The Lord of the Rings |  | Director: Ralph Bakshi
Actors: Christopher Guard, William Squire, Michael Scholes, John Hurt, Simon Chandler
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $12.98
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Rating:  347 reviews
Sales Rank: 33147
Format: Anamorphic, Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Portuguese (Subtitled), Japanese (Subtitled), Georgian (Subtitled), Thai (Subtitled)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 132 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: D37408D
ISBN: 0790762552
UPC: 085393740825
EAN: 9780790762555
ASIN: B00005MP5B
Theatrical Release Date: November 15, 1978
Release Date: September 11, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com
Although it was ultimately overshadowed by Peter Jackson's live-action Lord of the Rings trilogy, Ralph Bakshi's animated adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy classic is not without charms of its own. A target of derision from intolerant fans, this ambitious production is nevertheless a respectably loyal attempt to animate the first half of Tolkien's trilogy, beginning with the hobbit Frodo's inheritance of "the One Ring" of power from Bilbo Baggins, and ending with the wizard Gandalf's triumph over the evil army of orcs. While the dialogue is literate and superbly voiced by a prestigious cast (including John Hurt as Aragorn), Leonard Rosenman's accomplished score effectively matches the ominous atmosphere that Bakshi's animation creates and sustains. Bakshi's lamentable decision to combine traditional cel animation with "rotoscoped" (i.e., meticulously traced) live-action footage is jarringly distracting and aesthetically disastrous, but when judged by its narrative content, this Lord of the Rings deserves more credit than it typically receives. --Jeff Shannon
Product Description
Animated adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic tale of Middle Earth.
Genre: Children's Video
Rating: PG
Release Date: 1-JUN-2004
Media Type: DVD
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 347
 Kids love this March 8, 2010
Thomas M. Latham (Texas)
My girls are huge fans of the live action Lord of the Rings, but also love the old Hobbit cartoon from Rankin Bass. They were interested to learn there was an earlier animated LotR and wanted to see it. This was great fun for them.
Setting the hook February 9, 2010
Walter M. Speck (Florissant, Missouri United States)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
To see this films come out as a anniversay edition, oooh just plain scary. I was 16-17 when a friend and I went to midnight show of this at the old "Shady Oak theater" in Clayton, Missouri. To that point I had never read the full novels of Tolkien, but I was now hooked. So for years to follow, I perused the book stores, and Seller of the OOP dealers, to find more and more info about this wonderful world of JRR Tolkien. Yearly treks to the U-City Loop to see the film, followed by countless hours of reading and research to come up with just one more scrap of informatiom. When I got my 1st VCR, yes VCR, I ran the Street side records and bought this film, EMI $80.00, I still have it, magic, yes and I had a girlfriend too, even Married her, still am married to her. Finally, the New Line films, triumph and ridicule for this old friend. Scenes of my oldest now 20, standing in front of church, and recieting "Come back, come back, to Mordor we will take you." Looking like a child pocessed. Giving white hair to his Mother, and silent praises from his father. We were and are too up tight about things. Moving on, yes Cinematic garbagge, but a new chapter in cinematography, kicking open the door to young directores like Jackson, to make something better. No, I will not abandon this film, maybe trash it with friends, It should be on Mystery Scifi theater 3000, must definately. Mute it and add your own dialoge, but watch it and feel the call to a new place, clean place of Man and myth and adventure come to together, and find out why not all heros are hugh sword swinging behmoths, but quiet little nerds like most of us, "Pass the old toby would you Bilbo old shoe?The Lord of the Rings (1978 Animated Movie) (Remastered Deluxe Edition). 4 stars yes 4 stars.
 Understand the flaws, still love the movie January 11, 2010
Benjamin I. Triplett (Seattle, WA USA)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
The best criticism of this movie can be found here:
[...]
The review is hysterically funny and right on the mark.
That said, I still love Bakshi's version. The rendition of Smeagol is definitive, far superior to the depiction in Jackson's movies. Frodo is not a complete and total wuss, as depicted by Jackson. Aragorn is properly shown to be much older and wiser than the Jackson version. God help me, I even like the music better in the animated movie.
Not to mention that Bakshi gives us Orcs that don't look and act like they came from professional wrestling, and the subtleties in the Bakshi version are missing from what Jackson gives us. The Jackson movie favors action, the Bakshi version favors story telling. I'll take the latter any day of the week.
 Lord of the loss January 7, 2010
E. A Solinas (MD USA)
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
Long before Peter Jackson ever got the go-ahead to depict a live-action "Lord of the Rings" movie, Ralph Bakshi gave it a fair stab.
And by "stab," I mean he made a rotoscoped, animated movie that attempted to encompass half of JRR Tolkien's classic fantasy epic. "The Lord of the Rings" is a genuine effort with obvious affection for Tolkien's original work, but unfortunately Bakshi misses the mark more often than he hits it -- from the bizarre character designs to random renamings, a crammed narrative to grainy rotoscoping.
The movie starts (after some background info) several years after Bilbo Baggins gets a golden Ring of invisibility. At Bilbo's 111st birthday party, he vanishes with intent to leave the Shire -- and Gandalf sees that Bilbo is exhibiting signs of falling under its power. He convinces Bilbo to leave the Ring with Bilbo's young cousin, Frodo, and then leaves.
