[HPFGU-Movie] Re: Lack of tears

GulPlum hp at plum.cream.org
Tue Jun 15 00:22:26 UTC 2004


At 23:35 14/06/04 , Jo Serenadust wrote:
> > Amanda clarifies:
> >
> > His eyes didn't look teary (which they will, even if you've just wiped 
> the tears > away).
> >
> > I also found it out of character, which is possibly why I needed the
> > externals to make the scene work. I also didn't get a sense of the depth of
> > grief or rage that could produce that type of sob without tears; they
> > weren't racking sobs, just crying. You're correct, everything isn't 
> going to
> > work for everyone; I'm just trying to figure out why this particular scene
> > seems to have failed so, to me.
>
>I think that you nailed the reason the scene doesn't work for me
>when you said it was out of character.  I realise that the
>screenwriter and director must have the latitude for some dramatic
>license, but for me, having the audible sobs in that scene was just
>a bridge too far.

I'd like to split hairs here. My problem with that scene is that Harry (or 
rather, Dan....) falls between two stools. He makes some whimpering noises 
which are neither the cries of anguish, hurt and loss which I could find 
believable, nor are they child-like sobbing which (and I agree with the 
ladies here on this) I don't think would be in character for Harry.

My own view is that Harry should simply have been silent. I suspect that 
this was the original plan, and the sounds were added later for whatever 
reason (presumably to give some kind of context for showing the 
snow-sprinkled rock).

>Harry. Does. Not. Cry. Period.
>His eyes may tear up during the boggart lesson, he may be at the
>point of breaking down at the end of GoF, but he is quite the stoic
>and he would never allow anyone to hear him sob out loud,

It doesn't have to be Harry for that to be true. NO 13 year-old boy would 
allow it (I was 13 once and I know exactly how it feels). I suspect that 
the *aim* was for the sounds to be "strangled" sobs, but ultimately it just 
didn't work. Considering the trouble that went into the sound effects for 
this movie, I really don't understand why they overlooked it - and it's 
such a crucial moment in Harry's emotional journey!

>I realise that the scene rang true for many others who saw the movie, and 
>of course, that's fine.  It's just that I like *my* Harry to be as tough 
>and emotionally repressed as he is in the books, not emoting all over the 
>place.  Not until, book 5, anyway.

I don't have a problem with the scene. I ONLY have a problem with the 
particular sound attributed to Harry before he actually speaks.

>Jo Serenadust, praying hard for a new screenwriter for OOP

In this instance, I don't think it was a script problem but an editing one, 
in particular sound editing. As for the screenwriter for OotP, I have a 
suggestion which a lot of people will consider strange, especially coming 
from me. I suggest that the job be given to... Chris Columbus.

Most people here know that I've been none-too-pleased with his efforts 
directing the first two HP movies, so why should I consider him for this 
job? Simply because while I think his directing is by-the-numbers and 
pretty childish, he is actually a very good screen writer. "The Goonies", 
"Gremlins" (1 & 2) and "Young Sherlock Holmes" are all well-written movies 
(and classics of their genre), and all penned by him. He has a wonderful 
sense of the anarchic and an idea of story-telling which Kloves simply 
doesn't have. I also think that he'd be reluctant to change as many of 
JKR's one-liners as Kloves does, and that's a recurring problem with the 
scripts so far.

He could provide the continuity which the HP series warrants, and as long 
as he would then hand over to a director with more visual flair than he has 
(and no penchant for screaming at the camera!), I think he could do a 
pretty good job.

(It would also have the side effect of not giving him the time to direct 
another sloppy over-sentimental movie.) :-)
--
Richard AKA GulPlum, worrying about catching up with everything else that's 
been going on on the list.




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