If You Could Choose 5 Characters
 

If you could choose five characters from the books that WERE NOT in the movies, who would they be? Don't say Faramir or a character that was horribly misrepresented, say characters that really were non-existant in the films. It's ok if some goons were given their names on the Decipher trading card series :) I could probably think this out more, but off the top of my head, I would say...

1. Imrahil
2. Beregond
3. Tom Bombadil
4. Erkenbrand
5. Elrohir (kind of gets two for one- Elrohir wouldn't have been there without Elladan)

Halbarad
Elrohir
Elladan
Thirty extras to be Dunedain Rangers

Actually, I could come up with only three actual speaking parts (and the extras) that I think would be necessary to save The Two Towers movie from Peter Jackson's inane need to juxtapose his immense ego (and poor scripting) onto the original plot.

I have the three extended movies, and overall I think the movie trilogy was fine, but I really never cared as much for TTT, most likely because of Jackson's heavy-handed rewriting of Tolkien. By adding the Dunedain Rangers (with the sons of Elrond) you eliminate:

1) Aragorn being portrayed as an undecided and lonesome loser. The movie made it seem like he hadn't a friend or kin in the world (save for the Elves), when at the time of the War of the Ring he was the longstanding Chieftain of the Dunedain.

2) Aragorn frenching his horse. Eliminate the whole Warg attack scene where Aragorn falls of a cliff, floats down a river and hugs his horsie. That's fifteen minutes of film time that could've been better used elsewhere.

3) The Elves coming to Helm's Deep. Sorry, it was a silly plot twist. And what happened to all the Elves after the battle? Did they all die? They just disappeared. Equally silly. If Jackson wished to emend the original plot, then have the sons of Elrond and the Dunedain coming to fight at Helm's Deep. I don't believe the impact would have been lessened.

4) Elrond appearing magically in Rohan, having ridden hundreds of miles through enemy held territory just to drop off a sword? Maybe he should have led the Fellowship, as it appears he had an easier time getting through.

With the addition of Elrohir, Elladan and the Dunedain, one gets a commitment from Elrond and the Elves without sending a spurious army of Elves (again travelling easily through enemy territory). In addition, one gets a sense of Aragorn's stature and history, and seeing the grim Dunedain would have been far more interesting than the proliferation of blonde elves Jackson had a penchant for.

Glorfindel
Bergil(sp?)
Tom Bombadil
Bill Ferny
Dernhelm

Tom
Goldberry
The Barrow-wight
Radagast
Glorfindel

Prince Imrahil
Glorfindel
Halbarad
Beregond
Beren & Luthien - that would come in the tale Aragorn tells/sings around the campfire in a brief flashback in FOTR-- just a few glimpses to get us going as Aragorn expands upon the tale

Absolutely without a doubt - no Tom Bombadil or Goldberry. Never, ever, ever!

I do think they could have made it work, if they had the film time to spend. They would just have to concentrate on the eerier aspect of it. He's the madman of the hostile forest after all, though dressed rather comically and spouting weird poetry. ;)

I agree with a lot of the choices here. Would have loved to see them present a good portrait of the following.

Bergil
Beregond
Halbarad
Imrahil
Barrow-wight

And at least give some sort of nod to Glorfindel, Elladan and Elrohir's contibutions.

But I find that I'm getting disgruntled thinking about the movies additions, especially the stress on Awen. It would have been so much nicer to have kept Arwen the distant noble and mysterious figure she was in the books, and really learn about her only in the end like the hobbits did. It would have stopped the confusing meandering and kept the focus on the fellowship's mission. I apologize to the film buffs for the rant, but the whole side story ended up like a cancer that threatened to kill the films for me. So suppose I'd vote to have her made to a 1/5 of the character they ultimately portrayed.

Gildor
Glorfindel
Beregond
Imrahil

5th character ... how about Fatty Bolger?

--Radagast
--The Barrow Wight
--Tom Bombadil
--Glorfindel
--A sentient, speaking Shelob

Gildor? Really?

Would have have loved to see good 'ol Fredegar, though! Definitely a hobbit after my own heart.

I rather liked Gildor's interaction with Frodo in the book, especially their exchange concerning the affairs of Wizards and Elven advice.

It would be the proper introduction to an Elves' view of world. :)

1. Tom Bombadil
2. Farmer Maggot as a nice guy
3. Radagast the Brown
4. Prince Imrahil
5. Zod the Destroyer of Blackfire ( :) )

One person I sorely missed was Sharku, because we totally lost the Scouring of the Shire without him. Along the same lines, we had the tiny little Sackville-Baggins cameos that could have been made into a lot more.

I would also include Beregond (because we've been barred from missing Faramir :P) because he represented part of the Guard of the Citadel that didn't either
(a) blindly follow Gandalf after he beat up Denethor, or
(b) blindly follow Denethor's orders after he went mad.
I think Pippin's love of Faramir was a very poor substitute for Beregond's, and if we had Bergil as well, his relationship with Pippin would have been hilarious and adorable.

Finduilas already mentioned Dernhelm but I'll mention him again. I was so incredibly disappointed at the Mustering of the Rohirrim. The scene was fabulous (Merry dejectedly watches everyone leave, then suddenly a hand scoops him up and puts him in the saddle) until Eowyn revealed herself. In the book, Eowyn became a really heroic and noble figure by not revealing herself until the Witch-King appeared. In the movie, it's kind of like... "Well, now Merry knows precisely who you are, and the two of you can snivel and be scared together before you fight on the Pelennor." Both of the characters lost some bit of courage, knowingly being together.
Plus in the EE there's a section where the two of them sit around and eat with their helmets off. Where the heck was Eomer?

Tom Bambadil
Glorfindel
Bill Fearny
Beregond
Fatty Bolger...well he is mentioned

Glorfindel
Mr Bombadil
Imrahil
Gildor
Radagast

:)

Definately Radagast, just because Sarumans taunting of him is some of the most enjoyable dialogue in the books.
Glorfindel
Bill Ferny
Ted Sandyman (he may have been among the hobbits but needed a speaking role, he's kinda important in laying down characterisation of the hobbit POV regarding adventures.)
The "Traitorous Haradrim, captain of the host of Mordor" just because.

Haha, I know. I was wondering the same thing. You think SOMEONE might just notice the small boy talking with the obvious woman warrior. Oh well.

Ioreth
Forlong the Fat
Nob & Bob (a twofer)
The fox in the woods wondering why the hobbits were so far afield
Gloin, or perhaps Robin Smallburrow
:D:D

Seriously,

Glorfindel
The Dunedain, I give a hearty second to all Morthoron's reasons
Bombadil & Goldberry
Bergil
Ted Sandyman, just because including him means you'd have to include the Scouring. :D