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"The Lord of the Rings - 1981 BBC Radio Adaptation" Topic


17 Posts

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Joe5mc08 Jul 2018 8:14 a.m. PST

I recently acquired a copy of the 1981 BBC Radio Adaptation of The Lord of the Rings, which I'm using as an excuse to paint some LOTR minis.

You can read my full thoughts on episode 1 here. link

Here's a shot of the Radagast I painted while listening to the episode (in which he unexpectedly appears!)

YogiBearMinis08 Jul 2018 8:24 a.m. PST

Hilarious. I bought [the series] on audio cassettes. A couple of weeks later, I bought a machine that could play audio cassettes.

USAFpilot08 Jul 2018 8:49 a.m. PST

Good review. IMHO this is an excellent adaptation to LOTR. Much better than the movies. One of the best purchases I've ever made.

Old Peculiar08 Jul 2018 9:56 a.m. PST

I agree with USAFpilot. I found it excellent.

Kropotkin30308 Jul 2018 11:52 a.m. PST

It was my Sunday Morning listening when it was on the radio. I burned through c120 casettes recording it. Excellent memories and I must listen to it again.

Huscarle08 Jul 2018 12:59 p.m. PST

I picked up this BBC CD set together with The Hobbit. I've listened to them more times than I can remember on various car journeys. They are excellent and really bring the scenes to life. Nicely painted figure of Radagast btw thumbs up

Darrell B D Day08 Jul 2018 2:21 p.m. PST

I recorded the original broadcast using the sophisticated technique of placing a microphone in front of the radio speaker. Quality – distinctly average but hey, it was the best I could do.

Also look out for the lampoon series Hordes of the Things (a title subsequently used by WRG) which followed a few years later. Funny….grin

DBDD

LostPict Supporting Member of TMP08 Jul 2018 5:19 p.m. PST

Its excellent, I wore my cassettes out listening to it. I recently found a variant of it on Hoopla.

Weddier08 Jul 2018 6:14 p.m. PST

I wish Michael Hordern had been able to play Gandalf on the screen.

Personal logo 20thmaine Supporting Member of TMP09 Jul 2018 5:11 a.m. PST

I wish Ian Holm could have been Frodo.

Hordes of the Things actually predated (it was broadcast 25 November 1980 – 16 December 1980) the LOTR radio series by about 6 months. Brian Sibley was not happy about it!

Ping Pong09 Jul 2018 7:02 a.m. PST

The BBC series is great. I have them on cassette and cd. :)

Gone Fishing09 Jul 2018 7:13 a.m. PST

I have very mixed feelings about the films, so I might have to check these out. And we're about to leave on a road trip!

Personal logo 20thmaine Supporting Member of TMP09 Jul 2018 9:27 a.m. PST

It's very true to the books – there's a little bit added from 'Lost Tales' but otherwise very close (Bombadil and Ghan-Buri-Ghan are left out). Gimli isn't a figure of fun.

And the cast is great.

John le Mesurier is wonderful as Bilbo.

Bill Nighy a superb Sam.

Robert Stephens as Aragorn – perfect.

Michael Hordern is a suitably lordly Gandalf.

Would be perfect for a long car trip.

blacksoilbill09 Jul 2018 8:39 p.m. PST

I remember hearing snippets of these as a child, long before I had a clue what the Lord of the Rings was. It certainly kindled my interest!

darthfozzywig09 Jul 2018 9:20 p.m. PST

It was my Sunday Morning listening when it was on the radio

Same. I introduced it to my children (who've also read the books) and they love it. They request it whenever we're on a road trip.

Mike Target11 Jul 2018 2:18 a.m. PST

Im currently listening to this series, and painting my 1980s citadel Elrond!

Baranovich13 Jul 2018 7:01 a.m. PST

Just awesome! Ahhh the old days…

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