Movie Review: Ralph Bakshi's "The Lord of the Rings" (1978)

[@PABrewNews]

It is a staggeringly terrible tragedy that they never let him finish and release his 2 part of the film. Ralph’s Return of the King would of been amazing!!!!

[@bobsbigboy_]

Bakshi is the best

[@anarionelendili8961]

The first Lord of the Rings movie I saw and still my favorite. Sure, they didn't have the mega-budget of the Jackson trilogy, but very impressive what they did with the money they had. The music is used very well, and the Battle of Helm's Deep is better in this version than in Jackson's The Two Towers. As the Uruk-Hai march on Helm's Deep, that is menace, they mean business. Boromir's fight against the orcs is done very well, too. Well, most of this movie is, as you already said, very faithful to the books, and that makes it an enjoyable watch for me.

[@MrYTGuy1]

From what I understand the door to moria was created by two people, celebrimbor and a dwarf named narvi, two of the greatest craftsmen to ever live in middle earth. It was then sealed by powerful elven magic. This explains why the language used on the inscription and the password to open the doors are both elven. To drive the point home even further, one of its various names literally dubs it "the elven door". It was constructed as a joint effort between the two races to forge a new passage facilitating travel and open trade relations between dwarves and elves. It used to remain open and anyone could use it without using the password but it was eventually closed requiring the magic word to open from the outside.

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

True, it was a joint effort, but unless I’m mistaken the functional aspect of it was all Dwarvish. But I could be mistaken.

[@MrYTGuy1]

@@TolkienLorePodcast Narvi built the actual stone doors and celebrimbor added the magic seal and mithril inlays that only appeared in moonlight

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

Source?

[@MrYTGuy1]

@@TolkienLorePodcast I think it's in appendix b

[@MickyB76]

I really loved the animated version of Lord of the rings, I remember watching it as a kid but i was gutted that it was never completed..by that I mean the full story involving all 3 books.Does anybody know why it didn't happen ? Iv always wondered

[@bu66l3p0p]

From what I researched about it unfortunately Ralph Bakshi and a producer of the film fell out or something. I know it wasn't to do with running out of money because Ralph talked about in an interview how his lotr made billions a couple years after release but yeah same! Bakshi would've made such an awesome part 2

[@CannonFodder93]

I like when a review of this movie acknowledges its flaws, but still treats it with respect. And yours definitely does that. 👍 I really prefer this movie over the Jackson ones. But even then, I still feel the best adaptation of the books is the 81 radio drama, since the characters pretty much sound like I imagine them to sound like. I do feel Frodo and Aragorn are way better here than the Jackson ones. I felt Frodo felt too much like a wimp in the Jackson movies, and I always found Aragorn to be pretty miscast in the Jackson movies (I just don't quite buy him in the role as I do with John Hurt, Theodore Bikel and Robert Stephens; John and Robert I can buy as both a ranger and a member of the royalty, and Theodore has the authority and presence needed for King Aragorn; I think out of all of them, Robert Stephens in the radio drama might be the one that I consider to hit all the right points). I have to agree that the quality control is a bit haphazard. The mistakes like the Saruman/Aruman I feel could have been fixed via pickup lines or looping, but despite that, I still feel the movie is solid. I find it pretty fitting that the two best casting choices in this movie (Gollum and Boromir) ended up doing the 81 radio drama (and even though Peter Woodthorpe is great as Gollum in this movie, he is pretty much perfect in the radio version, even doing the 'Gollum' noise at times and going quite insane in some scenes like the Bilbo flashbacks and the Mount Doom finale). But yeah, I really enjoyed watching this review.

[@stevekyhos8358]

I will always cherish this film for inspiring me as a child to actually read the wonderful world of Tolkien. The soundtrack score is also underrated.

[@Micdrop773]

Such a brilliant KZbinr thank you for uploading mate 💙💯⚜️

[@clearsmashdrop5829]

I saw this in the theaters. To this day I still like this movie. Yes, the 1970's acid trip back grounds aren't for everyone but those black riders scared the crap out of me as kid.

