[HPFGU-Movie] Harris as Dumbledore

[Karen]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Theresa" <anmsmom333 at cox.net>

> Hey all - I was chatting with a co-worker while heating my lunch
> today in our break-room. He is a fellow HP fan but only reads TLC and
> doesn't participate in forums. Anyway, I mentioned that most of
> fandom seems to prefer Harris' portrayal of DD and he said he prefers
> Gambon. I told him I like both in different ways but Gambon hasn't
> read the books. To which he said "Neither did Richard Harris." Is
> that true? I thought he read them with his granddaughter, the one who
> said she would not speak to him if he turned down the role. Does
> anyone know if that is true? I wonder because when he does the scene
> where Quirrell comes to announce the troll and the scene where he
> gets the earwax jellybean seem so much like I pictured in the book. I
> liked how he seemed kind and gentle, slightly odd but there was
> something below the surface that told you not to mess with him. As
> for Gambon, I liked him in PoA when he was at Hagrid's hut and after
> H/Hr returned to the hospital wing. Frankly the only time I didn't
> like him was in the room after Harry's name was chosen in GoF. that
> was just something I don't see DD ever doing. Otherwise, I have
> personally like both men in their own way but I made myself think of
> Gambon in reference to my version of DD not Harris' portrayal. I
> decided to do that when Daniel Radcliffe said "he isn't playing
> Richard Harris playing DD. He is playing DD. He is made it his own."
> It helped a little but I will say that Harris seemed more
> grandfatherly and that is how I pictured DD.
>
> Still I don't get why any actor would not want to read the original
> material to get a true feel for their character. It is like research.
> Many actors meet the person they are playing or if not possible they
> read about them. I would think they would do that. Ralph Fiennes had
> never gotten into the HP world until he was offered the part so he
> took the time to find out who Voldemort was and how people felt about
> him. I think it truly showed. Anyway, I just wondered if it was true
> that Harris didn't read the books either.
>
kchuplis:

According to this article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/1651390.stm

Your friend is correct. I still think Harris, just as an actor captured him
better at least to that point. Of course, we see a lot of development in DD
and especially having books 5 and 6, retrospectively it is harder not to
judge as well. We just know more about DD in different situations now. But I
agree, DD would never have gone after Harry in that way, although, things
like that are difficult to judge whether it is actor or director who thought
of it. Curon definitely gave PoA a really windswept passionate and romatic
feel, rather Bronte"esque". Jury remains partially out for me until I see
the end of OoTP.