HP: OotP Movie

YouTube · Post by **Menolly** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 4:23 pm

For those who don't know, there is a thread devoted to the movie over in the Flicks forum. However, so far it seems to be just general posts about going to see the movie or if it is a good or bad film.

If you want to get down to the nitty-gritty, pick it apart and compare it to the book type of posts, feel free to post about it here, although if you are comfortable posting about it over there that is fine as well. My only request is that spoiler tags are used, for at least a month or so. Unless, as most likely everyone here has already read the book and knows the storyline, it is agreed that spoilers will not be necessary by everyone.

Post by **Waddley** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 4:41 pm

Ok, so it's been a LONG time since I read OotP, but it seemed like they cut a lot out of the movie, which is of course necessary, but it still sucks.

Speficically, I wish we had gotten more into Neville (sp?) and how he can see those horsey thingies because he saw his parents die. If I remember correctly, OotP really helped in developing Nev as a character.

What else did they cut that I forgot?

YouTube · Post by **Menolly** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 5:28 pm

Wadds...

:::spoilered unless we all agree it is not necessary:::

Spoiler

Neville's parents are still alive. I thought the only student character other than Harry that we learn of who can see the thestrals is Luna, because she saw her mother die. Is that cut from the film?

Are you thinking of the scene were Harry and the Weasley's (I can't remember if Hermione is with them, I don't think so) are visiting Arthur in St. Mungo's and they run into Neville and his grandmother visiting Neville's parents there? Was that scene cut? What about them running into Lockheart? Is that cut as well?

Post by **Waddley** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:47 pm

Huh, I coulda sworn Neville's parents were dead. Ahh well, been a while since I read them.

Spoiler

Anyway- yeah they cut the St. Mungo's part AND Lockheart part. They cut a LOT.

Post by **Alynna Lis Eachann** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:53 pm

It was not Neville's parents, it was Neville's grandfather that he saw die, IIRC.

Post by **Waddley** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:56 pm

So he CAN see the horses?

YouTube · Post by **Menolly** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 8:14 pm

I seriously don't remember Neville being able to see the thestrals. But it's been a long time since I've read OotP. Maybe I could find the answer if I search. Beorn won't be available for me to ask until August 6th...

Looks like you did remember that part right, Wadds.

From Wikipedia:

In Order of the Phoenix several characters were shown to be able to see Thestrals including Harry Potter, Rubeus Hagrid, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom and Theodore Nott.

Waddley Hasselhoff wrote:Huh, I coulda sworn Neville's parents were dead. Ahh well, been a while since I read them.

Spoiler

Do you remember Neville's mom coming to him and handing him the gumball wrapper? His grandmother tried to make her stop, but Neville gently thanks her for it and puts it in his pocket. That scene always makes me cry.

Spoiler
Anyway- yeah they cut the St. Mungo's part AND Lockheart part. They cut a LOT.

Well @#$!!!

Post by **Cameraman Jenn** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 8:52 pm

I was just about to post about that. Yes, Neville saw the thestrals.

Ok, saw the movie last night. I liked it alot. They did cut out ALOT but then again, they had no choice. I liked alot of what they did to tighten things together.

Things I didn't like:

Spoiler

I didn't like that they made Cho take the fall instead of Marietta. I also hated that they placed it on Umbridge and Veritaserum interrogations. I was looking forward to seeing the fruits of Hermione's curse! I also thought they downplayed Fred and George too much. They were major heavy hitters in OOTP. I would at least have liked to see a little more pranking. Instead of only showing happy everybody's doing great scenes of the DA, they could have thrown in the one where F&G were secretly disarming someone. That would have been funny. I also thought they made the bloodinking quill of Umbridge too public, too common. I know she used it on others in the book because Harry notices that Lee Jordan's hand is all red after detention with Umbridge and he suggests the essence of murtlap, but they made it out like she was doing it to practically the whole school. That bothered me. Also, the kissing scene - uck. Maybe Daniel Radcliff needs to come to the US and take kissing lessons from me.

Seriously, watching him kiss Cho made me cringe. Poor Cho. From what I saw in the movie, Ron was right about her crying because Harry is such a bad kisser. Oh, and MORE Tonks please. Did she even have a single line? GRRR....

What I liked:

Spoiler

Bellatrix, Luna, Umbridge. The thestrals. Ginny's reducto curse in the Hall of Prophecy and the results of it. The death eater costuming. The fact that FINALLY Rupert Grint has learned to act. Yay! I liked most of what they chose to fit into the film. I liked that they gave Luna some depth right off the bat. I liked the way they depicted Harry's possession by Voldemort in the showdown at the ministry. I like that they flashed Harry's thoughts while trying to fight off Voldemort. That was well done. I would have preferred not to hear the prophecy until DD tells Harry but the way they had him hear the quiet ghostly voice worked well. I loved Sirius - Gary Oldman delivered another flawless performance. Snape - ditto for Alan Rickman. I actually found myself creepily attracted to Snape at the very beginning of the first Occlumency lesson. Chicks did bad guys. I think Alan Rickman should just adopt Snape's wardrobe permanently. Yes, Alan Rickman's depiction gave me chills in a bad way and a naughty way. Ok, enough about that. I loved the comedic use they put Filch too in this film. It was brilliantly executed.

