I thought that briefly but I guess it was more of a leap. Or how some birds can barely get off the ground for a few seconds. He couldn't leap again with no more ground underneath.
Considering he's a maiar he probably knew he'd be back I mean he's been there since before the dawn of time and he's probably died multiple times already, most likely he's used to it
@@spencersinclair2239 That was his first time dying, and his last time dying. He was only brought back because of Iluvatar. So if he died before that he wouldn't have been brought back.
I like his horrid understanding of what avails him... Gandalf is like, "Oh F**k""! A Balrog. Gandalf knows here before him a foe equal to his power and strength and know less ancient than he.. He fights him from the very montaintop to Morias forgatten abyss
I like to imagine he was so calm because he knew he wasn't done-for yet, even if his companions didn't. If you don't know that he survives the fall, it doesn't make much sense.
@@GrunesGemuse Well... Have you heard of this guy in WW1 that captured tens of german soldiers with little fights and explained that "The german soldier is very disciplined. If you yell hard enough for it to be convincing, they will listen to you and obey". Guess orcs are very disciplined :p
In the book Frodo says nothing, how he reacted in that moment is not written about.Only a bit later when they are all weeping their hearts like they've forgotten that he is a fookin maia
I just love how the 70's and 80's artists portrayed fantasy worlds. It is just so different and cool in its own way in comparison to the modern perspective.
I think it’s the colors. They have more of an autumn feel. It’s usually warmer and somehow that makes it feel cozy and vintage. I love the Jackson movies, but I definitely imagined it with a warmer pallet when reading the books, bc the story is old asf so my image had to feel old asf too lol
@@MrUmakemelaff It still looks markedly different from the hand drawn animation cels they rotoscoped over the filmed footage that the majority of the movie uses. Calling them the same feels a bit reductive.
@@MrUmakemelaff I wouldnt say rotoscoping is the poor mans mocap, especially considering when this was made. Not to mention motion capture isnt used very often in 2d animation anyways, one of the many reasons most things are animated in 3D nowadays. Both methods have advantages and pull backs, making them both useful tools depending on what you're trying to make
You just told these nerds to fuck off and sacrificed your life in a feeble attempt to save theirs and as you plummit to your death you see their stupid faces pop up.
@@dominickilpatrick8575 bro. See cool thing about books, is that you have your own personal narrative tone playing in your head, that's unique to you. I read it with a sense of command, which is why I found this soft delivery funny. I don't equate a lack of an exclamation point with "simple". If this cartoon matches what you read, well ok then.
Can valar get drunk ? I have to wonder because there was a crackpot theory that the men in Tolkien's word can't get drunk so I wonder if only certain species got drunk .
I love how Gandalf is just apparently mildly perturbed at being pulled down into the depths: “Fly you fools.” Gandalf uttered, seemingly for the 80th time that day.
@@tangerinetech5300 I am well aware it was a book long before it was a film not to worry. It's simply that I have never seen this strange 70s adaptation before. ;)
@@poplava9668 In the movies the first time Gandalf says 'cannot', and the second time says 'shall not'. Jackson changed it to this in the movies because it had a more profound effect and I think he was right to as it made it so much more iconic.
Love how Aragorn tells the orcs to come no closer and they actually just stop and have an awkward stare down with him lol. Very polite orcs, they respect personal boundaries I suppose
Well, you certainly can’t aptly accuse those Orcs of not being frightening and grotesque enough. This flick did THEM right at least. The Black Riders in this movie are really creepy and well-done too, I’ll note (“Sniff! sniff!! .. . sniff!”).
I love how Aragorn is just like “come no closer” and they don’t come any closer and he stands there for a second like “shit that actually worked who’d have thunk?”.
Doc Holliday oh my god right?? Some of the voice acting, like John Hurt as Aragorn, was well executed. But in this most important moment Gandalf's voice actor is just not into it at all. So yea, Tommy Wiseau is a good comparison lol
I think "Balrog" means "impulsive need to strike bare butt cheeks of unsuspecting colleagues within a 12 ft radius" in one of the ancient Elvin languages. I think Arwen whispered that to Aragorn in one of the erotic dreams he kept having.
yeah but i heard grandpa, cousin it, and gollum used to get high back in the day. and when thing came over, theres was always a slight of hand, a missing ring, a used razor, and concoctions in a lab.
"He staggered and fell, grasped vainly at the stone, and slid into the abyss. "Fly, you fools! ' he cried, and was gone.The fires went out, and blank darkness fell. The Company stood rooted with horror staring into the pit." Tolkien and his darn narrative decisions.
I mean he clearly had Feather Fall prepared because he didn't die. Not unreasonable to assume the DM would let him cast Misty Step, but maybe he forced him to roll a Dexterity save to cast it in time. I can only assume the player had some real life stuff to work out because he returned much later in the campaign and his level gain was explained with off screen shenanigans
To be fair, it’s supposed to be the same type of creature as Gandalf, only corrupted and consumed by its own greed. It is described in the book to vaguely look like a man, not taller than than a man either. However, its form could not be plainly discerned, and it drew itself to a greater height when it stood at the bridge. It also says “it _felt_ larger than it looked”.
When I took my kids to see PJ's LOTR in theaters, my daughter was sobbing after she saw Gandalf seemingly plummet to his death. It crushed her little heart. I didn't make her feel better by letting her know he comes back in the Two Towers. Made her wait a year to experience it. We still argue about whether that made me the best dad in the world or the worst.
The worst, had to let her experience it normally. You mended a temporary pain that needed to heal on its own. How old was she when you showed it to her? I would love to show my kid these movies but not exactly sure when. Edit: I'm a rtard and read your comment wrong. You're the best for not spoiling it :)
@@AImighty_Loaf if you watch the movie with your kids, you could start at 12-14 yrs of age depending on how sensible you judge your children to be. After all, those are really dark movies with scary monsters, brutal battles, bloody skirmishes and lots of grief and desperation. that is nothing kids could process/handle easily if they are too young. it would just give them nightmares.
Actually... it is pretty much as same as in the book, balrog is actually twice the size of man , not that big as shown in the LOTR movie , so I guess bakshi got it right, but yes , he was more intimidating in the movie
@@JaylukKhan Mayte just put yourself in 1978 and imagine this coming at your face , yes it might look like a very funny rendition of balrog but hell if this monstrosity came in front of you, you’re probably gonna be scared shitless
Aragorn: “Come no closer!! I warn you!” Orcs: *stop* Aragorn internally: Whoa…that worked? Aragorn: “Gandalf just tell the Balrog it can’t pass. It worked for me with the orcs.”
Screaming your lungs out doesn't come forward as confidence really. It's like the small dogs that feel the need to bark like crazy when a bigger dog appears. The loudest I've ever screamed was when someone scared the living shit out of me once. This guy casually stating that the monster can not pass is way more badass than the screaming one in my opinion.
When I saw this as a very small child the whole thing (not just this scene) made me a little uneasy. I later realized this was because my young brain wasn't prepared for rotoscoping.
Well they could have, if they were at theiir full power. Read the Silmarillion and/or the Appendix for "The Lord of the Rings". The five maiar had to give up their power, because they were supposed to mobilise the people of middleearth, so humans, elves and dwarves would defeat Sauron by themselves. If Manwe and the other valar truly wanted to destroy Sauron, they would defeated him like they did with Saurons Master, Morgoth. That is why the istari appeared as old men, who were capable of some cool tricks, but they were not even close their former powerlevel.
In the Silmarillion, Balrogs were described as the "generals" of Morgoth's armies of orcs. So, they may very well have communicated "I got this" to a bunch of orcs, who would have in turn recognized a balrog as a kind of mythic hero. The PJ balrog is more monster than a general. Sure, facing Godzilla would be scary, and that's what PJ's balrog is: an oversized, rampaging monster, except Godzilla can actually lead other monsters in a fight. PJ's balrog doesn't seem to know how to do even that or even recognize Gandalf as a special kind of enemy (a Maiar, the same sort of being as the balrog). The Bakshi balrog at least appears to have a kind of intelligence and deep malice to it, which is why I found it freaky as a kid an even today.
Well, you certainly can’t aptly accuse those Orcs of not being frightening and grotesque enough. This flick did THEM right at least. The Black Riders in this movie are really creepy and well-done too, I’ll note (“Sniff! sniff!! .. . sniff!”).
Really appreciate the effort to make this back in the day, they did a good job for their time. But this really makes you realize how much Jackson and McKellen knocked it out of the park
Ralph Bakshi is certainly, at least, the bigger pioneer and innovator over frigging Peter Jackson. For example, creators and fans of things like Heavy Metal, Ren and Stimpy, South Park, and Futurama all owe Bakshi a debt. Now, do tell us, WHAT exactly has Jackson pioneered and influenced? .. . zilch!
@@ColeSlaw-rg1gd If you can't see the brilliance of the LoTR trilogy compared to this then more fool you. Meshuggah influenced and pioneered basically an entire genre. And I'd argue Car Bomb is much more intricate and complex, does that mean simply because they came first Meshuggah are superior?
@@ColeSlaw-rg1gd Yes I know who he is. I'll do another analogy using Meshuggah, since they've influenced virtually all heavy music since, I still think Haken delivered an album on a quality Meshuggah have never reached, The Mountain (which is what I regard as the greatest album of all time actually), yet Haken have been nowhere near as influential or pioneering as Meshuggah. You don't have to break the wheel to give a good adaptation that pays homage to the source material whilst taking its own creative liberties. That's the vital and often so difficult task when making an adaptation of anything into anything not just books-films/cartoons. Additionally, the music, acting, direction, pacing, dialogue it's all utter TOP notch in Jacksons LoTR all the way through the trilogy. The standoff with the Balrog, the breaking of the Fellowship, the Battle of the Hornburg, lighting the beacons, gathering the Rohirrim, Aragon recruiting the dead Army, the battle at Pelenor Fields. Too many to count, how can you not be moved by those moments? When I first saw the charge of the Rohirrim over 20 years ago in cinema, I felt like I'd just taken 600mics of acid and was actually there (I was sober) but man the epicness literally overwhelmed me. If you can't see the brilliance, just because se guy did more for adult animation???? Are you ACTUALLY that salty or childish? Boy i bet your gf is loving life hahahahahaha Like me saying Einstein revolutionised the entire way we look at absolutely everything, shouldn't he get credit over everyone and everything else? Or does that not apply because the all-knowing Cole Slaw didn't know it lol
@@ColeSlaw-rg1gd And like Futurama and South Park bear the same entertainment content as LoTR, invent whatever silly cartoon you want and influence as many others as you want. I'll still take the greatest trilogy of all time cheers...
@@kylecarracappa2312 I think he means the tone of the voice. It sounds like he's just casually telling to somebody he's standing beside, not shouting it urgently up a crevice.
