Product: The Hobbit [VHS] (1977)
Rating: 4.0
The Hobbit
The Rankin-Bass adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" is, for the most part, quite superb (unlike their later attempt at "The Return of the King," which is hit and miss). This animated tale captures the spirit of the book from beginning to ending, and provides some very detailed (if at times jerky) animation. Tolkien's songs are adapted beautifully, and each and every tune is remarkably catchy (except for the out-of-place retro folk tunes not derived from Tolkien). To top it all off, the final confrontation with Smaug is indeed climactic, and the ending is suitably bittersweet.It is not flawless, however. There are a few too many American accents floating around in this Middle-Earth despite the novel's very British origins. Some characters have a tendency to chew the animated scenery (such as Bard, and even Bilbo himself). The Elves depicted here are squat, ugly, and speak with strange Austrian accents, and are very much unlike the Elves of Tolkien's works, which are tall, beautiful, and fair-spoken. Alas, the character of Beorn does not make an appearance either, though the film itself is very short, and had plenty of time to include him.All in all, "The Hobbit" is true to its source material, and that is the best compliment that any book-to-film adaptation can be paid - especially one that is based upon one of the most magical tales of all time.