Why Removing Tom Bombadil Was The RIGHT Decision...

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To what extent Tolkien himself recognized or acknowledged it, Tom represents that certain "feeling", which was very much part of Tolkien's personality, which is the love of nature and the joy of a simple life. Unlike most every other character in the story, Tom is not burdened by (in fact, hardly even notices) plays of power, wars, politics, the ages of men or other such concerns. He is innocence, love and joy personified. He is "Master" of his realm and yet not a warrior, lord or even a being particularly impressive to look upon. He doesn't display the power of wizards or the nobility of kings. He doesn't so much "rule" the Old Forest as simply watches over it, like a gardener tending his flower bed. So filled with joy is he that he can't help but sing just about every spoken word. So far removed from the frailties and temptations of most people that The Ring literally has nothing to offer him (and thus he perceives no true power within it). He doesn't battle Old Man Willow or the Barrow Wights with impressive spells or weapons. He pours out his innocence and lulls these threats into submission. No, Bombadil is a reminder of what Tolkien thought was the real prize and peace waiting all around us, if only we would take the time to see it. That a simple life of little pleasures was a greater power than all the weapons, secrets and ambitions of any would-be tyrant.

I believe you missed the most important reason for the removal of Bombadill, his relationship with the Ring. The movies put a lot of emphasis on the Ring and it’s corrupting power having even Faramir fall to it at first. Including Tom would have us see a guy do tricks with the Ring and see through the invicibility in the first hour, which would lessen the threat of the Ring a lot for the rest of the movies.

When I heard The Lord of the Rings was being made into movies, I guessed Tom Bombadil and the Scouring of the Shire would be omitted for both time and elimination of a side quest and anti-climax respectively.

You know Amazon will attempt to do both and end up doing neither.

In the books, Tom Bombadil is integral in inaugurating the hobbits into the dangerous world outside of the Shire.

The film had to account for Merry’s powerful, and essential-to-the-plot, barrow blade by making it a gift from Galadriel.

I very much agree that the whole section feels like a side quest or a segment of the world isolated "in a snow globe". And the whole singing thing - totally agree. Jackson was totally correct not to include these chapters. They add nothing to the core plot progression; indeed, they slow it and even muddy it. It would ruin the pacing and be a slow inclusion at a time where the plot needs to start picking up pace. Not good for a film. (I also feel that omitting the scouring of the Shire was the right choice for similar pacing reasons.) In fact, more than merely being a side quest, to me the whole section feels more like DLC content for a game that doesn't quite fit the style of the core game and which, if you didn't buy the DLC, it wouldn't affect your enjoyment or experience of the game at all. It's an optional extra; some background colour to the world, but (ultimately) not that important. To me, Bombadil has always felt a bit awkward - even since long before the films. Perhaps it's because I know that he was styled around Michael Tolkien's doll, but Tom Bombadil has always felt like a crass, clashing fan-service insert into the story (where the "fan" is Tolkien's son). All the "he's so powerful, but doesn't use it", "the ring doesn't affect him", "he's basically and ancient god" etc etc is just "and... so what?" territory for me (and feels like the kind of stuff you'd make up about your child's toy). As far as I'm concerned, he's a crudely inserted side note and not a particularly interesting one at that. In my opinion, he would have been better mentioned in Tolkien's notes or letters (or not at all) rather than having chapters in the core book. Your mileage may vary, of course. Let the hate begin. 😉

I totally agree with you. The only questionable exclusion for me would be the barrow downs. Frodo is tempted to put on the ring so he can possibly escape, thinking Gandalph would have to agree that it was the only thing he could have done. But his hobbit bravery kicks in & he chooses to try to save his friends. Later, when Gandalph is discussing Frodo's journey to Rivendell with him, Gandalph says that decision in the barrow to not put the ring on and to try to save his friends may have been the most dangerous moment that Frodo has faced so far. I think Pete could have possibly included the barrow incident, leaving out Tom. He would have had to change how they escaped, but that wouldn't be any worse than the other changes in the films. Also, I completely agree about the decision to leave the Crickhollow storyline out, but I do wish they could have put Farmer Maggot in there. They did have him yelling at them, but I would have liked to see the conversation they had about the black riders. Chapters 4&5 are 2 of my favorite in that book. I listen to the audiobook all the time (with Rob Inglis) & I enjoy that part so much! So... Yes, Pete leaving Maggot out was best, but I'm glad Tolkien wrote that part of the story & I get to hear it in the audiobook! 😉 Leaving Tom out - good call. But the barrow downs could have been put into the film somehow, to show Frodo's personal challenge against what the ring wanted him to do. Thanks for the video! Great job!

