First off, in the book, the Council was a much more spontaneous event. All the particapants just showed up, for various reasons (some of them supernaturally summonsed, others wanting advice) - and they've got problems that don't seem, at first, to relate to the Ring.
Of course, the book council was longer - all those stories! I'd been hoping they'd leave in at least the Dwarves' story, about the messenger coming to Dain - anything for a glimpse of the Lonely Mountain! But no... oh well, I'm sure it would just have bored the non-fans to sit through.
Boromir dominates the Council a lot more in the movie. He's like that annoying guy in the room who doesn't understand that everyone's giving him the Glare of Death and hoping he'll shut up. Even Elrond doesn't want to put up with him.
And of course in the book, the Fellowship gets mostly put together after the council. Those are the biggest details - the movie differs mostly in leaving things out rather than changing them. Not bad at all. Not at all like the Council scene in Bakshi... *shudder*
But interestingly enough, I think this was an adept translation by Jackson of Tolkien's vision. Boromir does speak up too soon, too often, and with too much self-importance. Are you still without your books? - tell me if you want quotes, but I think Tolkien was definately telling us not to like Boromir very much from the start.
You dare post THAT name!?!?!?
LOL! I actually wasted money on it about two weeks ago so that I could let my daughter see experience it for herself. After we both recovered (she made me watch it with her) we had an even greater appreciation for Jackson's visionary achievement.
-Kevin