Harry Potter Movies

[Anakin Flair 0]

If you go to Mugglenet.com, they also got previes for the DVD in Quicktime, RealPlayer, and Windows Media Player format. Certainly looks like a lot of extras, though I would have liked a commentary track.

[bob_barron 0]

I'd love a commentary with:

 

Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe

 

and one with:

 

Mike Newell, JK Rowling and Steve Kloves

[Anakin Flair 0]

I don't know why they don't do commentaries on the HP movies. Maybe because they're looked at as kids movies (but then again, so was The Incredibles, and that got a commentary.)

[Mole 0]

Umm, I just finished reading OofP and I didn't see a Scooby ending.

 

What was it?

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

I think they were referring to the scene with Harry and Dumbledore where Dumbledore explains everything. Some people saw it as Scooby Doo-ish in that Dumbledore was like Velma explaining everything that happened like she did at the end of almost every Scooby Doo episode. Usually it came off as hokey on Scooby Doo because Velma shouldn't have known everything to a T like she did.

 

I don't see it that way with OotP because that was all stuff that Dumbledore had been holding in for years. It wasn't like he just magically knew all the answers. All that came from years of watching, learning, and witnessing the stuff that happened.

[Mole 0]

I was expecting Ulmbridge to be Malfoy or something like that.

[Anakin Flair 0]

Got the Two-disk DVD today- good set of extras, though I wish there was a commentary.

[Mole 0]

How are the games?

[Anakin Flair 0]

interesting, if you have a decent remote. Mine is a bit spotty at times, so I had some difficulty. Honestly though, I only tried two. I was more interested in watching the extras.

[Mole 0]

I bought the single disc edition today because I never really even look at the second disc anyway.

 

Plus it is cheaper.

[Mole 0]

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[Mole 0]

Errr, DOUBLE POST

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[Mole 0]

I was looking at the OofP cast at IMDB and I didn't see Dumbledore's name anywhere. It seems like Gambon is doing the film or he hasn't signed on to do it.

 

Anyone know what that is about?

[Anakin Flair 0]

It may be that they are taking their time signing him, as they took a while to sign Gary Oldman. Though it seems kind of late to be signing the cast...

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

It may be that they are taking their time signing him, as they took a while to sign Gary Oldman. Though it seems kind of late to be signing the cast...

 

Last I heard they weren't going to start filming Oldman's scenes until July, so there was no need to rush the signing.

[Anakin Flair 0]

This just in- Mugglenet has announced that Jim McManus will be playing Aberforth Dumbledore in OotP.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

So does that mean that the barkeep at the Hog's Head IS Aberforth Dumbledore??? I can't remember if JKR ever acknowledged that rumor or not.

[Mole 0]

So does that mean that the barkeep at the Hog's Head IS Aberforth Dumbledore??? I can't remember if JKR ever acknowledged that rumor or not.

???

[Jingus 0]

I finally saw GOF, and man this was a hatchet-job. I understand the need to cut a lot out of an 800-page book to make it fit into one movie, but they cut a LOT out, stuff that was really important to the plot of the later books. And it was done in such a ham-handed manner, where stuff that didn't really need to go long went FOREVER (the three Triwizard tasks, the dancing, Harry in the bath, explaining the Unforgivable Curses, etc) while so much other stuff got cut out that would've only required a few scant seconds to stick back in, especially the backstory about the Crouches. And some of the stuff they changed just didn't make sense: why were all the monsters and challenges in the final maze replaced by Evil Moving Shrubbery? Why bother taking ten minutes to set up the world quidditch cup, only to skip the actual match? What about the backstory on Hagrid's family tree, since that stuff becomes important later on? Why was the Empire Strikes Back-ish uncertain ending changed to a lame tries-to-be-happy generic finish? Why not mention Snape's duties he's told to perform at the end, since that becomes REALLY fucking important later? Thank god that screenwriter Steven Kloves isn't doing the next movie, cuz he really made hamburger out of the book's original plot and dialogue.

 

That being said, I loved Ralph Fiennes, he was perfect, saved the movie in my opinion.

 

Also: the DVD is a piece of bare-bones worthless fucking shit, it has NO extras whatsoever.

[bob_barron 0]

Why did you get the one disc version if you wanted extras?

[bob_barron 0]

where stuff that didn't really need to go long went FOREVER (the three Triwizard tasks, the dancing, Harry in the bath, explaining the Unforgivable Curses, etc)

 

The dance stuff was probably the best part of the movie, it had to be in there.

