Posted: September 02, 1998 at 21:56:23: by Oberon
: The question of Bombadil appearing in Jackson's film adaptation is interesting because it reflects a decades-long legacy of bastardizations of Tolkien's masterpiece. For some reason, Old Tom has been left out of most adaptations of The Lord of the Rings to other media. There are relatively few pictures of him, compared to other characters. He was left out of the (largely excellent) BBC radio play by Brian Sibley (although Sibley wrote an additional episode for the play years later, restoring Tom's place in the story; unfortunately, this episode was recorded with different actors and never, to my knowledge, was broadcast in the U.S.).I think it's due to realization I pointed out in my other post here, to wit: The Old Forest is the one major episode which can be excised from FOTR with least violence to the main storyline. And he's an odd fit; Tolkien developed him outside the LOTR series, initially, and it shows a little. I think he did an outstanding job integrating him, but he's a jarringly upbeat character against a rather somber background. It will take a great screenwriter and a great director to keep Tom from coming across as...silly. But it could be done, I think. : He was left out of Bakshi's abomination (probably just as well), and it goes without saying that there was no Bombadil in any of the flashbacks depicted in the Rankin-bass TV cartoon of The Return of the King. One of the few wise decisions made by Bakshi. He had even less screen time to work with, and the arguments against the inclusion of Tom are that much stronger. A moot point, since the whole project was gravely disappointing. : Bombadil DID appear in the American radio play produced by The Mind's Eye, but that adapatation is so painful to listen to that it almost doesn't count. In my view Tom is anything BUT expendable. His appearance marks the Hobbits' transition out of their sheltered existence and into the greater Story. They have no idea of their place in history, but when Frodo meets Tom he begins to understand that his Quest is crucial in the largest sense. A good argument. I've not heard that put forward before. On reflection, I tend to disagree, however. I think Frodo's realization is more gradual and starts, if anywhere, when he talks with Gildor at Woody End. But it's a reasonable argument; clearly it does grow at Bombadil's House. Don't get me wrong -- Bombadil is one of my favorite characters. The Old Forest is the first time the Hobbits venture outside the Shire. It would be a shame to lose...but if he's keeping the first movie to two hours, there's still a lot of ground to cover even without most of the expository text and "down-time" in the journeys. 2.5 to 3 hours, and maybe it would be a different story.
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