Barty Crouch Sr. & Ian McKellan & Alfonso Cuarón

[Diana <dianasdolls@yahoo.com>]

It's funny but ever since I've read GoF from the first time through 
and every reading after that, I can only picture Barty Crouch Sr. as 
looking just like David Niven!  Unfortunately, David Niven died in 
1983, so he obviously can't be cast in the part.  But if they tried 
to cast a 'lookalike', I'd be pleased.

I can't see McKellan as Barty Crouch Sr. personally, but I can see 
him as Mad-Eye Moody, though.  I'm not overly familiar with Michael 
Gambon's work (except for "Gosford Park") and I'm sure he'll 
probably do well as Dumbledore, but I would still have liked to have 
seen what McKellan would have done with Dumbledore.  My preferences 
aside, though, I think McKellan may be too old for the part of Mad-
Eye Moody.  :(  

Alfonso Cuarón has been heralded as a great director, and I hope it 
is true.  I have not seen any of his work other than "A Little 
Princess".  I was disappointed in his version of this story as I 
much prefer the 1986 TV miniseries that stars Amelia Shankley as 
Sara Crewe.  So, my hopes on a great director for PoA rests on the 
recommendations of others for this director.  If Cuarón makes a 
great movie, I'll be pleased, but he also has to be nice enough to 
the main child actors (Radcliffe, Watson, Grint, Felton, Lewis, 
etc.) to make them want to continue coming back to do more movies.  
Every interview I've seen indicates that these kids will continue to 
make these movies if they are enjoying doing it.  A un-kid-friendly 
director could prevent them from wanting to come back.  This 
director has a lot on his shoulders and I hope it works out.  As I 
said, I'm unfamiliar with his movies and I've never seen anyone 
interviewed about what it was like to make a movie with this guy 
directing them, so I can only hope that all the praise is well-
founded. 
 
> What about for Barty Crouch Sr.?  That would definitely be a 
change from Gandalf and unless Barty Sr's ghost is going to show up 
in later books he would only have to commit to one film (maybe two 
if GoF is done in two parts as has been rumored)
> 
> Audrey