Seventeen years later, Gandalf reappears and tells Frodo that it is the One Ring, and that Frodo now has to leave the Shire (accompanied by his gardener Sam and cousins Merry and Pippin), heading off to the town of Bree and then to Rivendell. Unfortunately, Frodo soon is pursued by the snuffling Black Riders, and accompanied by the mysterious ranger Aragorn. Worst of all, he's being tempted by the Ring -- and it nearly costs him his life.
Then he volunteers to take the Ring into the dark land of Mordor to destroy it -- but the Fellowship of the Ring must deal with horrors and terrors along the way. And when they lose two of their company, Frodo sets out into the wilderness with only Sam beside him, while Aragorn, the elf Legolas and the dwarf Gimli set out to free Rohan from the evil Saruman (or "Aruman," depending on what scenes you watch).
I'll give Bakshi credit -- he put genuine effort into trying to turn "The Lord of the Rings" into a two-part movie. Unfortunately for him, the second part never materialized (the movie clangs to a stop halfway through the second book) and the first one is an awkward, uncertain piece of work that never quite figures out where it's going.
And the animation simply doesn't work -- the characters all have exaggerated gestures and shuffling walks, not to mention odd costuming (a Viking? A Roman senator?). The backgrounds tend to look like matte paintings, and the rotoscoping is bizarre-looking, grainy, and distracting at best.
The animation is not the only problem. Bakshi's movie is riddled with very choppy editing (we go straight from Moria to Lothlorien), bizarre script changes ("Saruman" becomes "Aruman") and important details that are left out, or left in with no explanation as to why they are there. Worst of all, he has little idea of what looks absurd -- the bat-winged lion-Balrog with its big fuzzy feet is a legendary example, as well as the virtually crippled Black Riders and turnip-shaped Treebeard.
Nor does he succeed with the characters. The mellow young Frodo, skeletal Gollum and ethereal-looking Legolas are well done. But Gandalf acts like a manic old weirdo, and most of the others (especially Merry and Pippin) are barely more than cardboard cutouts. The worst offender is loyal, steadfast gardener Samwise Gamgee -- who looks and acts like a brain-damaged, potato-shaped chimp.
This deluxe edition is being put out on blu-ray and regular DVD, apparently because Jackson's trilogy is being rereleased on blu-ray. There's a somewhat different cover, a remastered audio track, and a new featurette called "Forging Through The Darkness: The Ralph Bakshi Vision for Lord of the Rings."
"The Lord of the Rings" was a valiant effort that fell flat on its face somewhere along the way. Watchable as a curiosity, but nowhere near the scope of Peter Jackson's masterpiece.
 Uneven, at times horrificly bad, but does have advantages December 4, 2009
Reef Shark (Houston, Texas)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
At first I was very critical of this low-budget animated retelling of the first half of Tolkien's epic, especially due to the fact that I have seen the epic Peter Jackson trilogy. If I had done this review immediately after seeing this movie surely I would have passed it off as poorly constructed, and a butchering of Tolkien...but after discussing the film with other enthusiasts and making comparisons to the books I must say there are a few things they do better than Jackson...nothing major, but there are a few things that make this adaptation commendable.
Pros
Frodo - This is more of Tolkien's Frodo than the Elijah Wood Frodo. This Frodo will willingly throw himself into danger, draw his sword, and fight without screaming like a pansy for his larger companions (or later Sam) to rescue him. The one problem is the voice-actor doesn't capture any real emotion.
Aragorn - Don't get me wrong, I liked Viggo in the new films, but he really never seemed like a king...just a mercenary. John Hurt on the other hand (one of the greatest screen actors of all time) gives the brutality of a rogue, as well as the elegance of royalty in his voice. Why he is portrayed as a Native American in a miniskirt remains a mystery in my mind because it practically destroys the credibility of Hurt's voice-acting.
Okay
Gollum - He's okay, but just seems poor after you've seen Jackson's. At least they get most of the key concepts of the character
Battles - Now, Jackson may win on sheer AWESOME levels when it comes to his actions scenes, but while these scenes may be "bad" at least none of the characters come across as superheroes as they did in the Jackson movies.
The Ugly
Animation - Most of the film is very choppy and poorly put together. Sure, when it's fully animated it's okay, but in the second half of the film they seem to run out of money so attempted more cheap techniques than could be counted
Character Designs - Between Borimir being a Viking, hobbits looking like small children, Saruman (or as this movie says "Aruman") being Santa Clause, and the before mentioned Native American Aragorn...but nothing can compare to the horror that is Bakshi's abominable Balrog (special mention to Julius Caesar Elrond)
Cut and paste dialogue - It feels like they took lots of key quotes from the book without thinking at all of the build-up dialogue that made the quotes work in the books. This results in many scenes (especially the Council of Elrond) coming across as confusing.
Sam - Do not get me started on this physically and mentally retarded interpretation
So this movie is good for the kids for exposing them to Tolkien, but it isn't an opus of Tolkien's work (that goes without saying), but then again neither is Jackson's. The only way to truly revel in Tolkien's work is to let yourself be consumed by his books, but Jackson's movies did come close to hitting the magic of Tolkien.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 347
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