[@IntellectuallyEliteMedia]

Very cool review, really enjoyed it, thank you for the content!

[@pettytyrant2720]

Regards the outfits, particualrly of Aragorn and Boromir, I believe the idea was to go for visual shorthand as they did not have time to set up the full backgrounds. In the book Aragorn is the greatets traveller and tracker in ME in his day, at the time the film was made if you wanted to portray a tracker you had a native american, there are countless examples in tv and film of this. With Boromir Id not say he looked Barabrian so much as Viking- implying someone from a people who are great seafarers (descendant sof Numenor) and great warriors, which they are. So whilst I am not personally a fan of those choices I do think they are there with a purpose given the amount they had to cram in.

[@Crafty_Spirit]

Thanks for sharing that, I never considered before that Boromir's outfit may refer to their sea-faring ancestors. It's weird though because vikings didn't wear horned helmets 🤣

[@PABrewNews]

I love the abstract art in the back

[@walkingwriter4325]

Just found your channel and will check out more of your posts. Lots of interesting topics here. I was in high school when the movie was released and liked it overall back then, though didn't care for the rotoscoped scenes as it made parts of the movie look so jarringly different compared to the regular animated portions. Liked that there was more Bree content in this movie compared to PJ's, one of my favorite sections in the book. And really enjoyed Leonard Rosenman's score. I remember listening to the vinyl LP in college in the campus library with the big headphones. Several years later when watching Star Trek IV, I knew I had heard bits of the opening and closing music somewhere, but couldn't place it until seeing Rosenman's name in the credits. There are obvious strands of the LOTR's theme in the Star Trek IV score. But both sound great!

[@rickeypickett1779]

It was the best they could do in the 70s. It is still a great movie for me.

[@TheSorrel]

Nah, if they had a real budget they could have done more.

[@PABrewNews]

Always loved the haunting atmosphere of the Wraith and the Hobbits under the tree scene, one of my favorite of the film.

[@endermanwithalowercasee]

I don't care what people say, I love this and always have. Introduced me to Middle Earth

[@JOONBUGFILMS]

And someways I like this better than Peter Jackson’s Version. I think that John Hurt is the best Aragorn. But I absolutely hate what they did with Sam. But I like the look of the orcs in the dark riders on masked gifted a very nightmarish look I think I a lot

[@KeldorDAntrell]

Peter Jackson's Aragorn is awful. Viggo Mortenson is much too attractive for a character specified as having 'looks which act against him' and his performance is very bland and flat. He completely lacks charisma as Aragorn which can only be down to Jackson's poor directing because if you see Viggo in Daylight with Sylvester Stallone you'll see him oozing charisma and leadership - exactly what Aragorn is supposed to have. This Aragorn is clearly not your typical good-looking leading male character and he's dynamic and fearless; and who could want a better voice than that of John Hurt?

[@JOONBUGFILMS]

Keldor D'Antrell ...I like the Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn I do think the John Hurt is better

[@KeldorDAntrell]

@@JOONBUGFILMS, that's fair enough but can you tell me *why* you like Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn.

[@Mulcam29]

Their Sam was iffy, but it was good for comedic relief

[@jkhristian]

Actually it seems that the Disney secret for many years was rotoscoping. Ever since Snow White, they always shot scenes live action and drew over them. That was how they made them so lifelike.

[@JarJarBinks4ever]

Disney wouldn't rotorscope in the same sense as Bakshi's LOTR or Fire and Ice. Disney never literally traced the actors on cels, they used live-action as reference. Rotorscoping has a peculiar uncanny quality to it, paradoxically animation is more life-like when not fully traced from real life.

[@jkhristian]

Rotoscope@@JarJarBinks4ever

[@toddjackson3136]

In the PJ movies Gollum got his name because of the sound he made. Kind of a croupy wet hacking cough. I can't remember if it was the same in the books but im thinking it had something to do with it.

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

Yes, but in the books it’s more of a gulping swallow sound.

[@KeldorDAntrell]

I've subscribed because I respect the fact that you recognise that Peter Jackson's version isn't the perfection that so many people claim it is. You've almost inspired me to attempt to make my own KZbin video on this subject because it's one that I feel incredibly passionate about.