@@gurvmlk He's trying to lower the self esteem of that Balrog. He knows they can only fly when they glitter and sparkle with confidence. You have to admit she was fantastic when she first came out.
Where there's a whip whoo cha there's a way we don't wanna go to war today but the lord of lashes says nay nay nay we'll be marching all day all day all day where there's a whip there's a way
I very much enjoy Gandalf gently tumbling into the abyss and snapping at the fellowship with all of the energy of an impatiently miffed dad who's realized his kids are still sitting around the breakfast table instead of getting ready for school...
I remember when this came out. Every one of us was excited as most of my school had read LOTR. They got the first part out and never did 2 or 3 of the book. We were all depressed. Then 1981 radio 4 brought out a full length 13 hour radio play. Every week it was a go to thing. Fun fact -- Ian Holm was Frodo Baggins in the radio play 1981. He was Bilbo Baggins in the 2001 Full movie! Love it.
I remember seeing this at the cinema when it came out. The orcs and ringwraiths scared the life out of me. Even now I think the wraiths in the animated film are more disturbing .I think it is the rotoscoping technique adding to the effectiveness of how the orcs and Ringwraith looked like humans but not quite human. I also noticed the PJ LOTR scene in Bree where the wraiths are about to bring their swords down onto the beds is very similar to the animated version. Particularly The camera angles etc. in the animated film they seem to appear out of no where which again is creepy. Shame the other books were never made by baski . I know PJ LOTR are excellent but at the time I was desperate to see more.
I read this chapter a few days ago and skimming over, the only description I saw was that it looked like it was made of fire and shadow, had a mane, and I think horns. Even the wings weren't mentioned for several paragraphs.
HONESTLY, I find the Balrog in the 2000 version to be kind of stupid looking too. THAT one looks to me like a rip off of the Id monster in the 1957 movie Forbidden Planet, only with fire instead of laser energy
@@sgtpaloogoo2811 idk the wraiths did a fantastic job if being overly terrifying when I was a kid. And I LOVE the witch king and how hrs not some arrogant nasely loser
@@Velanestar Oh yeah, that Witch King sounded like Cobra Commander through an industrial fan. Hurts to listen to and not in a good way. Definitely prefer the Jackson version. His voice is like cold venom. A breath of malice with enough depth to sink your stomach and enough of a hiss to send shivers. And I don’t mind the direction they took, keeping the design relatively consistent with the Black Riders that the entire trilogy had been using.
@@rustkarl and you can tell a lot of villains took inspiration from his voice later on. The Litchking is the best example I can think of- with how commanding and "broken" it sounds
Melkor "see about thousands of years from now a fellowship to kill my lieutenant is gonna start and they will expect good ol' Gothmogs friends but NO! I'll actually tell his deformed brother to go instead cause they wont expect it" Melkor- first age
@@DanielLopez-zt4ig I see what you mean, I have to admit that this version is in second position behind peter jackson's trilogy. There were a lot more adaptions, but atrocious and uninteresting ones. But it still does not mean that Ralph Bakshi work is good 😂
Gandalf: That's the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered Balrog you ever set eyes on! Boromir: You tit! I soiled my armor I was so scared! Gandalf: Look, that Balrog's got a vicious streak a mile wide! It's a killer! Aragorn: Get stuffed! Gandalf: He'll do you up a treat, mate. Boromir: Oh, yeah? Aragorn: You manky git! Gandalf: I'm warning you! Bilbo: What's he do? Nibble your bum? Gandalf: He's got huge, sharp... er... He can leap about. Look at the bones!
HONESTLY, I find the Balrog in the more popular 2000 live action version to be kind of stupid looking too. THAT one looks to me like a rip off of the Id monster in the 1957 movie Forbidden Planet, only with fire instead of laser energy
0:01 Aragorn (outnumbered 20 to 1 by charging orcs): "Come no closer, I warn you!" Orcs *completely stop in their tracks* Aragorn *turns and runs away* Orcs *continue to stand exactly where they are yelling* Aragorn: "Whoa! I can't believe that worked!"
And the power of words has an important place in Tolkien´s universe. Aragorn is also a man of the west, so his authority is far greater than the cowardly orcs. It's the classical and romantic view of heroes against mindless packs of evil.
Then Gandalf said in an almost whisper, 'you.." He cleared his throat and mumbled " shall not pass." And fell lazily to his death. The remaining companions were bemused and horrified.
I love how GANDALF sounds annoyed when he says Fly you fools. It's like he doesn't even care he's falling into a bottomless chasm with an ancient servant of Morgoth!
He doesn't! In and of itself they were coequals. In fact as the chief servant of Irmo he stood somewhat higher in the rankings of Maia. However he and the other Istari were forbidden from using their real powers and abilities so he could only fight it as a--very well trained--magic user among elves or men could have done. This was pretty much the dregs of Melkor's corps of Balrogs also. Glorfindel had already dealt with their most powerful individual during the sack of Gondolin. This was one who ran away and hid from Eonwe and Earendil's assault on Angband during the War of Wrath. The biggest problem so far as Gandalf saw it was being temporarily taken out of the game during a critical section of the Ringbearer's mission. He knew Galadriel would look after them for a a while and make sure they made the next stage as safely as possible but he wanted to be there when the Fellowship crossed the river and entered Sauron's primary sphere of influence. Whatever his other failures Jackson portrayed Gandalf and Balrog almost perfectly.
@@orionar2461 Would you believe the wings on a Balrog are actually an area of intense debate among Tolkien fans! Some insist they had wings, others say that they were just wrapped inside a veil of shadow that flapped and furled as if they were wings. In my opinion the very best image of a Balrog in Tolkien art is the one that Ted Naismith painted called I think just 'The Balrog'. It is given from the perspective of looking up from the floor of the bridge past Gandalf to the Balrog above and is absolutely *stunning.* I know a lot of people complain abut Bakshi's LoTR but I must have watched it scores of times when I was young and it still has a great charm for me. The weird rotoscoping of the Nazgul in particular gives them a truly strange and vivid appearance when seen in the Shadow World. Jackson was also good in parts--more in the landscape and physical settings that the actual character depictions in my opinion--although McKellen, Weaving, Blanchet, and Bloom were perfectly cast for their roles.
Sauron: Ok, so we could have horned demons, or maybe you'd like something more unique? Morgoth: BDSM Lion Bat! Sauron: ......are you sure that's what you wanna go with? Morgoth: FLAMING BDSM LION BAT!
This has the poorest acting ever. Gandalf looks like he's telling a child off mildly. Not desperately trying to save his friends from a demi god that can kill them all.
I feel like gandalf was pretty calm in the books... he says (not screams or shouts, he just calmly says) 'you can not pass' several times. "Can not' meaning, to me, that he knows he can take this guy. He knows this is a scary dude, but he knows he's a scary dude too when he needs to be the vast majority of this fight actually happens undeground and on a mountain where people can't really see it. When gandalf isn't around other people, he ditches the flaming pinecones and he pulls out some pretty big guns (when aragorn examines weathertop, he finds evidence of some serious magic where gandalf briefly fought all 9 nazgul at once and people saw the lightning on the mountain where gandalf fights the balrog)
Lol at these people trying to defend this crap animated movie. In the books Gandalf was scared to even be apart of the Istari. He admitted he was scared of Sauron. You people seriously think he wouldn't be scared of a Balrog? They're on the same level as Sauron, both were servants of Morgoth. In a fight Gandal would never be so calm against a Balrog. Peter Jackon's movies portrayed his attitude perfectly; he was scared but also willing to sacrifice his life. This crap animated movie gave Gandalf no emotion at all.
A balrog is not necessarily on the same level as Sauron simply because they were both servants of Morgoth; that's like saying an orc and the Witch-King of Angmar are on the same level because they're both servants of Sauron. Now, in this case, you're almost correct - almost - because both were Maiar, but there is a vast range of powers within the Maiar, and Sauron gains power from the ring. Gandalf is also a Maiar, albeit given certain limitations, which are never made exactly clear. He was likely scared of Sauron not because he might simply kill him, but because of what else he could do; if a Wizard is killed, his soul is simply released and sent back to Valinor, so he has no reason to personally fear the balrog - the worst it could do is send him home. Now, he likely was scared of the balrog's ability to stop the Fellowship and its mission, and to harm the people he cared about, but that is quite different from being personally scared. The books make it very clear that he was far from panicked - he took the threat seriously, and he may have even been unsure as to whether he would survive, but he wasn't scared per se. Whether this movie is good, however, is a whole different discussion. The point is, pretty much every conclusion you make is wrong.
Goes to show how far a good sense of style and directing can take a scene. This was the wild west days of animation so yeah it's kinda clunky but it has a weight and depth that come from the consistent quality of the shots, voice acting, editing etc.
Ralph Bakshi is certainly, at least, the bigger pioneer and innovator over frigging Peter Jackson. For example, creators and fans of things like Heavy Metal, Ren and Stimpy, South Park, and Futurama all owe Bakshi a debt. Now, do tell us, WHAT exactly has Jackson pioneered and influenced? .. . zilch!
While I have an appreciation for Bakshi's work, I feel this scene is very much a failure. It's not just the uncanny effect of the rotoscoping on the Balrog and the Orcs, which one may even choose to see as intentional, so as to make them see otherworldy when compared to the protagonists, but the voice acting is subpar if we have to be honest. Gandalf sounds mildly annoyed, and in regards to weight, both he and Aragorn swing their swords about like they were sticks. In fact, the scene is pretty much a perfect example of "When Rotoscoping goes Wrong": the characters all feel somewhat ethereal and weightless, detached from the background.
I think the animated films better in some aspects, just as PJ's are better in other aspects. Both are artistically great, though each is executed differently.
MrVeggie247 Unless of course you can submit an argument that can say why these movies are better than the Jackson ones, not sure what your point is. It's got nothing to do with old vs new; I think the Hobbit movies are pretty sub par, and those are newer than the original Jackson trilogy.
Eric Hendrickson All Wizards are physically vigorous. Gandalf could have easily pulled himself up over the bridge with little effort. Gandalf knows that if he doesn't stop the Balrog here and now it will pursue and plauge them later. He isn't committing suicide so much as he is committing himself to what may be and turned out to be a suicide mission. A sacrifice for the greater good to save the fellowship.
