Have you ever wondered what The Lord of the Rings would be like if the filmmakers were obviously stoned? You’re about to find out, because the long-forgotten, and largely bonkers, animated Lord of the Rings movies have finally arrived on streaming. Peter Jackson’s trilogy is undoubtedly the most beloved adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s world, with a stellar cast and phenomenal practical effects (not to mention the soundtrack), which brings fans back for multiple viewings every year. But, in the darkest corner of Mordor, lies an adaptation so bizarre and surreal, it should be cast into the fires of Mount Doom.
Decades before Peter Jackson brought Hobbits to life on the big screen, Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit both received animated movies in the 1970s. The Hobbit was released in 1977, with Lord of the Rings hitting theaters the following year. Unless you grew up watching these adaptations on TV in the 70s, you are likely to know very little about the animated adaptations. Many newer fans don’t even know they exist. But a crash course education is coming soon, as The Hobbit (1977) and Lord of the Rings (1978) are streaming on Max now.
Directed by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr., The Hobbit is a surprisingly solid adaptation of Tolkien’s children’s novel. Despite some janky animation, a good script and decent performances make this animated movie more than watchable. Lord of the Rings, however, is a slightly different story. Directed by Ralph Bakshi, Lord of the Rings crams all three of Tolkien’s novels into one animated movie. Unlike Peter Jackson’s work. Lord of the Rings is a stilted, uninspired adaptation of Tolkien’s work. Usually, adaptations make audiences want to read the book because of how good the movie was. In the case of Lord of the Rings, you’ll want to read the book to realize why the books are so much better.
More ‘Lord of the Rings’ Movies Are On the Way
Peter Jackson’s original trilogy still remains the defining cinematic story for Lord of the Rings fans. Jackson later divided the fan base with The Hobbit trilogy, and Prime Video’s The Rings of Power series has done little to win some fans back. For those who still hold out hope for good Tolkien adaptations on the big screen, a new set of movies are acting as the proverbial eagles, swooping in to save the day.
The Hunt for Gollum is the next live-action Lord of the Rings film on the way. Directed by long-time Jackson collaborator, Andy Serkis, the film is set just before The Fellowship of the Ring. The full cast for The Hunt for Gollum is still unknown. Serkis has teased that several fan favorite characters will return, though it has not yet been confirmed which ones.
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This ‘Lord of the Rings’ Star Has a Reasonable Demand Before Returning in ‘The Hunt for Gollum’
“I never thought I’d be hunting for Gollum with a dwarf!””How about with a friend?”
But before that, Lord of the Rings is taking a second stab at animation. War of the Rohirrim is set to release in theaters on December 13. Set 183 years before The Fellowship of the Ring, the new animated feature (directed by Kenji Kamiyama) follows Helm Hammerhand and his daughter Hera, as they defend their home from a ruthless warlord, and a threat far greater than either of them can imagine.
- Release Date
- November 15, 1978
- Cast
- Christopher Guard , William Squire , Michael Scholes , John Hurt , Simon Chandler , Dominic Guard
- Runtime
- 132
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