Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Lord of the Rings
BBC Radio 4 ^

Posted on 12/30/2001 1:23:54 PM PST by Overtaxed

BBC Radio 4 first broadcast The Lord of the Rings in 1981 to huge public acclaim and you now have the chance to hear this superb serialisation in 13 weekly episodes, both online and on air, as the Saturday Play on BBC Radio 4 at 14.30 - 15.30 from 5 January 2002 on 92-95 FM and 198 LW.

This dramatisation retains a magic that has inspired many, including some of the cast and crew on the current film. It was headed by an incredible cast of Sir Michael Hordern as Gandalf, Sir Robert Stephens as Aragorn, John Le Mesurier as Bilbo and Ian Holm as Frodo. Therefore, it is no surprise that Ian Holm has now gone on to play Bilbo in the NewLine film version.

The radio production has been recognised by many fans as the definitive interpretation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s trilogy to date, and whilst you’ll have to wait for the next episodes of the film, you can hear the whole trilogy on BBC Radio 4.


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 12/30/2001 1:23:54 PM PST by Overtaxed
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Overtaxed
bump for an excellent version
2 posted on 12/30/2001 1:29:27 PM PST by billbears
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Overtaxed
I have the cassette version of this, and also highly recommend it. Some very moving parts include all the Lothlorien stuff, the battle of Pellanor fields, and the end.
3 posted on 12/30/2001 1:43:51 PM PST by Sans-Culotte
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Overtaxed
Yes. It is truly awesome. I own the cassette version. But buyers beware. There is another version, full of cheesey sound effects, bad music and fingernail-on-the-chalkboard cockney accents. Yech! Make sure you get the real one.
4 posted on 12/30/2001 1:49:21 PM PST by Thorondir
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Overtaxed
I've listened to the BBC version and prefer the unabridged version offered by Recorded Books which are on sale right now at http://www.recordedbooks.com/template5.cfm?tolkien_home=true They are more expensive but Tolkien’s prose is much better than the BBC’s interpretation of it. Also while I do like radio drama I found the sound effects to be a bit overpowering in the BBC version. I listen to a lot of books on tape so it’s pretty easy for me to recognize different characters by the vocal changes made by the single reader of the book and don’t require an ensemble cast like the BBC version.

I did a little checking to see what the sets cost. In cassette version the four books (including the Hobbit) costs $94.48 if you buy all of them and $132.98 in the CD version plus shipping.

They also offer the Annals of the Kings ($26.95) and the Silmarillion which I bought for my son-in-law in CD this Christmas for about $62.00. I couldn’t find it at their website.

5 posted on 12/30/2001 2:32:22 PM PST by airedale
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sans-Culotte
I have the cassette version of this, and also highly recommend it. Some very moving parts include all the Lothlorien stuff, the battle of Pellanor fields, and the end.I like the woman that plays Galadriel in the BBC version. She was able to convey just with her voice all the power that Peter Jackson had to show with special effects when Galadriel was tempted by the Ring.

The Battle of Helms Deep is very riveting and the music used during the battle and the song the ents sing as they march to Isengard is thrilling. John Le Mesiuerier's Gollum was incredible. And the final scene on Mount Doom is harrowing:

"I have come. But I do not choose to do what I came to do. The Ring is mine. Mine..."
6 posted on 12/30/2001 7:01:20 PM PST by BradyLS
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Sans-Culotte
I have the cassette version of this, and also highly recommend it. Some very moving parts include all the Lothlorien stuff, the battle of Pellanor fields, and the end.I like the woman that plays Galadriel in the BBC version. She was able to convey just with her voice all the power that Peter Jackson had to show with special effects when Galadriel was tempted by the Ring.

The Battle of Helms Deep is very riveting and the music used during the battle and the song the ents sing as they march to Isengard is thrilling. John Le Mesiuerier's Gollum was incredible. And the final scene on Mount Doom is harrowing:

"I have come. But I do not choose to do what I came to do. The Ring is mine. Mine..."
7 posted on 12/30/2001 7:01:45 PM PST by BradyLS
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Thorondir
Yes. It is truly awesome. I own the cassette version. But buyers beware. There is another version, full of cheesey sound effects, bad music and fingernail-on-the-chalkboard cockney accents. Yech! Make sure you get the real one.

Are you talking about The Mind's Eye production of LOTR. I've heard just few moments of it and it was enough to tell me that the BBC version was the real deal.

8 posted on 12/30/2001 7:04:07 PM PST by BradyLS
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: BradyLS
Yeah ,it's the Eye of Mind version that really stinks. I have owned both and still listen to the BBC version which is very good though there is some diversion from the books.The Eye of Mind version has one actor who did voice-overs on The Underdog cartoon show-could never get past that!!
9 posted on 12/30/2001 7:31:21 PM PST by lawdog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: lawdog
That's a shame. I gave a buddy the LOTR BBC set, but he so hated the Mind's Eye version that I don't think he ever got around to listening to the BBC one.
10 posted on 12/30/2001 7:39:08 PM PST by BradyLS
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson