Product: The Hobbit [VHS] (1977)
Rating: 2.0
Tolkien for kids
Long before Peter Jackson, The Hobbit was the first of Tolkien's works to be adapted to the screen. This animated version premiered on television in 1978 and it is passable, but nothing spectacular. This movie tells the story of how Bilbo Baggins acquires the ring that becomes the central focus of The Lord of the Rings trilogy.The movie follows the book fairly well, but it is basically play by numbers. At only 77 minutes, it moves through the story quickly and fails to develop it. It lacks the feel or spirit of the book and the characters receive little development. Gollum, who is one of Tolkien's more interesting creations, is portrayed as a loathsome toad. Smaug hardly seems the awesome and terrifying creature that Bilbo outwits in the book. Gandalf and Bilbo are the only characters who receive an acceptable treatment.The animation is passable and the music is at best listenable and at worst annoying. As an introduction to Tolkien's works for kids this movie succeeds. However, for a more adult and/or Tolkien-savy audience this is lacking as a good representation of the depth of story telling that he was capable of. Unfortunately Peter Jackson has said that he has no plans to adapt this book so for now this is the only adaptation of The Hobbit available.