[@TheVioletBunny]

I happen to live this film as well as the rankin bass films and the PJ films and of course books. The only thing i didn’t like about this version is it never got finished other wise it would have been a great version of complete. But in its current state it’s still a really interestingly made adaptation.

[@Mulcam29]

This film introduced me to Lord of the Rings, and it's a great film. It brought out the grittiness of the third age.

[@chemnitz6834]

This video really got me thinking about how you would adapt LotR. I think it would be pretty interesting to get a few videos on this.

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

I’ve actually got some ideas like that, but I might be able to expand it into a broader series.

[@KeldorDAntrell]

@@TolkienLorePodcast, I've long wanted to direct a Lord of the Rings film and I couldn't despise Jackson's effort more because I feel his changes from Tolkien's book were unjustified and thus came off only as hubris as if he thought he was a better writer than Tolkien. In my opinion almost every single thing about Jackson's films is wrong. They simply make my blood run cold. A balrog that collapses the dwarven halls when it walks? Great portions of superb dialogue left out. Hobbits that are clumsy and falling over and knocking things over. A portrayal of Gollum that puts his race out of question when in the book it's difficult to believe (not to mention his stupid choking cat noises). Gimli is made a comedic buffoon, Legolas is little short of being Spider-Man. The films are far too long, there're far too many 'travalogue' helicopter shots. The music is repetitive and obvious. The ridiculous obvious choreography of the front line of elves in battle. The bright light level in Moria. The glue-the-sword-back-together 'reforging' of Narsil. The dull characterisation of Frodo, Sam, and Aragorn. The unintentional homoerotic vibe between Frodo and Sam. The overly long ending...I could go on and on. I could wipe the floor with Jackson if I was given the opportunity to make this film.

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

Well I’m all in favor of a true-to-the-source film. I fear I’ll never see it though.... 😔

[@KeldorDAntrell]

@@TolkienLorePodcast, sadly, I think you're right that if it ever happens it'll be a long time coming. The reason, I'm sure, is that to become a film director at any level requires self-confidence verging on arrogance and when it comes to book or television adaptations most directors seem unable to stop themselves from 'doing it their way'. I've seen it time and time again. Indeed, it happens so often that you'll routinely hear people say that it's *impossible* to adapt a book to the screen faithfully. Well, Christopher Columbus disproved that with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. It just takes a director with the humility to respect the source material. With The Lord of the Rings, Jackson had the most popular and successful story ever written - second only to the Christian Holy Bible; a ready-made fan-base who practically worshipped Tolkien's masterpiece story. In my opinion, if there was ever a screen adaptation of a book that should NOT have been altered it was The Lord of the Rings simply because so many people would be upset (and I was one of them).

[@hglundahl]

Mae govannen! Did someone mention Bakshi? Wd you agree that the music is really great and the Shire team is really idyllic in it (with a rhythm resembling the seguedilla of Carmen) ...

[@hglundahl]

Also, how the back story is given in shadow play up to when actual pictures of the Shire actually break in, that is a masterly way to handle a back story ...

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

Yeah, I thought that was clever. Can’t speak to the similarity of the music to Carmen but I do find a lot of the music enjoyable.

[@hglundahl]

@@TolkienLorePodcast Definitely is. For comparison, not the intro "près des remparts de Seville", but a bit later on, here (I think, I have sound off here and can't check with my ears): kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXnNn4mwbKasr9k

[@laurenbernstein621]

This was my introduction to Tolkien - my younger sister (now an avid Tolkien fan as well) got freaked out by the Black Riders and my parents turned the movie off. My wrath was mollified by the news there was a novel behind the fascinating tidbit of a movie I had seen...if nothing else, I have nostalgia for the first ten/fifteen minutes because it was the beginning

[@PABrewNews]

The Uruk-hai with Mary & Pippin is probably my favorite part before the riders come.

[@sukotto1001]

I was 10 when this movie came out, and was so excited to go. People were so furious at the abrupt ending, they were throwing popcorn at the screen. I was heartbroken, since I loved the books so much.

