[HPFGU-Movie] Snape not shown long-term

[Schlobin1 at aol.com]

In a message dated 11/20/2001 11:44:42 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
feycat at feycat.net writes:

<< > 2. We never see Harry get that Snape hates HIM, not just that he's
 > particularly unpleasant. We know he's more unpleasant toward Harry,
 > but H. never even wonders about it, and Dumbledore never told him that
 > James saved Snape's life...I agree with most cuts from the book, but
 > this one I think was important, very important, for setting up
 > future emotion.
 
 I too was REALLY bothered by that. Because they cut out so much, you never 
get a real sense of time. You don't see that this was a long-term, ongoing 
thing that made Harry miserable every time he knew he was going to Potions 
class. You didn't get to see Snape single him out and pick at him EVERY DAY. 
Also, they cut out Snape picking points away from Griffindor daily for no 
real reason. ("Potter! Why didn't you tell him not to add the porcupine 
quills? Thought it would make you look better?" etc) 
 
 In my mind, cutting out Snape essentially cheating against Griffindor made 
the final scene where Dumbledore hands out all those points to Griffindor 
look terrible. The Slytherins may be jerks, but they are still children and 
students at Hogwarts. It looks like Dumbledore just took his favorites and 
gave them enough points to yank the cup out of Slytherin's hands at the last 
minute. It seemed a cruel thing to do to the whole other table of children. 
Granted, Harry and the others did really cool things, but it still looks like 
favoritism until you know that Slytherin has been essentially cheating points 
out during the whole year.
 
 -Gabriel
 
  >>

Gabriel, I agree.

Letting Snape look only semi-evil is 5000 times more important (IMHO) than 
putter outers, or Greek versus Irish, or the snake question.....

One of the big mysteries of the books is: is Snape good or evil...I mean for 
gosh sakes, he's a former DEATH EATER...he participated in murder and torture 
(most likely) and he treats the Gryffindors (especially Harry) foully. It 
does look as if Dumbledore is just playing favorites...and it's confusing to 
have Snape wish Harry good luck..it makes our trio look like hysterical kids 
to have suspected Snape..and I miss the line about James and Snape having a 
relationship like Harry and Malfoy's.


  Also Malfoy must be more vicious for the whole thing to make 
sense..Dramatically it might have worked better to have no scene on the train 
and no scene in Madam Malkin's...but Harry's vehemence about not being in 
Slytherin does not come across as very logical..whereas in the book, he 
dislikes Malfoy immediately, and Malfoy goes on about purebloods and status 
and being in Slytherin.....then we have the scene on the train to reinforce 
it.....

Susan