MrVeggie247 What. I find it annoying when some people claim that something which is obviously inferior is better just because it makes them feel good to pretend they're hardcore fans. Most of the time people pretend to like the old stuff just because it makes them feel special and more knowledgeable to say so. Anyone who looks at this scene with an ounce of objectivity would acknowledge that PJ's LOTR was better. The music was better composed, the sound of it was better, the visuals were way more advanced and were actually bar setting for the time they were made, the acting was excellent, and the depiction of the balrog was closer to the description in the books. The cartoon sucked. The actual quality of the cartoons was bad even for the time, Gandalf sounds like his words are being read by Stephen Hawking's E-voice, the music is a piece of garbage, and the Balrog looks like a fucking joke. Is it absolutely better in a way that absolutely no one could prefer to watch the old stuff? No.. but the actual cinematographic quality of it (forget about anything creative here), it,s just technically inferior. LOTR by PJ was a masterpiece when it came out while this thing here was just a drop in an ocean of bad cartoons.
My introduction to LoTR as a kid was the Peter Jackson movies, and "You shall not pass" was like the most hyped quote from it. I later rented this version on VHS and was so bitterly disappointed by how casual Gandalf is during this scene. He sounds like he's talking to a stray dog.
Well Gandalf acted terrified in the Peter Jackson version, when in the book he was showing his badass-side; since the Balrog had destroyed the entire kingdom of Dwarves, and only Gandalf could face him. The movies don't bother to realize that Gandalf fought in the War of Wrath.
@@SovereignStatesman I don't remember Gandalf fighting in that war. The only specific event-based mention of him in the first age or the second age is early on when the Valar first discovered the elves and needed the Maiar to protect them for a short time from the forces of Melkor long before that war. Where does it specifically say he fought in the War of Wrath?
@@SovereignStatesman I never got terrified from Gandalf in Jackson's version. I got "in awe", "forboding" and "so it has come to this". He knew as an Istari he was the only one who could face such an ancient evil. He knew there was a good chance the Fellowship would be without him. He knew Boromir would fall and Pippin would Pippin and if he wasn't there to calm that elf and dwarf down? It was that foresight of what could happen when the fate of the world was at stake, that he wouldn't be there, choosing then putting on the ferocious act for Frodo. Gandalf wasn't facing his fears or weak; compare his acting to the Hobbits on Weathertop or any of the various shots of men and orcs in fear. On the bridge Gandalf wasn't afraid, he was stepping up and having to choose to leave his mortal team in order to keep the Balrog from escaping and causing more harm by teaming with the Witch-King or something.
@@Undomaranel I like that take on that portion of the movie. Gandalf was the forward thinking type, and often had a deep understanding of the likely events given a situation. Indeed he seemed surprised and gratified later upon learning that Sam went with Frodo, and that the two had passed through Gondor only shortly before he and Pippin had arrived there. "Even the wisest cannot see all outcomes..." he stated and so true was that for him. He feared the likely outcomes of the company if he were to fall, and against the balrog, it was a very real possibility.
Well, you certainly can’t aptly accuse those Orcs of not being frightening and grotesque enough. This flick did THEM right at least. The Black Riders in this movie are really creepy and well-done too, I’ll note (“Sniff! sniff!! .. . sniff!”).
I'm surprised nobody mentioned how odd it is that one man told an army of evil creatures with weapons, "stay back, I'm warning you!", as if he was the definition of power and evil himself.
That little hop that Aragorn does at the end is absolutely amazing. I would love to see the cast of the live action films recreate this. Just stuff Peter Jackson in a fur suit and have him play the balrog.
I cannot get over the fact that 14 years (and a new channel) on, this is still my most popular video. It's actually wild how much you all love this. Equally wild is how little appreciation I actually had for this, because really, this was a feat, deciding to not only make the Lord of the Rings into a movie, but deciding that it would cover FoTR and TT and animating it... Amazing. Even if the rotoscoping is a little jank in places.
Some friends and I will occasionally return to this video, read the comments, and get a huge laugh. "Why is Durin's bane wearing ugg boots?" remains my favorite.
I recently came across this movie again after 20 years. I happened to watch this movie when I was a kid and a few years later the actual live action came along. Still as a 5 year old child, I was extremely scared by the orcs, and the Barlog, and I actually liked this movie. Yes yes of course watching it now is unbelievable but back then the fact that it was animated meant that it was pretty much "for kids", and thus I was allowed to watch it. I loved the darker tone the blood, the killing! In the impressionable mind of a five-year-old kid who wants to not do what her parents tell her watching this meant I would defy their wish. It was epic and even today it still holds a special place.
You should have seen Watership Down and Plague Dogs. Those were some pretty gory cartoons back in the day. Much better animation than Lord of the Rings too. The Hobbit and Return of the King were pretty good though.
@A Catalan Liam yes I know now. ☺️ But I am not that old and what's more I come from Greece so as a little child I had to wait for things to be dubbed. We have only one official dubbing of this movie. It came out in the early 2000s, I think one or two years before the first actual movie. I was very young back then and I did not know that the movie was older than, well, the current year which I was watching it in. After the live-action movies came out, DVD players swept the game and video cassettes were no more. But I did not throw away my old cassette tapes and recently I happened to stumble upon the animated movie.
***** It has nothing to do with the limits of technology in my opinion... though I wish I could say the same for Tawna's face in the original Crash Bandicoot game compared to the remake.
My favorite part of all this Gandalf expressing how much weaker everyone truly is compared to him. Blantly telling them "you cannot help me here". Just amazing scene.
The rotorscoped orcs terrified me as a kid, and fascinate me now. Loved this rendition of lord of the rings, it's amazing how detailed the film is, I would love to see a remaster with cleaner audio...
When it zooms in on them, it's actually a little scary 'cause of how uncanny the effect is. But when it zooms out it's just like... some guys with weapons.
Gotta remember that some poor bugger had to sit there frame by frame colouring over the film to make the effect, so the larger the image the easier it was to do. It's as time consuming as stop motion, if not more so. Now motion capture has made the technique obsolete, so this horror will be lost to time.
@@shaderax_storm6165 the rotoscoping isn't really done that way. Typically rotoscoping just pulls keys using the skeleton and some important props like capes and hair, depending on how specific the direction is. But importantly, the orcs in this scene arent rotoscoped, they're rendered using a technique called solarization. Essentialy they put people in costumes and blasted them with light and altered the color during film processing. All those weird faces are just masks. This was done because it was faster than traditional animation, and is why most of it happens in the latter parts of the movie.
@@alexs7670 ha I am getting my effects mixed up, lightning bolts were animated on the cells. Rotoscoping used a projector to blast the film at tracing paper and was slowed to a frame by frame rundown and coloured over. The lord of rings hits budget restraints early on, so some of it is traditionally rotorscoped, then by helms deep they are just dudes in cheap costumes using solarization. The effect is (possibly) paid homage to when Galadriel talks about what she would do with the ring of power. I watched a review by Folding ideas that really goes into the behind the scenes of this adaptation.
@@shaderax_storm6165 I actually really like the solarization effect. I think it could make for an interesting way to do flashback sequences or credits. It just wasn't used well in the movie. I do want to stress that you dont usually trace everything when rotoscoping. For example they rotoscoped chickens in fantasia. But I'm sure someone has done full on tracing frame by frame.
Emilio Hidalgo especially when in the book he knows how dangerous the Balrogs are and is legitimately terrified. Here Gandalf sounds more bored than when Boromir (Sean Bean) says "they have a cave troll."
This movie was actually pretty groundbreaking for its time. And believe it or not there are a few things about this version I prefer to the live action trilogy. That being said, this scene with the Balrog was absolutely NOT one of them
Yeah the balrog definitely is my least favourite scene, can appreciate the fact that Aragorn, Frodo and Boromir leap out to try and save Gandalf however
@@oi6915 That's pretty shitty. A Balrog is super dangerous even when falling. He dragged Gandalf down. And those fools just jump there and waste Gandalf's sacrifice? Dumb fucks.
@@drewwitte8473 a bunch of shots were lifted virtually frame-for-frame by Jackson. The black rider sniffing out the hobbits under the tree by the roadside comes to mind. Also the scene of the black rider attack in The Prancing Pony. I think the scenes where Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas are chasing the Uruk hai into Rohan were pretty great. There’s a lot of janky stuff in this movie but also some really cool animation that doesn’t seem great to younger people because animation has gotten so sophisticated. But at the time, this was groundbreaking stuff and the only version of the LOTR that wasn’t for children.
@@TheLecherling-hu1vu 1. The Balrog's design is exceptionally well made in Jackson's films. From an art design perspective, it's the obvious winner. 2. The Balrog is a mythical creature. How the fuck are you supposed to make it look good AND believable? CGI was the best route they could take and they did it well. I'd choose that over rotoscoping a guy in a Halloween costume. Either way, I don't vehemently hate the 1978 version, and it's very understandable why they had their limits and such. BUT FOR YOU TO SAY "LOL CGI BAD" is just stupid. Grow up.
Honestly, I think both versions look pretty stupid. The one in the 2000 live action film looks to me like a rip off of the Id monster in Forbidden Planet, only with fire replacing laser energy.
1978 LotR: Follows the book. 2000s LotR: We're Dollywood. We're better. The fanbase: Yes, Master. More please. 2010s Hobbit: Here you go. More of the exact same. The fanbase: Ewwwww. Me: Dafu...!? I prefer this to the other adaptations. (Books are still top, obviously. But this is close second)
![Lord of the Rings - Gandalf vs Balrog [Entire Battle HD 1080p]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Y2fwe0rnHak/mqdefault.jpg)
![Lord of the Rings - Gandalf vs Balrog [Entire Battle HD 1080p]](/img/tr.png)
The funny part is the balrog falls down the chasm straight after clearly demonstrating his flying capability.
No thought was put into it.
I thought that briefly but I guess it was more of a leap. Or how some birds can barely get off the ground for a few seconds. He couldn't leap again with no more ground underneath.
@@thorr18BEM "A penguin... Now I understand."
Ah man this made me laugh so much
When you forget you can double jump.
“Fly, you fools" Gandalf said calmly while falling to his ‘death'
Considering he's a maiar he probably knew he'd be back I mean he's been there since before the dawn of time and he's probably died multiple times already, most likely he's used to it
@@spencersinclair2239 That was his first time dying, and his last time dying. He was only brought back because of Iluvatar. So if he died before that he wouldn't have been brought back.
Worse yet you can’t even really understand what he’s saying unless you already knew the line.
To be fair, that's pretty much exactly how it's described in the book
Hahaha true
I love how Gandalf sounds more annoyed than scared. Like his car just ran out of gas
"ran out of gas" or "you cannot pass" sounds pretty similar too
@@theMAXX81 lmao i'm crying
I like his horrid understanding of what avails him...
Gandalf is like,
"Oh F**k""! A Balrog.
Gandalf knows here before him a foe equal to his power and strength and know less ancient than he..
