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Author Topic: The Harry Potter Marathon  (Read 58797 times)

Junior

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Re: The Harry Potter Marathon
« Reply #80 on: July 22, 2010, 01:42:21 AM »
The theme tune is so freaking perfect. And the way it's been changed for each movie is super great.
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FifthCityMuse

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Re: The Harry Potter Marathon
« Reply #81 on: July 22, 2010, 08:15:10 PM »
We're currently rehearsing selections from the score at my brass band to play at an upcoming competition. I do think it's good music, although it is, blatantly, very John Williams. It is very present here, but I will admit that I rarely found it overbearing.

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Re: The Harry Potter Marathon
« Reply #82 on: July 24, 2010, 03:05:26 PM »
HP and the Philosopher's Stone (Chris Columbus, 2001)
Don't read if you haven't seen it.


There's no doubt in my mind this film could've been better... I'm just not sure what the problem is. They managed to successfully include just about everything a fan might be looking for: the Nimbus 2000, Every-Flavoured Jelly Beans, unicorns, Hagrid's dragon named umm... Humphry?, Wizard's chess... I can't think of anything they missed. But maybe that's all part of the problem. You know what other movie included everything fan's might be looking for? Mortal Kombat. And that was fun too a degree. I mean there is a certain amount of satisfaction that goes along with seeing these iconic things appear on screen, and Philosopher's Stone accomplishes that. So maybe where it comes up short is in the storytelling. It hits all the main points, but like telling a good joke there's a lot riding on the delivery. A slight emphasis here, a pause there... such subtle differences but they can make or break a scene. I'm just not sure Columbus is as gifted in that department as other directors. The material is good, it's proven. It just needed a more talented storyteller. Columbus is solid, as many have said, but not great. Not great like Rowling, who should be praised, not just for her imagination, but also for her delivery.

It's clear a lot of thought and effort went into the design of this movie, and for my money I thought they hit it out of the park. The casting, spot on. I put a huge emphasis on people looking the part and everybody in this film did just that. The acting abilities aren't uniformly good, but good enough. Even mediocre actors can give a moving performance if you believe in them (which is where looks come into play), Star Trek taught me that. I actually thought Ron had pretty good comic timing. And the way Hagrid said "I shouldn't have said that" made me laugh. The look of the Dursley's Home, Diagon Alley, Hogwarts, and the costumes... I thought they could've looked a little more lived in, but other than that, very nice (I loved Gringott's and the Goblins). The sets had character.

As for the score. I found it to be average. The opening theme gave me shivers but after that it was just okay. If it stays at this level for the rest of the series that's fine, it's just not outstanding for me.

This movie just looks great!








Coolest looking chess set EVER! The pawns espcially, they had such an interesting movement. Probably my favourite scene.



Good fun.


ses

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Re: The Harry Potter Marathon
« Reply #83 on: July 25, 2010, 09:59:56 AM »
I should be done with the first book and the movie in the next few days, and I will have my write ups.
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Bondo

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Re: The Harry Potter Marathon
« Reply #84 on: July 26, 2010, 01:53:09 PM »
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Sorry for getting in so early within the window but it just worked out to watch this now.

In my initial ratings of the films just before the marathon started, I had Chamber of Secrets as my least favorite because I was giving Sorcerer’s Stone credit for casting and creation. However, if I’m honest CoS goes ahead for a few reasons such as Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockhart and Jason Isaacs (hello) as Malfoy the senior. Much like the books, the films are often about the little moments. The whole first 15 minutes of this film is pretty excellent, capturing Doby’s visit, the escape and culminating with the breakfast scene at The Borough. I don’t think the Twins ever manage to be as funny in the films as in the books but I do think the film, at least in this moment, really nails the parents’ personalities. Mr. Weasley’s interested reaction to the boys’ use of the car and Mrs. Weasley’s scolding of his lack of scolding. Arthur is never a weak character, but he is one of those guys who clearly aren’t the dominant partner in the relationship.

