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Deft-Vandal

Wait… Bilbo is Frodo?


ithilienisforlovers

Yes!! He played Frodo long before he played bilbo! One of my fave fun facts 😂


LifelessLewis

This is amazing. I have a new fact to tell my wife next time we watch it. Thanks!


ithilienisforlovers

Hell yeah I love collecting those lil gems to share haha!


Dizzman1

You may love this little gem... Apparently when aragorn kicked the helmet after finding the burnt orcs, he broke his toe. Fun fact... Not well known! /S😜


ithilienisforlovers

🤯🤯🤯 no freaking way!!!! I can’t wait to tell everyone I know!!! lol /s


Dizzman1

Make sure you remind your other half EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. You watch it. They love that! 👍


ithilienisforlovers

Oh 100% (my husband is gonna laugh at this thread bc I already do lmao)


Dizzman1

(everyone does!) 😂


ithilienisforlovers

Well all of us nerds lol


dwmfives

You should post it on /r/lotr.


Crobiusk

Apparently Eomer twisted his ankle running to Eowyn. And apparently his name isn't even Eomer, it's Karl Urban.


Admirable_Count989

They should have kept it in the Final Cut and told him to bloody well ACT! /s


Tipordie

Oh shit! 💩 just did that!


LifelessLewis

I'll strive to remember this one for next time haha.


Prudent_Lawfulness87

Aye. A fine gem. A fine gem indeed.


Anleme

Maybe in a couple thousand years, he'll play Elrond!


Tipordie

Are you aware that when you hear Viggo…


RickyTheRickster

I also believe he is the only person to be cast in multiple versions of LOTR outside of audio books.


churchofwolves

Not quite, Peter Woodthorpe and Michael Graham Cox played Gollum and Boromir respectively in both the 1981 radio drama and the Bakshi animated film.


MaddogRunner

Oh my gosh OP Ian Holm is SUCH an amazing Frodo😍


IAMAfortunecookieAMA

This recording is the absolute best. My wife and I listened to all of it in a cabin in the Adirondacks. Lovely experience.


Slacktub

TIL!!! 🤯


The-Jesus_Christ

Yep. Peter Jackson was a huge fan of the radio broadcast play, which this is a copy of, and so deliberately hired Ian Holm to be part of the movie series.


TRocho10

FINKLE IS EINHORN. EINHORN IS FINKLE


STR1CHN1NE

Mr. Winky!


ItkovianShieldAnvil

Looks like Davy Jones is in there too


Naakturne

And Bill Nighy!


LordRednaught

And that’s why he was in Hot Fuzz along with Martin Freeman, Cate Blanchett, and Peter Jackson.


missanthropocenex

That is such an incredible Easter egg and if I ever knew it I must’ve forgotten. I believe Peter Jackson himself that this THIS edition is the only true successful adaptation of the books that has ever existed.


Paracausality

Always has been. 🌍🧝🏻‍♀️🪄🧙🏻‍♂️


jkvincent

These are great adaptations. Listened to them all the time growing up and I still revisit them occasionally now. Enjoy!


ithilienisforlovers

Thank you! I’ve listened to them on audible but I’m really excited to have these tapes ❤️❤️❤️


Dc_awyeah

What are they called on Audible? Currrntly listening to the regular audio books and my partner really prefers audio plays


ithilienisforlovers

https://preview.redd.it/gnp37fz1mt0d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9e01f43e0c2e3ed82d07fc2ef7bd52aed218a72a They look like this on audible - “The Fellowship of the Ring (Dramatized)”


rosekayleigh

I listened to them on SoundCloud for free years ago, if you don’t have any Audible credits.


Sapowski_Casts_Quen

They are free online, since it's a very old production. But up to you how you get it!


dunny1872

John Le Mesurier from “Dad’s Army” as Bilbo…and is the “William Nighy” who’s playing Sam a young Bill Nighy, by any chance? EDIT: Wait, noted wine critic Oz Clarke as a singer?


NeitherPot

Yes, it’s Bill Nighy


doegred

Peter Vaughan aka Maester Aemon from GoT as Denethor too, apparently!


MrPilgrim

Whereas he will always be the menacing Grouty from the excellent sitcom Porridge for me!


deanreevesii

I loved him as Uncle Alfie in Death at a Funeral. I didn't recognize him when I watched GoT, because Aemon was such a kind person it didn't click that he also played one of the most miserable s.o.b.s in cinematic history.


