RANKIN AND BASS THE HOBBIT THAT WASN’T

To this day, Tony loves the style of the characters drawn for The Hobbit movie made by Rankin and Bass. Released in 1977, the film enjoyed repeated showings on American television during the 80s, even though it looked nothing like the Middle-earth art fantasy fans were used to.

“The features [of the hobbits] border on the grotesque, but I think they were looking at Arthur Rackham, Edmund Dulac and maybe Kay Nielsen,” says Tony. “When I watch it, those dreary watercolour landscapes seem Rackhaminspired and they have that same linear quality to them. However, the overall visual language is so cohesive, and everything interlocks nicely, so the character designs and landscapes all look like they’re from the same world. That’s not an easy feat.”

THE LAST UNICORN The styling of the mage in The Last Unicorn is another example of the magic Rankin and Bass brought.

EXTRA FURRY FEET Bilbo Baggins wasn’t drawn as expected in the Rankin and Bass film, The Hobbit, but it worked.

JOUSTING GOBLINS Tony’s Goblin Warbuggy image was used on a Magic: The Gathering card and has touches of the goblins in The Hobbit animated movie.