The Hobbit cartoon was released in 1977
By now the world is familiar with the Hobbit because of the live action trilogy films. But before the special effects and New Zealand built Hobbiton, all we had was JRR Tolkien’s 1937 novel, and then this delightful cartoon, by Rankin and Bass. Rankin and Bass were known for all their children’s holiday specials throughout the 70s. So unsurprisingly this version of the Hobbit, (like the original novel), is directed at a juvenile audience.
The 1977 cartoon version is 90 minutes long.
Keeping in mind that the Hobbit, in it’s 1977 version, is an hour and a half cartoon. This was made for the attention spans of children (and ADHD sufferers alike). As such, it is nothing like the recent 3 part extended cinematic series. This animated version of the Hobbit keeps the spirit of the novel intact, and it serves it’s purpose to introduce the imagination of JRR Tolkien to a generation of would-be readers. Because if you’re not a reader, picking up the 200 page the Hobbit book is a daunting task. And unless you are an avid reader, the challenging Lord of the Rings, is no place to start until you have a hunger for the world Tolkien recounts. Because the Lord of the Rings, for which the Hobbit is a prequel; is a true trilogy, in which Tolkien even invented languages.
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The animation of the Hobbit was good for its time, but it lacks the vibrancy typical in modern highly technological cartoon offerings. Still, it is also less affronting to the senses. This is a definite must watch if you have kids in grade school. Or maybe for your own curiosity, if you have never seen it before. Rankin and Bass don’t disappoint, and a condensed version of the Hobbit is much easier to absorb in one go that any other current offering. Enjoy!
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