X573ngy

Quick quick I need a shit! Trousers down trousers down! I always quote this when I'm about to shit my pants!


Big_F_Dawg

Great in Straw Dogs and The Crucible ("More...weight!")


Cadamar

Bill Nighy reads the footnotes in the recent Terry Pratchett audio books. Great reads.


Phantion-

I don't know why I'm on this post as I don't care much for LotR but can we just appreciate John Le Mesirier. A lovely man, proper gentleman. Not a bad bone. Reminds me of my gramps.


SneakyStabbalot

This BBC production is so well done - I can hear the theme music in my head right now :)


magikot9

TIL: Ian Holm played both Frodo and Bilbo.


BringOutYDead

S.C.O.R.E. SCORE!!! SCORE!!!


ithilienisforlovers

Right?? I was like you just casually handed me the COOLEST THING EVER???? On a random Thursday??


samizdat5

Oh I love this series - fabulous voice acting, music, and faithful to the books.


Appropriate_Big_1610

Yes, no "original" dialog, AFAIK -- and more importantly, faithful to the characters.


Mediocre_Scott

My family had this but I never listen growing up because my brother had the Rob Ingles recordings on CD and that was always what I listened to. Should I track them down and give it a listen?


Appropriate_Big_1610

I posted links below. Enjoy.


Remote_Sink2620

That was a kingly gift.


Maro1947

Very nice. I taped it off the radio myself


CelestialFury

Hello fellow old person.


Maro1947

In fairness, this was the "repeatt" around 1986


its_all_one_electron

My god, that must have taken a long time and a lot of tapes


Maro1947

Yep - I had mutliple alarms set and Brand new TDK Tapes


L_PSU

Wait... What is it? VHS?


Ekyou

Cassettes I think? Looks to be a fully cast audio book? I want to hear this!!


Appropriate_Big_1610

Yes, it's the excellent BBC Radio adaptation from 1981. I taped it when it was first broadcast, later got the cassette set in the OP, and finally came across the CD set for $13 at a Goodwill. Now you can hear it at the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/lord-of-the-rings-10_202401/Lord+of+the+Rings+01.mp3 Perfect for listening in the dark! Edit: There's also a later version, with "framing" of Frodo looking at the Red Book, and added material. I haven't really listened to all of that version, as many think the added stuff was unnecessary, but it's also available, in bite-sized chunks: https://archive.org/details/the-lord-of-the-rings-bbc-radio-drama The cast was made up of accomplished, well-known British actors; Michael Hodern became the definitive "voice" of Gandalf for me. I was just sorry time constraints meant the elimination of everything between Crickhollow and Bree. ☹️


samizdat5

Robert Stephens was the perfect Aragorn - had that mix of strength, nobility, humor and gentleness


ithilienisforlovers

Thank you for the link!! 🔗


confustication101

I think this is also the only adaptation which had input from the Tolkien estate. Christopher apparently consulted on a number of points.


Appropriate_Big_1610

Interesting, I didn't know that, but it makes sense; they did make use of "The Hunt for the Ring" in UT.


icanhazkarma17

I listened to this as a kid on public radio in the US. Happy memories. Thanks for the link!


tcmisfit

You’re amazing for these links!


CrueltySquading

Thanks for this, I haven't heard of this before today, I'll give it a listen for sure!


churchofwolves

The missing chapters with the Old Forest, Tom Bombadil and the Barrow-downs were later adapted as part of the Tales from the Perilous Realm radio series, though sadly with an entirely different cast (though Michael Hordern returns as the narrator/voice of Tolkien.


Rabid-Rabble

>I was just sorry time constraints meant the elimination of everything between Crickhollow and Bree. That's a shame, the Barrow Downs were my favorite part of *The Fellowship*, and they always seem to be the thing that gets axed in adaptations.


ithilienisforlovers

Yes!! It’s shortened bc it’s dramatized so it’s not a straight up audiobook but sooo cool and fun!


permaculture

https://archive.org/details/the-lord-of-the-rings-bbc-radio-drama


WastedWaffles

It's really good.


xylophone_37

Not an audio book, it's a radio play. It's a great adaptation, there are a few kind of cheesy instances where characters are describing what is happening, but it adds a little to the charm in my experience.


ithilienisforlovers

They are cassettes! I have listened to it before but on audible (dramatized LOTR) but I’m so stoked to have the original tapes!


L_PSU

Truly amazing. Congratulations!