He fights him from the very montaintop to Morias forgatten abyss
A lot of people miss this aspect of this encounter,,
The balrog recognizes Gandalf for what he is aswell
He is angered and fearfull too
@@Cassiel75 aren't they basically brothers? With Sauron and Saruman too
I love how he is just calmy saying fly you fools while falling down in a nearly endless hole😂
I like to imagine he was so calm because he knew he wasn't done-for yet, even if his companions didn't. If you don't know that he survives the fall, it doesn't make much sense.
It's just a tuesday for the O.riginal G.andalf
He sounds like the Smash Bros Melee announcer
Gandalf obviously wanted the fellowship to fly on the giant eagles to Mount Doom.
"No, _you_ fly, Gamdalf "
Aragorn: "Come no closer, I warn you!"
Orcs: (Actually don't come any closer)
Aragorn: (Stands around awkwardly)
Aragorn: (Runs away)
He probably was shocked that they did what he told them to
Their armor wasn’t thick, nor their shields brawn.
When you roll a nat 20 on your intimidation check you did for the lolz...
And then after he ran, they continued to do as commanded. These are good orcs.
@@GrunesGemuse Well... Have you heard of this guy in WW1 that captured tens of german soldiers with little fights and explained that "The german soldier is very disciplined. If you yell hard enough for it to be convincing, they will listen to you and obey". Guess orcs are very disciplined :p
The uncanny rotoscoping in this film makes it feel like a fever dream.
I legit thought this was a Joel Haver video at first.
@@ForthaBois I was thinking the same thing lol
@@ForthaBois i was expecting the balrog to start talkin some shit
@@JohnDoe-xo2yf I wish it did
All of Ralph Bakshi's films look like a fever dream. I guess that's his artistic style lol
"You cannot pass" explained gandalf calmly
HARRY! Did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire!?
There is a serpent beneath every mans grave...
and the Dragon slumbers restlessly
"Well shit, my bad." the balrog replied sheepishly.
"Understandable, have a great day"
Replied the balrog
It's actually the line in the book, of course I prefer shall not pass as it sounds a lot more epic
For me a flying lion with a dominatrix whip is quite scary.
Well, at least THIS one isn't another stupid COMPUTER SIMULATION like you see in every other movie made today.
For me he looked more like a gorilla 🤣🤣🤣
i agree until i realized hes wearing big furry boots which makes him look very goofy
@@hanoversofbits7629 and THAT undid the whole thing?
@@TheLecherling-hu1vu yep!
"You cannot pass" Gandalf asked calmly.
Did you put your name in the goblet of fire?
Plz don't pass UwU
@@adriannaleong *asked
@@cleanserofnoobs4162
I'm sorry but it's: *DiD yOu PuT yOuR nAmE iNtO dA gObLeT oF faYaH hArRaY?*
But in a very calm voice of course
Live action Frodo:
"GANDALF! 🥺 NOOOOOOOO!"
Cartoon Frodo:
"😐😑😐"
A wild Eli!
Didnt expect to see you here
Truly an "Oh no! Anyway" moment
Lol truth
In the book Frodo says nothing, how he reacted in that moment is not written about.Only a bit later when they are all weeping their hearts like they've forgotten that he is a fookin maia
"It's a creature of shadow and flame."
"So... like a moth wearing bell bottoms?"
"Yeah."
It was the late 70's man. Disco had just died and bellbottoms were starting to get scary.
lmao
"Man you all tripping"
This is one of the best comment threads I've ever read.
that is hysterical
I just love how the 70's and 80's artists portrayed fantasy worlds. It is just so different and cool in its own way in comparison to the modern perspective.
Most modern just looks like different versions of either Jacksons lotr, or Game of thrones
Absolutely.
This one is hybrid of live actions and cartoon. The cartoon was overlapped on top of live actions.
It is almost refreshing when compared to the trite modern tropes.
I think it’s the colors. They have more of an autumn feel. It’s usually warmer and somehow that makes it feel cozy and vintage. I love the Jackson movies, but I definitely imagined it with a warmer pallet when reading the books, bc the story is old asf so my image had to feel old asf too lol
"so are we gonna make this movie live action or animated?"
" Yes"
It's actually rotoscoping. It was experimental at the time. It's a poor man's mocap.
@@MrUmakemelaff There's plenty of shots in the movie that are just live action footage with a filter on them as well.
@@JanneSala That's rotoscoping. Painting over live images.
@@MrUmakemelaff It still looks markedly different from the hand drawn animation cels they rotoscoped over the filmed footage that the majority of the movie uses. Calling them the same feels a bit reductive.
@@MrUmakemelaff I wouldnt say rotoscoping is the poor mans mocap, especially considering when this was made. Not to mention motion capture isnt used very often in 2d animation anyways, one of the many reasons most things are animated in 3D nowadays. Both methods have advantages and pull backs, making them both useful tools depending on what you're trying to make
Gandalf sounds mildly annoyed when he says "Fly, you fools." XD
I mean he's falling. I would be annoyed to 😛
"Ah man! I'm about to dirty my robe and I lost my wizard hat" 😒
Haha emphasis on mildly.
There might not be time for a monologue about how he’ll miss them, but there’s time for some semblance of emotion.
You just told these nerds to fuck off and sacrificed your life in a feeble attempt to save theirs and as you plummit to your death you see their stupid faces pop up.
In the books Gandalf is described as having a quick temper.
“We need to make a giant, terrifying fire demon. Any ideas?”
“I’m thinking a cross between the cowardly lion and a dominatrix.”
“Make it happen.”
And a butterfly
I was thinking a pig and and butterfly
"And we should display its ability to fly, so when it falls into the chasm it makes more sense"...
@@HughMansonMD The wings described in books were most likely fire and smoke. No word of butterfly wings and I don't know where Bakshi got it from.
Oh my christ
XD
It looks like the goblins were holding a march to protest the Fellowship's incursion into their cave realm.
don't you mean orcs?
@@morisu7926orcs and goblins are the same thing, just a diffeerent name
Everybody's laughing at the monster, but this gandalfs casual "you cannot pass" is the star for me.
He’s been dreading facing a Balrog for thousands of years, and now that it’s finally happening, he’s just really underwhelmed.
he really delivered his lines in lower case
That is how he delivers it in the books tho. It’s just a simple “You cannot pass.”
@@dominickilpatrick8575 bro. See cool thing about books, is that you have your own personal narrative tone playing in your head, that's unique to you. I read it with a sense of command, which is why I found this soft delivery funny. I don't equate a lack of an exclamation point with "simple". If this cartoon matches what you read, well ok then.
1:00
I'm thinking Melkor was drunk when he made this particular Balrog lol
No, he stuck butterfly wings on an evil Chow Chow.
And my aunt and uncle owned a Chow mix that was as sweet as could be.
I love this comment, but Melkor did not make the Balrogs.
I had the exact same thought.
Can valar get drunk ? I have to wonder because there was a crackpot theory that the men in Tolkien's word can't get drunk so I wonder if only certain species got drunk .
Gandalf: You cannot pass
Balrog: where there's a whip there's a way
XD
🥇
GREAT it *was* 2 weeks since that was in my head...
🏅🏅🏅🏅
Where there's the whip, there's the nae nae
“Fly you fools!”
“Uh, Gandalf, if anyone needs to fly right now, it’s you.”
Shouldve taken his own advice
Or the balrog…
Ironically, Gandalf saying “Fly you fools!” as he’s falling is book accurate.
Underrated comment
I love how Gandalf is just apparently mildly perturbed at being pulled down into the depths:
“Fly you fools.” Gandalf uttered, seemingly for the 80th time that day.
Not to mention Frodo's complete lack of an emotional reaction compared to Peter Jackson movie - he's just oh.... bye Gandalf...
@@garymcgaryson5039 you should probably be comparing it to the book not the movie that came out years later
@@tangerinetech5300 I am aware that it was a book before it was a film don't worry. :)
@@tangerinetech5300 I am well aware it was a book long before it was a film not to worry. It's simply that I have never seen this strange 70s adaptation before. ;)
Better than Ian's delivery where he's quietly mumbling
"Fly, you fools!" a slightly disgruntled Gandalf whispered, with a tone that resembled the echo of a lost soul murmuring in an empty bathroom.
"Fly, you fools!" Gandalf said calmly.
No shit, that voice sounds pure Hannah-Barberra.
Thank you. This is like a rare, secret, hidden comedic gem. Flawless in its delivery. Understated. Simple.
And it made me spit out my coffee...
Yes.
.An authority beyond the impossible..
Only Gandalf speaks as if to children in the face od certain death
lol...and if he could only take his own advice in that situation
Movie: "YOUUUUUUUU!!!..... SHALL NOT!!!!.... PAAAAAAAAAAAAAASS!!!!!"
Cartoon: u cannot pas
Well to be fair that's what Gandalf said in the books. Disappointing I know
@@poplava9668 He also said "You cannot pass" in the Jackson film, at the very start of his showdown with the Balrog.
@@VideoMask93 Yeah. I know.
@@poplava9668 It's about the delivery, not the lines.
@@poplava9668 In the movies the first time Gandalf says 'cannot', and the second time says 'shall not'. Jackson changed it to this in the movies because it had a more profound effect and I think he was right to as it made it so much more iconic.
Love how Aragorn tells the orcs to come no closer and they actually just stop and have an awkward stare down with him lol.
Very polite orcs, they respect personal boundaries I suppose
The one with just a net over his head as costum e😆😆
Well, you certainly can’t aptly accuse those Orcs of not being frightening and grotesque enough. This flick did THEM right at least. The Black Riders in this movie are really creepy and well-done too, I’ll note (“Sniff! sniff!! .. . sniff!”).
Orc Lives Matter
He should of asked them if they would kindly stab themselves
@@zacharyemmett1784 should have*
I love how Aragorn is just like “come no closer” and they don’t come any closer and he stands there for a second like “shit that actually worked who’d have thunk?”.
I laughed ‘till no sound came out of me!
well its prob cause they sense he is a badass and they don't want to die lol
Geralt reference
Best comment
@@Trendle222 so badass that he could have taken several dozen of them? What rubbish.
Gandalf played by Tommy Wiseau. You cannot pass, you cannot pass... oh hi balrog.
I did not hit her! It's not true! It's bullshit! I did not hit her! I did NAHT! Oh hai, Manwe.
So, Galadriel, how's your sex lyfe?
Don't shittalk William Squire bruh
You cannot pass! It’s not true. It’s bullshit you cannot pass! You can NAAHHT.
Oh hai, Sauron.
Doc Holliday oh my god right?? Some of the voice acting, like John Hurt as Aragorn, was well executed. But in this most important moment Gandalf's voice actor is just not into it at all. So yea, Tommy Wiseau is a good comparison lol
The whip cracking actually Sounded like the Balrog was slapping Goblin asses randomly.
Herman Munster 👏
Tensions were high, with this Herman Munster guy...
