RALPH BAKSHI'S THE LORD OF THE RINGS: ORIGINAL ANIMATED CLASSIC returns on Blu-Ray!

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Review by John Larkin

Bakshi’s bold, weird, and strangely beautiful animated epic finally gets the re-release it deserves.

Ralph Bakshi’s animated adaptation of THE LORD OF THE RINGS (1978) has finally been re-released on Blu-ray by Warner Bros., which is great news, since the original release has been out of print and used copies have been selling for unnecessarily exorbitant prices on eBay for years.

I only watched this version for the first time about eight years ago, despite being a fan of Peter Jackson’s live-action trilogy for two decades. Going into it, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was surprised at how much I appreciated Bakshi’s approach. What stands out most is his pioneering use of rotoscoping—animating over live-action footage. Bakshi actually shot live-action sequences on soundstages in Spain and Death Valley, using actors in full costume, then traced over every frame to capture human movement, weight, and nuance far beyond what traditional animation offered. It’s an unusual style that mixes realism with a surreal texture—at once evocative and a bit uncanny.

Bakshi embraced rotoscoping to handle massive battle scenes—especially at Helm’s Deep—with hundreds of figures efficiently animated at scale. But he didn’t stop there. When funds ran low, he employed a solarizing effect over some crowd footage, giving sequences an eerie, color-inverted look rather than skipping animation work entirely. The result is jarringly textured: some shots are rich and painterly, others harsh and distorted—but it’s all part of the film’s raw, handmade charm.

Beyond the visuals, the production story is equally compelling. Bakshi inherited a shelved live-action script originally by John Boorman, plus a draft by Chris Conkling—both replaced after he brought in fantasy novelist Peter S. Beagle of THE LAST UNICORN (1982), who restored much of Tolkien’s dialogue—though he reportedly earned just $5,000 for his work. Bakshi also personally met with Christopher and Priscilla Tolkien in Oxford to request their blessing, telling them the energy and spirit of the story mattered more than literal fidelity—that he wouldn't proceed without their approval.

The voice cast was pulled from the BBC's Drama Repertory Company and recorded all together in England, though they had to leave awkward two-second pauses between lines to match the rotoscoped performances later. John Hurt as Aragorn, Anthony Daniels as Legolas, and William Squire as Gandalf make up a cast whose performances still resonate. Several of these actors would later reprise their roles in the BBC Radio adaptation of THE LORD OF THE RINGS (1981). I have a particular fondness for the version of Gandalf in this, as he’s far from the warm and comforting Ian McKellen portrayal. Instead, he’s a mischievous, borderline creepy wizard who loves to emphasize his words by pointing with his long, bony fingers.

Leonard Rosenman’s orchestral score filled the need after Bakshi’s dream of a Led Zeppelin soundtrack collapsed over licensing issues. The sweeping, dramatic music was recorded in 1977 and even made the official soundtrack album chart at number 33 in Canada.

This Blu-ray transfer is the same as its original release—this appears to be just a repressing (and a much-needed one at that) of the earlier Blu-ray edition from many years back. The transfer is uniquely imperfect, which I actually like. It’s not super clean and crispy—instead, lots of original grain and artifacts from the film scan are very visible. It feels like a direct scan without much post-cleanup. Personally, I enjoy a nice, minimally restored print for a 1970's film such as this one. The actual detail is what’s most important, and keeping those artifacts intact helps maintain a texture and feel that makes it a more authentic, original experience.

This version of THE LORD OF THE RINGS (1978) isn’t going to be for everyone. If you want a polished, modern take, Jackson’s trilogy is the way to go. But if you’re interested in a raw, experimental adaptation with bold technical innovations, an unusual aesthetic, and remarkable dedication—even under budget constraints—this is a valuable release. It’s definitely worth owning for animation fans, Tolkien enthusiasts, or anyone curious about this fascinating slice of film history.