Such a frustrating disappointment

Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

I have fond memories of watching this version and Jackson's version as a kid. Watching it today reminds me that it's still pretty good. The animation is really well done and the voice acting is great too! I have to give props to the great John Hurt (yes, he's in this movie!) and Christopher Guard. Hurt voices Aragorn, son of Arathorn and Guard voices Frodo Baggins of the Shire.If you like Lord of the Rings, you'll enjoy this adaptation, trust me!

The Lord of the Rings shows that talent and vision go a long way. Peter Jackson has taken the responsibility to bring one of the most daunting (and beloved) books on the screen and it is a success. The fellowship of the rings starts are the saga and we are introduced to all the beloved characters from the Tolkein books. The cinematography, art design, editing- everything is top notch and you feel as though you are transported to hobbit land. Watch this film to understand the art of cinema(Best gift for a Tolkein nut or even if you are not)

Now those of you who watched the Peter Jackson adaptions of the book first, I can understand the disappointment you may have seeing this animated version from the 1970s. If however, you were growing up during the late 20th century when this was the only version available to you, I'm sure you probably have now a completely different opinion, in fact you may even look upon it oppositely.When I was very young I was enthralled by this film - it was well animated and the use of rotoscoping for the Orcs really works a treat. The Orcs are genuinely frightening for younger audiences and I sometimes wonder that had the film been made today, would they be at all? The 1970s was a glorious time for powerful disturbing imagery, we saw it in many commercials for the period and it has not been spared here.Almost all the characters in this adaptation have the perfect voice actors. I particularly liked John Hurt as Aragorn and I also liked William Squire as Gandalf very much. You can tell that they really researched their roles here and executed it with passion. The other great thing with this film is the music score, almost the same as in 'The Car' (same composer) but here it really is perfectly suited.The artwork you may find familiar-- any fans of HR Giger out there? Well he designed much of the beautifully haunting backdrops for the film and combined with all these great talents, this movie really deserves appreciation. In fact Peter Jackson himself gives much credit to Ralph Bakshi for his efforts.It not without its flaws though I assure you. For one thing, Sam is IN LOVE with Frodo, and he is also quite irritating at times. The film is indeed cut short but believe there was due to be a following film later which never materialised. There are other things but they're really just quibbles.It's a very enjoyable animation, just don't compare it to Peter Jackson works.

This is a strange film, because it has brilliant moments, as well as some pretty bad ones. It's very uneven. The good: The Black Riders, though slightly on the differently abled side, do look very creepy and scary. The scene where they get off the road to hide from the Black Rider is superb. In fact, every single scene involving the Black Riders is superior to the scenes from Peter Jackson's film.The art. The film does have artistic aspirations, and succeeds on many occasions.The emotion. The film will not leave you indifferent. The scenes are loaded with emotion, and you will experience suspense, dread, excitement, terror, and sorrow. In this respect the film also surpasses Peter Jackson's effort.The bad: Characters. They look kind of silly. Sam looks like an exceptional individual, Aragorn looks like a weirdo in a skirt, Gimli looks like some hillbilly, and Legolas looks like Bambi. The balrog looks like a plush lion in slippers, the Riders of Rohan also sport skirts, the orcs look like deformed old hags, the wizards have ridiculously long beards... You get the picture. However, Frodo is well designed, and so is Gollum - though he is inferior to the one from Peter Jackson's film.The stupidity. Some of the battle scenes involve really stupid people on both sides, who literally run into the enemy's spears and arrows.The confusion. The film is too short to provide adequate exposition. The lack of closure. Yes, the film covers only half of the book, which is a huge letdown. Makes the effort ultimately pointless.Final verdict: definitely worth watching. Even if you dislike the film, chances are you will find the experience worth while.