The Yak Shack Forum

I love all Harry Potter stuff - all the books and all the films - so when I went to see this film yesterday I expected to do the same.

The bit with Aunt Marge was funny enough but it went rapidly down hill from there.  It missed great chunks of the story out altogether and made up other bits which weren't in the book at all.  I got the book out when I got home just to check.

The Knight Bus looks good from the outside but the inside is horrible and not at all like the description in the book.

If it hadn't been for ALL the actors who were brilliant it would have been a disaster.

We hardly saw the usual school professors at all and the new Dumbledore is not much more reassuring than Voldamort.
 ;DSirius, Lupin & Pettigrew were awesome.  Daniel (especially good in scenes with Gary Oldman), Rupert, Emma & Tom (hello, is that REALLY you?!!!) are improved beyond belief.  

I haven't checked if this director is being retained for Goblet of Fire but if he is they might as well all pack up and go home.  Anyone who thinks he can improve on J K Rowling - as this bloke, with this amount of rewriting, obviously does - has to be mad.  I can only imagine that Joanna herself - to allow this - must have been on her holidays.

Hmmm I have heard such mixed reviews; some totally love it and others hate it!

I shalld decide myself tonight from 8.40 pm onwards... :-\

Ooh and welcome to the forum by the way  ;D

Let me know what you think - I'll be interested to know.

Come back Chris Columbus etc.

Eh well I thought it was excellent. It didn't stick 100% to the book but I thought what they did was very well done. The camerawork is excellent and while there are still a few scenic shots the pace never really slows down. The kids' acting has definitely improved and the mood is perfectly set. The highlight of the film had to be the Marauder's Map, however, which was so well done I almost died with glee!

Well I see that the English have the opening of the movie 3 days before it opens here in the United States on June 4th.   ;)  I am looking forward to everyones opinion of the movie.  I was dismayed by sueb34's review and wonder why Chris Columbus was not retained to do the HP movies?  Anyone know why?

Mark's review gave me hope.  Did you see the Pear Tree in the movie?   ;)

Nope we still have no idea whatsoever as to what the peartree is  ::) probably the tree near the whomping willow  ;)

It doesn't officially open til Friday but since last Monday they have been doing 'preview screenings'

 ;D

Roz:

Are you and Mark planning on seeing POA again?  What parts of the movie were not in the book?

Absoloutely

In the UK the mobile phone company orange are doing 2 for one tickets on wednesday evenings at cinemas.

We are planning on seeing The day after tomorrow tonight and then next wednesday seeing HP again   ;D

We will be seeing it again soon... tonight we are seeing The Day After Tomorrow but perhaps next Wednesday... depends when Shrek 2 is out here!

MORE SPOILERS TO FOLLOW!

Bits of the movie that weren't in the book include the bit where Hermione does a Werewolf call to distract Lupin from the past versions of themselves and then her and Harry get chased all around the forbidden forest and saved by Buckbeak. It's not as consequential as it sounds, however and doesn't interfere with the story much.

Also the bit where Malfoy is sitting waiting to watch Buckbeaks execution and Hermione punches him isn't in the book. But to be honest, none of the alterations affect the plot a great deal.

Mark & Roz:

I will be interested to hear if you liked "The Day After Tomorrow".  I know you will enjoy seeing Ian Holm.   :)

The movie did very well over our Memorial Day Holiday weekend.  

Some of the topics missing are:

Almost all of the marauder's map - just the tiny bit with Pettigrew left.

The bit in the 'Three Broomsticks' when Harry "learns" Sirius killed his parents (reduced to a few lines in the film)

Percy Weasley being Head Boy

Introduction of Cho Chang

This was my favorite HP book and I just found it so 'watered down' and un-magical.  All the color & detail missing.  Disappointing.  Sorry to go on about it folks!!  I wish you better enjoyment!

Of course, on the up side - I'll be going to see it again, buying the DVD etc etc etc......!!

ya you never know there maybe extra scenes in the dvd that will show some of the stuff from the book that didn't make the final cut

Come on Guys were you not watching

the exercutioner was sat under to Pear Tree sharpening his axe.

I noticed it straight away ;D

i never noticed that >:(,wow you are observant well donr,you almost deserve a card for seeing it  

When I see this movie for the second time I am going to be transfixed looking for all these things that have been discussed here.   ;)  

As these movies are made in England has anyone ever seen any casting calls for extras in the newspapers or TV?

The most disappointing was the no quidditch final :'(
They also needed to explain the names on the Maraudrs mao... I kept htinking Lupin would do it as he was leaving, like in the book. Would have taken a minute and made everything so much clearer for those who had not read the books :o

That said, if you had not read the books or pretended not to have read them like me (in order to distrract me from cringing at all the book omissions and changes etc), it was a pretty enjoyable movie

Yes - you could make a pretty decent second film out of what was left out!  Ummm interesting thought.....!

Well all in all it was a good film, but as you say, there is hardly any magic and lupin could of ezplained about the marauders map at the end and told harry that his father was a stag. also did any one else notice that the scenery was so damp and colourless in this one and the castle didnt seem to have any warmth in it. i missed the little scenes of them in classes doing magic and the hole film was based on harry doin the patronus charm.

p.s but when harry was talkin to lupin about the boggart, where the hell did the bridge come from?

Also - the inside of the Knight Bus looked as if it had been smoked in since the Goblin Rebellions and you could scrape the tar off with a knife and not the nicely panelled, cosy bus described in the book.

At least Dumbledore is more accurately portrayed - no offence to Richard Harris, i know he was a superb actor, but his Dumbledore was too frail for my liking. From the books, I saw D as an ecccentric, many layered character... Michael gambon has done that admirably... but I would like to see some improvement on his costume design... I reckon they need to bring in the people who worked on the LOTR movies... the wizard clothes especially could be done so much better IMO

Well I think for Dumbledore a mixture of the two would be perfect. The first I agree was too frail but the second I think is too strict - there is no twinkle in his eye like described in the book.

I just wish they paid more hommage to the previous two films, scenery-wise. If things are going to change between the films, you don't get a very good feeling of continuity  :-\

Yes, a combination would be good.  A bit more of the silver hair and a more sympathetic manner - he has to an approachable headmaster which is not usual whilst being as believably powerful as Voldemort.  
At the same time he has to have the authority and enormous kindness to take on the oddest assortment of staff - Snape, Lupin, Moody, Hagrid etc. and still juggle the Ministry of Magic.
In other words, he has to be the complete opposite of Voldemort.  Michael Gambon needs to soften up his portrayal or Dumbledore a good bit when it comes to dealing with those who rely on his protection.

Great points by Mark & sueb34!  I couldn't agree more.

I saw the movie when it opened in Oz last week, and I thought it was fantastic.  The book is my favourite of the series, and while it is disappointing that some great scenes have been cut, it needs to be remembered that a movie is structured differently to a book.  There is no way they can put everything in and keep it flowing nicely.  And like a recent review said, the existence of the movie doesn't erase the book-you can always go back and re-read those bits we love so much  ;D

Well one thing is certain, the movie has ignited a desire to re-read all the books again!!   :)  Blackcat is right -  it is almost impossible to translate a book verbatim into a movie due to the style, structure, and timing not to mention the length.  

Now we all would like to see the HP books done right but look at for example the LOTR's - 3 great movies and still so much left out.  Where do you strike the balance?

Don't get me wrong - I love the HP movies, but I think the LOTR movies capture the spirit of the LOTR books better than the HP films for the HP books... what do you guys reckon?

Hey Roz - I think a new Poll is in order for this one!!  ;)