[HPFGU-Movie] Book Endings vs. Movie Endings

[Valerie Flowe]

On Dec 6, 2007, at 8:41 AM, astratrf wrote:
<snip> I feel that (possibly unfortunately) the
>  filmmakers will cut , change or water down whatever they need to, so
>  they don't lose their current rating. these are marketed as kids'
>  films (despite the fact that we know bettter!) and the bottom line is
>  money.They don't want to lose their audience just to be faithful to
>  the original material. that's the way it works.

My daughter and I just saw the Golden Compass. I read the book 
beforehand because I had heard all the 'anti-christian'  hoopla about 
it and wanted to get a feel for the subject matter before bringing my 
daughter. She's 10.  I had heard that this movie was intentionally 
watered down to appeal to younger kids, ostensibly to 'suck them into' 
reading the trilogy which has  increasingly dark atheist propaganda. So 
say the critics.
Granted the film is rated PG-13, which should tell parents something 
there. IMO, the film was beautifully made and very true to the book. 
Had some very scary parts, just like the book. Ex: the polar bears 
fighting, though the director opted to dispense with all the bloodshed 
that was mentioned in the book. And the thing that REALLY irked me is 
that they completely left off the ending!!! They gave it a 'Pollyanna, 
riding off into the sunset' ending, instead of the startling 
cliffhanger from the book. What a shame. That got me thinking about how 
the HP books endings and HP movie endings differ.

SS: book =  Can't remember; I lent someone my book!
Movie ending = Getting on the Hogwarts Express, waving goodbye to 
Hagrid.
COS: book ending = Riding home on the Hogwarts Express. Hermione 
mentioning how proud Harry's relatives are bound to be at how he 'saved 
the day'. He laughs.
Movie ending = that silly Hagrid is the greatest ending in the great 
hall. (happy, happy!)
POA: book ending =  Riding home on the Hogwarts Express. Sirius sends 
Pigwidgeon for Ron and a letter granting Harry permission to visit 
Hogsmead the following year. He scares Uncle Vernon by telling him 
about his convicted murderer godfather.
Movie ending = they messed with the timeline so that Sirius gives Harry 
the broom at the end and Harry is freeze-framed on the screen (happy, 
happy!)
GOF: book ending = Riding home on the Hogwarts Express. Malfoy, Crabbe, 
Goyle get totally hexed by the trio and friends. Harry's friends give 
him a nice goodbye as he walks off with Vernon. He's thinking that 
whatever happens (with Voldemort) he will deal with when the time 
comes.
Movie ending = Hermione says, in a much lighter tone than the book 
"Everything's going to change now, isn't it? And Harry replies 
"yes".There are waves and hugs all around and the Durmstrang ship sinks 
and the Beaux-Baton carriage flies off into the sunset (happy, happy!)
OotP: book ending = Riding home on the Hogwarts Express. The Order 
walks with Harry up to the Dursleys and makes it known that they'd 
better not mess with Harry.
Movie ending: the kids are walking to their train, and Harry makes a 
positive, rallying statement to his fellow mates (happy, happy!)

I think it's a shame that they didn't keep the Dumbledore denouement 
monologues and the riding home on the Hogwarts Express, in the movies. 
That was always such a nice wrap-up.

Valerie