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Price: $14.97 - $5.00
(as of Apr 02, 2025 12:35:58 UTC – Details)
From the manufacturer
The Lord of the Rings: 1978 Animated Movie
Ralph Bakshi’s animated adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s revered Middle-earth saga captures the dark mood of the books extraordinarily well. The film covers the first half of the trilogy–“The Fellowship of the Ring” and the earlier part of “The Two Towers”–as Frodo (voiced by Christopher Guard), the cousin of Bilbo Baggins from “The Hobbit”, is given the all-powerful ring sought by the evil Sauron of Mordor. So begins his adventure, as he must elude Mordor’s black riders in an effort to prevent the ring from returning to its owner and thereby signaling the end of Middle-earth. Even with the mighty wizard Gandalf as his ally and faithful friends Merry, Sam, and Pippin by his side, Frodo is still up to his hobbit neck in peril.
Ralph Bakshi’s animated adaptation of The Lord of the Rings features a problematic 1080p/VC-1 transfer; one that unfortunately reveals how desperately the film could use the sort of complete restoration studios like Disney have granted their catalog classics over the years. But let’s start with what the presentation gets right. Bakshi’s color palette has been accurately preserved, bolstered and emboldened even, and looks better than it has in a long time. That’s not to say its colors are vibrant or particularly punchy — quite the contrary — but its earthy hues, gloomy skies, and muddy reds effectively evoke the filmmaker’s intended tone. And while primaries randomly shudder, bright whites often dip and dive, and black levels aren’t always as deep or inky as modern animation fans are accustomed to, I strongly suspect each issue traces back to the original print rather than some nefarious technical oversight. Detail has been reasonably improved as well, even if the image occasionally fails to drastically distinguish itself from its DVD counterpart. Filmic softness surges and relents throughout, but every errant stroke of the animators’ pens, every mistake, and every shortcut is clearer than it’s ever been (even if only by a moderate margin).
Still, the whole of the presentation is murky and bruised, even when compared to the Blu-ray edition of Bakshi’s Fire and Ice. Though age is certainly a factor, little has been done to address the condition of the print. Scratches, nicks, and specks are both common and distracting, the film’s solarized live-action footage is beset by a number of eyesores, entire sequences and battle scenes are drab and dingy, and contrast is terribly underwhelming. It doesn’t help that wobbling and wavering, not to mention some slight banding and faint artifacting, also pop up to hinder the proceedings. That being said, I’m not sure how much the studio could have done without committing serious funds to a frame-by-frame restoration; an extremely costly process even the film’s most ardent fans will admit isn’t going to happen anytime in the near future, if ever. At least when Disney invests millions to restore films like Snow White and Pinocchio, they know they’ll see a return on their investment. I doubt anyone working for the studio believes Bakshi’s Lord of the Rings could do any such thing, even when being released alongside Peter Jackson’s famed adaptation of Tolkien’s tale. Dreary and disappointing as it can be at times, this is — and will probably continue to be — the best version of the film available on the market.
Though it arrives with a similarly adequate thud, Warner’s Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround track is the highlight of the release, if for no other reason than it offers diehards a worthwhile reason to toss aside their old DVDs. It isn’t a remarkable remix by any means — several lines of dialogue are inconsistent and poorly prioritized, LFE output leaves a lot to be desired, sound effects are sometimes spongy or tinny, and the rear speakers tend to be timid and restrained — but I would much rather listen to a humble lossless homage than an overzealous reworking of a meager source. More often than not, the cast’s voices are clean and clear, Leonard Rosenman’s score leaves a fitting mark, sword clashes and hoof-falls are blessed with welcome (if not average) weight and stability, and pans are fairly smooth. Overall, the lossless mix may retain the front-heavy disposition of the film’s original presentation (even when armies collide and Ringwraiths attack), but it handily bests its lossy Dolby Digital cousin. In the end, reaction to Warner’s TrueHD track will hinge on expectation. It isn’t going to wake the neighbors or stir sleeping children from their slumber, and it isn’t going to win many accolades from those sliding in Bakshi’s animated adaptation after finishing the sonic powerhouse that is the Blu-ray edition of Peter Jackson’s Return of the King. What it will do though is please its fanbase.
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
MPAA rating : PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Product Dimensions : 7.75 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches; 1.76 ounces
Item model number : 6638726
Director : Ralph Bakshi
Media Format : Multiple Formats, Color, AC-3, Dolby, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled, Animated
Run time : 2 hours and 14 minutes
Release date : April 6, 2010
Actors : Christopher Guard, William Squire, John Hurt, Michael Sholes, Dominic Guard
Subtitles: : English
Producers : Saul Zaentz
Language : English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Studio : Warner Home Video
ASIN : B0033090D2
Country of Origin : USA
Number of discs : 1
Stargazer –
Great price and product
Got this as a birthday gift for someone. It played well with no issues. They are happy with it. Great product and price
Jeff –
Lord of the rings
Definitely watch this movies if you are a fan, itâs a classic.
