The story of Jules Bass almost completely copies the original source, but the perception of the painting can be destroyed by the artist Arthur Rankin, but turning a blind eye to the original decision of the artist, “The Hobbit” can be attributed to a rather successful adaptation of the story of Professor Tolkien. The main thing is that the viewer gets used to drawing, so that he reconciled with goblin-like elves and frog-like goblins, then everything will be in openwork. As for the plot, the cartoon is very close to the book, all the details of the plot and a significant part of the important dialogues are preserved, it is good and just as in the book, the adventure begins unpretentiously and naively, gradually suffering its metamorphosis and becoming exciting.
There was a hole in the ground, and there was a hobbit in the hole, and he didn't push himself until one day Gandalf knocked on his door. Almost everything according to the canon and the famous dialogue with which Bilbo’s journey began, the adventure that became the ground for “The Lord of the Rings”, stories about the war in the third era.
- Good morning.
- What does that mean? Do you wish me good morning, or do you mean that it was good before I came? Or are you saying you’re okay and want to talk?
Both, and third.
This is how the adventure begins. And the picture correctly shows the journey from Hobittanya to the Lonely Mountain, where the path was laid through Licholesie, where the Necromancer sows evil. In the cartoon, the creators could not avoid another canon, for example, Song, but they are light and not tensing, these dwarf motifs are always in place, as in the book.
Time to go camping! Time to go home!
Over the mountains, under the mountains,
It's lying down, cursed, great treasure.
Treasures are on the mountain!
As easily Bilbo fell asleep under this song, so the viewer can plunge into a fairy-tale dream, and this is the quality of suitable cinema and animation, immerse the masses in a “collective dream”, it is good and for this you can praise both the director and the artist, for 77 minutes of a beautifully adapted fairy tale. The drawbacks of the picture can be considered battles, in the mind of the reader of the source, this is something grandiose, but in 1977 the artists did differently, using the view from above, where the army of the "five armies" is visible in the form of actively moving points. Yes, this is a minus, you can find fault with many things, but a good narrative lets “dust into the eyes”, forcing you to close your eyes with shortcomings. Regarding the drawing of the characters, the unprepared viewer can judge it by the poster, which is as close to the drawing as possible to the drawing of the tape, everything is quite colorful and well-drawn, and the dynamic movement of the picture, facial expressions, gestures and emotions of the characters add a plus (speech about close-ups, about battles was said above).
Many viewers may be interested in the scene of “mysteries in the dark”, Gollum must get used to, the drawing of this and important character is very peculiar, but the episode itself deserves a plus for the excellent atmosphere.
A forest sticks out of the ground
Above all the trees,
He ascended to heaven,
And it doesn't grow.
What is it?
Gollum... Gollum ...
As for musical compositions, these are not epic streams of melodies, at the time they did not seek to surpass Howard Shore, but Mori Lawes, adjusts the desired atmosphere, even in the same scene of “mysteries”.
The picture itself may not be a “diamond” of cinema, but an important part of the history of the beginning of the “War of the Ring”, a war that elves and people remember.
Not a masterpiece, but a good prologue to begin acquaintance with the movie universe “Lord of the Rings”, the picture deserves a good assessment.
Review of "Briefly on the main"
This was the first film adaptation of Tolkien’s work, which I watched, watched and came to the wildest delight.
1) Amazing style of drawing, recognizable by Rankin Bass. Many people remember their work “The Last Unicorn”, these comrades love and know how to work with folklore. Not to say that they came with the vision of the characters to the very point (I saw some of the characters differently), but in general – wonderful.
2) Music. These songs are remembered even in the Russian voice. "Break glasses, beat plates" is a song based on Tolkien's own lyrics, thank you. And, of course, the magic "For the blue mountains, for the white fog."
3) It is a gift that the plot is again cut - and where is it not cut? - looks in one breath. Yes, maybe at the end of the Battle of the Five Armies it gets a little boring, but still exciting, every time like the first.
Only Gollum and Tranduil were disappointed. With Branduil, everything became sad when everyone saw Lee Pace in the new Jackson trilogy and immediately rushed to laugh at the cartoon. Yes, not handsome, but it is difficult to imagine him in another guise with all the atmosphere of the film.
