I just watched OotP again Saturday night... quite shocking there as well.
Legolas Send a noteboard - 15/11/2010 04:45:48 PM
Tons and tons of stuff they left out or changed, a few completely pointless additions, but the worst thing is that it's quite simply incomprehensible if you haven't read the books. I was watching with my mother, who just gave up trying to follow the plot. Now admittedly I'm not even sure if she'd seen GoF, and either way it was a long time ago that she saw any of them, but I too was often going "er, you do realize that a viewer who hasn't read the books won't understand this leap you've just made".
The HP movies after the second or arguably the third have three strong suits, imho: the set design (their Hogwarts, Ministry, Diagon Alley etc. are rather neat), the action (which is generally quite entertaining and even though they change a lot there too, it doesn't generally matter that much), and a number of actors (in particular Evanna Lynch, Alan Rickman, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Dame Maggie Smith, and of course Helena Bonham-Carter). Everything else, not so much. They are nearly impossible to follow for those who haven't read the books, and a constant source of aggravation for those who have. I really hope they'll do better in book seven, what with having twice as much time to tell the story. But then, considering how much they've cut out of earlier movies that they now have to get back in (or risk incomprehensibility once more, but then clearly that doesn't bother them much), that might not mean much.
The HP movies after the second or arguably the third have three strong suits, imho: the set design (their Hogwarts, Ministry, Diagon Alley etc. are rather neat), the action (which is generally quite entertaining and even though they change a lot there too, it doesn't generally matter that much), and a number of actors (in particular Evanna Lynch, Alan Rickman, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Dame Maggie Smith, and of course Helena Bonham-Carter). Everything else, not so much. They are nearly impossible to follow for those who haven't read the books, and a constant source of aggravation for those who have. I really hope they'll do better in book seven, what with having twice as much time to tell the story. But then, considering how much they've cut out of earlier movies that they now have to get back in (or risk incomprehensibility once more, but then clearly that doesn't bother them much), that might not mean much.
The Great Harry Potter Re-read: Book Six, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- 18/10/2010 06:12:40 PM
3150 Views
General comments on the book.
- 18/10/2010 06:14:10 PM
1811 Views
Suggestions.
- 18/10/2010 06:18:46 PM
1840 Views
*cough*
- 09/11/2010 09:24:21 AM
1720 Views
Chapters 1-3: The Other Minister, Spinner's End, Will and Won't.
- 18/10/2010 06:21:55 PM
2070 Views
Characters: The three Ministers, Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Harry, Dumbledore, the Dursleys.
- 18/10/2010 06:25:12 PM
2072 Views
Re: Characters: The three Ministers, Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Harry, Dumbledore, the Dursleys.
- 18/10/2010 06:55:06 PM
2080 Views
Re: Characters: The three Ministers, Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Harry, Dumbledore, the Dursleys.
- 19/10/2010 01:07:59 AM
2074 Views
*spoilers for book 7* an assortment of characters
- 19/10/2010 01:01:35 AM
2037 Views
Plotting and writing.
- 18/10/2010 06:27:40 PM
1578 Views
*spoilers for book 7* focalisation and why I'l accept it this time, the power/powerless issue &stuff
- 19/10/2010 01:02:53 AM
1871 Views
Re: *spoilers for book 7* focalisation and why I'l accept it this time, the power/powerless issue
- 20/10/2010 02:58:54 PM
1799 Views
Re: *spoilers for book 7* focalisation and why I'l accept it this time, the power/powerless issue
- 20/10/2010 03:14:35 PM
1910 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 18/10/2010 06:28:16 PM
941 Views
Dumbledore-centered.
- 19/10/2010 01:03:05 AM
1963 Views
Chapters 4-6: Horace Slughorn, An Excess of Phlegm, Draco's Detour. *NM*
- 20/10/2010 03:44:39 PM
1086 Views
Characters: Slughorn, Fleur, the Trio, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy,...
- 20/10/2010 03:46:47 PM
1989 Views
Re: Characters: Slughorn, Fleur, the Trio, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy,...