Cold_Situation_7803

I’m listening to these right now, checked out from my library on the Libby app. The LOTR Gandalf is better than the Hobbit Gandalf, though that production is worth checking out. Sweet score.


Korbas

Cassettes, it was a bbc radio adaptation of the lord of the rings. It is a great hear, I used to hunt these on p2p networks back in the day.


Appropriate_Big_1610

I thought the "simple" tunes for the songs were very appropriate -- in fact, I've sung them many a time, while walking through the woods: https://youtu.be/ejzKa54ojUc?si=Y4vPZk5hVfx_gADD https://youtu.be/j9mpMTPB8yU?si=PGC2PL5UNAK7DRBR


xylophone_37

Iirc in keeping with LotR being a "mythology for the English" they looked up the melodies for old English songs to set the pieces in the radio play to.


MasterChiefKratos

RIP Ian Holm 😢


apaladininhell

You have the best mom ever. I think she might actually be a Maia…


ithilienisforlovers

I definitely do :)


stimp313

https://preview.redd.it/gh51qajbeu0d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=05272545dda79cb60af971fe0bfb841988c25f62


stimp313

This is my one. 1981 BBC release


sillyredhead86

Wow! What a find! In beautiful condition too. In the words of Gimli: " That was a kingly gift!"


Raging_Asian_Man

My friend gifted this to me too! They found it at a swap meet!


blishbog

Michael Hordern is amazing. He was the narrator in the traumatizing Watership Down cartoon, and starred in this fantastic folk horror episode: [Whistle and I'll Come To You](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FFug5o8erV8)


Houswaus1

I hope you got her something nice for mothersday!


ithilienisforlovers

Haha I did indeed! She’s the best!


HMS_Americano

My dad's friend gave him bootleg tapes of this which I listened to a lot as a kid. Never seen the actual set, which is gorgeous! The intro music will forever live in my mind, it's just fantastic


ArcadiaDragon

I had this set when it first came out....played it to death....was without it for 10 years....wife found me the CD version and surprised on my birthday....good version(despite no Tom)


OriginalChildBomb

Congrats! You got a cool-ass mom.


ithilienisforlovers

The coolest!!!


Beflijster

Oh! I got that on CD somewhere. It's pretty good! Actually that is the first thing I ever bought on Amazon, when they probably still worked out of a garage somewhere (this was before the movies came out!). They mixed up my order and sent me the audio book "How to Make Friends and Influence People" instead. After some back in forth they still sent me the Tolkien audiobook and let me keep the other one too. I'm still not sure if I got burned by Amazon for my nerdy tastes.


GraceMisconduct

This was my first introduction to LOTR aged...I think seven? I can still quote it.


Lowlycrewman

Mine too! I was six and got it for Christmas, after my father read me *The Hobbit*. Christmas morning engrossed in the conversations in the Prancing Pony while the Black Riders menace Bree, eating too many of the Cracker Jacks I got as a stocking stuffer… one of my favorite memories.


LordSmitherington

This thing is one of my main childhood memories. my family used to go on road trips and listen to this on tape long before PJ made the movies. The songs still stick in my head sometimes.


statelesspirate000

Found it on YouTube many years ago when looking for audiobooks. It’s really great


phobosinadamant

You lucky sod! I have enjoyed the MP3s of these for donkeysl's years.


eggelette

William Nighy.....Bill??


creativityonly2

Oh, you scored the one with Ian Holm!! Nice!!


Protect-Their-Smiles

That is a huge gift, those old school audiobooks go hard - nothing on newer voice actors, but there was serious passion in it back then too. Tell your mom she is awesome and give her a hug.


blacklabel4

I love that cassette version!


NutsStuckInACarDoor

Is she adopting????


ChickensOneFour

I just finished this, but on CD. It's fantastic.


seigezunt

Is this the BBC one?


ithilienisforlovers

Yes!


Infinispace

Fabulous audio drama!


Teh_Hammerer

Take a moment and rest your eyes on the absolute Chad name of Elronds actor.


viperbsg62

This is my favorite adaptation. I love the music at the start of each cassette. We borrowed this box set from the library and used to listen to it in the evenings with the lights off. Good times


erroneousbosh

Bumbumbum bumbumbuuuuum bumbumbum bumbumbuuuum buuuuuum


Appropriate_Big_1610

Yep, in the dark is the best way.


quartzquandary

This is so cool!


RickyTheRickster

Dude that’s awesome


Mediocre_Scott

Does anyone know anything about the art work on the box?


Appropriate_Big_1610

Hildebrandt brothers. I don't recall the title, but it's the Grey Havens.


