GoF comments on movie

Karen kchuplis at alltel.net
Thu Mar 9 03:33:50 UTC 2006


So, I had never read any of the reviews before, but recently went to 
rottentomatos to check out what folks had said regarding GoF.  I was 
surprised to see some griping about the presentation of LV. You know, I 
just don't know what they wanted. To be honest, rewatching GoF the last 
couple of days, I have the same visceral reaction as I did in the 
theater. I just about want to vomit. I don't know what more one could 
ask for than Ralph Fiennes portrayal. When he touches Cederic with his 
foot....UGH!!! That is a NASTY person. And he is just insane. Not in 
Crouch way either. In a silky frightening way.  And to me Dan was 
certainly convincing. But of course the scene that still gets me the 
most is the return with the body. I find it riveting and sad and really 
pretty traumatic.

I still wish they had not gone quite as far back the other way mood 
wise in the very last scene. I just don't see Harry that much 
recovered. I can see now where they try to have him make the 
transition, but it doesn't quite work. It's too quick. I have to say, 
now rewatching Harry in the hall during DD's eulogy, he does look like 
he might pass out. Or throw up. It reminded me of my nephew, about that 
age, at my father's funeral. And that is exactly what happened during 
the graveside part of the funeral. Yup, if they had just keyed down 
that last scene about two or three more notches, I think I would have 
no real complaints at all about this presentation of GoF.

I noticed too, being able to watch it again, that there is the 
impression of Ministry oppression all the way through this in little 
bits. More than I realized. I suppose it was to take the place of not 
having all the drama at the end with Fudge. Even the note Sirius sends 
intimates that the Ministry is starting to monitor mail. Hmmm. Don't 
know if that is good enough to set up OoTP, but there is certainly 
ground work there.

I saw something interesting on the net, not sure where, but Newell said 
the approach to the story was that they just really stripped *anything* 
that wasn't directly connected to Harry out. I still think there was 
room for just a few things. For instance, when Harry is watching 
Karkaroff in the pensieve scene, I wish they would have had him connect 
"Longbottom" out loud. If he'd just said "Longbottom" after Karkaroff 
tells the ministry "tortured the auror Frank Longbottom and his wife", 
just a flash of Harry realizing it was Neville's parents before the 
Death Eater names Crouch Jr.  would have been good.

But overall, it is as good as I remember, for an adaptation of an 
incredibly lengthy and complex book. Anyone else have any new 
impressions getting to watch it "up close and personal"?





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