Divergence between canon and the films

[Geoff]

No: HPFGUIDX 192420

Geoff:
I have been interested to see the views expressed about the films and their
divergence from canon. A lot of criticism was originally voiced along this 
line when DH2 was released, when some of the present contributors were 
not here.

I have felt tempted to come in on that side of the discussion. As a group 
member for 10 years, I have felt that some recent threads are veering off 
topic and should therefore be in the OTC group but, since it was agreed that 
Main would allow film discussion if it was linked to canon, which is supposed 
to be the basis of the group. I feel that I will add my two pennyworth to the 
mix. I personally expressed very strong criticism of parts of DH2 in the early 
days, a position to which I shall return later; in general, I have liked the films 
and also recall that my induction into the Harry Potter world was through 
seeing CoS on a cinema in Barry, South Wales in December 2002 and, after 
rapidly seeing PS in the following week heading for the nearest bookshop to 
read more. 

The rest, as they say, is history.

However, although I broadly like the films, there are a number of places where 
the screenplay has distorted the storyline or, in some cases, has omitted bits 
of information which, if not mentioned, leave the watcher who is not deeply 
into the world HP puzzled. I'm going to mention three which have annoyed 
me to see what you think. Some are bigger niggles than others as you will 
see.

First off, in PoA, nowhere in the film is it revealed that Remus Lupin was one 
of the co-creators of the Marauders' Map. So, a newcomer to HP might be 
forgiven for  thinking "Why does Lupin know so much about this parchment? 
Where does he fit in?". The link of the authorship to James, Peter and Sirius as 
well is at all clear.

Moving to OOTP, in the book, we find Harry being tortured by Umbridge who 
makes him use a quill which uses his own blood to write and scars his hand 
each detention. Despite the urging of Ron and Hermione, he refuses to report 
the matter because he does not want to give Umbridge the satisfaction of 
thinking that she is winning. In the film, Umbridge and the Inquisitorial Squad 
students break into the Room of Requirement to capture members of the DA. 
This is not how it happens in canon where they only succeed in catching Harry 
and Co. because Dobby warns the group and I question whether a powerful 
magic artefact such as the Room  would be susceptible to a straight forward 
attack using simple spells. However, apart from that, we later see all the 
students sitting in a hall writing lines and all using blood quills. Are we really 
expected to believe the two dozen or more students are going to toe Harry's 
line and do nothing? There must be some – if not just Fred and George – who 
would take this further, possibly via parents.

Finally, in HBP, we have the Sectumsempra scene and its aftermath. In canon 
Harry rushes to the Room of Requirement to hide Snape's old Potions book. 
In the film, Ginny takes Harry there and then hides the book away from him so 
that he cannot use it again. This creates a problem in DH where Harry, in the 
book, recalls the location of the diadem but in the film, the story line is again 
distorted to accommodate the fact that Ginny is the holder of the secret. Purely 
as a personal grump, I have to say that, in my opinion, too much is made of 
Ginny in the later films. I have never been a fan because I feel that she echoes 
her mother's attitudes in being something of a control freak in addition to  
being  obsessed with Harry and I didn't felt that she was right for him. However, 
that's the author's prerogative.

But. My biggest beef is the shambles (IMO) that David Yates made of the final 
confrontation between Harry and Voldemort which, in the book at least was 
in the Great Hall and not zipping around the wreckage outside.

In that regard, may I direct you to a thread which I started on 21/07/11 entitled 
"MOVIE: Comparisons". As I said earlier, this was at a time the Elves were
allowing discussion of the films on Main where a useful comparison with canon 
could be made and we were asked to prefix the thread title with MOVIE. The 
thread begins at post 191019 and there is a considerable follow-up to it if you 
follow the links at the foot of each post. I think that will  make for a more 
meaningful read than a rehash starting from the beginning again; perhaps 
newer members of the group who were not here at the time might reply to 
points made on that original thread.

Finally, a smaller beef from a UK member after John's post about seeing people 
at Kings Cross railway station. Why was it that the interior scenes in the films 
were shot at Kings Cross but the exterior scenes – as at the start of COS for 
example – were at St. Pancras station? OK, this latter building is literally 100 
yards from Kings Cross because the two stations in pre-British Rail days 
belonged to different companies; the outside is probably prettier but no one 
with any decent contact with London (and mine ran to 45 years before I moved) 
is fooled!

Right, that may provide some food for thought and further enlightened 
discussion.