[HPFGU-Movie] Re: CASTING - Lupin

[Moonstruck]

--- "GulPlum <plumeski at yahoo.com>" 
>>>>>The insistence of some fans to give these parts
to
30-something actors actually makes me angry. I can
understand kids insisting on it, but surely adults can
be just a LITTLE more objective? I really, sincerely,
would suggest that people take this matter on board
when imagining who might be cast. Start with Rickman
and work around him, NOT the (scant) age indications
in the books.>>>>>

I also happen to feel quite as strongly about the
matter of Lupin's casting as you are. I've read PoA
many, many times and feel I am quite objective when
considering who would be most suitable to play Lupin.
JKR describes Lupin as "young" in AT LEAST two
passages (as I haven't the time to read PoA over again
at this specific moment, I cannot provide proof of
more, but is certainly an implicit if not verbalized
notion throughout the book). As these descriptions of
Lupin are perceived through Harry, we can conclude
that no matter how old he is, he LOOKS quite young.
Indeed, the fact that he is described as being
PREMATURELY gray indicates that he's too young to be
graying naturally. One, then, would logically and
OBJECTIVELY conclude that Lupin must be in his
thirties or, at the oldest, early forties. 

If you'd really like to take the matter up with
someone, maybe you should tell Boardmate Steve Vander
Ark how erroneous/presumptive his HP Lexicon, a very
well respected and accurate resource for HP
information, is, as it posits Lupin's birth in 1960,
making him approximately 33-34 years old throughout
PoA. The Lexicon also reinforces the idea of Lupin as
"quite young."

As far as casting according to Rickman's age range,
I'd ask you to consider the actors who play in James
and Lily Potter in the movie. Do they necessarily look
like contemporaries of Rickman's Snape? Not really.
Did you honestly believe Christian Coulson was a
sixteen year old when you watched CoS? I sure as hell
didn't, but he embodied the role of Tom Riddle so
convincingly, it was something I could easily
overlook. Did you truly think Shirley Henderson looked
like a teenage when she appeared in the girls'
bathroom? What about Tom Felton? He's beginning to
actually look older than especially Emma Watson and
Dan Ratcliffe, as he is in real life. Shall we fire
him and find someone else more age-suitable to our two
leads?

The point is, this is a movie, and these movies have
asked us to suspend our sense of reality before --
they are, after all, about students in a WIZARDING
school -- especially in regards to certain casting
choices. Lupin appearing young is not just a
throw-away detail about his character. It's VITAL to
understanding the horrors that his lifestyle is
wrought upon him so early in life. JKR obviously felt
it important enough to reinforce the matter in the
book. I get just as irritated with people who refuse
to acknowledge that fact as you are with people who
you seem to think are letting their immature,
starstruck tendencies guide their casting opinions.

And, BTW, I never specifically named any actors I felt
were suitable to play Lupin. I never quoted an age for
him. Jeremy Irons, simply, IMHO, looks too old to play
Lupin. I don't appreciate having your issues
superimposed on my views. I realize Ewan McGregor is
too young to be a believable contemporary of
Rickman's, even if I might really like to see him play
the role. So I don't think he'll get cast. I'm okay
with that. Please don't talk down to us like we're
ignorant and juvenile.  

With all due respect, I find your tone and your
attitude insulting and disrespectful. I don't often
make a point of challenging somebody when they voice
an opinion on this board because it is, indeed, their
opinion and their right to voice it. What good does it
do to argue with them about it? It's certainly not
hurting anybody for them to believe whatever it is
they want to believe about the HP books/movies. You,
however, seem to think your opinion is not opinion,
but holy law. Perhaps that's part of the reason I felt
justified in challenging your stance. 

I've read your comments to other people's suggestions
and been absolutely appalled by the way you respond to
them. Your callous response to Petra Pan's suggestion
of John Hannah as Lupin was just the latest in a long
line of thoughtless comments you've made about other
people's opinions. I might think John Hannah or Colin
Firth would be reasonably believable as a contemporary
of Rickman's Snape. It's my right to feel that way and
to express it without being told, in so many words,
how utterly stupid I and my ideas are. This is a
community, comprised of people who want to come
together and discuss the HP movies in a thoughtful,
friendly manner. What are you really accomplishing by
ripping apart everyone else's opinions? If you're
going to argue, at least do it in a way that is not
rude or insulting to the person with whom you're
disagreeing.

-Jessica

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