THE TWO TOWERS

It's never inspiring when a publisher hauls out a fossilized recording to capitalize on the popularity of a film. But one can hardly make that accusation after listening to this 1981 BBC dramatization of Tolkien's THE TWO TOWERS, in which Frodo, Sam, and his allies continue their mission to bring the Ring of Power to Mordor. Even for those who are ambivalent about fantasy literature, this is first-class audio drama that starts with a smart adaptation of the text, adds an excellent British cast (albeit an anonymous one, given the absence of liner notes), and rounds it off with fine production quality. The role of Gollum is particularly well played, sounding appropriately vile and pitiful, and demonstrating that Tolkien can be dramatized without Hollywood special effects. D.B. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 02]