PoA movie vs. book

[Tim]

--- In HPFGU-Movie at yahoogroups.com, "vlngrrl" <vlngrrl at y...> wrote:
> Hello!  
> 
> I appologize if this has been discussed already (if it has, please 
> point me in the right direction).  I saw PoA in IMAX when it came 
> out, and was so undecided about it that I had to see it again.  I 
> liked it better the second time, mainly because the first viewing 
> dispelled any expectations I had for the movie.  The discrepencies 
> in between the book and the movie didn't bother me as much.  
> However, I hadn't read the book in a while, and had forgotten a few 
> details.  
> 
> I am rereading the series now, and I am once again bothered by a 
> discrepancy.  In the book, Peter Pettigrew is discovered alive by 
> Lupin using the Maurader's Map after H/R/H had already met up with 
> Padfoot and Crookshanks.  He then goes into the Shrieking Shack 
> after them.  In the book, however, Harry tries to find Pettigrew in 
> the school one night after he (Scabbers) disappeared.  Harry 
follows 
> the map by wandlight and appears to walk right past him.  
> 
> Unlike the other discrepancies in the plot details, I don't see any 
> cinematic reasons for changing this pretty significant (in my 
> opinion) detail in the story line.  Is anybody else bothered by 
> this, or does anybody have any explaination as to how this change 
> had ANY positive effect to the story or why the director chose this 
> means to an end?  
> 
> Again, I appoligize if this question has already been posted, and 
> solved.  If this is the case, I would appreciate a nudge in the 
> right direction.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> -Sarah
> (who really wishes filmmakers wouldn't take such liberties with 
> beloved stories)

I don't know about anyone else, but as a writer myself I thought I'd 
give my take on it.

The books and the films are basically seen from Harry's POV (point of 
view).  There really aren't any scenes that Harry isn't directly 
involved in, unless you count the stuff he dreams starting in GOF.  
Now, in the books, you can get by with a lot of explianation at a 
later time by the characters involved on what they saw or did when 
Harry wasn't around.  This is what Lupin did in the book POA during 
the Shrieking Shack scene.  In the films it becomes more 
problematic.  You don't want long speeches in the films as it slows 
down the pacing.  So, you have to show Peter Petigrew on the map 
somehow, and make it believable that Harry would know who that was.  
I think the compromise they made on this account for the film 
actually works.  Harry hears the name in Hogsmeade as a friend of his 
father's... he sees the name running around on the Map one night 
quite by accident... Harry needed to be out, late at night, with the 
Map so Snape could catch him, and Lupin could rescue and then 
chastise him (that IS in the book)... and Lupin keeps the Map.  
Giving it to Harry so we could "see" it instead of Lupin (where we 
would have "heard" it) is better in the long run and really doesn't 
change the story.

Tim