[HPFGU-Movie] Referendum on the Director

[Tam Nesbit]

cindysphynx wrote:
> And that is my question.  If you were the producer of PoA and GoF,
> and the only information you had to go on was his work in PS/SS,
> would you hire Columbus for PoA, GoF, both, or neither?

I'd hire him for both.  I loved what he did with PS/SS.

> 1.  I'm not fond of the idea of splitting GoF into two movies.  I
> just don't think it can work.

Okay, I'm iffy on this one...

> 2.  I think he made far too many mistakes in PS/SS.  We've beaten
> this to death of course, but for me, the glaring blunders include the
> coaching of Emma Watson, Snape's sprint to the front of the class for
> his potions speech, the boring opening sequence, having all of the
> kids do a "Home Alone" scream in the troll Great Hall scene and again
> when they confront Fluffy.

I'm new here, so I've missed the beatings :), but I thought Emma was
perfect (I knew kids like that, with the exaggerated enunciation and
manner, when I was growing up... and while we're there, I thought Rupert
was a perfect Ron... when you grow up in a house full of boisterous
siblings, those Big Expressions can develop, just so someone notices
you!), I liked Snape's "sprint" (and you *know* he began talking the
*second* class was to begin), I already addressed the opening... I'll
give you the scream scenes, though.  :))

> 3.  I think he showed an inability to combine scenes to save time
> that could be spent better elsewhere.  For instance, do we need
> several Mirror of Erised scenes, or could all of it have been
> accomplished in one scene?  Can't we combine the hut on the rock with
> Privet Drive, both to save time and to enhance continuity?

I think we needed those Erised scenes to reiterate how deeply Harry
feels that big hole in his heart that comes from never knowing his
parents.  And I think we needed Privet Drive alone, as a base for The
Dursley Years!

> 4.  He is not very good at deciding what to keep and what to cut,
> which will be critical in the next two films.  Keeping Norbert and
> the Troll wasn't wise given the important things that were deleted.
> If JKR "wouldn't let him" cut certain things, then we need a director
> who can be a bit more persuasive.

I know there's a difference between what works in a book and what works
in a movie, but if we're going to err on one side or another, I'll bow
to the creator of the story....

> 5.  He made the soundtrack too loud.  There's just no excuse for that.

Yikes.  Just a tad, yes...  

> 6.  His mastery of special effects techniques is questionable.  When
> a character (Peeves) is cut not because the story requires it but
> because the special effects were poor, I think the director has to
> take responsibility.  I'm not even going to mention the centaur.

Ouch.  Yeah, Firenze was awkward... but I liked the rest of it!

> 7.  My biggest overall gripe about the movie was the lack of
> continuity.  Since PoA and GoF are much bigger books, I would think
> the continuity problems will be much more pronounced if Columbus also
> brings them to the screen.  In other words, if he can't do PS/SS as a
> movie that stands up on its own merits without knowledge of the
> books, then how can he possibly do it with books that are hundreds of
> pages longer?

Well, most of my co-workers who saw the movie never read any of the
books, and still thought it wonderful, and from that and the comments of
fellow viewers who also hadn't read them (hey, I like to eavesdrop when
I'm in line!), it does seems to stand alone.
 
> That said, it is still definitely a close question.  The movie could
> have been badly botched, and it wasn't.  It was, after all, a smash
> success.  But given that for PoA and GoF, we are starting with good
> stories, a proven cast (for the ones who return), and established set
> design and costume design, I think we need someone who is more adept
> at telling a story with continuity.  So Mr. Columbus gets a gold
> watch and free tickets to PoA and GoF from me, but not the directing
> nod.

It could have been a train wreck!  No, I'll stick with Columbus on
this.  :)

Tam, glad to have found this list and listening to the soundtrack for
maybe thirtieth time since Saturday...