Animated Tolkien Movies Coming to DVD Tomorrow

This one caught me by complete surprise. Well I guess not complete since we’re bound to be drowned in all things Tolkienesqe with LOTR due out this December.

At any rate, those of you (like myself) that have fond memories of Rankin-Bass’ The Hobbit and The Return of the King, go get it!

Fans of the Ralph Bakshi version shouldn’t feel put off. It’s coming out tomorrow as well.

If you already have these on video, save your money…there doesn’t appear to be any bonus materials on any of these discs.

5 replies on “Animated Tolkien Movies Coming to DVD Tomorrow”

  1. Love the old Hobbit
    I remember my dad watching it with me one easter (or was it Thanksgiving?) and then him telling me that the book was far more interesting. So I read it. And it was. And still is. But the animated films are certainly a hook for the youngins who might be a little intimidated by the tiny typeface and large number of pages (for an 8 year old anyway . . . or was I 7?).

    If it wasn’t for The Hobbit, I probably would never have picked up Pratchett’s Discworld novels.

    I found the Bashki version rather ahead of it’s time, animating over live action as it did. And why did neither camp finish the trilogy as a whole? Even together they miss large chunks of the story line. Ah well, if you’re not Disney, your animovies don’t make money, I guess (Anime excepted of course).

    Let’s not forget Rankin-Bass’ other great serial shows, like Thundercats (one of the characters looked suspiciously Tolkienesque) and Silverhawks.

    • Re: Love the old Hobbit

      Let’s not forget Rankin-Bass’ other great serial shows, like Thundercats (one of the characters looked suspiciously Tolkienesque) and Silverhawks.

      I Never Knew Those Were Done by The same People. Figures, I Loved Them both, And Lion-O Sounded Suspiciously like The Lead Silverhawk (Whose name Escapes Me At the Moment.)

      Also, Does Anyone Remember a Show Called ‘Tiger Sharks’, Where These Guys Would Jump In A Pool, Get Transformed Into Humanish Fish Creatures, And Then Go About underwater Adventures? It Was One Of Those Fifteen Minute Show Parts On Sunday Morning, But I Rember It Being Similar To Thundercats And Silverhawks.

      However, I’ve Heard Nothing Of It Since.

      • Re: Love the old Hobbit

        Let’s not forget Rankin-Bass’ other great serial shows, like Thundercats (one of the characters looked suspiciously Tolkienesque) and Silverhawks.

        I Never Knew Those Were Done by The same People. Figures, I Loved Them both, And Lion-O Sounded Suspiciously like The Lead Silverhawk (Whose name Escapes Me At the Moment.)

        Also, Does Anyone Remember a Show Called ‘Tiger Sharks’, Where These Guys Would Jump In A Pool, Get Transformed Into Humanish Fish Creatures, And Then Go About underwater Adventures? It Was One Of Those Fifteen Minute Show Parts On Sunday Morning, But I Rember It Being Similar To Thundercats And Silverhawks.

        However, I’ve Heard Nothing Of It Since.

        That cartoon, Tigersharks, was on a show called Comic Strip. The Tigersharks lived on the planet Watero and protected it from evil. Comic Strip also featured the cartoons Street Frogs, Camp Minimon, and Karate Cat.

    • Re: Love the old Hobbit

      Let’s not forget Rankin-Bass’ other great serial shows,
      like Thundercats (one of the characters looked
      suspiciously Tolkienesque) and Silverhawks.

      They made the best Christmas specials,
      too. There was the original Grinch, Frosty the Snowman,
      Twas the Night Before Christmas (with the mice), Santa
      Claus is Coming To Town…

      • Re: Love the old Hobbit

        Let’s not forget Rankin-Bass’ other great serial shows,
        like Thundercats (one of the characters looked
        suspiciously Tolkienesque) and Silverhawks.

        They made the best Christmas specials,
        too. There was the original Grinch, Frosty the Snowman,
        Twas the Night Before Christmas (with the mice), Santa
        Claus is Coming To Town…

        Ah! you missed Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the best one of all!

        Stevis

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