[HPFGU-Movie] Gambledore

[artsylynda at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/13/2005 7:25:51 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
HPFGU-Movie at yahoogroups.com writes:

I know  some people are going to shoot me down for this and I may sound like 
a  broken record, but I feel that much of the problem with the  
shoulder-grabbing sequence has nothing to do with Gambon, but with  
everyone's blind-spot-in-the-(lack-of)-acting-skills-department, young  
Master Radcliffe. I think he gets the tone of his physical and verbal  
reactions to Gambeldore quite wrong. By appearing defiant at the beginning  
of the sequence, he ends up looking scared of *Dumbeldore* rather than of  
what entry in the Tournament represents, which is what I suspect the  
intention  had been. Not to mention that this is also in the context  of his 
baffling (baffled?) reaction to his name coming out of the Goblet  in the 
first place. And talking of context, Dumbledore's physicality in  that scene 
is part of a more general physicality among the teachers  throughout the 
movie.


Richard, sometimes I wonder if we've watched the same movie.   Dan portrayed 
Harry as shocked beyond belief and scared spitless when his name  is called.  
Hermione has to urge him to get moving.  There's no  *defiance* anywhere.  I 
see him cringing when the other students call him a  cheat -- head down, 
shoulders taut, face frozen as he gulps hard while walking  through the gauntlet of 
taunting he has to bear.  He's shocked and  scared when Dumbledore shakes him 
in the Trophy Room, too, not  "defiant."  Poor Harry.  He was so enjoying 
watching the Goblet light  up, the ceremony go on, cheering for Cedric and all 
that, and then HIS name  comes out of the Goblet?  When Dumbledore got in his 
face about whether  he'd put his own name in the Goblet, Harry was vehement in 
saying he  hadn't, but it wasn't "defiance" he was showing there, either, but 
shock and  desperation.  Someone had "framed" him and he had no idea how it 
happened  or why.  He was horrified.  He expressed shock, disbelief and fear  
beautifully in his face and body language throughout the entire sequence.  
 
I admit that you, like the rest of us, have a right to your  opinion, but you 
have set yourself up as a voice of authority when it comes to  film.  I  have 
no real problem with that, because you seem to have a  far better film 
education than many of us (and have had time to see the film far  more times than 
most of us).  However, I think you just don't like Dan  Radcliffe in the role, 
so you don't see the nuances in his acting.  I think  you may have closed your 
mind to the possibility he might be showing the Harry  from canon very well 
indeed -- a boy who's been forced to be emotionally  repressed most of his life 
(with the Dursleys) and who has suffered taunts and  derision both in the 
Muggle world and the wizarding world (from the Malfoy  types), while also 
experiencing unwelcome adulation from others in the wizarding  world.  This is a boy 
who has to bear burdens most adults couldn't handle  -- and he has to do it on 
his own, for the most part.  
 
You keep saying he's "wooden" but I completely disagree.  The  only time he 
looks at all "stiff" is when he seems to be protecting himself  from an 
expected blow (emotional or physical) of some kind.  I don't see  that as "wooden" 
acting -- I see that as Dan portraying the Harry I've been  reading all these 
years, and doing it extremely well.
 
I admit, I like Dan in the role a lot.  I was totally  blown away by how 
sensitive a portrayal he did in this film.  Friends  who've seen it and aren't 
really "invested" in the films or actors told me  they think he did a fabulous 
job as well.  I just read that he's  nominated for an award for it.  I hope he 
wins it.  I can't understand  Emma being nominated for an award by the same 
people, unless there just aren't  enough young actresses to fill the categories.  
Emma was way over the top  in this film, IMO, overreacting in many scenes 
(but the one after the Yule ball  was perfect, as was her little giggle when 
entering the ball and her desperately  frightened hug of Harry before the first 
task).  But Dan -- he EARNED that  nomination.  I hope he wins it.
 
As for your thinking that "in depth" discussions need to be kept  off of this 
board -- that's just silly.  We ARE grownups, with a wide  variety of 
opinions, tastes, interests, and we discuss all of them here without  knocking anyone 
for their opinions or decrying any perceived lack of  intellectualism.  I 
enjoy reading many of your posts when you get into  technical details of how 
things are done, for instance, or theories behind  things (I can't give you 
specific examples at the moment -- I have to leave for  an appointment soon and have 
no time to research).  There's no need for  anyone to be rude to anyone else 
here.  Just post your opinions and have  fun, as the rest of us are trying to 
do.
 
JMO.  

Lynda AKA "Abraxan"

Read my Harry Potter fics here:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPRefinersFire/





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