Product: The Hobbit [VHS] (1977)
Rating: 4.0
A darn good cartoon for its time, despite the bell-bottom, wide-collar 70s soundtrack
I have to admit, I simply cannot be objective about this movie. It is a wonderful bit of cheesy goodness that has managed to weather the years well, IMHO. It reminds me of school vacation days when they would show this on CBS in the middle of the day for kids that were off school around Thanksgiving or Christmas... The 1970s, alas- when we still had only three networks plus PBS.The story is only marginally close to the original book, of course. The essential 'high points' of the story are there, though compressed almost beyond recognition; Rankin & Bass were going for a children's cartoon, after all- this was the same crew that created the claymation Xmas specials. It is nonethless enjoyable whether you are an adult or showing it to your own kids for the first time.Orson Bean creates a decent Bilbo while John Houston's deep, rich, bass makes Gandalf come to life as the sage, impatient Gray Wanderer.As other reviewers have stated, the sound effects are not what they were in the original broadcast version. Also, the music and songs are so, so DATED as to almost be painful... But if you were a child of the 70s like me, you 'get it'. (lol)