respectable, occasionally impressive job ... [which] still falls far short of the charm and sweep of the original story." Vincent Canby of the ''New York Times'' called the film "both numbing and impressive". Film website Rotten Tomatoes, which compiles reviews from a wide range of critics, gives the film a score of 50.

Despite criticism, the film grossed $30,471,420 at the box office[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lordoftherings78.htm] (the budget was $8 million), but United Artists, who believed the film to be a flop, refused to fund a sequel which would have completed Tolkien's story on film.

==Follow-up==
In light of the theatrical ''The Lord of the Rings, Part Two'' adaptation being scrapped, a means of "finishing" Tolkien's story and making it more complete for audiences then inadvertently fell on the [[Rankin/Bass]] animation studio (fresh on the heels of the success of its previous [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|TV adaptation of ''The Hobbit'']]) in producing an animated TV special based on the [[The Return of the King|final part]] of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Their adaptation of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]'' finished the story and answered most of the questions raised by Bakshi's animated film. Despite this, several unresolved story developments between the ending of ''The Lord of the Rings'' and the beginning of ''The Return of the King'' were left unexplained, especially the Ents' march on Isengard (along with Merry eventually taking up with the Army of Rohan, and Gandalf and Pippin's subsequent journey to Gondor), the betrayal of Frodo by Gollum, and the attack of [[Shelob]] the monster spider-creature on Frodo and Sam. It should be noted, however, that production for this Rankin/Bass follow-up had begun even before their version of ''The Hobbit'' had originally aired (let alone before Bakshi's theatrical film had premiered)[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0], so Rankin/Bass can't be entirely blamed for this flaw in continuity.

[[Warner Bros.]] (the rights holder to the post-1974 Rankin/Bass library and most of the Saul Zaentz theatrical backlog) has released ''The Hobbit,'' ''The Lord of the Rings,'' and ''The Return of the King'' on VHS and DVD, both packaged separately and as a boxed-set "trilogy" of films.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077869/ The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)] at IMDb
* [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings ''The Lord of the Rings'' at Ralph Bakshi.com]
* [http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/tolkien/lord-of-the-rings.html Screen captures from the laserdisc edition]
*[http://flyingmoose.org/tolksarc/bakshi/bakshi.htm Ralph Bakshi's Lord of the Rings, Part One: A Critique] - a humorous critique of the film and satire of its shortcomings
{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)| ]]
[[de:Lord of the Rings (Zeichentrickfilm)]]
[[fi:The Lord of the Rings (1978)]]

The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)

2013-04-05T03:21:39Z

76.113.141.81: /* Differences from the book */

{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox
| image=[[Image:Bakshi-lotr.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Lord of the Rings
| director=[[Ralph Bakshi]]
| producer=[[Saul Zaentz]]
| writer=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] [[Ralph Bakshi]] [[Peter S. Beagle]] 
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Leonard Rosenman
| cinematography=Timothy Galfas
| editing=Donald W. Ernst Peter Kirby
| distributor=[[United Artists]]
| released=[[15 November|November 15]]th, [[1978]]
| runtime=132 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget= $4 million
| website=[http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings Official website]
| imdb_id=0077869
}}'''''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings''''' is an animated film produced and directed by [[Ralph Bakshi]], and released to theaters in 1978. It was an adaptation of the first half of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Bakshi's most ambitious effort (and his most famous after his animated adaptation of the underground comic ''Fritz the Cat''), the film was produced by [[Saul Zaentz]]'s Fantasy Films, but distributed to theaters by United Artists.

==Synopsis==
Long ago, in the early years of the [[Second Age]], the great Elven-smiths forged Rings of Power — Nine for mortal [[Men]], Seven for the [[Dwarves|Dwarf-lords]], and three for the fair [[Elves|Elf-rulers]]. But then, the Dark Lord [[Sauron]] learned the craft of ring-making and made the Master Ring — [[The One Ring]] to rule them all. With the One Ring, [[Middle-earth]] is his and he cannot be overcome. As the last alliance of Men and Elves fell beneath his power, the ring fell into the hands of Prince [[Isildur]] of the mighty kings from across the sea. He did not destroy the ring, and because of this, the spirit of Sauron lived on and began to take shape and grow again.

The Ring had a will of its own, and had a way of slipping from hand to hand, so that it might at last get back to its master. The Ring lay in the bottom of a lake for thousands of years. During those years, Sauron captured the nine Rings that were made for Men and turned their owners into the [[Nazgûl|Ringwraiths]]: terrible shadows under his great shadow who roamed the world searching for the One Ring.

The Ring, meanwhile, was found by two friends. One of them, [[Sméagol]], was so enticed by the Ring's power that he killed his friend [[Déagol]] to get it. Sméagol possessed the Ring for hundreds of years, during which it warped him into a twisted, gurgling wretch known only as Gollum, until his "Precious" was discovered (some might say stolen) by the hobbit [[Bilbo Baggins]].

Several years later, in a land called [[the Shire]], Bilbo is celebrating his 111th (or eleventy-first, as it is called) birthday, on the same day that his nephew [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] celebrates his 33rd birthday, (his "coming of age"). During his speech, Bilbo slips the Ring on, and confusion arises as the party notices that their host has suddenly disappeared into thin air!

[[Gandalf]] the wizard, however, knows the truth behind this act. In Bilbo's hobbit hole, Gandalf tells him to leave the Ring for Frodo, but Bilbo seems unwilling to give it up. He does, finally, agree, and leaves the Shire.

Gandalf realizes that the "magic" ring is in fact the one ring forged by Sauron, the evil lord. He knows the Shire is in danger, soon Sauron will learn that the Ring is in the possession of a Baggins and send his "wraiths" after him. Heeding Gandalf's advice, Frodo leaves his home, taking the Ring with him. He hopes to reach [[Rivendell]], where he will be safe from Sauron, and where those wiser than he can decide what to do about the Ring.
In his journey he is accompanied by three hobbit friends, [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]], and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]]. From the start they are pursued by Black Riders (Sauron's Ringwraiths or Nazgûl). Narrowly escaping these and other dangers and meeting other interesting characters en route they eventually come to [[Bree]], where they meet [[Aragorn|Strider]], another friend of Gandalf who leads them the rest of the way to Rivendell, through further hardships. Frodo is stabbed upon the mountain of [[Weathertop]] by the [[Witch-king|chief of the Nazgûl]], with a "[[Morgul blade]]" — as part of the knife stays inside him, he gets sicker on the rest of the journey.

At Rivendell, Frodo meets his uncle Bilbo whom he had not seen since he left Hobbiton years before; Bilbo seems much older and weaker, and, for a terrible moment, is once again held in sway of the Ring. Bilbo, Gandalf, and others argue about what should be done with the One Ring. Finally, Frodo stands up, and willfully volunteers to go to [[Mordor]], where the Ring can be destroyed.
Frodo sets forth from Rivendell with eight companions: two Men, [[Aragorn]] and [[Boromir]], son of the [[Stewards of Gondor|Steward]] of the land of [[Gondor]]; an [[Elves|Elven]] prince, [[Legolas]]; Frodo's old friend and powerful wizard, Gandalf; [[Gimli]] the [[Dwarves|Dwarf]]; and Frodo's original three hobbit companions. These Nine Walkers were chosen to represent all the free races of Middle-earth and as a balance to the Nine Riders.

Their attempt to cross the [[Misty Mountains]] is foiled by heavy snow, so they are forced to take a path under the mountains via [[Moria]], an ancient Dwarf kingdom, now full of [[Orcs]] and other evil creatures, where Gandalf falls into the abyss after battling a [[Durin's Bane|Balrog]].
The remaining eight members of the Fellowship then spend some time in the elf-haven of [[Lothlórien]], where they receive [[Gifts of Galadriel|gifts]] from the elf queen [[Galadriel]] that in many cases prove useful later in the quest. They leave Lórien by river, but Frodo begins to realize the Ring is having a malevolent effect on some members of the party, especially Boromir, who tries to take the Ring from Frodo. In the process, Frodo puts it on to escape him. Later, Boromir is killed by Orcs while trying to defend Merry and Pippin, whom the Orcs capture.

Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, tracking Merry and Pippin, come across the [[Rohirrim|Riders of Rohan]] who tell them that they attacked the Orcs the previous night and left no survivors.

However, Strider is able to find small prints and they follow these into [[Fangorn Forest]], where they meet a white wizard who they at first believe to be [[Saruman]], but who turns out to be their wizard friend Gandalf, whom they believed had perished in the mines of Moria. He tells them of his fall into the abyss, his battle to the death with the Balrog and his reawakening.

The four ride to Rohan's capital, [[Edoras]], and persuade King [[Théoden]] that his people are in danger. In the process, Saruman's agent in Edoras, [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]], who had been keeping Théoden subdued and weak for years, is expelled from the city. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas then travel to the defensive fortification [[Helm's Deep]] while Gandalf goes north in search of [[Éomer]]'s men in the north of [[Rohan]] to bring as reinforcements.

Hobbits Merry and Pippin escape from the Orcs who captured them when the orcs themselves are attacked by the Riders of Rohan. Merry and Pippin head into nearby Fangorn Forest where they encounter treelike giants called [[Ents]]. These guardians of the forest generally keep to themselves, but are moved to oppose the menace posed to the trees by the wizard Saruman.

At Helm's Deep, Théoden's forces resist an onslaught of Orcs and Men sent by Saruman, and Gandalf arrives the next morning with the Riders of Rohan just in time. The fleeing orcs run into a forest of [[Huorn]]s — creatures halfway between tree and Ent — and none escape. Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Gandalf and the army of Rohan then head to Saruman's stronghold at [[Isengard]].
Frodo and Sam discover Gollum stalking them as they try to reach [[Mount Doom]] to destroy the One Ring. Gollum hopes to reclaim the Ring. Sam loathes and distrusts him, but Frodo pities him, and so lets him live in return for guidance to Mount Doom. Gollum promises to lead them to a secret entrance to Mordor. Gollum, who is briefly torn between keeping his word to Frodo and reclaiming his "Precious," is ominously overheard to say "[[Shelob|''she'']] might help us..." as he leads Frodo and Sam to [[Cirith Ungol]].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Voice Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Norman Bird]] || [[Bilbo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Lucille Bliss]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[David Buck]] || [[Gimli]]
|-
| [[Simon Chandler]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Michael Graham Cox]] || [[Boromir]]
|-
| [[Annette Crosbie]] || [[Galadriel]]
|-
| [[Anthony Daniels]] || [[Legolas]]
|-
| [[Michael Deacon]] || [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]]
|-
| [[Christopher Guard]] || [[Frodo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Dominic Guard]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[John Hurt]] || [[Aragorn]]
|-
| [[Fraser Kerr]] || [[Saruman|(S)Aruman]]
|-
| [[André Morell]] || [[Elrond]]
|-
| [[Michael Scholes]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Mel Smith]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[William Squire]] || [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Philip Stone]] || [[Théoden]]
|-
| [[Alan Tilvern]] || [[Barliman Butterbur|Innkeeper]]
|-
| [[John Westbrook]] || [[Treebeard]]
|-
| [[Peter Woodthorpe]] || [[Gollum]]
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Character Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Aesop Aquarian]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sharon Baird]] || [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Stan Barrett]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Billy Barty]] || [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Herb Braha]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Hank Calia]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Albert Cirimele]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mike Clifford]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Delfino]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[David Dotson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Russ Earnest]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Louis Elias]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Fay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Carmen Filpi]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Paul Gale]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Ruth Gay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Lenny Geer]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harriett Gibson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Michael Lee Gogin]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Bob Haney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Chuck Hayward]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Art Hern]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Hice]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Loren Janes]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gary Jensen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Santy Josol]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John L]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Larry Larsen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sam Laws]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Terry Leonard]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Peter Looney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Dennis Madalone]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Tommy Madden]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Buck Maffei]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patty Maloney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jerry Maren]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harry Monty]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Morson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John A. Neris]] || [[Gandalf]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Jeri Lea Ray]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Pete Risch]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Walt Robles]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mic Rodgers]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Angelo Rossitto]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Felix Silla]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patrick Sullivan Burke]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jack Verbois]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gregg Walker]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Donn Whyte]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Trey Wilson]] || Character Actor
|}

===Scenes===
# "Credits" (0:40)
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1978 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]" (3:41)
# "[[Bilbo's Farewell]]" (2:05)
# "[[Frodo's Quest]]" (6:24)
# "[[Saruman's Sorcery]]" (2:43)
# "[[Sinister Horseman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Inn at Bree]]" (3:52)
# "[[Aragorn's Vow]]" (3:54)
# "[[Black Riders Invade]]" (2:50)
# "[[Rider Swordsman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Cornered]]" (5:59)
# "[[Wall of Water]]" (2:39)
# "[[Gandalf's Update]]" (2:51)
# "[[Coucil of Elrond (scene)|Council of Elrond]]" (4:39)
# "[[Frodo's Quest Renewed]]" (2:19)
# "[[Change in Route]]" (2:40)
# "[[Grabbed at the Gateway]]" (2:44)
# "[[Inside the Mine]]" (3:04)
# "[[Under Siege]]" (3:51)
# "[[Balrog Strikes]]" (0:39)
# "[[Homage to Gandalf]]" (3:27)
# "[[Galadriel's Test]]" (3:05)
# "[[Borimir's Madness]]" ''(sic)'' (4:21)
# "[[Borimir's Sacrifice]]" ''(sic)'' (0:49)
# "[[Following the Orcs]]" (5:12)
# "[[Whiteskins Attack]]" (4:55)
# "[[The Gollum]]" (1:36)
# "[[Escape in Mid-battle]]" (4:38)
# "[[Treebeard (1978 scene)|Treebeard]]" (3:24)
# "[[Back from the Abyss]]" (1:55)
# "[[Theoden of Rohan]]" (3:48)
# "[[Gollum gets Touchy]]" (4:57)
# "[[The Orcs Advance]]" (4:42)
# "[[Cave Retreat]]" (4:36)
# "[[Two Weary Hobbits]]" (2:50)
# "[[Outnumbered]]" (2:05)
# "[[Gandalf Triumphant]]" (3:19)
# "End Credits" (2:34)

== Differences from the book ==
The movie makes a few deviations from the book, but overall follows Tolkien's narrative quite closely. Many parts of the novel explaining the transition from one part of the plot to another were omitted which makes the middle part of the movie somewhat difficult to follow, if the viewer is unfamiliar with the story.
* In the film's prologue it is suggested that Sauron ''learned'' the craft of ring-making ''after'' the 19 lesser rings were made whilst in the original story it is Sauron who teaches the Elven smiths this ability.
* Another deviation suggests that the last alliance of men and elves was losing the war which contradicts the original story.
* As in Tolkien's novel, Saruman the White adopts the title "Saruman of Many Colours"; however, his robes are neither white nor multi-colored, but red.
*Saruman is sometimes called "Aruman". It is believed that this name was meant to eliminate confusion with Sauron.
* The scene where the Nazgûl arrive in the hobbits' room at the Prancing Pony and begin slashing at their beds only to find that they are not there, and pillows have been placed to form the figures of their bodies is not in the book, but it is in both Jackson's and Bakshi's film versions. A passage does appear that states that hobbit beds wind up slashed during the night, but the townsfolk of Bree are the perpetrators, not the Nazgûl.
* Just as in Jackson's films, the [[Glorfindel|first elf]] that the hobbits and Aragorn meet is changed -- this time to [[Legolas]].
* Like Jackson's films, Bakshi's film does not include the character of [[Tom Bombadil]] (presumably, as with the former, for pacing reasons, as well as to intensify the threat of the Nazgûl to the hobbits).
* [[Arwen]] does not appear, nor is she mentioned.
* Aragorn carries a broken sword (presumably [[Narsil]]) up to the Rivendell section of the story where he presents it to the council. However, the sword's reforging into Andúril is never shown (or mentioned) in the film, even though Aragorn carries an unbroken blade for the remainder of the film.
* Gimli appears to be about the same height as the rest of the non-hobbits in the fellowship.
* No differentiation is made between the Orcs and Uruk-hai in the film; in fact, there is no mention of the latter at all.
* [[Éowyn]] makes only a brief appearance and has no spoken dialogue.
* While [[Éomer]] is mentioned, he is never officially identified (thus, he also has no spoken dialogue). Also, as in the Jackson films, it is ''he'' and his forces with whom Gandalf arrives near the end of the Battle of Helm's Deep instead of [[Erkenbrand]]'s. Éomer and his men are also portrayed as sort of rogue warriors with no direct affiliation to Rohan in this film.
* [[Faramir]] does not appear, nor is he mentioned.
* The "Fires of Isengard" appear as magical projectiles.

== Production ==
===Animation===
Much of the film used live-action footage which was then rotoscoped to produce an animated look [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/38.html] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/39.html]. This saved production costs and arguably gave the animated characters a more realistic look. For the live-action portion of the production, Bakshi and his cast and crew arrived in Spain where the rotoscope models acted out their parts in costume. The actions of [[Bilbo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] were performed by [[Billy Barty]], [[Sharon Baird]] performed the part of [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[John A. Neris]] was Gandalf[http://books.google.com/books?id=fTI1yeZd-tkC&pg=PA154&lpg=PA154&dq=%22aesop+aquarian%22+%22billy+barty%22+%22sharon+baird%22&source=web&ots=C5jvDP0VA9&sig=_W2bXiWtu0mfcOJYZOxMBjapJR8&hl=nl&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result].

Of the rotoscoping, Bakshi said "I didn't start thinking about shooting the film totally in live action until I saw it really start to work so well. I learned lots of things about the process, like rippling. One scene, some figures were standing on a hill and a big gust of wind came up and the shadows moved back and forth on the clothes and it was unbelievable in animation. I don't think I could get the feeling of cold on the screen without showing snow or an icicle on some guy's nose. The characters have weight and they move correctly."

"Making two pictures (the live action reference and the actual animated feature) in two years is crazy. Most directors when they finish editing, they are finished; we were just starting. I got more than I expected. The crew is young. The crew loves it. If the crew loves it, it's usually a great sign. They aren't older animators trying to snow me for jobs next year."[http://www.jimhillmedia.com/article_printer.php?id=768]

Following the live-action shoot, each frame of the live footage was then broken down into individual frames, and then printed out, and placed behind animation cels. The details of each frame were copied and painted onto cels. Both the live-action and animated sequences were storyboarded. [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=20] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=10] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=11]
===Voice cast===
After finishing in Spain, Bakshi went to the [[BBC]]'s recording studios in London. He cast several stars - William Squire, John Hurt - and used several of the BBC Repertory Company's stock actors, like Peter Woodthorpe, Anthony Daniels, Norman Bird and Michael Graham Cox. The actors recorded the lines with each other, but were required to pause for two seconds after each line, to smoothen the recording. This caused some stilted dialogue in the finished product[http://www.anthonydaniels.com/qa/index.html].

==Reception==
The film was originally intended to be distributed as '''''The Lord of the Rings, Part One''''', but United Artists dropped the "Part One" from the title, believing moviegoers would not pay full ticket prices to see half a movie. Says Ralph Bakshi: "United Artists at that time was terrified to say 'Part One.' I remember sitting in meetings screaming my head off saying, 'You can't do this.'" "Had it said 'Part One,' I think everyone would have respected it. But because it didn't say 'Part One,' everyone came in expecting to see the entire three books, and that's where the confusion comes in" [http://www.tolkiengesellschaft.de/v4/alleszutolkien/filme/bakshi/bakshisoutingheute.shtml]. In interviews, Bakshi sometimes referred to the film as ''The Lord of the Rings, Part One.''

Critics were generally mixed in their responses to the film. Roger Ebert called Bakshi's effort a "mixed blessing" and "an entirely respectable, occasionally impressive job ... [which] still falls far short of the charm and sweep of the original story." Vincent Canby of the ''New York Times'' called the film "both numbing and impressive". Film website Rotten Tomatoes, which compiles reviews from a wide range of critics, gives the film a score of 50.

Despite criticism, the film grossed $30,471,420 at the box office[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lordoftherings78.htm] (the budget was $8 million), but United Artists, who believed the film to be a flop, refused to fund a sequel which would have completed Tolkien's story on film.

==Follow-up==
In light of the theatrical ''The Lord of the Rings, Part Two'' adaptation being scrapped, a means of "finishing" Tolkien's story and making it more complete for audiences then inadvertently fell on the [[Rankin/Bass]] animation studio (fresh on the heels of the success of its previous [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|TV adaptation of ''The Hobbit'']]) in producing an animated TV special based on the [[The Return of the King|final part]] of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Their adaptation of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]'' finished the story and answered most of the questions raised by Bakshi's animated film. Despite this, several unresolved story developments between the ending of ''The Lord of the Rings'' and the beginning of ''The Return of the King'' were left unexplained, especially the Ents' march on Isengard (along with Merry eventually taking up with the Army of Rohan, and Gandalf and Pippin's subsequent journey to Gondor), the betrayal of Frodo by Gollum, and the attack of [[Shelob]] the monster spider-creature on Frodo and Sam. It should be noted, however, that production for this Rankin/Bass follow-up had begun even before their version of ''The Hobbit'' had originally aired (let alone before Bakshi's theatrical film had premiered)[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0], so Rankin/Bass can't be entirely blamed for this flaw in continuity.