[@IntellectuallyEliteMedia]

I really enjoyed and still do the 1978 animated film, it's very nostalgic and also the soundtrack is pretty crazy, and sets the tone for the darkness of the movie.

[@lugialover09]

I grew up watching this movie, and I've always loved it. I wholeheartedly agree that Jackson's films are much more approachable and engaging. But this film just has something that really caught my eye. It might be the art style and backdrops or the rotoscoping or something else entirely, but it has this somewhat otherworldly aesthetic that I adore. I'll never say that it's "better" than the Jackson movies, but it has a certain je ne sais quois about it.

[@dragonhelmofdor-lomin4017]

What was Christopher Tolkien's opinion on Ralph's Bakshi's Lord of the Rings - Its very well-known that he hated Peter Jackson's movies, but what about the Bakshi's adaptation. Do you think he liked the animated movie or disliked it?

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

I don’t think I’ve ever run across anything where he gave his opinion on it.

[@dragonhelmofdor-lomin4017]

@@TolkienLorePodcast What do you think? Bakshi's movie didn't have too much action scenes like Jackson did.

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

I actually have a video reviewing that. ;)

[@Mulcam29]

By the way Arwen wasn't the one helping them in the novel, it was Glorfindel. Though Legalus was better choice.

[@Clyde-S-Wilcox]

34:45 Reminds me of Farnsworth stomping off to the Angry Dome.

[@Duke_Togo_G13]

This was supposed to be an epic 2 to 3 part film. He had a tight budget, short amount of time, and no previous films as reference. Bakshi understood and loved the books. The studio offered, at one point, if Bakshi could finish the film while they were working on Jacksons version, and Bakshi told them to f**k off. So when the restored and re-released the Bakshi film, they changed the last lines of the film to give it finality. This film is an artistic achievement, and given a better budget, and more time, plus a second part... then it would have been epic.

[@nobleathenian3945]

Brilliant film until it suddenly ended!

[@TheVioletBunny]

That’s my only gripe it doesn’t finish the story.. and if they just added like 30 more minutes to it’s length they could have it.

[@jimcameron6803]

That's Peter Woodthorpe as Gollum, isn't it? He was Gollum in the BBC radio series as well, and also the voice of Pigsy in the English dub of the Japanese TV show "Monkey". Very distinctive voice, instantly recognisable ... maybe a little bit too recognisable if you come to the Lord of the Rings after watching Monkey.

[@benbrown8258]

I've read several reviews of the Galadriel depiction between the cartoon and Peter Jackson. The cartoon version seems spot-on in many respects. I wish I could sponsor you to compare the three galadriel's, Peter Jackson's and the cartoon's and the London musical versions.

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

I didn’t even know about the musical lol

[@strategywizard]

I definitely have fond memories of this movie. I might even one a copy now (need to check my movie library). I need to watch it again for nostalgia's sake if nothing else.

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

If you don’t have a copy you can borrow mine. If you do I want to know why you never told me lol

[@strategywizard]

@@TolkienLorePodcast If I do, I didn't tell you because I didn't think you would particularly care to know, lol. It would have been something I got a while back (hence my inability to remember).

[@raimat66]

