Product: The Hobbit [VHS] (1977)
Rating: 4.0
The underappreciated prequel to the trilogy!
OK, Tolkien-fever has struck the world! So, of course, renewed interest in this 1978 revival of Tolkien's "The Hobbit" is natural. After reading the horrid reviews people have written about this harmless cartoon, I am taking a stand and defending its virtues.So it doesn't exactly include everything from the book. So the animation is not Pixar-quality. The movie includes the majority of the relevant points from the book and paints an entertaining tale of magic, sorcery, and the races of Middle Earth. In fact, after just recently reading "The Hobbit", I found this cartoon to accurately portray the images I had in my mind while reading its chapters.Bilbo Baggins is the most unlikely hero, playing the "burglar" designated by the wizard Gandalf to help the Dwarves reclaim the treasure that lies within the Lonely Mountain. During his travels, he meets Trolls, Elrond in Rivendell (a character which recurs in the LOTR trilogy), wicked spiders, elves, and much more. And, as a small part of the tale, he encounters Gollum and finds a most ordinary ring...a trinket that enables him to become invisible. Little does he know...In any case, unless Peter Jackson decides to make the LOTR prequel of "The Hobbit", this is the only one we've really got. And I have to say, it wasn't that bad. Read the book, though...it will make the movie more enjoyable and understandable. It's a children's story, and that's how you should view the story and this movie.