The Return of the King
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Movie Reviews of The Return of the King
Movie Review: Lord of the Rings... With Musical Interludes?
Summary: 5 Stars
Ok, I'll admit it. This low budget film wasn't very violent or action filled. Thats what everyone is looking for now a days isnt it? I mean what is a movie with out someone killing something else? Nothing. That is how society now works, thats crap. This DVD takes a look at the real version of Lord of the Rings. Yes, this movie has action. It isnt a gore fest but it's action. This animated version of the book actually follows the book step by step, everything the book has, except for the beginning with the flash-backs. This movie is sort of like a musical with songs, and war songs that fit the story line. My personal favorite from this movie is "Where there is a whip" I like it because of the well, beat that it moves at. At a slow disgruntled pace just like the way the orc's sing it.The movie begins with a party, with Elrond, Gandalf, Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin and good old uncle Bilbo. It's Bilbo's birthday party, and they are about to cut the cake but everytime Bilbo is about to cut it he falls asleep. "Will he ever cut the cake?" says Merry. Very funny childly humor, so during this time Bilbo notice's that Frodo is missing a finger. So Gandalf brings in a minstrel who has written a ballad of Frodo's adventure. So he begins to sing his song, about Frodo.
The ballad begins when Frodo was captured in the tower (like in the book, some of you think that it doesn't on account of Peter Jacksons films but they're wrong) Sam is trying to save Frodo, but runs into obstacles on the way, like an invisble wall. The true power of the ring and its mind bending torture and Orcs. Meanwhile at Minas Tirith, Gandalf is prepping for battle with Gondor. Mostly everything that happens in the book happens during the Minas Tirith parts, well all of the movie is accurate to the book. If you watch the Peter Jackson films and think that everything is accurate your wrong. I'm not saying the Peter Jackson films are bad. I'm definately not saying that, they're superb.
If you are a "Rings" fans, I strongly suggest you watch this Musical version of "Return of the King" it features the voice of Orson Bean the voice of Frodo and Bilbo from the Hobbit Feature. I'll will be writing a review on the Hobbit movie and book soon.
Movie Review: Entertaining and educational for kids
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been a big fan of Tolkien even before I could read. It was the audio recordings of Rankin&Bass's The Hobbit that I listen to before I ever picked up the book when I was about 8 or 9. I read and reread the book numerous times until I picked up the LOTR then reread that many of times before tackling the Simarrillion in 7th Grade. And later I read several of the other texts like Unfinished Tales and Lost Tales etc... so needless to say I am quite familiar with Tolkien from a young age so one might easily think I would naturally detest this version of his work. Far from it.
While Return of the King certainly doesn't capture the accuracy of the book, it does capture the overall spirit of Tolkien's world and his views of good vs evil. It has a certain magic quality about it like those good children stories that stay with children and awaken nostalgic memories in adulthood. Some of the hatred of this is more from obsessive fanboys who don't really get the underlying spirit and magic of Tolkien's works. The songs are really good and often carry a good message.
I really liked Sam's portrayal in this version - he's stout and plain but not simple minded like the bumbling oaf in Ralph Bakeshi's version. I like Sam in the scene where he is tempted by the Ring but rejects it for the simple life of a gardner. Frodo is good as the suffering despairing hero who nonetheless struggles on despite his burden. And overall Gandalf voiced by the magnificent John Huston is the epitome of how Gandalf should sound. The scene where he faces the Witch King is especially moving.
This movie is not for anyone over 12 and who never saw it when they were under 12. This is a movie for kids and for nostalgic adults.
Movie Review: AFTER ALL IT"S A GOOD CARTOON! better than like ATLANTIS....
