More reflections and ratings of the actors - very, very long

Schlobin1 at aol.com Schlobin1 at aol.com
Fri Nov 23 06:23:15 UTC 2001


Upon reflection, I don't think it was  a great movie, and I still loved it.

The transitions were too jagged, and some of the special effects were really 
bad (centaur, unicorn). To repeat myself, it's highly annoying that they 
substituted bad dialogue for good, often hilarious, dialogue from the book. I 
think the chess game was too long, the keys section was boring, and the 
ending, pretty anticlimactic. I liked the music, and didn't really care about 
issues such as birthdate discrepancy. I will always rant about the change of 
title.when Hermione says "don't you read?" I want to shout, yes, yes, I read 
and I know about the PHILOSOPHER'S STONE! We are not all illiterate here in 
the States."

What I delighted in were the costumes, the sets, the visual arts, and the 
sense that I now know what it all looks like --- Privet drive, Platform 
9-3/4s , the Hogwarts Express, Hogwarts!, the great hall, Gryffindor's 
Commons room, the Forbidden Forest, the inside of Hagrid's Hut, Diagon Alley, 
the Leaky Cauldron, the goblins, Gringotts..Upon reflection, it was not the 
STORY that I liked (I already knew it), but the wonderful visualization of 
the stories. 

These were the places that rang true for me, that fulfilled my inner vision 
of the world…those were the moments, upon seeing the sets, that I wanted to 
go down the rabbit hole and end up in the same universe as Harry 
Potter…(there was a sign for a store to the right just as Harry and Hagrid 
entered Gringotts, did anyone see what it said?)

Hogwarts was a particularly powerful experience. From the express to arriving 
and seeing Hagrid with the lantern..the wonderful scene with the first years 
in the boats sailing across the water with the moon rising….into the great 
hall….the staircases and pictures moving, I shared the awe of the first year 
students…when the owl post arrived, it reminded me that I was now in a 
magical world. It assisted in my suspension of belief so that when Ron 
dropped the club on the troll, I believed it. 

I've devised a rating system for the actors, in part based on some 
conversations here.

Extraordinary. This actor/actress enhanced JKR's character, and brought new 
highlights, depth and texture to the character.
Fine - Plus. This actor/actress did a good job of playing JKR's character 
with a little extra.
Fine. This actor/actress did a fine job of playing JKR's character.
Not very good. This actor/actress was not too inspiring..
Replace this one. This actor/actress was awful and needs to be replaced.

Here are my ratings, with hope that they will inspire spirited dialogue.

Harry Potter/Daniel Radcliffe. 
Rating: Fine
He was okay.  He was not spectacular. His best moments were when he lit 
up…upon winning the Quidditch match, at Christmas….he was pretty wooden 
serving food at the Dursleys, and in the Dark Forest. 

Ron Weasley/Rupert Grint. 
Rating: Extraordinary.
What a talent this kid has..his mobile face, his every expression, his body 
language..I'm sure they gave him extra lines because he was so good. His 
shrugs, his eyebrows, amazing, amazing, amazing..

Hermione Granger/Emma Watson
Rating: Fine. 
She was okay, but not extraordinary. Her best moments were setting fire to 
Snape's robes, and demolishing the Devil's snare.

Albus Dumbledore/Richard Harris.
Rating: Fine
I am almost as annoyed at the anti Richard Harris people (who were determined 
to damn him before they saw him) as I am at those who insist on introducing 
romantic content among 11 year olds…
By God, he looks and sounds like Albus Dumbledore and he DOES twinkle when he 
says that the whole school knows about Harry's encounter with Quirrell. He 
WOULD have done better had he been given the comic/eccentric lines, and I am 
hopeful that he will get off his high horse and do better in the movies to 
come….What wonderful costumes they gave him to wear.

Severus Snape/Alan Rickman
Rating: Extraordinary
Rickman brings Snape to life - swooping around like a bat. I'm really annoyed 
at the script that makes Snape look like a good guy, who is misunderstood. He 
is far more nasty, capricious and totally unfair in the book. Remember he 
takes a point from Gryffindor in the Potions team, and takes points from 
Harry for taking a library book outside. When my four year old asks me if 
Snape is evil, I keep telling him that's the question everyone wants 
answered…..Anyway, he was great….unquestionably added to the book's potrayal.