- 20/10/2010 05:27:26 PM
2004 Views
(Mostly) on Slughorn, Narcissa and Fleur...
- 20/10/2010 09:25:20 PM
2056 Views
Re: (Mostly) on Slughorn, Narcissa and Fleur...
- 20/10/2010 09:46:08 PM
1949 Views
Re: Characters: Slughorn, Fleur, the Trio, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy,...
- 20/10/2010 10:15:58 PM
1981 Views
Dumbledore, Slughorn, Tonks, Mr & Mrs Weasley, Hermione, Narcissa and the twins.
- 20/10/2010 09:23:04 PM
1854 Views
Re: Dumbledore, Slughorn, Tonks, Mr & Mrs Weasley, Hermione, Narcissa and the twins.
- 20/10/2010 09:56:28 PM
1828 Views
Re: Dumbledore, Slughorn, Tonks, Mr & Mrs Weasley, Hermione, Narcissa and the twins.
- 20/10/2010 10:17:23 PM
2012 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 20/10/2010 03:48:07 PM
941 Views
So. Inferi are zombies aren't they? I just realised. Ick. Do they eat brains? *NM*
- 20/10/2010 09:24:03 PM
984 Views
I was kind of disappointed that Harry didn't remark on that fact.
*NM*
- 22/10/2010 07:24:11 PM
1038 Views
*NM*
- 22/10/2010 07:24:11 PM
1038 Views
Chapters 7-9: Slug Club, Snape Victorious, The Half-Blood Prince *NM*
- 22/10/2010 07:23:03 PM
1088 Views
Characters *NM*
- 22/10/2010 07:23:24 PM
1029 Views
Harry, Romilda, Malfoy (in luuuve), Snape, Lavender Brown, McGonagall, Hermione and Slughorn.
- 22/10/2010 07:26:19 PM
1984 Views
Love is in the air, evidently.
- 22/10/2010 07:54:35 PM
1929 Views
Slytherin had been in need of new blood for a long time. (And assorted other comments.)
- 22/10/2010 10:34:49 PM
1944 Views
Re: Slytherin had been in need of new blood for a long time. (And assorted other comments.)
- 25/10/2010 10:33:04 AM
1670 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
- 22/10/2010 07:23:37 PM
1026 Views
Dumbledore, patronuses and the DADA job.
- 22/10/2010 07:27:23 PM
1882 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 22/10/2010 07:23:50 PM
1043 Views
I believe in Wrackspurts, too. And some questions.
- 22/10/2010 07:28:04 PM
1741 Views
I'm not sure if I noticed this before, but awesome Tolkien shout-out there.
- 22/10/2010 09:58:27 PM
1830 Views
Re: I'm not sure if I noticed this before, but awesome Tolkien shout-out there.
- 23/10/2010 05:34:25 PM
1843 Views
Re: I'm not sure if I noticed this before, but awesome Tolkien shout-out there.
- 25/10/2010 10:35:43 AM
1875 Views
Chapters 10-12: The House of Gaunt, Hermione's Helping Hand, Silver and Opals. *NM*
- 25/10/2010 05:00:02 PM
1084 Views
Characters: The Gaunts, the Trio, Hagrid, and many more. *NM*
- 25/10/2010 05:02:07 PM
1048 Views
Harry's continued insistence about Malfoy really irritates me (even though he's right).
- 25/10/2010 06:15:23 PM
2039 Views
*lol*
- 25/10/2010 06:39:19 PM
1863 Views
Re: Harry's continued insistence about Malfoy really irritates me (even though he's right).
- 26/10/2010 09:23:09 AM
1793 Views
Trelawny, Ogden, Gaunt, Ron, Hermione, Ron and Harry
- 25/10/2010 10:23:55 PM
1785 Views
Plotting and writing.
- 25/10/2010 05:03:16 PM
1876 Views
Amazing amounts of accurate guesswork here, in hindsight.
- 25/10/2010 05:37:28 PM
1913 Views
Re: Amazing amounts of accurate guesswork here, in hindsight.
