Digest 151

[joanne0012]

--- In HPFGU-Movie at y..., Mary Korth <caithness01 at y...> wrote:

> While I have to agree with you that I'd rather have
> some form of a puppet/live action Dobby than a CGI
> one, I have to quibble with what you say about the
> graphics.  Granted, some of the graphics in the first
> movie (the troll, parts of Quidditch...) weren't the
> greatest.  But I just finished reading the
> (unbelievably long) article in Cinefex... did you know
> that the snake Harry speaks to in the london zoo was
> CG?  Small movements were done by a puppet snake, but
> most of it was CG.  I hadn't noticed.  Also - in the
> troll scene, when the troll picks Harry up by his
> ankles, that's not really Daniel (except, of course,
> for the parts when he's talking).  That's a CG Harry. 

Yikes, it was *obviously* a CG Harry.  His body shape wasn't even right!  And of 
course they wouldln't risk a real person flopping aroundlike that.

I think part of the problem with the CG work in HPSS was that it was done in a 
rush, and delegated to several different outfits because of time constraints. 
The centaur was so horrible, it looked like the work was half-done and got used 
even though they ran out of time to finish it!  Let's hope that Dobby gets better 
treatment.
> 
> Just thought I'd put my "two knuts" in on the debate
> over the score.  Music is a completely subjective
> topic, so this is my opinion only - take it for what
> you will.  I got the soundtrack when it cam out in
> October, and immediately fell in love with the
> Quidditch track.  I could visualize the entire game
> while listening to the music.  That, to me, is what
> the definition of a good movie score is - music that
> serves the picture and expresses things that light and
> color and motion alone cannot.  

Hmm, interesting opinion.  And probably part of the reason that Williams gets 
away with what he does, which is to overwhelm the action.  I don't understand 
the reasoning that a good score should also work well as a stand-alone piece that 
helps you visualize the action.  To me this is an indication of its very weakness -- 
trying to do too much, rather than just supporting and complementing the visual 
component.  The only reason for a score to be good listening independent of the 
fliim itself is so that it will sell CD's.  That's why Williams is so popular with 
filmmakers -- he helps them make more money by selling more copies of the 
score, by making it more independently-listenable.