I was about 13 years old when this movie came. The verry same year I had been introduced to Tolkiens’s world by my best friend. So, I was reading the book and when I saw the movie I believe I’d come as far as Bree. I have no memory of that we thought the Main Theme was over dramatic. I think that they only wanted to give a serious fantasy film it’s serious fantasy film theme. At all I think 70’s movies often were more (melo) dramatic. So, sitting there at the cinema - 13 years old and had just fallen in love with Tolkien’s world - it felt just right. Gandalf’s reaction at the birthday party is plane movie making language - it’s their way to “show them - don’t tell them”. (You never question the purpose, only points out similarities. Just sayin’.) To be more faithful to the book would require more of dialog and could lower the action to let Gandalf and Bilbo have their little chit chat about the point of such a surprise. Instead, the event raises the drama and the rather unknowing audience’s interest for what’s at stake. And you get the point: “Gandalf didn’t like that.” Rotoscoping was not that kind of problem back then that it sort of is today. It was top notch of cinema development. You noticed that it was kind of strange now and then, like other stuff in many many other movies. Because they were movies! The technique wasn’t perfect and we knew it. And we bought it. Superman was really good. You could almost never see the blue contour that aaaaalways followed from blue-screen shooting. The background was obviously a landscape or the back window in the car on a screen behind the actors. But you didn’t see that, more than you “didn’t see” the strings who made it possible for actors to fly on stage at the theatre. It was a part of the magic. Sometimes I miss “those days”. Not at least all the different inventions and creations by the movie collaborators to solve hard challenges. But of course, even I loved the 80’s when suddenly technique developed drastic. Let’s not forget what a time we are living in. Everything is possible in movies so we expect “everything”. The last 30 years has been an avalanche of ingenuity in the movie industry. Or should I say the digital industry? I almost never see this film nowadays, but back then … One friend had it on vhs. I visited him often and even super-8 shot the battle in the chamber of Mazarbul from his TV-screen so I could have it for myself. Of course did I tape the whole movie on cassette player. And when the vhs came for sale again some years later I could not afford to buy it, both my wife and I was unemployed at the time. Nevertheless, I bought it. (My wife wasn't to hapy.) For I must have the precious! That’s how big it was back then.

[@bu66l3p0p]

My dad was a child when this came out (im 19) and he said the same about the film being seen as amazing, I remember him showing me and my siblings this when I was a kid and I remember being terrified of the ring wraiths! A few months ago I found this film on amazon prime after a long time not watching it and as soon as I put the trailer on I just had to see it again! My dad has an old dvd of it so luckily I could watch it straight away. I ended up doing an art peice that Ralph Bakshi himself liked. But yeah the music straight away got me invested and I think its perfect for a fantasy adventure too.

[@earlofbroadst]

Didn't Christopher Lee voice Treebeard in this movie?

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

Nope, a fellow named John Westbrook.

[@obiwankenobi9141]

When I saw this movie after reading the books and watching the Peter Jackson movie’s, I knew that it encompassed both fellowship and two towers plots, but I wasn’t expecting it ending at the exact same point as the ending of the two towers Peter Jackson movie.

[@thegoodsoldiersvjek2335]

Seeing they only covered 2 of the books was there a plan to cover the third in a sequel ?

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

I believe it was planned, but my understanding is the producer put the kibosh on that.

[@KeldorDAntrell]

They ran out of money. The project was too daring given the required scope of the movie and it's weighty plot which resulted in what feels overly-long and difficult to follow. Animated films typically draw in the children's market but this failed there because kids certainly couldn't follow the plot and were soon fidgeting and anxious to go home. With such a poor reception there was no way that they could raise the money to complete the trilogy.

[@DougWIngate]

iirc treebeard's appearance is also more accurate to the book, being more like a man with tree characteristics, rather than a tree that roughly resembled the shape of a man, as in the PJ movie

[@erathor9120]

Thanks for the review ye the things that threw me off at first was that rotorscoping technique they used. Second of all the kinda alien backgrounds thanks for mentioning that :) None the less it is interesting to see a different vision of it. Though I am still curious about some of the clothing choices they did.

[@MrYTGuy1]

shadow like wings = wings that are like shadows wing like shadows = shadows that are like wings So you tell me if they have wings or not. It seems pretty obvious if you break the words down.

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

Shadow =/= wings, so shadow “like” wings implies shadow shaped like wings, not actual wings.

[@MrYTGuy1]

@@TolkienLorePodcast it means the wings are real and are like shadows. Maybe this means you can partially see thorough them or that they are so large they create a lot of shadows, I'm not sure exactly what he was going for as far as an actual visual but being the linguist he was i have to assume that he chose those specific words in that specific order for a reason and it would be folly to not interpret them in that order if we're truly trying to discern the author's intent. Having real wings that are like shadows is opposed to them having giant non-corporeal shadows that are shaped like wings behind them. I've seen some Christian art that actually shows the wings of a fallen angel like lucifer or Satan in shadow behind a seemingly normal person. In this translation it would be the shadow revealing part of their true form beyond the physical. As if their true spirit form is so powerful that it still shows through into the normal world. they are simultaneously kind of there but then kind of not. I've always thought one interesting interpretation of the wings is that they might be the shadow and that the body could be the flame in the description they use for balrogs as shadow and flame, but thats a bit more nebulous and based on supposition.