I think "Balrog" means "impulsive need to strike bare butt cheeks of unsuspecting colleagues within a 12 ft radius" in one of the ancient Elvin languages. I think Arwen whispered that to Aragorn in one of the erotic dreams he kept having.
yeah but i heard grandpa, cousin it, and gollum used to get high back in the day. and when thing came over, theres was always a slight of hand, a missing ring, a used razor, and concoctions in a lab.
Herman Munster where there's a whip, there's a way.
The way the Fellowship continues to just kinda sit there like they’re expecting Gandalf to come back is another outstanding narrative decision.
Like kids waiting to be picked up from school
"He staggered and fell, grasped vainly at the stone, and slid into the abyss. "Fly, you fools! ' he cried, and was gone.The fires went out, and blank darkness fell. The Company stood rooted with horror staring into the pit."
Tolkien and his darn narrative decisions.
Like, this is a guy that can shoot fire and summon flying eagles... why *wouldn't* you expect him to come back after a little stumble ?
I mean he clearly had Feather Fall prepared because he didn't die. Not unreasonable to assume the DM would let him cast Misty Step, but maybe he forced him to roll a Dexterity save to cast it in time. I can only assume the player had some real life stuff to work out because he returned much later in the campaign and his level gain was explained with off screen shenanigans
Peter Jackson's Balrog eats this Balrog for 2nd breakfast
To be fair, it’s supposed to be the same type of creature as Gandalf, only corrupted and consumed by its own greed. It is described in the book to vaguely look like a man, not taller than than a man either. However, its form could not be plainly discerned, and it drew itself to a greater height when it stood at the bridge. It also says “it _felt_ larger than it looked”.
@@whengrapespop5728 I wonder if Gandalf would have become something like this if he had accepted the ring from Frodo?
@@MrUmakemelaff You mean some sort of shitty animated lion-crossover? Hopefully not xD
Second breakfast lmao
Before getting enslaved by Riddler
"Mr Gandalf, what is that?" "The worst, most foul beast of them all, a Cosplayer..."
HAHAHAHA Mushroom Head , cant stop laughing
Oooh shots fired
Hate those Sluts n Simps pay n worship them! Fckn Pathetic..
Ahahaha
mishroom head did you not see its face ahahhah..
When I took my kids to see PJ's LOTR in theaters, my daughter was sobbing after she saw Gandalf seemingly plummet to his death. It crushed her little heart. I didn't make her feel better by letting her know he comes back in the Two Towers. Made her wait a year to experience it. We still argue about whether that made me the best dad in the world or the worst.
The worst, had to let her experience it normally. You mended a temporary pain that needed to heal on its own. How old was she when you showed it to her? I would love to show my kid these movies but not exactly sure when.
Edit: I'm a rtard and read your comment wrong. You're the best for not spoiling it :)
Best.
@@AImighty_Loaf if you watch the movie with your kids, you could start at 12-14 yrs of age depending on how sensible you judge your children to be. After all, those are really dark movies with scary monsters, brutal battles, bloody skirmishes and lots of grief and desperation. that is nothing kids could process/handle easily if they are too young. it would just give them nightmares.
Best dad, if you ask me! :D
@@AImighty_Loaf I saw them at 5 when they came out and was just fine
This sounded like Gandalf was dissing them while falling. Pure gold!
When he screams "FLY, YOU FOOLS!" he sounds so mildly annoyed that it is unintentionally hilarious. He is like "Ah f**k this! I'm out!" 🤣🤣
Fëanor didn't die fighting these things, he died laughing when they appeared
I can't stop laughing at this!!!
lmao
Miguel Moreno Feanor could bitch slap these wimpy Balrogs with his pinky finger.
Poor Fëanor. 😂
Same thing with Fingon
This really gives me a new appreciation for Ian McKellen’s portrayal of Gandalph.
Yes, in PJ's movie a lot of things were done very very well.
*Gandalf
And appreciation for cgi
Yet you can't even spell his name right.
@@SSchithFoo You clearly liked your own post. And you're implying someone else is lame. 🖕
Nothing more intimidating than butterfly wings and fuzzy slippers.
Those are uggs
Actually... it is pretty much as same as in the book, balrog is actually twice the size of man , not that big as shown in the LOTR movie , so I guess bakshi got it right, but yes , he was more intimidating in the movie
@@ireallycantdecidewhatnames4634 where do you get fluffy slippers and butterfly wings from that vague description?
@@JaylukKhan Mayte just put yourself in 1978 and imagine this coming at your face , yes it might look like a very funny rendition of balrog but hell if this monstrosity came in front of you, you’re probably gonna be scared shitless
@@ireallycantdecidewhatnames4634 true and really enjoyed this cartoon any way
Aragorn: “Come no closer!! I warn you!”
Orcs: *stop*
Aragorn internally: Whoa…that worked?
Aragorn: “Gandalf just tell the Balrog it can’t pass. It worked for me with the orcs.”
I think the Orcs stopped precisely because of the Balrog approaching.
@@infidelheretic923 Whoooooosh
@@luccirobbins6675imagine still whoosing
@@solisimperium1203 I don’t have to. People still do it.
@@luccirobbins6675 i think you mean neck beard reddit users use it.
1:00
Gandalf: You cannot pass.
Balrog: 🤨 Are you sure? You don't seem entirely convinced yourself.
"Honestly, I was stopped by a background special effect filter. You're probably right."
Actually this is closer to books. He wasnt shouting his lungs out but said that in commanding voice
@@andyman4839 How is that a commanding voice?
@@andyman4839 It's why is works better.
Screaming your lungs out doesn't come forward as confidence really. It's like the small dogs that feel the need to bark like crazy when a bigger dog appears. The loudest I've ever screamed was when someone scared the living shit out of me once. This guy casually stating that the monster can not pass is way more badass than the screaming one in my opinion.
*Plot twist: When Gandalf said, " Fly, you fools!" He actually meant to say, "Fly you fool!" to the Balrog*
Spitting facts
Lol
True. The balrog was the only fu
@@jblasutavario9549 Maybe he's like a penguin?
@@tiaaaron3278 A giant fire breathing penguin attacking the fellowship would have been scarier
Balrog: *tries to pass*
Gandalf: “You cannot pass.”
Balrog: “Ugh....MAY I pass?”
Gandalf: *steps aside* “yes, you may pass.”
Omg that is every lunch supervisor at lunch reccess
video game logic
Gandalf : "You cannot pass"
Balrog : "I have a hall pass"
Gandalf : "Works for me, you may go"
Balrog : *continues roaring after the Fellowship*
He said the magic word: “please”
LOTR : the office
When I saw this as a very small child the whole thing (not just this scene) made me a little uneasy. I later realized this was because my young brain wasn't prepared for rotoscoping.
the thing i didn't like about this was the balrog kind of shows up like "i got this" to the orcs. in the jackson version they all run away from it.
Well they could have, if they were at theiir full power. Read the Silmarillion and/or the Appendix for "The Lord of the Rings". The five maiar had to give up their power, because they were supposed to mobilise the people of middleearth, so humans, elves and dwarves would defeat Sauron by themselves. If Manwe and the other valar truly wanted to destroy Sauron, they would defeated him like they did with Saurons Master, Morgoth. That is why the istari appeared as old men, who were capable of some cool tricks, but they were not even close their former powerlevel.
THERE IS NO JACKSON VERSION, THERE IS ONLY TOLKIEN'S VERSION. PETER JACKSON IS AN IDIOT.
In the Silmarillion, Balrogs were described as the "generals" of Morgoth's armies of orcs. So, they may very well have communicated "I got this" to a bunch of orcs, who would have in turn recognized a balrog as a kind of mythic hero.
The PJ balrog is more monster than a general. Sure, facing Godzilla would be scary, and that's what PJ's balrog is: an oversized, rampaging monster, except Godzilla can actually lead other monsters in a fight. PJ's balrog doesn't seem to know how to do even that or even recognize Gandalf as a special kind of enemy (a Maiar, the same sort of being as the balrog).
The Bakshi balrog at least appears to have a kind of intelligence and deep malice to it, which is why I found it freaky as a kid an even today.
Goblins and orcs are different names for the same thing in the original Tolkien
CLAWSEWITZ 431 chill.
aragorn: "come no further"
orcs: "k"
xD
we SHALL see
Goblins actually
@@vasya_dangersex same thing
@@arseljimmi2928 From my knowledge of D&D, a goblin is a like a pussified orc.
When a butterfly and a lion love each other very much.
Then baby balrogs are born.......
Looks like a gorilla to me.
Well, you certainly can’t aptly accuse those Orcs of not being frightening and grotesque enough. This flick did THEM right at least. The Black Riders in this movie are really creepy and well-done too, I’ll note (“Sniff! sniff!! .. . sniff!”).
Underrated comment right here
@augmenautus That is exactly what it looks like to me as well.
Really appreciate the effort to make this back in the day, they did a good job for their time. But this really makes you realize how much Jackson and McKellen knocked it out of the park
Ralph Bakshi is certainly, at least, the bigger pioneer and innovator over frigging Peter Jackson. For example, creators and fans of things like Heavy Metal, Ren and Stimpy, South Park, and Futurama all owe Bakshi a debt. Now, do tell us, WHAT exactly has Jackson pioneered and influenced? .. . zilch!
@@ColeSlaw-rg1gd If you can't see the brilliance of the LoTR trilogy compared to this then more fool you.
Meshuggah influenced and pioneered basically an entire genre. And I'd argue Car Bomb is much more intricate and complex, does that mean simply because they came first Meshuggah are superior?
@@empyrean-jamelgreaves8034 I was referring to the genre of ADULT ANIMATION when I spoke of Ralph Bakshi's influence, NOT the frigging "trilogy".
@@ColeSlaw-rg1gd Yes I know who he is. I'll do another analogy using Meshuggah, since they've influenced virtually all heavy music since, I still think Haken delivered an album on a quality Meshuggah have never reached, The Mountain (which is what I regard as the greatest album of all time actually), yet Haken have been nowhere near as influential or pioneering as Meshuggah.
You don't have to break the wheel to give a good adaptation that pays homage to the source material whilst taking its own creative liberties. That's the vital and often so difficult task when making an adaptation of anything into anything not just books-films/cartoons.
Additionally, the music, acting, direction, pacing, dialogue it's all utter TOP notch in Jacksons LoTR all the way through the trilogy.
The standoff with the Balrog, the breaking of the Fellowship, the Battle of the Hornburg, lighting the beacons, gathering the Rohirrim, Aragon recruiting the dead Army, the battle at Pelenor Fields. Too many to count, how can you not be moved by those moments?
When I first saw the charge of the Rohirrim over 20 years ago in cinema, I felt like I'd just taken 600mics of acid and was actually there (I was sober) but man the epicness literally overwhelmed me.