[[Warner Bros.]] (the rights holder to the post-1974 Rankin/Bass library and most of the Saul Zaentz theatrical backlog) has released ''The Hobbit,'' ''The Lord of the Rings,'' and ''The Return of the King'' on VHS and DVD, both packaged separately and as a boxed-set "trilogy" of films.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077869/ The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)] at IMDb
* [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings ''The Lord of the Rings'' at Ralph Bakshi.com]
* [http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/tolkien/lord-of-the-rings.html Screen captures from the laserdisc edition]
*[http://flyingmoose.org/tolksarc/bakshi/bakshi.htm Ralph Bakshi's Lord of the Rings, Part One: A Critique] - a humorous critique of the film and satire of its shortcomings
{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)| ]]
[[de:Lord of the Rings (Zeichentrickfilm)]]
[[fi:The Lord of the Rings (1978)]]

The Return of the King (1980 film)

2013-04-05T02:42:02Z

76.113.141.81: /* Marketing */

{{disambig-more|The Return of the King|[[The Return of the King (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox

| image=[[Image:RankinBass' The Return of the King.png|250px]]
| name=The Return of the King
| director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]], [[Jules Bass]]
| writer=[[Romeo Muller]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Orson Bean]], [[Theodore Bikel]], [[William Conrad]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Casey Kasem]]
| music=[[Maury Laws]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Warner Bros.]]
| released=[[11 May|May 11]], [[1980]]
| runtime=98 minutes
| country=United States
| language=English
| budget=
| website=
| imdb_id=0079802
}}'''''The Return of the King''''' is an animated adaptation of the [[The Lord of the Rings|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 [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|animated version of ''The Hobbit'']].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! 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|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Casey Kasem]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Roddy McDowall]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Sonny Melendrez]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[Don Messick]] || [[Théoden|Theoden]], [[Mouth of Sauron]], [[Easterlings|Easterling]]
|-
| [[John Stephenson]] || [[Witch-king|Witch-king of Angmar]], Gondorian Guard
|-
| [[Glenn Yarbrough]] || Minstrel of Gondor
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
Rather than picking up where [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|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''. Its plot unfolds as follows:

During the 129th birthday celebration for [[Bilbo Baggins]] in [[Rivendell]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], Bilbo's nephew, tells the story of his quest to destroy the [[One Ring]]. Frodo begins his story with [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise (Sam) Gamgee]], his friend and companion, treading through [[Mordor]] as Ring-bearer in Frodo's abscence, as he is being held captive there by orcs. During his journey, Sam begins to question his thoughts about claiming the Ring himself, but being humble, he never gives in to the treacherous temptations. In due course, he progresses back to [[Cirith Ungol]] to rescue Frodo. Meanwhile, the wizard [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]] and the hobbit [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] arrive at [[Minas Tirith]], the capital of the country of [[Gondor]] to warn [[Denethor]], the Steward of the Throne, about the upcoming war—only to discover that the Steward has lost his mind by believing the war will be the end of mankind.
Meanwhile, at Cirith Ungol, Sam rescues Frodo and returns the Ring. The two then continue on to finish their quest at [[Mount Doom]], only to be attacked by their past guide, [[Gollum]]. As Sam holds Gollum off, Frodo makes it to the [[Crack of Doom]]. But at the Crack, Frodo is finally unable to resist the power of the Ring any longer and claims it for his own. At the same time, Gondor's neighboring country, Rohan, helps it claim victory in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. After searching for some time for Frodo in Mount Doom, Sam discovers Gollum and an invisible Frodo fighting over the Ring, which results in Gollum biting off Frodo's finger to claim it. While dancing with joy at the retrieval of his "Precious," Gollum loses his footing and falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron is defeated. Months later, Frodo's friend, [[Aragorn]], is crowned King of Gondor. The film concludes back in the present with Frodo agreeing to accompany Bilbo, Gandalf and [[Elrond]] in leaving Middle-Earth. Sam, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and Pippin bid them all farewell as they depart across the sea.

===Scenes===
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1980 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]"
# "[[Frodo of the Nine Fingers (scene)|Frodo of the Nine Fingers]]"
# "Credits"
# "[[Crossing into Mordor]]"
# "[[The Bearer of the Ring (scene)|The Bearer of the Ring]]"
# "[[Samwise the Strong]]"
# "[[Less Can Be More (scene)|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 (scene)|Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes]]"
# "[[Mount Doom (1980 scene)|Mount Doom]]"
# "[[The Gollum]]"
# "[[Theoden Falls]]"
# "[[Claimed By the Ring]]"
# "[[Eowyn Triumphs]]"
# "[[Choice of Evils (scene)|Choice of Evils]]"
# "[[End of the Ring]]"
# "[[On Eagles' Wings]]"
# "[[The Return of the King (scene)|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 .[http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10000654] However, others regard it with disdain, comparing it unfavorably to Ralph Bakshi's earlier animated film and [[Peter Jackson]]'s later [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|live-action film]].[http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/r/return-of-the-king.html][http://decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/1989] 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]]". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079802/usercomments]

==Marketing==

In the absence of an official sequel to Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'' has come to be marketed by [[Warner Bros.]] as the final part of a loose animated Tolkien trilogy preceded by ''The Hobbit''. The middle film is very different in tone and character design, however, and the final two films do not join up seamlessly, as both omit various segments from ''[[The Two Towers]]'', most notably regarding the events in [[Shelob]]'s lair and the [[Ents]]' march on [[Isengard]]. Other omissions in the Rankin/Bass version include the characters of [[Legolas]], [[Gimli]], [[Arwen]], [[Saruman]], [[Éomer]], and [[Faramir]] (though it's possible the latter makes a brief appearance; there is an unidentified Man - who has no lines of dialogue - who accompanies [[Éowyn]] on horseback during Aragorn's coronation, and the two of them exchange rather knowing looks). Even Aragorn doesn't have much dialogue or screentime despite being the 'King' of the movie's title.

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''.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Return of the King (1980 film)}}

{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Return of the King (1980 film)| ]]

The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)

2013-04-05T01:07:01Z

76.113.141.81: /* Reception */

{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox
| image=[[Image:Bakshi-lotr.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Lord of the Rings
| director=[[Ralph Bakshi]]
| producer=[[Saul Zaentz]]
| writer=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] [[Ralph Bakshi]] [[Peter S. Beagle]] 
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Leonard Rosenman
| cinematography=Timothy Galfas
| editing=Donald W. Ernst Peter Kirby
| distributor=[[United Artists]]
| released=[[15 November|November 15]]th, [[1978]]
| runtime=132 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget= $4 million
| website=[http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings Official website]
| imdb_id=0077869
}}'''''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings''''' is an animated film produced and directed by [[Ralph Bakshi]], and released to theaters in 1978. It was an adaptation of the first half of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Bakshi's most ambitious effort (and his most famous after his animated adaptation of the underground comic ''Fritz the Cat''), the film was produced by [[Saul Zaentz]]'s Fantasy Films, but distributed to theaters by United Artists.

==Synopsis==
Long ago, in the early years of the [[Second Age]], the great Elven-smiths forged Rings of Power — Nine for mortal [[Men]], Seven for the [[Dwarves|Dwarf-lords]], and three for the fair [[Elves|Elf-rulers]]. But then, the Dark Lord [[Sauron]] learned the craft of ring-making and made the Master Ring — [[The One Ring]] to rule them all. With the One Ring, [[Middle-earth]] is his and he cannot be overcome. As the last alliance of Men and Elves fell beneath his power, the ring fell into the hands of Prince [[Isildur]] of the mighty kings from across the sea. He did not destroy the ring, and because of this, the spirit of Sauron lived on and began to take shape and grow again.

The Ring had a will of its own, and had a way of slipping from hand to hand, so that it might at last get back to its master. The Ring lay in the bottom of a lake for thousands of years. During those years, Sauron captured the nine Rings that were made for Men and turned their owners into the [[Nazgûl|Ringwraiths]]: terrible shadows under his great shadow who roamed the world searching for the One Ring.

The Ring, meanwhile, was found by two friends. One of them, [[Sméagol]], was so enticed by the Ring's power that he killed his friend [[Déagol]] to get it. Sméagol possessed the Ring for hundreds of years, during which it warped him into a twisted, gurgling wretch known only as Gollum, until his "Precious" was discovered (some might say stolen) by the hobbit [[Bilbo Baggins]].

Several years later, in a land called [[the Shire]], Bilbo is celebrating his 111th (or eleventy-first, as it is called) birthday, on the same day that his nephew [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] celebrates his 33rd birthday, (his "coming of age"). During his speech, Bilbo slips the Ring on, and confusion arises as the party notices that their host has suddenly disappeared into thin air!

[[Gandalf]] the wizard, however, knows the truth behind this act. In Bilbo's hobbit hole, Gandalf tells him to leave the Ring for Frodo, but Bilbo seems unwilling to give it up. He does, finally, agree, and leaves the Shire.

Gandalf realizes that the "magic" ring is in fact the one ring forged by Sauron, the evil lord. He knows the Shire is in danger, soon Sauron will learn that the Ring is in the possession of a Baggins and send his "wraiths" after him. Heeding Gandalf's advice, Frodo leaves his home, taking the Ring with him. He hopes to reach [[Rivendell]], where he will be safe from Sauron, and where those wiser than he can decide what to do about the Ring.
In his journey he is accompanied by three hobbit friends, [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]], and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]]. From the start they are pursued by Black Riders (Sauron's Ringwraiths or Nazgûl). Narrowly escaping these and other dangers and meeting other interesting characters en route they eventually come to [[Bree]], where they meet [[Aragorn|Strider]], another friend of Gandalf who leads them the rest of the way to Rivendell, through further hardships. Frodo is stabbed upon the mountain of [[Weathertop]] by the [[Witch-king|chief of the Nazgûl]], with a "[[Morgul blade]]" — as part of the knife stays inside him, he gets sicker on the rest of the journey.

At Rivendell, Frodo meets his uncle Bilbo whom he had not seen since he left Hobbiton years before; Bilbo seems much older and weaker, and, for a terrible moment, is once again held in sway of the Ring. Bilbo, Gandalf, and others argue about what should be done with the One Ring. Finally, Frodo stands up, and willfully volunteers to go to [[Mordor]], where the Ring can be destroyed.
Frodo sets forth from Rivendell with eight companions: two Men, [[Aragorn]] and [[Boromir]], son of the [[Stewards of Gondor|Steward]] of the land of [[Gondor]]; an [[Elves|Elven]] prince, [[Legolas]]; Frodo's old friend and powerful wizard, Gandalf; [[Gimli]] the [[Dwarves|Dwarf]]; and Frodo's original three hobbit companions. These Nine Walkers were chosen to represent all the free races of Middle-earth and as a balance to the Nine Riders.

Their attempt to cross the [[Misty Mountains]] is foiled by heavy snow, so they are forced to take a path under the mountains via [[Moria]], an ancient Dwarf kingdom, now full of [[Orcs]] and other evil creatures, where Gandalf falls into the abyss after battling a [[Durin's Bane|Balrog]].
The remaining eight members of the Fellowship then spend some time in the elf-haven of [[Lothlórien]], where they receive [[Gifts of Galadriel|gifts]] from the elf queen [[Galadriel]] that in many cases prove useful later in the quest. They leave Lórien by river, but Frodo begins to realize the Ring is having a malevolent effect on some members of the party, especially Boromir, who tries to take the Ring from Frodo. In the process, Frodo puts it on to escape him. Later, Boromir is killed by Orcs while trying to defend Merry and Pippin, whom the Orcs capture.

Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, tracking Merry and Pippin, come across the [[Rohirrim|Riders of Rohan]] who tell them that they attacked the Orcs the previous night and left no survivors.

However, Strider is able to find small prints and they follow these into [[Fangorn Forest]], where they meet a white wizard who they at first believe to be [[Saruman]], but who turns out to be their wizard friend Gandalf, whom they believed had perished in the mines of Moria. He tells them of his fall into the abyss, his battle to the death with the Balrog and his reawakening.

The four ride to Rohan's capital, [[Edoras]], and persuade King [[Théoden]] that his people are in danger. In the process, Saruman's agent in Edoras, [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]], who had been keeping Théoden subdued and weak for years, is expelled from the city. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas then travel to the defensive fortification [[Helm's Deep]] while Gandalf goes north in search of [[Éomer]]'s men in the north of [[Rohan]] to bring as reinforcements.

Hobbits Merry and Pippin escape from the Orcs who captured them when the orcs themselves are attacked by the Riders of Rohan. Merry and Pippin head into nearby Fangorn Forest where they encounter treelike giants called [[Ents]]. These guardians of the forest generally keep to themselves, but are moved to oppose the menace posed to the trees by the wizard Saruman.

At Helm's Deep, Théoden's forces resist an onslaught of Orcs and Men sent by Saruman, and Gandalf arrives the next morning with the Riders of Rohan just in time. The fleeing orcs run into a forest of [[Huorn]]s — creatures halfway between tree and Ent — and none escape. Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Gandalf and the army of Rohan then head to Saruman's stronghold at [[Isengard]].
Frodo and Sam discover Gollum stalking them as they try to reach [[Mount Doom]] to destroy the One Ring. Gollum hopes to reclaim the Ring. Sam loathes and distrusts him, but Frodo pities him, and so lets him live in return for guidance to Mount Doom. Gollum promises to lead them to a secret entrance to Mordor. Gollum, who is briefly torn between keeping his word to Frodo and reclaiming his "Precious," is ominously overheard to say "[[Shelob|''she'']] might help us..." as he leads Frodo and Sam to [[Cirith Ungol]].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Voice Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Norman Bird]] || [[Bilbo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Lucille Bliss]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[David Buck]] || [[Gimli]]
|-
| [[Simon Chandler]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Michael Graham Cox]] || [[Boromir]]
|-
| [[Annette Crosbie]] || [[Galadriel]]
|-
| [[Anthony Daniels]] || [[Legolas]]
|-
| [[Michael Deacon]] || [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]]
|-
| [[Christopher Guard]] || [[Frodo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Dominic Guard]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[John Hurt]] || [[Aragorn]]
|-
| [[Fraser Kerr]] || [[Saruman|(S)Aruman]]
|-
| [[André Morell]] || [[Elrond]]
|-
| [[Michael Scholes]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Mel Smith]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[William Squire]] || [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Philip Stone]] || [[Théoden]]
|-
| [[Alan Tilvern]] || [[Barliman Butterbur|Innkeeper]]
|-
| [[John Westbrook]] || [[Treebeard]]
|-
| [[Peter Woodthorpe]] || [[Gollum]]
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Character Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Aesop Aquarian]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sharon Baird]] || [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Stan Barrett]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Billy Barty]] || [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Herb Braha]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Hank Calia]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Albert Cirimele]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mike Clifford]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Delfino]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[David Dotson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Russ Earnest]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Louis Elias]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Fay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Carmen Filpi]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Paul Gale]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Ruth Gay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Lenny Geer]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harriett Gibson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Michael Lee Gogin]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Bob Haney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Chuck Hayward]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Art Hern]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Hice]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Loren Janes]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gary Jensen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Santy Josol]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John L]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Larry Larsen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sam Laws]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Terry Leonard]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Peter Looney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Dennis Madalone]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Tommy Madden]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Buck Maffei]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patty Maloney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jerry Maren]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harry Monty]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Morson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John A. Neris]] || [[Gandalf]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Jeri Lea Ray]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Pete Risch]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Walt Robles]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mic Rodgers]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Angelo Rossitto]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Felix Silla]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patrick Sullivan Burke]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jack Verbois]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gregg Walker]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Donn Whyte]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Trey Wilson]] || Character Actor
|}

===Scenes===
# "Credits" (0:40)
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1978 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]" (3:41)
# "[[Bilbo's Farewell]]" (2:05)
# "[[Frodo's Quest]]" (6:24)
# "[[Saruman's Sorcery]]" (2:43)
# "[[Sinister Horseman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Inn at Bree]]" (3:52)
# "[[Aragorn's Vow]]" (3:54)
# "[[Black Riders Invade]]" (2:50)
# "[[Rider Swordsman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Cornered]]" (5:59)
# "[[Wall of Water]]" (2:39)
# "[[Gandalf's Update]]" (2:51)
# "[[Coucil of Elrond (scene)|Council of Elrond]]" (4:39)
# "[[Frodo's Quest Renewed]]" (2:19)
# "[[Change in Route]]" (2:40)
# "[[Grabbed at the Gateway]]" (2:44)
# "[[Inside the Mine]]" (3:04)
# "[[Under Siege]]" (3:51)
# "[[Balrog Strikes]]" (0:39)
# "[[Homage to Gandalf]]" (3:27)
# "[[Galadriel's Test]]" (3:05)
# "[[Borimir's Madness]]" ''(sic)'' (4:21)
# "[[Borimir's Sacrifice]]" ''(sic)'' (0:49)
# "[[Following the Orcs]]" (5:12)
# "[[Whiteskins Attack]]" (4:55)
# "[[The Gollum]]" (1:36)
# "[[Escape in Mid-battle]]" (4:38)
# "[[Treebeard (1978 scene)|Treebeard]]" (3:24)
# "[[Back from the Abyss]]" (1:55)
# "[[Theoden of Rohan]]" (3:48)
# "[[Gollum gets Touchy]]" (4:57)
# "[[The Orcs Advance]]" (4:42)
# "[[Cave Retreat]]" (4:36)
# "[[Two Weary Hobbits]]" (2:50)
# "[[Outnumbered]]" (2:05)
# "[[Gandalf Triumphant]]" (3:19)
# "End Credits" (2:34)

== Differences from the book ==
The movie makes a few deviations from the book, but overall follows Tolkien's narrative quite closely. Many parts of the novel explaining the transition from one part of the plot to another were omitted which makes the middle part of the movie somewhat difficult to follow, if the viewer is unfamiliar with the story.
* In the film's prologue it is suggested that Sauron ''learned'' the craft of ring-making ''after'' the 19 lesser rings were made whilst in the original story it is Sauron who teaches the Elven smiths this ability.
* Another deviation suggests that the last alliance of men and elves was losing the war which contradicts the original story.
* As in Tolkien's novel, Saruman the White adopts the title "Saruman of Many Colours"; however, his robes are neither white nor multi-colored, but red.
*Saruman is sometimes called "Aruman". It is believed that this name was meant to eliminate confusion with Sauron.
* The scene where the Nazgûl arrive in the hobbits' room at the Prancing Pony and begin slashing at their beds only to find that they are not there, and pillows have been placed to form the figures of their bodies is not in the book, but it is in both Jackson's and Bakshi's film versions. A passage does appear that states that hobbit beds wind up slashed during the night, but the townsfolk of Bree are the perpetrators, not the Nazgûl.
* Just as in Jackson's films, the [[Glorfindel|first elf]] that the hobbits and Aragorn meet is changed -- this time to [[Legolas]].
* Like Jackson's films, Bakshi's film does not include the character of [[Tom Bombadil]] (presumably, as with the former, for pacing reasons, as well as to intensify the threat of the Nazgûl to the hobbits).
* [[Arwen]] does not appear, nor is she mentioned.
* Aragorn carries a broken sword (presumably [[Narsil]]) up to the Rivendell section of the story where he presents it to the council. However, the sword's reforging into Andúril is never shown (or mentioned) in the film, even though Aragorn carries an unbroken blade for the remainder of the film.
* Gimli appears to be about the same height as the rest of the non-hobbits in the fellowship.
* No differentiation is made between the Orcs and Uruk-hai in the film; in fact, there is no mention of the latter at all.
* [[Éowyn]] makes only a brief appearance and has no spoken dialogue.
* While [[Éomer]] is mentioned, he is never officially identified (thus, he also has no spoken dialogue). Also, as in the Jackson films, it is ''he'' and his forces with whom Gandalf arrives near the end of the Battle of Helm's Deep instead of [[Erkenbrand]]'s.
* [[Faramir]] does not appear, nor is he mentioned.
* The "Fires of Isengard" appear as magical projectiles.

== Production ==
===Animation===
Much of the film used live-action footage which was then rotoscoped to produce an animated look [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/38.html] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/39.html]. This saved production costs and arguably gave the animated characters a more realistic look. For the live-action portion of the production, Bakshi and his cast and crew arrived in Spain where the rotoscope models acted out their parts in costume. The actions of [[Bilbo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] were performed by [[Billy Barty]], [[Sharon Baird]] performed the part of [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[John A. Neris]] was Gandalf[http://books.google.com/books?id=fTI1yeZd-tkC&pg=PA154&lpg=PA154&dq=%22aesop+aquarian%22+%22billy+barty%22+%22sharon+baird%22&source=web&ots=C5jvDP0VA9&sig=_W2bXiWtu0mfcOJYZOxMBjapJR8&hl=nl&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result].

Of the rotoscoping, Bakshi said "I didn't start thinking about shooting the film totally in live action until I saw it really start to work so well. I learned lots of things about the process, like rippling. One scene, some figures were standing on a hill and a big gust of wind came up and the shadows moved back and forth on the clothes and it was unbelievable in animation. I don't think I could get the feeling of cold on the screen without showing snow or an icicle on some guy's nose. The characters have weight and they move correctly."

"Making two pictures (the live action reference and the actual animated feature) in two years is crazy. Most directors when they finish editing, they are finished; we were just starting. I got more than I expected. The crew is young. The crew loves it. If the crew loves it, it's usually a great sign. They aren't older animators trying to snow me for jobs next year."[http://www.jimhillmedia.com/article_printer.php?id=768]

Following the live-action shoot, each frame of the live footage was then broken down into individual frames, and then printed out, and placed behind animation cels. The details of each frame were copied and painted onto cels. Both the live-action and animated sequences were storyboarded. [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=20] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=10] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=11]
===Voice cast===
After finishing in Spain, Bakshi went to the [[BBC]]'s recording studios in London. He cast several stars - William Squire, John Hurt - and used several of the BBC Repertory Company's stock actors, like Peter Woodthorpe, Anthony Daniels, Norman Bird and Michael Graham Cox. The actors recorded the lines with each other, but were required to pause for two seconds after each line, to smoothen the recording. This caused some stilted dialogue in the finished product[http://www.anthonydaniels.com/qa/index.html].

==Reception==
The film was originally intended to be distributed as '''''The Lord of the Rings, Part One''''', but United Artists dropped the "Part One" from the title, believing moviegoers would not pay full ticket prices to see half a movie. Says Ralph Bakshi: "United Artists at that time was terrified to say 'Part One.' I remember sitting in meetings screaming my head off saying, 'You can't do this.'" "Had it said 'Part One,' I think everyone would have respected it. But because it didn't say 'Part One,' everyone came in expecting to see the entire three books, and that's where the confusion comes in" [http://www.tolkiengesellschaft.de/v4/alleszutolkien/filme/bakshi/bakshisoutingheute.shtml]. In interviews, Bakshi sometimes referred to the film as ''The Lord of the Rings, Part One.''

