Product: The Hobbit [VHS] (1977)
Rating: 3.0
Not the book, but an OK condensation
Fanatical Tolkien fans will surely be disappointed by The Hobbit, but it's not bad for what it is: a child-oriented musical adaptation. The movie condenses the books plot down to the bare bones, and yes, I did spend a lot of my viewing time thinking "But what about....". A lot is left out, but what is left in works well, and the story moves along briskly. The voice work is OK; nothing special, and the animation is decent.The DVD itself is pretty bare-bones- the movie, a few (brief) text features, chapter headings, and that's it. It's not a bad way to pass a few hours, especially for a nostalgic fan (like myself....) who hasn't seen it since the original CBS airing in 1977. (I liked it better when I was six...)I would definitely recommend it for younger viewers, and it's a great way for parents to get their kids interested in reading; an interested child might want to move on to the books.