| View Larger Image | The Hobbit | DVDStarring: Orson Bean, John Huston, Brother Theodore, Cyril Ritchard, Richard Boone
Directed By: Arthur Rankin Jr., Jules Bass
Also With: Arthur Rankin Jr. (Producer), Jules Bass (Producer), Masaki Îzuka (Producer), J.R.R. Tolkien (Writer), Romeo Muller (Writer)
| List Price: | $12.98 | | Price: | $12.49 | | You Save: | $0.49 (4%) | | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
| | Binding: | DVD | | Rating: |  | | Run Time: | 90 minutes | | Format: | Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC | | Studio: | Warner Home Video | | Number of Discs: | 1 | | Aspect Ratio: | 1.33:1 | | Release Date: | September 11, 2001 | | Sales Rank: | 5,163th |
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EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Description
A wonderous animated version of J.R.R. Tolkein's classic about the magical world of Middle Earth and the adventures of lovable Bilbo Baggins. Featuring the voices of Orson Bean and John Huston. Year: 1977 Director: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr. Starring: Orson Bean, John Huston |
Amazon.com
The J.R.R. Tolkien fantasy classic set in Middle-earth was adapted into this excellent 1978 animated feature first broadcast on television. Codirectors Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr., working from a script by Romeo Muller, are faithful to Tolkien's story and for that alone they get big points. The vocal cast can't be improved upon: Orson Bean is perfect as Bilbo Baggins, the timorous hobbit who grows brave on his adventure with the wizard Gandalf (John Huston). Otto Preminger is the voice of Elvenking, Richard Boone is Smaug, Hans Conreid is Thorin, and Brother Theodore is very effective as the weird Gollum. Terrific for kids and adults alike. --Tom Keogh |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 3.5 based on 234 reviews)
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Drained of emotion by Moknbyrd (Gardendale, Alabama United States)  1 Stars
November 25, 2009
As many have said, this version of the film is inferior to it's earlier incarnations. I've watched this film on TV and VHS since I was a child. I've loved it ever since and never got tired of it.
I was SO disappointed in the Warner's DVD release. Half the music is subdued. And worse, half the sound effects are missing. The clanging of swords. The screech of the Eagles. The sound of Sting slicing up Spiders. The sound of Glamdring cutting down Goblins. Many more. All gone. They even cut bits of dialog. At one point, Bilbo looks like he's just talking to himself because the off camera dialog is gone.
The movie has been rendered dead and lacks of emotion. I hope they correct this with a future release. H3ll, if nothing else, they could just get the Laser disc (remember those? *heh-heh*) and rip the soundtrack from that. Anything is better than this, Warner. You're an old company. You know better.
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Awesome DVD Product! by Barry Dillinger (New Britain, CT)  5 Stars
November 10, 2009
The DVD arrived promptly and was packaged exactly as promised...professionally and securely. The DVD was unblemished and in perfect working order! Great buy!
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DVD Versus VHS Edition Pro's and Con's by Deshleman (Ca) 5 Stars
October 09, 2009
I own both the VHS and DVD versions of this movie and recently watched them both. I've read many reviews from viewers who did not recommend the DVD version of this movie because of a few missing sound effects. While I did not notice any of these issues until I read about them, I had noticed something slightly different about the movie, which I couldn't place. It wasn't a huge deal though. However, the DVD version is missing certain sound effects which were left out of the remastering such as:
-No Spider slaying vortex sound
-No dwarf complaining while in barrels
-No sound of arrows plinking off Smaug's chest
-Smaug's fire breathing at one point seems to not coordinate with the movie, as he is flying towards the town, and the fire crackles almost like static.
-Smaug does not roar at all when he is attacking Laketown, at least not until he gets shot.
Again, I did not really notice these issues until they were pointed out. What I did notice about the remastered DVD was:
-Much improved visual quality. It's like you are looking at the original artwork! There is no color distortion.
-Much, MUCH improved audio and balance. I never could make out the words of many songs until the DVD. I actually have a hard time now enjoying the audio on the VHS because many sound effects were too loud, making it hard to hear all the words, without turning up the volume. Struggling to hear everything on the VHS gave me a bit of a headache, actually.
-Do you remember the scene where Bilbo runs out of the secret passageway with his behind on fire? This part was cut out of my VHS version.
To be honest, the strengths of this movie are the wonderfully done artwork, and the wonderfully done music. Having the DVD only highlights these core parts. Although the small missing sound effects are unfortunate, I still recommend the DVD, because you will enjoy the movie more, overall.
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Bilbo by Hazel E. Abram (West Virginia)  4 Stars
September 01, 2009
I like the way the movie pretty much followed the book. Even though it is antimated it is worth watching, especially if you're a Lord of the Rings fan.
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An oldie but goodie by Eldera 5 Stars
August 26, 2009
I had a vhs of this years ago and lost it. I purchased the DVD to re-new the warm fuzzy feelings of something I enjoyed years ago. The sound track had some lovely ballads in it. Worth listening to over again.
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SIMILAR PRODUCTS |
| The Return of the King
Starring: Orson Bean, Theodore Bikel, William Conrad, John Huston, Roddy McDowall
Directed By: Arthur Rankin Jr., Jules Bass
FRODO THE HOBBIT IS BACK TO BATTLE THE EVIL FORCES THAT INVADED MIDDLE EARTH IN THE RETURN OF THE KING.
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| The Lord of the Rings
Starring: Christopher Guard, William Squire, Michael Scholes, John Hurt, Simon Chandler
Directed By: Ralph Bakshi
Also With: Timothy Galfas (Cinematographer), Donald W. Ernst (Editor), Peter Kirby (Editor), Saul Zaentz (Producer), Chris Conkling (Writer), J.R.R. Tolkien (Writer), Peter S. Beagle (Writer)
Animated adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic tale of Middle Earth.
Genre: Children's Video
Rating: PG
Release Date: 1-JUN-2004
Media Type: DVD
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| The Hobbit: A Teaching Guide
by Mary Elizabeth (Author), Kathy Kifer (Illustrator)
Teaching Guide designed to develop an appreciation for literature and to improve reading skills, exploring critique and literature elements.
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| Secrets of Middle-Earth - Inside Tolkien's "The Hobbit"
Starring: Greg Hildebrandt, Tim Hildebrandt, J.R.R. Tolkien
Also With: J.R.R. Tolkien (Writer)
Illustrated with the art of the Brothers Hildebrandt, the foremost fantasy artists of our time, and featuring the insights of world-renowned experts, this magical and entertaining series unlocks the mysteries of Tolkien's epic.
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| A Guide for Using The Hobbit in the Classroom
by PATTY CARRATELLO (Author), JOHN CARRATELLO (Contributor)
This resource is directly related to its literature equivalent and filled with a variety of cross-curricular lessons to do before, during, and after reading the book. This reproducible book presents an exciting approach to teaching well-known literature! It includes sample plans, author information, vocabulary building ideas, cross-curriculum activities, sectional activities and quizzes, unit tests, and many ideas for culminating and extending the novel.
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