Critics were generally mixed in their responses to the film. Roger Ebert called Bakshi's effort a "mixed blessing" and "an entirely respectable, occasionally impressive job ... [which] still falls far short of the charm and sweep of the original story." Vincent Canby of the ''New York Times'' called the film "both numbing and impressive". Film website Rotten Tomatoes, which compiles reviews from a wide range of critics, gives the film a score of 50.

Despite criticism, the film grossed $30,471,420 at the box office[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lordoftherings78.htm] (the budget was $8 million), but United Artists, who believed the film to be a flop, refused to fund a sequel which would have completed Tolkien's story on film.

==Follow-up==
In light of the theatrical ''The Lord of the Rings, Part Two'' adaptation being scrapped, a means of "finishing" Tolkien's story and making it more complete for audiences then inadvertently fell on the [[Rankin/Bass]] animation studio (fresh on the heels of the success of its previous [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|TV adaptation of ''The Hobbit'']]) in producing an animated TV special based on the [[The Return of the King|final part]] of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Their adaptation of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]'' finished the story and answered most of the questions raised by Bakshi's animated film. Despite this, several unresolved story developments between the ending of ''The Lord of the Rings'' and the beginning of ''The Return of the King'' were left unexplained, especially the Ents' march on Isengard (along with Merry eventually taking up with the Army of Rohan, and Gandalf and Pippin's subsequent journey to Gondor), the betrayal of Frodo by Gollum, and the attack of [[Shelob]] the monster spider-creature on Frodo and Sam. It should be noted, however, that production for this Rankin/Bass follow-up had begun even before their version of ''The Hobbit'' had originally aired (let alone before Bakshi's theatrical film had premiered)[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0], so Rankin/Bass can't be entirely blamed for this flaw in continuity.

[[Warner Bros.]] (the rights holder to the post-1974 Rankin/Bass library and most of the Saul Zaentz theatrical backlog) has released ''The Hobbit,'' ''The Lord of the Rings,'' and ''The Return of the King'' on VHS and DVD, both packaged separately and as a boxed-set "trilogy" of films.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077869/ The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)] at IMDb
* [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings ''The Lord of the Rings'' at Ralph Bakshi.com]
* [http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/tolkien/lord-of-the-rings.html Screen captures from the laserdisc edition]
*[http://flyingmoose.org/tolksarc/bakshi/bakshi.htm Ralph Bakshi's Lord of the Rings, Part One: A Critique] - a humorous critique of the film and satire of its shortcomings
{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)| ]]
[[de:Lord of the Rings (Zeichentrickfilm)]]
[[fi:The Lord of the Rings (1978)]]

The Hobbit (1977 film)

2013-03-30T03:20:41Z

76.113.141.81: /* Follow-up */

{{disambig-more|The Hobbit|[[The Hobbit (disambiguation)]]}}
{{film infobox
| image=[[File:The Hobbit (1977 film) - Cover.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Hobbit
| director=[[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Rankin/Bass]]
| writer=Romeo Muller
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Maury Laws [[Glenn Yarbrough]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=
| released=[[27 November]] [[1977]]
| runtime=77 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget=$3 million
| website=
| imdb_id=tt0077687
}}'''''The Hobbit''''' was a [[1977]] animated television movie by [[Rankin/Bass]] Productions of [[The Hobbit|the book of the same name]]. It manages to retell most of the story within its 77 minute span. An LP with the soundtrack and dialog from the movie was also released in 1977 by [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]], through its Buena Vista Records label, although, by popular demand, an edited version, along with accompanying "storyteller read-alongs," was later issued for the Mouse Factory's Disneyland Records imprint.

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Role !! Actor
|-
| [[Bilbo Baggins]] || [[Orson Bean]]
|-
| [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]] || [[John Huston]]
|-
| The [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] || [[Otto Preminger]]
|-
| [[Smaug]] || [[Richard Boone]]
|-
| [[Elrond]] || [[Cyril Ritchard]]
|-
| [[Thorin]] || [[Hans Conried]]
|-
| [[Gollum]] || [[Brother Theodore]]
|-
| [[Bombur]] || [[Paul Frees]]
|-
| [[Balin]] || [[Don Messick]]
|-
| [[Gwaihir|Lord of the Eagles]] || Don Messick
|-
| [[Dori]] || [[John Stephenson]]
|-
| The [[Great Goblin]] || John Stephenson
|-
| [[Bard]] || John Stephenson
|}

The film was produced and directed by [[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] and [[Jules Bass]] and adapted for the screen by Romeo Muller; with Rankin taking on the additional duties of production designer, and Bass adapting some of Tolkien's original lyrics, as well as contributing, along with Maury Laws, an original theme song, "The Greatest Adventure (The Ballad of the Hobbit)," sung by [[Glenn Yarbrough]].

The same team, along with Bean, Huston, Theodore, Frees, Messick, and Stephenson returned for the 1980 adaption of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]''.

==Scenes==
# "[[Bilbo's Visitors]]" (4:07)
# "[[Outlining the Adventure]]" (3:53)
# "Credits" (2:20)
# "[[Troublesome Trolls]]" (3:35)
# "[[Lonely Mountain Map]]" (3:06)
# "[[Elves of Rivendell (scene)|Elves of Rivendell]]" (3:04)
# "[[Goblin Attack]]" (3:33)
# "[[Gollum's Riddler]]" (6:20)
# "[[Follow the leader]]" (4:28)
# "[[Funny Little Things]]" (2:12)
# "[[Flown to Mirkwood]]" (2:36)
# "[[Forest Diary]]" (3:04)
# "[[Spider's Web]]" (1:19)
# "[[Sting Strikes]]" (2:00)
# "[[Wood Elves (scene)|Wood Elves]]" (2:50)
# "[[Laketown (scene)|Laketown]]" (2:04)
# "[[Secret Doorway]]" (2:09)
# "[[Smaug's Lair]]" (4:14)
# "[[Weak Spot]]" (4:31)
# "[[Black Arrow's Mark]]" (3:08)
# "[[Treasure Clash]]" (2:59)
# "[[Five Armies Meet]]" (4:42)
# "[[Farewell, Thorin]]" (2:07)
# "[[Only Beginning]]" (1:50)
# "End Credits" (0:56)

== Critical Reaction ==
The movie was first broadcast on NBC in the United States, on [[26 November|November 26]], [[1977]], and was tailored to children: the story was done in a very light-hearted style, and featured a lot of songs (most of which came from the book). Much of the story was simplified and several key parts are omitted.

The art is both praised and criticized. Some reviewers regard it as a strong point of the movie. Inaccuracies in the depictions draws a lot of criticism from Tolkien fans: Gandalf has a hood instead of a hat, despite clearly being described in the book; Gollum looks like some sort of frog-creature (though the book does describe his large eyes and webbed feet); Elrond has a beard despite the book outright saying that Elves do not have beards; the [[Elves of Mirkwood|Wood-elves]], rather than being the "fair folk," are even uglier than the goblins (and the [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] has a thick German accent for some reason); Smaug is extremely hairy for being a [[Dragons|dragon]].

In 1977, NBC, Rankin and Bass won a Peabody Award for ''The Hobbit''[http://www.peabody.uga.edu/winners/PeabodyWinnersBook.pdf]. The movie was also nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in [[1978]], but lost to ''Star Wars''.

==Differences from the books==
While the movie is quite faithful to the story, it is at its core still a child-oriented musical adaptation, and therefore not a perfect adaptation of Tolkien's novel. Most of the changes are found as omissions rather than modifications of the plot.

# All the Dwarves show up with Gandalf all at once in the film rather than coming in groups the day after Gandalf meets Bilbo and puts a mark on his door.
# The company leaves Bilbo's house on ponies, but after that the ponies are not seen until they are lost in crossing the [[Misty Mountains]]. In the book, the company rode ponies from [[Bag End]] to [[Rivendell]].
# Bilbo is noticed by the Trolls as he sneaks up to steal some meat rather than disclosed by the Trolls' [[Talking purse|"talking" purse]].
# The Dwarves flee in terror from the Trolls and are picked up one at a time instead of walking blindly into the camp and being ambushed (except for Thorin, who puts up a fight).
# Gandalf apparently has the power to make the dawn come earlier and dispatching the Trolls rather than tricking them by throwing his voice.
# The Troll cave does not have a locked door like in the book.
# Gandalf gives Thorin the Map of Thrór and the key in the troll cave rather than back at Bag End.
# Up in the mountains, there are no stone giants playing games amidst the storm.
# Gandalf is missing in the cave when the goblins emerge, rather than sleeping when it happens. The Dwarves run into the tunnel rather than being grabbed.
# The Dwarves do not fight the goblins in the tunnel.
# Bilbo specifically asked Gollum what he has in his pocket rather than muttering it aloud to himself. Gollum does not even try to guess instead of demanding three guesses. Only four riddles are said in the movie (there were ten in the book).
# Bilbo pulls the ring out of his pocket after Gollum says he's looking for his "golden ring, magical ring".
# Bilbo has no trouble getting out the back door (no goblins to sneak by or tight spots to fit through).
# Rather than meet the Wargs in the forest, the goblins come with them, riding on them and wielding torches (despite the Wargs' fear of fire in the book).
# The Great Eagles do not take the company to their eyries, but to the edge of [[Mirkwood]], bypassing [[Beorn]] (who does not appears in the movie).
# The incident at the enchanted river, including [[Bombur]]'s magical sleep, is omitted.
# The feasts of the Wood-elves are omitted (yet are referred to when the Wood-elves capture the Dwarves).
# Bilbo has to fight and kill only four spiders rather than dozens and dozens. Bilbo's sword, [[Sting]], always glows in the movie regardless of whether goblins are nearby or not.
# Thorin is captured with the other Dwarves by the spiders and then the Wood-elves.
# There is no stop over from the journey via barrels from the Wood-elves' castle to [[Lake-town]].
# There is no Master in Laketown; [[Bard]] the guardsman runs the city.
# The company does not make camp at the base of the mountain.
# Balin does not go with Bilbo into the secret entrance.
# Bilbo has only one audience with Smaug and the thrush is present. Bilbo orders the thrush to seek Bard to tell him of Smaug's weakness.
# The [[Arkenstone]] and all that goes with it is omitted.
# [[Roäc]] the raven is omitted. In the book, the ravens tell the Dwarves that Smaug is slain and is sent to [[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin]] to call for assistance. In the movie, the Dwarves wait, lost inside the Lonely Mountain for a week and it is never explained why Dáin arrives at such an opportune moment.
# The company discovers the two armies coming when they are on the doorstep rather than being warned in advance.
# Since the Arkenstone is omitted, Thorin instead loses respect for Bilbo through his supposed lack of understanding of honor and war.
# Thorin and the dwarves plan a suicidal last stand against the elves and men in a pitched battle outside the mountain and are pleasantly surprised when Dáin's army arrives.
# [[Ravenhill]] is not mentioned.
# The armies in the Battle of the Five Armies are divided differently (Bilbo counts the Goblins and Wargs as one army, the Eagles are counted as a separate army).
# The Battle of the Five Armies happens differently: notably, Beorn is not there.
# In the book, only Thorin, [[Fíli]] and [[Kíli]] die from the battle, leaving 10 survivors from Thorin's company. In the movie, Thorin, Bombur and five other unnamed dwarves are all killed. (In fact, Bombur was one of the few Dwarves in the quest known to be still alive in the days of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.) [[Glóin]] is the only other dwarf whose fate is officially revealed in the movie, as he is seen covering up Thorin with a blanket after he dies. Another dwarf (who does not clearly resemble anyone from the company) then lays [[Orcrist]] on top of Thorin's body. It's possible that this could be Dáin.
# Most of the return journey, including winter at Beorn's home, a stop at Rivendell, and digging up gold they buried by the troll camp, is omitted.
# The auction back at Bag End is omitted.
# Balin and Gandalf's visit, years later, is omitted.

==Follow-up==
At the end of the film, Gandalf reveals to Bilbo that he is not only aware of Bilbo's ring, but knows that it is in fact the [[One Ring]], and foreshadows the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. In the books, the ring is not discovered to be the One Ring until ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''. Such an indication would lead one to believe that Rankin/Bass was always intending to do a follow-up using story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings''. Indeed, production had already begun on their adaptation of ''The Return of the King'' before ''The Hobbit'' had even originally aired. [http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0] However, it remains a mystery as to whether or not their plans for what story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings'' were originally conceived for inclusion in this follow-up were at all affected by the 1978 [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation by Ralph Bakshi]], which was also in production at that point.

== External Links ==
* ''[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077687/ The Hobbit]'' at [http://www.imdb.com/ IMDb]
{{films}}

{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Hobbit (1977 film)| ]]

The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)

2013-03-30T03:16:56Z

76.113.141.81: /* Follow-up */

{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox
| image=[[Image:Bakshi-lotr.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Lord of the Rings
| director=[[Ralph Bakshi]]
| producer=[[Saul Zaentz]]
| writer=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] [[Ralph Bakshi]] [[Peter S. Beagle]] 
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Leonard Rosenman
| cinematography=Timothy Galfas
| editing=Donald W. Ernst Peter Kirby
| distributor=[[United Artists]]
| released=[[15 November|November 15]]th, [[1978]]
| runtime=132 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget= $4 million
| website=[http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings Official website]
| imdb_id=0077869
}}'''''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings''''' is an animated film produced and directed by [[Ralph Bakshi]], and released to theaters in 1978. It was an adaptation of the first half of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Bakshi's most ambitious effort (and his most famous after his animated adaptation of the underground comic ''Fritz the Cat''), the film was produced by [[Saul Zaentz]]'s Fantasy Films, but distributed to theaters by United Artists.

==Synopsis==
Long ago, in the early years of the [[Second Age]], the great Elven-smiths forged Rings of Power — Nine for mortal [[Men]], Seven for the [[Dwarves|Dwarf-lords]], and three for the fair [[Elves|Elf-rulers]]. But then, the Dark Lord [[Sauron]] learned the craft of ring-making and made the Master Ring — [[The One Ring]] to rule them all. With the One Ring, [[Middle-earth]] is his and he cannot be overcome. As the last alliance of Men and Elves fell beneath his power, the ring fell into the hands of Prince [[Isildur]] of the mighty kings from across the sea. He did not destroy the ring, and because of this, the spirit of Sauron lived on and began to take shape and grow again.

The Ring had a will of its own, and had a way of slipping from hand to hand, so that it might at last get back to its master. The Ring lay in the bottom of a lake for thousands of years. During those years, Sauron captured the nine Rings that were made for Men and turned their owners into the [[Nazgûl|Ringwraiths]]: terrible shadows under his great shadow who roamed the world searching for the One Ring.

The Ring, meanwhile, was found by two friends. One of them, [[Sméagol]], was so enticed by the Ring's power that he killed his friend [[Déagol]] to get it. Sméagol possessed the Ring for hundreds of years, during which it warped him into a twisted, gurgling wretch known only as Gollum, until his "Precious" was discovered (some might say stolen) by the hobbit [[Bilbo Baggins]].

Several years later, in a land called [[the Shire]], Bilbo is celebrating his 111th (or eleventy-first, as it is called) birthday, on the same day that his nephew [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] celebrates his 33rd birthday, (his "coming of age"). During his speech, Bilbo slips the Ring on, and confusion arises as the party notices that their host has suddenly disappeared into thin air!

[[Gandalf]] the wizard, however, knows the truth behind this act. In Bilbo's hobbit hole, Gandalf tells him to leave the Ring for Frodo, but Bilbo seems unwilling to give it up. He does, finally, agree, and leaves the Shire.

Gandalf realizes that the "magic" ring is in fact the one ring forged by Sauron, the evil lord. He knows the Shire is in danger, soon Sauron will learn that the Ring is in the possession of a Baggins and send his "wraiths" after him. Heeding Gandalf's advice, Frodo leaves his home, taking the Ring with him. He hopes to reach [[Rivendell]], where he will be safe from Sauron, and where those wiser than he can decide what to do about the Ring.
In his journey he is accompanied by three hobbit friends, [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]], and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]]. From the start they are pursued by Black Riders (Sauron's Ringwraiths or Nazgûl). Narrowly escaping these and other dangers and meeting other interesting characters en route they eventually come to [[Bree]], where they meet [[Aragorn|Strider]], another friend of Gandalf who leads them the rest of the way to Rivendell, through further hardships. Frodo is stabbed upon the mountain of [[Weathertop]] by the [[Witch-king|chief of the Nazgûl]], with a "[[Morgul blade]]" — as part of the knife stays inside him, he gets sicker on the rest of the journey.

At Rivendell, Frodo meets his uncle Bilbo whom he had not seen since he left Hobbiton years before; Bilbo seems much older and weaker, and, for a terrible moment, is once again held in sway of the Ring. Bilbo, Gandalf, and others argue about what should be done with the One Ring. Finally, Frodo stands up, and willfully volunteers to go to [[Mordor]], where the Ring can be destroyed.
Frodo sets forth from Rivendell with eight companions: two Men, [[Aragorn]] and [[Boromir]], son of the [[Stewards of Gondor|Steward]] of the land of [[Gondor]]; an [[Elves|Elven]] prince, [[Legolas]]; Frodo's old friend and powerful wizard, Gandalf; [[Gimli]] the [[Dwarves|Dwarf]]; and Frodo's original three hobbit companions. These Nine Walkers were chosen to represent all the free races of Middle-earth and as a balance to the Nine Riders.

Their attempt to cross the [[Misty Mountains]] is foiled by heavy snow, so they are forced to take a path under the mountains via [[Moria]], an ancient Dwarf kingdom, now full of [[Orcs]] and other evil creatures, where Gandalf falls into the abyss after battling a [[Durin's Bane|Balrog]].
The remaining eight members of the Fellowship then spend some time in the elf-haven of [[Lothlórien]], where they receive [[Gifts of Galadriel|gifts]] from the elf queen [[Galadriel]] that in many cases prove useful later in the quest. They leave Lórien by river, but Frodo begins to realize the Ring is having a malevolent effect on some members of the party, especially Boromir, who tries to take the Ring from Frodo. In the process, Frodo puts it on to escape him. Later, Boromir is killed by Orcs while trying to defend Merry and Pippin, whom the Orcs capture.

Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, tracking Merry and Pippin, come across the [[Rohirrim|Riders of Rohan]] who tell them that they attacked the Orcs the previous night and left no survivors.

However, Strider is able to find small prints and they follow these into [[Fangorn Forest]], where they meet a white wizard who they at first believe to be [[Saruman]], but who turns out to be their wizard friend Gandalf, whom they believed had perished in the mines of Moria. He tells them of his fall into the abyss, his battle to the death with the Balrog and his reawakening.

The four ride to Rohan's capital, [[Edoras]], and persuade King [[Théoden]] that his people are in danger. In the process, Saruman's agent in Edoras, [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]], who had been keeping Théoden subdued and weak for years, is expelled from the city. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas then travel to the defensive fortification [[Helm's Deep]] while Gandalf goes north in search of [[Éomer]]'s men in the north of [[Rohan]] to bring as reinforcements.

Hobbits Merry and Pippin escape from the Orcs who captured them when the orcs themselves are attacked by the Riders of Rohan. Merry and Pippin head into nearby Fangorn Forest where they encounter treelike giants called [[Ents]]. These guardians of the forest generally keep to themselves, but are moved to oppose the menace posed to the trees by the wizard Saruman.