- 26/10/2010 09:46:47 AM
1802 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 25/10/2010 05:03:32 PM
856 Views
Dumbledore still sounds like Stephen Fry. And reflections on the nature of Potions class.
- 25/10/2010 05:11:24 PM
1746 Views
It's like baking, I think.
- 25/10/2010 05:32:42 PM
1845 Views
Yes, exactly like baking - and advanced baking involves experimenting, substituting, improvising.
- 25/10/2010 06:42:42 PM
1948 Views
Also, Parseltongue - is Harry that thick, or is it a magic thing?
- 25/10/2010 05:18:41 PM
1812 Views
I think it's a magic thing.
- 25/10/2010 05:34:09 PM
1816 Views
It can be learned actually. Dumbledore implies he knows it and Ron uses it in book 7
- 25/10/2010 05:55:28 PM
1780 Views
Re: It can be learned actually. Dumbledore implies he knows it and Ron uses it in book 7
- 27/10/2010 04:31:45 PM
1838 Views
parseltongue
- 25/10/2010 10:24:46 PM
1947 Views
Interesting how many of our remarks are along similar lines.
*NM*
- 25/10/2010 10:27:30 PM
912 Views
*NM*
- 25/10/2010 10:27:30 PM
912 Views
Chapters 13-15: The Secret Riddle, Felix Felicis, The Unbreakable Vow *NM*
- 27/10/2010 04:16:28 PM
1032 Views
Characters: The Trio, Ginny, Tom Riddle, Draco,... *NM*
- 27/10/2010 04:17:12 PM
1017 Views
Dumbledore, Voldemort, Ron & Hermione, Harry, Ginny, Luna
- 27/10/2010 10:31:39 PM
1857 Views
My take on Ginny is rather different, I must say... at least this time around.
- 29/10/2010 01:47:20 PM
1773 Views
Re: My take on Ginny is rather different, I must say... at least this time around.
- 29/10/2010 09:06:16 PM
1793 Views
Re: My take on Ginny is rather different, I must say... at least this time around.
- 29/10/2010 11:02:15 PM
1866 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
- 27/10/2010 04:17:26 PM
823 Views
plot and writing.
- 27/10/2010 10:30:14 PM
1844 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 27/10/2010 04:17:42 PM
875 Views
Re: Anything else?
- 27/10/2010 10:30:55 PM
1985 Views
I wonder if that's actually true, though.
- 28/10/2010 10:39:20 AM
1981 Views
Re: I wonder if that's actually true, though.
- 28/10/2010 10:44:22 AM
1834 Views
Crabbe and Goyle show us what happens when you fail (most of? all of?) your OWLs.
- 29/10/2010 02:10:39 PM
1952 Views
Chapters 16-18: A Very Frosty Christmas, A Sluggish Memory, Birthday Surprises *NM*
- 29/10/2010 05:40:39 PM
1019 Views
Characters: The Trio, Fleur, Scrimgeour, Percy, Remus, Slughorn,... *NM*
- 29/10/2010 05:43:02 PM
1092 Views
Mr Weasley, Lupin, Fleur, Harry and Scrimgeour
- 29/10/2010 08:51:58 PM
1980 Views
Re: Mr Weasley, Lupin, Fleur, Harry and Scrimgeour
- 02/11/2010 06:23:04 PM
1857 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 29/10/2010 05:44:04 PM
906 Views
Chapters 19-21: Elf Tails, Lord Voldemort's Requests, The Unknowable Room *NM*
- 01/11/2010 02:00:22 PM
798 Views
Characters: The Trio, the elves, Draco, Dumbledore,... *NM*
- 01/11/2010 02:00:56 PM
1146 Views
the twins, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Voldemort, Draco and Tonks
- 01/11/2010 02:08:32 PM
1705 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 01/11/2010 02:01:27 PM
917 Views
I want to hear the joke about the hag, the Healer and the Mimbulus mimbletonia. *NM*
- 01/11/2010 02:10:11 PM
1522 Views
Me too. And is a "hag" just an old witch, or something more specific?
