What do you think of the Bakshi cartoon? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

the guy who be short · 06-17-2005, 03:20 PM

I feel inclined to bump this thread as I watched the Bakshi cartoon two days ago.

It was, honestly, brilliant. For something made in the 70s, additionally so. I cannot describe how much I laughed... it was just magical. Aruman, butterfly-balrog, wavey-hands-and-scary-eyes-Gandalf. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and recommend everybody finds a copy.

narfforc · 06-22-2005, 10:54 AM

Bakshi, Bakshi, Bakshi, if only you had read the book, I could imagine his teacher saying. Disastrous, awful, bad adaptation and weak script, those are its good points. Thank God they ran out of money or pulled the plug, can just imagine the Rotoscope version of Shelob.

Kitanna · 06-22-2005, 06:55 PM

Though the animation is pretty horrible by today's standards that was like cutting edge in the '70's. Though I'm no fan of the Bakshi cartoons I think he was, for the most part, faithful to the books. Far more than the ROTK and The Hobbit cartoons.

Legolas · 06-22-2005, 09:10 PM

"Aruman" was an attempt to help the kids watching keep Sauron and Saruman separate, since their original names sound similar.

The only problem with that is half the actors forget this and still say Saruman a few times.

Eomer of the Rohirrim · 04-11-2008, 04:17 PM

Just watched it for a third time. I was very much in the 'so bad it's brilliant' camp before, but I genuinely thought it was better this time. Some bits are right creepy, and there's a lot of book dialogue. Plus, all the atrocities they do commit add a great lot of humour.

Cailín saw it for the first time, and thinks it is abysmal. Give her time, though.

skip spence · 04-15-2008, 08:48 AM

Watched Rankin/Bass' The Hobbit cartoon for the first time a few weeks ago and I thought it was wonderful. Seriously, they don't make cartoons like this more. The animations were lovely, and so was the voice acting and the soundtrack. Gollum inexplicably looked like some kind of bulking salamander but he was downright creepy and the actor who did his voice did a marvelous job. Oh, that the elves of Mirkwood looked like gremlins was a hard pill to swallow but that wouldn't have been an issue for most kids, the target audience of the cartoon.

And that scene when Bilbo climbs a tree in Mirkwood and sees all them black butterflies almost brought tears to my eyes, I swear

Just wish I had the chance to see it through the eyes of a child.

ArathornJax · 04-27-2008, 12:48 AM

gotten many younger fans to read the books for the first time. When it came out, media was just beginning to come around. Color TV in most homes were only about 10 years or so. Is it imperfect, totally. I saw it and I will tell you why I liked it but didn't like it. I would eat anything up at 12 that was Tolkien, and this was Tolkien. Having said that, I didn't like it because the characters did not resemble how I had visually created them in my mind while reading the book.

I also guess I'm like Tolkien, and no matter where I live, I am always looking for areas in nature that could be a location that fits my image or comes close to my image of a location in Middle Earth.

As a man in his forties, it is much easier to look at something like PJ's movies and realize that these are his adaptations of the book, his images. Mine may not match, and they are probably better (for me), I can still appreciate the entertainment that they offer.

06-22-2005, 06:55 PM	#3
Kitanna Child of the West Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Watching President Fillmore ride a unicorn Posts: 2,132	Though the animation is pretty horrible by today's standards that was like cutting edge in the '70's. Though I'm no fan of the Bakshi cartoons I think he was, for the most part, faithful to the books. Far more than the ROTK and The Hobbit cartoons. __________________ "Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry." - Mark Twain

06-22-2005, 09:10 PM	#4
Legolas A Northern Soul Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Valinor Posts: 1,847	"Aruman" was an attempt to help the kids watching keep Sauron and Saruman separate, since their original names sound similar. The only problem with that is half the actors forget this and still say Saruman a few times. __________________ ...take counsel with thyself, and remember who and what thou art.

04-11-2008, 04:17 PM	#5
Eomer of the Rohirrim Auspicious Wraith Join Date: May 2002 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 4,859	Just watched it for a third time. I was very much in the 'so bad it's brilliant' camp before, but I genuinely thought it was better this time. Some bits are right creepy, and there's a lot of book dialogue. Plus, all the atrocities they do commit add a great lot of humour. Cailín saw it for the first time, and thinks it is abysmal. Give her time, though. __________________ Los Ingobernables de Harlond

04-15-2008, 08:48 AM	#6
skip spence shadow of a doubt Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Back on the streets Posts: 1,125	Watched Rankin/Bass' The Hobbit cartoon for the first time a few weeks ago and I thought it was wonderful. Seriously, they don't make cartoons like this more. The animations were lovely, and so was the voice acting and the soundtrack. Gollum inexplicably looked like some kind of bulking salamander but he was downright creepy and the actor who did his voice did a marvelous job. Oh, that the elves of Mirkwood looked like gremlins was a hard pill to swallow but that wouldn't have been an issue for most kids, the target audience of the cartoon. And that scene when Bilbo climbs a tree in Mirkwood and sees all them black butterflies almost brought tears to my eyes, I swear Just wish I had the chance to see it through the eyes of a child. __________________ "You can always come back, but you can't come back all the way" ~ Bob Dylan Last edited by skip spence; 04-15-2008 at 12:01 PM.

04-27-2008, 12:48 AM	#7
ArathornJax Haunting Spirit Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Out West near a Big Salty Lake Posts: 76	I know it has gotten many younger fans to read the books for the first time. When it came out, media was just beginning to come around. Color TV in most homes were only about 10 years or so. Is it imperfect, totally. I saw it and I will tell you why I liked it but didn't like it. I would eat anything up at 12 that was Tolkien, and this was Tolkien. Having said that, I didn't like it because the characters did not resemble how I had visually created them in my mind while reading the book. I also guess I'm like Tolkien, and no matter where I live, I am always looking for areas in nature that could be a location that fits my image or comes close to my image of a location in Middle Earth. As a man in his forties, it is much easier to look at something like PJ's movies and realize that these are his adaptations of the book, his images. Mine may not match, and they are probably better (for me), I can still appreciate the entertainment that they offer. __________________ "At any minute it is what we are and are doing, not what we plan to be and do that counts." JRR Tolkien in 6 October 1940 letter to Michael Tolkien

06-17-2005, 03:20 PM	#1
the guy who be short Shadowed Prince Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Thulcandra Posts: 2,343	I feel inclined to bump this thread as I watched the Bakshi cartoon two days ago. It was, honestly, brilliant. For something made in the 70s, additionally so. I cannot describe how much I laughed... it was just magical. Aruman, butterfly-balrog, wavey-hands-and-scary-eyes-Gandalf. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and recommend everybody finds a copy.

06-22-2005, 10:54 AM	#2
narfforc Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Muddy-earth Posts: 1,297	Bakshi, Bakshi, Bakshi, if only you had read the book, I could imagine his teacher saying. Disastrous, awful, bad adaptation and weak script, those are its good points. Thank God they ran out of money or pulled the plug, can just imagine the Rotoscope version of Shelob.