 

especially the backstory about the Crouches.

 

I think what they explained was good enough, especially since they cut out the house elves. The movie was already 157 minutes, they really couldn't pad it anymore.

 

why were all the monsters and challenges in the final maze replaced by Evil Moving Shrubbery?

 

To save time and money.

 

Why bother taking ten minutes to set up the world quidditch cup, only to skip the actual match?

 

I somewhat agree, but the actual Quidditch match isn't important to the plot of the movie. Plus, I've always heard Quidditch is a very time consuming and expensive to shoot.

 

What about the backstory on Hagrid's family tree

 

I don't read the books until the movies, but it wasn't important to the plot, so no need for it.

 

Why was the Empire Strikes Back-ish uncertain ending changed to a lame tries-to-be-happy generic finish?

 

I didn't think the ending to the book was like that at all, I actually hated the last few pages.

 

The ending to GOF did not try to be happy. It was uncertain, just like you thought the book was.

 

Thank god that screenwriter Steven Kloves isn't doing the next movie, cuz he really made hamburger out of the book's original plot and dialogue.

 

No, you don't seem to get how hard it is to adopt an 800 page book loaded with stuff that would take forever to make a movie out of into something as good as GOF was.

[Mole 0]

I don't read the books until the movies, but it wasn't important to the plot, so no need for it.

It is important in OotP.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

So does that mean that the barkeep at the Hog's Head IS Aberforth Dumbledore??? I can't remember if JKR ever acknowledged that rumor or not.

???

 

Dumbledore has a brother named Aberforth who was a part of the original Order of the Phoenix. Aberforth is sort of reclusive ever since he was accused of performing inappropriate magic on goats (it's not explained any further than that in the book so take it as you will). In OotP it says that the barkeep at the Hog's Head smells like goats and "looks familliar" (Harry saw a picture of Aberforth in OotP when Moody showed him the old picture of the Order). A fan asked JKR once if that was just coincidence and JKR was real cryptic with her answer. I think she said "You're very observant" or something like that. So speculation is abound that the barkeep is Aberforth.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I don't read the books until the movies, but it wasn't important to the plot, so no need for it.

It is important in OotP.

 

Yeah, but by then they would have to explain it again anyways, so it is better to just leave it out of GoF and explain his past from scratch in the next film.

[Mole 0]

So does that mean that the barkeep at the Hog's Head IS Aberforth Dumbledore??? I can't remember if JKR ever acknowledged that rumor or not.

???

 

Dumbledore has a brother named Aberforth who was a part of the original Order of the Phoenix. Aberforth is sort of reclusive ever since he was accused of performing inappropriate magic on goats (it's not explained any further than that in the book so take it as you will). In OotP it says that the barkeep at the Hog's Head smells like goats and "looks familliar" (Harry saw a picture of Aberforth in OotP when Moody showed him the old picture of the Order). A fan asked JKR once if that was just coincidence and JKR was real cryptic with her answer. I think she said "You're very observant" or something like that. So speculation is abound that the barkeep is Aberforth.

I don't remember that from OotP at all.

[Jingus 0]

Man, bob, I don't know why, but it seems like you and me have completely opposite tastes when it comes to what entertains us.

 

The dance stuff was probably the best part of the movie, it had to be in there.

 

The interaction between the guys and girls was funny, but all in all it wasn't THAT important a plot point and could've been trimmed.

 

I think what they explained was good enough, especially since they cut out the house elves. The movie was already 157 minutes, they really couldn't pad it anymore.

 

True, but I just don't agree with what they spent time on and what they cut. The Crouch subplot was very interesting and helped the book's feeling of uncertainty and shades of grey, and the movie dumbed it way down.

 

I somewhat agree, but the actual Quidditch match isn't important to the plot of the movie. Plus, I've always heard Quidditch is a very time consuming and expensive to shoot.

 

I'm just imagining all the howls of rage from the kids and fanboys when it cut to black right after Fudge released the snitch.

 

I don't read the books until the movies, but it wasn't important to the plot, so no need for it.

 

It does become important later, trust me. I understand you don't read the books until the movie comes out, I kinda wish I could do that too, but you have to admit that out of the two of us I'm arguing from a more informed perspective here.

 

I didn't think the ending to the book was like that at all, I actually hated the last few pages.