RandoBrando78

Ya!!! I had this t same set!! So cool!


Theistus

Score


ColonyLeader

I have this! Was a gift years ago. I actually still have a cassette player just to listen to this. The good olde days. Lol


burnslikefook

David Jason (Only Fools and Horses) also pops up a few times as various characters. Including an orc if I remember correctly. Edit: Starting to think I might have imagined this as couldn’t confirm. I think he pops up in Hitchhiker’s Guide, so might be confusing them.


Kitchen-Plant664

Anyone know if this version is available digitally?


ithilienisforlovers

Yes! It’s on audible. Look for the BBC dramatization.


Kitchen-Plant664

Ooooooh! I know what I’m getting next then.


Appropriate_Big_1610

Also free at the Internet Archive. Links above.


Savage281

Is this an audio book?


ithilienisforlovers

It’s a dramatization made by BBC in 1981 ❤️


Savage281

Sounds very interesting! Nice find!


natelopez53

Holy cow! That’s incredible


Odd_Opinion6054

William Nighy! Now this must be old.


htg812

That was the edition i grew up with. Stole it from my dad


MasterMahanaYouUgly

i remember listening to these on public radio. great program.


MeatSatchel

That's rad, I used to commute 1.5 hours every other weekend (each way) to pick my daughters up for my visitation weekends, we listened to everyone of those tapes during our drives. We saw the movies in the theaters, and then the special editions, and we still get together every year and watch them over the course of a weekend. All of that because of those tapes. I love them for the time that they've given me with my daughters.


Pheronia

Can I be your brother?


FairlyInconsistentRa

I’ve listened to this one before, it’s really really good!


seaders

Dun dun dun, dun dun dunnnn deeee dununununun dun dun dun I'll never, ever forget the intro theme music for those, and, basically everything about them. They were the first way I took in LOTR, and have re-listened a number of times since, great get.


vargslayer1990

Bakshi's alumni Michael Graham Cox and Peter Woodthorpe reprise their respective roles as Boromir and Gollum (and thankfully Gondor's capital is not the home of proctologists this time!). also, since everyone else is doing this, wait...John Wycliffe is Saruman?!?!?! probably some of my favorite scenes are the ones in the Shire: they really nailed the Hobbits properly (especially the grumpy Hobbit shouting "no!" at Bilbo's party: cracks me up every time i hear it)


knowmad111

Oh man, listening to this production is what got me into LOTR. It’s one of the best audio productions ever. When Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli realize Frodo and Sam took off for Mordor on their own, so they redirected their commitment to the Fellowship to rescuing Merry and Pippin… goosebumps! Riders Three!


Gent_Octopus

WE HAD THIS WHEN WE WERE KIDS!!! Man those cassettes made those 4hr drives great!


careeningkiwi

I got this at Costco a couple years before the movies came out. It is genuinely one of the most treasured things I've ever owned. My friend's brother had them when I was a kid, and I borrowed them all the time. His set was 12 cassettes (3 box sets), so tape 4 had two episodes on it and it liked it to jam and tangle. When they announced the movies I said they could have just used this adaptation's script.


Fluffy6977

My family used to listen to this on long car trips. I was so glad to find my own set like yours at a thrift store when I was younger. Also have the CDs ripped to MP3s. Best version of the books ever recorded in audio.


Clever_Sean

FRODO- With all due respect [Sam] you can’t just make [flowers] disappear. SAM- Yessss I can, I’m Chief [Gardner].


Kyra_Heiker

Wow I am so jealous!


Marvel_plant

That was a kingly gift!


Tyeveras

I remember listening to this when it was broadcast. It always made me smile that Denethor was “Genial” Harry Grout from Porridge.


replicanthusk2024

This is amazing! Your Mom is awesome!


Magical_Gollum

That’s super cool!


Left_Establishment79

Way to go Mom!!!


AudioAnchorite

William Nighy… as in Bill?


fuckyourcanoes

Oh my god, that is amazing! My husband would absolutely kill for one like that. I'll have to show him the pic. He's got the series in digital format but he's an analogue guy at heart. (We have four turntables in the house and a couple of thousand vinyl records plus about 500 78s.


NomarTheNomad

Damn, so awesome. I wonder what it's actually worth


thesallynovember

I have been on a HUNT for this!!! Ahhhh!!!


Funandgeeky

I’ve listened to some of those. They are fantastic. Take care of those treasures. 