Su S –
Great film, great dvd
One of the movies that brought me in to fantasy and this is a great version of the dvd.
Rama T –
A true jewel.
I remember back in the 80s and 90s when my dad tried to get a copy of this movie on VHS. The bygone era when the closest we got the JRR Tolkien treatment was the animated movies. This one had to be my favorite to watch, especially with my father. Getting this to put on my shelf and watch with my own kids definitely brings back memories.
Plays smooth and while the animation style is dated and not the most popular, this movie which covers the Fellowship and the Two Towers is what really got me into Lord of the Rings when I was a child.
SRFireside –
Resoundly imperfect. Undeniably a great work of art. Blu-Ray not remastered, but still looks good
There is considerable controversy over Bakshi’s Lord of the Rings. People seem to either love it or hate it, and both with a passion. There is a reason for this. LotR was a grand undertaking in putting to film one of those literary works that many believed to be unfilmable. As a proof of concept the movie was an astounding success. However some of the decisions made in production damaged the artistic consistency of the film. Still Lord of the Rings made a very strong impression on the psyche of Tolkien fans, and has even lent a fair amount of influence on the widely successful Fellowship of the Ring directed by Peter Jackson.
For those of you not familiar with Lord of the Rings this movie retells the first book, Fellowship of the Ring and about half of the second book, The Two Towers, into one film. An evil being of immeasurable power (Sauron) is coming back to lay claim to the lands, and all it needs to secure his dominance is a single ring that holds much of his power. A band of adventurers are tasked to take the ring to the only place they know where it can be destroyed. On top of that a prominent king is about to overthrown by forces aligned with Sauron, which members of the fellowship go to aid. Tolkien’s story of the ring is pretty much the definitive blueprint for just about every fantasy setting written about since.
Bakshi’s version is a hybrid animated film that is both rotoscoped cell drawn animation and posterized and shaded live footage. The rotoscoped animation in my opinion is right up there among the best. More on the posterization later. Animation helps give Bakshi the ability to put on film those fantasy elements that would simply not look right in a live action setting. Hobbits can be in their proper size and dimension. Fantasy creatures like the Balrog can be realized (and though Bakshi’s Balrog looks very different from any other rendition I find it a really cool version of the creature). And in taking the best parts of Tolkien’s work for the script you get some eloquent dialog between the characters.
Bakshi made Lord of the Rings with a love of the original books, and was dedicated in making a movie as true to Tolkien’s work as possible. Dialog comes straight from the books, as do almost all of the scenes. I say almost because there are a few embellishments put in to either enhance parts of the book that only mentions an event (for dramatic effect) or as a subtle change for aesthetic reasons. The more significant changes really made a difference in terms of that dramatic effect, and can be seen in Jackson’s movies as well. For one there is a scene where the Ring Wraiths attempt to assassinate the Hobbits while they sleep to only be tricked by decoys. Another was Boromir’s death, where he valiantly tries to protect his comrades against impossible odds. These scenes were only mentioned in the books, but not actually visualized note by note. Not only did Bakshi do a great visualization of these events the exact scenes were adapted to Jackson’s movies as well (to great effect). Other changes that both Bakshi and Jackson did (that could be a total coincidence) was to make a scene on Gandalf’s capture by Saruman (only mentioned in the book) and change the character that arrives to the rescue with Gandalf to Helm’s Deep (Eomir instead of Erkenbrand). Ultimately if you love Jackson’s LotR you have to give a not to Bakshi for some of the inspiration.
There are things that Bakshi did in his movies I actually prefer over Jackson’s version. Take Galadriel’s “test” speech for one. Jackson directed that dialog with a healthy dose of dramatic effect that makes me feel it was way overdone and made the mood artificially heightened. With Bakshi the same speech was more playful with Galadriel in more control of her emotions, thus ended with what feels like a more mature dialog. Other little details come up like Aragorn just feels more regal and commanding in Bakshi’s version and the interaction between the hobbits felt more personal without being over dramatic. Also I like Gollum’s semi-comical approach with some of the dialog (the sneaking dialog I like best). These are more my preferences, but I wanted to at least point out the things I feel were done right.
So that’s what’s done right. Now what was done wrong? Mainly the second half of the movie. Remember that posterization process of animation I mentioned earlier? What you essentially get from that is live action footage (actors in period garb and swords and everything) that is colored and textured to look more like it’s animation. It’s not a bad process, but you already have half the movie done in a different process. When the scenes that show the posterized characters come you see a glaring contrast. Then you start getting complete scenes that are all posterized that just look cheap when compared to the cell animation. You see the cheap masks the actors are wearing to denote they are orcs, and characters who were previously shaded now look totally different. I understand that Bakshi preferred this process because the actor’s subtle emotions can be better expressed, but if you ask me the cell drawings even did that better.
