Bombadil

[dunadan_aragorn]

In the Two Towers creature book it has a great little section on Tom Bombadil. Anyone that was outraged by the fact Bombadil wasn't in the book, I have a logical explanation, that no doubt everyone has heard, but here I go. Bombadil was a nice little mini-plot, but it really didn't affect anyone's outcome. Same with Glorfindel. True, I was upset, but now that I think about it, I realize that Arwen was a slightly (notice I only say slightly) larger character in the book. I don't understand the people ho get up in the middle of the movie and preach that we shouldn't even be watching it. I mean geez, I am obsessed, but not THAT obsessed, not enough to make a spectacle of myself. I know this is kind of redundant, but no one has posted about it in a long time, and all the places they do post are two or three pages.

[Scott]

I was personally a bit disappointed that my favorite man of Numenor was left out of the movie too, but the more I think about it, the more I realise that the mmovie was ultimately better (sob, sob) without him. <P>And on a quick side note, does anyone know what happened to the Language Forum?

[DarkRose]

Your theory is understandable, dunadan_aragorn. Yet, I disagree with you when you say that Glorfindel did not affect anyone's outcome. However, this thread is labeled 'Bombadil', so I will not go into detail about Glorfindel.<P>My brother and I were conversing about the matter of Tom Bombadil's presence [lack of] in the film, and we came to a conclusion of sorts. As you said, Tom Bombadil does not have as much of a direct influence on anyone as the other characters. Perhaps you think I am being cruel in saying so, but even when you examine Bombadil's personality, the evidence stands firmly. He cared nothing of the affairs of Middle Earth and had no wish to meddle in them. Thus, he was not a big influence in the story.<P>However, he <I>did</I> rescue the hobbits from Old Man Willow. That certainly makes him a noteworthy influence, right? Well, since the Old Forest, and the Barrow Downs were not placed in the movie, there was no sense in including Bombadil. It would only add length to the film that was not necessary or vital.<p>[ March 07, 2003: Message edited by: DarkRose ]

[Meela]

Tom Bombadil? *screams*<P>its a good thing he was left out, or we would have had 4 hours of hobbit blah and 20 minutes tacked onto the end showing a bunch of elves, men, and dwarves rushing past a few caves and some trees and arriving at emyn muil or wherever, minus half the group who were all by then stuck up a tree, and collapsing out of breath on a rock, glad they made it before the credits cut them off.

[Iarwain]

I'm completely blown away. Tom Bombadil <I>unimportant</I>! He is vital to the reality that the Lord of the Rings is a legendary myth. He is the enigma, the anomaly that does not belong and cannot be explained. He is the single irrationality in the whole of middle earth. Tolkien's writing would hardly be mythopoetic without good old Tom.<P>Iarwain<p>[ March 07, 2003: Message edited by: Iarwain ]

[The Saucepan Man]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> Tolkien's writing would hardly be mythopoetic without good old Tom. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Ah, that may well be true Iarwain, but the films hardly need to be mythopoetic, do they?

[Iarwain]

No, Saucepan, of course they don't. They could be the story of a teacup trying to destroy the sugarcube of doom, or about a flower child getting rid of the evils of a rigid lifestyle, and still claim to be a worthy adaptation, but alas the world is much more rational than that. Peter Jackson claims to be trying to reproduce in movie form what Tolkien saw in movie form. I believe we agree that Tolkien was trying to write a modern mythology for the British people. An important part of mythology is the element of the unexplained, which Tom Bombadil is. I believe that covers why Tom Bombadil at least deserved to be in the filim.<p>[ March 07, 2003: Message edited by: Iarwain ]

[Liriodendron]

I think they would have benefited from a good long Bombadil and Golberry sequence. I think people love the "good stuff" about Middle Earth. You know, elves (more elves), the Shire, the Ents. Instead of ugly orc overkill, Bombadil would have suited me just fine. Of course, they would have needed an actor that could do him perfectly. I personally think FoTR was more popular (in my mind at least, I admit to being totally out of touch with current pop culture)because it had more "beautiful" stuff. The huge, overly long Helm's Deep battle was overkill. I would love to see Tom and Goldberry, old man willow, hear the stories told, see the food served and eaten. I want to see "the white chalky path turn into a little river of milk and go bubbling away down into the valley". The rainy day in the house of Tom Bombadill would be wonderful.

[Iarwain]

I feel like clapping my hands in joy, Liriodendron. How wonderful that would be! I wish I could visit old Tom in his home and just spend time with him and Goldberry. What a dream. <P>Living the Life,<BR>Iarwain

[Liriodendron]

Well hey! "Go Us" Iarwain! Gimme the beauty! <p>[ March 07, 2003: Message edited by: Liriodendron ]