Where'd You Go, Tom?

     

    In the book The Fellowship of the Ring, Frodo and the Hobbits are caught in the Old Forest by a rowdy tree named Old Man Willow (see book 1, chapter 6). This fellow named Tom Bombadil comes to their rescue. He then gives them some weapons and the Hobbits stay in his house. Bombadil later saves them from being eaten by a Barrow-Wight.

    Though he saved their lives, twice, Tom Bombadil is still left out of the LOTR movies. Of course, the film is already three hours long as it is, but this one bothers me just a little bit. 

    Pertaining to Bombadil's absence in the movie, director Peter Jackson says the following:

"In the plot of 'The Lord of the Rings,' in our movie, in its most simple form, is Frodo carrying the Ring. Eventually, he has to go to Mordor and destroy the Ring. So, you know, what does Old Man Willow contribute to the story of Frodo carrying the Ring? What does Tom Bombadil ultimately really have to do with the Ring? I know there's Ring stuff in the Bombadil episode, but it's not really advancing our story. It's not really telling us things we need to know."

    Okay, I suppose this statement is true. Although Bombadil has some impressive powers in the book, including the ability to see Frodo when he wears the One Ring, and the ability to put it on without being corrupted by it (I guess this falls under Jackson's category of 'Ring stuff'). I understand why Peter Jackson left him out of the movie, but it still feels a little bit wrong to me. He saved Frodo's life; he couldn't destroy the Ring if he's dead. However, considering that the movies are already three hours long and packed with action, and Bombadil doesn't really aid in the actual destruction of the Ring, I get it. But it still bugs me.

    Farewell, and may the blessing of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you. May the stars shine upon your faces!

Coming up next: The Aches and Pains of Strider