SS/PS MOVIE DISCUSSION

[montavilla47]

Carol:
> I'm trying to think of CGI scenes in SS/PS specifically (other than
> McGonagall's transformation from cat to woman, which was just done
> with shadows) that could have been done better. The troll was okay
> (didn't FOTR borrow bits of that scene a few years later?) and Norbert
> the dragon was pretty good. Firenze and Quirrell!mort, as I've already
> said, not so good.

Montavilla47:
IRRC, FOTR and PS/SS came out the same year.  I remember thinking it
funny that they both had scenes of people battling trolls.  

There are two scenes in which McGonagall transforms.  The first is that
opening, and it's done in shadow.  The second is when she begins 
teaching her class (and Ron and Harry run in late).  She transforms from
a cat into a teacher.

There probably are more CGI shots than non-CGI shots in PS/SS.  For
example, every time we see the Great Hall, there's stuff floating around.
When the owls fly in, there's CGIing going on.  

Pretty much any magical creature is either going to be CGI or some
kind of puppet, or both.

Most of the CGI isn't that noticeable, which means it's really well-
integrated. :) For example, during the Quidditch game, we'd know 
that the people on broomsticks are being added to the shot.  But
we might not realize that most of the students in the stands are 
also added through computer wizardry.

If I had to choose the most disappointing CGI element, it would
be Fluffy.  He wasn't very interesting and he certainly didn't look
"real."

But a lot of it was good.  The ghosts were suitably ghostly.  The 
Great Hall was terrific.  And I thought the Quidditch game was 
fun and very believable.