Of course, this is shortly followed by what is probably one of my bottom 2-3 scenes across all the movies, the car trip to Hogwarts. I suppose it is reasonable to action it up a bit for the sake of the film medium, but throughout it just feels so fake and over the top. This probably falls on the effects team chiefly, but I think the writing and directing have something to do with it to.

Despite having listened to the book and watched the movie countless times, I don’t think I really appreciated how much weightier this is compared to SS. That book simply said there was an evil man and he’s trying to get back. This book really starts to lay the stakes for the good vs. evil battle that will dominate the rest of the series. It isn’t just one bad man but a whole worldview based on, not racism I suppose, magicalism, it is a form discrimination complete with slurs and even dreams of genocide and enslavement. One thing about Harry Potter that has always worked for me, compared to something like Lord of the Rings, is that it exists hidden within the real world, it makes you believe that the world could actually be like this and I’m just a clueless muggle. The flip side is that this grave threat to our way of life could be out there and it is this battle that tries to protect us without our knowing.

One thing that bugs me (spoilers for whole series): It is implied that Harry’s invisibility cloak is one of the Deathly Hallows, being perfect…yet in this one, Dumbledore seems to see through the cloak and in the fourth book Mad Eye’s eye is able to see through it. Is this a plot hole, a sign that the Deathly Hallows don’t actually exist (which may create other plot holes) or a sign that the user of the cloak can will himself to be penetrated by other magics?

Also, Bonnie Wright, bless her heart, is perhaps the worst of the primary child actors. The more Ginny becomes part of the story, the more this becomes apparent.

Anyway, considering my exposure to the series, surprises and discoveries seem unlikely, but this was a real surprise for me. It proves much better, due to the base material, than I remember.

Rating: B+

Beavermoose

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Re: The Harry Potter Marathon
« Reply #85 on: July 26, 2010, 08:57:05 PM »
I really liked the final act of this film, the basilisk is really cool and threatening especially considering these children are 12/13.

Junior

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Re: The Harry Potter Marathon
« Reply #86 on: August 01, 2010, 02:01:09 AM »
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Written by J. K. Rowling, read by Stephen Fry)

A new year and a new mystery. This time the question is about the identity of the Heir of Slytherin, and the question of identities in general. Is Harry really supposed to be in Gryffendor? Shouldn't he really be a Slytherin, since he's got all the right characteristics? And is he actually a descendant of the long dead Hogwarts founder? Is he killing (or trying to kill) all the muggle-born kids at school? And speaking of muggle-borns, are they any worse than those wizards that are from full wizarding families? I guess it makes sense that a 12 year old would start to wonder about his place in the world and whether he is in the right place, especially since he recently found out that he can do magic. And the idea of mudbloods and such is a really great way to talk about racism and other isms in the world of HP. So yes, this book is better than the first. Some of the sense of wonder is less profound, though not at all absent, and the tiresome recapping at the beginning doesn't help all that much. I never really liked Dobby in this book, but he does get better and his use as a discussion piece about slavery is interesting.

However, with those issues present there are a bunch of things that work better. The first is the expansion of Ron's family into becoming an integral part of the story. I love the Weasleys. I could live in their house. Everything about it is appealing and that seems to be the point. Fred and George are a super great pair and Percy is also fun as the stuck-up brother. And the new DADA teacher, Gilderoy Lockheart, is fantastically over-the-top and self-absorbed. In earlier reads I was just annoyed by the character but this time I really appreciated his ridiculous ego. He's certainly a step up from the barely-there Quirrel. And there is an increase in the darkness that comes in every book, which is nice. In addition to the world-expanding of the Weasley family, the flying car and its comical development of a kind of consciousness is the perfect way to do a thing like that. It could easily just be a machine that does something different from its normal task but instead Rowling develops it as a character and it comes to the odd rescue of Harry and Ron in the Forbidden Forrest. Awesome.

Maybe me liking this book better than the first is an unpopular opinion. It certainly surprised me. Also good to note is the effects used in the audiobook for the howler and the monsters. Cool stuff.

