[HarryT]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

The BBC Radio version also skipped Bombadil, but the film is otherwise very different to the BBC Radio version, which was much more faithful to the books.

(Two point that spring immediately to mind: The length of time between "The Long Awaited Party" and Frodo setting out with the ring, and the actions of Faramir when he meets Frodo and Sam.)

One other VERY significant difference between the books and the films is the non-linear time sequence of the books, which go backwards and forwards in time between different groups of characters. The (probably necessarily) "linearisation" of time for the films robs them of a great deal of the power of the books.

One example:

Spoiler:

the scene in the books where Aragorn's army is facing the Black Gate of Mordor, and the "Voice of Sauron" rides out and throws Frodo's armour and sword down in front of them. In the films, we already know that Frodo and Sam have escaped from the Orcs, but in the books we last saw Frodo as a captive of the Orcs, and have no idea of his fate at that time.