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

Well the actual description is that “the shadow about it reached out like great wings,” so it seems pretty clear that he’s talking about shadows in the (probably vague) shape of wings.

[@hobbitfan8686]

You should review the animated Rankin Bass versions of The Hobbit & The Return of the King.

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

I have to find a way to watch them first, but I’m working on it. ;)

[@Mulcam29]

@@TolkienLorePodcast They're cheap on Xbox/Playstation or the app stores

[@jacklucas2123]

Love your videos, keep it up :)

[@KeldorDAntrell]

9:26 - There is an idea by which it does make sense that the witch king could take down the horse that being that it has magical powers that it can use several times per day. This is congruent with 99.9% of fantasy stories' depiction of magical powers. It wouldn't be a 'stop horses' spell per se but a case of the witch king having mental powers capable of such things as telekinesis, telepathy, sleep inducement, planting suggestions, invading dreams, etc. and in this case he used his powers to grab the horse and bring it down in an display of subjugation i.e. 'You cannot escape me! I have you now! Bow down before me!' 11:54 - Pippin says it's elf magic because the moon writing on the dwarven doors *was* elf magic (I believe). How Pippin would know this would be another matter since he was the youngest hobbit in the party and not one of a particularly scholarly nature. Perhaps Gandalf said something to them earlier. Note: Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings was the inspiration for the incredibly successful role-playing game Advanced Dungeons and Dragons in which, true to history as laid down or implied by Tolkien, Dwarves have no mages and no natural affinity for magic; indeed, they are renowned for their resistance to it. Dwarves have always been a race of the earth and stone hence their writing is typically runic in form suitable for chiselling into stone. Elvish lettering is flowery and flowing exactly as depicted on the great door of Moria.

[@falkel]

It's interesting that a couple of the voice actors went on to be the same characters in the bbc radio adaption, gollum and possibly boromir. Great review

[@QueenCloveroftheice]

If you know Bakshi's work, you know the intro is accurate to the type of animation he creates. His movies are NOT for children lol

[@PABrewNews]

Just like Fire & Ice!

[@PABrewNews]

It still feels very solid, considering they had to tell so much with such little time.

[@Clyde-S-Wilcox]

Durin's Bane absolutely had physical wings.

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

Evidence?

[@Matto240]

Got to say I loved this as a kid. Still prefer a lot of it to Jackson because of tone. I like the grim, serious LOTR. Jackson had too many attempts to simplify and lighten the mood. Gimli was waaaaay cooler in this film.

[@dragonhelmofdor-lomin4017]

I've always imagined that the Balrog's wings were like the shadowy wings of Hades from the 2010 remake movie Clash of the Titans.

[@TheRedComyn]

I didn't appreciate this movie as a kid, and still don't, but I do appreciate your review. I also appreciate your disdain at giving a rating.

[@Richard_Nickerson]

Actually, the doors are both Dwarvish and Elvish magic. The riddle to open is written in Elvish, isn't it?

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

The word is Elvish, but since Dwarves don’t teach others their language it would have to be,

[@Richard_Nickerson]

@@TolkienLorePodcast Uh oh! I thought you were the expert here, man. The Doors of Durin weren't the work of Dwarves alone. Celebrimbor helped Narvi.

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

He wrote the tunes, what does that prove?

[@Richard_Nickerson]

@@TolkienLorePodcast Oh, they were writing music now, huh? 😂🤣 He didn't just write the runes, he "drew the signs." I'm pretty sure Celebrimbor did ALL the ithildin and Narvi built the seamless doors themselves. I think in the end, it's a combination of magics, but I think the password system is "Elvish magic."

