Columbus Sets Sail for America // DVD

[Petra Pan]

--- Parker "harpdreamer" <pbnesbit at m...> wrote:
> --- Petra Pan [yours truly] wrote:
> > In case you haven't heard, according to today's Daily
> > Variety, Chris Columbus will definitely NOT be
directing
> > PoA.  Reportedly, Columbus wants to bring his family
> > home.
> 
> (Snip)
>
> > Petra
> > a
> > n  :(
> > 
> 
> I, for one, am glad he'll not be directing PoA.  I think 
> it needs a  director who can do "edgy".  Now, if they'd 
> just get rid of Steve Kloves as well...

Agreed - I too am glad CC won't be directing the remaining
volumes, which are even more complex than SS or CoS...BTW,
that frowning emoticon above is directed at the thought of
waiting another year for OotP (part of snippage), not at
thought that Columbus is bowing out of the franchise.  :)

As someone who really enjoyed Alfonso Cuaron's dreamy and
magical "A Little Princess," I am rather torn: which would
I prefer? HP interpreted for the big screen by Cuaron or
someone "edgier" like Tim Burton?  If it was up to me, I'd
have different directors handle different scenes.  No, I
too doubt that'd happen.

Having attended a Q&A session featuring Kloves, I found him
to be a nice enough guy and not particularly "Hollywood." 
His heart seems to be in the right place, and his other
works (Wonder Boys, The Fabulous Baker Boys, and Racing
with the Moon) has earned him much esteem among other
writers.  How then did HPSS become such an exercise in
getting from one plot point to another...and not much else?
<shoulders a-shrugging, head a-shaking>

A case can certainly be made that 2-3 hours can only cover
the story elements that kept millions of noses stuck
between the covers...but to fail to recreate the character
development that bonded JKR's readers to Harry?  In
essence, this film has not succeeded on its own terms and
could not have stood on its own feet.  Personally, I only
watch the movie because though it pales in comparison, it
takes me back to JKR's world; without my foreknowledge of
which, I doubt I would have sat though the bumpy narration
that is HPSS more than once.

The sad part is, am I going to go see Columbus' CoS?  Yup.
<sigh>  Have I mentioned that the thought of waiting
another year for OotP brings a frown to my face?

> Am I the only one who ordered the VHS version of the 
> movie?  After hearing your woes with the DVD, I changed 
> my mind and cancelled the 
> DVD order, and ordered the VHS version instead. Doesn't
> sound like I'm missing too much ;)

You're onto a good strategy - wanna bet that like LotR,
there is another version (the "Longer! Better Than Ever
Before!" edition) in the offing?

Petra
a
n  :)

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