Should Tom Bombadil have been in the films?

[MithrilBox]

Just curious if you wish they'd found a way of fitting Tom Bombadil (and bits of the Old Forest, perhaps) into the movie. I have heard a lot of people complain about the fact that they cut him, particularly around the release of the movie.

But, of course, from a film-maker's point of view it isn't strictly vital to the story, and I have also heard lots of folks say they understand that it was necessary to remove him...

[Elven]

Having listened to the audio book recently, I get why they cut him. A lot of Tom's part of the book involves him singing and I feel it would be difficult to do justice to the character well without making him come across as a singing loon. I think a lot of non-fans would have been very turned off by his character.

By cutting him, the film's pacing was a lot tighter and more effective. I'm sad to say it because everyone knows he's awesome!

[Emmie]

I sort of wish they'd kept like five minutes of the Old Forest even if they did get rid of Tom Bombadil. Though, I suppose it'd have been somewhat similar to Fangorn Forest in the second movie.

[Crichton]

I never complained about lack of Tomb Bombadil in the movies. Somehow his parts never moved me enough in books, that I could want him so badly in the movies.
I understand that having him there would be interesting but I know it would be difficult. Movies were long and packed with action so one more story would be too much and as Elven said, singing isn't so easy to put on screen in fantasy movie (I know that they could cut singing and put talking but it won't be the same).

[Dani]

Im happy he wasnt... Me and a friend were talking about it, and really, modern audiences who hadnt read the book reeeeally wouldnt get it!

[MithrilBox]

Im happy he wasnt... Me and a friend were talking about it, and really, modern audiences who hadnt read the book reeeeally wouldnt get it!
Yes, very true. It's easy to say you'd rather have him in it, but I have a hard time imagining how they would actually convert a character like that onto the screen effectively.

[PiRaTeGiRl]

I believe he plays a very important role in FOTR.. and I think it's a pitty they didn't cast that role in that movie!

[Dani]

Hes a wonderful character, but you have to look at the film audiences. Could you imagine a hip young teen understanding this Lord of the woods? xD Plus all the songs!

I did miss him in it though, would been nice even if theyd just put him in the Extended!

[PiRaTeGiRl]

I don't know, and I don't care, tehhe. XP I mean, they should put this scene at least in the extended edition. Now when I think about this I think it's a big loss.

[Emmie]

I agree that it would have been fun to see him (along with more stuff from the Old Forest and the Barrow-Downs) - even if 90% of film audiances wouldn't have liked him - but what important role did Tom play in the books?

[PiRaTeGiRl]

I agree that it would have been fun to see him (along with more stuff from the Old Forest and the Barrow-Downs) - even if 90% of film audiances wouldn't have liked him - but what important role did Tom play in the books?

He helped the Hobbits, if he wasn't there they all have died before they made this journey. :D

[jimmyboy]

Having listened to the audio book recently, I get why they cut him. A lot of Tom's part of the book involves him singing and I feel it would be difficult to do justice to the character well without making him come across as a singing loon. I think a lot of non-fans would have been very turned off by his character.

By cutting him, the film's pacing was a lot tighter and more effective. I'm sad to say it because everyone knows he's awesome!
I totally understand why he's not in the films, but I'd still like to have seen him. As for the singing...well, that could easily have been pulled off. You remember how once or twice Aragorn was singing? One of them I believe was the Lay of Luthien. He sang it quietly, to himself, and not in some "Sound of Music" sort of way. Bombadil could have sung anything in that manner, and also didn't have to be skipping like a fairy. He could just be light-heartedly walking through his land.

I also wish we'd seen the Barrow-downs and the wights. One thing that was a very small yet crucial point in the story was the knife Merry had with him during the battle on the Pelennor fields. That knife he actually got from Bombadil, who himself got it from one of the Dunedain tombs in the Barrow-downs. That knife was inscribed with special runes for the explicit purpose of doing harm to any agent of Angmar, such as, oh, the Witch-king of Angmar. That's why that knife was able to do any harm to the WK at all. Not a small detail, IMO.

[PiRaTeGiRl]

Yeah, yeah that's too... Bombadil plays a very important role in LotR.

[Emmie]

That knife he actually got from Bombadil, who himself got it from one of the Dunedain tombs in the Barrow-downs. That knife was inscribed with special runes for the explicit purpose of doing harm to any agent of Angmar, such as, oh, the Witch-king of Angmar. That's why that knife was able to do any harm to the WK at all. Not a small detail, IMO.
Wow, it's been too long since the last time I read the trilogy because I didn't remember that detail at all.

I agree about the Barrow-downs. I think it would have been amazing if they had been able to do two movies for each book and cover the story in much greater detail.

[PiRaTeGiRl]

I read it too much times, so I remember all of those little details. I don't know, it's not only Bombadil. Every character is importont to all of the story line.