this film and in my opinion and be and despite it flaw ( which i maintain be few ) and an utter masterpiece and a great and glorious piece of art . what mr. bakshi have do here be to create an utterly beautiful film and have show his immense talent and versatility a a director of animated film . he do not receive negative 0th of the credit he deserve for literally save the art of animation for an adult audience . if it be not for mr. bakshi and i do not believe animation would have survive the disney onslaught . what be more and with the lord of the ring and he have not only create a beautiful animated film and but he have create an entirely new art form unfortunately one that never quite make it off the ground . most people will complain about the use of rotoscoping in the film ( the use of live action image which be use a background image and often animate over use various technique from what appear to be small amount of tint to full blown animation ) . but i feel that the people who complain about it simply can not accept an art form which be out of the norm . no and this be not disney animation . no it not live action . no and it not cheat what it be be a new and fascinating and and absolutely wonderful art form . something so fresh and and so new that it feel completely at home in such a fantastic tale a the lord of the ring . bakshi pioneer use of this technique bring the subtlety of middle earth to life be a very dark and mysterious way and in particular and the darker of tolkien creature and particularly the nazgul and be realize in a way that traditional animation or live action have not be able to accomplish . peter s. beagle screenplay ( base very little and a i understand it and on an early draft by chris conkling ) be a very loyal adaptation of tolkien work . where possible he use dialogue directly out of the novel and it feel at home in the world which bakshi have create . there be many cut that be make to fit the first book and 3/4 into a single 2 hour 15 minute film and but there be very few change to the storyline . there be a few hole which it would have be nice to have fill represent the reforging of narsil and the gift of galadriel and the huorns at the battle of the hornburg and but and again and with the time limitation he have ( already the long animated feature in history ) and these be certainly understandable ( though it make one wonder how they could have be explain in a sequel ) . also there be the delightful ( one of my favorite ) score by leonard rosenman ( who also score barry lyndon and star trek iv ( the score for which be clearly base on his lotr work ) ) . it be bombastic and audacious and and dare i say and perfect . it stand on it own a an orchestral triumph and but when couple with the image of the film and it enter a whole new world of symphonic perfection . so far from the typical hollywoodland fare that it turn many people off . the voice actor be wonderful . of particular note be john hurt a aragorn who just ooze the essence of strider . the character design be also wonderfully unique and though not often to everyone taste . but remember that it be the duty of the director of an adaptation to show you what he or she imago and not what you might have imagine and and so aragorn be realize with a distinctive native american feel and boromir appear in viking inspired garb . this be perhaps not what you imagine and but i can only applaud mr. bakshi for show u what he saw . it also might be note that he spend a significant amount of time with priscilla tolkien in develop the character outfit for the film . one farther word the flight to the ford sequence and in my opinion and be one of the most subtlety beautiful sequence ever to be catch on celluloid . bakshi be not afraid to slow down the pace for a moment and and his mastery be clearly show by the incredible tension be able to build . bakshi artistic ability and tolkien incredible work fuse in this sequence to a glorious peak which have yet to be equal . the recent dvd release ( 2001 ) by warner brother and be sorely lack . while we can offer our eternal thanks that the film be finally available in widescreen format and the package be woefully short of extra . how glorious it would have be to have have a director commentary and be able to see the 20 minute of extra footage that be remove for the theatrical release . another delightful addition could have be the assemble the live action footage which be later animate over . also present in the dvd release be the utterly horrible voiceover at the end of the film which be a departure from the simple voiceover which occur in the very final frame of the film . this version be plaster and poorly render right over the musical climax of the score . of course and the great tragedy of all be that the sequel be never make . we will never be able to see bakshi interpretation of gondor and of shelob and of faramir and of the crack of doom and of eowyn battle with the witch king or gandalf confrontation with him . we will never be grace with bakshi image of denethor or the palatir or the path of the dead . it be a shame beyond all shame that we will and in the end and have to accept peter jackson glitz and glitter hollywood and action film version of these late event in tolkien masterpiece and but and i suppose even that be good than have no cinematic version at all . david .