GOF feedback/special effects

[Valerie Flowe]

OK, I've finally caught up on all the posts since last week's opening.
My overall reaction to GOF was WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was a non-stop ride from start to finish that left me completely 
drained. My friend and I were covering our mouths in terror during the 
dragon and Voldemort scenes. Of course I knew the plot but the movie 
just took me on that emotional roller coaster ride.
I intentionally did not re-read GOF, as I knew some things would be 
changed. And they were. But, as many posters mentioned, I had less 
problem with these omissions than I did in POA.
The only thing that bugged me was the Crouch storyline. The fact that 
Crouch Jr. was at the Riddle house in the beginning. Such a big change 
from the book. But really, he could've showed up there after his escape 
from Azkaban, no?
But why in the world was he hanging out with the Wizengamott at the MOM 
during the Pensieve scene? That made absolutely no sense. I know they 
did it for the sake of time, but it was silly. I believe in the book 
Harry goes into the Pensieve several times, no? The Karkaroff scene was 
different from the Crouch Jr/Bella scene. ( And where WAS Bellatrix? 
They'd better not leave her out of OotP!! Though I heard they've cast 
her, so I think we're safe there). Wasn't that cage Karkaroff was in 
wicked?! Talk about torture chamber! I pictured him more sitting in an 
electric chair kind of thing.

Anyway, aside from that, and maybe the omissions of the Skrewt/Sphinx 
in the maze, I thought the movie was fantastic.

The special effects were incredible and should win awards. And you have 
to commend the actors for doing so well when many of their scenes were 
obviously filmed on blue screen!
- The dragon scrambing down the slate roof was soooo very real and 
threatening!
- The World Cup stadium was more awesome than I'd ever imagined. 
Would've enjoyed at least 5 minutes of the Quidditch match tho!
- The mermaids were hideous and the grindylows were horrifying! [That 
scene and Voldemort definitely made  me decide not to take my 8 year 
olds to see this film. Even my extremely mature 9 year old nephew said 
GOF was way too scary for him. And his dad's been reading HP to him 
since he was 3!]
- The priori incantatem was precisely as I had envisioned it while 
reading. Harry's fear was palpable as his mom urged him to let go, that 
he was ready.
- The devils' snare swallowing up Fleur was very creepy!
- The crazy moving hedges were quite frightening and actually built up 
a much more intense scene than in the book. Movie: Cedric is being 
violently dragged off by the devil's snare. Harry having to face giving 
up the eternal glory that he claimed to not have wanted, but in the 
fervor of seeing the gleaming, glowing cup, was definitely tempted. 
When he turned to help Cedric I couldn't help cry out "Oh Harry, you 
are SO GOOD!" That really showed Harry's true character.
What happens in the book again? A spider attacks Cedric and Harry saves 
him? Doesn't he get bit in the leg or mess up his ankle somehow? Or am 
I getting this confused with Ron in POA or Frodo in ROTK?!?!?!?!?
-Another incredible special effect was the Durmstrang ship rising up 
from the lake, sails unfurling, water gushing out.  What a beautiful 
image (and CG nightmare!)
- The dark mark; both in the sky and on the skin. SCARY!!!

I still thought that POA was much more artistically filmed with the 
camera angles, the misty, almost melancholy feel to it.I'm assuming a 
lot of that was Cuaron's direction.

I thought the Williams soundtracks were MUCH stronger. I missed some of 
the traditional HP themes that have gone through some subtle 
reincarnations in the first 3 films. I am also a "credit nerd" and 
really enjoyed all the music and visuals after POA. I wasn't that 
impressed with the music during the GOF credits.

But all-in-all I think the director and co. did a fantastic job of 
taking a hefty, high-action, detail-laden book and translating it into 
an exciting, funny, emotionally charged, visually stunning adaptation.
IMO this is the tightest, best HP film yet!

Valerie