Hey dol! Merry dol! Get lost Tom!!!

[Encaitare]

Thanks for the pictures, gorthaur. I agree with Bb in that the attitudes they convey are right, but they don't really fit the images I have in my mind, however skewed they are. For example, in my head Goldberry is literally gold of skin and slightly radiant. She also looks a bit more youthful than in the picture given. Tom's jacket should be brighter, I think.

Oh well, at least they're included.

[Elianna]

Besides being hard to understand, even for those who have read the book, Tom was probably also left out because he does nothing else after the Hobbits leave the 'Downs. I can think of only two other mentionings of him: another place the Ring cannot go and a place for Gandalf to be instead of helping scour the Shire (which I understand the Hobbits had to do on their own).

This is similar to their reason for leaving out Glorfindel, but that's another rant.

If they were going to make Tom like the card, then I'm glad they left him out. That one's not quite my mental image, nor for Goldberry (needs longer hair, definately needs longer hair...). Anyway, because Tom's so....Tom-like, we all not only have our own images of him, but we also have our own understandings of him, which are sure to differ from the film-makers'; so even if they got our image right, the character probably wouldn't have been 'right'.

So here's to our mental images of Tom, Goldberry, Old Man Willow and our beloved Barrow-wights who will remain undisturbed:

[Encaitare]

Yes, Goldberry's hair should be longer, and Tom's beard should not look like dead squirrels.

So here's to our mental images of Tom, Goldberry, Old Man Willow and our beloved Barrow-wights who will remain undisturbed: -- Elianna

Cheers!

[Bêthberry]

Elianna wrote:

Anyway, because Tom's so....Tom-like, we all not only have our own images of him, but we also have our own understandings of him, which are sure to differ from the film-makers'; so even if they got our image right, the character probably wouldn't have been 'right'.

Indeed! You describe the very freedom which is the great joy of reading, our individual imaginings.

And given how Jackson was unable, in many ways, to transfer other aspects of LotR successfully to the screen for the Book Fans (granting that he was able to satisfy our imaginations in some ways), it is all for the best that he gave up trying to portray the most engimatic character which would have required the greatest talent to depict. His skills as a movie maker just weren't up to it and there wasn't any Star Wars character he could have ripped off to suggest the charactertisation.

Hey dol, merry dol.

[Azaelia of Willowbottom]

I don't actively hate Tom, but I do think that it's good that he isn't in the movie for some of the same reasons that everyone else mentioned. I love having Tom and Goldberry, and really the whole Old Forest as my own mental territory with my own unique picture, completely untouched by PJ. I love the movies, though, don't get me wrong!

I also think it's easier to see the characters my way when they're in the Old Forest with Tom and company because it's an area that isn't changed in any way. I can see the characters as my own elsewhere as well, it's just more of a conscious effort on my part. Another reason to love the Old Forest.

If so many people that have been avid book fans for years are still somewhat confused by Tom, imagine the reactions of people just seeing the movies without reading!

[Annalaliath]

yes, Tom would have been hard to do in the movie. I mean look at all the threads on "What is Tom Bombadil?" Even though for some of us he is one of our favorite characters, how can one begin to describe in a script format Tom? I don't think it's possible. The normal, complex characters are enough, but the enigmas like Tom are just evil!

Other than that, and what has been stated before, he didn't contribute much to the story, and for how it turned out in the movies I think Tom would have confused the people who hadn't read the books in the first place. I too loved the Hildebrandt Tom, but also I can think of many a biker that looks like him; if you dressed him up in yellow boots and the like .

In the game though I did like the addition of Tom, and the old forest, and the barrow weights; it made it that more difficult to beat, although once you beat Old Man Willow, it's rather easy the next time you play it. Also, you have to go chasing Tom around helping him collect water lilies For Goldberry, I can't stand her voice though. Maybe this is what would have happened in the movies, if they had put Tom and Goldberry in, but on the other hand maybe not.

In the end I think it was a good Idea not to have Tom Bombadil in the movies at all, even though he is one of my favorites... I hope this made since.

[Nimrodel_9]

Alas, but yes, I was happy he was left out after I read the books, the more often I read them came to like him. Now I wish they put him in, but I see the purposes of taking him out.