4. The Death Of Boromir - Ralph Bakshi's Lord Of The Rings
Warner Bros.Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings is now over a decade old. As a kid, waiting an entire year for The Two Towers release after Fellowship seemed like an eternity so it came as a wonderful surprise to learn Jacksons films weren't the only LOTR movies in existence. Both Tolkien's masterful trilogy and its prequel, The Hobbit, had been made into animated films for kids in the late 70s. All three films were intended for children, however, with one huge, notable difference. The Hobbit and The Return of the King were both made by Rankin Bass, the same animation film studio who made the ever-endearing Christmas classics such as Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer. Which is why the middle film, The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers combined together as one, make for a terrifying and bizarre watch. Instead of Rankin Bass this movie fell into the hands of Ralph Bakshi, who despite being a genius, was noted for producing animation distinctly not for children. His debut film Fritz The Cat is notable for sporting the tagline, Were not rated X for nothin, baby! Indeed, Bakshis Lord of the Rings film, although a work of art, is one of the creepiest, darkest, and strangest animated films ever made. From the ringwraiths throwing screeching group hugs to Frodo and Sam's awkward glances at each other at inappropriate times, to Aragorn's terrible fighting skills, the movie is definitely unique. However, there is nothing in it that is too over-the-top until the death of Boromir. Just like the ending of Fellowship, Merry and Pippin fall into the hands of the Uruk-kai, but not before Boromir gives his life to protect them. In Bakshis version a screaming, Viking-esque Boromir hacks and slashes his way through several orcs before being shot nine times in the chest and dying in a bloody heap... probably the point where many disturbed parents made up their minds the film was not made for kids after all.