The Hobbit was released in 1978 as an 78 minute animated movie by directors Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr. It was made for television and was broadcast by many networks at the end of the 70's. It is seen by many as the best of the three animated Tolkien movies. Still of course it is impossible to get the full story and all the details into a 78 minute movie. Many will feel that the movie rushes through the story leaving out a lot of the plot. The Arkenstone has been removed from the story and a lot of Middle-earth's splendour is left untouched in the movie. Bass's and Rankin's interpretations of elves, orcs and other creatures are a bit weird to say the least. The movie was clearly made with the interest of children in mind as the movie contains no violence and all the songs and characters are lighter and happier then how they are described in the books.
The movie stars the voices of John Huston as Gandalf, Orson Bean as Bilbo Baggins, Otto Preminger as the Elvenking, Richard Boone as Smaug and Hand Conreid as Thorin. They all give a very good impression of the characters. Some people love the movie, some hate it. Still it is an interesting interpretation of the book and a must see for any Tolkien Fanatic.
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