You probably remember the Rankin/Bass version of The Return of the King. Or maybe you don't. It’s that strange, musical, slightly psychedelic animated movie that aired on ABC back in 1980. It wasn't exactly a sequel to Ralph Bakshi’s gritty, rotoscoped Lord of the Rings from 1978, even though everyone at the time thought it was. It was actually a follow-up to the 1977 Hobbit cartoon.
Confusing? Yeah.
But for a whole generation of fantasy fans, the Return of the King cartoon was the first time we saw the end of Frodo’s journey on a screen. Before Peter Jackson’s sweeping New Zealand vistas and CGI armies, we had hand-drawn Orcs singing about "Where there's a whip, there's a way." It’s quirky. It’s definitely dated. Yet, there’s something about the soul of this production that modern blockbusters sometimes miss.
The Weird History of the Return of the King Cartoon
So, here is the deal: Rankin/Bass Productions—the guys who gave us Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer—already had a massive hit with their animated The Hobbit. They wanted to finish the story. Meanwhile, Ralph Bakshi was busy making his own version of the first two books. When Bakshi’s film ended abruptly after the Battle of Helm's Deep, it left a massive narrative hole. Rankin/Bass stepped in to fill it, but they didn't have the rights to the middle bit.
This is why the Return of the King cartoon starts with a bit of a scramble. It frames the entire story as a flashback during Bilbo’s 129th birthday party in Rivendell. It’s a clever way to bypass the fact that they skipped over The Two Towers almost entirely. If you’re coming into this expecting a seamless trilogy, you’re going to be very lost. Honestly, it’s a miracle the movie makes as much sense as it does.
The animation was handled by Topcraft. If that name sounds familiar to anime nerds, it should. Topcraft eventually evolved into Studio Ghibli. You can actually see the DNA of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind in the way the characters move and the detailed, watercolor-style backgrounds of Mordor. It’s gorgeous in a way that modern 3D animation often struggles to replicate.
That Soundtrack and the Singing Orcs
We have to talk about the music. It’s the most polarizing part of the whole experience. Glenn Yarbrough’s vibrato-heavy folk singing is all over this movie. Some people find it incredibly annoying. Others (like me) find it weirdly comforting.
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The song "Frodo of the Nine Fingers" basically serves as a recap of the entire plot of the books. It’s catchy. It’s jaunty. It’s also completely at odds with the high-stakes drama of the Ring being melted in a volcano. And then there’s the Orc march. "Where there's a whip, there's a way" is a genuine banger. It captures the drudgery and misery of Sauron’s army better than most live-action scenes. It makes the Orcs feel like miserable, blue-collar workers just trying to get through a shift in a hellscape.
What the Return of the King Cartoon Got Right
Believe it or not, this version actually includes things the Peter Jackson movies cut.
Take the character of Prince Imrahil or the actual logistics of the Siege of Gondor. While Jackson turned the Battle of the Pelennor Fields into a massive spectacle, the Return of the King cartoon focuses heavily on the psychological toll of the darkness. It feels claustrophobic. The sky is a permanent, sickly yellow-orange.
The depiction of the Ring’s power over Frodo is also surprisingly dark for a "kids' movie." Frodo looks haggard. His eyes are sunken. When he finally reaches Sammath Naur and refuses to let go of the Ring, the animation style shifts to emphasize his descent into obsession. It’s unsettling. Orson Bean, who voices both Bilbo and Frodo, brings a frantic, nervous energy to the role that highlights the mental strain of the One Ring.
Denethor’s Madness
One of the highlights is John Huston voicing Gandalf. He’s perfect. He sounds like an old, weary god who has seen too much. Opposite him, Theodore Bikel plays a version of Denethor that is genuinely terrifying. In the Return of the King cartoon, Denethor’s descent into madness isn't just a side plot—it’s a central pillar of the Gondor sequence. The scene where he prepares the pyre for himself and Faramir is stark and haunting, rendered with a level of grimness that feels very 1970s.
The Problem With Skipping the Middle
Because the producers skipped The Two Towers, some things just... happen.
