Audio Books/Radio Adaptations

Anyone listened to the BBC radio adapatation, or the audio books? Care to share any opinions?

I've listened to a few snippets and I'm curious as to whether they are easy to get hold of.

Got lots on audio (unbridged) and Hobbit bridged.

Go to bed with them playing. Sends me to sleep. In a good way.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=lord+of+rings+audio+cd

That version has quite a mix of 'loved it/hated it' reviews. I'd be afraid to risk it without a sample to judge personal reaction.

Im a huge fan of the BBC radio adaptation Malick (with the exception of the opening prologue which I really dislike and skip when I listen to it as its actually unnecessary anyway in my view)- there is an thread that started on the old forum on this very subject-

http://www.hobbitmovieforum.com/t58-alternative-adaptations-of-lotr-and-th

And I have uploaded some bits and pieces from it- heres a selection of scenes- check the description for the scenes and times (I tried to favour scenes the films either ignore or in my view dont do as well)

Wait a minute - I only listened to about a minute before realizing it was only about 10% original Tolkien dialogue. In the Shadow of the Past Gandalf is already telling Frodo how to destroy the Ring?

Petty, how can you be so dismissive of the movie dialogue when this radio version seems to be at least as massively rewritten?

Thats adapted from the book Halfy  - Shadow of the Past-

"Your small fire, of course, would not melt ordinary gold.....it has been said dragon fire could melt and consume the Rings of Power, but there is not now any dragon left on earth in which the old fire is hot enough....there is only one way; to find the Cracks of Doom, in the depths of Orodruin, the Fire-mountain, and cast the Ring in there, if you really wish to destroy it.."

I think your memory has been damaged by PJ  

I went back and looked, I didn't remember the line about "if you really wish to destroy it...".   Funny, that's one of my favorite chapters and yet parts of it seemed out of context. I think because it had been so abridged some ideas jumped out in juxposition.

Its actually a pretty damn close adaptation throughout (I suggest listening to more of the scenes on that vid), lines are shortened or removed for dramatic or length reasons, but they dont make stuff up in it. There is no invention of their own at all in terms of characters or story- its just whats in the book, adapted- like PJ was supposed to do  

As to it jumping out because the scene is abridged- do remember that is just a clip from the Shadows of the Past section, the end of it, not anything like the whole scene.

Another thing the radio version has over PJ's are the songs-

One thing I could never stand in the BBC version Petty posted was Bilbo's voice. It has this tired, half-done tone to it that rubs me the wrong way. That is certainly one aspect that the films do much better. Excluding, of course, Old-Bilbo the Hideous.

Hey thats much loved British character actor John Le Mesurier, who might be better known to some as Sergeant Wilson form Dad's army.

Whilst I think Ian Holm was superb as Frodo in the radio version and as Bilbo on film (for my money his Bilbo is the best character portrayal in the films) I quite like the difference Le Mesurier puts into Bilbo's voice from Bilbo at the start to Bilbo at Rivendell, who of course is much older, and, as in the book, has a habit of trailing off mid-sentence and falling asleep- I thought he conveyed that aging rather well given he only has his voice to do it on and not hours of makeup to help sell it.   

I dont like Boromir's voice at all, much too rough, Boromir was a prince not some yokel.

Ah, so that's who Le Mesurier was in that. I'm sorry but after the dynamism of Holm's delivery in LotR I just don't much care for the tired-sounding subdued delivery of lines like,
"My precious.. yes, my precious!"
"It's been called that before!"
"Yes yes I know, I don't care."
(paraphrased (badly)).

Le Mesurier is one of those actors who is very good at what he does, but you know what you are getting interms of voice when you offer him the job, you get in John Le Mesiuer because you want John Le Mesuier, bit like Sean Connery, he can do a wide variety of roles but he will also sound like Sean Connery.

I prefer Holm's Bilbo in terms of characterisation in the films, but I dont mind Le Mesiuers and I think the text allows for both interpretations depending on which parts of Bilbo's personality they emphasise- Holmes I would say plays up the energy and the unquenchable spirit, a still young Bilbo at heart.
Whereas Le Mesiur take on BIlbo is one of an 111 year old hobbit, albeit a very fit, mentally agile one, but still an old person.

"Old-Bilbo the Hideous"

I like Ian McKellan's take on it from the commentaries: "You look like Judi Dench's mother!"

Thanks for the recommendations   

I've been very impressed with the snippets of the BBC adaptation, is it available on CD as a boxset? I've only seen bits of it on Amazon on cassette...

This appears to be the BBC version on Amazon.  It's listed as an audiobook but the description clearly states "dramatization".

http://www.amazon.com/The-Lord-Rings-Wood-Edition/dp/1611748747/

I dont think that is it- it says its a US public broadcast.

This was all I could find on Amazon, but its bloody expensive   

http://www.amazon.com/Lord-Rings-Dramatization-Consumer-Edition/dp/160283492X

Wow, it does.   I had been looking in the editorial reviews section where one of them said it was the BBC version, but that was probably just a case of the review being mis-tagged.  Maybe this one is it?  It's a bit less expensive too.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Tolkien-Collection-BBC-Dramatization/dp/1602836612/

I guess all that goes into it We have the boxed set of The Last Barrle by Radio Theatre Presents and I certainly did not feel like spending that money, but..oh well. It sounds intriguing though.

I've recently been listening to some of the 'Tolkien Ensemble's' adaptations of the LOTR poems and Songs, they are all on youtube (Sir Christopher Lee sings in quite a few of them). Great stuff.

Ayup All...

I've always said that the BBC script with Jacksons visuals, but like shredded wheat, nothing extra added, would be almost as perfect as itcould be. I have Both LOTR and The Hobbit from the Beeb, and The Silmarillion from Harpercollins. The only trouble with that is Martin Shaws terrible drone and pronounciation. It only takes a short while to make me reach for the 'Off ' Button.

These are mine...



Does anyone know if there are different versons of the packaging availiable at all ?

I got the Hobbit with Martin Shaw reading it. Not a fan
Will have to get the unabridged one with  Rob Inglis

http://www.amazon.com/The-Hobbit-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0788789821/ref=pd_sim_b_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=1QQFPPYFH53ETVG6V4A6