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The Hobbit (Dramatised)

The Classic BBC Radio Production

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The Hobbit (Dramatised)

By: J.R.R. Tolkien
Narrated by: Heron Carvic, Paul Daneman, Anthony Jackson, Francis de Wolff, John Justin, John Pullen, Full cast
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About this listen

 Dwarves, elves, goblins, trolls, dragons and wizards - these are the ingredients of J.R.R. Tolkien's wonderful fantasy, the prelude to The Lord of The Rings, now the subject of a major feature film series. The hero of the tale is Bilbo Baggins, a home-loving unambitious hobbit who is suddenly thrust into what turns out to be the biggest adventure of his life. Guided by Gandalf the wizard, Bilbo and a company of dwarves set out to destroy Smaug the Magnificent, a ferocious dragon who guards a treasure hoard. Their journey contains many dangers, and in facing them the reluctant Bilbo's great resourcefulness and courage surprises everyone - not least himself! Since it was first broadcast in 1968, this BBC Radio 4 dramatisation has become a classic in its own right, perfectly evoking Tolkien's magical other world and its enchanting, fantastic inhabitants.© and (P)1988, 1994, 1997, 2002 BBC Audiobooks Ltd Fantasy Science Fiction

Critic Reviews

The Hobbit delivers a classic adventure. If you’re travelling with children and have a three-hour-42-minute journey to fill, the 1968 BBC dramatisation starring Paul Daneman and Anthony Jackson will keep everyone on the edge of their car seats.
anyone who wishes to get an idea of what The Hobbit might be like as one faithful film... should seek this out. It might lack the dynamism of the cinematic adaptation, but the world it creates feels more dangerous and real - www.denofgeek.com, Andrew Blair, 13/12/2013 (Andrew Blair)
The BBC adaptation is well structured and Paul Daneman is incredibly well cast as Bilbo. If you don't already own this, then now is the perfect time to add this wonderful radio play to your collection. (Nick Smithson)
All stars
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This is an excellent production, very true to the original (unlike a certain three part movie adaptation). Sound quality is a bit patchy at times; this was engineered with quiet listening rooms in mind rather than being played in a moving car or other noisy environment.

No one would accuse Tolkien of concise plotting

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This is a BBC radio production of a number of decades ago, but it is one of which Tolkien would have approved. A major condensation of the original, it still conveys the essence of Tolkien's story. The acting is different to that we have become accustomed to from the films, but it is a style that sits well on the story. To those who only know "The Hobbit" from the multi-part film, this is very different. The motion picture epic has little in common with the original book. Hear this to find something much closer to the author's intentions.

An old, but faithful, brief telling of Tolkien.

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As much as I love the story of the hobbit, these three reading the book is hard to listen too. As an adult. It is definitely suited for humans under the age of ten. I didn't pay for these I used free credits to purchase them but I still kind of want my credit back.

BBC Radio Reading of The Hobbit

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This audiobook - this exact one, from 1968 - has an incredibly special place in my heart. I used to listen to this radio dramatization when I was a child, back when cassettes were a reality, despite having been produced 8 years before my birth. Much of the humour and drama found within helped to inform my sense of wonder in fantasy works. An 'unreliable narrator' tale in which Bilbo the Hobbit is likely more heroic than he might otherwise be presented, it is a very enjoyable and still very relatable romp through ancient wilds, Goblin-dens, Elven halls and Dwarven caverns.

Timeless

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Tried to listen to this book with my 9 yo daughter when we went on a driving holiday. The dramatisation made it impossible for both of us to understand the story. Should have purchased the normal version....oh well, easy come, easy go.

Dramatisation made it impossible to understand

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