criminally underrated - Lord of the Rings Cartoon 1978

In 1978, animator Ralph Bakshi adapted The Fellowship of the Ring and the first book of the The Two Towers into one movie called The Lord of the Rings: Part 1. Well actually it is really about the first half of the second book of the two towers and the frodo/SAM timeline, and a rushed version of the first book. His film is a mixed media of violently clashing rotoscoping, real photography, and abstract backgrounds.

he assumed that a part was to follow. But, Hollywood being Hollywood, this was just never in the cards. The rights to return of the king belonged to someone else and they were not interested in Ralph's more mature direction and style.

This is in many ways a better adaptation of the first two books then the Jackson series. Credit must also be given to this film, because it provided original pacing and supplemental scenes not in the books that would later be used by Jackson. The animation is weak in areas and a lot of that was due to the budget limits the filmmakers worked under. It is still a wonderful film and its golden globe nominated score added to the overall quality. To call it a bad film is unjust. The movie gives the audience nothing and requires much from the viewer. This makes it difficult to take in and it is far more polarizing then the Jackson films. Still it captures the balance between darkness and homely comforts that is a major theme in the first book. Overall a flawed masterpiece.