[HPFGU-Movie] Messrs M, W, P & P

[GulPlum]

I should have left home by now, but I really wanted to deal with this issue 
before I leave...

At 04:48 25/06/04 , Valerie Flowe wrote:

>I still think that the Marauder's Map plot belongs in POA, not GOF. The
>official HP websiteeven has it as it's flash intro. It encompasses the whole
>story (Harry getting into Hogsmeade despite Uncle Vernon's obstinance; the
>whole Shrieking Shack plot unfolding, etc. I still think this would have
>been the easiest solution:

<snip scenario>

If you look back, I made an almost identical suggestion three weeks ago (I 
can't check the message number but it was on 3rd June); thinking about how 
easy and obvious that scenario would have been to include is one of the 
things that started me wondering about just *WHY* no effort was made *AT 
ALL* to introduce any of this material. It's not a side plot and not 
irrelevant. Yet JKR allowed them to do it, which means that whatever 
reasons they had for doing this must've convinced her.

I agree with you entirely that the Map is an important element of PoA and 
you won't find me arguing against the reasons you have given (I could give 
several more). But the Map *is* there. What has been omitted is the story 
of the Map's creation, and I can see no real reason why *that* is directly 
germane to the plot. Indeed, none of the reasons you've given address that 
element. On the other hand, as I said before, there are perfectly valid 
reasons for this element NOT to be introduced in this context - it *is* all 
about context!

><snip>
>if Time-Turned H&H could get Buckbeak out of the way while the "execution
>committee" was inside Hagrid's hut, why didn't HRH do it the first time
>around?
>
>[from Valerie]
>Because Dumbledore didn't inform them of it till later in the hospital ward?

Well, he didn't inform them. He just gave them a hint. They decided what 
they had to do themselves.

>It was his fault! But in watching the scene play itself twice, Dumbledore
>seems to have clairvoyance of these events, i.e. he wants to sign his very
>long name to the death warrant; he is distracting the Minister and Grim
>Reaper with tales of strawberries and such, giving Buckbeak a chance to be
>rescued. Then he immediately dismisses the whole execution by asking Hagrid
>for Brandy.

(Side note: Dumbledore's dissembling and delaying tactics have already been 
picked apart in the context of book discussions.)

As far as we know, Dumbledore never saw the scene play itself twice, and in 
real terms, the scene only happened once anyway (although we see it from 
two different POVs). Dumbledore is delaying all the time, so whilst this 
may be an indicator to H&H2, there is no significant reason why HRH 
shouldn't have noticed it the first time around.

Sure, there are good symbolic reasons for HRH not to have released Buckbeak 
the first time around, but in terms of the plot itself, it doesn't make any 
sense. One of the reasons I raised this issue (and I really should've said 
this last time) is that when discussing the movie, several people have 
listed some of Cuaron's symbolic touches which aren't entirely in keeping 
with the facts of the Potterverse  as reasons to dislike the movie; the 
fact is that JKR does the same thing, and yet this doesn't prevent PoA 
being most readers' favourite book (including mine).

--
GulPlum AKA Richard, who really does have to go now! Back on Monday/Tuesday!