[HPFGU-Movie] Prisoner's hopes and dreams

[GulPlum]

At 13:36 22/02/03 , susanbones2003 <rdas at facstaff.wisc.edu> wrote:

>They are making
>action/adventure movies for kids. The emotional core is just a
>subplot that unfortunately, can't ever seem to be worked in very
>well. I thought it was just Chris Columbus who couldn't seem to
>manage Harry being a real breathing sometimes vulerable person.

I have maintained since the beginning (well, since I read the books, 
post-PS/SS) that the character assassination isn't so much down to 
Columbus's direction, as much as Kloves's script. Harry is a reluctant 
hero, Ron is not a wimp, Dumbledore is eccentric. The script, rather than 
the direction, overthrew all of these, and no amount of clever direction 
would have been able to return the characters to their full glory. My 
doubts about Dan's ability to portray some of the subtleties the character 
requires are just further grist to the mill.

I am only hoping that the re-write Cuaron is rumoured to have instituted 
(referred to in Columbus interviews when CoS came out) are on that level.

>But
>now that I see there is no Prof. Trelawny, possible no or very little
>quidditch, I realize that Cuaron seemingly must sacrifice huge chunks
>of the plot as well to get a movie made.

Hang on. Both of those statements are suppositions based on incomplete 
information. The BBC comments on the WB press release indicated that 
further casting has yet to be announced, and to be honest I really can't 
see the long-term narrative working without Trelawney being introduced. I 
do expect, though, that we won't have any Divination lessons (I think there 
are three in the book), and the only Trelawney scene will be Harry's end of 
year exam and the prediction. The Grim, the silliness of her methods, 
Hermione's dropping the subject and a few other subtleties can be dealt 
with in other ways.

I don't doubt that some Quidditch will be in the movie (a HP film without 
Quidditch is akin to a James Bond film without a car chase). The Quidditch 
matches aren't just action moments (though the movies mainly portray them 
as such); each match is important to the plot. In PoA, the first 
(Hufflepuff) is needed for the effect of the Dementors on Harry (or rather, 
his need to find a way to deal with them), the destruction of the Numbus 
2000 (and thus the later appearance of the Firebolt) and for the 
introduction of Cedric Diggory (also important because we need to have a 
match during which Harry fails to catch the Snitch).

The Ravenclaw match will probably fall by the wayside - it's really a Draco 
moment - showing Harry's Patronus to be ineffective can be established in 
other ways. Ditto the introduction of Cho Chang. In the book, the match is 
very short, and there's no real need to portray it.

The Slytherin match is of course important as Gryffindor (and Wood) win the 
Quidditch cup. Wood is popular with the movie fans, and this is his last 
moment in the series. The "fake Dementors" could be incorporated into this 
match, and it would actually make more sense for Crabbe & Goyle to attempt 
to distract Harry during a match against Slytherin. And of course Harry 
needs a match to show of the Firebolt. :-)

Incidentally, I don't for a second expect the movie to drop the Firebolt 
sub-plot (although I expect them to simplify it a little), if for no other 
reason that to introduce more merchandise. That and the Shrieking Shack are 
really the only new items of merchandise available for this movie (apart 
from figurines of the new characters, of course).

>For me the best hope is
>that, despite all the sacrifices that must be made, he will still try
>to show Harry as a fuller character, with flaws and self-doubts as
>well as courageous and brave.

On the contrary, that is where my greatest fears lie. Harry is going to 
remain the resolute all-powerful heroic mini-Superman the first two movies 
have portrayed.

Another one of my great fears is something Irene's post last night 
introduced: the distinct possibility that Snape could be cut out of the 
Shrieking Shack scene altogether. I had never thought about that before, 
but I literally had difficulty sleeping last night because I went over the 
possibilities, and realised that what Irene said is true: the narrative 
function of the scene works perfectly well without him there. Snape's 
relationship to MWPP is sufficiently covered in dialogue (perhaps 
accompanied by a flashback) so there is no real reason for him to be present.

Kloves's heavy-handed treatment of the characters makes me really fear that 
we will lose one of the highlights of the series: Harry and Hermione 
blowing their top at Snape. The two movies to date have already lost 
Harry's sarcastic snipes in his direction, so we've had no indication of 
Harry's more vicious side. In that context, his attack on Snape in the SS 
is understandable; without it, the attack comes pretty much out of the 
blue. The only thing which leaves me hopeful that Snape's presence will be 
maintained is that his contribution doesn't take a great deal of time.

--
GulPlum AKA Richard, crossing his fingers.