At Helm's Deep, Théoden's forces resist an onslaught of Orcs and Men sent by Saruman, and Gandalf arrives the next morning with the Riders of Rohan just in time. The fleeing orcs run into a forest of [[Huorn]]s — creatures halfway between tree and Ent — and none escape. Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Gandalf and the army of Rohan then head to Saruman's stronghold at [[Isengard]].
Frodo and Sam discover Gollum stalking them as they try to reach [[Mount Doom]] to destroy the One Ring. Gollum hopes to reclaim the Ring. Sam loathes and distrusts him, but Frodo pities him, and so lets him live in return for guidance to Mount Doom. Gollum promises to lead them to a secret entrance to Mordor. Gollum, who is briefly torn between keeping his word to Frodo and reclaiming his "Precious," is ominously overheard to say "[[Shelob|''she'']] might help us..." as he leads Frodo and Sam to [[Cirith Ungol]].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Voice Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Norman Bird]] || [[Bilbo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Lucille Bliss]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[David Buck]] || [[Gimli]]
|-
| [[Simon Chandler]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Michael Graham Cox]] || [[Boromir]]
|-
| [[Annette Crosbie]] || [[Galadriel]]
|-
| [[Anthony Daniels]] || [[Legolas]]
|-
| [[Michael Deacon]] || [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]]
|-
| [[Christopher Guard]] || [[Frodo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Dominic Guard]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[John Hurt]] || [[Aragorn]]
|-
| [[Fraser Kerr]] || [[Saruman|(S)Aruman]]
|-
| [[André Morell]] || [[Elrond]]
|-
| [[Michael Scholes]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Mel Smith]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[William Squire]] || [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Philip Stone]] || [[Théoden]]
|-
| [[Alan Tilvern]] || [[Barliman Butterbur|Innkeeper]]
|-
| [[John Westbrook]] || [[Treebeard]]
|-
| [[Peter Woodthorpe]] || [[Gollum]]
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Character Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Aesop Aquarian]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sharon Baird]] || [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Stan Barrett]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Billy Barty]] || [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Herb Braha]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Hank Calia]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Albert Cirimele]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mike Clifford]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Delfino]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[David Dotson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Russ Earnest]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Louis Elias]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Fay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Carmen Filpi]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Paul Gale]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Ruth Gay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Lenny Geer]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harriett Gibson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Michael Lee Gogin]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Bob Haney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Chuck Hayward]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Art Hern]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Hice]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Loren Janes]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gary Jensen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Santy Josol]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John L]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Larry Larsen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sam Laws]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Terry Leonard]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Peter Looney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Dennis Madalone]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Tommy Madden]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Buck Maffei]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patty Maloney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jerry Maren]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harry Monty]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Morson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John A. Neris]] || [[Gandalf]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Jeri Lea Ray]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Pete Risch]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Walt Robles]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mic Rodgers]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Angelo Rossitto]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Felix Silla]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patrick Sullivan Burke]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jack Verbois]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gregg Walker]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Donn Whyte]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Trey Wilson]] || Character Actor
|}

===Scenes===
# "Credits" (0:40)
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1978 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]" (3:41)
# "[[Bilbo's Farewell]]" (2:05)
# "[[Frodo's Quest]]" (6:24)
# "[[Saruman's Sorcery]]" (2:43)
# "[[Sinister Horseman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Inn at Bree]]" (3:52)
# "[[Aragorn's Vow]]" (3:54)
# "[[Black Riders Invade]]" (2:50)
# "[[Rider Swordsman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Cornered]]" (5:59)
# "[[Wall of Water]]" (2:39)
# "[[Gandalf's Update]]" (2:51)
# "[[Coucil of Elrond (scene)|Council of Elrond]]" (4:39)
# "[[Frodo's Quest Renewed]]" (2:19)
# "[[Change in Route]]" (2:40)
# "[[Grabbed at the Gateway]]" (2:44)
# "[[Inside the Mine]]" (3:04)
# "[[Under Siege]]" (3:51)
# "[[Balrog Strikes]]" (0:39)
# "[[Homage to Gandalf]]" (3:27)
# "[[Galadriel's Test]]" (3:05)
# "[[Borimir's Madness]]" ''(sic)'' (4:21)
# "[[Borimir's Sacrifice]]" ''(sic)'' (0:49)
# "[[Following the Orcs]]" (5:12)
# "[[Whiteskins Attack]]" (4:55)
# "[[The Gollum]]" (1:36)
# "[[Escape in Mid-battle]]" (4:38)
# "[[Treebeard (1978 scene)|Treebeard]]" (3:24)
# "[[Back from the Abyss]]" (1:55)
# "[[Theoden of Rohan]]" (3:48)
# "[[Gollum gets Touchy]]" (4:57)
# "[[The Orcs Advance]]" (4:42)
# "[[Cave Retreat]]" (4:36)
# "[[Two Weary Hobbits]]" (2:50)
# "[[Outnumbered]]" (2:05)
# "[[Gandalf Triumphant]]" (3:19)
# "End Credits" (2:34)

== Differences from the book ==
The movie makes a few deviations from the book, but overall follows Tolkien's narrative quite closely. Many parts of the novel explaining the transition from one part of the plot to another were omitted which makes the middle part of the movie somewhat difficult to follow, if the viewer is unfamiliar with the story.
* In the film's prologue it is suggested that Sauron ''learned'' the craft of ring-making ''after'' the 19 lesser rings were made whilst in the original story it is Sauron who teaches the Elven smiths this ability.
* Another deviation suggests that the last alliance of men and elves was losing the war which contradicts the original story.
* As in Tolkien's novel, Saruman the White adopts the title "Saruman of Many Colours"; however, his robes are neither white nor multi-colored, but red.
*Saruman is sometimes called "Aruman". It is believed that this name was meant to eliminate confusion with Sauron.
* The scene where the Nazgûl arrive in the hobbits' room at the Prancing Pony and begin slashing at their beds only to find that they are not there, and pillows have been placed to form the figures of their bodies is not in the book, but it is in both Jackson's and Bakshi's film versions. A passage does appear that states that hobbit beds wind up slashed during the night, but the townsfolk of Bree are the perpetrators, not the Nazgûl.
* Just as in Jackson's films, the [[Glorfindel|first elf]] that the hobbits and Aragorn meet is changed -- this time to [[Legolas]].
* Like Jackson's films, Bakshi's film does not include the character of [[Tom Bombadil]] (presumably, as with the former, for pacing reasons, as well as to intensify the threat of the Nazgûl to the hobbits).
* [[Arwen]] does not appear, nor is she mentioned.
* Aragorn carries a broken sword (presumably [[Narsil]]) up to the Rivendell section of the story where he presents it to the council. However, the sword's reforging into Andúril is never shown (or mentioned) in the film, even though Aragorn carries an unbroken blade for the remainder of the film.
* Gimli appears to be about the same height as the rest of the non-hobbits in the fellowship.
* No differentiation is made between the Orcs and Uruk-hai in the film; in fact, there is no mention of the latter at all.
* [[Éowyn]] makes only a brief appearance and has no spoken dialogue.
* While [[Éomer]] is mentioned, he is never officially identified (thus, he also has no spoken dialogue). Also, as in the Jackson films, it is ''he'' and his forces with whom Gandalf arrives near the end of the Battle of Helm's Deep instead of [[Erkenbrand]]'s.
* [[Faramir]] does not appear, nor is he mentioned.
* The "Fires of Isengard" appear as magical projectiles.

== Production ==
===Animation===
Much of the film used live-action footage which was then rotoscoped to produce an animated look [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/38.html] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/39.html]. This saved production costs and arguably gave the animated characters a more realistic look. For the live-action portion of the production, Bakshi and his cast and crew arrived in Spain where the rotoscope models acted out their parts in costume. The actions of [[Bilbo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] were performed by [[Billy Barty]], [[Sharon Baird]] performed the part of [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[John A. Neris]] was Gandalf[http://books.google.com/books?id=fTI1yeZd-tkC&pg=PA154&lpg=PA154&dq=%22aesop+aquarian%22+%22billy+barty%22+%22sharon+baird%22&source=web&ots=C5jvDP0VA9&sig=_W2bXiWtu0mfcOJYZOxMBjapJR8&hl=nl&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result].

Of the rotoscoping, Bakshi said "I didn't start thinking about shooting the film totally in live action until I saw it really start to work so well. I learned lots of things about the process, like rippling. One scene, some figures were standing on a hill and a big gust of wind came up and the shadows moved back and forth on the clothes and it was unbelievable in animation. I don't think I could get the feeling of cold on the screen without showing snow or an icicle on some guy's nose. The characters have weight and they move correctly."

"Making two pictures (the live action reference and the actual animated feature) in two years is crazy. Most directors when they finish editing, they are finished; we were just starting. I got more than I expected. The crew is young. The crew loves it. If the crew loves it, it's usually a great sign. They aren't older animators trying to snow me for jobs next year."[http://www.jimhillmedia.com/article_printer.php?id=768]

Following the live-action shoot, each frame of the live footage was then broken down into individual frames, and then printed out, and placed behind animation cels. The details of each frame were copied and painted onto cels. Both the live-action and animated sequences were storyboarded. [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=20] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=10] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=11]
===Voice cast===
After finishing in Spain, Bakshi went to the [[BBC]]'s recording studios in London. He cast several stars - William Squire, John Hurt - and used several of the BBC Repertory Company's stock actors, like Peter Woodthorpe, Anthony Daniels, Norman Bird and Michael Graham Cox. The actors recorded the lines with each other, but were required to pause for two seconds after each line, to smoothen the recording. This caused some stilted dialogue in the finished product[http://www.anthonydaniels.com/qa/index.html].

==Reception==
The film was originally intended to be distributed as '''''The Lord of the Rings, Part One''''', but United Artists dropped the "part one" from the title. "United Artists at that time was terrified to say 'Part One.' I remember sitting in meetings screaming my head off saying, 'You can't do this.'" "Had it said 'Part One,' I think everyone would have respected it. But because it didn't say 'Part One,' everyone came in expecting to see the entire three books, and that's where the confusion comes in" [http://www.tolkiengesellschaft.de/v4/alleszutolkien/filme/bakshi/bakshisoutingheute.shtml]. In interviews, Bakshi sometimes referred to the film as ''The Lord of the Rings, Part One.''

Critics were generally mixed in their responses to the film. Roger Ebert called Bakshi's effort a "mixed blessing" and "an entirely respectable, occasionally impressive job ... [which] still falls far short of the charm and sweep of the original story." Vincent Canby of the ''New York Times'' called the film "both numbing and impressive". Film website Rotten Tomatoes, which compiles reviews from a wide range of critics, gives the film a score of 50.

Despite criticism, the film grossed $30,471,420 at the box office[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lordoftherings78.htm] (the budget was $8 million), but United Artists, who believed the film to be a flop, refused to fund a sequel which would have completed Tolkien's story on film.

==Follow-up==
In light of the theatrical ''The Lord of the Rings, Part Two'' adaptation being scrapped, a means of "finishing" Tolkien's story and making it more complete for audiences then inadvertently fell on the [[Rankin/Bass]] animation studio (fresh on the heels of the success of its previous [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|TV adaptation of ''The Hobbit'']]) in producing an animated TV special based on the [[The Return of the King|final part]] of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Their adaptation of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]'' finished the story and answered most of the questions raised by Bakshi's animated film. Despite this, several unresolved story developments between the ending of ''The Lord of the Rings'' and the beginning of ''The Return of the King'' were left unexplained, especially the Ents' march on Isengard (along with Merry eventually taking up with the Army of Rohan, and Gandalf and Pippin's subsequent journey to Gondor), the betrayal of Frodo by Gollum, and the attack of [[Shelob]] the monster spider-creature on Frodo and Sam. It should be noted, however, that production for this Rankin/Bass follow-up had begun even before their version of ''The Hobbit'' had originally aired (let alone before Bakshi's theatrical film had premiered)[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0], so Rankin/Bass can't be entirely blamed for this flaw in continuity.

[[Warner Bros.]] (the rights holder to the post-1974 Rankin/Bass library and most of the Saul Zaentz theatrical backlog) has released ''The Hobbit,'' ''The Lord of the Rings,'' and ''The Return of the King'' on VHS and DVD, both packaged separately and as a boxed-set "trilogy" of films.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077869/ The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)] at IMDb
* [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings ''The Lord of the Rings'' at Ralph Bakshi.com]
* [http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/tolkien/lord-of-the-rings.html Screen captures from the laserdisc edition]
*[http://flyingmoose.org/tolksarc/bakshi/bakshi.htm Ralph Bakshi's Lord of the Rings, Part One: A Critique] - a humorous critique of the film and satire of its shortcomings
{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)| ]]
[[de:Lord of the Rings (Zeichentrickfilm)]]
[[fi:The Lord of the Rings (1978)]]

The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)

2013-03-30T03:14:42Z

76.113.141.81: /* Reception */

{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox
| image=[[Image:Bakshi-lotr.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Lord of the Rings
| director=[[Ralph Bakshi]]
| producer=[[Saul Zaentz]]
| writer=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] [[Ralph Bakshi]] [[Peter S. Beagle]] 
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Leonard Rosenman
| cinematography=Timothy Galfas
| editing=Donald W. Ernst Peter Kirby
| distributor=[[United Artists]]
| released=[[15 November|November 15]]th, [[1978]]
| runtime=132 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget= $4 million
| website=[http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings Official website]
| imdb_id=0077869
}}'''''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings''''' is an animated film produced and directed by [[Ralph Bakshi]], and released to theaters in 1978. It was an adaptation of the first half of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Bakshi's most ambitious effort (and his most famous after his animated adaptation of the underground comic ''Fritz the Cat''), the film was produced by [[Saul Zaentz]]'s Fantasy Films, but distributed to theaters by United Artists.

==Synopsis==
Long ago, in the early years of the [[Second Age]], the great Elven-smiths forged Rings of Power — Nine for mortal [[Men]], Seven for the [[Dwarves|Dwarf-lords]], and three for the fair [[Elves|Elf-rulers]]. But then, the Dark Lord [[Sauron]] learned the craft of ring-making and made the Master Ring — [[The One Ring]] to rule them all. With the One Ring, [[Middle-earth]] is his and he cannot be overcome. As the last alliance of Men and Elves fell beneath his power, the ring fell into the hands of Prince [[Isildur]] of the mighty kings from across the sea. He did not destroy the ring, and because of this, the spirit of Sauron lived on and began to take shape and grow again.

The Ring had a will of its own, and had a way of slipping from hand to hand, so that it might at last get back to its master. The Ring lay in the bottom of a lake for thousands of years. During those years, Sauron captured the nine Rings that were made for Men and turned their owners into the [[Nazgûl|Ringwraiths]]: terrible shadows under his great shadow who roamed the world searching for the One Ring.

The Ring, meanwhile, was found by two friends. One of them, [[Sméagol]], was so enticed by the Ring's power that he killed his friend [[Déagol]] to get it. Sméagol possessed the Ring for hundreds of years, during which it warped him into a twisted, gurgling wretch known only as Gollum, until his "Precious" was discovered (some might say stolen) by the hobbit [[Bilbo Baggins]].

Several years later, in a land called [[the Shire]], Bilbo is celebrating his 111th (or eleventy-first, as it is called) birthday, on the same day that his nephew [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] celebrates his 33rd birthday, (his "coming of age"). During his speech, Bilbo slips the Ring on, and confusion arises as the party notices that their host has suddenly disappeared into thin air!

[[Gandalf]] the wizard, however, knows the truth behind this act. In Bilbo's hobbit hole, Gandalf tells him to leave the Ring for Frodo, but Bilbo seems unwilling to give it up. He does, finally, agree, and leaves the Shire.

Gandalf realizes that the "magic" ring is in fact the one ring forged by Sauron, the evil lord. He knows the Shire is in danger, soon Sauron will learn that the Ring is in the possession of a Baggins and send his "wraiths" after him. Heeding Gandalf's advice, Frodo leaves his home, taking the Ring with him. He hopes to reach [[Rivendell]], where he will be safe from Sauron, and where those wiser than he can decide what to do about the Ring.
In his journey he is accompanied by three hobbit friends, [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]], and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]]. From the start they are pursued by Black Riders (Sauron's Ringwraiths or Nazgûl). Narrowly escaping these and other dangers and meeting other interesting characters en route they eventually come to [[Bree]], where they meet [[Aragorn|Strider]], another friend of Gandalf who leads them the rest of the way to Rivendell, through further hardships. Frodo is stabbed upon the mountain of [[Weathertop]] by the [[Witch-king|chief of the Nazgûl]], with a "[[Morgul blade]]" — as part of the knife stays inside him, he gets sicker on the rest of the journey.

At Rivendell, Frodo meets his uncle Bilbo whom he had not seen since he left Hobbiton years before; Bilbo seems much older and weaker, and, for a terrible moment, is once again held in sway of the Ring. Bilbo, Gandalf, and others argue about what should be done with the One Ring. Finally, Frodo stands up, and willfully volunteers to go to [[Mordor]], where the Ring can be destroyed.
Frodo sets forth from Rivendell with eight companions: two Men, [[Aragorn]] and [[Boromir]], son of the [[Stewards of Gondor|Steward]] of the land of [[Gondor]]; an [[Elves|Elven]] prince, [[Legolas]]; Frodo's old friend and powerful wizard, Gandalf; [[Gimli]] the [[Dwarves|Dwarf]]; and Frodo's original three hobbit companions. These Nine Walkers were chosen to represent all the free races of Middle-earth and as a balance to the Nine Riders.

Their attempt to cross the [[Misty Mountains]] is foiled by heavy snow, so they are forced to take a path under the mountains via [[Moria]], an ancient Dwarf kingdom, now full of [[Orcs]] and other evil creatures, where Gandalf falls into the abyss after battling a [[Durin's Bane|Balrog]].
The remaining eight members of the Fellowship then spend some time in the elf-haven of [[Lothlórien]], where they receive [[Gifts of Galadriel|gifts]] from the elf queen [[Galadriel]] that in many cases prove useful later in the quest. They leave Lórien by river, but Frodo begins to realize the Ring is having a malevolent effect on some members of the party, especially Boromir, who tries to take the Ring from Frodo. In the process, Frodo puts it on to escape him. Later, Boromir is killed by Orcs while trying to defend Merry and Pippin, whom the Orcs capture.

Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, tracking Merry and Pippin, come across the [[Rohirrim|Riders of Rohan]] who tell them that they attacked the Orcs the previous night and left no survivors.

However, Strider is able to find small prints and they follow these into [[Fangorn Forest]], where they meet a white wizard who they at first believe to be [[Saruman]], but who turns out to be their wizard friend Gandalf, whom they believed had perished in the mines of Moria. He tells them of his fall into the abyss, his battle to the death with the Balrog and his reawakening.

The four ride to Rohan's capital, [[Edoras]], and persuade King [[Théoden]] that his people are in danger. In the process, Saruman's agent in Edoras, [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]], who had been keeping Théoden subdued and weak for years, is expelled from the city. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas then travel to the defensive fortification [[Helm's Deep]] while Gandalf goes north in search of [[Éomer]]'s men in the north of [[Rohan]] to bring as reinforcements.

Hobbits Merry and Pippin escape from the Orcs who captured them when the orcs themselves are attacked by the Riders of Rohan. Merry and Pippin head into nearby Fangorn Forest where they encounter treelike giants called [[Ents]]. These guardians of the forest generally keep to themselves, but are moved to oppose the menace posed to the trees by the wizard Saruman.

At Helm's Deep, Théoden's forces resist an onslaught of Orcs and Men sent by Saruman, and Gandalf arrives the next morning with the Riders of Rohan just in time. The fleeing orcs run into a forest of [[Huorn]]s — creatures halfway between tree and Ent — and none escape. Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Gandalf and the army of Rohan then head to Saruman's stronghold at [[Isengard]].
Frodo and Sam discover Gollum stalking them as they try to reach [[Mount Doom]] to destroy the One Ring. Gollum hopes to reclaim the Ring. Sam loathes and distrusts him, but Frodo pities him, and so lets him live in return for guidance to Mount Doom. Gollum promises to lead them to a secret entrance to Mordor. Gollum, who is briefly torn between keeping his word to Frodo and reclaiming his "Precious," is ominously overheard to say "[[Shelob|''she'']] might help us..." as he leads Frodo and Sam to [[Cirith Ungol]].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Voice Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Norman Bird]] || [[Bilbo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Lucille Bliss]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[David Buck]] || [[Gimli]]
|-
| [[Simon Chandler]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Michael Graham Cox]] || [[Boromir]]
|-
| [[Annette Crosbie]] || [[Galadriel]]
|-
| [[Anthony Daniels]] || [[Legolas]]
|-
| [[Michael Deacon]] || [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]]
|-
| [[Christopher Guard]] || [[Frodo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Dominic Guard]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[John Hurt]] || [[Aragorn]]
|-
| [[Fraser Kerr]] || [[Saruman|(S)Aruman]]
|-
| [[André Morell]] || [[Elrond]]
|-
| [[Michael Scholes]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Mel Smith]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[William Squire]] || [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Philip Stone]] || [[Théoden]]
|-
| [[Alan Tilvern]] || [[Barliman Butterbur|Innkeeper]]
|-
| [[John Westbrook]] || [[Treebeard]]
|-
| [[Peter Woodthorpe]] || [[Gollum]]
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Character Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Aesop Aquarian]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sharon Baird]] || [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Stan Barrett]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Billy Barty]] || [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Herb Braha]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Hank Calia]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Albert Cirimele]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mike Clifford]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Delfino]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[David Dotson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Russ Earnest]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Louis Elias]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Fay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Carmen Filpi]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Paul Gale]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Ruth Gay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Lenny Geer]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harriett Gibson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Michael Lee Gogin]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Bob Haney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Chuck Hayward]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Art Hern]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Hice]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Loren Janes]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gary Jensen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Santy Josol]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John L]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Larry Larsen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sam Laws]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Terry Leonard]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Peter Looney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Dennis Madalone]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Tommy Madden]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Buck Maffei]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patty Maloney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jerry Maren]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harry Monty]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Morson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John A. Neris]] || [[Gandalf]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Jeri Lea Ray]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Pete Risch]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Walt Robles]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mic Rodgers]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Angelo Rossitto]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Felix Silla]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patrick Sullivan Burke]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jack Verbois]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gregg Walker]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Donn Whyte]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Trey Wilson]] || Character Actor
|}

===Scenes===
# "Credits" (0:40)
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1978 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]" (3:41)
# "[[Bilbo's Farewell]]" (2:05)
# "[[Frodo's Quest]]" (6:24)
# "[[Saruman's Sorcery]]" (2:43)
# "[[Sinister Horseman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Inn at Bree]]" (3:52)
# "[[Aragorn's Vow]]" (3:54)
# "[[Black Riders Invade]]" (2:50)
# "[[Rider Swordsman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Cornered]]" (5:59)
# "[[Wall of Water]]" (2:39)
# "[[Gandalf's Update]]" (2:51)
# "[[Coucil of Elrond (scene)|Council of Elrond]]" (4:39)
# "[[Frodo's Quest Renewed]]" (2:19)
# "[[Change in Route]]" (2:40)
# "[[Grabbed at the Gateway]]" (2:44)
# "[[Inside the Mine]]" (3:04)
# "[[Under Siege]]" (3:51)
# "[[Balrog Strikes]]" (0:39)
# "[[Homage to Gandalf]]" (3:27)
# "[[Galadriel's Test]]" (3:05)
# "[[Borimir's Madness]]" ''(sic)'' (4:21)
# "[[Borimir's Sacrifice]]" ''(sic)'' (0:49)
# "[[Following the Orcs]]" (5:12)
# "[[Whiteskins Attack]]" (4:55)
# "[[The Gollum]]" (1:36)
# "[[Escape in Mid-battle]]" (4:38)
# "[[Treebeard (1978 scene)|Treebeard]]" (3:24)
# "[[Back from the Abyss]]" (1:55)
# "[[Theoden of Rohan]]" (3:48)
# "[[Gollum gets Touchy]]" (4:57)
# "[[The Orcs Advance]]" (4:42)
# "[[Cave Retreat]]" (4:36)
# "[[Two Weary Hobbits]]" (2:50)
# "[[Outnumbered]]" (2:05)
# "[[Gandalf Triumphant]]" (3:19)
# "End Credits" (2:34)

== Differences from the book ==
The movie makes a few deviations from the book, but overall follows Tolkien's narrative quite closely. Many parts of the novel explaining the transition from one part of the plot to another were omitted which makes the middle part of the movie somewhat difficult to follow, if the viewer is unfamiliar with the story.
* In the film's prologue it is suggested that Sauron ''learned'' the craft of ring-making ''after'' the 19 lesser rings were made whilst in the original story it is Sauron who teaches the Elven smiths this ability.
* Another deviation suggests that the last alliance of men and elves was losing the war which contradicts the original story.
* As in Tolkien's novel, Saruman the White adopts the title "Saruman of Many Colours"; however, his robes are neither white nor multi-colored, but red.
*Saruman is sometimes called "Aruman". It is believed that this name was meant to eliminate confusion with Sauron.
* The scene where the Nazgûl arrive in the hobbits' room at the Prancing Pony and begin slashing at their beds only to find that they are not there, and pillows have been placed to form the figures of their bodies is not in the book, but it is in both Jackson's and Bakshi's film versions. A passage does appear that states that hobbit beds wind up slashed during the night, but the townsfolk of Bree are the perpetrators, not the Nazgûl.
* Just as in Jackson's films, the [[Glorfindel|first elf]] that the hobbits and Aragorn meet is changed -- this time to [[Legolas]].
* Like Jackson's films, Bakshi's film does not include the character of [[Tom Bombadil]] (presumably, as with the former, for pacing reasons, as well as to intensify the threat of the Nazgûl to the hobbits).
* [[Arwen]] does not appear, nor is she mentioned.
* Aragorn carries a broken sword (presumably [[Narsil]]) up to the Rivendell section of the story where he presents it to the council. However, the sword's reforging into Andúril is never shown (or mentioned) in the film, even though Aragorn carries an unbroken blade for the remainder of the film.
* Gimli appears to be about the same height as the rest of the non-hobbits in the fellowship.
* No differentiation is made between the Orcs and Uruk-hai in the film; in fact, there is no mention of the latter at all.
* [[Éowyn]] makes only a brief appearance and has no spoken dialogue.
* While [[Éomer]] is mentioned, he is never officially identified (thus, he also has no spoken dialogue). Also, as in the Jackson films, it is ''he'' and his forces with whom Gandalf arrives near the end of the Battle of Helm's Deep instead of [[Erkenbrand]]'s.
* [[Faramir]] does not appear, nor is he mentioned.
* The "Fires of Isengard" appear as magical projectiles.

