The Hobbit (1977) (TV)

Directors:

Jules Bass
Arthur Rankin Jr.

Writers:

J.R.R. Tolkien (novel)
Romeo Muller (writer)

Release Date:

27 November 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Fantasy | Family

Plot:

A homebody demi-human in Middle Earth gets talked into joining a quest with a group of dwarves to recover their treasure from a dragon.

Plot Keywords:

Fantasy World | Inheritance | Humor | Multiple Monsters | Revenge

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Orson Bean	...	Bilbo Baggins (voice)
Richard Boone	...	Smaug (voice)
Hans Conried	...	Thorin (voice)
John Huston	...	Gandalf the Grey (voice)
Otto Preminger	...	Elvenking (voice)
Cyril Ritchard	...	Elrond (voice)
Brother Theodore	...	Gollum (voice) (as Theodore)
Paul Frees	...	Bombur / Troll #1 (voice)
Jack DeLeon	...	(voice) (as Jack De Leon)
Don Messick	...	Balin / Troll #3 / Goblin / Lord of the Eagles (voice)
John Stephenson	...	Dori / Great Goblin / Bard (voice)

Runtime:

77 min | USA:90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:G (Manitoba/Quebec) | USA:Not Rated

Company:

Rankin/Bass Productions

Trivia:

The song sung while Bilbo and the dwarves as they walk through Mirkwood, "Roads go ever ever on, Over rock and under tree, By caves where never sun has shown, By streams that never find the see", is taken directly from the book, although in the book Bilbo sings it as he first sees Hobbitton upon his return.

Goofs:

Continuity: Bilbo tells the dwarves to "run back to the wood-elf clearing" while he fights a rearguard action against the Mirkwood spiders. However, the company has not yet met the wood-elves. When they reach the clearing, Bilbo notes that the wood-elves "had returned, armed for battle". This is the first time we see the wood-elves. There is a scene from the book which was clearly scripted but is missing from the animation, where the starving dwarves attempt to gate-crash a gathering of wood-elves in a clearing.

Quotes:

Bilbo Baggins: Bother burglary and everything to do with it!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Duplex (2003)

Soundtrack:

The Mountain King's Return

It's not bad.

It's certainly not what PJ could do with the Hobbit, but it certainly is nice. I think it captures the overall story pretty well. In fact, the only real complaint that I have is that sometimes the artistry lacked. OK, so they made everyone but Bard have fat or thin faces with either beaks, rocks, or boulders for noses. But other than that, it's quite enjoyable. Oh, and I was a little disappointed that they didn't have Beorn. But, I stopped crying after the first ten minutes when I realized they skipped him (ha ha).

There are some nice songs in it that kind of help the story along. The Riddles in the Dark part was pretty good too (although, I think they took the description in the Lord of the Rings of Gollum looking like a starved frog a little too far).

While it is a children's cartoon, adults can enjoy this too. If you happen to see it on the shelf of a store, pick it up. You might be surprised by what's in it.