Summary: 5 Stars
It still shows Minas Tirith in a grand way.I hope Peter Jackson does as good a job on his model of Minas Tirith for HIS BILLION DOLLAR BLOCK BUSTER!(Idon't want a dumb bust of a city.)Now the the battles are not at all comparable to P.J. Battles.Slashing heads,volleys of arrows,terrible screamsfrom Orcs,Ringwraiths ect.Clanging swords,great horse battles.......It's unbeatable almost.So Why do You have to think that this cartoon has to be as good. After all it's less violent,gruesome for Kids.It would realy not be wise to take a five year old to Petes Epic.This one is a lot less scary for one thing too.....except Gollum is still creepy and can stand up a bit to the other Gollum of Jackie computer serkis guy.
This is a good way to introduce your Children to the grand world of Tolkien.It still has a Myth in the air feeling about it.Like Lord of the Rings books.
Now the story is strong on Frodo and Sam's journey to mount doom.It shows it pretty well.
Some characters like Aragorn,Gimli,Legolas,Faramir,Arwen,Eomer and Bergrond don't appear at all or just briefly.Aragorn is just a hero King who is coming back to help Gondor and become King.You never now much about him,Ranger in the north or that he helped Frodo on the Fellowship or anything. P.J. Aragorn is so much more of a character.
Eowyn slays the witch king and does her role well but you never see her in any scene else untill the end when she's watching the parade of King Aragorn.A Man is beside her who is probaly Faramir.
I think the songs were ok at least.Though older people would love P.J. version much better of Lord of the Rings,This one still stands on it's own two feet.
Movie Review: Frodo of the Nine Fingers and the Return of a great movie
Summary: 5 Stars
MOVIE:I love this movie!!!!! They really caught it beautifully on the screen. There are only a couple of parts that make no sense:
1. When Frodo and Samwise are sleeping in that hole and Frodo has that weird dream.
2. When Sam is walking down from Cirith Ungol and he dreams of himself being a father.
TYhose scenes really don't add to the story. They really embelished some brief scenes in the book, like when Sam dreams of himself being 'Samwise the Strong' and the Mouth of Sauron part.
SONGS:
The songs are superb. My favorites are "Where There's a Whip There's a Way" and "Frodo of the Nine Fingers". Only two songs don't make sense: "Less Can Be More" and "Leave Tomorrow Till it Comes". Another good song is "Win the Battle, Lose the War".
CHARACTERS:
Once again, they captured the characters perfectly. I am kinda mad that they didn't include Legolas, Gimli, Faramir, or Beregond. Denethor is pictured exactly how Tolkien described him. John Noble's Denethor isn't old enough.
VOICES:
The voice talents are once again great. William Conrad dishes out a great Denethor. Casey Kasem and Sonny Melendrez are great at Merry and Pippin. Roddy McDowall outshines Sean Astin in the role of Samwise (no offense to him), but they are all left behind when it comes to John Huston as Gandalf. He is THE BEST!!!!!
OVERALL SUMMARY:
Great movie. Show it to the kids (although some of the younger ones might find it a little scary). Although this is a great movie in and of itself, Peter Jackson's outshines it by a lot.
Movie Review: Pay no attention to the scathing reviews of this great film
Summary: 5 Stars
This flick gets an avg. of 3 stars, but almost no one gave it 3; rather, about half gave it 5 and half 1. I've rarely seen such polarization. As for myself: when I saw "The Hobbit" in 1978, I ran out and bought my first Betamax just to be able to videotape it the next time it came around. And I think that "The Return of the King" is actually superior, and that the two Rankin and Bass movies (and also their "The Last Unicorn") are among my all-time favorites. Sure, they don't exactly follow the books, but, really, why is that such a big deal??? The books are fiction, so they do not follow real life - does that make them unenjoyable? The movies are also an excellent tale, and a book-perfect retelling is not at all necessary for one's enjoyment of them. And the songs in this movie are not nearly as "cheesy" as most reviewers state; the "Where There's a Whip, There's a Way" is done as a Tarantela (spelling?) rhythm and add depth to the personification of the bad guys (in Bakshi's travesty, they may look more realistic, but they're just one-dimensional cartoon characters).