If you can't see the brilliance, just because se guy did more for adult animation???? Are you ACTUALLY that salty or childish? Boy i bet your gf is loving life hahahahahaha
Like me saying Einstein revolutionised the entire way we look at absolutely everything, shouldn't he get credit over everyone and everything else?
Or does that not apply because the all-knowing Cole Slaw didn't know it lol
@@ColeSlaw-rg1gd And like Futurama and South Park bear the same entertainment content as LoTR, invent whatever silly cartoon you want and influence as many others as you want.
I'll still take the greatest trilogy of all time cheers...
they way he said "fly you fools" while hes falling down is quite hilarious xD
It's how it happened in the book
In the jackson one it's a warning. In this one? It sounds more like Gandalf's annoyed they've not gone yet
@@kylecarracappa2312 I think he means the tone of the voice. It sounds like he's just casually telling to somebody he's standing beside, not shouting it urgently up a crevice.
@@gurvmlk He's trying to lower the self esteem of that Balrog. He knows they can only fly when they glitter and sparkle with confidence. You have to admit she was fantastic when she first came out.
In his last breath as he's falling to his death he begs his companions to leave him behind and go. Yeah, hilarious. A killer at parties. Geez.
That whip looks like it's used for smacking ass and not for battle
+Sigurd Torvaldsson
hahahahaha lmao
that is what it actually looks like XD
lol! just lol!
Where there's a whip whoo cha there's a way we don't wanna go to war today but the lord of lashes says nay nay nay we'll be marching all day all day all day where there's a whip there's a way
pervert.
Movie Gandalf: "YOU SHALL NOT PASSSSSSS!!!!!!!"
Animated Gandalf (calmly): "You can't pass."
Movie Frodo: "GANDALF!! NOOO!!!!!!"
Animated Frodo: (blinks absently)
You can not pass, Gandalf said calmly
Yes. So what ?
Yeah! Dull surprise!
Movie Aragorn: Just stands there
Animated Aragorn: Jumps and tries to save Gandalf
See, I can do that too.
@@Warriorcats64 based
The Balrog just walks up to the orcs like they are his best buddies: "Heya guys!"
Aragorn "come no closer"
Orcs "stay back he's got a sword"
"You idiot, we've ALL got swords..."
Oh, wait, wrong movie 😞
@@schmaulie but same example lol
I would kill to see this reanimated in the Disney style, mashing together both this and that scene from Aladdin.
Its because he was so damn demanding.
Goblins*
the way the balrog lands so gingerly with his feet together has me in tears 😅
It looked a little like Ru Paul on the runway.
Probably had to go tinkle.
@@fornman omg 😭😭😭
It lands so daintily...
Budget wanted more harness takes, but the coke budget did not agree.
I very much enjoy Gandalf gently tumbling into the abyss and snapping at the fellowship with all of the energy of an impatiently miffed dad who's realized his kids are still sitting around the breakfast table instead of getting ready for school...
Even though it’s animated I feel like I’m watching an elementary school play of LotR lmao.
“Okay we need this scene in 5 minutes”
“But I haven’t finished the Balrog!..”
Do as I say! Skill is no more use here.
This was rotoscope.
You know what's really funny is that that is kinda how this movie's production was. No more money and no more time.
@@johanharmse1789 😂😂😂
I remember when this came out. Every one of us was excited as most of my school had read LOTR. They got the first part out and never did 2 or 3 of the book. We were all depressed.
Then 1981 radio 4 brought out a full length 13 hour radio play. Every week it was a go to thing.
Fun fact -- Ian Holm was Frodo Baggins in the radio play 1981. He was Bilbo Baggins in the 2001 Full movie! Love it.
And John Hurt was Aragorn in Bakshi's movie.
Never listened to the radio play but have heard it's legendary. Will listen to it when I get a chance
I remember seeing this at the cinema when it came out. The orcs and ringwraiths scared the life out of me. Even now I think the wraiths in the animated film are more disturbing .I think it is the rotoscoping technique adding to the effectiveness of how the orcs and Ringwraith looked like humans but not quite human. I also noticed the PJ LOTR scene in Bree where the wraiths are about to bring their swords down onto the beds is very similar to the animated version. Particularly The camera angles etc. in the animated film they seem to appear out of no where which again is creepy. Shame the other books were never made by baski . I know PJ LOTR are excellent but at the time I was desperate to see more.
And still way better than Rings of Power
It's just as well they never did part 2 or 3. I don't think the world could handle that much awful. J.R.R. Tolkien had to be spinning in his grave.
Why does the Balrog look like a mixture of a lion and a butterfly?
So not intimidating, to say the least, especially compared to the Balrog in Peter Jackson's live action version.
Because this film is rotoscoped. They animated over what was probably a guy in a really cheap costume.
Cuz he is fabulous :D
Klara Rotenmayer Seems legit.
I read this chapter a few days ago and skimming over, the only description I saw was that it looked like it was made of fire and shadow, had a mane, and I think horns. Even the wings weren't mentioned for several paragraphs.
So whoever designed the Balrog for this film apparently decided to just make it the Mothman.
HONESTLY, I find the Balrog in the 2000 version to be kind of stupid looking too. THAT one looks to me like a rip off of the Id monster in the 1957 movie Forbidden Planet, only with fire instead of laser energy
I love how the orcs just chill and let the Balrog do its thing. I prefer how the orcs are terrified of it in the Jackson version.
I prefer everything in the Jackson version. Except maybe the Ringwraiths.
@@sgtpaloogoo2811 idk the wraiths did a fantastic job if being overly terrifying when I was a kid.
And I LOVE the witch king and how hrs not some arrogant nasely loser
@@Velanestar
Oh yeah, that Witch King sounded like Cobra Commander through an industrial fan. Hurts to listen to and not in a good way.
Definitely prefer the Jackson version. His voice is like cold venom. A breath of malice with enough depth to sink your stomach and enough of a hiss to send shivers.
And I don’t mind the direction they took, keeping the design relatively consistent with the Black Riders that the entire trilogy had been using.
@@sgtpaloogoo2811 Peter Jackson doesnt have a "where there is a whip there is a way" song.
@@rustkarl and you can tell a lot of villains took inspiration from his voice later on. The Litchking is the best example I can think of- with how commanding and "broken" it sounds
I love how the large group of goblins listened to Aragorn when he told them to come no closer. XD
I think goblins are Aragorn's "favored foe". They were stunned by his commanding voice temporarily.
Mike Cronis Not to mention his +2 to both Attack and Damage rolls, since you're dropping the D&D stuff.
Rasmus Nordenstein Vigo is better.
Aragorn - "COME NO CLOSER!!"
*Gobbos stop*
Lead Gobbo - "Okay, yeah, that's reasonable, you completely willed us to stop following, bro"
John Hurt could stop goblins even in the role of Hazel
The fact that middle Earth had dragons that would carry Balrogs on their backs into war during the first age is just unfathomable
The first age was like the third age on acid. “One balrog? We’ve got whole armies of them.”
Tolkien went a little...wild.
@@acrazysheepdog1555 considering earths history its not too wild
The first age was fun. Utterly insane but fun.
@@willb1405 Well, Tolkien said there were somewhere between 3 and 7 total Balrogs. But still! That's a lotta Balrogs! Lol
I like those live action orcs, they’re nice looking and kinda scary
"It's a balrog!"
"No Gandalf, this is something far worse, the ultimate masterpiece of Morgoth's army... a fursuiter..."
Melkor "see about thousands of years from now a fellowship to kill my lieutenant is gonna start and they will expect good ol' Gothmogs friends but NO! I'll actually tell his deformed brother to go instead cause they wont expect it" Melkor- first age
PsychopathUltimate Shut the fuck up.
Vorteksio3
Edgy
It's cosplay time at the local convention.
Lucas Riddle Melkor knew what was up when he made these things.
This animation style makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable.
That's the intent.
@@TheDylandProductions idk about that
@@mistermachiavelli3274 to be honest, it is totally unwatchable. It's so ugly and unsatisfying.
@@superfel557 because you have seen another version that does not belong to the "ugly" section. Not judging you though.
@@DanielLopez-zt4ig I see what you mean, I have to admit that this version is in second position behind peter jackson's trilogy. There were a lot more adaptions, but atrocious and uninteresting ones. But it still does not mean that Ralph Bakshi work is good 😂
Everytime I hear that whip, I see the Balrog slapping orc asses, with the animation design added for maximum hilarity.
Great. Now I can't get that image out of my head
"H...Harder!"
Where there's a whip *crack* there's a way!
No wonder some people here in the comments call it part Dominatrix xD
@@yuyaricachimuel555 Makes all sense now.
If it’s unscary then why did I piss myself?
Laughter?
Too much green tea?
Balrog: *can fly*
Also Balrog: *falls*
I know he's dumb
An eagle would probably fall if you pushed it down a well... nowhere to get speed to generate lift
Classic Dark Souls.
Taryo.
That Balrog strutting like the one-drag-queen-to-rule-them-all
Rog paul
1:30
SERIOUSLY. like gurl…. Hahahahahaha
Gandalf . sashay away ...
@John Chorny lmao 🤣
Gandalf : " This is a foe beyond any of you!"
Balrog : comes out
Everybody laughs but Gandalf
Gandalf: That's the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered Balrog you ever set eyes on!
Boromir: You tit! I soiled my armor I was so scared!
Gandalf: Look, that Balrog's got a vicious streak a mile wide! It's a killer!
Aragorn: Get stuffed!
Gandalf: He'll do you up a treat, mate.
Boromir: Oh, yeah?
Aragorn: You manky git!
Gandalf: I'm warning you!
Bilbo: What's he do? Nibble your bum?
Gandalf: He's got huge, sharp... er... He can leap about. Look at the bones!
You say it’s unscarry, but if you saw him in a dark alley, you would shit your pants and run without changing them.
Same thing if you see someone in a bunny costume in a dark alley
HONESTLY, I find the Balrog in the more popular 2000 live action version to be kind of stupid looking too. THAT one looks to me like a rip off of the Id monster in the 1957 movie Forbidden Planet, only with fire instead of laser energy
The only scare thing in this animation is Gandalf visible fear to balrog and asking everything so calmly, he looks like a coward.
0:01
Aragorn (outnumbered 20 to 1 by charging orcs): "Come no closer, I warn you!"
Orcs *completely stop in their tracks*
Aragorn *turns and runs away*
Orcs *continue to stand exactly where they are yelling*
Aragorn: "Whoa! I can't believe that worked!"
Tolkien should hace written "the voice of Aragorn" instead of that of Saruman.
Another copycat, same thing posted 3-4 times already. Try to be original for once in your life
@@AndyP998 It does actually get really annoying seeing people do that like all the time
Ah, the simpler 70's where you could shout "no closer, I warn you" to a pack of orcs and they oblige.