== Production ==
===Animation===
Much of the film used live-action footage which was then rotoscoped to produce an animated look [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/38.html] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/39.html]. This saved production costs and arguably gave the animated characters a more realistic look. For the live-action portion of the production, Bakshi and his cast and crew arrived in Spain where the rotoscope models acted out their parts in costume. The actions of [[Bilbo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] were performed by [[Billy Barty]], [[Sharon Baird]] performed the part of [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[John A. Neris]] was Gandalf[http://books.google.com/books?id=fTI1yeZd-tkC&pg=PA154&lpg=PA154&dq=%22aesop+aquarian%22+%22billy+barty%22+%22sharon+baird%22&source=web&ots=C5jvDP0VA9&sig=_W2bXiWtu0mfcOJYZOxMBjapJR8&hl=nl&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result].

Of the rotoscoping, Bakshi said "I didn't start thinking about shooting the film totally in live action until I saw it really start to work so well. I learned lots of things about the process, like rippling. One scene, some figures were standing on a hill and a big gust of wind came up and the shadows moved back and forth on the clothes and it was unbelievable in animation. I don't think I could get the feeling of cold on the screen without showing snow or an icicle on some guy's nose. The characters have weight and they move correctly."

"Making two pictures (the live action reference and the actual animated feature) in two years is crazy. Most directors when they finish editing, they are finished; we were just starting. I got more than I expected. The crew is young. The crew loves it. If the crew loves it, it's usually a great sign. They aren't older animators trying to snow me for jobs next year."[http://www.jimhillmedia.com/article_printer.php?id=768]

Following the live-action shoot, each frame of the live footage was then broken down into individual frames, and then printed out, and placed behind animation cels. The details of each frame were copied and painted onto cels. Both the live-action and animated sequences were storyboarded. [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=20] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=10] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=11]
===Voice cast===
After finishing in Spain, Bakshi went to the [[BBC]]'s recording studios in London. He cast several stars - William Squire, John Hurt - and used several of the BBC Repertory Company's stock actors, like Peter Woodthorpe, Anthony Daniels, Norman Bird and Michael Graham Cox. The actors recorded the lines with each other, but were required to pause for two seconds after each line, to smoothen the recording. This caused some stilted dialogue in the finished product[http://www.anthonydaniels.com/qa/index.html].

==Reception==
The film was originally intended to be distributed as '''''The Lord of the Rings, Part One''''', but United Artists dropped the "part one" from the title. "United Artists at that time was terrified to say 'Part One.' I remember sitting in meetings screaming my head off saying, 'You can't do this.'" "Had it said 'Part One,' I think everyone would have respected it. But because it didn't say 'Part One,' everyone came in expecting to see the entire three books, and that's where the confusion comes in" [http://www.tolkiengesellschaft.de/v4/alleszutolkien/filme/bakshi/bakshisoutingheute.shtml]. In interviews, Bakshi sometimes referred to the film as ''The Lord of the Rings, Part One.''

Critics were generally mixed in their responses to the film. Roger Ebert called Bakshi's effort a "mixed blessing" and "an entirely respectable, occasionally impressive job ... [which] still falls far short of the charm and sweep of the original story." Vincent Canby of the ''New York Times'' called the film "both numbing and impressive". Film website Rotten Tomatoes, which compiles reviews from a wide range of critics, gives the film a score of 50.

Despite criticism, the film grossed $30,471,420 at the box office[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lordoftherings78.htm] (the budget was $8 million), but United Artists, who believed the film to be a flop, refused to fund a sequel which would have completed Tolkien's story on film.

==Follow-up==
In light of the theatrical ''The Lord of the Rings, Part Two'' adaptation being scrapped, a means of "finishing" Tolkien's story and making it more complete for audiences then inadvertently fell on the [[Rankin/Bass]] animation studio (fresh on the heels of the success of its previous [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|TV adaptation of ''The Hobbit'']]) in producing an animated TV special based on the [[The Return of the King|final part]] of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Their adaptation of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]'' finished the story and answered most of the questions raised by Bakshi's animated film. Despite this, several unresolved story developments between the ending of ''The Lord of the Rings'' and the beginning of ''The Return of the King'' were left unexplained, especially the Ents' march on Isengard (along with Merry eventually taking up with the Army of Rohan, and Gandalf and Pippin's subsequent journey to Gondor), the betrayal of Frodo by Gollum, and the attack of [[Shelob]] the monster spider-creature on Frodo and Sam. It should be noted, however, that production for this Rankin/Bass follow-up had begun even before their version of ''The Hobbit'' had originally aired (let alone before Bakshi's theatrical film had premiered)[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0], so Rankin/Bass can't be entirely blamed for this flaw in coninuity.

[[Warner Bros.]] (the rights holder to the post-1974 Rankin/Bass library and most of the Saul Zaentz theatrical backlog) has released ''The Hobbit,'' ''The Lord of the Rings,'' and ''The Return of the King'' on VHS and DVD, both packaged separately and as a boxed-set "trilogy" of films.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077869/ The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)] at IMDb
* [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings ''The Lord of the Rings'' at Ralph Bakshi.com]
* [http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/tolkien/lord-of-the-rings.html Screen captures from the laserdisc edition]
*[http://flyingmoose.org/tolksarc/bakshi/bakshi.htm Ralph Bakshi's Lord of the Rings, Part One: A Critique] - a humorous critique of the film and satire of its shortcomings
{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)| ]]
[[de:Lord of the Rings (Zeichentrickfilm)]]
[[fi:The Lord of the Rings (1978)]]

The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)

2013-03-30T03:13:41Z

76.113.141.81: /* Follow-up */

{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox
| image=[[Image:Bakshi-lotr.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Lord of the Rings
| director=[[Ralph Bakshi]]
| producer=[[Saul Zaentz]]
| writer=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] [[Ralph Bakshi]] [[Peter S. Beagle]] 
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Leonard Rosenman
| cinematography=Timothy Galfas
| editing=Donald W. Ernst Peter Kirby
| distributor=[[United Artists]]
| released=[[15 November|November 15]]th, [[1978]]
| runtime=132 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget= $4 million
| website=[http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings Official website]
| imdb_id=0077869
}}'''''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings''''' is an animated film produced and directed by [[Ralph Bakshi]], and released to theaters in 1978. It was an adaptation of the first half of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Bakshi's most ambitious effort (and his most famous after his animated adaptation of the underground comic ''Fritz the Cat''), the film was produced by [[Saul Zaentz]]'s Fantasy Films, but distributed to theaters by United Artists.

==Synopsis==
Long ago, in the early years of the [[Second Age]], the great Elven-smiths forged Rings of Power — Nine for mortal [[Men]], Seven for the [[Dwarves|Dwarf-lords]], and three for the fair [[Elves|Elf-rulers]]. But then, the Dark Lord [[Sauron]] learned the craft of ring-making and made the Master Ring — [[The One Ring]] to rule them all. With the One Ring, [[Middle-earth]] is his and he cannot be overcome. As the last alliance of Men and Elves fell beneath his power, the ring fell into the hands of Prince [[Isildur]] of the mighty kings from across the sea. He did not destroy the ring, and because of this, the spirit of Sauron lived on and began to take shape and grow again.

The Ring had a will of its own, and had a way of slipping from hand to hand, so that it might at last get back to its master. The Ring lay in the bottom of a lake for thousands of years. During those years, Sauron captured the nine Rings that were made for Men and turned their owners into the [[Nazgûl|Ringwraiths]]: terrible shadows under his great shadow who roamed the world searching for the One Ring.

The Ring, meanwhile, was found by two friends. One of them, [[Sméagol]], was so enticed by the Ring's power that he killed his friend [[Déagol]] to get it. Sméagol possessed the Ring for hundreds of years, during which it warped him into a twisted, gurgling wretch known only as Gollum, until his "Precious" was discovered (some might say stolen) by the hobbit [[Bilbo Baggins]].

Several years later, in a land called [[the Shire]], Bilbo is celebrating his 111th (or eleventy-first, as it is called) birthday, on the same day that his nephew [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] celebrates his 33rd birthday, (his "coming of age"). During his speech, Bilbo slips the Ring on, and confusion arises as the party notices that their host has suddenly disappeared into thin air!

[[Gandalf]] the wizard, however, knows the truth behind this act. In Bilbo's hobbit hole, Gandalf tells him to leave the Ring for Frodo, but Bilbo seems unwilling to give it up. He does, finally, agree, and leaves the Shire.

Gandalf realizes that the "magic" ring is in fact the one ring forged by Sauron, the evil lord. He knows the Shire is in danger, soon Sauron will learn that the Ring is in the possession of a Baggins and send his "wraiths" after him. Heeding Gandalf's advice, Frodo leaves his home, taking the Ring with him. He hopes to reach [[Rivendell]], where he will be safe from Sauron, and where those wiser than he can decide what to do about the Ring.
In his journey he is accompanied by three hobbit friends, [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]], and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]]. From the start they are pursued by Black Riders (Sauron's Ringwraiths or Nazgûl). Narrowly escaping these and other dangers and meeting other interesting characters en route they eventually come to [[Bree]], where they meet [[Aragorn|Strider]], another friend of Gandalf who leads them the rest of the way to Rivendell, through further hardships. Frodo is stabbed upon the mountain of [[Weathertop]] by the [[Witch-king|chief of the Nazgûl]], with a "[[Morgul blade]]" — as part of the knife stays inside him, he gets sicker on the rest of the journey.

At Rivendell, Frodo meets his uncle Bilbo whom he had not seen since he left Hobbiton years before; Bilbo seems much older and weaker, and, for a terrible moment, is once again held in sway of the Ring. Bilbo, Gandalf, and others argue about what should be done with the One Ring. Finally, Frodo stands up, and willfully volunteers to go to [[Mordor]], where the Ring can be destroyed.
Frodo sets forth from Rivendell with eight companions: two Men, [[Aragorn]] and [[Boromir]], son of the [[Stewards of Gondor|Steward]] of the land of [[Gondor]]; an [[Elves|Elven]] prince, [[Legolas]]; Frodo's old friend and powerful wizard, Gandalf; [[Gimli]] the [[Dwarves|Dwarf]]; and Frodo's original three hobbit companions. These Nine Walkers were chosen to represent all the free races of Middle-earth and as a balance to the Nine Riders.

Their attempt to cross the [[Misty Mountains]] is foiled by heavy snow, so they are forced to take a path under the mountains via [[Moria]], an ancient Dwarf kingdom, now full of [[Orcs]] and other evil creatures, where Gandalf falls into the abyss after battling a [[Durin's Bane|Balrog]].
The remaining eight members of the Fellowship then spend some time in the elf-haven of [[Lothlórien]], where they receive [[Gifts of Galadriel|gifts]] from the elf queen [[Galadriel]] that in many cases prove useful later in the quest. They leave Lórien by river, but Frodo begins to realize the Ring is having a malevolent effect on some members of the party, especially Boromir, who tries to take the Ring from Frodo. In the process, Frodo puts it on to escape him. Later, Boromir is killed by Orcs while trying to defend Merry and Pippin, whom the Orcs capture.

Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, tracking Merry and Pippin, come across the [[Rohirrim|Riders of Rohan]] who tell them that they attacked the Orcs the previous night and left no survivors.

However, Strider is able to find small prints and they follow these into [[Fangorn Forest]], where they meet a white wizard who they at first believe to be [[Saruman]], but who turns out to be their wizard friend Gandalf, whom they believed had perished in the mines of Moria. He tells them of his fall into the abyss, his battle to the death with the Balrog and his reawakening.

The four ride to Rohan's capital, [[Edoras]], and persuade King [[Théoden]] that his people are in danger. In the process, Saruman's agent in Edoras, [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]], who had been keeping Théoden subdued and weak for years, is expelled from the city. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas then travel to the defensive fortification [[Helm's Deep]] while Gandalf goes north in search of [[Éomer]]'s men in the north of [[Rohan]] to bring as reinforcements.

Hobbits Merry and Pippin escape from the Orcs who captured them when the orcs themselves are attacked by the Riders of Rohan. Merry and Pippin head into nearby Fangorn Forest where they encounter treelike giants called [[Ents]]. These guardians of the forest generally keep to themselves, but are moved to oppose the menace posed to the trees by the wizard Saruman.

At Helm's Deep, Théoden's forces resist an onslaught of Orcs and Men sent by Saruman, and Gandalf arrives the next morning with the Riders of Rohan just in time. The fleeing orcs run into a forest of [[Huorn]]s — creatures halfway between tree and Ent — and none escape. Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Gandalf and the army of Rohan then head to Saruman's stronghold at [[Isengard]].
Frodo and Sam discover Gollum stalking them as they try to reach [[Mount Doom]] to destroy the One Ring. Gollum hopes to reclaim the Ring. Sam loathes and distrusts him, but Frodo pities him, and so lets him live in return for guidance to Mount Doom. Gollum promises to lead them to a secret entrance to Mordor. Gollum, who is briefly torn between keeping his word to Frodo and reclaiming his "Precious," is ominously overheard to say "[[Shelob|''she'']] might help us..." as he leads Frodo and Sam to [[Cirith Ungol]].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Voice Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Norman Bird]] || [[Bilbo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Lucille Bliss]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[David Buck]] || [[Gimli]]
|-
| [[Simon Chandler]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Michael Graham Cox]] || [[Boromir]]
|-
| [[Annette Crosbie]] || [[Galadriel]]
|-
| [[Anthony Daniels]] || [[Legolas]]
|-
| [[Michael Deacon]] || [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]]
|-
| [[Christopher Guard]] || [[Frodo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Dominic Guard]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[John Hurt]] || [[Aragorn]]
|-
| [[Fraser Kerr]] || [[Saruman|(S)Aruman]]
|-
| [[André Morell]] || [[Elrond]]
|-
| [[Michael Scholes]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Mel Smith]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[William Squire]] || [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Philip Stone]] || [[Théoden]]
|-
| [[Alan Tilvern]] || [[Barliman Butterbur|Innkeeper]]
|-
| [[John Westbrook]] || [[Treebeard]]
|-
| [[Peter Woodthorpe]] || [[Gollum]]
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Character Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Aesop Aquarian]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sharon Baird]] || [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Stan Barrett]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Billy Barty]] || [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Herb Braha]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Hank Calia]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Albert Cirimele]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mike Clifford]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Delfino]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[David Dotson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Russ Earnest]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Louis Elias]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Fay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Carmen Filpi]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Paul Gale]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Ruth Gay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Lenny Geer]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harriett Gibson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Michael Lee Gogin]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Bob Haney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Chuck Hayward]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Art Hern]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Hice]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Loren Janes]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gary Jensen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Santy Josol]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John L]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Larry Larsen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sam Laws]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Terry Leonard]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Peter Looney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Dennis Madalone]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Tommy Madden]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Buck Maffei]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patty Maloney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jerry Maren]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harry Monty]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Morson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John A. Neris]] || [[Gandalf]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Jeri Lea Ray]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Pete Risch]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Walt Robles]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mic Rodgers]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Angelo Rossitto]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Felix Silla]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patrick Sullivan Burke]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jack Verbois]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gregg Walker]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Donn Whyte]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Trey Wilson]] || Character Actor
|}

===Scenes===
# "Credits" (0:40)
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1978 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]" (3:41)
# "[[Bilbo's Farewell]]" (2:05)
# "[[Frodo's Quest]]" (6:24)
# "[[Saruman's Sorcery]]" (2:43)
# "[[Sinister Horseman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Inn at Bree]]" (3:52)
# "[[Aragorn's Vow]]" (3:54)
# "[[Black Riders Invade]]" (2:50)
# "[[Rider Swordsman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Cornered]]" (5:59)
# "[[Wall of Water]]" (2:39)
# "[[Gandalf's Update]]" (2:51)
# "[[Coucil of Elrond (scene)|Council of Elrond]]" (4:39)
# "[[Frodo's Quest Renewed]]" (2:19)
# "[[Change in Route]]" (2:40)
# "[[Grabbed at the Gateway]]" (2:44)
# "[[Inside the Mine]]" (3:04)
# "[[Under Siege]]" (3:51)
# "[[Balrog Strikes]]" (0:39)
# "[[Homage to Gandalf]]" (3:27)
# "[[Galadriel's Test]]" (3:05)
# "[[Borimir's Madness]]" ''(sic)'' (4:21)
# "[[Borimir's Sacrifice]]" ''(sic)'' (0:49)
# "[[Following the Orcs]]" (5:12)
# "[[Whiteskins Attack]]" (4:55)
# "[[The Gollum]]" (1:36)
# "[[Escape in Mid-battle]]" (4:38)
# "[[Treebeard (1978 scene)|Treebeard]]" (3:24)
# "[[Back from the Abyss]]" (1:55)
# "[[Theoden of Rohan]]" (3:48)
# "[[Gollum gets Touchy]]" (4:57)
# "[[The Orcs Advance]]" (4:42)
# "[[Cave Retreat]]" (4:36)
# "[[Two Weary Hobbits]]" (2:50)
# "[[Outnumbered]]" (2:05)
# "[[Gandalf Triumphant]]" (3:19)
# "End Credits" (2:34)

== Differences from the book ==
The movie makes a few deviations from the book, but overall follows Tolkien's narrative quite closely. Many parts of the novel explaining the transition from one part of the plot to another were omitted which makes the middle part of the movie somewhat difficult to follow, if the viewer is unfamiliar with the story.
* In the film's prologue it is suggested that Sauron ''learned'' the craft of ring-making ''after'' the 19 lesser rings were made whilst in the original story it is Sauron who teaches the Elven smiths this ability.
* Another deviation suggests that the last alliance of men and elves was losing the war which contradicts the original story.
* As in Tolkien's novel, Saruman the White adopts the title "Saruman of Many Colours"; however, his robes are neither white nor multi-colored, but red.
*Saruman is sometimes called "Aruman". It is believed that this name was meant to eliminate confusion with Sauron.
* The scene where the Nazgûl arrive in the hobbits' room at the Prancing Pony and begin slashing at their beds only to find that they are not there, and pillows have been placed to form the figures of their bodies is not in the book, but it is in both Jackson's and Bakshi's film versions. A passage does appear that states that hobbit beds wind up slashed during the night, but the townsfolk of Bree are the perpetrators, not the Nazgûl.
* Just as in Jackson's films, the [[Glorfindel|first elf]] that the hobbits and Aragorn meet is changed -- this time to [[Legolas]].
* Like Jackson's films, Bakshi's film does not include the character of [[Tom Bombadil]] (presumably, as with the former, for pacing reasons, as well as to intensify the threat of the Nazgûl to the hobbits).
* [[Arwen]] does not appear, nor is she mentioned.
* Aragorn carries a broken sword (presumably [[Narsil]]) up to the Rivendell section of the story where he presents it to the council. However, the sword's reforging into Andúril is never shown (or mentioned) in the film, even though Aragorn carries an unbroken blade for the remainder of the film.
* Gimli appears to be about the same height as the rest of the non-hobbits in the fellowship.
* No differentiation is made between the Orcs and Uruk-hai in the film; in fact, there is no mention of the latter at all.
* [[Éowyn]] makes only a brief appearance and has no spoken dialogue.
* While [[Éomer]] is mentioned, he is never officially identified (thus, he also has no spoken dialogue). Also, as in the Jackson films, it is ''he'' and his forces with whom Gandalf arrives near the end of the Battle of Helm's Deep instead of [[Erkenbrand]]'s.
* [[Faramir]] does not appear, nor is he mentioned.
* The "Fires of Isengard" appear as magical projectiles.

