[HPFGU-Movie] the greatest difference

[Valerie Flowe]

Although I still feel without reservation
that PoA is infinitely superior to PS CoS and is the wortk of a true
artist, I now think I understand those who preferred fairy-tale
Hogwarts. It was bright and beautiful and ultimately rather safe.
Cuaron has given us the real deal ,and we are left with no choice but
to grow up along with Harry. It's bloody brilliant.

Sophia


[from bewitchedbyHP]

I agree that POA is cinematically superior to the first 2 films. I don't
really think that SS and COS were necessarily "bubblegum-Disney" though.
Granted the lawns were beautifully tended, the sun was brightly shining
(think first broom lesson scene), but there were still some dark sinister
scenes, like Valdemort ( mean, You-Know-Who!) sucking on the unicorn blood
in the foggy blue-black forbidden forest. The creepy spiders, the evil
basilisk with his eyes gouged out sniffing out Harry in the tunnel...I do
think the first 2 films were more "fantasy" films, whereas in POA, caught up
in the more realistic, "gritty" decor, makes the story seem all the more
real (Hippogriffs, werewolves and all! :-)
At first viewing, I, like others, was disturbed that Cuaron dared to change
the established set design of Hogwarts. Now, after 3 viewings, I realize
that he (or the set designer/art directors) did a much superior job in
defining Hogwarts. It doesn't bother me that we didn't see the cool sagging
bridge in the other films. Maybe it was a different part of the castle? I
like the Harry-on-Buckbeak scene because we get that wonderful bird's eye
view of Hogwarts (didn't realize they were shot at 2 different castles-can
one visit these??) The clock tower bugged some folks 'cause it was so
obviously not there in the first 2 installments. I just thought it was such
a gorgeous and powerful image, tying into the time-turner theme. Brilliant
photography, when they shot Harry through the turning cogs of the clock.
Also when Harry looks at his reflection in the rainy train window. You get
this sense of foreboding, like, "this ain't gonna be an easy year for
Harry!" Other cool camera angle was when the camera was behind the painting
as Dumbledore (grungy fingernails and all!), smoothed out the rips in the
canvas. The shooting through the Bogarts wardrobe confused me a little,
especially with the scar looking like it was applied to the wrong part of
DR's face in make-up!

My only complaint is (yeah, yeah, yeah) the lack of explanation of who the
Marauders were, and why Snape hated them so much. So many opportunities to
slip that crucial info in! Oh, and those silly shrunken Rasta heads. Totally
irrelevant, IMO.
I give it 3 stars!



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