Tom Wouldn't Work on the Silver Screen
Anonymous

Yes, I agree that Tom would not be a good fit on the silver screen. He would seem, to the masses, a character that is not only odd, but in fact very queer. I agree that FOR A MOVIE, it is very important to keep a quick pace. After all, it IS going to be over two hours, so a very long pause in the actual plot would probobly bore most people. That and the fact that most people would most likely think less of The Rings power after Bombadil does his little thing with it, but nothing anyone can say will ever make me think that Bombadil didn't belong in the books! Heres this dangerous, frightening, horrible forest, and just when the Hobbits peril is at its peek, here comes a gay man, hopping and singing his songs, wearing his blue jacket and his yellow boots (not pink), without a care in the world. It is just (in my opinion, anyway) another example of the proverbial "Light at the end of the tunnel." I also think that this part of the book was great for the same reason you condemn it.

"I feel he ruins the atmosphere, and pace, of the book. I referred earlier to the ever present feeling of dread. This, I feel, is trivialised by Tom's appearance - with his "hey dum derry doll", and his pink boots!"

I think that this ruining of the atmosphere only makes Middle Earth more real. Even though this conflict (for lack of a better word) envolving The Ring could bring another Dark Age, there are still places that are completely oblivious to the entire thing. I just think that the whole Bombadil sequence was magnificent. Would it translate well into a movie? No, but it was an important part of the book.