[Bloody Sam Roberts]

A single three hour movie would do more justice than this over wrought trilogy.

I've always thought that the Rankin-Bass animated version of The Hobbit with Orson Bean voicing Bilbo and John Huston voicing Gandalf was a gem. Very entertaining and true to the book.

[BlueLancer]

"I've always thought that the Rankin-Bass animated version of The Hobbit with Orson Bean voicing Bilbo and John Huston voicing Gandalf was a gem. Very entertaining and true to the book."

And casting Richard Boone as the voice of Smaug was inspired. An exceptional scene when an invisible Bilbo is first facing Smaug who continually calls him a "thief".