Back on November 27, 1977, children watching network TV were introduced to the “greatest adventure” of all time. Although the first star Wars thrilled everyone that summer and forever changed the way we think about popular movies, Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr.’s version. The Hobbit I have quietly pushed the most famous story of the origin of your entire legend into the limelight. 45 years later, the impact is animated The Hobbit it cannot be overdone.
Clocking in at just 77 minutes (and apparently, not an hour and a half as many remember it), the animated version The Hobbit from Rankin and Bass captures the breezy and jaunty quality of JRR Tolkien’s 1937 children’s novel The Hobbit. Yes, even in 1977, The Hobbit it was also relegated to “prequel” status, making it an underdog next to the sprawling, and very popular The Lord of the Rings a trilogy of novels, which were published, from 1954 to 1955. Before this, in 1951, Tolkien had revised. The Hobbitto make it more in line with the spirit of The Lord of the Ringswhich makes the version of the book gradually a memory of history.
Bilbo Baggins (Orson Bean) and Gollum (Theodore Isidore Gottlieb) in ‘The Hobbit.’
Rankin/Bass
However, 1977 showed The Hobbitit firmly took the world of Middle-earth and made an adventure for children. With their experience in other animated children’s specials such as Frosty the SnowmanRankin and Bass stepped up their game The Hobbitmainly because they had an amazing source of material to work with. Although hardcore Tolkien heads are very familiar with the various compositions in all versions of the book The Hobbit again The Lord of the Ringsto the general audience in 1977, a surprising amount of music in animated The Hobbit it may seem strange. However, it was Jules Bass himself who adapted a beautiful passage of Tolkien’s words directly from the book and assisted composer Maury Laws, in making it all happen.
Glenn Yarbrough’s famous folksy ballad, “The Greatest Adventure,” was actually a song. only the song that was in the movie, and not from the pages of The Hobbit. This one fact is a microcosm that shows the complete brilliance of this version of The Hobbit; it’s both faithful to the source material, but also transforms into a very different adaptation. Just as Bilbo’s stories of his encounter with Gollum later proved unreliable, 1977 The Hobbit he succeeded in turning Tolkien’s book into a modern fantasy. Depending on who was retelling the story, the story could change. Before 1977, this was not possible The Hobbitand without Tolkien’s revisions, other versions of the story would not exist.
As academics and readers of fiction and nonfiction will tell you; What ensures that the story survives is not just the preservation of the text, but rather, the the narrative of matter is what creates immortality. In the era before the printed word, this was accomplished through oral tradition, but in the late 20th century, film adaptations began to do the same thing.
With its unforgettable animation style, brilliant pacing, funny moments, excellent acting, and yes, lovely music, The Hobbit it was the first of its kind: a new take on what was already an instant classic in 1937. Like the movie version of the wizard of oz, in 1977 The Hobbit turned a beautiful children’s book into a beautiful piece of modern animation. Today, we might think of 1977 The Hobbit like retro. But the reason why it was so important is that, when it comes to the dramatic adaptation of fiction, the future began right here.
You can rent The Hobbit on Amazon Prime Video right here. It is also included It’s my father’s The 100 Best Kids Movies of All Time.
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