B+.


Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Directed by Chris Columbus, Written by Steve Kloves)

Again, let's have the bad things first. Dobby, like in the book, doesn't do much for me. I guess I just like Gollum better. Anyways, the direction is still pretty rote, though it isn't as bad as the first film. There are only a few of the strange zooms that distracted me in the previous film, though they do come at the worst possible times (at the end as Hagrid returns, an otherwise superb scene that brought the dust). There are two scenes that stand out and unsurprisingly they both have monsters. Aragog and the Basilisk are both menacingly rendered and the use of practical effects on the close-ups really helps this. Like Jurassic Park, Columbus knows how to do big animals well and make me believe them. So that's good.

Also good is the new casting and expanded roles. As much as I liked getting to know the Weasleys and the Burrow in the book, on film the scene is truly magical. The clock, the scrubbing dishes, the knitting yarn, it's all perfect. And any additional time spent with Mrs. and Mr. Weasley (played perfectly by Julie Walters and Mark Williams) is welcome time. For new faces we have Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy and Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockheart. The former brings the intensity and evilness that is required along with the smug sense of superiority that Tom Felton (the younger Malfoy) could learn from. This is how the character should be. Branagh is perfect perfect lemon perfect and I just wish he had more stuff to do. The duel scene showed him off the best, especially as he goes up against Hans Gruber and is found wanting.

As an adaptation, it, too, is found wanting. There are things that could have been dropped from it quite easily to make room for some of the more interesting scenes, like the Deathday Party for Nick. And moving the backstory of the Chamber from the history professor to McGonagall is a change that makes sense, though I don't like it for two reasons: 1. Columbus didn't do much to make it interesting beyond the actual information. I'm sure Maggie Smith could have delivered the speech to camera in a one-shot or something to make it scarier. 2. We miss a fun addition to the world of Hogwarts. Perhaps one of my biggest complaints with the films is that they cut a lot of the day to day stuff out, including some of the periphery teachers. I love the idea of a teacher that dies while teaching and his ghost takes up the task without hesitation and it could have been a great scene. Oh well. Also, while most of the humor works, a few times it seemed a bit off. There were a few things done right, though, including the half-a-curse that Lucius Malfoy tries to do to Harry (the first part of Avada Kedavra).

B.

I've already started listening to book 3 and I'm looking forward to watching the film. It is, I feel, where the story really kicks in, even though Voldemort isn't a part of it.
« Last Edit: August 01, 2010, 02:15:46 AM by Junior »
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Corndog

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Re: The Harry Potter Marathon
« Reply #87 on: August 01, 2010, 06:00:04 PM »
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Book:
Written by J.K. Rowling

Once again Rowling shows her ability to simply tell a compelling tale. There is nothing too complicated about her writing, it is fairly simple. She is not flashy, it is not the best writing I’ve ever read, but the tale she comes up with is just great. The first novel, Philosopher’s Stone, started it all and had compelling characters in a compelling world, so the burden falls on Rowling to keep her readers caring about these people and the fantasy world in which they live.

Now that the magicalness is no longer a surprise, some of the majesty and wonder is vanished, but Rowling still have tricks up her sleeve in that department. She continues to build the world we fell in love with in the first novel, and we learn more about the characters, specifically the Weasley’s, whose home we are invited into for the first time. Her character development is pretty good, though I would stop before calling it great. But it is strange how early on, now knowing what happens in the future, that we see Ron’s connection with Hermione and Ginny and Harry’s connection. I can remember when I first read the books I always thought, or figured, that Harry and Hermione would end up together, because you know relationships were inevitable.

What makes this book work as a follow up is how dark it goes. The stakes are higher I felt, even though the first book dealt with Voldemort coming back as well, but I never felt like the student body was in danger then. Here they are once the mythical Chamber of Secrets is opened. More people are directly affected and we start to see a serious threat to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who herself ends up getting petrified.

