Voices of Orson Bean, John Huston, Theodore Bikel, and Roddy McDowell
Directed by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr.
Music by Maury Laws; Lyrics by Jules Bass
After the success of The Hobbit, Rankin-Bass set about making a sequel. Ralph Bakshi's Lord of the Rings debuted in 1978 as Rankin-Bass prepared storyboards for their film and proved that there was ample interest in the material. How well did they do adapting the final Lord of the Ring novel to animation? Let's begin as Frodo (Bean) explains to his uncle Bilbo (Bean) what happened with him getting rid of the Ring of Power that led to him losing his finger and find out...
The Story: Frodo and his friend Samwise Gamgee (McDowell) are charged with traveling to Mordor to destroy the Ring of Power that Bilbo once stole from little green frog-like monster Gollum (Brother Theodore). Sam first must rescue Frodo from the Orcs at Cirith Ungol. Sam's briefly tempted by the Ring, but he does manage to get Frodo away. They disguise themselves in Orc armor to infiltrate their army and get past to Mount Doom. They're first attacked by Gollum, who badly wants his "precious" back, and then Frodo seems to go crazy with the strain of being the Ring Bearer.
Meanwhile, their friend Pippin (Sonny Melendrez) warns Gandalf (Huston) about the impending invasion of the Orc army. Pippin tries to warn King of Rohan Denethor (William Conrad), but he's already gone mad. The Witch-King of Agmar (John Stephenson) and his forces seem to have the upper hand in battle after he slays King Theoden (Don Messik). What he never expected is for his boast that no man can kill him to be challenged by Eowyn (Nellie Bellflower), who is "no man," and then for the king of Middle Earth, Aragorn (Theodore Bikel), to return at last.
The Animation: Decent for them, especially at Mordor as Gollum, Sam, and Frodo fight for the ring and in some of the battle scenes. The end, with the White Ship riding off into the horizon, and the arrival of Aragon also manage to drum up the appropriate majesty. The bleak, earthy color scheme reminds us that this is no Christmas special and definitely gives the sense of Middle Earth's dark worlds.
The Song and Dance: Rankin-Bass really went all-out with this one. There's a few career-best performances from voice actors who are known for lighter material. Kasem does well with Merry's heartbreak at the loss of Theoden and how he ends up helping Eowyn, Conrad makes the most of his brief role as the mad king Denethor, and Bean and McDowell beautifully portray how the two young Hobbits get caught up in the ring's temptations. Messick shows why he played so many Hanna Barbara characters over the years by making The Voice of Sauron and Theoden two entirely different personalities with different voices.
Favorite Number: We open with the Minstrel (Glenn Yarborough) explaining "The Ballad of Frodo" and what ultimately transpired that ended with the loss of Frodo's finger. The booming choral number "Wearer of the Ring" is heard three times, notably in the beginning where Sam is tempted by the ring's power, and in the end, when Frodo has seemingly succumbed to it. Sam finally breaks himself of the ring's hold by reminding himself that "Less Is More," and he prefers the simple life. The chorus briefly warn "Beware the Power," then admonish that "It's So Easy Not to Try" when they follow the Orc Army.
The Orcs treat all their slaves, including Hobbitts, the same, as they remind them "Where There's a Whip, There's a Way." The hobbits wish they were at home and imagine what'll happen "'Till Yesterday." "Standing Underneath the Towers" and "Return of the King" are the big chorus numbers at the battle before and during Aragon's return. The title number shows how he finally defeats the Orcs and reclaims his throne. The film ends with the haunting "You Will Never Say Goodbye" as the remaining three Hobbits watch the White Ship carrying Erond (Paul Frees), Gandalf, Bilbo, and Frodo over the horizon.
What I Don't Like: Yeah, this has a lot of the same problems as its predecessors The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. There's just too much story (and too much in the stories that isn't exactly family-friendly) to compress into an hour-and-a-half animated film. A ton was dropped to make this more accessible at the time, including most of the first half of the book. You don't really feel Sam and Frodo's friendship like you should, or care who kills the Witch-King or know who Aragon even is. Bikel barely appears in the last 20 minutes and doesn't have enough to do; Bellflower doesn't give Eowyn nearly the passion she needs.
The Big Finale: Older elementary schoolers who are too young for the live-action movies but are still fans of fantasy may be intrigued by this earlier and slightly more kid-friendly visit to Middle Earth.
Home Media: Currently hard to find and pricey on DVD. Your best bet is to check used venues and look for uploads online.
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