POA, First Impressions

[Shaun Hately]

I'm just home from having seen 'Prisoner of Azkaban' which 
opened in Australia today. I'm just going to put some of my 
impressions down.

First of all, let me say that I did enjoy the film. I think 
it was an excellent piece of work by all concerned. Better 
than the first two? Not sure yet - I don't want to make a 
judgment based on only one viewing when I've seen the other 
two multiple times.

I was glad to see that a few of the changes made in this 
film weren't anywhere near as noticeable as I feared they 
would be based on still shots and previews I'd seen 
previously - in particular, the uniforms and the appearance 
of the classrooms.

Let me make it quite clear that I think the uniforms in this 
film are much closer to how I originally visualized Hogwarts 
robes, than those that appeared in the previous two films. 
On that level, I think they are an improvement. What 
concerned me though, when I first saw them, was that this is 
the third film of a series - and changing the uniform has 
continuity implications - I hope to eventually be able to 
watch seven films together as a series - and for that to 
happen, there needs to be as much consistency as possible.

Fortunately the changes weren't as noticeable as I feared 
when I first saw still images. So that concern has been 
greatly alleviated.

Same when it comes to the school - with the exception of 
that pendulum (and the bridge) Hogwarts still seemed close 
enough to what we saw in the first two films that I could 
easily accept that we were simply seeing different parts of 
the same school. The bridge isn't too much of a concern 
either in that regard - the pendulum does change things a 
little bit more than I personally would have liked.

The kids not wearing uniforms - this did concern when I 
first heard about it, but as it was, again, not a huge 
concern as it turned out - it came pretty close to the point 
it could have annoyed me but it didn't *quite* cross it.

The film did seem a little rushed at the start - but I'm OK 
with that, I'd rather they cut a bit there and have more 
time for the school.

Overall - great, I'm impressed - but there are a few 
niggling nitpicks.

Things I really liked... Lupin - nothing like I imagined, 
but I prefer the movies version greatly. He just seemed so 
much to me the type of man who could be trusted - and that's 
how Lupin seems to me in the book. But his standout scene 
for me is when he tells Harry off for risking his own safety 
- to me that is such a critical scene, which I was worried 
would be cut - it wasn't, and it was done perfectly. Lupin 
is angry - but he's still obviously caring about Harry - and 
he's saying what he is saying very much for Harry's own good 
- at least as he sees it.

And Snape.

I have issues about Snape. A couple of the things he has 
done quite simply anger me greatly. But for various reasons, 
I find myself *really* wanting to believe the best when it 
comes to Snape. I want to believe that when it really comes 
down to the really important things, Snape *will* do what is 
right - that he will do his duty.

And so the scene where after emerging from the tunnel under 
the whomping willow, and he sees Lupin coming towards the 
children and himself is really one of my favourites. Snape 
placing himself between the children and danger. Shielding 
them with his body - and that is what he is doing. I'm 
hoping JKR had influence in that.



Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately | www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       | drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200 
"You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one
thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the 
facts. They alter the facts to fit the views. Which can be 
uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that 
need altering." The Doctor - Doctor Who: The Face of Evil
Where am I: Frankston, Victoria, Australia


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