The Lord of the Rings (1978), directed by Ralph Bakshi, was the first ambitious attempt to bring Tolkien’s epic to the screen. Using a bold mix of traditional animation and rotoscoping, the film gave Middle-earth a dark, gritty tone unlike anything audiences had seen before. While it only covered The Fellowship of the Ring and part of The Two Towers, its moody visuals, realistic movement, and haunting atmosphere left a lasting impact. Though unfinished and divisive, Bakshi’s adaptation laid impo