[HPFGU-Movie] Re: SPOILER; CoS review, the good and the bad

[TACtalk at adelanta.co.uk]

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Richard and I were discussing the final scene of CoS:-
Richard:-
>As for what I would have done with it, well - what's wrong with the
>way it was in the book (with one or two amendments):
>
>The feast follows on from the scene in Dumbledore's office
>(established by the same expedient as the book; Dumbledore tells
>Harry to clean up for it).
>
(snip)
>Cut to outside the (open) doors of the Great Hall and Dumbledore's
>voice announcing Hagrid's reinstatement, while we see (cleaned up)
>Harry and Ron running down the stairs to encounter a haggard but
>brightening Hagrid coming in from outside. Hermione, about to enter
>the Hall herself, notices them and turns back, shouts "you solved
>it!" ("we couldn't have done it without you!"). The quartet walk in,
>to rapturous applause from all (except the Slyths, of course) and
>apologies to Harry from Justin (we don't need to hear it; a smile
>with a proferred handshake is enough). Colin takes a picture of the
>quartet's beaming faces and the flash fades to reveal ... END TITLES.

Complete with swelling music and panoramic view of Hogwarts. Yes, I like this.

This was me:-

>> I don't really agree about DR's acting; I think that he has it in
>> him, but I also think that Columbus doesn't manage to bring it out.
>> I noticed in PS/SS that it's always worth watching DR's eyes; he
>> manages to convey emotion very well with them, but his body-
>> language is not as eloquent.
>
><snip>
>
Richard:-
>I've said much the same before. :-)

Oh, sorry; I haven't been part of this list for long. I actually have also
said it before; on another (non-HP) list, immediately after PS/SS was
released and someone was being snide about young Daniel's acting.
It's quite surprising to what extent the HP glasses do hide DR's eyes,
which is unfortunate when, as we agree, that's how he conveys emotion.

Me again:-

>> What I noticed was that the snake did not visibly back off when
>> Harry spoke to it, as it should have done. Also; why did the other
>> kids keep hanging around the stage area when the snake appeared?
>> Surely the natural reaction would be to retreat as fast as
>> possible, with the snake pursuing if necessary.
>
>I can perhaps understand the kids being frozen from fear, but I
>cannot understand Snape not taking action sooner.

No, a whole roomful wouldn't be frozen from fear; some might, most would
back off PDQ. That's what I did when once someone shoved a snake in my face
as a joke. (Fortunately, spiders don't bother me). The Snape thing didn't
concern me; I accepted that he was stunned by the Parseltongue.

(big snip)
Me again:-
>> Overall, I wasn't exactly spellbound by CoS; however, I seem to
>> remember feeling the same about PS/SS, and that one definitely grew
>> on me.
>
Richard:-
>I saw PS/SS before reading the books, and was enchanted by it (with a
>few minor reservations). My experience of CoS has, by necessity, been
>clouded by my knowledge of the source material (which I've
>deliberately not touched for several months), and overall I was
>equally impressed by it, except for that damp squib of an ending.

Okay. I was one of the ones already hooked on the books pre PS/SS and
determined not to see the film, which couldn't possibly live up to
expectations. I changed my mind about seeing the movie when I saw a photo
of the Diagon Alley set, and although, indeed, a film never quite achieves
what the book does, PS/SS certainly grew on me.

Me again:-

>> I'll probably see CoS again next weekend. I've only managed
>> to see it three times already.

Richard:-
>"*Only* three times"! If you were to say that anywhere else, people
>would think you were crazy. :-)

Well, that might possibly be why I haven't mentioned it anywhere else,
including to my nearest and dearest, who know that I went once but
otherwise thought that I had a lot of errands to run last weekend. And, by
the way, phrases about pots and kettles come to mind; did you not say that
you had been *four* times?
:-)

Regards,
Nicholas