I like the theory that Tom is the embodiment of the music that created Arda. I love the books but you cannot put all details from the book into the movie and I agree that cutting this was smart it would only add to the confusion and in the end people will argue why didn't Tom on an Eagle bring the ring to Modor.

I have been a LOTR fan now since I first read the books when I was about 12 years old and that's over 60 years ago now. I have read the trilogy countless times and watched the movie more than is probably healthy, The thing is when you get to my age you pretty do what you want as people humour you! I have just watched your ongoing video series comparing the books to the films and I really can't congratulate you enough, they are outstanding. I have subscribed to your channel and activated the notification icon without hesitation. I am very much looking forward to the next episode in this well presented and well thought out diagnostic series. Thank you so much.

I was expecting you to mention the fact that the part where Tom saves them from Old Man Willow was repurposed later to Treebeard saving them in the extended version of the Two Towers.

I always thought that at the end of the movie when all the stories have been wrapped up they would show Gandalph walking up to a house being greeted by a woman and he tells her he's there to visit a friend who he'd like to share his tales with.

Tom is, in fact, a cameo, of one of tolkiens muses when his kids were growing up.

While Tom Bombadill, Old Man Willow and Old Forrest was cut from the movies, some parts are included but in a different way and in a different part of the story. In the Two Towers, during the Uruk-Hai and orcs camping at the edge of Fangorn, before the argument between the two factors werever they should eat Merry and Pippin or not, as the Uruks chop the trees, the hobbits hear groans and Merry say that it is the trees and he says "Remember The Old Forrest, Pip, at the borders of Buckland..." which refers to The Old Forrest and the moving trees like Old Man Willow. In the books Treebeard explains that Fangorn was so big in the past that a squirrel could go from tree to tree from The Old Forrest and all the way to Mirkwood but have been deforrested thanks to Sauron's Forces marching to the west to claim The Elven Rings, and to the Men of Númenór that cut down the trees for ship building. In the Ent Draught sceen later on, Merry and Pippin gets caught by a Willow Huorn the same way Old Man Willow does in The Fellowship of the Ring book but Treebeards appear and says the lines "Away with you! You should not be awaken! Go to sleep, eat earth, dig deep, drink water. Go to sleep. Away with you!" and the hobbits gets released. The lines that Treebeard quotes are Tom Bombadill's from the book.

I like that Jackson added the tree part in fangorn. It's a nod to the scene, showing they're aware if it, but purposely left it out. It adds to the fangorn events, as it adds to the tension that nature has awoken to join in on the fight for middle earths survival. It actually makes the ent scenes less dull, despite them taking their time, nature isn't. Nature is ready to fight back

The problem with removing Tom Bombadil from this film is that the implied promise of the film trailers was to faithfully reproduce the narratives in the books as a live-action trilogy without any compromises or constraints. I liked the movies. I wish they included Tom. But in life, you get what you get, and you can decide whether or not you’re happy about it, and I think I’m pleased with the films.

I think Tom represents some aspect of Eru Ilúvatar that Tolkein decided not to specify. I also agree that leaving those chapters out of the movie was best for the reasons you mention. Nice analysis!

To put it very simply just the cinematic cut of the trilogy alone is 10 hours and 40 minutes before credits, the extended additions are even longer, and at the approximate cost of $570 for every single second filmed, you have to prioritize on time and budget. Everyone of my family was reading through the books as the movies were coming out and we came to the agreement that they had to pragmatically trim the books or else the movies would would be seven hours long and completely unwatchable.

Though I respect the reasons why it was not included, I wish that there was indeed some struggle that Frodo and company had in the film against the Barrow Wights, because it shows a kind of inner resilience that Frodo possesses.