All in all it was a very enjoyable film, a fine stand alone work. Just remember folks, it is NOT the book.

YouTube · Post by **Menolly** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:00 pm

Wow!

It sounds like it has it's problems if you love the book, but sounds like it was good.

How was the direction? Do you miss Cuaron (my favorite of the HP directors so far)?

Post by **Waddley** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:18 pm

Yes on Snape as well Jenn. Then again, I've always had a crush on him. After Harry went into his mind I wanted to just give him (Snape) a hug and tell him that it would all be ok...

Post by **Cameraman Jenn** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:40 pm

Spoiler

That scene though, in Snape's office at the beginning of the Occlumency lesson when they pan up Snape starting at this boot and he's leaning casually against the desk looking down at Harry with contempt and disdain and his body language screams relaxed but you know he's about to strike at any second....that was hot.

YouTube · Post by **Menolly** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:48 pm

*snort*

There go our male fans of the series...

Post by **Cameraman Jenn** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:53 pm

Well, for the male fans, Bonnie Wright aka Ginny Weasley is a stunner folks. She's gorgeous now, by the time she gets around to macking on Harry she's gonna be hotter than hawt Hawt HAWT!

Spoiler

Hopefully Harry's smooching skills will have much improved before then.

Post by **Sunbaneglasses** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 1:29 am

And just how long is it until my fascination with Emma Watson is no longer taboo?

Post by **Seafoam Understone** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 2:49 am

Sunbaneglasses wrote:And just how long is it until my fascination with Emma Watson is no longer taboo?

About another year... whew, glad I'm not the only one... she has grown into a very lovely young lady... Ginny too.

I still haven't seen the movie but kinda sorta expected it to be along the same cutting vein of GOF. There was SOOO much into those and the rest of the books that squeezing it all in the only way to do it is to treat it like LOTRs trilogy and have an EXPANDED edition out on DVD. They could still do it with OoTP and the rest but it'll all depend on the cast and crew if they're willing to spend that much more time on it like the cast/crew of LOTRs.

Glad to hear in recent interviews that Emma Watson has changed her mind about not playing Hermionie because she said she can't see anyone else playing her. Neither can I. She was spot on from the first film on.

Still looking forward to it all and hope to catch it in the theater. Done so with all the others so better to see it all first on the big screen then dissect it later on the tube.

Post by **Usivius** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:20 pm

I agree with Jenn in almost everything, especially the part about the book is a book and the movie is a movie.
They put just the right amount of stuff in the movie to get the point across. All the characters were used pretty well, and although you really want to see more of the Weasley twins, they are used well and have a GREAT parting scene.
The director and editor made great choices on keeping the action moving without losing the emotional aspect of the story. Very well done. And the use of wordless dialogue -- glances between characters that say so much (Ron and Hermione especially) is great.
The Umbridge character was played brilliantly! Chillingly done.

Oh, and what about Kreecher?... Oooo that little grumbly house elf is creepy.
I'm not sure if any of you heard the rumours about him in the movie...
But originally the (very long) script had him in a little and then it was decided to cut him out. When JK found out about it, she told the producers and director that they had to put Kreecher in, hinting that he would be very important.

Oooooo.

I personally think this is the best movie yet. And that is fairly high praise from me as I found PoA to be truly amazing.

Post by **aliantha** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 2:15 pm

I agree, this was the best movie yet. This was the first one that felt like an actual movie to me -- not a dramatization of as much of the book as they could cram into three hours. I liked this director's style and I'm glad he'll be around for (at least) the sixth film.

The kid actors are getting *much* better. Especially Dan Radcliffe. I thought Rupert did a pretty good job in the last movie, and Emma was always the best of the three, but in this movie, thank the gods, Dan has *finally* shed that deer-in-the-headlights look.

I miss Peeves! The ending of this movie just wasn't the same without Peeves!

Yeah, Kreacher's a scary little dude, isn't he? And here's another "yes" vote for more Tonks.

Post by **Seafoam Understone** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 2:49 pm

More Tonks! More Tonks! More Tonks!

She looked pretty hot in that purple hair...

Post by **Cagliostro** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 2:55 pm

I can't wait to see it. And I'm sad to hear there is so little Tonks, as I heard she was being played by the lady who was in About A Boy. Love that movie, and really liked her character in About A Boy. Seems a nice fit.

Post by **Seafoam Understone** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 2:56 pm

Cagliostro wrote:I can't wait to see it. And I'm sad to hear there is so little Tonks, as I heard she was being played by the lady who was in About A Boy. Love that movie, and really liked her character in About A Boy. Seems a nice fit.

She probably DOES have speaking scenes and all of that... but they were left on the editing room floor.

They've GOT to make an expanded version of these movies I tell ya!

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

HP: OotP Movie

HP: OotP Movie