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Aragorn is there, but he doesn't feel like the king in waiting. Legolas and Gimli are basically background extras. They barely have lines. If you aren't already a Tolkien fan, you might wonder why the guy with the crown is so important. The movie assumes you already know the lore, which is a bold move for a televised special.
There’s also the issue of the ending. The Scouring of the Shire is omitted—which, to be fair, Jackson did too—but the cartoon ends on such a sudden, celebratory note that it feels a bit rushed. The bittersweet nature of the Grey Havens is there, but it’s wrapped up in a musical montage that might leave you feeling a bit whiplashed.
The Mouth of Sauron and the Horror Element
One thing this movie nailed? The Mouth of Sauron.
In the extended edition of Jackson’s film, the Mouth of Sauron is a creepy guy with a giant mouth. In the Return of the King cartoon, he’s this gaunt, skeletal figure on a terrifying horse that looks like it crawled out of a nightmare. It’s one of the best character designs in the whole film. It leans into the "weird fiction" roots of Tolkien's work, emphasizing the supernatural horror of Mordor rather than just the physical threat.
Is it Worth Watching Today?
Honestly, yeah.
If you’re a Tolkien completionist, you have to see it. It’s a piece of history. It represents a time when fantasy was niche and creators had to take massive risks with tone and style. It doesn't look like anything else being made today. The colors are saturated, the character designs are lumpy and human, and the music is unashamedly earnest.
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It’s easy to mock the "Return of the King cartoon" for its singing hobbits and simplified plot. But it has heart. You can tell the people at Rankin/Bass actually liked the source material. They tried to capture the "fairy story" element of Tolkien, which is something the high-action modern adaptations sometimes push to the side.
Why Collectors Love It
If you’re looking for a physical copy, the DVD versions are usually bundled with The Hobbit. The 2014 Warner Bros. "Remastered Deluxe Edition" is generally the one you want, as it cleans up some of the grain without scrubbing away the hand-drawn charm. Some of the older VHS transfers are pretty muddy, which actually adds to the "lost media" vibe if you’re into that sort of thing.
Actionable Steps for the Curious Fan
If you want to dive into this era of Middle-earth, don't just jump in blind. Here is how to actually enjoy it without getting frustrated by the 45-year-old tropes.
- Watch the 1977 Hobbit first. The Return of the King cartoon is a direct sequel to that specific art style and continuity. If you watch them back-to-back, the character designs (like the pudgy, frog-like Gollum) make much more sense.
- Listen to the soundtrack separately. Seriously. Search for the soundtrack on YouTube. Once you hear "The Road Goes Ever On" without the distracting visuals, you’ll realize how much effort went into the folk-composition.
- Check out the Topcraft connection. If you like the look of this movie, go watch The Last Unicorn. It was made by the same team around the same time and uses many of the same visual motifs. It helps you appreciate the "Rankin/Bass style" as a legitimate artistic movement.
- Read the liner notes. If you can find a copy of the original Rankin/Bass production art books, look at them. The concept art for the Nazgûl and the Witch-king is significantly more terrifying than what actually made it onto the small screen.
This movie isn't a masterpiece in the traditional sense. It’s messy. It’s a bit confused. But as an artifact of a time when fantasy was experimental and weird, the Return of the King cartoon is irreplaceable. It’s a reminder that there are many ways to tell a story, and sometimes, a singing orc is exactly what you need to understand the scale of a fantasy world.
Instead of comparing it to the billion-dollar movies of today, try to see it for what it was: a daring, colorful, and deeply sincere attempt to bring the greatest story ever told to a living room television in 1980. That’s worth a rewatch any day.
Next Steps for Tolkien Enthusiasts
- Audit the Visuals: Compare the character designs of the 1980 special with the 1978 Bakshi film to see how two different studios interpreted the same descriptions.
- Track Down the Artwork: Look for the "Rankin/Bass Tolkien" concept art prints online; they are highly sought after by collectors for their unique watercolor aesthetic.
- Contextualize the Era: Read about the transition of Topcraft into Studio Ghibli to understand how the animators who worked on Frodo eventually went on to create classics like Spirited Away.