Harry Potter: Anti-American + Dan in the dormitory scene

[cubfanbudwoman]

Richard wrote:
> (Before anyone else raises it, Zoe Wanamaker is technically 
> American as she was born in the USA and is a US citizen, but has 
> lived for most of her life in the UK - as did her father, late 
> noted film-maker and motive force behind the recreation of 
> Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, Sam Wanamaker. Her career is UK-based 
> and she took on British citizenship some time ago. She is a "name" 
> in the UK and is known to a wide cross-section of the British 
> population thanks in part to starring in a couple of popular 
> British TV shows, whilst I suspect that she is all but unknown to 
> the US audience.)


SSSusan:
I was not aware that Zoe Wanamaker was born in the USA, but 
your "defense" ("explanation"? choose your favorite word) gave me 
great glee.  Why?  Because I've LOOOOOONG wanted Anjelica Huston to 
be cast as Bellatrix Lestrange.  Knowing about JKR's (appropriate) 
insistence upon an authentically British cast, I didn't think it 
could ever happen.  However, like Zoe W., Anjelica spent, according 
to IMDB, "most of her childhood overseas, in Ireland and England," so 
maybe that would be good enough??

Please?  Pretty please, whoever's casting OotP? :-)


JenD wrote:
>>>Another thing, in this dicussion of film economy (I don't know if
that's a concept or not) but economy of action, exposition and all,
it occured to me yesterday, watching DD and Harry together in the
dorm, that when DD puts his hand to Harry's cheek, I hadn't noticed
this before but Dan kind of leans into it just a little but enough.
As if he relished the contact. (I do not recall DD ever touching
Harry with that level of almost tenderness at this point) And it
seems that this might be a stand in for the hug we all wanted
(emotional payoff again) to see from Molly. The scene accomplished
many things, why not that too?<<<

SSSusan:
I'd like to commend JenD for catching this and for excellently 
phrasing what it was about Dan's movement in the Harry-DD dormitory 
scene which made it so effective.  It *was* a touching moment, and 
Dan's part in it I hadn't fully taken in.  Thinking back on it (I've 
seen GoF 4 times now, so at least I'm able to pull up some strong 
images), it seems to me that Dan both leans into DD's hand *and* 
closes his eyes ever so briefly.  These two small gestures really did 
add to the emotional impact.

I still missed the Molly hug (Molly-lover that I am), *but* seeing's 
how I had been afraid (esp. after Cuaron's/Kloves' Super!Hermione in 
PoA) that they'd give the hug to *Hermione,* I am quite content with 
the stand-in they selected.

Siriusly Snapey Susan