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Marcus Telcontar
Mar 9th, 2002, 06:55:43 PM
I watched this last night. Now, being as much of a LOTR nut as I am, I tried to allow this version, made in 1978 to stand by itself and not complare to the live action version.

It's very hard. There is a passing similarity in some scences that really forces a comparision but to be honest, by itself, the animaited version has enough troubles

Created in a combination of animation / rotoscope / disguised live action, the animated version floows the books resonably well, beginning in hte Shire and ending with the battle of Helms Deep. At the time, this was cutting edge stuff. Sadly, it looks awful today. Really, really awful.

The voice acting is tragic

This moive is summed up by the Battle of the Bridge of Khazad-dum. The animation of the Balrog is inexcusably bad. A 5 year old could have done better. it is, without a doubt, some of the worst animation you will ever see.

The only parts that actually go into average territory involve Ringwraiths. Not bad.

What a pity the rest of the film is so unremittedly awful. This film bankrupted the backers and animators and the reason is obvious. There was planned a second movie to finish LOTR off, thank The Most High it never was made.

As a final word, it is clear Peter Jackson watched this travesty. Some parts of his moive are clearly taken from the animated version in concept but not in execution. While LOTR:FOTR is one of my all time top ten, LOTR:Animated version is one of the ten worst.

DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE. .5 of of 10 - the .5 being for thre Ringwraiths.

(I feel like I have been contaminated oh geez, I had no idea it would be that bad....)

Shawn
Mar 9th, 2002, 07:39:22 PM
I never saw the LOTR animated movie. I did, however, see the Hobbit one and was forced to give my offerings to the porcelain god. The animation was disgusting, the music is stringy and trite, and it was just overall bad. To my surprise, I found that there's also a Return of the King animated feature, but I've yet to see one for TTT.

Champion of the Force
Mar 10th, 2002, 12:10:39 AM
I swa the animated LOTR back a few years ago. I never really enjoyed it but I wouldn't go calling it one of the worst films made or anything. It did follow the storyline fairly well (where possible) however the animation and voices left a little to be desired.

The fact that the film kept getting juggled between companies didn't help either.

Jedi Master Carr
Mar 10th, 2002, 12:17:06 AM
I have seen it once and I agree with you it is not very good, I have also seen The Hobbit which is not bad (better than the LOTR animated movie that is for sure) but it could have been a lot of better. Haven't caught that much of ROTK but didn't they really make it to follow the LOTR Animated movie?

Doc Milo
Mar 11th, 2002, 12:38:37 AM
I thought the animated feature "Return of the King" was the follow-up to the LotR animated movie. I thought the reason there was no The Two Towers movie was because the Lord of the Rings animated version ends about half way through The Two Towers (so it includes the Fellowship plus half of the Towers) So I just assumed Return of the King takes up where LotR ends and finishes off the saga.

I saw it at Costco in a three DVD set -- The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Return of the King.

Jedi Master Carr
Mar 11th, 2002, 12:41:19 AM
That is what I thought but wasn't it made by different people? I think it was but that is all I can remember about it.

Shawn
Mar 11th, 2002, 01:00:24 AM
Ahh... I see. Like I said: I hadn't see the LOTR one, so I didn't know that. Makes sense... sort of.