[HPFGU-Movie] Re: Observation, not really spoiler

[GulPlum]

(I'm working my way through two days' worth of posts in reverse order. I'm 
not picking on anyone. Honest.)

<snip>

>Isn't the wizarding world different from
>the real world of 2004? When the first book described wizards and
>the things that Uncle Vernon would cringe at, one of the things that
>was mentioned is the clothing they wore that was somewhat old-
>fashioned and not like the usual London fashions. Making the
>costumes more like real-world London 2004 is not in keeping with the
>book!

So what if it's not in keeping with one of the miriad details of the books? 
In any case, it's long been argued in the fandom that the wizarding world's 
complete ignorance of Muggle fashions is illogical: Hogwarts has several 
pupils from Muggle backgrounds (or part-Muggle backgrounds) - of the five 
boys in Harry's dorm, both Harry and Dean knew nothing else until they 
turned up at Hogwarts (and Seamus is half-and-half but it seems to me for 
various reasons - though this is arguable - he lived mainly in the Muggle 
world).

In any case, the Muggle-borns would introduce a fairly constant influx of 
new fashions into Hogwarts, so the pupils at least would have some idea of 
what was "normal". And as Hogwarts has always had an influx of 
non-pure-bloods, this kind of information should be carried from generation 
to generation.

Furthermore, people from e.g. the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad would 
surely have some knowledge of the Muggle world as they interact with it on 
a routine basis, and so the complete isolation of the wizarding world's 
sense of fashion is just slightly incomprehensible.

In any case, of all the details which *have* to be left out of the books in 
order to make sensible movies which aren't completely overblown, this is 
one aspect which can be quite easily removed. Although I miss Fudge's 
bowler (green or otherwise) which has been replaced with what looks like a 
Trilby, I'm prepared to live with it, as long as he remains pompous and 
officious (which he has done).

Nevertheless, one of the things I *really* disliked about Columbus's 
costuming choices was to give all the kids a uniform of white shirts and 
House ties and scarves. This was just a little too far in the opposite 
direction.