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

Elves weren’t really known for magically sealed doors, though, whereas Dwarves were. I think the Ithildin was all Celebrimbor but the actual password system was Dwarvish.

[@toddjackson3136]

The black riders scared the bejeebees out of me as a kid...right up until they let their cloaks fall and showed their weird ornate basket heads. I couldn't take them seriously after that. They also acted completely different after that. No longer hunched but straight backed, no hissing and whimpering just strange joint whispering chanting.

[@tvctaswegia497]

In that Sam scene isn't that almost literal quoting? "We're off to see the elves? Hooray! And then burst into tears" but yes crazily overdone. You're not going to pick on the scene waaay off text where Sam says food will not last past Orodruin and Frodo is despondant saying they are certain to die? Then Sam starts whistling and acting stupidly to try and cheer Frodo up!

[@arte0021]

This movie looks much better than the Rankin Bass one

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

It’s awesome as long as you can deal with skipping lots of stuff.

[@hakkele]

pippin sais elf magic at the doors of moria, and it's fine, cuz the doors were made by the elf celebrimbor. Also bill isn't killed by the watcher, but goes back to Bree.

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

Actually Celebrimbor just made the writing, while Narvi the Dwarf made the doors themselves. It’s conceivable Celebrimbor created the magic spell too, but it seems much more Dwarvish (compare to the secret door in the Lonely Mountain).

[@hakkele]

ok just checked from the book. Narvi made the doors, and Celebrimbor inscribed the writing in the doors, hence probably the 'magic' as well

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

I suppose it’s a fair inference. I just tend to think it’s more likely to be Dwarvish based on other factors.

[@anarionelendili8961]

@@TolkienLorePodcast I think Gandalf's and Gimli's lines make it clear it is Dwarven magic: " 'Yes,' said Gandalf, 'these doors are probably governed by words. Some dwarf-gates will open only at special times, or for particular persons; and some have locks and keys that are still needed when all necessary times and words are known. These doors have no key. In the days of Durin they were not secret. They usually stood open and doorwards sat here. But if they were shut, any who knew the opening word could speak it and pass in. At least so it is recorded, is it not, Gimli? ' 'It is,' said the dwarf. `But what the word was is not remembered. Narvi and his craft and all his kindred have vanished from the earth.' " dwarf-gates and the reference to Narvi and his craft and all his kindred. Not elf-gates and Celebrimbor and his craft.

[@JoeyArmstrong2800]

When this movie works it really works but when it doesn't, it really doesn't.

[@gnammyhamster9554]

The biggest issue in this movie is that you can feel how little budget they had

[@Richard_Nickerson]

They look more like tall Jawas than Sand People

[@animationunlimited2958]

Sam in this film kinda looks like Karlsson-on- the-Roof.

[@lordinquisitordunn336]

Yeah this movie is very much a 70s pg when pg actually meant something

[@charlesdexterward7781]

Good work. Not sure which of your vids I saw you mention Rankin Bass, but if you're still looking for it: kisscartoon.bz/cartoon-movies/the-return-of-the-king/

[@persallnas5408]

I have allways loathed the bizzare face of Aragorn in this film.

[@arckocsog253]

Jackson ripped off many scenes. Aragorn looks awful in this one, like a caveman

[@poeterritory]

I went to see this back in 1978 only to find it was half the story. I was bemused and there was no indication that there would be a part 2. I never realized that it came out later. until the 2000s, which,. by the time, I no longer cared to see the rest. Very strange marketing strategy.

[@feanaaro8652]

it never came out. They did an animated Return of the King, but it was not the sequel to Bakshi's movie

[@Mulcam29]

The studio stopped him from making the whole trilogy into a movie.

[@draug7966]

This movie definetely has it's flaws but it also has a certain atmosphere that i really like. In some aspects it did a better job with the orcs, in Jackson's trilogy they're pretty much just ugly brutes wich is cool in a way, but Bakshi's orcs on the other hand has something more demonic and otherwordly going on wich is way creepier.

