Some thoughts about the next movie

[laniw01]

I'm pretty new to the list. I've waited to catch up on all
the post-PoA discussion before airing any of my pet peeves about the 
movie because I don't want to bring up something that has 
been run into the ground. So, ignoring my top two favorite gripes 
(which have already been well discussed on the list), I will skip to 
#3, which is: The classroom scene in PoA where Hermione has her hair 
done up in a french twist. 

Before I go into why that bothers me so much, I want to review and 
comment on some of the discussion that has already taken place 
concerning Hermione's appearance in PoA. I'll summarize it
into 3 broad categories: 

(1) Movie-Hermione vs Book-Hermione

Jo S.: "Movie PoA Hermione is beautiful, handles everything with 
aplomb, is smarter, stronger and more agile than Harry
but she
bears almost no resemblence to canon Hermione
"
Ccneppl: "Now if only they could get Hermione's hair to be as
crazy as it's supposed to be...."

Lani: I agree with both these statements. I also acknowledge that 
Movie-Hermione doesn't have to replicate Book-Hermione, either as 
described (frizzy hair, buck teeth) or as imagined (I have always 
pictured her in clothing that is more sensible than chic, with a body 
type that is more sturdy than svelte). Besides, Emma Watson delivered 
her opening line in SS so perfectly that I immediately forgave her 
for not being an ideal physical match. 

(2) Heremione's clothes

Rebecca: "Hermione I don't believe would walk around with her
shirt untucked"
Valerie: "Hermione is wearing her fashion-conscious pink jacket
and hiphugger jeans;"
Shaun: " The clothes she wears in the first two movies seem to
fit quite nicely with what her mother would buy
"

Lani: After 4 viewings, I still have trouble accepting a Hermione in 
a too-small jacket and low-riders. Loose-fitting pants and shirts 
would be more her style. And, as the quintessential perfectionist, 
she would never, ever, show up to class (even Hagrid's COMC) with
her shirt hanging out. Still, there's relatively little in the canon 
that says she can't look cool. 

(3) Cuaron's vision

Rebecca: "Clearly, both Cuaron and Steve Kloves like
Hermione/Emma Watson a little *too* much."
Valerie: "I'm thinking he had a crush on her! 
 he
intentionally expanded her role."

Lani: I believe this is the crux of the problem. Emma is a lovely 
girl and Cuaron has chosen to play that up to the detriment of the  
character. 

Why I hate the french twist:

I do not intend this to degenerate into a nitpick. I see this as one 
of those "foreshadowing" elements we've been looking for
ever since JKR told us they existed. When PoA Hermione (who, even at 
her grimiest, remains hearthrob pretty) casually pins her hair up for 
class, the impact and credibility of the opening scene of the Yule 
Ball in GoF is destroyed. 

Sherry wrote: "they could lose the whole Yule ball, I think. The 
important thing about the Yule ball is that Harry and Ron and Rita 
discover about Hagrid being half giant, and Percy comes instead of 
Mr. Crouch." 

Lani: I agree that the Hagrid & Percy plot points could be addressed 
outside the context of a school dance. And, if they skip the Yule 
Ball in Movie-GoF, then my personal pet peeve #3 does become a 
nitpick. However, I think the opening scene of the Yule Ball--where 
Harry initially fails to recognize Hermione--is a pivotal point in 
the trio's relationship. The boys literally "see" her differently, 
which effects her transition from being a good buddy to being a 
potential mate. (Though it may not be a conscious transition for a 
couple more books.) Of course, Hermione's Eliza Doolitle-like 
transformation depends heavily on the boys' never having seen her 
dressed up, with her hair swept smoothly off her face. And THAT's
why--even if I accept a pretty Hermione who wears flattering clothes 
and has somewhat manageable hair--I think Cuaron made a big mistake 
in including a classroom scene where her hair is neatly pinned back. 

Lani