Comments | rattlesnakeroot: HBP Movie Spoilers ~ Far Afield From the Canon We Know

rattlesnakeroot

HBP Movie Spoilers ~ Far Afield From the Canon We Know

Jul 11, 2008 02:11

The more I read about the Half-Blood Prince movie, the more I feel that WB is really going Hollywood on this one and changing nearly every scene. Just in the past two weeks I have read things that have made me scoff out loud only to discover they were in reputable magazines and from quotes straight from the actors and the director. Things are ( Read more... )

movies, spoilers, werewolf, half-blood prince

Comments 80

billywiggy July 11 2008, 08:07:11 UTC

I know what you mean - and I even agree with you for the most part. But the changing of Fenrir's victim from Bill to Arthur actually makes sense to me. Do we even meet Bill in the movies? Is he mentioned much past a line or two? It just wouldn't have the same emotional impact to have some new character we just meet in Movie 6 get mauled. So, for me - changes like that are OK. They sort of wrote themselves into a corner on that one when they didn't show Bill in the 4th movie, or the 5th ( ... )

rattlesnakeroot July 11 2008, 19:25:54 UTC

I do see the point about Bill, since he hasn't played much of a role before now. And it does show that Arthur is despised by other Purebloods for being a traitor.

The problem is whether Arthur is going to display werewolf traits after he is bitten, the way Bill did. I like Mr. Weasley, and I guess I just feel a little bad about that for some reason - my gut reaction when I read this last night was "no! NO! Mr. W. cannot be a werewolf hybrid!" *lol*

billywiggy July 12 2008, 00:07:59 UTC

Oh, I love Mr. Weasley as well - possibly one of my favorite characters outside Snape and Harry.

The sad fact is, that we probably won't see much of Mr. Weasley even if he is the one bitten by Fenrir. The movies are so condensed that pretty much every character except Harry is left to the sidelines - there isn't much development. That's the problem with adaptations. Ah well.

The only film adaptation that fit into a normal 2-hr movie slot that I truly adored was when they did Michael Chabon's 'The Wonder Boys'. What a fantastic movie! So ... it can be done - it's just not always easy. ;)

clair_de_lalune July 11 2008, 12:02:46 UTC

Since PoA, which is the film that drew me into the whole series (including the books), I've considered the films to be totally separate (and inferior to) the books. I see the films as an entertaining diversion for 2 hours and whatever they do to make them entertaining, it doesn't really matter. Of course, I would like to see a great film version of these stories someday, too ( ... )

clair_de_lalune July 11 2008, 12:07:14 UTC

Oops, that last line should read that I thought it worked well.

rattlesnakeroot July 11 2008, 19:05:14 UTC

That's interesting about Darcy in the Keira Knightly version because that is true to the book. In the book it is much more clear that Mr. Darcy is sort of chasing Elizabeth especially when they are at Rosings Park. They meet many more times during Elizabeth's walks and Mr. Darcy keeps trying to make conversation but seems at a loss for words. That is one part that is too condensed and ambiguous in the Colin Firth version because he meets her while riding a horse and turns away rudely. That doesn't happen in the book.

clair_de_lalune July 11 2008, 19:48:21 UTC

I actually just recently watched the version of this with Colin Firth (1995), so the similarities and differences are fresh in my mind. The Keira Knightley version (2005) also doesn't have much interaction at Rosings, since it's much shorter than the 1995 film, but I believe there was more there than what's in the 1995 film. Darcy makes a distinct effort to engage Elizabeth while she's at Rosings and often glances her way admiringly ( ... )

Thread 7

saiphgrl July 11 2008, 12:32:23 UTC

No matter how much I brace myself for the movies, I am always disappointed. I don't mind the cuts so much, but it's the changes that do bother me. Some of them just aren't necessary (why did Neville give Harry the gillyweed in GoF?).
I, too, was appalled when I read that paragraph from Movie Maker. Does this mean that Bill and Fleur aren't getting married? Or (shudder) will they turn it into Lupin and Tonks' wedding? Kingsley's Patronus scene at the wedding was one of my favorites in DH. I think my heart actually stopped beating when I read that, and I had to sit for a moment before I could turn the page. Those are the moments that I want to see most in the movies, and unfortunately, they seem to be the most likely to be cut.

With all the hoopla about protecting her rights to everything because she loves her characters and books, I am always amazed that the screenplays make it past JKR.

saiphgrl July 11 2008, 13:46:50 UTC

I forgot to add - my friend is convinced that eventually the BBC will do a word-for-word of the series that will be impossibly long and will satisfy even the most hardcore of fans. I would definitely like to see that, though I will be sad when Alan Rickman isn't Snape and Gary Oldman isn't Sirius.

rattlesnakeroot July 11 2008, 19:00:18 UTC

My dream is a BBC version of the books!

shyfoxling July 12 2008, 04:38:12 UTC

my friend is convinced that eventually the BBC will do a word-for-word of the series that will be impossibly long and will satisfy even the most hardcore of fans.

That'd be so awesome. 'Course us poor Yankees probably would have a bit of a time getting a hold of it.

Thread 9

potionsmistres July 11 2008, 13:05:28 UTC

I know I've ranted about this before, but the cuts and fundemental changes in the films from the books drives me absolutely insane. It's not just HP, but the vast majority of film adaptations I've come across. I agree with clair that it is impossible to fit a 400 pg. book into a two-hour film, but in many cases, the very theme of the book is completely lost or cut from the film. I'll stick with my books thanks. If any of you go, let me know how the snake fight goes. ;-)

The Shipping News, for one (no, that is not about Harry/Hermione).

*rotflmao*

Changes to HBP anonymous July 11 2008, 13:23:31 UTC

I hadn't heard about any of this. Guess I haven't really been keeping up with current events, eh ( ... )

Re: Changes to HBP anonymous July 11 2008, 14:15:56 UTC

I liked Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth as Elizabeth and Darcy the most as well. I also liked the guy who played the part of Mr Bennet, especially when talking to Mrs. Bennet and Mr. Collins.

If they introduced Bill now, the movie-goers probably wouldn't have to much of a reaction to him being mauled by Fenrir, they'd be sad it happened for sure but there wouldn't be the familiarity with character. I guess the closest I can think of is say: the Muggle Studies teacher being killed in The Dark Lord Ascending, it's horrible what happened to her but the character is distant to the reader. I hope you understand what I mean.

-Annie

Re: Changes to HBP saiphgrl July 11 2008, 14:41:01 UTC

"If they introduced Bill now, the movie-goers probably wouldn't have to much of a reaction to him being mauled by Fenrir, they'd be sad it happened for sure but there wouldn't be the familiarity with character."

I go back and forth with this - do the movies need to be catered toward the movie-goers? What is wrong with them having a less-than-emotional moment with Bill being mauled while the rest of us get it?
And I'm not even sure that they really do well with catering to them. At the end of OotP, the two people who had never read the book were supremely confused, and most of the rest of us were bitterly disappointed. That seems to indicate failure on both ends.

Re: Changes to HBP anonymous July 11 2008, 14:50:02 UTC

I'm just thinking about what they might be trying to achieve in the movies. I can only guess, hence why I go back and forth with my thoughts on this as well.

--Annie

Thread 14