[@sabineb.5616]

Peter Jackson´s LOTR trilogy is not perfect at all! But Bakshi´s movie is infuriating for so many reasons. It is completely confusing for those who have not read the books. There is no attempt at world building at all. And while it has a few strong moments, like all scenes with the black riders, it has even more downright bad moments which look either ridiculous or cheap. The best thing about Bakshi´s half-LOTR is that it motivated me to read the books!

[@janjanboquia6738]

Sick swords you have there. Just like what you see in the movies. you must be verey fond of the LOTR.

[@superdave3506]

I don’t really care for this movie. While I can certainly appreciate the efforts put in for it’s time(rotoscoping, music), it just feels awkward and dated. I found myself laughing when I probably shouldn’t lol. I think it would be interesting with the animation technology we have now, how the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings would turn out. Curious.....

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

I actually don’t care for more modern styles of animation, though the techniques I’m sure have improved.

[@superdave3506]

I was thinking about the animation style from the Netflix reboot of Voltron. It was done by Dreamworks. If you ever get the chance to watch an episode(they’re fairly short) give it a shot. I’d be curious to hear your thoughts. Great content as always.

[@forty_two42]

I just purchased a DVD copy of Rankin Bass RotK. Check on Amazon that's where I found mine

[@Duke_Togo_G13]

Rankin Bass films are trash.

[@beyondthecamera333]

They say Arumann because the studio requested it. No joke

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

The theory was Saruman sounded too much like Sauron.

[@beyondthecamera333]

Tolkien Lore Nah bro, I aint joking. It aint a theory, this is actually true. The studio thought that the names were similar, so they requested Ralph to change it. But halfway throught recording the movie the studio changed its mind. Thats why only some takes say arumann.

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

I mean the theory the studio was operating under.

[@beyondthecamera333]

Tolkien Lore Ok

[@gnammyhamster9554]

Gimli: Legolas! Two already! Legolas: I'm not seventeen! Anakin: Do you guys count women and children too?

[@Faladin85]

Dont need everything mansplsined to us babys.. seen kids never seen anything understand it all.. overthinking... plus stuff point out is straight from books.. it a dwarf doior with elf magic pippin right...honestly biggest change was legolas steping in early for brevity.. thx for trying

[@phoule76]

the beginning few musical notes remind me of that over-dramatic groundhog gif.

[@kascausevic7502]

The books are quite rightly recognised (or should be) as a foundational work of the genre and the films despite mostly excellent casting, frequently beautiful landscapes/ convincing sets, compelling camera work, interesting joining of the dots where Tolkien left gaps- suffers from being too long and ponderous, too whiny(I'd rather go to Mordor than watch Frodo and Sam cry about everything so much) too drawn out by whacky plot inventions( Aragorn never rode a warg at all let alone off a cliff) too much added humour( never throw a Dwarf! fuck off) too much forced romance (Arwen and Aragorn) too much expansion of minor characters ( Wormtoungue,Arwen, orc that keeps shooting arrows at Boromir etc) do we really have to see Saruman's orcish middle management? Too much Legolas acrobatics (hamstringing two oliphaunt front legs whilst riding a horse underneath in one pass) the main character being a whiny little bitch, hint he's not supposed to be adolescent (he's the equivalent of a thirty to forty year old) I could go on. So for me all the good stuff is far outweighed by the things that baffle me or shit me to tears.

[@TolkienLorePodcast]

You realize I’m not reviewing Jackson’s trilogy here, right?

[@kascausevic7502]

@@TolkienLorePodcast Absolutely, my apologies I can see why one would've gotten that impression, I enjoyed your review of the animated film and agree with your perspective, I was purely ranting. I'm a huge fan of the novels and have had such a love and hate relationship with the Jackson films (hate won in the end) I really liked what you said about the Aragorn character in the Jackson films being somewhat flacid but not so in the Bakshi film or indeed the novel, also I think Bakshi may have illustrated him that way because he's supposed to be somewhat weatherbeaten from living rough and ranging/wandering plus he's described as being fairly rugged and unattractive (he is a warrior and approximately 60 years old in human years) however with the natural grace of a Numinorean.