Seventeen points against the movie (not all L.O.O.N.) and five pros

[macloudt at yahoo.co.uk]

--- In HPFGU-Movie at y..., pigwidgeon37 at y (Susanna)... wrote:

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> 2) My strongest objection to the film: Richard Harris as 
Dumbledore. 
> Where is the smile, where is the fundamental goodness of this great 
> man, where is his wonderful eccentricity? Here is an inaccessible, 
> rather authoritarian personality who would never ever say (and in 
> fact he doesn't) that his heart's desire are warm socks.
>
I still saw Dumbledore as a kindly grandfather-type, but I was 
puzzled as to why his humerous lines had been deleted.  I understand 
the time constraints, but his lines about the socks and 
his "nitwit..." line after the sorting ceremony would have added so 
much to his character.  My guess is that people who haven't read the 
books would not have grasped a proper picture of him from just the 
film.
  
> 4)To somebody who hasn't read the book, it cannot be clear why 
Harry 
> doesn't want to become a Slytherin. There is one short thing Ron 
> mutters to him (originally Hagrid's line) about all Dark Wizards 
> being ex-Slytherins, but that is certainly not enough.
> 
Agreed.  If the scene between Draco and Harry in the robe shop had to 
be cut, then they could have at least been introduced to each other 
on the train.  Draco's character struck me as shallow an pratty, but 
not borderline "evil" (ducks as Draco fans hurl sharp objects) as in 
the books.  Another character not put to proper use.

> 5) It is never stated that McGonagall is Head of Gryffindor and 
Snape 
> Head of Slytherin, albeit it is vitally important to the plot, 
above 
> all to make Snape seem to be the Bad Guy.
>
And Alan Rickman was *far* too sexy! :)  He plays a good Snape, but 
wasn't at all how I pictured Snape in the books.
 
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> 10) What's everybody's opinion about the moving staircases? For my 
> taste, they are much too scary and exaggerated.
>
Must disagree with you here :)  I thought they were a good way to 
place them on the forbidden floor due to the time constraints.  Quick 
and easy!

> 11) I'm fully aware that some things have to be cancelled in order 
> not to make it a 4 hour-film. But why did they cancel the troll and 
> the potions from the obstacles protecting the stone? [...] far more 
important, we could 
> have seen Hermione solving the logical puzzle. Important because 
she 
> is awarded 50 points "for the use of cool logic in the face of 
> danger", which certainly doesn't refer to the Devil's Snare, but to 
> the potion puzzle.
>
 My guess to the Hermione bit is that this scene would be too boring 
for the kids.  There's been action and adventure, and having Hermione 
prattle on with no action may have been seen as off-putting.  Yes, 
the knocked-out Troll could have been left in (short scene after all) 
and the potions scene could have been shortened as well.  My friend's 
mom suggested that perhaps it was the walking through fire scene that 
nixed the potions bit.  What if some not-too-bright kids tried to do 
it as well?

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> 15) *Very* personal POV: I simply hate Gred and Forge! They look 
like 
> they were two Percys- I cannot imagine them as the super-pranksters 
> they should be!
>
A few pranks wouldn't have taken up much time.  At the very 
least "Gred and Forge" could have been included.  They may as well 
not have been there. 

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I would have just written "agreed" to several of your other comments, 
but I've seen Penny when she's angry, and it ain't a pretty sight!! ;)

Cheers!

Mary Ann
(who only saw the movie last night and wants to see it again!)