Lastest Making A Book Into A Movie News
Harry Potter And The Half-Told Story
Image by Cayusa
Day 196 of 365 (Year Three)
I have to say I really wasn’t that impressed with the new Harry Potter movie. Now I completely understand that no movie is going to be exactly like the book, but there was just too much of a rewrite for my tastes. I’ve read reviews claiming that this is one of the best movies of the series. I guess they saw a different movie.
There were complete sequences added to the movie in order to make their rewrite fit, stuff that never happened in the book. And then there was a ton of stuff that was just taken out. Certain things were taken out or changed that make me wonder how they are going to start the next movie.
***Spoiler Alert – I am going to be talking about the movie so if you don’t want to know, don’t read and further!!!!***
First, the good stuff. Slughorn’s character was well cast and well played. Personally, I pictured somebody a bit fatter, but he was well cast and did a great job.
The special effects were well done. The opening sequence with the Death Eaters going after Ollivander and taking down the bridge were great. Not exactly like the book, but well done nonetheless and they looked great.
I didn’t even mind, too much, the removal of the Dursleys. The way that Harry was collected by Dumbledore fit rather well and worked for me.
The scenes at Diagon Alley were changed a bit too much for me, but I could still live with it. I loved the Joke Shop run by the Weasley brothers although it was too short for my tastes. They took out the scene in the robe shop and went directly to Borgin and Burkes. This is where it started to go south for me.
The scene at Borgin and Burkes was shortened and the time on the train was really cut short and they changed how he was discovered on the train. Instead of Tonks finding him, it is Luna, who just happens to wander in and find him.
Another thing that bothered me is that they took out several of the trips into the Pensive to learn about Voldemort’s past. I thought that those trips were rather important. We are treated to the trip to the Orphanage and both Slughorn’s modified and full memory. All the others are just taken out. How Harry is going to figure out what other Hourcruxes he should be looking for in the next movie is beyond me.
The Quidditch match was pointless. It was well done and they have come a long way since that first movie with the special effects they use for them, but the only purpose of even showing it was to set up Ron and Lavender’s first kiss.
One of the biggest things I had a problem with was the destruction of the Weasley’s house at Christmas. WTF? That never happens in the book. I almost stood up and yelled at that point. In the next book, once Harry leaves the Dursleys that is where everyone is eventually headed. It didn’t even serve much of a purpose other than to express how much danger Harry is in. There were other ways to do that. They also skipped the Minister’s visit to the Burrows to try and recruit Harry. I’m sorry, but that is just too far of a departure from the book for my tastes.
The other main thing I had a problem with was the attack on Dumbledore. The Death Eaters made it into Hogwarts, killed Dumbledore and made it out without ever raising an alarm. Yes, Harry chased them, but nobody else was involved in that battle.
All in all, I wasn’t pleased. There were a few scenes that I really liked, but they were few and far between. They are talking about splitting the next movie into two parts to more fully tell the story. I am kind of wishing they had done that with this one.
When I walked out of The Order of the Phoenix I remember thinking, it wasn’t 100% true to the book, but it was a good movie and kept true to the feeling of the book. I didn’t get that feeling with this one.
To make matters even worse, the projector broke down three times during the showing of the film to the point that they told us that we could get our money back or see it in another theater. We ended up seeing the next showing that hadn’t started already (they tried to send us to a full theater to find seats). We also got free passes for the inconvenience. I think the best part of seeing the movie today were the free passes. I really hope the next movie isn’t this bad.
Carrie Fisher is waiting for the punchline
Carrie Fisher is waiting for the punchline By Scott D. Pierce The Salt Lake Tribune Updated Dec 9, 2010 08:31PM MDT Beverly Hills, Calif. • Carrie Fisher is a celebrity who’s the daughter of two celebrities. She’s been a movie star, a sex symbol, a sci-fi icon and a best-selling author. Her image has been on everything from shampoo bottles to sex dolls. The 54-year-old is also an alcoholic and …
Read more on The Salt Lake Tribune
Word of the Day: Go With God’s Destiny for Your Life
*”From now on, every generation will call me blessed! For he, the Mighty One, is holy, and he has done great things for me. And God will show his mercy to every generation who will worship and serve him.” Luke 1:48b-50 (NLT/NCV)“If you ignore God in order to follow your own plan for your life, […]
Read more on EURweb
