Well, there's various types of purism.
Characterisations: I think here, The Hobbit probably wins on simple characterisations, while LotR wins on character design.
Bilbo, Thorin, Balin, Dwalin, Fili, Kili, Gandalf, Bard and Elrond are all pretty much as per book in characterisation. However, I would have major issues with the look and design of the dwarves. Thranduil is much more aggressive than in the books, Beorn has a very different character arc and look, even The Master is much more believable a character in the book.
In LotR: The looks and designs are almost uniformly perfect. People may quibble about Frodo looking too young, but apart from that I have no issue with the design of any character in LotR. However, there's no question that most of the characterisations are quite different to the book. Gimli is comedy relief, Frodo is weaker than he should be, Denethor is practically a different character, Boromir is improved, Galadriel is scary, Aragorn is insecure, Arwen leaves for the havens, Faramir tries to take the ring, The Ents choose wrong, Frodo sends away Sam.
Then there's the actual major events. In The Hobbit, practically every scene in the book plays out in the movie with very minor changes. Good Morning, The Unexpected Party (apart from Thorin arriving separately and the Dwarves being boorish the events follow the book), The Trolls (again in broad strokes every beat from the books is there, but embellished), Rivendell, Stone Giants, Goblintown, Riddles in the Dark, the Five Fir Trees, the Eagles, Beorn, Mirkwood (minus the feasting Elves), Elvenkings Halls, Laketown, On the Doorstep, Inside Information, Death of Smaug, Battle of Five Armies, Auction at Bag End. All present and accounted for. No MAJOR deviations. In other words, someone could (and will) make a very faithful Fan edit of The Hobbit using the filmed scenes. Far more so than is possible with LotR.
Then we have LotR: Long Expected Party is pretty close to the book, no 17 year gap, No selling bag end to move to Crickhollow, no Black Rider and the Gaffer, no Farmer Maggot, No Bombadil, No Old Man Willow, No Old Forest, No Barrow wights. Bree is scary and Butterbur is non existent. Attack on the Pony is good. No stolen horses or buying Bill from Ferny. Midgewater marshes, check. Weathertop plays out pretty close to the book. Stone Trolls, check. Flight to the ford, fairly major change here with Arwen and no defiance from Frodo. Rivendell, again close to the book. High Pass, close to book but Saruman instead of Sauron (or indeed the Mountain itself) is the threat. No wolves in Eregion. Watcher in the Water, fairly close to book. Moria, close to book. Lórien, close to the book apart from no Sam at the Mirror and very creepy tone throughout. The Great River, check. Breaking of the Fellowship, missing Frodo's crucial moment on Amon Hen. And thats just Fellowship, which is generally considered to be the most Purist.
Now, don't get me wrong. Somehow, LotR managed to capture Tolkien better for me than TH, but when you start to compare them side by side, its hard to explain why?
_________________  The Vinyamars on Stage! This time at Bag End
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