== Production ==
===Animation===
Much of the film used live-action footage which was then rotoscoped to produce an animated look [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/38.html] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/39.html]. This saved production costs and arguably gave the animated characters a more realistic look. For the live-action portion of the production, Bakshi and his cast and crew arrived in Spain where the rotoscope models acted out their parts in costume. The actions of [[Bilbo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] were performed by [[Billy Barty]], [[Sharon Baird]] performed the part of [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[John A. Neris]] was Gandalf[http://books.google.com/books?id=fTI1yeZd-tkC&pg=PA154&lpg=PA154&dq=%22aesop+aquarian%22+%22billy+barty%22+%22sharon+baird%22&source=web&ots=C5jvDP0VA9&sig=_W2bXiWtu0mfcOJYZOxMBjapJR8&hl=nl&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result].

Of the rotoscoping, Bakshi said "I didn't start thinking about shooting the film totally in live action until I saw it really start to work so well. I learned lots of things about the process, like rippling. One scene, some figures were standing on a hill and a big gust of wind came up and the shadows moved back and forth on the clothes and it was unbelievable in animation. I don't think I could get the feeling of cold on the screen without showing snow or an icicle on some guy's nose. The characters have weight and they move correctly."

"Making two pictures (the live action reference and the actual animated feature) in two years is crazy. Most directors when they finish editing, they are finished; we were just starting. I got more than I expected. The crew is young. The crew loves it. If the crew loves it, it's usually a great sign. They aren't older animators trying to snow me for jobs next year."[http://www.jimhillmedia.com/article_printer.php?id=768]

Following the live-action shoot, each frame of the live footage was then broken down into individual frames, and then printed out, and placed behind animation cels. The details of each frame were copied and painted onto cels. Both the live-action and animated sequences were storyboarded. [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=20] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=10] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=11]
===Voice cast===
After finishing in Spain, Bakshi went to the [[BBC]]'s recording studios in London. He cast several stars - William Squire, John Hurt - and used several of the BBC Repertory Company's stock actors, like Peter Woodthorpe, Anthony Daniels, Norman Bird and Michael Graham Cox. The actors recorded the lines with each other, but were required to pause for two seconds after each line, to smoothen the recording. This caused some stilted dialogue in the finished product[http://www.anthonydaniels.com/qa/index.html].

==Reception==
The film was originally intended to be distributed as '''''The Lord of the Rings, Part One,''''' but United Artists dropped the "part one" from the title. "United Artists at that time was terrified to say 'Part One.' I remember sitting in meetings screaming my head off saying, 'You can't do this.'" "Had it said 'Part One,' I think everyone would have respected it. But because it didn't say 'Part One,' everyone came in expecting to see the entire three books, and that's where the confusion comes in" [http://www.tolkiengesellschaft.de/v4/alleszutolkien/filme/bakshi/bakshisoutingheute.shtml]. In interviews, Bakshi sometimes referred to the film as ''The Lord of the Rings, Part One.''

Critics were generally mixed in their responses to the film. Roger Ebert called Bakshi's effort a "mixed blessing" and "an entirely respectable, occasionally impressive job ... [which] still falls far short of the charm and sweep of the original story." Vincent Canby of the ''New York Times'' called the film "both numbing and impressive". Film website Rotten Tomatoes, which compiles reviews from a wide range of critics, gives the film a score of 50.

Despite criticism, the film grossed $30,471,420 at the box office[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lordoftherings78.htm] (the budget was $8 million), but United Artists, who believed the film to be a flop, refused to fund a sequel which would have completed Tolkien's story on film.

==Follow-up==
In light of the theatrical ''The Lord of the Rings, Part Two'' adaptation being scrapped, a means of "finishing" Tolkien's story and making it more complete for audiences then inadvertently fell on the [[Rankin/Bass]] animation studio (fresh on the heels of the success of its previous [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|TV adaptation of ''The Hobbit'']]) in producing an animated TV special based on the [[The Return of the King|final part]] of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Their adaptation of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]'' finished the story and answered most of the questions raised by Bakshi's animated film. Despite this, several unresolved story developments between the ending of ''The Lord of the Rings'' and the beginning of ''The Return of the King'' were left unexplained, especially the Ents' march on Isengard (along with Merry eventually taking up with the Army of Rohan, and Gandalf and Pippin's subsequent journey to Gondor), the betrayal of Frodo by Gollum, and the attack of [[Shelob]] the monster spider-creature on Frodo and Sam. It should be noted, however, that production for this Rankin/Bass follow-up had begun even before their version of ''The Hobbit'' had originally aired (let alone before Bakshi's theatrical film had premiered)[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0], so Rankin/Bass can't be entirely blamed for this flaw in coninuity.

[[Warner Bros.]] (the rights holder to the post-1974 Rankin/Bass library and most of the Saul Zaentz theatrical backlog) has released ''The Hobbit,'' ''The Lord of the Rings,'' and ''The Return of the King'' on VHS and DVD, both packaged separately and as a boxed-set "trilogy" of films.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077869/ The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)] at IMDb
* [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings ''The Lord of the Rings'' at Ralph Bakshi.com]
* [http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/tolkien/lord-of-the-rings.html Screen captures from the laserdisc edition]
*[http://flyingmoose.org/tolksarc/bakshi/bakshi.htm Ralph Bakshi's Lord of the Rings, Part One: A Critique] - a humorous critique of the film and satire of its shortcomings
{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)| ]]
[[de:Lord of the Rings (Zeichentrickfilm)]]
[[fi:The Lord of the Rings (1978)]]

The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)

2013-03-30T03:12:38Z

76.113.141.81: /* Reception */

{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}{{film infobox
| image=[[Image:Bakshi-lotr.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Lord of the Rings
| director=[[Ralph Bakshi]]
| producer=[[Saul Zaentz]]
| writer=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] [[Ralph Bakshi]] [[Peter S. Beagle]] 
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Leonard Rosenman
| cinematography=Timothy Galfas
| editing=Donald W. Ernst Peter Kirby
| distributor=[[United Artists]]
| released=[[15 November|November 15]]th, [[1978]]
| runtime=132 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget= $4 million
| website=[http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings Official website]
| imdb_id=0077869
}}'''''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings''''' is an animated film produced and directed by [[Ralph Bakshi]], and released to theaters in 1978. It was an adaptation of the first half of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Bakshi's most ambitious effort (and his most famous after his animated adaptation of the underground comic ''Fritz the Cat''), the film was produced by [[Saul Zaentz]]'s Fantasy Films, but distributed to theaters by United Artists.

==Synopsis==
Long ago, in the early years of the [[Second Age]], the great Elven-smiths forged Rings of Power — Nine for mortal [[Men]], Seven for the [[Dwarves|Dwarf-lords]], and three for the fair [[Elves|Elf-rulers]]. But then, the Dark Lord [[Sauron]] learned the craft of ring-making and made the Master Ring — [[The One Ring]] to rule them all. With the One Ring, [[Middle-earth]] is his and he cannot be overcome. As the last alliance of Men and Elves fell beneath his power, the ring fell into the hands of Prince [[Isildur]] of the mighty kings from across the sea. He did not destroy the ring, and because of this, the spirit of Sauron lived on and began to take shape and grow again.

The Ring had a will of its own, and had a way of slipping from hand to hand, so that it might at last get back to its master. The Ring lay in the bottom of a lake for thousands of years. During those years, Sauron captured the nine Rings that were made for Men and turned their owners into the [[Nazgûl|Ringwraiths]]: terrible shadows under his great shadow who roamed the world searching for the One Ring.

The Ring, meanwhile, was found by two friends. One of them, [[Sméagol]], was so enticed by the Ring's power that he killed his friend [[Déagol]] to get it. Sméagol possessed the Ring for hundreds of years, during which it warped him into a twisted, gurgling wretch known only as Gollum, until his "Precious" was discovered (some might say stolen) by the hobbit [[Bilbo Baggins]].

Several years later, in a land called [[the Shire]], Bilbo is celebrating his 111th (or eleventy-first, as it is called) birthday, on the same day that his nephew [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] celebrates his 33rd birthday, (his "coming of age"). During his speech, Bilbo slips the Ring on, and confusion arises as the party notices that their host has suddenly disappeared into thin air!

[[Gandalf]] the wizard, however, knows the truth behind this act. In Bilbo's hobbit hole, Gandalf tells him to leave the Ring for Frodo, but Bilbo seems unwilling to give it up. He does, finally, agree, and leaves the Shire.

Gandalf realizes that the "magic" ring is in fact the one ring forged by Sauron, the evil lord. He knows the Shire is in danger, soon Sauron will learn that the Ring is in the possession of a Baggins and send his "wraiths" after him. Heeding Gandalf's advice, Frodo leaves his home, taking the Ring with him. He hopes to reach [[Rivendell]], where he will be safe from Sauron, and where those wiser than he can decide what to do about the Ring.
In his journey he is accompanied by three hobbit friends, [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]], and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]]. From the start they are pursued by Black Riders (Sauron's Ringwraiths or Nazgûl). Narrowly escaping these and other dangers and meeting other interesting characters en route they eventually come to [[Bree]], where they meet [[Aragorn|Strider]], another friend of Gandalf who leads them the rest of the way to Rivendell, through further hardships. Frodo is stabbed upon the mountain of [[Weathertop]] by the [[Witch-king|chief of the Nazgûl]], with a "[[Morgul blade]]" — as part of the knife stays inside him, he gets sicker on the rest of the journey.

At Rivendell, Frodo meets his uncle Bilbo whom he had not seen since he left Hobbiton years before; Bilbo seems much older and weaker, and, for a terrible moment, is once again held in sway of the Ring. Bilbo, Gandalf, and others argue about what should be done with the One Ring. Finally, Frodo stands up, and willfully volunteers to go to [[Mordor]], where the Ring can be destroyed.
Frodo sets forth from Rivendell with eight companions: two Men, [[Aragorn]] and [[Boromir]], son of the [[Stewards of Gondor|Steward]] of the land of [[Gondor]]; an [[Elves|Elven]] prince, [[Legolas]]; Frodo's old friend and powerful wizard, Gandalf; [[Gimli]] the [[Dwarves|Dwarf]]; and Frodo's original three hobbit companions. These Nine Walkers were chosen to represent all the free races of Middle-earth and as a balance to the Nine Riders.

Their attempt to cross the [[Misty Mountains]] is foiled by heavy snow, so they are forced to take a path under the mountains via [[Moria]], an ancient Dwarf kingdom, now full of [[Orcs]] and other evil creatures, where Gandalf falls into the abyss after battling a [[Durin's Bane|Balrog]].
The remaining eight members of the Fellowship then spend some time in the elf-haven of [[Lothlórien]], where they receive [[Gifts of Galadriel|gifts]] from the elf queen [[Galadriel]] that in many cases prove useful later in the quest. They leave Lórien by river, but Frodo begins to realize the Ring is having a malevolent effect on some members of the party, especially Boromir, who tries to take the Ring from Frodo. In the process, Frodo puts it on to escape him. Later, Boromir is killed by Orcs while trying to defend Merry and Pippin, whom the Orcs capture.

Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, tracking Merry and Pippin, come across the [[Rohirrim|Riders of Rohan]] who tell them that they attacked the Orcs the previous night and left no survivors.

However, Strider is able to find small prints and they follow these into [[Fangorn Forest]], where they meet a white wizard who they at first believe to be [[Saruman]], but who turns out to be their wizard friend Gandalf, whom they believed had perished in the mines of Moria. He tells them of his fall into the abyss, his battle to the death with the Balrog and his reawakening.

The four ride to Rohan's capital, [[Edoras]], and persuade King [[Théoden]] that his people are in danger. In the process, Saruman's agent in Edoras, [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]], who had been keeping Théoden subdued and weak for years, is expelled from the city. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas then travel to the defensive fortification [[Helm's Deep]] while Gandalf goes north in search of [[Éomer]]'s men in the north of [[Rohan]] to bring as reinforcements.

Hobbits Merry and Pippin escape from the Orcs who captured them when the orcs themselves are attacked by the Riders of Rohan. Merry and Pippin head into nearby Fangorn Forest where they encounter treelike giants called [[Ents]]. These guardians of the forest generally keep to themselves, but are moved to oppose the menace posed to the trees by the wizard Saruman.

At Helm's Deep, Théoden's forces resist an onslaught of Orcs and Men sent by Saruman, and Gandalf arrives the next morning with the Riders of Rohan just in time. The fleeing orcs run into a forest of [[Huorn]]s — creatures halfway between tree and Ent — and none escape. Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Gandalf and the army of Rohan then head to Saruman's stronghold at [[Isengard]].
Frodo and Sam discover Gollum stalking them as they try to reach [[Mount Doom]] to destroy the One Ring. Gollum hopes to reclaim the Ring. Sam loathes and distrusts him, but Frodo pities him, and so lets him live in return for guidance to Mount Doom. Gollum promises to lead them to a secret entrance to Mordor. Gollum, who is briefly torn between keeping his word to Frodo and reclaiming his "Precious," is ominously overheard to say "[[Shelob|''she'']] might help us..." as he leads Frodo and Sam to [[Cirith Ungol]].

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Voice Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Norman Bird]] || [[Bilbo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Lucille Bliss]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[David Buck]] || [[Gimli]]
|-
| [[Simon Chandler]] || [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]]
|-
| [[Michael Graham Cox]] || [[Boromir]]
|-
| [[Annette Crosbie]] || [[Galadriel]]
|-
| [[Anthony Daniels]] || [[Legolas]]
|-
| [[Michael Deacon]] || [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]]
|-
| [[Christopher Guard]] || [[Frodo Baggins]]
|-
| [[Dominic Guard]] || [[Peregrin Took]]
|-
| [[John Hurt]] || [[Aragorn]]
|-
| [[Fraser Kerr]] || [[Saruman|(S)Aruman]]
|-
| [[André Morell]] || [[Elrond]]
|-
| [[Michael Scholes]] || [[Samwise Gamgee]]
|-
| [[Mel Smith]] || Additional voices (uncredited)
|-
| [[William Squire]] || [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]]
|-
| [[Philip Stone]] || [[Théoden]]
|-
| [[Alan Tilvern]] || [[Barliman Butterbur|Innkeeper]]
|-
| [[John Westbrook]] || [[Treebeard]]
|-
| [[Peter Woodthorpe]] || [[Gollum]]
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Character Actor !! Role
|-
| [[Aesop Aquarian]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sharon Baird]] || [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Stan Barrett]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Billy Barty]] || [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Herb Braha]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Hank Calia]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Albert Cirimele]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mike Clifford]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Delfino]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[David Dotson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Russ Earnest]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Louis Elias]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Fay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Carmen Filpi]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Paul Gale]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Ruth Gay]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Lenny Geer]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harriett Gibson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Michael Lee Gogin]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Bob Haney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Chuck Hayward]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Art Hern]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Eddy Hice]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Loren Janes]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gary Jensen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Santy Josol]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John L]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Larry Larsen]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Sam Laws]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Terry Leonard]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Peter Looney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Dennis Madalone]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Tommy Madden]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Buck Maffei]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patty Maloney]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jerry Maren]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Harry Monty]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Frank Morson]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[John A. Neris]] || [[Gandalf]] (character actor)
|-
| [[Jeri Lea Ray]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Pete Risch]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Walt Robles]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Mic Rodgers]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Angelo Rossitto]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Felix Silla]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Patrick Sullivan Burke]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Jack Verbois]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Gregg Walker]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Donn Whyte]] || Character Actor
|-
| [[Trey Wilson]] || Character Actor
|}

===Scenes===
# "Credits" (0:40)
# "[[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1978 scene)|Prologue: A Ring's Tale]]" (3:41)
# "[[Bilbo's Farewell]]" (2:05)
# "[[Frodo's Quest]]" (6:24)
# "[[Saruman's Sorcery]]" (2:43)
# "[[Sinister Horseman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Inn at Bree]]" (3:52)
# "[[Aragorn's Vow]]" (3:54)
# "[[Black Riders Invade]]" (2:50)
# "[[Rider Swordsman]]" (4:19)
# "[[Cornered]]" (5:59)
# "[[Wall of Water]]" (2:39)
# "[[Gandalf's Update]]" (2:51)
# "[[Coucil of Elrond (scene)|Council of Elrond]]" (4:39)
# "[[Frodo's Quest Renewed]]" (2:19)
# "[[Change in Route]]" (2:40)
# "[[Grabbed at the Gateway]]" (2:44)
# "[[Inside the Mine]]" (3:04)
# "[[Under Siege]]" (3:51)
# "[[Balrog Strikes]]" (0:39)
# "[[Homage to Gandalf]]" (3:27)
# "[[Galadriel's Test]]" (3:05)
# "[[Borimir's Madness]]" ''(sic)'' (4:21)
# "[[Borimir's Sacrifice]]" ''(sic)'' (0:49)
# "[[Following the Orcs]]" (5:12)
# "[[Whiteskins Attack]]" (4:55)
# "[[The Gollum]]" (1:36)
# "[[Escape in Mid-battle]]" (4:38)
# "[[Treebeard (1978 scene)|Treebeard]]" (3:24)
# "[[Back from the Abyss]]" (1:55)
# "[[Theoden of Rohan]]" (3:48)
# "[[Gollum gets Touchy]]" (4:57)
# "[[The Orcs Advance]]" (4:42)
# "[[Cave Retreat]]" (4:36)
# "[[Two Weary Hobbits]]" (2:50)
# "[[Outnumbered]]" (2:05)
# "[[Gandalf Triumphant]]" (3:19)
# "End Credits" (2:34)

== Differences from the book ==
The movie makes a few deviations from the book, but overall follows Tolkien's narrative quite closely. Many parts of the novel explaining the transition from one part of the plot to another were omitted which makes the middle part of the movie somewhat difficult to follow, if the viewer is unfamiliar with the story.
* In the film's prologue it is suggested that Sauron ''learned'' the craft of ring-making ''after'' the 19 lesser rings were made whilst in the original story it is Sauron who teaches the Elven smiths this ability.
* Another deviation suggests that the last alliance of men and elves was losing the war which contradicts the original story.
* As in Tolkien's novel, Saruman the White adopts the title "Saruman of Many Colours"; however, his robes are neither white nor multi-colored, but red.
*Saruman is sometimes called "Aruman". It is believed that this name was meant to eliminate confusion with Sauron.
* The scene where the Nazgûl arrive in the hobbits' room at the Prancing Pony and begin slashing at their beds only to find that they are not there, and pillows have been placed to form the figures of their bodies is not in the book, but it is in both Jackson's and Bakshi's film versions. A passage does appear that states that hobbit beds wind up slashed during the night, but the townsfolk of Bree are the perpetrators, not the Nazgûl.
* Just as in Jackson's films, the [[Glorfindel|first elf]] that the hobbits and Aragorn meet is changed -- this time to [[Legolas]].
* Like Jackson's films, Bakshi's film does not include the character of [[Tom Bombadil]] (presumably, as with the former, for pacing reasons, as well as to intensify the threat of the Nazgûl to the hobbits).
* [[Arwen]] does not appear, nor is she mentioned.
* Aragorn carries a broken sword (presumably [[Narsil]]) up to the Rivendell section of the story where he presents it to the council. However, the sword's reforging into Andúril is never shown (or mentioned) in the film, even though Aragorn carries an unbroken blade for the remainder of the film.
* Gimli appears to be about the same height as the rest of the non-hobbits in the fellowship.
* No differentiation is made between the Orcs and Uruk-hai in the film; in fact, there is no mention of the latter at all.
* [[Éowyn]] makes only a brief appearance and has no spoken dialogue.
* While [[Éomer]] is mentioned, he is never officially identified (thus, he also has no spoken dialogue). Also, as in the Jackson films, it is ''he'' and his forces with whom Gandalf arrives near the end of the Battle of Helm's Deep instead of [[Erkenbrand]]'s.
* [[Faramir]] does not appear, nor is he mentioned.
* The "Fires of Isengard" appear as magical projectiles.

== Production ==
===Animation===
Much of the film used live-action footage which was then rotoscoped to produce an animated look [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/38.html] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/biography/images/39.html]. This saved production costs and arguably gave the animated characters a more realistic look. For the live-action portion of the production, Bakshi and his cast and crew arrived in Spain where the rotoscope models acted out their parts in costume. The actions of [[Bilbo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] were performed by [[Billy Barty]], [[Sharon Baird]] performed the part of [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[John A. Neris]] was Gandalf[http://books.google.com/books?id=fTI1yeZd-tkC&pg=PA154&lpg=PA154&dq=%22aesop+aquarian%22+%22billy+barty%22+%22sharon+baird%22&source=web&ots=C5jvDP0VA9&sig=_W2bXiWtu0mfcOJYZOxMBjapJR8&hl=nl&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result].

Of the rotoscoping, Bakshi said "I didn't start thinking about shooting the film totally in live action until I saw it really start to work so well. I learned lots of things about the process, like rippling. One scene, some figures were standing on a hill and a big gust of wind came up and the shadows moved back and forth on the clothes and it was unbelievable in animation. I don't think I could get the feeling of cold on the screen without showing snow or an icicle on some guy's nose. The characters have weight and they move correctly."

"Making two pictures (the live action reference and the actual animated feature) in two years is crazy. Most directors when they finish editing, they are finished; we were just starting. I got more than I expected. The crew is young. The crew loves it. If the crew loves it, it's usually a great sign. They aren't older animators trying to snow me for jobs next year."[http://www.jimhillmedia.com/article_printer.php?id=768]

Following the live-action shoot, each frame of the live footage was then broken down into individual frames, and then printed out, and placed behind animation cels. The details of each frame were copied and painted onto cels. Both the live-action and animated sequences were storyboarded. [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=20] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=10] [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=11]
===Voice cast===
After finishing in Spain, Bakshi went to the [[BBC]]'s recording studios in London. He cast several stars - William Squire, John Hurt - and used several of the BBC Repertory Company's stock actors, like Peter Woodthorpe, Anthony Daniels, Norman Bird and Michael Graham Cox. The actors recorded the lines with each other, but were required to pause for two seconds after each line, to smoothen the recording. This caused some stilted dialogue in the finished product[http://www.anthonydaniels.com/qa/index.html].