Orcs knew their place back then.
Well, he was courteous.
And the power of words has an important place in Tolkien´s universe. Aragorn is also a man of the west, so his authority is far greater than the cowardly orcs. It's the classical and romantic view of heroes against mindless packs of evil.
@MrVeggie247 The orcs were more violent and vicious in the PJ version. Makes it feel like something is actually at stake.
@MrVeggie247 same. Probably the best out of the three in terms of orc quality.
Then Gandalf said in an almost whisper, 'you.."
He cleared his throat and mumbled " shall not pass." And fell lazily to his death.
The remaining companions were bemused and horrified.
That's falling? He didn't fall here? Old codger freaking swan dived here
Rare case of "so bad it's good" being actually true.
Gandalf: "You cannot pass."
Balrog: flies.
Followed by Balrog forgetting he can fly and falling
And lands right in front of him. damn thought it was closer
It wasn’t flying. It was falling with style.
Maybe the balrog couldn't fly over Gandalf because of his power to stop him from passing, so he landed and decided to fight LOL
@@DennisKovacich Yeah, BAKSHI-style
Weird animation that makes no sense.
I love how GANDALF sounds annoyed when he says Fly you fools. It's like he doesn't even care he's falling into a bottomless chasm with an ancient servant of Morgoth!
Gandalf's just so done
He doesn't! In and of itself they were coequals. In fact as the chief servant of Irmo he stood somewhat higher in the rankings of Maia. However he and the other Istari were forbidden from using their real powers and abilities so he could only fight it as a--very well trained--magic user among elves or men could have done.
This was pretty much the dregs of Melkor's corps of Balrogs also. Glorfindel had already dealt with their most powerful individual during the sack of Gondolin. This was one who ran away and hid from Eonwe and Earendil's assault on Angband during the War of Wrath.
The biggest problem so far as Gandalf saw it was being temporarily taken out of the game during a critical section of the Ringbearer's mission. He knew Galadriel would look after them for a a while and make sure they made the next stage as safely as possible but he wanted to be there when the Fellowship crossed the river and entered Sauron's primary sphere of influence.
Whatever his other failures Jackson portrayed Gandalf and Balrog almost perfectly.
@@morelenmir the balrog looks so unintimidating here though. Could definitely have gone with more fire, and no wings, which look like a fairy here
@@orionar2461 Would you believe the wings on a Balrog are actually an area of intense debate among Tolkien fans! Some insist they had wings, others say that they were just wrapped inside a veil of shadow that flapped and furled as if they were wings.
In my opinion the very best image of a Balrog in Tolkien art is the one that Ted Naismith painted called I think just 'The Balrog'. It is given from the perspective of looking up from the floor of the bridge past Gandalf to the Balrog above and is absolutely *stunning.*
I know a lot of people complain abut Bakshi's LoTR but I must have watched it scores of times when I was young and it still has a great charm for me. The weird rotoscoping of the Nazgul in particular gives them a truly strange and vivid appearance when seen in the Shadow World. Jackson was also good in parts--more in the landscape and physical settings that the actual character depictions in my opinion--although McKellen, Weaving, Blanchet, and Bloom were perfectly cast for their roles.
@@morelenmir the wings here still look un intimidating, they were like moth wings
I think it's the bellbottom pants and the (come my lady come come my lady youre my) butterfly wings that really killed the tension.
haha that song.... as the big dog of his turf, im sure he gets lots of hot goblin chicks...
😂😂😂😂😂😂
See that just made it scarier for me...
It would have been fun to mix in gaurdians of the galaxy dance off with seed machine or dance instructions from James brown
Now that is a comment
Why does the Balrog look like a frigging butterfly with the head of a lion?
Sauron: Ok, so we could have horned demons, or maybe you'd like something more unique?
Morgoth: BDSM Lion Bat!
Sauron: ......are you sure that's what you wanna go with?
Morgoth: FLAMING BDSM LION BAT!
🤣
*air kiss*
The trouble is, I had almost the exact same thought when I first read The Lord of the Rings!
More like a BUTTERFLY.
THE DARK LORD HAS SPOKEN!!!!
This has the poorest acting ever. Gandalf looks like he's telling a child off mildly. Not desperately trying to save his friends from a demi god that can kill them all.
I feel like gandalf was pretty calm in the books... he says (not screams or shouts, he just calmly says) 'you can not pass' several times. "Can not' meaning, to me, that he knows he can take this guy. He knows this is a scary dude, but he knows he's a scary dude too when he needs to be
the vast majority of this fight actually happens undeground and on a mountain where people can't really see it. When gandalf isn't around other people, he ditches the flaming pinecones and he pulls out some pretty big guns (when aragorn examines weathertop, he finds evidence of some serious magic where gandalf briefly fought all 9 nazgul at once and people saw the lightning on the mountain where gandalf fights the balrog)
You honestly think gandalf was calm when engaging the balrog
Lol at these people trying to defend this crap animated movie. In the books Gandalf was scared to even be apart of the Istari. He admitted he was scared of Sauron. You people seriously think he wouldn't be scared of a Balrog? They're on the same level as Sauron, both were servants of Morgoth. In a fight Gandal would never be so calm against a Balrog. Peter Jackon's movies portrayed his attitude perfectly; he was scared but also willing to sacrifice his life. This crap animated movie gave Gandalf no emotion at all.
you realize this was meant for kids right
A balrog is not necessarily on the same level as Sauron simply because they were both servants of Morgoth; that's like saying an orc and the Witch-King of Angmar are on the same level because they're both servants of Sauron. Now, in this case, you're almost correct - almost - because both were Maiar, but there is a vast range of powers within the Maiar, and Sauron gains power from the ring.
Gandalf is also a Maiar, albeit given certain limitations, which are never made exactly clear. He was likely scared of Sauron not because he might simply kill him, but because of what else he could do; if a Wizard is killed, his soul is simply released and sent back to Valinor, so he has no reason to personally fear the balrog - the worst it could do is send him home.
Now, he likely was scared of the balrog's ability to stop the Fellowship and its mission, and to harm the people he cared about, but that is quite different from being personally scared. The books make it very clear that he was far from panicked - he took the threat seriously, and he may have even been unsure as to whether he would survive, but he wasn't scared per se.
Whether this movie is good, however, is a whole different discussion. The point is, pretty much every conclusion you make is wrong.
Still better than Rings of Power
I. Concur
Indeed ....that's a abomination
Yup, absolute garbage
agreed
Even the Hobbit movies were better than Rings of Power.
Goes to show how far a good sense of style and directing can take a scene. This was the wild west days of animation so yeah it's kinda clunky but it has a weight and depth that come from the consistent quality of the shots, voice acting, editing etc.
Well, at least in THIS movie its not just stupid COMPUTER SIMULATIONS like you see in every other movie made today.
Ralph Bakshi is certainly, at least, the bigger pioneer and innovator over frigging Peter Jackson. For example, creators and fans of things like Heavy Metal, Ren and Stimpy, South Park, and Futurama all owe Bakshi a debt. Now, do tell us, WHAT exactly has Jackson pioneered and influenced? .. . zilch!
While I have an appreciation for Bakshi's work, I feel this scene is very much a failure.
It's not just the uncanny effect of the rotoscoping on the Balrog and the Orcs, which one may even choose to see as intentional, so as to make them see otherworldy when compared to the protagonists, but the voice acting is subpar if we have to be honest. Gandalf sounds mildly annoyed, and in regards to weight, both he and Aragorn swing their swords about like they were sticks.
In fact, the scene is pretty much a perfect example of "When Rotoscoping goes Wrong": the characters all feel somewhat ethereal and weightless, detached from the background.
I'm sorry, but people who insist these movies are superior to the Peter Jackson ones need to remove their nostalgia glasses.
I think the animated films better in some aspects, just as PJ's are better in other aspects. Both are artistically great, though each is executed differently.
MrVeggie247 We understand it. We just completely reject it.
MrVeggie247 Unless of course you can submit an argument that can say why these movies are better than the Jackson ones, not sure what your point is. It's got nothing to do with old vs new; I think the Hobbit movies are pretty sub par, and those are newer than the original Jackson trilogy.
Eric Hendrickson
All Wizards are physically vigorous. Gandalf could have easily pulled himself up over the bridge with little effort. Gandalf knows that if he doesn't stop the Balrog here and now it will pursue and plauge them later. He isn't committing suicide so much as he is committing himself to what may be and turned out to be a suicide mission. A sacrifice for the greater good to save the fellowship.
MrVeggie247 What. I find it annoying when some people claim that something which is obviously inferior is better just because it makes them feel good to pretend they're hardcore fans. Most of the time people pretend to like the old stuff just because it makes them feel special and more knowledgeable to say so.
Anyone who looks at this scene with an ounce of objectivity would acknowledge that PJ's LOTR was better. The music was better composed, the sound of it was better, the visuals were way more advanced and were actually bar setting for the time they were made, the acting was excellent, and the depiction of the balrog was closer to the description in the books. The cartoon sucked. The actual quality of the cartoons was bad even for the time, Gandalf sounds like his words are being read by Stephen Hawking's E-voice, the music is a piece of garbage, and the Balrog looks like a fucking joke.
Is it absolutely better in a way that absolutely no one could prefer to watch the old stuff? No.. but the actual cinematographic quality of it (forget about anything creative here), it,s just technically inferior. LOTR by PJ was a masterpiece when it came out while this thing here was just a drop in an ocean of bad cartoons.
My introduction to LoTR as a kid was the Peter Jackson movies, and "You shall not pass" was like the most hyped quote from it.
I later rented this version on VHS and was so bitterly disappointed by how casual Gandalf is during this scene. He sounds like he's talking to a stray dog.
Well Gandalf acted terrified in the Peter Jackson version, when in the book he was showing his badass-side; since the Balrog had destroyed the entire kingdom of Dwarves, and only Gandalf could face him.
The movies don't bother to realize that Gandalf fought in the War of Wrath.
He was! Morgoth's stray dog.
@@SovereignStatesman I don't remember Gandalf fighting in that war. The only specific event-based mention of him in the first age or the second age is early on when the Valar first discovered the elves and needed the Maiar to protect them for a short time from the forces of Melkor long before that war. Where does it specifically say he fought in the War of Wrath?
@@SovereignStatesman I never got terrified from Gandalf in Jackson's version. I got "in awe", "forboding" and "so it has come to this". He knew as an Istari he was the only one who could face such an ancient evil. He knew there was a good chance the Fellowship would be without him. He knew Boromir would fall and Pippin would Pippin and if he wasn't there to calm that elf and dwarf down? It was that foresight of what could happen when the fate of the world was at stake, that he wouldn't be there, choosing then putting on the ferocious act for Frodo. Gandalf wasn't facing his fears or weak; compare his acting to the Hobbits on Weathertop or any of the various shots of men and orcs in fear. On the bridge Gandalf wasn't afraid, he was stepping up and having to choose to leave his mortal team in order to keep the Balrog from escaping and causing more harm by teaming with the Witch-King or something.