Another thing that sticks to my craw are a few of the characters. Boromir for one looks like a freakin’ viking. Now don’t get me wrong. I can see where that comes from. If you read Tolkien’s books there is a lot of Norse references in regards to Boromir’s people as well as other nations of men. But at the same time he is supposed to come from one of the largest human kingdoms in the land. I would think they would be beyond furry shorts and horned helmets in that kind of society. Also the non-human characters seem more like background pieces with very little dialog or significant role. This is one thing Jackson really did well in his version.
Finally there is a downside to being completely true to a series of novels, and that is movies can never do what novels do. Sure Bakshi made changes that lent more to the visual impact of a film, but at the same time there were lots of scenes that lacked that kind of focus and seemed to be more focused on going through the motions to get to the next chapter. This is especially true in the last part of the movie where the film seems to just abruptly end with a quick narrative dialog and no real coda or conclusion that felt like the movie is over.
This Blu-Ray is a pretty good transfer, but it is not remastered. There is a good amount of dirt and blemish you can see from the source material. Still the colors are very sharp and the details are far better than any previous release. The Dolby TrueHD surround track is in my opinion flawed. Dialog looks off sometimes and the simulated surround sound is unimpressive. I wish this disc at least had the original stereo English track to make up for it. At least you get this movie in French, Spanish and German. There is one extra on the disc, and that is Forging Through The Darkness. It’s an older documentary that runs about a half hour and is in standard definition. It chronicles Bakshi’s career as an upstart animator and covers his entire work and not just this film.
I don’t think this movie deserves the hate, but I at least understand it. All in all Bakshi’s Lord of the Rings is a very worthwhile film that deserves to be noted in the annals of fantasy movies. It is far from perfect, but what it got right it got really right. I would recommend this film mostly to Tolkien fans who have read the books, or at least seen Jackson’s trilogy. Those unfamiliar with the content may feel lost for no other reason than those scenes that go through the motions on the second half. This Blu-Ray is the best looking transfer that’s out there, and the added documentary make it the most complete collection.
RDD –
A Piece of Cinematic History!
Ralph Bakshiâs 1978 film, âThe Lord of the Rings,â adapts the first two volumes of J.R.R. Tolkienâs epic, covering material from âThe Fellowship of the Ringâ and âThe Two Towers.â The story generally follows Tolkienâs novel, though Bakshi condenses Frodoâs journey from Bag End to Bree. He also blends Glorfindel with Legolas. Unlike the Rankin/Bass adaptation of âThe Hobbit,â Bakshi and United Artists intended the film for an adult audience so they do not shy away from violence in the battle scenes or pathos in more emotional moments, like Boromirâs death. John Hurt portrays Aragorn and Anthony Daniels voices Legolas. Though WB acquired the rights to this film alongside the Rankin/Bass pictures, there is a noticeable difference in their production. It works, however, as âThe Hobbitâ is for younger readers while âLord of the Ringsâ is more adult in its tone. Bakshi hoped to make a sequel in order to complete the narrative, but it never happened. The DVD ends with a narrator summarizing, âThe forces of darkness were driven forever from the face of Middle-Earth by the valiant friends of Frodo. As their gallant battle ended, so, too, ends the first great tale of The Lord of the Rings.â
The film is very experimental, blending traditional animation with rotoscoping (animation drawn over traditional filming) and some shots that were put through a color filter or exposed differently, similar to color-tinted silent films. This color-tint process creates a high degree of contrast, leaving the figures rather dark at times so that, in their armor, they somewhat resemble the art for Prince Valiant. In terms of technique, the only modern work I could compare it to is Richard Linklaterâs 2006 film, âA Scanner Darkly.â One of the bonus features is âForging Through the Darkness,â a look at Ralph Bakshiâs life as an animator and how his work fit into the animation scene. It points out that Disney, who had traditionally dominated American feature-length animation, was then at its nadir (see the documentary, âWaking Sleeping Beautyâ) while connecting Bakshiâs artistic vision to the underground comix scene of the 1960s and 1970s.
Vecchio Gufo –
Mi aspettavo di trovre la copertina mostrata in foto invece è arrivato in veste ridisegnata, avrei preferito la prima. L’ho acquistato usato a circa 5 euro, comprese le spese di spedizione; spedizione un po’ lenta (ha impiegato il doppio del tempo previsto) ma arrivato in ottime condizioni. Per chi, come me, si è avvicinato al mondo di Tolkien guardando il film di Jackson, troverà questo film un po’ concitato e sbrigativo, ma sarà divertente individuare le scene che Jackson ha copiato nei suoi film. In fine considero questo liguaggio di animazione molto scenografico e favolistico, penso che invecchiando sia migliorato.