==Reception==
The film was originally intended to be distributed as '''''The Lord of the Rings, Part One,''''' but United Artists dropped the "part one" from the title. "United Artists at that time was terrified to say 'Part One.' I remember sitting in meetings screaming my head off saying, 'You can't do this.'" "Had it said 'Part One,' I think everyone would have respected it. But because it didn't say 'Part One,' everyone came in expecting to see the entire three books, and that's where the confusion comes in" [http://www.tolkiengesellschaft.de/v4/alleszutolkien/filme/bakshi/bakshisoutingheute.shtml]. In interviews, Bakshi sometimes referred to the film as ''The Lord of the Rings, Part One.''

Critics were generally mixed in their responses to the film. Roger Ebert called Bakshi's effort a "mixed blessing" and "an entirely respectable, occasionally impressive job ... [which] still falls far short of the charm and sweep of the original story." Vincent Canby of the ''New York Times'' called the film "both numbing and impressive". Film website Rotten Tomatoes, which compiles reviews from a wide range of critics, gives the film a score of 50.

Despite criticism, the film grossed $30,471,420 at the box office[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lordoftherings78.htm] (the budget was $8 million), but United Artists, who believed the film to be a flop, refused to fund a sequel which would have completed Tolkien's story on film.

==Follow-up==
In light of the theatrical ''Lord of the Rings, Part 2'' adaptation being scrapped, a means of "finishing" Tolkien's story and making it more complete for audiences then inadvertently fell on the [[Rankin/Bass]] animation studio (fresh on the heels of the success of its previous [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|TV adaptation of ''The Hobbit'']]) in producing an animated TV special based on the [[The Return of the King|final part]] of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Their adaptation of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]'' finished the story and answered most of the questions raised by Bakshi's animated film. Despite this, several unresolved story developments between the ending of ''The Lord of the Rings'' and the beginning of ''The Return of the King'' were left unexplained, especially the Ents' march on Isengard (along with Merry eventually taking up with the Army of Rohan, and Gandalf and Pippin's subsequent journey to Gondor), the betrayal of Frodo by Gollum, and the attack of [[Shelob]] the monster spider-creature on Frodo and Sam. It should be noted, however, that production for this Rankin/Bass follow-up had begun even before their version of ''The Hobbit'' had originally aired (let alone before Bakshi's theatrical film had premiered)[http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0], so Rankin/Bass can't be entirely blamed for this flaw in coninuity.

[[Warner Bros.]] (the rights holder to the post-1974 Rankin/Bass library and most of the Saul Zaentz theatrical backlog) has released ''The Hobbit,'' ''The Lord of the Rings,'' and ''The Return of the King'' on VHS and DVD, both packaged separately and as a boxed-set "trilogy" of films.

== External links ==
* {{WP|The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077869/ The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)] at IMDb
* [http://www.ralphbakshi.com/films.php?film=thelordoftherings ''The Lord of the Rings'' at Ralph Bakshi.com]
* [http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/tolkien/lord-of-the-rings.html Screen captures from the laserdisc edition]
*[http://flyingmoose.org/tolksarc/bakshi/bakshi.htm Ralph Bakshi's Lord of the Rings, Part One: A Critique] - a humorous critique of the film and satire of its shortcomings
{{films}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)| ]]
[[de:Lord of the Rings (Zeichentrickfilm)]]
[[fi:The Lord of the Rings (1978)]]

The Hobbit (1977 film)

2013-03-30T03:01:14Z

76.113.141.81: /* Follow-up */

{{disambig-more|The Hobbit|[[The Hobbit (disambiguation)]]}}
{{film infobox
| image=[[File:The Hobbit (1977 film) - Cover.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Hobbit
| director=[[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Rankin/Bass]]
| writer=Romeo Muller
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Maury Laws [[Glenn Yarbrough]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=
| released=[[27 November]] [[1977]]
| runtime=77 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget=$3 million
| website=
| imdb_id=tt0077687
}}'''''The Hobbit''''' was a [[1977]] animated television movie by [[Rankin/Bass]] Productions of [[The Hobbit|the book of the same name]]. It manages to retell most of the story within its 77 minute span. An LP with the soundtrack and dialog from the movie was also released in 1977 by [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]], through its Buena Vista Records label, although, by popular demand, an edited version, along with accompanying "storyteller read-alongs," was later issued for the Mouse Factory's Disneyland Records imprint.

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Role !! Actor
|-
| [[Bilbo Baggins]] || [[Orson Bean]]
|-
| [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]] || [[John Huston]]
|-
| The [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] || [[Otto Preminger]]
|-
| [[Smaug]] || [[Richard Boone]]
|-
| [[Elrond]] || [[Cyril Ritchard]]
|-
| [[Thorin]] || [[Hans Conried]]
|-
| [[Gollum]] || [[Brother Theodore]]
|-
| [[Bombur]] || [[Paul Frees]]
|-
| [[Balin]] || [[Don Messick]]
|-
| [[Gwaihir|Lord of the Eagles]] || Don Messick
|-
| [[Dori]] || [[John Stephenson]]
|-
| The [[Great Goblin]] || John Stephenson
|-
| [[Bard]] || John Stephenson
|}

The film was produced and directed by [[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] and [[Jules Bass]] and adapted for the screen by Romeo Muller; with Rankin taking on the additional duties of production designer, and Bass adapting some of Tolkien's original lyrics, as well as contributing, along with Maury Laws, an original theme song, "The Greatest Adventure (The Ballad of the Hobbit)," sung by [[Glenn Yarbrough]].

The same team, along with Bean, Huston, Theodore, Frees, Messick, and Stephenson returned for the 1980 adaption of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]''.

==Scenes==
# "[[Bilbo's Visitors]]" (4:07)
# "[[Outlining the Adventure]]" (3:53)
# "Credits" (2:20)
# "[[Troublesome Trolls]]" (3:35)
# "[[Lonely Mountain Map]]" (3:06)
# "[[Elves of Rivendell (scene)|Elves of Rivendell]]" (3:04)
# "[[Goblin Attack]]" (3:33)
# "[[Gollum's Riddler]]" (6:20)
# "[[Follow the leader]]" (4:28)
# "[[Funny Little Things]]" (2:12)
# "[[Flown to Mirkwood]]" (2:36)
# "[[Forest Diary]]" (3:04)
# "[[Spider's Web]]" (1:19)
# "[[Sting Strikes]]" (2:00)
# "[[Wood Elves (scene)|Wood Elves]]" (2:50)
# "[[Laketown (scene)|Laketown]]" (2:04)
# "[[Secret Doorway]]" (2:09)
# "[[Smaug's Lair]]" (4:14)
# "[[Weak Spot]]" (4:31)
# "[[Black Arrow's Mark]]" (3:08)
# "[[Treasure Clash]]" (2:59)
# "[[Five Armies Meet]]" (4:42)
# "[[Farewell, Thorin]]" (2:07)
# "[[Only Beginning]]" (1:50)
# "End Credits" (0:56)

== Critical Reaction ==
The movie was first broadcast on NBC in the United States, on [[26 November|November 26]], [[1977]], and was tailored to children: the story was done in a very light-hearted style, and featured a lot of songs (most of which came from the book). Much of the story was simplified and several key parts are omitted.

The art is both praised and criticized. Some reviewers regard it as a strong point of the movie. Inaccuracies in the depictions draws a lot of criticism from Tolkien fans: Gandalf has a hood instead of a hat, despite clearly being described in the book; Gollum looks like some sort of frog-creature (though the book does describe his large eyes and webbed feet); Elrond has a beard despite the book outright saying that Elves do not have beards; the [[Elves of Mirkwood|Wood-elves]], rather than being the "fair folk," are even uglier than the goblins (and the [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] has a thick German accent for some reason); Smaug is extremely hairy for being a [[Dragons|dragon]].

In 1977, NBC, Rankin and Bass won a Peabody Award for ''The Hobbit''[http://www.peabody.uga.edu/winners/PeabodyWinnersBook.pdf]. The movie was also nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in [[1978]], but lost to ''Star Wars''.

==Differences from the books==
While the movie is quite faithful to the story, it is at its core still a child-oriented musical adaptation, and therefore not a perfect adaptation of Tolkien's novel. Most of the changes are found as omissions rather than modifications of the plot.

# All the Dwarves show up with Gandalf all at once in the film rather than coming in groups the day after Gandalf meets Bilbo and puts a mark on his door.
# The company leaves Bilbo's house on ponies, but after that the ponies are not seen until they are lost in crossing the [[Misty Mountains]]. In the book, the company rode ponies from [[Bag End]] to [[Rivendell]].
# Bilbo is noticed by the Trolls as he sneaks up to steal some meat rather than disclosed by the Trolls' [[Talking purse|"talking" purse]].
# The Dwarves flee in terror from the Trolls and are picked up one at a time instead of walking blindly into the camp and being ambushed (except for Thorin, who puts up a fight).
# Gandalf apparently has the power to make the dawn come earlier and dispatching the Trolls rather than tricking them by throwing his voice.
# The Troll cave does not have a locked door like in the book.
# Gandalf gives Thorin the Map of Thrór and the key in the troll cave rather than back at Bag End.
# Up in the mountains, there are no stone giants playing games amidst the storm.
# Gandalf is missing in the cave when the goblins emerge, rather than sleeping when it happens. The Dwarves run into the tunnel rather than being grabbed.
# The Dwarves do not fight the goblins in the tunnel.
# Bilbo specifically asked Gollum what he has in his pocket rather than muttering it aloud to himself. Gollum does not even try to guess instead of demanding three guesses. Only four riddles are said in the movie (there were ten in the book).
# Bilbo pulls the ring out of his pocket after Gollum says he's looking for his "golden ring, magical ring".
# Bilbo has no trouble getting out the back door (no goblins to sneak by or tight spots to fit through).
# Rather than meet the Wargs in the forest, the goblins come with them, riding on them and wielding torches (despite the Wargs' fear of fire in the book).
# The Great Eagles do not take the company to their eyries, but to the edge of [[Mirkwood]], bypassing [[Beorn]] (who does not appears in the movie).
# The incident at the enchanted river, including [[Bombur]]'s magical sleep, is omitted.
# The feasts of the Wood-elves are omitted (yet are referred to when the Wood-elves capture the Dwarves).
# Bilbo has to fight and kill only four spiders rather than dozens and dozens. Bilbo's sword, [[Sting]], always glows in the movie regardless of whether goblins are nearby or not.
# Thorin is captured with the other Dwarves by the spiders and then the Wood-elves.
# There is no stop over from the journey via barrels from the Wood-elves' castle to [[Lake-town]].
# There is no Master in Laketown; [[Bard]] the guardsman runs the city.
# The company does not make camp at the base of the mountain.
# Balin does not go with Bilbo into the secret entrance.
# Bilbo has only one audience with Smaug and the thrush is present. Bilbo orders the thrush to seek Bard to tell him of Smaug's weakness.
# The [[Arkenstone]] and all that goes with it is omitted.
# [[Roäc]] the raven is omitted. In the book, the ravens tell the Dwarves that Smaug is slain and is sent to [[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin]] to call for assistance. In the movie, the Dwarves wait, lost inside the Lonely Mountain for a week and it is never explained why Dáin arrives at such an opportune moment.
# The company discovers the two armies coming when they are on the doorstep rather than being warned in advance.
# Since the Arkenstone is omitted, Thorin instead loses respect for Bilbo through his supposed lack of understanding of honor and war.
# Thorin and the dwarves plan a suicidal last stand against the elves and men in a pitched battle outside the mountain and are pleasantly surprised when Dáin's army arrives.
# [[Ravenhill]] is not mentioned.
# The armies in the Battle of the Five Armies are divided differently (Bilbo counts the Goblins and Wargs as one army, the Eagles are counted as a separate army).
# The Battle of the Five Armies happens differently: notably, Beorn is not there.
# In the book, only Thorin, [[Fíli]] and [[Kíli]] die from the battle, leaving 10 survivors from Thorin's company. In the movie, Thorin, Bombur and five other unnamed dwarves are all killed. (In fact, Bombur was one of the few Dwarves in the quest known to be still alive in the days of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.) [[Glóin]] is the only other dwarf whose fate is officially revealed in the movie, as he is seen covering up Thorin with a blanket after he dies. Another dwarf (who does not clearly resemble anyone from the company) then lays [[Orcrist]] on top of Thorin's body. It's possible that this could be Dáin.
# Most of the return journey, including winter at Beorn's home, a stop at Rivendell, and digging up gold they buried by the troll camp, is omitted.
# The auction back at Bag End is omitted.
# Balin and Gandalf's visit, years later, is omitted.

==Follow-up==
At the end of the film, Gandalf reveals to Bilbo that he is not only aware of Bilbo's ring, but knows that it is in fact the [[One Ring]], and foreshadows the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. In the books, the ring is not discovered to be the One Ring until ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''. Such an indication would lead one to believe that Rankin/Bass was always intending to do a follow-up using story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings''. Indeed, their adaptation of ''The Return of the King'' was already in production before ''The Hobbit'' had even originally aired. [http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0] However, it remains a mystery as to whether or not their plans for what story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings'' were originally conceived for inclusion in this follow-up were at all affected by the 1978 [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation by Ralph Bakshi]], which was also in production at that point.

== External Links ==
* ''[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077687/ The Hobbit]'' at [http://www.imdb.com/ IMDb]
{{films}}

{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Hobbit (1977 film)| ]]

The Hobbit (1977 film)

2013-03-30T02:59:47Z

76.113.141.81: /* Follow-up */

{{disambig-more|The Hobbit|[[The Hobbit (disambiguation)]]}}
{{film infobox
| image=[[File:The Hobbit (1977 film) - Cover.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Hobbit
| director=[[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Rankin/Bass]]
| writer=Romeo Muller
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Maury Laws [[Glenn Yarbrough]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=
| released=[[27 November]] [[1977]]
| runtime=77 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget=$3 million
| website=
| imdb_id=tt0077687
}}'''''The Hobbit''''' was a [[1977]] animated television movie by [[Rankin/Bass]] Productions of [[The Hobbit|the book of the same name]]. It manages to retell most of the story within its 77 minute span. An LP with the soundtrack and dialog from the movie was also released in 1977 by [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]], through its Buena Vista Records label, although, by popular demand, an edited version, along with accompanying "storyteller read-alongs," was later issued for the Mouse Factory's Disneyland Records imprint.

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Role !! Actor
|-
| [[Bilbo Baggins]] || [[Orson Bean]]
|-
| [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]] || [[John Huston]]
|-
| The [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] || [[Otto Preminger]]
|-
| [[Smaug]] || [[Richard Boone]]
|-
| [[Elrond]] || [[Cyril Ritchard]]
|-
| [[Thorin]] || [[Hans Conried]]
|-
| [[Gollum]] || [[Brother Theodore]]
|-
| [[Bombur]] || [[Paul Frees]]
|-
| [[Balin]] || [[Don Messick]]
|-
| [[Gwaihir|Lord of the Eagles]] || Don Messick
|-
| [[Dori]] || [[John Stephenson]]
|-
| The [[Great Goblin]] || John Stephenson
|-
| [[Bard]] || John Stephenson
|}

The film was produced and directed by [[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] and [[Jules Bass]] and adapted for the screen by Romeo Muller; with Rankin taking on the additional duties of production designer, and Bass adapting some of Tolkien's original lyrics, as well as contributing, along with Maury Laws, an original theme song, "The Greatest Adventure (The Ballad of the Hobbit)," sung by [[Glenn Yarbrough]].

The same team, along with Bean, Huston, Theodore, Frees, Messick, and Stephenson returned for the 1980 adaption of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]''.

==Scenes==
# "[[Bilbo's Visitors]]" (4:07)
# "[[Outlining the Adventure]]" (3:53)
# "Credits" (2:20)
# "[[Troublesome Trolls]]" (3:35)
# "[[Lonely Mountain Map]]" (3:06)
# "[[Elves of Rivendell (scene)|Elves of Rivendell]]" (3:04)
# "[[Goblin Attack]]" (3:33)
# "[[Gollum's Riddler]]" (6:20)
# "[[Follow the leader]]" (4:28)
# "[[Funny Little Things]]" (2:12)
# "[[Flown to Mirkwood]]" (2:36)
# "[[Forest Diary]]" (3:04)
# "[[Spider's Web]]" (1:19)
# "[[Sting Strikes]]" (2:00)
# "[[Wood Elves (scene)|Wood Elves]]" (2:50)
# "[[Laketown (scene)|Laketown]]" (2:04)
# "[[Secret Doorway]]" (2:09)
# "[[Smaug's Lair]]" (4:14)
# "[[Weak Spot]]" (4:31)
# "[[Black Arrow's Mark]]" (3:08)
# "[[Treasure Clash]]" (2:59)
# "[[Five Armies Meet]]" (4:42)
# "[[Farewell, Thorin]]" (2:07)
# "[[Only Beginning]]" (1:50)
# "End Credits" (0:56)

== Critical Reaction ==
The movie was first broadcast on NBC in the United States, on [[26 November|November 26]], [[1977]], and was tailored to children: the story was done in a very light-hearted style, and featured a lot of songs (most of which came from the book). Much of the story was simplified and several key parts are omitted.

The art is both praised and criticized. Some reviewers regard it as a strong point of the movie. Inaccuracies in the depictions draws a lot of criticism from Tolkien fans: Gandalf has a hood instead of a hat, despite clearly being described in the book; Gollum looks like some sort of frog-creature (though the book does describe his large eyes and webbed feet); Elrond has a beard despite the book outright saying that Elves do not have beards; the [[Elves of Mirkwood|Wood-elves]], rather than being the "fair folk," are even uglier than the goblins (and the [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] has a thick German accent for some reason); Smaug is extremely hairy for being a [[Dragons|dragon]].

In 1977, NBC, Rankin and Bass won a Peabody Award for ''The Hobbit''[http://www.peabody.uga.edu/winners/PeabodyWinnersBook.pdf]. The movie was also nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in [[1978]], but lost to ''Star Wars''.

==Differences from the books==
While the movie is quite faithful to the story, it is at its core still a child-oriented musical adaptation, and therefore not a perfect adaptation of Tolkien's novel. Most of the changes are found as omissions rather than modifications of the plot.

# All the Dwarves show up with Gandalf all at once in the film rather than coming in groups the day after Gandalf meets Bilbo and puts a mark on his door.
# The company leaves Bilbo's house on ponies, but after that the ponies are not seen until they are lost in crossing the [[Misty Mountains]]. In the book, the company rode ponies from [[Bag End]] to [[Rivendell]].
# Bilbo is noticed by the Trolls as he sneaks up to steal some meat rather than disclosed by the Trolls' [[Talking purse|"talking" purse]].
# The Dwarves flee in terror from the Trolls and are picked up one at a time instead of walking blindly into the camp and being ambushed (except for Thorin, who puts up a fight).
# Gandalf apparently has the power to make the dawn come earlier and dispatching the Trolls rather than tricking them by throwing his voice.
# The Troll cave does not have a locked door like in the book.
# Gandalf gives Thorin the Map of Thrór and the key in the troll cave rather than back at Bag End.
# Up in the mountains, there are no stone giants playing games amidst the storm.
# Gandalf is missing in the cave when the goblins emerge, rather than sleeping when it happens. The Dwarves run into the tunnel rather than being grabbed.
# The Dwarves do not fight the goblins in the tunnel.
# Bilbo specifically asked Gollum what he has in his pocket rather than muttering it aloud to himself. Gollum does not even try to guess instead of demanding three guesses. Only four riddles are said in the movie (there were ten in the book).
# Bilbo pulls the ring out of his pocket after Gollum says he's looking for his "golden ring, magical ring".
# Bilbo has no trouble getting out the back door (no goblins to sneak by or tight spots to fit through).
# Rather than meet the Wargs in the forest, the goblins come with them, riding on them and wielding torches (despite the Wargs' fear of fire in the book).
# The Great Eagles do not take the company to their eyries, but to the edge of [[Mirkwood]], bypassing [[Beorn]] (who does not appears in the movie).
# The incident at the enchanted river, including [[Bombur]]'s magical sleep, is omitted.
# The feasts of the Wood-elves are omitted (yet are referred to when the Wood-elves capture the Dwarves).
# Bilbo has to fight and kill only four spiders rather than dozens and dozens. Bilbo's sword, [[Sting]], always glows in the movie regardless of whether goblins are nearby or not.
# Thorin is captured with the other Dwarves by the spiders and then the Wood-elves.
# There is no stop over from the journey via barrels from the Wood-elves' castle to [[Lake-town]].
# There is no Master in Laketown; [[Bard]] the guardsman runs the city.
# The company does not make camp at the base of the mountain.
# Balin does not go with Bilbo into the secret entrance.
# Bilbo has only one audience with Smaug and the thrush is present. Bilbo orders the thrush to seek Bard to tell him of Smaug's weakness.
# The [[Arkenstone]] and all that goes with it is omitted.
# [[Roäc]] the raven is omitted. In the book, the ravens tell the Dwarves that Smaug is slain and is sent to [[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin]] to call for assistance. In the movie, the Dwarves wait, lost inside the Lonely Mountain for a week and it is never explained why Dáin arrives at such an opportune moment.
# The company discovers the two armies coming when they are on the doorstep rather than being warned in advance.
# Since the Arkenstone is omitted, Thorin instead loses respect for Bilbo through his supposed lack of understanding of honor and war.
# Thorin and the dwarves plan a suicidal last stand against the elves and men in a pitched battle outside the mountain and are pleasantly surprised when Dáin's army arrives.
# [[Ravenhill]] is not mentioned.
# The armies in the Battle of the Five Armies are divided differently (Bilbo counts the Goblins and Wargs as one army, the Eagles are counted as a separate army).
# The Battle of the Five Armies happens differently: notably, Beorn is not there.
# In the book, only Thorin, [[Fíli]] and [[Kíli]] die from the battle, leaving 10 survivors from Thorin's company. In the movie, Thorin, Bombur and five other unnamed dwarves are all killed. (In fact, Bombur was one of the few Dwarves in the quest known to be still alive in the days of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.) [[Glóin]] is the only other dwarf whose fate is officially revealed in the movie, as he is seen covering up Thorin with a blanket after he dies. Another dwarf (who does not clearly resemble anyone from the company) then lays [[Orcrist]] on top of Thorin's body. It's possible that this could be Dáin.
# Most of the return journey, including winter at Beorn's home, a stop at Rivendell, and digging up gold they buried by the troll camp, is omitted.
# The auction back at Bag End is omitted.
# Balin and Gandalf's visit, years later, is omitted.

