The Return of the King

Rankin/Bass return to the works of Tolkien once more for the concluding chapter of The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King. The story picks up with Frodo, Gandalf, and Elrond celebrating Bilbo’s 129th birthday, and recounting how Frodo and Sam went on a quest to Mount Doom to destroy the magic ring Bilbo found. Some impressive actors lend their talents to the film, including John Huston, Roddy McDowall, and Casey Kasem, and they deliver strong performances. The musical numbers however, are a little lackluster and aren’t quite up to the Rankin/Bass standard. Still, the animation style is pretty good and is full of interesting character and set designs. While it may be a little too kidified for die hard Tolkien fans, The Return of the King is an entertaining fantasy adventure.