Is Buckbeak Indispensable (& Other PoA Edits)?

[banjoken at optonline.net]

No: HPFGUIDX 27384

As much as I'm willing to forgive minor details in the movie being 
changed, I think getting rid of Buckbeak would be too much. If you 
eliminate Buckbeak, not only does it change the whole rescue at the 
end (which I wouldn't like), but it eliminates so many other things. 
How long was Malfoy milking that "broken" arm for? That was an 
important point. Most important, I think, is that without the time 
turner, Harry can't conjure the patronus and rescue himself from the 
dementors in the forest. Getting rid of Buckbeak would change way too 
much, and I really don't think they would do that.

Also remember that GoF is 300+ pages more than PoA. I have no idea 
how they're going to make that into a 2 1/2 hour movie!

Ken