Ralph Bakshi's 1978 animated adaptation of
The Lord of the Rings catches a lot of criticism and rightfully so, I think, but there's no question that, for all its flaws, it's filled with some truly terrific imagery. I was reminded of this earlier today by (appropriately)
Samwise7RPG. Bakshi's orcs are nightmarish, bestial, even
demonic things, with oversized tusks, glowing red eyes, and shambling gaits. Later interpretations of orcs turn them into a different type of Man, which opens the door ever so slightly on the road toward the inevitable portrayal of them as worthy of sympathy. Bakshi, meanwhile, leans heavily, almost parodically, into them as
irredeemably evil monsters. They may have been spawned in the pits of Isengard but there's little question that
their true home is Hell.
I love these orcs too --- much more so than pig-men.
ReplyDeleteI recently rewatched this with a couple of friends, both gamers and Tolkien buffs who had never seen it. They were of the same opinion as me; it has flashes of beauty and brilliance, and moments of groaning awfulness (rotoscoped real life little people in Bree meant to be hobbits but looking nothing like their animated counterparts, anything Sam does, etc).
ReplyDeleteThese orcs often seem sort of like specters in helmets and chain mail, but terrifying. I too like my orcs slaveringly chaotic and monstrous. Noble Warcraft orcs just don’t do it for me.
I'm with you on this. Bakshi's orcs had the same effect on me, as do the Sandmen/Tuscan Raiders in Star Wars. They both leave me unsettled as their lack of defining facial features leave me uncertain on whether they are corporeal or not.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the mention. :D.
ReplyDeleteAgreed - the orcs are visually striking, and the ringwraiths are both that and more frightening than the ones in the Jackson films, I think (though I love the Jackson films). Unfortunately, the last time I watched Bakshi's LOTR, I found it pretty terrible otherwise. Much prefer "Wizards" and then the Rankin-Bass "Hobbit".
ReplyDelete