The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
A Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisation
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The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
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About this listen
With its first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on March 8, 1981, this dramatised tale of Middle Earth became an instant global classic. It boasts a truly outstanding cast including Ian Holm (as Frodo), Michael Hordern (as Gandalf), Robert Stephens (as Aragorn), Bill Nighy (as Sam Gamgee) and John Le Mesurier (as Bilbo).
Brian Sibley's famous adaptation has been divided into three corresponding parts, with newly-recorded beginning and end narration by Ian Holm, who now stars as Bilbo in the feature films based on The Lord of the Rings.
Part One, The Fellowship of the Ring, introduces us to Frodo Baggins. With his uncle Bilbo having mysteriously disappeared, Frodo finds himself in possession of a simple gold ring that has great and evil power. It is the Ruling Ring, taken long ago from the Dark Lord, Sauron, who now seeks to possess it again. Frodo must do everything he can to prevent this, and with the help of Gandalf the wizard and a band of loyal companions he begins a perilous journey across Middle-earth. Sauron's Black Riders are on their trail as they travel to Rivendell, attempt to cross the snow-swept Misty Mountains and, in desperation, enter the terrifying Mines of Moria.
©2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
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I'm pretty sure this has been edited from the original broadcast, some of the classic lines I remember don't seem to be there and I can't have dreamt them all. At one time I could recite entire episodes of this dramatization by heart.
That brings me to my main bugbear. This was a 13 part radio dramatization of the whole trilogy. There is no reason (other than making 2 extra sales) for it to have been divided into three.
Should have been published on Audible as a whole!
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wonderful
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The performances were pretty good. Ian Holm really steals the show a bit. Frodo, Sam and Aragorn are all done well. Some of the other characters could be done better, and Merry and Pippin sound a bit too posh for hobbits, but once you get used to it, they're alright.
My biggest critisim is that sometimes the editing can be a bit odd. They might cut from a dramatic moment to the narrator saying what happens the next day, followed by casual chatter. It can be a bit jarring sometimes. Also, sometimes it's as if Frodo is telling the story years later, but most of the time it's a different narrator. I have to say that I don't think the main narrator is that great.
Also, I'm sure anyone who has seen the films can't help but imagine Ian Holm as Bilbo. It's weird to hear him play Frodo, though I know this came before the films. At first I had to keep reminding myself that it was Frodo everytime I heard his voice.
Much Easier to Get Through Than the Book
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Professor Tolkien was primarily a researcher, not an author, so even though his world is vast, inventive and revolutionary (for the time it was written in) it can be hard reading, especially for a modern audience who are accustomed to a fast paced turn around and a narrative that drives ever forward. This beautiful dramatisation allows new listeners to experience Tolkien's remarkable world and delve into the fantastical stories, while existing fans get to enjoy the adventures of their favourite characters in a new and exciting way; enhanced with the richness of excellent acting, phenomenal music and captivating sound effects. Whether you enjoyed this series on the radio back in the day, or this is a first time outing for you, it's most certainly worth listening to!
Just be warned, it is an adaptation, a very faithful and close adaptation, but not a verbatim reading of the source material none the less. If you haven't already read the LOTR you still will not have done so at the end of this, but it's worth it all the same. An amazing auditory experience.
A beautiful way to enjoy something so classic
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It was often said that LOTR was impossible to make into a movie and I'm sure they felt the same about being able to compress the three books into a radio drama but they just about manage to pull it off.
I'd love to see them remake this with today's technology and acting talent as the only real let downs are the voice for Gollum where the actor is clearly struggling with the tricksy language the part requires (his first few lines at the start of the recording left a knife in my heart and wondering just how bad this production was going to be), and the other is the volume levels from speech scenes to battle or music. They can be quite severe when listening with headphones.
All that said though this is essential listening for LOTR fans and it's a million times better than the atrocious dramatisation of The Hobbit that the BBC did.
Superb
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