10 out of 10
I want to start this text with a reasonable assumption that this particular cartoon is not familiar to most viewers and readers who somehow came into contact with the world of Middle-earth J. R. Tolkien. I’ll go further and say that the lion’s share of those who saw him, including myself, did it through the prism of Peter Jackson’s filmmaking. And although the artists of illustrations for book editions for decades gave out their, often very bizarre, variations of the Tolkien universe, first the trilogy “Lord of the Rings” of the early 2000s, and recently another “Hobbit”, authored by the same team under the leadership of Jackson, put in the minds of millions of people around the world a concept that quickly became common. Therefore, it will certainly be worth the effort to impartially evaluate the cartoon of 1977 as an independent work of art (taking into account the relaying of the history of the literary original).
Another important circumstance that leads the viewer to the proper perception of the project by Rankin / Bass Productions will be the degree of acquaintance with the original story. The work of Professor Tolkien is almost a classic children's fairy tale, perfect for film variation. If you have not read it, you will get a whole set of images prepared by illustrators, and there will be no dissonance with your own, confident in your rightness, imagination. This eventful story is a real road adventure with a treasured treasure at the end of a difficult journey and a whole series of difficulties. Not out of stature, but quite a well-established hobbit named Bilbo Baggins, lives a measured rhythm, sipping tea on schedule and taking care of the pantry with supplies. The appearance in his life of thirteen warlike dwarves and the legendary wizard, as well as favoring their plans, can change life overnight. Yesterday’s housemate, who lived with aimless idleness, gives a fierce rebuff to mysterious creatures, overcomes hundreds of leagues, makes acquaintances with amazing characters and visits fascinating places.
If you have read the book, do not miss the brevity of Middle-earth. Somewhere there will be a magnificent atmosphere of cozy Shire, there will be only a few minutes of intoxicating danger of Dycholesia and only part of the songs and mysteries. I’ve read The Hobbit three times, and although it’s no secret that the book is laconic and incredibly rich, its animated layout does not convey the proper atmosphere of Tolkien’s grandfather’s world – perhaps the most recognizable fantasy of the modern universe. A child with wide eyes will be surprised by the world shown in the cartoon, but it is unlikely that a spark of creative awe will light up in his mind. As for the visual component, the initial reaction of indignation is quite normal. Horlum, more like a frog than a mysterious inhabitant of the Mist Mountains. Dragon Smaug with the face of the dog and ash beams of light, like lasers, from the eyes.
Summing up, I want to say that viewing in general leaves ambiguous emotions, so I can not put an assessment any more, despite all the absentee interest in the cartoon.
After the recently completed trilogy, the Hobbit is a very relevant cartoon. Original and cool, stunning drawing and music create the atmosphere of the cartoon, create a fairy tale! These faces of Gandalf and dwarves will be remembered! This is how the time should be cartoon or film based on a very small book The Hobbit.
In general, the plot corresponds, but the view on the characters, events, as well as in the famous trilogy in fact, comes from a different side than Tolkien’s. It’s more interesting, especially after the Hollywood premiere. I liked this movie better anyway.
Maybe only the elves did not come out very, it is difficult to find flaws, especially with an adjustment for the time of creation of the cartoon.
I would recommend it to all adults and children.
Even then, in the now distant 70s, when Peter Jackson was still a teenager, American animators filmed Ronald Tolkien’s novel “The Hobbit, or There and Back”.
The wizard Gandalf visits the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, inviting him to go on a journey with the dwarves who want to return their lost treasures and take revenge on the dragon Smaug. After a few words, Bilbo agrees. It is a time of adventure, full of difficulties and dangers.
The plot of the cartoon, although it copies (sometimes verbatim) the original source, but looks more illogical, ragged and naive narrative. Of course, there is a small timekeeping, which, in order to fully transmit the atmosphere and events, should be doubled. So Gandalf, coming to Baggins, asks him in the forehead about the trip. Immediately, the dwarves appear. The meeting with the trolls was completely blurred. Not only did it smell stupid (when Bilbo shouted for the dwarves to run away, thereby betraying them), so the trolls were defeated completely without the cunning of Gandalf. Stupidity was when the dwarves ran to save the ponies from the goblins (would be glad that they themselves were not captured so), and when Bilbo for some reason showed the secret entrance of Smaugou (by the way, the entrance itself was not invisible, but very obvious, and the dragon could easily detect it before).
Sufficient time was not given, and frankly, the formation of the character of the hobbit was not shown at all. He seems to remain the same as he was at the beginning of the film, only hoping for his luck. Tolkien clearly showed the development of the character. The ending was with a blurred final battle, without mentioning the covenant stone (which played a role in the plot). And the storyline with Borne, which could bring extra colors to the cartoon and completely removed.
The animation left a double impression. In combination with quite good general views (only the Baggins burrow, the feeling that the Hobbit is the only one), albeit not so saturated, but acceptable for its time, the characters did not work enough. And if the monotony of all goblins (which, by the way, are more like big toads) can be tolerated, then elves and people are all one person (except the Bard). By the way, forest elves look like goblins. That's not how Tolkien imagined them. Bilbo looks quite a child, although in the plot he is 50 years old (of course, the cartoon was aimed at a children's audience, and this move can be understood, the children will imagine themselves in the place of Bilbo). Almost the same height of the hobbit and dwarves can be attributed to the wrong proportions. But most of all, the image of Golum was disappointing. Here he hikes more on a huge frog. Moreover, being previously a hobbit, Golum is noticeably larger than Bilbo (twice). And the dragon Smaug with a cat face, left a controversial impression. On the one hand, it's not the classic dragon that Tolkien envisioned and that we're used to. On the other hand, in his image can be traced Chinese mythology.
In the film adaptation there is some interesting humor. The picture is perfectly combined with songs written specifically for the tape. They immerse in the atmosphere of a fairy tale, which in 1937 gave us John R. R. Tolkien.
6 out of 10
I finally got to this film adaptation of The Hobbit. And it's pretty good. Of course, this is not an epic like Jackson, but it is quite nothing like for that time.
I was pleasantly surprised by the drawing - beautiful landscapes and interiors, nothing like Smog, although with an Asian version of the head. It is a pity that the characters themselves are not very consistent with the canon: elves are not bookish, but from Scandinavian myths, orcs were almost completely replaced by goblins, dwarves are not at all like Tolkien’s – too kind and cowardly, Gandalf also does not hold up, only Bilbo – more or less.
It’s a pity that such a small timekeeping – the whole book managed to squeeze into an almost hour-long film, losing only one scene (for which the creators are honored and praised), but events develop so quickly that you do not have time to feel and understand them, especially if someone has not read the book. Yes, and there is still a lack of some drama, experience, which was present in Tolkien’s book, despite all its fascinating and eventfulness – it is too easy for Bilbo to do everything, without thinking, without fear, as if all his life he only did, that he got into trouble, but everything was quite the opposite! And the all-knowing Gandalf always saves everyone.
The main plus is the soundtrack - thanks to these original Tolkien poems and their beautiful adaptation, there is still a feeling of immersion in the world of Middle-earth.
And in general, the cartoon is not bad, scores on 7 pulls (if it was not almost reliable film adaptation, would pull less), fans of “The Hobbit” and “VK” I recommend watching – despite the obvious shortcomings, the impression remains very pleasant and so... fabulous, what or. In short, you won’t regret watching.
It was interesting to see the very first full-fledged film adaptation of the story about the adventures of Bilbo Baggins. I can’t say that it’s better than Peter Jackson’s new film, of course – the level is completely different, but I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that all the key points of the book authors were able to fit into eighty minutes of screen time.
The drawing is not quite canonical, especially I was surprised by Gollum, but very good and even now it does not cause any obvious irritation. I liked a large number of songs in the narrative and was very surprised by the presence of high-quality professional multi-voice voice acting in Russian, I did not expect.
There's only one obvious flaw. Of course, for such timekeeping, the story was noticeably simplified and most of the problems in the plot are solved by the principle: “Gandalf came and defeated everyone.” To find fault with this I do not see much sense and, for his time, consider the cartoon very good.
8 out of 10
The book was surprisingly well-reflected. It's just Beorne that's missing, all the other episodes are in place. This is a huge achievement for a little more than an hour-long cartoon, but still...
A cool dragon, a bit like a cat or a wolf - something in it is from Eastern dragons, quite adequate Gandalf, and Bilbo himself, very successful, although not quite classical goblins, dwarves are quite gnomes, but still...
A great, soulful soundtrack, which I really enjoyed listening to separately and advise everyone to listen, but still...
But still very strange elves, closer to the fairies of folklore than to the elves of Tolkien himself. Branduil local rivals "beauty" with the Goblin king, despite the fact that Elrond is more or less normal, albeit with a beard and stars in his hair (and even something like Weaving, that's where the legs grow at this strange casting).
But still, the cartoon is so carefully based on the book that it meticulously reproduces all its shortcomings: the lack of psychologicalism, overconcentrated action, an incomplete plot.
But still a weak finale, opening too schematic battle of the Five Armies, the finale, which does not carry any catharsis, no, in general, special meaning - everything just ended and that's it.
All in all, it's a great adaptation, but an average cartoon.