List of 'Mistakes' according to Dark Mark

[A.E.B.Bevan at open.ac.uk]

Well I have had a look at this list of differences...

"Kewpie" <dkewpie at p...> wrote:
> I found this link which shows all the alternation in the movie
> http://darkmark.com/c.c?l=moviemistakes
> the link contains LOTS of spoiler, so don't go there if you don't 
> wanna know. 

and they fall into a lot of different categories.  Some analysis 
below (protected by spoiler space) Basically though I think many are 
justified by cinematic factors and looks quite OK in theory Not 
mistakes in the throw up your hands sense. 

Not going into all the Dark Marks list in detail but here are some 
reclassified under three headings added by me.

A Frankly My Dear I don't give a damn
B Using Cinematic Resources and taking essence of storyline – in 
effect inconsequential changes.
C Serious Plot Transfigurations

Edis

FORMAT
 Dark marks Listing 
My comment on preceeding DM item(s).
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Category A Frankly MD I don't give a damn

 No Piers Polkien. 
Can live with that without blinking.
23; They never introduce Crabbe and Goyle, matter of fact they don't 
introduce 3/4 of the characters
C+G not so important here they will be needed in CoS of course but 
for this film we are already loading in enough introductions.
 Vernon to Grunnings scenes deleted. 
 No Television Report.
Live with those if the film can cover the emotional and plot issues 
in some other way.

 Lee Jordan looks too much like a girl (that is, they might as well=
 
have just made him a girl)
And the point is?  Actually Lee (like Robin) Is both a male and 
female name in Britain. So this could be a visualisation thing, 
personal preferences or maybe we will see a switch and a serious 
content change (But I cant remember without the books if Lee is 
refereed to as `He' in canon). 

Category B  Use of cinematic resources  and taking essence of 
storyline


 They never even get in the car (when running away from the letters=
).
 No Railview Hotel.
 The 1st years meeting ghosts scene never happens. They have a lot =

more ghosts in the movie then there should be.

All points the essence of which can be covered by use of cinematic 
time and suggestion. 

 Movie starts with Dumbledore actually summoning the light of the 
posts with the Light Putter Outer

Arma Virumque Cano. Getting started in the middle of action is a good 
way of gripping viewers. Jo has a wonderful literary trick for 
opening the book but it wouldn't  work on film. This sounds 
effective, uses material from the book and exploits strengths of 
cinema. If we were  doing an epic poem we could start like Virgil did 
in the Aenaead (Of Arms and the Man I Sing) but we aren't.

 They set Harry down on the front porch when he is a baby, light 
starts to come from his scar, flashes, and the flash recedes back 
into an 11 year old Harry Potter waking up.

This is a mistake? Sounds good cinematic treatment of what is 
narrated in words. On this evidence I am going to suspend judgement 
on (and not re-list here) all the notes in Dark Mark on `XYZ scene 
messed up' – looks like someone out to label anything different as 
bad per se.
.
 Meets Malfoy right before sorting, instead of at Madam Malkins 
Robes For All Occasions.

I would have recommended this myself. Good Cinematic concentration. 
We will get the central dialogue (Malfoys offer of alliance and 
warning against getting involved with dubious Wizards). 

 Chocolate Frogs are actually real in a sense. 
Develops visual strengths of cinema. Depends how its handled but 
could be a plus.

 Harry and Hagrid don't sleep over on the House on the Rock. After =

telling him he is a wizard, the scenes merges into them walking in 
London. 

Again Id have recommended this glide if Id been on the editing team. 
Looks more and more like intelligent selection and cinematic 
development of our story.

 They delete Herbology, DADA, and History of Magic classes.
 Qurriel and Snape Forest conversation never occurs, it actually 
happens in the school.

Look like defensible time savers. We will get big doses of Hogwarts 
atmosphere and attitudes from cinematic features (Visuals music etc) 
so some of the minor lesson scenes aren't needed to develop these in 
words. And telescoping the dialogue could work OK – no plot core 
issues in it being in the forest after all, its the conversation that 
counts.

Category C Serious Plot transfigurations  
(Ive cut the DM  notes on most of these as I have comments on most 
except we will need to see how it actually handles. But from what Ive 
seen and commented in category B points above I still live in hope 
that these will enhance the experience as a film linking together and 
not betray the spirit of the book.)
Two DM  points I will comment on: 

 They delete the Potions Challenge, Hermione actually leaves with 
Ron from the Chess game.  

I wondered how they would do the potions and logic scene. This loses 
a lot of Hermione's development and contribution so here's one I am 
sad  about.  Still, here's hoping  lots of kids go on to read the 
book, as the question `how does this logic work out' and maybe find 
that maths is fun after all
 Well one can dream.

 Flashback to the Killing of the Potter's scene added, they show 
Lily getting killed but they don't show James getting killed?

The Serious Addition! Tenterhooks on this
maybe in effect we get a 
little GoF right at the start???

Edis