Product: The Hobbit [VHS] (1977)
Rating: 4.0
Difficult to review - but ultimately high marks are needed
The Rankin-Bass adaptations of JRR Tolkien's beloved Middle-Earth novels are a challenge to appreciate. They set a difficult task for themselves by simply taking on these projects - Tolkien considered his books "unfilmbable," and the legions of his rabid fans are only too eager to pick over any flaw or devitation from the original books, no matter how minor. And these productions are not mega-budget affairs, either.And yet, of the three projects undertaken by the Rankin-Bass team, "The Hobbit" is by far the most successful. Despite the fact that this is an extremely dated film - thanks to the dramatic improvements in animation since 1977 and Glenn Yarbrough's incredibly new-agey vibrato - the movie is a perfect little adventure for kids under the age of 10.In the wake of Peter Jackson's stupendous "Lord of the Rings" films, a little comparison is warranted. The gap between this production of "The Hobbit" and Peter Jackson's films is tremendous - you cannot put these productions side by side. For one thing, Jackson's catering budget was probably 100 times the size of the Rankin-Bass operating budget. For another, the Rankin-Bass guys were trying to make a cartoon, while Jackson was trying to make some serious movies. So it is as unfair to the Rankin-Bass team to complain that "The Hobbit" is not as good as Jackson's movies as it is to complain that the Looney Tunes "G.I. Bugs Bunny" is not as good as "Saving Private Ryan."So what do you get with this adapation of "The Hobbit"? First, you get a condensed story that is still remarkably faithful to the original book. The movie feels a bit pell-mell at times - the visit to the House of Elron, the attack by the goblins in the Misty Mountains, and the fiery-rescue-by-the-eagles scene each seem to take about 45 seconds - but it knows where to linger. Bilbo's riddle-game with Gollum is a lot of fun, and Bilbo's encounter with Smaug is the high mark of the movie. All in all, the movie does a terrific job showing Bilbo's growth from a respectable hobbit to a full-flung adventurer (although one who never forgets the simple pleasures of a good pipe and a large meal). The filmmakers also did an excellent job adapting Tolkien's original poetry and songs into the movie soundtrack - my four-year-old daughter walked around singing "Fifteen Birds in Five Fir Trees" for a couple of days after watching the movie for the first time. These are simple, catchy songs - perfect for kids.The animation is also first-rate (for its time). There are the usual short-cuts, but all the characters are drawn more or less along the archetypal lines. The only exception to this are the Wood Elves, who are a mysteriously dark and frowny bunch. Voice talents are impeccable - Orson Bean is an earnest Bilbo, John Huston is a wise and knowing Gandalf, and Richard Boone is awesome as Smaug. It's a little jarring to hear some of the more minor characters voiced by the same voices I remember from "The Flintstones," "Battle of the Superfriends," and the "Laff-O'lympics" - but that's a minor complaint.Tolkien fans will lament the shortcomings of this adaptation - the story was slashed to Cliff Notes proportions, and the overall production is so kid-friendly it is hard for adult fans of Tolkien to watch it without feeling a little guilty. But with the news that Peter Jackson continues to try to put "The Hobbit" on the big screen, there's hope for a more mature version of the film. But the fact remains that this production will be the first exposure to Tolkien for lots of young people, and it does a perfect job of baiting the hook.