Rubeus Hagrid/Robbie Coltrane
Rating: Extraordinary
Coltrane breathes life into Hagrid in a wonderful, wonderful performance that 
is enhanced  by the script. I could not really understand how Hagrid could be 
so careless in releasing information until I saw the movie. His affection for 
Harry, his involvement with dogs, and dragons, and other magical creatures, 
his devotion to Dumbledore….they all shine through….

Minerva McGonagall: Dame Maggie Smith
Rating: Extraordinary
Maggie Smith fills out and enhances McGonagall's character just as I hoped 
she would.
I hope JKR will be inspired to see how adult women can be powerful and 
important. Her lines were delivered impeccably - five points to Gryffindor 
for sheer dumb luck…
You heard me correctly Mr. Malfoy..perhaps I should turn one of you into a 
pocket watch..she is regal in her emerald green robes and witch's hat with a 
twist at the top…

Uncle Dursley: Richard Griffiths
Rating: Between Not Very Good and Fine
He didn't take the part seriously enough. His grin when he burns the letters 
was good, but he didn't really put his heart into the part. Not very 
inspiring. Too much broad humor. Almost as if the people who were doing the 
movie were afraid of the reality of abuse in Harry's house.

Aunt Petunia: Fiona Show
Rating: Fine Minus
I don't know…her speech about her sister seemed awkward…..her throwing 
herself at the glass where Dudley was imprisoned seemed overdone…..she and 
Dudley almost
Played it as a parody or a caricature..but the Dursleys abuse and 
mistreatment of Harry came across much more clearly in the book (although 
when he said 'yes, that's me, too, bred in captivity, that was powerful). 
It's almost as if all the Dursley characters played it as a joke…I guess it 
was okay. I really liked the curlers in her hair in the hut on the sea scene.

Madam Hooch: Zoe Wannamaker
Rating: Fine - Plus
I had not paid much attention to Madam Hooch until I saw the trailer. Zoe 
obviously brings a panache (aided by the costume) that I did not sense in the 
book.  I love her eyes and her boots and her general flair. I love all the 
characters who manage their robes so well.

Professor Quirrell/Ian Hart
Rating: Replace this one
I thought he was awful. I'm glad they don't have to replace them.

Nearly Headless Nick: John Cleese
Rating: Not very good, flat performance, lackluster

Professor Flitwick/Goblin Bank Teller/Warwick Davis
Rating: Between Extraordinary and Fine-Plus
He was GREAT!…I loved his suspicious glare as the head banking teller.
And I loved his squeak as Hermione manages to levitate the feather…really 
happy that they kept in the part about him being perched on a pile of books

Mrs. Weasley/Julie Walters
Rating: Not Very Good - Minus
Too tawdry, too made up, hair too obviously dyed…..

Fred and George Weasley
Rating: Fine
They were pretty much Fred and George. Good job, nothing terrific.

Ginny Weasley
Rating: Not every good…really, who could tell? Not terribly impressive.

Lily and James Potter
Rating: Replace them both. Right now. Find someone who looks like Harry and 
is younger. Find someone who has big blue or green eyes like Harry and is 
younger.

Mr. Ollivander/John Hurt
Rating: Extraordinary
Magickal, spooky, wonderful….

Percy Weasley/Chris Rankin
Rating: Not Very Good at all
He wasn't pompous! Or condescending. Just kind of fatherly. No good.

Draco Malfoy/Tom Felton
Rating: Fine
He was fine. Wasn't quite as nasty as I would have liked. Much cuter than I 
think he should be, given his portrayal in Canon.

Oliver Wood/Sean Biggerstaff
Rating: Fine Plus
A very good looking young man with a lovely accent and excellent acting 
ability.
I especially like the look he gives the Slytherin Quidditch Captain when he 
blocks his shot.

Seamus Finnegon/Devon Murray
Rating: Not Very Good
Just uninspiring.



Susan McGee, Ann Arbor, Michigan
(I want to be Arabella Figg in the movie)




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