@@Undomaranel I like that take on that portion of the movie. Gandalf was the forward thinking type, and often had a deep understanding of the likely events given a situation. Indeed he seemed surprised and gratified later upon learning that Sam went with Frodo, and that the two had passed through Gondor only shortly before he and Pippin had arrived there. "Even the wisest cannot see all outcomes..." he stated and so true was that for him. He feared the likely outcomes of the company if he were to fall, and against the balrog, it was a very real possibility.
1:46 The way he falls and how Aragorn jumps after him got me dying
he just did what gandalf told him to do
Aragorn : (tried to fly)
Gandalf : Fly you fool.
Also all of this touched them so deeply, that none of them made a single sound. Even Aragorn landing on his elbows.
Late reaction
Well, you certainly can’t aptly accuse those Orcs of not being frightening and grotesque enough. This flick did THEM right at least. The Black Riders in this movie are really creepy and well-done too, I’ll note (“Sniff! sniff!! .. . sniff!”).
I'm surprised nobody mentioned how odd it is that one man told an army of evil creatures with weapons, "stay back, I'm warning you!", as if he was the definition of power and evil himself.
Aragorn does that several times in the book. I think its supposed to be his kingly power coming out or something haha.
That little hop that Aragorn does at the end is absolutely amazing. I would love to see the cast of the live action films recreate this. Just stuff Peter Jackson in a fur suit and have him play the balrog.
He already HAS a fur suit, his hairy little troll-costume he calls a body.
@@SovereignStatesman PJ could play Aragorn in LOTR parody.
Gandalf is falling and he still know they haven't ran yet. *falling and casually says* "Fly you fools." XD
he should have said "fly you fools! I got this" LOL
or "Fly you fools! Hold my beer"
*They haven’t *run* yet.
Omg "fly you fools" and "you cannot pass" it's so different than the live action movies XD and he says it so calmly!
+anime fan That was directly from the books, doesn't work at all here. The rest from Gandalf is good, but the Balrog's awful design overshadows that.
I cannot get over the fact that 14 years (and a new channel) on, this is still my most popular video. It's actually wild how much you all love this.
Equally wild is how little appreciation I actually had for this, because really, this was a feat, deciding to not only make the Lord of the Rings into a movie, but deciding that it would cover FoTR and TT and animating it... Amazing. Even if the rotoscoping is a little jank in places.
Some friends and I will occasionally return to this video, read the comments, and get a huge laugh. "Why is Durin's bane wearing ugg boots?" remains my favorite.
I recently came across this movie again after 20 years. I happened to watch this movie when I was a kid and a few years later the actual live action came along. Still as a 5 year old child, I was extremely scared by the orcs, and the Barlog, and I actually liked this movie. Yes yes of course watching it now is unbelievable but back then the fact that it was animated meant that it was pretty much "for kids", and thus I was allowed to watch it. I loved the darker tone the blood, the killing!
In the impressionable mind of a five-year-old kid who wants to not do what her parents tell her watching this meant I would defy their wish. It was epic and even today it still holds a special place.
You should have seen Watership Down and Plague Dogs. Those were some pretty gory cartoons back in the day. Much better animation than Lord of the Rings too. The Hobbit and Return of the King were pretty good though.
@A Catalan Liam yes I know now. ☺️
But I am not that old and what's more I come from Greece so as a little child I had to wait for things to be dubbed. We have only one official dubbing of this movie. It came out in the early 2000s, I think one or two years before the first actual movie. I was very young back then and I did not know that the movie was older than, well, the current year which I was watching it in.
After the live-action movies came out, DVD players swept the game and video cassettes were no more. But I did not throw away my old cassette tapes and recently I happened to stumble upon the animated movie.
@@koloth5139 the lord of the rings is actually when its on song much better than the other aninations they just ran out of money like half way through
*Aragorn:* Come no closer! I warn you!
The orcs stop and just stand there.
*Aragorn:* ...Huh. Didn't expect that to actually work, but okay.
Rolled a natural 20 on his intimidate?
Speech 100
Like you havent read book then ?
this whole scene lacks so much drama and emotion compared to the live action version.
Isaac White you dont say
+jamesd I agree with you, at least someone tried to save Gandalf before it was too late... unlike the live action one.
***** Technology has nothing to do with this. It's how you execute the scene.
***** Did you even look at the Nostalgia Critic's "Bottom 11 Dumbest Moments from Lord of the Rings" with "Just Letting Gandalf Die" as #11?
***** It has nothing to do with the limits of technology in my opinion... though I wish I could say the same for Tawna's face in the original Crash Bandicoot game compared to the remake.
My favorite part of all this Gandalf expressing how much weaker everyone truly is compared to him. Blantly telling them "you cannot help me here". Just amazing scene.
The rotorscoped orcs terrified me as a kid, and fascinate me now. Loved this rendition of lord of the rings, it's amazing how detailed the film is, I would love to see a remaster with cleaner audio...
When it zooms in on them, it's actually a little scary 'cause of how uncanny the effect is. But when it zooms out it's just like... some guys with weapons.
Gotta remember that some poor bugger had to sit there frame by frame colouring over the film to make the effect, so the larger the image the easier it was to do.
It's as time consuming as stop motion, if not more so.
Now motion capture has made the technique obsolete, so this horror will be lost to time.
@@shaderax_storm6165 the rotoscoping isn't really done that way. Typically rotoscoping just pulls keys using the skeleton and some important props like capes and hair, depending on how specific the direction is. But importantly, the orcs in this scene arent rotoscoped, they're rendered using a technique called solarization. Essentialy they put people in costumes and blasted them with light and altered the color during film processing. All those weird faces are just masks. This was done because it was faster than traditional animation, and is why most of it happens in the latter parts of the movie.
@@alexs7670 ha I am getting my effects mixed up, lightning bolts were animated on the cells.
Rotoscoping used a projector to blast the film at tracing paper and was slowed to a frame by frame rundown and coloured over.
The lord of rings hits budget restraints early on, so some of it is traditionally rotorscoped, then by helms deep they are just dudes in cheap costumes using solarization.
The effect is (possibly) paid homage to when Galadriel talks about what she would do with the ring of power.
I watched a review by Folding ideas that really goes into the behind the scenes of this adaptation.
@@shaderax_storm6165 I actually really like the solarization effect. I think it could make for an interesting way to do flashback sequences or credits. It just wasn't used well in the movie. I do want to stress that you dont usually trace everything when rotoscoping. For example they rotoscoped chickens in fantasia. But I'm sure someone has done full on tracing frame by frame.
As a kid this was terrifying. But when I see it now, it just looks silly, and Gandalf sounds so....uncaring.
Emilio Hidalgo especially when in the book he knows how dangerous the Balrogs are and is legitimately terrified. Here Gandalf sounds more bored than when Boromir (Sean Bean) says "they have a cave troll."
This movie was actually pretty groundbreaking for its time. And believe it or not there are a few things about this version I prefer to the live action trilogy. That being said, this scene with the Balrog was absolutely NOT one of them
Yeah the balrog definitely is my least favourite scene, can appreciate the fact that Aragorn, Frodo and Boromir leap out to try and save Gandalf however
@@oi6915 That's pretty shitty. A Balrog is super dangerous even when falling. He dragged Gandalf down. And those fools just jump there and waste Gandalf's sacrifice? Dumb fucks.
Im curious, what in particular was better?
@@drewwitte8473 a bunch of shots were lifted virtually frame-for-frame by Jackson. The black rider sniffing out the hobbits under the tree by the roadside comes to mind. Also the scene of the black rider attack in The Prancing Pony. I think the scenes where Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas are chasing the Uruk hai into Rohan were pretty great. There’s a lot of janky stuff in this movie but also some really cool animation that doesn’t seem great to younger people because animation has gotten so sophisticated. But at the time, this was groundbreaking stuff and the only version of the LOTR that wasn’t for children.
Yes, Balrog could have been bigger but thats kinda minor problem. People try find faults everywhere these days
I like how the Balrog is just a giant fried lizard with a torch
At least THIS one isn't another stupid computer simulation.
@@TheLecherling-hu1vu
1. The Balrog's design is exceptionally well made in Jackson's films. From an art design perspective, it's the obvious winner.
2. The Balrog is a mythical creature. How the fuck are you supposed to make it look good AND believable? CGI was the best route they could take and they did it well. I'd choose that over rotoscoping a guy in a Halloween costume.
Either way, I don't vehemently hate the 1978 version, and it's very understandable why they had their limits and such.
BUT FOR YOU TO SAY "LOL CGI BAD" is just stupid. Grow up.
Honestly, I think both versions look pretty stupid. The one in the 2000 live action film looks to me like a rip off of the Id monster in Forbidden Planet, only with fire replacing laser energy.
@@TheLecherling-hu1vu so what should PJ have done in your opinion? Got 3 people wearing Balrog constume?
Unscary? That thing looks fucking terrifying.
What I find weirder though is that.. like.. human-in-costumes animation.
you again? yeah i agree it's very scary just looks different w/ a simian aspect to it.
greeneking77
Looks more like the head of a lion to me.
*****
how dare you make fun of Goldar!
It's called rotoscoping.
They filmed real people in costume and then drew over it.
Oh i'm so glad we got Peter Jackson.
@ Fools hates on mainstream things everyday
Charles Winters This moron obviously doesn’t know how hard it is to make a movie.
The Hobbit trilogy clearly was "Gold".
@@SlatheTheSpaceMarine for me, silver.
@@mr.president8862 some people would rather dance with the past than get fucked by hollywood. you're young, you'll see.
This Gandalf: "You cannot pass."
Ian McKellen: "YOU. SHALL. NOT. PASS!"
sublime.abodes MultiPass!
In the book Gandalf says “you cannot pass”
Ian McKellen got it wrong which he admits on a late night show(graham norton)
@@idontlikewind.554 It's not the different line the problem. It's the tone which in the animated version is hilariously bad.
@@soul6733 that's actually more in line with the book though. He was calm whenever he was addressing the balrog
1978 LotR: Follows the book.
2000s LotR: We're Dollywood. We're better.
The fanbase: Yes, Master. More please.
2010s Hobbit: Here you go. More of the exact same.
The fanbase: Ewwwww.
Me: Dafu...!?
I prefer this to the other adaptations. (Books are still top, obviously. But this is close second)
Gandalf: You cannot pass🧙♂️
Balrog: but i have wings bro😇