ryderstrong69 This was a great adaptation of the book. The songs and poems translated very well into the cartoon. People often like to put these movies up against the Peter Jackson films made decades later and of course movies made in the late 70s and early 80 with budgets under 4 million dollars wont be as good as live action films with budgets in the 100 million dollar range. That said for the time period it was a very good animated film that was enjoyable for kids and adults. The animation was good even by a lot of todays standards. This movie has also inspired a lot of people to go out and read the LOTR books. If you enjoy the books or even the Newer films you should check this movie out.

parkerr86302 Having recently seen this version for the first time in a number of years, I can see its faults, but many of the reviewers here are way too hard on it. Tolkien's masterful trilogy was unfilmable in live action before the advent of CGI, but fans were clamoring for film versions anyway, and then hated them when they arrived. Oy veh! While this Rankin/Bass version was not as good as their THE HOBBIT, I still found it to be quite entertaining on its own level, as long as you don't compare it to Peter Jackson's impeccable epics. The voice cast was great, and it was quite ambitious for Rankin/Bass, known chiefly for their animated Christmas specials.This film's haters should listen to the lyrics of one of Glenn Yarbrough's---It Is So Easy Not To Try. Rankin/Bass tried, and Tolkien fans who have expressed outrage over this would have been angrier if no one had tried back then. Everyone here needs to take a chill pill.

ygdrasil-2 I never thought I would be forced to rate anything this low, but my respect for the book compels me to just that. This is the worst crap I have ever seen. The makers should be crucified. J. R. R. Tolkien, rest his soul, would cry in the view of this utter destruction of his phenomenal work. I weep while I force my self to watch it to the end. Why it was made in the firs place one can only wonder. Characters personalities are warped, they are used in wrong context and even left out. The meaning and point is lost. What is left is a dish without texture and taste which should never have been. There is but one reason to watch this and that is to know how it was utterly destroyed.

CelluloidRehab This is an animated version of Tolkien's Return of the King and parts of the Hobbit. It is not overly accurate nor thorough, but it is still quite memorable and enjoyable.The movie starts with Bilbo's 129th birthday celebration. The guest list includes Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Elrond and Gandolf. The Minstrel of Gondor comes out and proceeds to sing. From there we are treated to flashbacks. First a flashback of events from the Hobbit, followed by events from Fellowship of the Ring and Two Towers. The story picks up during Sam's rescue of Frodo from the tower. We are treated to the Battle of Gondor, Frodo & Sam's trip to Mount Doom (through the lands of Mordor) and the Battle at the Black Gate.This movie is mostly a patchwork of elements from the novel. There are some good voice talents being used. First and foremost is John Huston as Gandalf (and the narrator). One can also recognize Roddy McDowall as the voice of Samwise Gamgee. The voice of Gollum is also memorably done by Brother Theodore. These three characterizations (and voices) along with the music is what makes this movie truly memorable. The music is just so wonderful. I fondly remember my childhood watching this movie, in syndication on television during the mid to late 80's, and being simply captivated. It is quite evident that the target audience for this movie is children. While this movie is not perfect, it definitely opened the door for me to read the books and learn more. I highly recommend this movie to everyone.-Celluloid Rehab