Product Description

The BBC dramatization of Tolkien's celebrated fantasy.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5471 in Books
• Published on: 2002-10-07
• Released on: 2002-10-07
• Format: Audiobook
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 12
• Binding: Audio CD

Customer Reviews

Absolutely essential.
This radio dramatisation is remarkable and has now been re-edited onto 12cds with a running time of 13 hours 15 minutes
including the final disc which is Stephen Oliver's complete musical score (and now includes a demo of John Le Mesurier singing Bilbo's Last Song).
I can't say that i'm too keen on some of the singing which is contained in this production but the music otherwise is excellent, the story adaptation is great, and the casting is superb.
Peter Woodthorpe in particular is excellent as the snarling, stammering, schizoid Gollum.
Ian Holm who plays Bilbo in Peter Jackson's films is Frodo in this production and John Le Mesurier plays Bilbo.
There are four cds for each volume of the book, although the fourth cd of Return Of The King is the aforementioned musical score cd.
This edition differs from the radio transmission as there isn't the introduction and credits for each episode, it has been re-edited so that each of the three volumes of the book is continuous with newly recorded prologues and epilogues by Ian Holm.
This explains how they managed to squeeze it all onto 12cds; previously this was available as a 14cd set, with each of 13 1-hour episodes on a seperate cd and a final cd of the music.
The sleevenotes also say that it has been rearranged so that it better matches the chronology of the book.
Anyway, if you love the Lord Of The Rings you'll love this too.

yet to be bettered
The great glory of literature is that the reader can develop their own vision of the author's world; this is, of course, also the great glory of radio. Rather than spoon-feed an audience with the director's own imagination, you stimulate theirs, and so enrich the whole experience.

This production of Lord of the Rings is no exception. Whilst I do enjoy Peter Jackson's films, there are of course areas where I feel he has it completely wrong (almost inevitable given the length and depth of the books): compressing distances and times, over-enthusiastic editing of the "slower movements" and expansion of the action, insertion of some (stupefyingly silly) plot lines (which detracted from the story rather than adding to it) and a general "dumbing down" of Tolkein's masterpiece. Whilst the BBC has edited certain sections (the main omission being the Old Forest/Tom Bombadil), they have been more faithful to the overall feel of Tolkein's world and the themes running through the books, and they certainly haven't fallen into the traps which snared Jackson: namely, underestimating your audience and catering for the lowest common denominator.

This production provides superb acting (the casting was inspired), ground-breaking sound effects and a directorial pacing which drives the narrative at an engaging rate whilst allowing the story and characters to breathe. I first heard it during its second airing when I was around 10 years old, having recently read the books. This edition is of course slightly different from the original broadcast, with each episode shorn of it's "top and tail" necessary for broadcast, but with added narration from Ian Holme. Whilst I am not convinced that his addition enhances the production, it does not detract, and the lack of the half-hourly cast list certainly improves the listening experience.

On balance I feel this is the better version to listen to than the original production, although it would benefit from the original boxing/maps rather than the less atttractive generic packaging that it comes in now. Perhaps the BBC will revert to the old style- here's hoping!

I would certainly recommend this, both to those who have only seen the films, and to those who have "only" read the books.

Oh, and by the way. Peter Jackson DID hear this before he made the films. I only wish he's taken a little more notice. The pictures are always better on the radio.

A production so precious-s-s-s-s-s-s!!!
I recently borrowed the 14 cd boxed collectors edition of the radio series and was blown away.
A fantastic adaptation by BBC Radio 4 with John Le Mesurier as Bilbo, Ian Holm as Frodo (now Bilbo in the films!) but the real star is Peter Woodthorpe as Gollum, he perfectly captures his split personality and the voice he provides is a joy to behold.(He also did the voice of Gollum in Ralph Bakshi's incomplete animated film version of the story, but seems to take it to a whole new level in this adaptation).
I bought this new 12 cd set and it differs from the previous edition - the story has been re-edited so that each book of the trilogy continues unbroken without the radio programme's original intro and ending, it is no longer split into neat 1-hour long episodes, thus enabling it to fit onto just 12 cds.
The removal of these breaks means that the story flows better, although you may feel compelled to put the next cd in to continue the story as a result!!!
In addition to this re-editing Ian Holm has recorded new epilogues and prologues.
The final cd contains music from the series, and the music is very good indeed.
If you like The Lord Of The Rings and don't yet own the radio series then i can recommend this completely.
If you enjoyed the Fellowship film and would like to know the ending of the trilogy before Christmas 2003(and doubt you could read the epic book in that timeframe!) then this set is ideal.
Believe me, as soon as Gollum appears on the first CD you'll know you've made the right decision!
At 13+ hours long this is excellent value for money, too.