Film Discussion: Half Blood Prince

[tjs_whatnot]

Comments

[tjs_whatnot]

We got very few new characters in this film, but the ones we did seemed pretty important, what were your feelings when cast and when viewed of Helen McCrory as Narcissa, Jessie Cave as Lavender and Jim Broadbent as Professor Horace Slughorn?

[shocolate]

I was so annoyed when people complained Jim Broadbent wouldn't look right, because he is the greatest character actor in the world and he was wonderful.

Oh, Lavender, you were perfect.

[tjs_whatnot]

WHA?! I did not know people had a problem with Broadbent! There is NOTHING that man could not do!

And she was absolutely adorbs! <3

[shocolate]

When he was first cast I saw people complaining he wasn't walrussy enough... *snort*

[philstar22]

I loved Helen McCrory as Narcissa. The hair was horrid, but the acting was perfect. She's one of my favorite British actresses, and I thought that she really captured Narcissa here.

Jim Broadbent was okay, I guess. I think he kind of made Slughorn look a bit more noble than he actually was.

Jessie Cave really was Lavender (though maybe slightly less irritating than book!Lavender?).

[flyingharmony]

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES TO NARCISSA! I can see what they tried to do with the hair but it totally didn't work out and I'm with you about its horridness, but her performance was brilliant in my opinion. Narcissa is my favourite character so I was really, really curious for the Spinner's End scene and Helen (who together with Rachel Weisz is my favourite actress of all time anyway) was simply amazing.

[madderbrad]

I liked Lavender ... I was surprised at how sorry I felt for her in the film, whereas I hadn't with the book.

[moreteadk]

I had that same reaction. I was glad when Ron finally got around to ending things with her in the book, but in the film I felt sorry for her.

[author_by_night]

Oddly enough, Jessie Cave looked almost exactly how I pictured Lavender when they first released her photo, though not quite as much in character, strangely.

Helen McRory didn't look how I pictured Narcissa, but her portrayal of the character was good.

[kate34books]

Helen McCrory was very underwhelming as Narcissa. She had the poise yes. But she looked completely Wrong (what was it with that two-tone hair?!) and she didn't came across as desperate enough at all.

Jessie Cave was perfectly nauseatingly cutesy and clingy as Lavender so- a great job.

Jim Broadbent was perfect as Slughorn in all his 'needing famous people/stingy' buffoonery.

(don't Know WHY they made the draught of the living death a straight out poison as opposed to just a really powerful sleeping potion'

Cormac McLaggen was perfectly cocky and slimy. but I though him too pretty.

Same with Romilda Vane. It really irritated me that they had Harry remotely interested in her- that didn't helped them trying to sell the harry/ginny at all.

[flyingharmony]

I adored Helen - one of my ultimate favourite actresses - as Narcissa. I kind of agree with the objections about her hair, but her performance was amazing - with Narcissa being my favourite character I was particularly curious about her, and I absolutely adored her. I will probably never get over my curiosity about how she would have portrayed Bellatrix (who she was initially supposed to play), tbh.

It had been a while since I'd read the full book when the movie came out (usually I did re-reads before every movie release but kind of forgot there which is odd since HBP is also my favourite book), so I kind of forgot how I'd pictured Slughorn and wasn't disappointed by his appearance like I know many were, and I loved Jim Broadbent's performance! He was absolutely wonderful.

Only one word about Jessie Cave's Lavender: Perfect.