Peter Jackson’s The Fellowship of the Ring is widely regarded as one of the best and most important fantasy movies ever made. It demonstrated that fantasy was a financially viable movie genre and set the stage for many other franchises to come.
However, even though it was and is highly regarded by many, it is also the case that there are many things about this important and great movie that the fans of the original book still quite let go of, many of which involve the changes made in the process of adaptation.
Tom Bombadil Was Excluded
There are few creatures in Lord of the Rings' Middle-earth more powerful than Tom Bombadil. At the same time, he is also something of a mystery, and the books never really explain who he is. Thus, it’s not especially surprising that he would ultimately be excluded from the movie adaptations.
While his absence makes sense from a narrative point of view, many fans rightly point out that leaving him out is something of a betrayal of Tolkien’s vision, excising as it does a character that he clearly thought was important.
No Radagast
Tom Bombadil isn’t the only magical creature that was excluded from this movie, for the wizard Radagast, one of Gandalf’s peers, is also removed. In the book, he’s the one who tells Gandalf that Saruman is looking for him (not realizing that it’s a trap). In the adaptation, Gandalf goes straight to Orthanc.
Again, it makes sense that Jackson wouldn’t want to include yet another character for viewers to keep track of – and Radagast does appear in The Hobbit movies – but his absence is still another unfortunate casualty of adaptation.
Frodo’s Characterization
Though he is arguably one of the bravest characters in both The Lord of the Rings books and movies, the Frodo of the latter is very different from that seen in the former. In particular, he is much weaker, as can most clearly be seen when he is wounded by the Ringwraiths and spends almost the entire journey to Rivendell incapacitated, whereas, in the books, he shows much more spirit.
What’s more, he seems much less sure of himself than his novel counterpart, particularly when compared to his more stalwart companion, Sam.
No Farmer Maggot
There are many great Hobbits in the movies, but one that doesn’t appear – even though he did in the books – is the man known as Farmer Maggot. In the books, he plays a key role in helping Frodo, Sam, and Pippin as they try to escape the Shire.
Though his exclusion from the movie makes sense from a narrative efficiency point of view, fans rightly point out that his exclusion robs the fictional world of the Hobbits, and in particular, of some of the richness that it attains in the book.
Hugo Weaving As Elrond
Hugo Weaving has been in many great movie roles, but arguably one of his most notable is as Elrond, the half-Elven sage that dwells in Rivendell. Not everyone, however, was or is thrilled with this particular bit of casting.
For many people, Weaving lacked a certain gravitas that is typically associated with the Elves of Tolkien’s world. Just as importantly, however, it was also true that when Fellowship came out he had only recently appeared as Agent Smith in The Matrix, which may have influenced fans’ dislike of his casting.
No Old Man Willow
Though many of the dangers that Frodo and his companions face are from humans or humanoid creatures, one of the most notable opponents they endure is a being known as Old Man Willow. This occurs while they are wandering through the Old Forest, and the tree ends up imprisoning Pippin or Merry.
Given that the movies exclude Bombadil, it makes sense that Old Man Willow would also be taken out, but its another unfortunate absence that strips the early part of the movie of the richness and depth of its novel counterpart.
Misstating History In The Opening Montage
Galadriel is one of the most important Elves in all of The Lord of the Rings, particularly during the Third Age of the movie. Thus, it makes sense that she would deliver the opening montage laying out the history of Middle-earth.
Unfortunately for many fans, the history as she lays it out is rather truncated, and it leaves out some of the most important aspects of the story – such as the fact that it was Sauron who gave the Dwarves and Men their Rings – leading many to wonder why it was included in the first place.
The Eagle Doesn’t Talk
Few creatures that appear in the movies have ignited quite as much debate as the eagles, particularly since they often arrive to save the day at the last minute. In the movie, it’s made clearer that they aren’t just there to be summoned at whim, largely because they can actually speak in the tongues of humans.
In the movie, of course, the eagles don’t say anything at all, making it seem as if Gandalf or anyone else can just send a moth to call them when they’re needed.
The Compressed Timeline And Its Impact On Frodo
Given that this is a movie adaptation, it makes sense that some things would be truncated in order to make room for other, more important events. However, some of these things create some plot holes, particularly when it comes to the Ring and its influence.
In the novels, quite a lot of time es between Bilbo’s party and Frodo’s departure, giving the Ring time to act on him (as it had Bilbo), whereas, in the movie, hardly any time es at all. This means the Ring seems more powerful than it is at this point, making the viewer wonder why Bilbo was ever able to let go of it at all.
Less Time Spent In The Shire
In the novels, the reader spends quite a lot of time in The Shire. As a result, they get a sense of the people, the atmosphere, and their beliefs. In the book, by contrast, there’s relatively little time before Frodo is dispatched to Rivendell by Gandalf.
While this makes sense from a certain point of view – one can only delay the actual beginning of the movie for so long – it’s also true that it saps the movie of some of the atmospheric richness that helps to explain why the book has remained so enduringly popular.
