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The Dagda · 03-19-2001, 10:07 PM

Re: Tom Tom fulfills two vital roles in the story. First, he helps to give us a sense of mystery and a sense of the long past ages of Middle Earth, and early in the story. It is stated that he is eldest, older than the trees or elves or anyone else. He is unexplained, though it is strongly implied that he is powerful and important. His singing is far from annoying, and if that is one's reaction to the two chapters of the Fellowship Of The Ring in which he appears, then one is not reading very carefully. He is mostly incapable of communicating in a manner other than verse or song, but song is the oldest language in Tolkien's universe. In the novel, the singing is a device to imply Tom's ancientness and connectedness to the higher beings. In film, devices other than song might be used, such as an archaic speech pattern. Second, he provides the 4 hobbits with safety from the Nazgul who hunt them and would surely catch them if not for the "short cut" through The Old Forest, and he provides them with the Numenorian swords which play such an important part in the struggles against the very same Nazgul. Aragorn has no knowledge about the plight of the Hobbits, and has no way to know how many hobbits would be on the road. If he is to simply supply the four hobbits with their swords, how does he know how many to carry with him to Bree? Frodo and company are very green behind the ears and have little experience of travel and danger so for them to escape Old Man Willow and the Barrow Downs with no assistance will seem unbelievable, or make the dangers, including the Nazgul, seem less dangerous. Here Tom fills an important role and helps to advance the plot. My wish is that Tom Bombadil is in the film, with the Old Forest, Old Man Willow, and the Barrow Downs (not to mention babe-a-liscious Goldberry). My hope is that the film will retain The Old Forest and the Barrow Downs even if they delete Tom, so that the plot runs smoothly and the hobbits can gain their ancient Numenorian swords and their temporary escape from the Nazgul. My fear is that all these scenes will simply be deleted, and we will simply rush from Bag End to Bree in a matter of minutes, with no explaination of the swords (like the Bakshi film) or worse, a stupid plot device like Aragorn simply providing the weapons for the hobbits.

03-19-2001, 10:07 PM	#30
The Dagda Pile O'Bones Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 19	<BR> Re: Tom</b><br><br> Tom fulfills two vital roles in the story. First, he helps to give us a sense of mystery and a sense of the long past ages of Middle Earth, and early in the story. It is stated that he is eldest, older than the trees or elves or anyone else. He is unexplained, though it is strongly implied that he is powerful and important. His singing is far from annoying, and if that is one's reaction to the two chapters of the Fellowship Of The Ring in which he appears, then one is not reading very carefully. He is mostly incapable of communicating in a manner other than verse or song, but song is the oldest language in Tolkien's universe. In the novel, the singing is a device to imply Tom's ancientness and connectedness to the higher beings. In film, devices other than song might be used, such as an archaic speech pattern. Second, he provides the 4 hobbits with safety from the Nazgul who hunt them and would surely catch them if not for the "short cut" through The Old Forest, and he provides them with the Numenorian swords which play such an important part in the struggles against the very same Nazgul. Aragorn has no knowledge about the plight of the Hobbits, and has no way to know how many hobbits would be on the road. If he is to simply supply the four hobbits with their swords, how does he know how many to carry with him to Bree? Frodo and company are very green behind the ears and have little experience of travel and danger so for them to escape Old Man Willow and the Barrow Downs with no assistance will seem unbelievable, or make the dangers, including the Nazgul, seem less dangerous. Here Tom fills an important role and helps to advance the plot.<br> <br> My wish is that Tom Bombadil is in the film, with the Old Forest, Old Man Willow, and the Barrow Downs (not to mention babe-a-liscious Goldberry).<br> <br> My hope is that the film will retain The Old Forest and the Barrow Downs even if they delete Tom, so that the plot runs smoothly and the hobbits can gain their ancient Numenorian swords and their temporary escape from the Nazgul. <br> <br> My fear is that all these scenes will simply be deleted, and we will simply rush from Bag End to Bree in a matter of minutes, with no explaination of the swords (like the Bakshi film) or worse, a stupid plot device like Aragorn simply providing the weapons for the hobbits. <br> <p></p>