See it with a Muggle/ Snape Opinions

[Zarleycat at aol.com]

I finally saw the movie, and it was so visually overwhelming that I 
will go see it again sometime this week.  So perhaps some of what I 
say may be revised after a second viewing.  I went to the movie with 
a friend who has not read any of the books.  We thought this could be 
interesting to see if the movie worked for someone who was only aware 
of Potterverse in the broadest terms.

Both of us felt some of the transitions were jumpy, especially in the 
beginning.  I understand that some things had to be left out, but the 
first 20 minutes or so seemed rushed to me.  My friend said she felt 
that she couldn't relax into the flow of the movie because it was 
trying to tell her too much too quickly.  

On the whole, my Muggle friend liked the movie, also.  She believed 
that Snape was trying to harm Harry, not protect him.  "That poor 
kid - he gets away from his awful family and has to deal with an 
awful teacher!"  Her main problem with the film was that Draco made 
her think of a blond Eddie Munster (for those of you who remember the 
TV show "The Munsters" from the 1960s.)

I had some minor disappointments - no discussion of wand material and 
wand cores, the Sorting Hat speaking out loud, Fred and George being 
relegated to very minor characters.

My main problem with the film is with Snape.  There is no indication 
of the bad blood between James and Snape.  Granted, Harry finds this 
out late in PS/SS but it plays a part in why Snape is frequently 
nasty to Harry.  My non-Potter reading friend wanted to know if Snape 
took a dislike to Harry simply because he was writing something 
during the beginning of their first Potions class.  I had to tell her 
that that was made up and in the book, Snape uses the "our newest 
celebrity" line when he's calling the roll.  In the book Snape 
initiates the hostility between them.  It's almost as if the film is 
presenting a kinder, gentler Snape.  Not exactly warm and cuddly, but 
decidedly not as nasty as the book version.

Okay, load up your blunderbusses and get ready to let me have it. I'm 
not a big fan of the Rickman portrayal.  I love the voice, I get a 
kick out of the sweeping, black robes, but I'd like a little more 
facial expression.  I thought he was too expressionless, except for 
those amazing dancing nostrils.  Give me a sneer, a curl of the lip, 
a frightening frown, something....I asked my friend how old she 
thought Snape was supposed to be.  Her estimate was early 50s, but 
trying to look late 40s.  I assume that the actors selected to play 
Lupin and Black will also have to fall into this age bracket.

Random thoughts:

Did anyone else think of the movie "The Gladiator" as the Gryffindor 
Quidditch team prepared to take the field?

I liked the use of a scrim effect to show what the kids saw when they 
were under the Invisibility Cloak.

Loved Robbie Coltrane.  Hated the music.

Was James a Seeker, as indicated in the film, or a Chaser?

And, I want Dumbledore's wardrobe, especially that nice number he's 
wearing at the end-of-year feast.


Marianne, who's prepared to reasses her Snape views upon a second 
screening