Product: The Hobbit [VHS] (1977)
Rating: 3.0
Bilbo really was the one who salvaged this film...
Of all the LOTR characters, Bilbo is my favorite one; he's more interesting than Frodo or the other hobbits. The plot is a little banal and since it is a rather old movie, it's male-dominated and not very contemporary, but it's a rather fun film to watch. Best thing was that it was not too violent except a war scene in the end. Bilbo was funny and sometimes made me laugh, esp. when he's reluctant to join the elves in their adventure. Kids would enjoy the animated liveliness and singing rhymes that punctuate the film. Bilbo is really cute with his big brown eyes and red hair; he's also intelligent, witty, and real in a way that Frodo is not. Bilbo also shows fear openly, esp. when he and his elf friends are captured by evil gobins; they show Bilbo's shivering and teeth rattling realistically. I liked that Bilbo was intelligent enough to see that the various societies greed and subsequent going to war over the newly discovered treasure was wrong and it was courageous of him to stand up and refuse to join the foolish fighting even when the elves and other ridiculed him. Bilbo is almost as enlightened as Harry Potter in some respects and very peaceful and loving like Harry. I like the touching scene where Bilbo forgives his friends for ridiculing him and even sheds tears for one elf that dies in battle. I'd take Bilbo any day over Frodo. All in all, a cute, touching, funny story and a lot better than the LOTR series.