- 03/11/2010 09:52:12 PM
1897 Views
Re: Me too. And is a "hag" just an old witch, or something more specific?
- 03/11/2010 09:54:05 PM
2184 Views
Re: Me too. And is a "hag" just an old witch, or something more specific?
- 08/11/2010 01:54:59 PM
1859 Views
Chapters 22-24: After the Burial, Horcruxes, Sectumsempra
- 03/11/2010 09:50:17 PM
2097 Views
Characters. *NM*
- 03/11/2010 09:50:33 PM
1053 Views
Malfoy, Ron & Hermione, Slughorn, Voldemort, Snape and Ginny.
- 04/11/2010 12:12:57 AM
1857 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
- 03/11/2010 09:50:50 PM
927 Views
Harry wrong again, house elves, horcruxes, free will, well hidden clues and some irony *DH spoiler*
- 03/11/2010 10:35:20 PM
1827 Views
Re: Stuff.
- 04/11/2010 04:28:04 AM
1884 Views
Re: Stuff. *spoilers for book 7*
- 04/11/2010 09:10:19 AM
1934 Views
This "we'll see in book seven" thing is getting old, but still that's what I have to say here...
- 04/11/2010 01:23:01 PM
1713 Views
- 04/11/2010 01:23:01 PM
1713 Views
Chapters 25-27: The Seer Overheard, The Cave, The Lightning-Struck Tower
- 05/11/2010 05:37:42 PM
1714 Views
Characters: Harry, Trelawney, Dumbledore, Draco, Snape. And maybe some other people. *NM*
- 05/11/2010 05:38:19 PM
906 Views
Romilda, Snape, Trelawny, Draco, Dumbledore, Voldemort, Harry *spoilers book 7*
- 05/11/2010 07:34:01 PM
1855 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 05/11/2010 05:39:43 PM
934 Views
I like how good magic is not flashy. Also, a Tolkien thing
- 05/11/2010 07:55:27 PM
1820 Views
I didn't take the comparison as far, but the gate thing did remind me of Moria, yes. (DH spoilers)
- 05/11/2010 10:03:16 PM
2061 Views
Chapters 28-30: Flight of the Prince, The Phoenix Lament, The White Tomb. *NM*
- 09/11/2010 02:13:12 PM
1056 Views
Characters. *NM*
- 09/11/2010 02:13:25 PM
883 Views
Snape, Lupin, Hermione & Ron, the Order, Mrs Weasley & Fleur, Luna & Neville, Scrimgeour, Ginny *DH*
- 09/11/2010 02:20:01 PM
1768 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
- 09/11/2010 02:13:40 PM
1009 Views
Spoilers.
- 09/11/2010 02:26:38 PM
1745 Views
Re: Spoilers.
- 09/11/2010 04:49:06 PM
1805 Views
I'm assuming not even the Ministry knows 100% what she did.
- 13/11/2010 12:26:14 AM
1882 Views
Very true.
- 15/11/2010 01:48:36 PM
1879 Views
Not much, no, but there's one fairly crucial mention.
- 15/11/2010 04:37:23 PM
1848 Views
With my keen attention to detail, I somehow missed that.
Another good catch!
- 15/11/2010 09:36:37 PM
2042 Views
Another good catch!
- 15/11/2010 09:36:37 PM
2042 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 09/11/2010 02:13:53 PM
900 Views
We did the Harry Potter marathon thing on Sunday
- 09/11/2010 02:28:08 PM
1867 Views
This is definitely the most painfully altered of the movies.
- 09/11/2010 04:34:33 PM
1913 Views
Re: This is definitely the most painfully altered of the movies.
- 09/11/2010 04:36:29 PM
1863 Views
I just watched OotP again Saturday night... quite shocking there as well.
- 15/11/2010 04:45:48 PM
1956 Views
Re: I just watched OotP again Saturday night... quite shocking there as well.
- 15/11/2010 04:50:57 PM
1784 Views


Some comments inside. *DH Spoilers*