Movie Review

Years ago, I got to watch an animated version of The Hobbit on tv. Normally, television animation can be pretty pathetic. The Hobbit was an extraordinary exception. It was superbly done. The cartoon scenes have great depth and wonderful color. Even more extraordinary, the cartoon was done before all the fancy computer wizardry came about. I suspect many of the cartoon cells had to be drawn by hand.

It regards to the story, it really brought the characters of Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, and the dwarves to life. Some of the actors they used for the voices of the characters were superb. Richard Boone gives a fantastic voice to Smaug. After watching the Lord of the Rings movies, I couldn't imagine anyone else's voice for Gandalf but Sir Ian McKellen's. In The Hobbit, John Huston supplies the voice for Gandalf and does an outstanding job. Brother Theodore provides the voice for Gollum and gives Andy Serkis a run for his money. To add further delight, the cartoon movie incorporates a number of wonderful songs in the movie. The whole combines to make a classic of animation.

The only complaint I would have with the movie is that it is only 77 minutes long. For a Middle-Earth junkie, that isn't long enough. I want another five, ten, fifteen minutes of such wonder. Considering what they had to do to produce the movie, I can understand why it is so short. Still, I sorely wish it were longer. More so, since this is likely to be the definitive movie version of The Hobbit for some time. (I'll post a separate post about a petition effort to get the various studios to do a deal so they can make an acted version.)

If you're a big Lord of the Rings fan, this movie is a must. It is the best version of The Hobbit on the market right now. The movie also helps explain things so many things pertinent to the Lord of the Rings. How did Bilbo get the ring from Gollum? Where did he get Sting? Where did Gandalf get Glamdring? How did Bilbo end up meeting Elrond? How did Bilbo get the idea of writing his book about his adventures? All of these questions are answered in The Hobbit. If you're not a big Lord of the Rings fan but, you like outstanding animation, this movie is also for you. The colors are superb and the scenes have great depth. The movie has some of the finest animation you'll see out there. It is truly a credit to Rankin Bass who made the movie.

I would definitely recommend you see this movie. Some people may not realize that such a movie was made. It was released in 1978! It is hard to imagine that it has been out so long. If you wish to buy it (I plan to), it should cost you around $13 though you may be able to buy it for less. To me, that is cheap considering what you're getting. Lastly, if you would like to help bring about a live acted version of the movie, please see my post following this one. As much as I enjoyed this movie, I very much would like to see Peter Jackson make his version. Jackson definitely has the vision and the Lord of the Rings movies simply aren't enough. I want to see more of Middle-Earth. Cheers!