List of 'Mistakes' according to Dark Mark

[Barb]

I'm stealing other people's spoiler space...

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> Edis wrote:
> > They never introduce Crabbe and Goyle, matter of fact they don't 
> > introduce 3/4 of the characters

Cindy: 
> I'm glad they don't introduce huge numbers of categories.  If they 
> did, we'd be left with scores of characters wandering through the 
> film who do not become important until later.  Good call by the 
> director, I think.

I agree about the good call.  Re: Crabbe and Goyle specifically: I'm 
not clear what "don't introduce" means exactly.  Does this mean they 
are not specifically named?  To judge by many of the photos released 
(including pictures in Vanity Fair and the poster book) Crabbe and 
Goyle ARE in evidence in the first film.  They never really talk (in 
the book) and are basically goon accessories to Malfoy.  How much 
introduction COULD be done in reference to these characters?  They're 
stereotypes anyway.  I giggle when I see folks do fanfics that "flesh 
out" Crabbe and Goyle.  Aren't they already pretty fleshy? ;)
 
Cindy: 
> Wasn't Lee the boy on the train with the tarantula?  Didn't he have 
> dreadlocks?  So wouldn't he maybe look like a girl?  Not a problem 
> for me.

You already said what I was thinking... 
  
> Edis again:
> > The 1st years meeting ghosts scene never happens. They have a lot 
> > more ghosts in the movie then there should be.

Cindy:
> I'm bummed about the increased use of ghosts, as I don't really 
> care for the ghosts much.  But they axed Peeves, and he was one of 
> the more juvenile characters [snip]
  
On this I have to disagree, Cindy.  (Not about Peeves--about 
the "increased use of ghosts.")  I'm a bit confused by the DM remarks 
about the ghosts.  Right before the first years go into the Great 
Hall to be Sorted, the book says that HUGE numbers of ghosts start 
wafting through the entrance hall; it sounds like it puts Nick's 
Deathday Party to shame.  The only named ghosts in the first book are 
Nick, the Friar, the Baron and Peeves.  But there are many more 
ghosts than these.  There are only scattered mentions of the ghosts 
in any of the four books except for this scene and Nick's party, but 
from this scene alone one gets the impression that the place is 
positively reeking with ghosts.  On this score DM is definitely out 
in left field; there SHOULD be scads of ghosts.

>  Edis again:
> > Meets Malfoy right before sorting, instead of at Madam Malkins 
> > Robes For All Occasions.

Cindy: 
> > I would have recommended this myself. Good Cinematic 
> > concentration. We will get the central dialogue  [snip]
 
Actually, this makes sense for another reason: If Harry and Ron are 
able to bond during the entire train trip without being interrupted 
by Malfoy, Harry will be even less likely to heed anything Malfoy has 
to say when he encounters him for the first time just before the 
Sorting.  In the book, Harry knows Ron for a relatively short time 
when they are accosted by Malfoy; while Harry would not just take 
someone at his word and get up and abandon a new acquaintance who had 
been nothing but utterly friendly (how dumb is Malfoy, anyway?) it 
still makes more sense that Harry and Ron become friends in 5-6 hours 
instead of 5-6 minutes.

> Edis again:
> > They delete Herbology, DADA, and History of Magic classes.
> > Qurriel and Snape Forest conversation never occurs, it 
> > actually happens in the school.
 
Cindy: 
> I agree, and I'll add that I can't even remember what happens in 
> these classes, so it must not be very important.

Nothing of interest happens in these classes in the first book.  This 
would be following the Astronomy trend, IMO.  This course is 
mentioned in passing, but we never SEE one of these classes in the 
books.  Herbology becomes important in CoS because Harry meets Justin 
and discovers he's a Muggle-born, and they grow the mandrakes that 
will be used to revive the petrified students. (Although it's less 
necessary for this to be shown in a film, the comment about the 
mandrakes moving into each other's pots is good comic relief that 
adults will appreciate and which will probably fly over kids' heads). 
Quirrell does nothin of interest in class, nor Binns, and it doesn't 
matter where the Snape/Quirrell conversation takes place as long as 
Harry can hear it.  (My guess is they didn't want to go to the 
trouble of rigging up a broomstick just for Harry to hover about 
eavesdropping.)

Edis:
> > They delete the Potions Challenge, Hermione actually leaves with 
> > Ron from the Chess game.  
  
Cindy:
> I think dropping the Potions Challenge is a plus.  How exciting 
> could this be compared with the chess challenge?  By this point, we 
> know Hermione is really smart and logical.  No need to see it again.

I'm torn about this one; I want Hermione to have her moment.  OTOH, I 
believe I've read somewhere that there isn't actually enough info 
given in the book to definitively recreate the potions logic problem, 
and the screenwriter might have decided not to bother.  Most viewers 
probably wouldn't have been able to follow along anyway.

Edis:
> > Flashback to the Killing of the Potter's scene added, they show 
> > Lily getting killed but they don't show James getting killed?
> > 
Cindy: 
> Oh, I can't wait to see this!

Actually this is the one bit of news I found really disappointing!  I 
don't want this to be seen so early; this sort of thing should only 
ever be HEARD, by Harry, in his third year when the dementor gets 
near him on the train (and again later when he falls off his 
broomstick during the Quidditch game against Hufflepuff).  This, IMO, 
is pandering, to assume that this HAS to be seen.

Oh well.  There were going to be differences, that was inevitable.  I 
just ordered tickets online anyway. I wind up doing the grin-and-bear-
it anytime I go to a movie based on a book I enjoyed; if this is the 
worst thing about the movie, it will still have mucho stars in my 
book and I'll be doing a lot more grinning than bearing...

--Barb