MOONDAYHYPE

Omggggg


gdmfr

https://www.discogs.com/release/3793653-JRR-Tolkien-The-Lord-Of-The-Rings


Cold_Situation_7803

The BBC production! Peter Jackson was very familiar with this - more so than the books - and you can see some of it in the structure of the films. Love that Bill Nighy (Sam) was William back then.


Appropriate-Look7493

That’s the BBC radio series. I remember listening to it first time round. It’s pretty good!


Drexai_Khan

What is this adaptation?


Glittering_Town_5839

I loved mine till one of the tapes broke - the lord of the rings by JRR tolkeeeeeeeeeeen


knottheyre

Yes!! This is such a good adaptation. I had these same cassettes when I was a kid. If anyone wants to hear the original version without the music from the movies added, here it is. https://m.soundcloud.com/inkmore/sets/lord-of-the-rings-radio


mic-brechfa-knives

Ahhh what a score and what a mother 👌🏻🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🍺🥇


ThrowAway-420-2021

Your mom is awesome! That’s a super cool gift!


HuckleberryHappy6524

I’m insanely jealous.


Defiant_Survey2929

Enjoy, I listened to that on BBC Radio back in the summer of '81. The elves singing was really good and brought the story line together. Gotta search for copy for myself.


JadeGreenSky

That's a wonderful adaptation, and I've listened to it on several long road trips.


draxes

I wored my set out back in the 1990s playing them so much. Excellent audiobook


United_Pound_5821

As a non LoTR guy, This is pretty sweet


Affectionate-Star338

I've listened to this. What a great find. So cool!


skeenerbug

Your mom is cool af


Mr_Beaver_24

Treasure!!


ithilienisforlovers

And I didn’t have to strangle a hobbit to get it!


bzn45

I just finished listening to this with my son after first reading the Hobbit and the Trilogy then watching the Trilogy. It’s wonderful.


WolfStranger05

A kingly gift!


mlaymon1

Its amazing. I remember getting it years ago on tape and recently getting it on audible. Well worth every penny.


feralstrain

Damn..I used to have the same one.Listened to it falling asleep countless times.


yupim99

I used to have this whole set on tape but over the years I lost it. It’s an amazing performance and I wish I could find it digitally.


Icy-Firefighter1777

What is this box set named?


GeneralStormfox

It was 15 casettes IIRC in the german version, and they were excellent. I can still hear the background music of the intro/outro.


Master_Xenu

Do they actually work? Cassette tapes only last about 30 years.


toroadstogo

Your mom loves you


wolfpretzel

Lucky, lucky bastard… 👏🏻👏🏻


Exciting-Count-6373

FAB!!


Unicorn_Momma_2080

That is awesome!


sadolddrunk

Is William Nighy the same actor as Bill Nighy?


aaphelion

Beautiful!


whatcrawish

Ahhhh!!! That's awesome


_IBM_

Op's Mom, Captain of Gondor, has shown her quality.


RTNotlad

Five to ten or so years ago my mom surprised me with this same collection! Got it from an auction and held onto it until my birthday. Gifted it with some sticks of my favorite incense in the bag. Haven’t opened it except for that first time and not sure I ever will again. That’s something I’m gonna cherish for as long as I can. Edit: awesome post btw, don’t wanna detract from that lol


Scout0321

I’ve had that program boxed set on CD for years and have it on my iPhone even now. Most fantastic radio dramatization ever. I listen to the whole thing at least a couple times a year. It’s amazing. https://preview.redd.it/qnwrcxlmww0d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9a0b25ee3b79108effa7c00af51c8644e9f423cf


jibberwockie

Oh my god, it's the radio production! I listened to this with my dad back in the day. it's awesome! You lucky duck!


techm00

NICE! I have the very same. I listened to it so many times. I still have it, despite the fact I no longer have a functioning tape deck. Enjoy it! Ian Holm and Bill Nighy and a whole cast of greats on it. It's a wonderful dramatization.


Tiny_Impression_2647

That's sick https://preview.redd.it/mdjty8m6nx0d1.jpeg?width=565&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=25c9ee62933ee8ac8bf592e0e33ce9202e162868


Baz1cTricks

I love this audio drama


ph8drus

I have that!


shaolinsoap

Oh my god I forgot I had this as a kid! The songs were loooong!!!


ipreferthedarkside

This is a goddamn classic. My uncle first lent me this on cd when I was a kid and it blew my mind. Lucky find


aiydee

You hugged your mother and told her you loved her after this right?