==Follow-up==
At the end of the film, Gandalf reveals to Bilbo that he is not only aware of Bilbo's ring, but knows that it is in fact the [[One Ring]], and foreshadows the events of ''The Lord of the Rings''. In the books, the ring is not discovered to be the One Ring until ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''. Such an indication would lead one to believe that Rankin/Bass was always intending to do a follow-up using story elements from ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Indeed, their adaptation of ''The Return of the King'' was already in production before ''The Hobbit'' had even originally aired. [http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0] However, it remains a mystery as to whether or not their plans for what story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings'' were originally conceived for inclusion in this follow-up were at all affected by the 1978 [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation by Ralph Bakshi]], which was also in production at that point.

== External Links ==
* ''[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077687/ The Hobbit]'' at [http://www.imdb.com/ IMDb]
{{films}}

{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Hobbit (1977 film)| ]]

The Hobbit (1977 film)

2013-03-30T02:57:28Z

76.113.141.81: /* Follow-up */

{{disambig-more|The Hobbit|[[The Hobbit (disambiguation)]]}}
{{film infobox
| image=[[File:The Hobbit (1977 film) - Cover.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Hobbit
| director=[[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Rankin/Bass]]
| writer=Romeo Muller
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Maury Laws [[Glenn Yarbrough]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=
| released=[[27 November]] [[1977]]
| runtime=77 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget=$3 million
| website=
| imdb_id=tt0077687
}}'''''The Hobbit''''' was a [[1977]] animated television movie by [[Rankin/Bass]] Productions of [[The Hobbit|the book of the same name]]. It manages to retell most of the story within its 77 minute span. An LP with the soundtrack and dialog from the movie was also released in 1977 by [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]], through its Buena Vista Records label, although, by popular demand, an edited version, along with accompanying "storyteller read-alongs," was later issued for the Mouse Factory's Disneyland Records imprint.

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Role !! Actor
|-
| [[Bilbo Baggins]] || [[Orson Bean]]
|-
| [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]] || [[John Huston]]
|-
| The [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] || [[Otto Preminger]]
|-
| [[Smaug]] || [[Richard Boone]]
|-
| [[Elrond]] || [[Cyril Ritchard]]
|-
| [[Thorin]] || [[Hans Conried]]
|-
| [[Gollum]] || [[Brother Theodore]]
|-
| [[Bombur]] || [[Paul Frees]]
|-
| [[Balin]] || [[Don Messick]]
|-
| [[Gwaihir|Lord of the Eagles]] || Don Messick
|-
| [[Dori]] || [[John Stephenson]]
|-
| The [[Great Goblin]] || John Stephenson
|-
| [[Bard]] || John Stephenson
|}

The film was produced and directed by [[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] and [[Jules Bass]] and adapted for the screen by Romeo Muller; with Rankin taking on the additional duties of production designer, and Bass adapting some of Tolkien's original lyrics, as well as contributing, along with Maury Laws, an original theme song, "The Greatest Adventure (The Ballad of the Hobbit)," sung by [[Glenn Yarbrough]].

The same team, along with Bean, Huston, Theodore, Frees, Messick, and Stephenson returned for the 1980 adaption of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]''.

==Scenes==
# "[[Bilbo's Visitors]]" (4:07)
# "[[Outlining the Adventure]]" (3:53)
# "Credits" (2:20)
# "[[Troublesome Trolls]]" (3:35)
# "[[Lonely Mountain Map]]" (3:06)
# "[[Elves of Rivendell (scene)|Elves of Rivendell]]" (3:04)
# "[[Goblin Attack]]" (3:33)
# "[[Gollum's Riddler]]" (6:20)
# "[[Follow the leader]]" (4:28)
# "[[Funny Little Things]]" (2:12)
# "[[Flown to Mirkwood]]" (2:36)
# "[[Forest Diary]]" (3:04)
# "[[Spider's Web]]" (1:19)
# "[[Sting Strikes]]" (2:00)
# "[[Wood Elves (scene)|Wood Elves]]" (2:50)
# "[[Laketown (scene)|Laketown]]" (2:04)
# "[[Secret Doorway]]" (2:09)
# "[[Smaug's Lair]]" (4:14)
# "[[Weak Spot]]" (4:31)
# "[[Black Arrow's Mark]]" (3:08)
# "[[Treasure Clash]]" (2:59)
# "[[Five Armies Meet]]" (4:42)
# "[[Farewell, Thorin]]" (2:07)
# "[[Only Beginning]]" (1:50)
# "End Credits" (0:56)

== Critical Reaction ==
The movie was first broadcast on NBC in the United States, on [[26 November|November 26]], [[1977]], and was tailored to children: the story was done in a very light-hearted style, and featured a lot of songs (most of which came from the book). Much of the story was simplified and several key parts are omitted.

The art is both praised and criticized. Some reviewers regard it as a strong point of the movie. Inaccuracies in the depictions draws a lot of criticism from Tolkien fans: Gandalf has a hood instead of a hat, despite clearly being described in the book; Gollum looks like some sort of frog-creature (though the book does describe his large eyes and webbed feet); Elrond has a beard despite the book outright saying that Elves do not have beards; the [[Elves of Mirkwood|Wood-elves]], rather than being the "fair folk," are even uglier than the goblins (and the [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] has a thick German accent for some reason); Smaug is extremely hairy for being a [[Dragons|dragon]].

In 1977, NBC, Rankin and Bass won a Peabody Award for ''The Hobbit''[http://www.peabody.uga.edu/winners/PeabodyWinnersBook.pdf]. The movie was also nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in [[1978]], but lost to ''Star Wars''.

==Differences from the books==
While the movie is quite faithful to the story, it is at its core still a child-oriented musical adaptation, and therefore not a perfect adaptation of Tolkien's novel. Most of the changes are found as omissions rather than modifications of the plot.

# All the Dwarves show up with Gandalf all at once in the film rather than coming in groups the day after Gandalf meets Bilbo and puts a mark on his door.
# The company leaves Bilbo's house on ponies, but after that the ponies are not seen until they are lost in crossing the [[Misty Mountains]]. In the book, the company rode ponies from [[Bag End]] to [[Rivendell]].
# Bilbo is noticed by the Trolls as he sneaks up to steal some meat rather than disclosed by the Trolls' [[Talking purse|"talking" purse]].
# The Dwarves flee in terror from the Trolls and are picked up one at a time instead of walking blindly into the camp and being ambushed (except for Thorin, who puts up a fight).
# Gandalf apparently has the power to make the dawn come earlier and dispatching the Trolls rather than tricking them by throwing his voice.
# The Troll cave does not have a locked door like in the book.
# Gandalf gives Thorin the Map of Thrór and the key in the troll cave rather than back at Bag End.
# Up in the mountains, there are no stone giants playing games amidst the storm.
# Gandalf is missing in the cave when the goblins emerge, rather than sleeping when it happens. The Dwarves run into the tunnel rather than being grabbed.
# The Dwarves do not fight the goblins in the tunnel.
# Bilbo specifically asked Gollum what he has in his pocket rather than muttering it aloud to himself. Gollum does not even try to guess instead of demanding three guesses. Only four riddles are said in the movie (there were ten in the book).
# Bilbo pulls the ring out of his pocket after Gollum says he's looking for his "golden ring, magical ring".
# Bilbo has no trouble getting out the back door (no goblins to sneak by or tight spots to fit through).
# Rather than meet the Wargs in the forest, the goblins come with them, riding on them and wielding torches (despite the Wargs' fear of fire in the book).
# The Great Eagles do not take the company to their eyries, but to the edge of [[Mirkwood]], bypassing [[Beorn]] (who does not appears in the movie).
# The incident at the enchanted river, including [[Bombur]]'s magical sleep, is omitted.
# The feasts of the Wood-elves are omitted (yet are referred to when the Wood-elves capture the Dwarves).
# Bilbo has to fight and kill only four spiders rather than dozens and dozens. Bilbo's sword, [[Sting]], always glows in the movie regardless of whether goblins are nearby or not.
# Thorin is captured with the other Dwarves by the spiders and then the Wood-elves.
# There is no stop over from the journey via barrels from the Wood-elves' castle to [[Lake-town]].
# There is no Master in Laketown; [[Bard]] the guardsman runs the city.
# The company does not make camp at the base of the mountain.
# Balin does not go with Bilbo into the secret entrance.
# Bilbo has only one audience with Smaug and the thrush is present. Bilbo orders the thrush to seek Bard to tell him of Smaug's weakness.
# The [[Arkenstone]] and all that goes with it is omitted.
# [[Roäc]] the raven is omitted. In the book, the ravens tell the Dwarves that Smaug is slain and is sent to [[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin]] to call for assistance. In the movie, the Dwarves wait, lost inside the Lonely Mountain for a week and it is never explained why Dáin arrives at such an opportune moment.
# The company discovers the two armies coming when they are on the doorstep rather than being warned in advance.
# Since the Arkenstone is omitted, Thorin instead loses respect for Bilbo through his supposed lack of understanding of honor and war.
# Thorin and the dwarves plan a suicidal last stand against the elves and men in a pitched battle outside the mountain and are pleasantly surprised when Dáin's army arrives.
# [[Ravenhill]] is not mentioned.
# The armies in the Battle of the Five Armies are divided differently (Bilbo counts the Goblins and Wargs as one army, the Eagles are counted as a separate army).
# The Battle of the Five Armies happens differently: notably, Beorn is not there.
# In the book, only Thorin, [[Fíli]] and [[Kíli]] die from the battle, leaving 10 survivors from Thorin's company. In the movie, Thorin, Bombur and five other unnamed dwarves are all killed. (In fact, Bombur was one of the few Dwarves in the quest known to be still alive in the days of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.) [[Glóin]] is the only other dwarf whose fate is officially revealed in the movie, as he is seen covering up Thorin with a blanket after he dies. Another dwarf (who does not clearly resemble anyone from the company) then lays [[Orcrist]] on top of Thorin's body. It's possible that this could be Dáin.
# Most of the return journey, including winter at Beorn's home, a stop at Rivendell, and digging up gold they buried by the troll camp, is omitted.
# The auction back at Bag End is omitted.
# Balin and Gandalf's visit, years later, is omitted.

==Follow-up==
At the end of the film, Gandalf reveals to Bilbo that he is not only aware of Bilbo's ring, but knows that it is in fact the [[One Ring]], and foreshadows the events of ''The Lord of the Rings''. In the books, the ring is not discovered to be the One Ring until ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''. Such an indication would lead one to believe that Rankin/Bass was always intending to do a follow-up using story elements from ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Indeed, their adaptation of ''The Return of the King'' was already in production before ''The Hobbit'' even aired. [http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0] However, it remains a mystery as to whether or not their plans for what story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings'' were originally conceived for inclusion in this follow-up were at all affected by the 1978 [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation by Ralph Bakshi]], which was also in production at that point.

== External Links ==
* ''[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077687/ The Hobbit]'' at [http://www.imdb.com/ IMDb]
{{films}}

{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Hobbit (1977 film)| ]]

The Hobbit (1977 film)

2013-03-30T02:54:56Z

76.113.141.81:

{{disambig-more|The Hobbit|[[The Hobbit (disambiguation)]]}}
{{film infobox
| image=[[File:The Hobbit (1977 film) - Cover.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Hobbit
| director=[[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] [[Jules Bass]]
| producer=[[Rankin/Bass]]
| writer=Romeo Muller
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Maury Laws [[Glenn Yarbrough]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=
| released=[[27 November]] [[1977]]
| runtime=77 minutes
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget=$3 million
| website=
| imdb_id=tt0077687
}}'''''The Hobbit''''' was a [[1977]] animated television movie by [[Rankin/Bass]] Productions of [[The Hobbit|the book of the same name]]. It manages to retell most of the story within its 77 minute span. An LP with the soundtrack and dialog from the movie was also released in 1977 by [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]], through its Buena Vista Records label, although, by popular demand, an edited version, along with accompanying "storyteller read-alongs," was later issued for the Mouse Factory's Disneyland Records imprint.

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Role !! Actor
|-
| [[Bilbo Baggins]] || [[Orson Bean]]
|-
| [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]] || [[John Huston]]
|-
| The [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] || [[Otto Preminger]]
|-
| [[Smaug]] || [[Richard Boone]]
|-
| [[Elrond]] || [[Cyril Ritchard]]
|-
| [[Thorin]] || [[Hans Conried]]
|-
| [[Gollum]] || [[Brother Theodore]]
|-
| [[Bombur]] || [[Paul Frees]]
|-
| [[Balin]] || [[Don Messick]]
|-
| [[Gwaihir|Lord of the Eagles]] || Don Messick
|-
| [[Dori]] || [[John Stephenson]]
|-
| The [[Great Goblin]] || John Stephenson
|-
| [[Bard]] || John Stephenson
|}

The film was produced and directed by [[Arthur Rankin Jr.]] and [[Jules Bass]] and adapted for the screen by Romeo Muller; with Rankin taking on the additional duties of production designer, and Bass adapting some of Tolkien's original lyrics, as well as contributing, along with Maury Laws, an original theme song, "The Greatest Adventure (The Ballad of the Hobbit)," sung by [[Glenn Yarbrough]].

The same team, along with Bean, Huston, Theodore, Frees, Messick, and Stephenson returned for the 1980 adaption of ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]''.

==Scenes==
# "[[Bilbo's Visitors]]" (4:07)
# "[[Outlining the Adventure]]" (3:53)
# "Credits" (2:20)
# "[[Troublesome Trolls]]" (3:35)
# "[[Lonely Mountain Map]]" (3:06)
# "[[Elves of Rivendell (scene)|Elves of Rivendell]]" (3:04)
# "[[Goblin Attack]]" (3:33)
# "[[Gollum's Riddler]]" (6:20)
# "[[Follow the leader]]" (4:28)
# "[[Funny Little Things]]" (2:12)
# "[[Flown to Mirkwood]]" (2:36)
# "[[Forest Diary]]" (3:04)
# "[[Spider's Web]]" (1:19)
# "[[Sting Strikes]]" (2:00)
# "[[Wood Elves (scene)|Wood Elves]]" (2:50)
# "[[Laketown (scene)|Laketown]]" (2:04)
# "[[Secret Doorway]]" (2:09)
# "[[Smaug's Lair]]" (4:14)
# "[[Weak Spot]]" (4:31)
# "[[Black Arrow's Mark]]" (3:08)
# "[[Treasure Clash]]" (2:59)
# "[[Five Armies Meet]]" (4:42)
# "[[Farewell, Thorin]]" (2:07)
# "[[Only Beginning]]" (1:50)
# "End Credits" (0:56)

== Critical Reaction ==
The movie was first broadcast on NBC in the United States, on [[26 November|November 26]], [[1977]], and was tailored to children: the story was done in a very light-hearted style, and featured a lot of songs (most of which came from the book). Much of the story was simplified and several key parts are omitted.

The art is both praised and criticized. Some reviewers regard it as a strong point of the movie. Inaccuracies in the depictions draws a lot of criticism from Tolkien fans: Gandalf has a hood instead of a hat, despite clearly being described in the book; Gollum looks like some sort of frog-creature (though the book does describe his large eyes and webbed feet); Elrond has a beard despite the book outright saying that Elves do not have beards; the [[Elves of Mirkwood|Wood-elves]], rather than being the "fair folk," are even uglier than the goblins (and the [[Thranduil|Elvenking]] has a thick German accent for some reason); Smaug is extremely hairy for being a [[Dragons|dragon]].

In 1977, NBC, Rankin and Bass won a Peabody Award for ''The Hobbit''[http://www.peabody.uga.edu/winners/PeabodyWinnersBook.pdf]. The movie was also nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in [[1978]], but lost to ''Star Wars''.

==Differences from the books==
While the movie is quite faithful to the story, it is at its core still a child-oriented musical adaptation, and therefore not a perfect adaptation of Tolkien's novel. Most of the changes are found as omissions rather than modifications of the plot.

# All the Dwarves show up with Gandalf all at once in the film rather than coming in groups the day after Gandalf meets Bilbo and puts a mark on his door.
# The company leaves Bilbo's house on ponies, but after that the ponies are not seen until they are lost in crossing the [[Misty Mountains]]. In the book, the company rode ponies from [[Bag End]] to [[Rivendell]].
# Bilbo is noticed by the Trolls as he sneaks up to steal some meat rather than disclosed by the Trolls' [[Talking purse|"talking" purse]].
# The Dwarves flee in terror from the Trolls and are picked up one at a time instead of walking blindly into the camp and being ambushed (except for Thorin, who puts up a fight).
# Gandalf apparently has the power to make the dawn come earlier and dispatching the Trolls rather than tricking them by throwing his voice.
# The Troll cave does not have a locked door like in the book.
# Gandalf gives Thorin the Map of Thrór and the key in the troll cave rather than back at Bag End.
# Up in the mountains, there are no stone giants playing games amidst the storm.
# Gandalf is missing in the cave when the goblins emerge, rather than sleeping when it happens. The Dwarves run into the tunnel rather than being grabbed.
# The Dwarves do not fight the goblins in the tunnel.
# Bilbo specifically asked Gollum what he has in his pocket rather than muttering it aloud to himself. Gollum does not even try to guess instead of demanding three guesses. Only four riddles are said in the movie (there were ten in the book).
# Bilbo pulls the ring out of his pocket after Gollum says he's looking for his "golden ring, magical ring".
# Bilbo has no trouble getting out the back door (no goblins to sneak by or tight spots to fit through).
# Rather than meet the Wargs in the forest, the goblins come with them, riding on them and wielding torches (despite the Wargs' fear of fire in the book).
# The Great Eagles do not take the company to their eyries, but to the edge of [[Mirkwood]], bypassing [[Beorn]] (who does not appears in the movie).
# The incident at the enchanted river, including [[Bombur]]'s magical sleep, is omitted.
# The feasts of the Wood-elves are omitted (yet are referred to when the Wood-elves capture the Dwarves).
# Bilbo has to fight and kill only four spiders rather than dozens and dozens. Bilbo's sword, [[Sting]], always glows in the movie regardless of whether goblins are nearby or not.
# Thorin is captured with the other Dwarves by the spiders and then the Wood-elves.
# There is no stop over from the journey via barrels from the Wood-elves' castle to [[Lake-town]].
# There is no Master in Laketown; [[Bard]] the guardsman runs the city.
# The company does not make camp at the base of the mountain.
# Balin does not go with Bilbo into the secret entrance.
# Bilbo has only one audience with Smaug and the thrush is present. Bilbo orders the thrush to seek Bard to tell him of Smaug's weakness.
# The [[Arkenstone]] and all that goes with it is omitted.
# [[Roäc]] the raven is omitted. In the book, the ravens tell the Dwarves that Smaug is slain and is sent to [[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin]] to call for assistance. In the movie, the Dwarves wait, lost inside the Lonely Mountain for a week and it is never explained why Dáin arrives at such an opportune moment.
# The company discovers the two armies coming when they are on the doorstep rather than being warned in advance.
# Since the Arkenstone is omitted, Thorin instead loses respect for Bilbo through his supposed lack of understanding of honor and war.
# Thorin and the dwarves plan a suicidal last stand against the elves and men in a pitched battle outside the mountain and are pleasantly surprised when Dáin's army arrives.
# [[Ravenhill]] is not mentioned.
# The armies in the Battle of the Five Armies are divided differently (Bilbo counts the Goblins and Wargs as one army, the Eagles are counted as a separate army).
# The Battle of the Five Armies happens differently: notably, Beorn is not there.
# In the book, only Thorin, [[Fíli]] and [[Kíli]] die from the battle, leaving 10 survivors from Thorin's company. In the movie, Thorin, Bombur and five other unnamed dwarves are all killed. (In fact, Bombur was one of the few Dwarves in the quest known to be still alive in the days of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.) [[Glóin]] is the only other dwarf whose fate is officially revealed in the movie, as he is seen covering up Thorin with a blanket after he dies. Another dwarf (who does not clearly resemble anyone from the company) then lays [[Orcrist]] on top of Thorin's body. It's possible that this could be Dáin.
# Most of the return journey, including winter at Beorn's home, a stop at Rivendell, and digging up gold they buried by the troll camp, is omitted.
# The auction back at Bag End is omitted.
# Balin and Gandalf's visit, years later, is omitted.

==Follow-up==
At the end of the film, Gandalf reveals to Bilbo that he not only knows of his ring, but knows that it is in fact the [[One Ring]], and foreshadows the events of ''The Lord of the Rings''. In the books, the ring is not discovered to be the One Ring until ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''. Such an indication would lead one to believe that Rankin/Bass was always intending to do a follow-up using story elements from ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Indeed, their adaptation of ''The Return of the King'' was already in production before ''The Hobbit'' even aired. [http://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/27/books/tolkien-hobbitani.html?_r=0] However, it remains a mystery as to whether or not their plans for what story elements from ''The Lord of the Rings'' were originally conceived for inclusion in this follow-up were at all affected by the 1978 [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|theatrical adaptation by Ralph Bakshi]], which was also in production at that point.

== External Links ==
* ''[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077687/ The Hobbit]'' at [http://www.imdb.com/ IMDb]
{{films}}

{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Hobbit (1977 film)| ]]