Product: The Hobbit [VHS] (1977)
Rating: 4.0
Good adaptation of the Tolkien Masterpiece
I first saw the Hobbit when I was about 12 years old. It made me ask my dad a lot of questions about literature. Later on in life, when I was about 18, I started to read a lot of books. I remebered this childhood classic, and I quickly went out and read the book by J.R.R. Tolkien. Soon after reading the book, I went into a Tolkien craze and I went out and bought the video to watch again. This video is simply a charming little cartoon that pretty much accurately represents the style of Tolkien. It is definitely not as morbid as the cartoon "The Lord of the Rings" directed by Ralph Bashki in 1979, but then again "The Hobbit" is not as morbid a book as the fascinating trilogy "Lord of the Rings". This movie is wonderful for introducing the kids to Tolkien's works for the first time, but it is also great to watch even if you are an adult fan. I warn you though if you are expecting a gothic and graphic representation, you will not be happy. The fight and battle scenes are very kiddy and the evil things represented are not really evil enough. All of this being said, however, this movie still somehow manages to capture the spirit of "The Hobbit". John Huston is the voice of Gandalf, and there is not a better Gandalf-sounding voice that I have ever heard. The animation of Bilbo(and the rest of the Hobbits), the dwarves, the elves, and the Goblins are all pretty much how I pictured them while reading the books. Like the opening theme song says "the greatest adventure is the one that lies ahead". Start your adventure today by ordering this classic video.