 

The ending to GOF did not try to be happy. It was uncertain, just like you thought the book was.

 

Huh? The book GOF's ending was one of the best parts of the series. The movie did try to pretty it up with the final scene and phony "uplifting" music.

 

No, you don't seem to get how hard it is to adopt an 800 page book loaded with stuff that would take forever to make a movie out of into something as good as GOF was.

 

I know exactly how hard it is. I used to be an amateur screenwriter. I wrote two full-length movies and a bunch of shorter stuff before finally quitting due to being frustrated with my own lack of talent. Believe me, it IS hard. But I just don't like how this guy did his job.

[EricMM 0]

There was no good way to do it.

 

It is not going to work for any of the following books, they way it did not work for this book.

 

Unless they give it the Kill Bill treatment, which GoF woule have DEFINITELY benefitted from, it's going to be hatchet job after hatchet job.

 

You know as well as I do, Jingus, that it just gets worse from here on in. It's hilarious that the movies are *ok* and they get the raves from the people who don't fucking read, but the actual fans of the books get more and more disappointed.

 

Yeah, bob, I said actual fans of the book.

[Guest NYankees]

Could the director have made this movie a 2 hours and 30 minutes movie and then added on another hour for the dvd? It worked well for Lord of the Rings.

[bob_barron 0]

Man, bob, I don't know why, but it seems like you and me have completely opposite tastes when it comes to what entertains us.

 

Haha, I noticed that too.

 

The interaction between the guys and girls was funny, but all in all it wasn't THAT important a plot point and could've been trimmed.

 

It was very important. It shows the characters maturing and transitioning into becoming teenagers, and continues to play up the Ron-Hermoine relationship. It shows the characters as real people and gives them depth/

 

 

True, but I just don't agree with what they spent time on and what they cut. The Crouch subplot was very interesting and helped the book's feeling of uncertainty and shades of grey, and the movie dumbed it way down.

 

Crouch is interesting, but then you have to include the house-elves and all that stuff and it would pad the movie.

 

 

I'm just imagining all the howls of rage from the kids and fanboys when it cut to black right after Fudge released the snitch.

 

I was disappointed, but they have to make sure they get the movie in on-time and on budget. A needless Quidditch scene complicates that.

 

It does become important later, trust me. I understand you don't read the books until the movie comes out, I kinda wish I could do that too, but you have to admit that out of the two of us I'm arguing from a more informed perspective here.

 

You make a good point, but they can just bring it up in the 5th movie. You can't foreshadow everything.

 

Huh? The book GOF's ending was one of the best parts of the series. The movie did try to pretty it up with the final scene and phony "uplifting" music.

 

The hospital room scene was good although it went on way too long. I hated the train ride home where they have to get at Draco one last time and they wrap up Rita Skeeter. It just seemed like she was trying too hard to write a happy ending.

 

The movie ended on an uncertain note, but with the message that no matter what, Harry has Ron and Hermoine to help him.

 

 

I know exactly how hard it is. I used to be an amateur screenwriter. I wrote two full-length movies and a bunch of shorter stuff before finally quitting due to being frustrated with my own lack of talent. Believe me, it IS hard. But I just don't like how this guy did his job.

 

Kloves is writing Half Blood Prince btw.

 

There was no good way to do it.

 

Yes, there is. The way Cuaron and Newell did it was just fine.

 

Unless they give it the Kill Bill treatment, which GoF woule have DEFINITELY benefitted from, it's going to be hatchet job after hatchet job.

 

The Kill Bill treatment would've sucked. At most there's about 10-20 minutes you could've added, not enough for two whole movies. Hermoine and the house elves was awful. A book and a movie are totally different, you can't just cram everytthing in there because JK Rowling wrote it.

 

You know as well as I do, Jingus, that it just gets worse from here on in. It's hilarious that the movies are *ok* and they get the raves from the people who don't fucking read, but the actual fans of the books get more and more disappointed.

 

Yeah, bob, I said actual fans of the book.

 

Ummm, don't know what you're getting at eric.

 

I've read the first four books multiple times, and am a fan of them.

 

Goblet of Fire got a favourable reception from most people. Again, it can't be just like the book. They had to change it to accommodate a movie length, and I think they did just fine.

[Mole 0]

Could the director have made this movie a 2 hours and 30 minutes movie and then added on another hour for the dvd? It worked well for Lord of the Rings.

Laziness.