There was enough interesting and new things going on to keep me interested in the series and outcome of Harry’s time at Hogwarts. But because the stakes seemed higher to me this time, and the evil was darker and more threatening, I liked this book a little bit more than the first when looking back. Sorcerer’s Stone is probably going to be the one remembered from the series, and rightfully so, because it created the wizarding world of Harry Potter, but for my money, this one was just a little bit more entertaining and compelling.

Movie:
Directed by Chris Columbus
Written by Steve Kloves

The American Chris Columbus is back to continue the series and build on his solid opening. Here he goes again. Nothing really flashy here, considering the following films, and nothing too spectacular, but just solid as a rock, fun entertainment. And he and Kloves do a decent job of adapting the novel too. What makes Columbus the perfect guy for the job is that he knows what he has to do with these type of projects and he gets it. He doesn’t take risks, no, but he doesn’t make too many mistakes either.

The first thing I reacted to at the end of this film was the casting. The kids are all the same as the first and they improve somewhat I would say. Emma Watson can cry, we get that from here. But what I want to talk about is the perfect, and I mean perfect, adult casting. Many familiar faces are back, none more spectacular than Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid, the lovable gameskeeper. But with the addition of Jason Isaacs as Lucious Malfoy and Kenneth Branagh as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor Lockhart, the cast is full of its heavy hitters. Branagh is a gold mine here. His performance is so good, and so funny, that I could watch his scenes only on a loop and be entertained for days. And the comedy is one of the great aspects of this film, and the series in general. We see Rupert Grint continue to develop his great comedic timing as Ron and even Richard Harris delivers as Dumbledore.

My problem with this particular film, however, is the length. There are too many scenes that seem to drag on and in the end, Columbus didn’t make the evil plot as suspenseful or as threatening to me as it was in the book. Also, there was little played up as Harry being the main suspect like it was in the book. We get some as he is in the wrong place at the wrong time, but it never feels like a real threat. One thing I enjoyed more in movie than in the book was the final act in the Chamber. The visualization of it is great and it takes its time with it, whereas in the book, the ending felt slightly rushed, or maybe it was just because I was reading so fast, unable to put the book down.

In the end, the film didn’t live up to the novel, but it was a decent adaptation and one that I would watch over and over again due to my love of the series overall. I would not call it a disappointment though.

Adaptation:


Steve Kloves and Chris Columbus do the novel a fair job. Certainly there are things left out and things that are changed, but honestly, I found all the changes alright due to runtime. As is the movie is 160 minutes long, I can’t imagine them staying 100% faithful to the book and getting people to actually watch all of it. So to this point I have come to the conclusion that I must forgive the filmmakers all the changes and edits they have made from the book because of the issue of time. Obviously there are some things that they simply change for no apparent reason, but none of those (McGonagall telling the legend of the Chamber instead of Flitwick) made me upset or changed the outcome of the film in my opinion. The one thing I missed in the film that I liked in the book would have been the Deathday party for Nearly Headless Nick. It was a fun scene in the book, but given the way they adapted the rest of the events surrounding it, I can see that they were strapped for time.
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Bondo

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Re: The Harry Potter Marathon
« Reply #88 on: August 01, 2010, 08:25:07 PM »
One thing that I've always been uneasy about with Chamber of Secrets is Harry keeping the secret of the voices quiet from Dumbledore, not just the first time, which seems fine, but even later when the stakes are clearly established. I'm not convinced that Harry's character at that point would be inclined to hold back information. Emo-Harry from OotP maybe, but not here. Anyone else have thoughts about this?

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Re: The Harry Potter Marathon
« Reply #89 on: August 01, 2010, 08:28:21 PM »
I agree with you Bondo. I always thought it was weird that they suspected him anyway, especially when Colin was petrified because Harry was in the hospital wing from the Rogue Bludger when that happened, so obviously he didn't leave and do it, Madam Pomfrey would have noticed. And knowing that, he was innocent and had nothing to worry about, especially if he was just confiding in Dumbledore that piece of information.
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