Setup for OOTP

[Steve]

--- In HPFGU-Movie at yahoogroups.com, "susanbones2003" <rdas at f...> wrote:
>
> --- In HPFGU-Movie at yahoogroups.com, "lupinlore" <bob.oliver at c..
> wrote (major snippage here)
> 
> > ... The fact that "Jarhead," despite a  fine  cast, a big 
> > budget,  a tie in with a non-fiction bestseller, and very 
> > good screenwriting, could not pull this off with a lot of 
> > viewers does not speak well for the challenge of adapting 
> > OOTP successfully.
> > 
> > 
> > Lupinlore

> JenD:
> 
> .... Newel looked at the great sprawling mass of a story ...
> and he found the narrative thread that.. empathize ..., the 
> "thriller" aspect. Then it was easy to sublimate all other 
> non-thriller elements. 
>
> I've already read that the new director of OOTP is having 
> trouble getting all the permits he needs to film a wild chase
> scene through certain parts of London. 
> 

bboyminn:

Wild Chase Scene???? Already I'm feeling worried. Not only don't I
recall a 'wild chase scene' in OotP, but I don't even recall anything
that could be converted into a 'wild chase scene'. I think there is
more than enough story there already to start wasting time with 'wild
chase scenes'.

> JenD continues:
> The new writer will find a cinematic story amidst the clutter
> of OOTP and provide us with something that can keep us in the
> seats. ...
>
> JenD

bboyminn:

I'm not sure that people in general realize what a monumental task it
is to effectively condense a long book into a coherent movie. Try it
yourself, in a very simple way, look at OotP and try and find the
central thread; the central theme of the book. Then try and combine
elements of the story around the central theme and blend them together
in a coherent flow. I'm very confident that you will not find it an
easy task.

How important is the time at Privet Drive? 

It seems important since that is where Harry is attacked by Dementors.
But does he have to be attacked there at Privet Drive with the added
distractions of Dudley, Mundungus, and Mrs. Figg, or would it be
better to have it happen at the Weasley's or, more likely, at or near
the Black House. 

But then again, while it is true that the Dementor attack leads to the
Black house which leads to Harry's hearing which introduces Umbridge
which leads to the school, is it really all that important? Couldn't
we just skip the Dementor attack, start right out with the Order
taking Harry to Grimmauld Place and introduce Umbridge at school? Or,
could we even skip the Order taking Harry to Grimmauld Place, and just
start out at Grimmauld Place? -no Dementor attack -no Dusley's/Privet
Drive -no Dudley attack -no Figg/Mundungus -no rescue by the Order

So really when you get right down to it, is Privet Drive and the
Dementor attack really of any significants at all to the central
story? Does it serve any real purpose in the movie? Further
complicating matters, will the movie fans let you get away with not
including it? 

It's a very tough decision, and one I'm glad I don't have to make.

Just trying to add some perspective.

Steve/bboyminn