Mr Creosote –
This is one of those films that the cliché “a flawed masterpiece” was invented for. Released in 1978, this was an (overly?) ambitious attempt to animate Tolkein’s epic fantasy bestseller. Director Ralph Bakshi had a reputation as a bit of an iconoclast, determined to free the art of animation from the banal schmaltz that Disney had become, and make it a credible medium for adult audiences rather than just pap for kids. Long before CGI animation was a possibility, his Lord of the Rings was very innovative technically in filming large amounts of real live action and then rotoscoping this frame by frame into the animated backgrounds. This does result in some excellent fluid motion for characters, particularly in the battle scenes, and the best bits (for instance, Nazgul on horseback) look stunning. However many of the other animated characters are less successful, the hobbits looking rather ‘cartoony’ and as for Legolas, I laughed out loud when I saw him! And the balrog is just ahine! The backgrounds are often beautifully detailed by may remind you a little too much of Yes albums covers 🙂
The voice acting is also ‘good in parts’ but overall seems a little nondescript, with too many samey English accents from character to character. The orchestral score does the film no favours in my opinion, generally being rather uninspired, and the sound design is also rather undeveloped for a fantasy film like this.
The pacing of the story is rather uneven too, some sequences seem rather drawn out, others whizz by in jump cuts (with, inevitably, some bits of the book omitted – poor old Tom Bombadil!). The greatest flaw of all, of course, is that the film stops in the bloody middle of the story! Apparently the director wanted to put it out as “Lord of the Rings Part 1”, but bizarrely the studio vetoed this, claiming it would put people off wanting to see the film (?!) Of course, what happened was that cinema goers at the time almost unanimously felt duped when the film “ended half way”. In any case, despite the film making a healthy box office profit, Part 2 was never made.
Anyways – so much for the film itself, what about the BluRay? Well, that too is a little flawed. It’s clearly made from a print, and is full of speckles and dirt from all that rotoscoping and compositing. Clearly, doing a frame-by-frame restoration from the original negatives so as to fix all these would be insanely expensive, so its not entirely surprising that it wasn’t been attempted. Nonetheless, the phrase “this high resolution presentation may reveal limitations of the original source materials” certain applies here. I would have thought they could at least have stabilised some of the film wobble in places, but no. The 5.1 sound mix is rather tame too, although the dialogue is always clear. As a bonus feature, there’s a fairly engaging half-hour documentary about Ralph Bakshi that sheds a fair amount of light on how and why the film looks the way it does.
All in all, if you like Tolkein and/or animation, this film certainly has some flashes of brilliance. Indeed, you may well spot certain shots which were homaged almost exactly by Peter Jackson in his film version (and also in HTV’s 1980s TV adaption of Robin of Sherwood, for those who remember ‘The Swords of Wayland’). I’m happy to own a copy, but much as its best bits deserve praise, it’s hard not to come away with a shopping list of things about it that you think could’ve been done better! Ultimately that’s as much a testament to the breadth and depth of vision in Tolkein’s original book as anything else.
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John R –
La pelÃcula llegó a tiempo y en buen estado. Esta es la pelÃcula que me faltaba de Ralph Bakshi, es fantástico lo que se logró en esos años en la animación, muy buena, y viene doblada al español.
A Customer –
Yes, I MEAN it. Although this film has been criticised previously, this animated version sticks to the story (although truncated and only about half because the director ran out of cash) much more accurately than the films. The live-action/animated Black Riders are especially good, giving one the feeling that they are indeed shadowy figures and adds a sense of unreality.
The film does lack the awe-inspiring scenes from Peter Jackon’s LOTR trilogy – but just remember that this was made in the late 70s when technology wasn’t at it’s pinnacle. This version is experimental in its animation – something I haven’t seen since – which makes it unique.
All the main points of the story are here. Although it is short and could be longer, it does at least STICK to the story instead of making up additional scenes or altering the plot because the director thinks that a modern audience can’t cope with a film with only quite minor female characters (yes, Peter Jackson, I mean you!!).
The voice talent is impressive – including such luminaries as John Hurt and Annette Crosbie. Gollum in particular is voiced extremely well and looks exactly how I’d pictured him when I originally read the books.
The lack of extras on the DVD is disappointing – I can’t help thinking that some of the scenes/storyboard which were supposed to be in the second film could have been incorporated into a feature for the DVD.
I recommend this film to anyone who enjoys the books, or the more recent films. Definitely worth a look.