Seen it at last

[therealsnape]

Given the number of fellow-watchers in the local cinema I'm arguably the last person in fandom to have seen it. Yes, I do mean HBP. But we were on holiday till last Saturday and then there were some RL-things.
Still, for some lists of what I loved, hated, and missed, click the link.

 

Things I loved:
*The lighting of the wands, more particularly Maggie Smith. That close-up! Highlight (if you'll excuse the horrible pun) of the film.
*The scene in the hall. It even reconciled me to not getting the 'I'll write Augusta" scene. I can understand why they had to cut that.
*The Burrow.
*Snape's room. I want to stand in front of those bookshelves and read the titles. And I loved the type-writer. Was right in choosing my journal-layout after all.
*Fred and George's emporium. Part of me wants to go there, the larger part of me is relieved my students can't.
*Narcissa Malfoy's dress sense. And shoe sense. Impeccable, and such a relief for all those who occasionally worry about the wearability of their own purchases.
*Aragog's funeral.
*Molly's Christmas cake. Now that's what I call icing.
"Severus ... Please ..."  Words that hang around an actor's neck like an albatros. He did it just as I'd imagined. I don't envy Maggie Smith that "NO!" in the Battle of Hogwarts. But she'll pull it off, and if the director doesn't let her, I'll want to hire a reliable, not too expensive killer.
*Snape. Need I say it? Especially in his role as a party-animal. But all of his scenes were great.
*Helen Bonham-Carter.

Things I hated:
*The complete lack of scope they gave to Maggie Smith. She was brilliant in the Hall, at the lightning and in that 'Why is it always you three' scene, but McG would have shut up Severus with the necklace and the 'watch the lovey-doveys' thing was ridiculous.
*Maggie Smith's hairdresser. Make up your mind, man. This looks as if he changed ideas halfway. In the last film it was much better. (But then I hated that top-knot in film one, too). Not too enamoured of her costume designer either, but then I don't like anything resembling puff-ball sleeves. Not even when they are done in a fairly sleek, SF way.
*The burning of the Burrow and the whole scene around it. I mean, there's a perfectly good book to stick to, the scriptwriter is not Rowling, he just gets -- unlike us --  paid for playing around with her characters, what were they thinking of?
Never mind that it leaves us short one wedding venue - the absence of Phlegm makes it likely that the wedding announced between William Weasley and Fleur Delacour will now not take place. But the whole scene makes no sens and there would have been a better use of all that screen time.
And The Making Of ... Crop Circles? Well, there are more tedious things, watching paint dry, for instance. But I fail to see the point of it. And quite frankly, I like my own magical explanation for crop circles (see my story 'Stunned" on ff.net) just that little bit better.
*Fenrir Greyback. Is this the face that stopped a thousand clocks? He's just the common garden variety of a plugugly thug; what happened to the tremendous, intrinsic malevolence of the creature?
*Helena Bonham-Carters director, for what he did to her and to Dame Maggie. Bellatrix does not hop around like a giggling schoolgirl, taunting Harry with "I killed Sirius, I killed Sirius!"

Things I missed:
* Severus' "Don't call me a coward!" And there was a perfect moment for it. Loved the contemptuous way in which he disarmed Harry by simply kicking the wand out of his hand, though.
*The beautiful symmetry of Dumbledore's two "Because I'm with you," lines. In the beginning of the book, when he reassures Harry that nothing much will happen in AD's presence, and at the end of the book, when he takes comfort from Harry's presence. One of the things I loved best and there was time for it!

 

But all in all, I had a great time. I just love complaining.

Comments

[cranky--crocus.livejournal.com]

I need to re-read the book. I really do.

In agreement !!!

[mountainmoira.livejournal.com]

Could not agree more.... some things I truly liked.... some I shuddered at the lack of.....

I loved the sly little visual giving the young actor who played Riddle as a teen hair that reminded me of a young Hitler - thought that was a clever bit - intentional or othewise....

The scene in the hallway when Harry over hears Snape confronting Draco - the camera cut at the exact moment just as Snape swooped in on Draco, robes in a perfect billow.... brilliant little edit.

I am GOD AWFUL PISSED off that the pivotal line "Don't call me coward" was eliminated !!! The whole scene felt like a throwaway to me - except of course for the disarming of Harry - that was well done.

Narcissa was not as I pictured her - and the scene did not have quite the same intensity for me as I'd expected. In the book, the image of Snape and Narcissa kneeling was such a powerful one - standing to receive the Vow was not as powerful to me... but the expression and intonation that Rickman gave were of course superb. The man is an artist....

Dissapointed in the "Sectumsempra" scene as well - they had it down and then Harry waltzes out the door with no ensuing scene with Snape - aain a pivotal line "Who would have imagined, Potter, that you knew such Dark magic." Important stuff folks - why was it left out ??

Oh well, I rant too long - I did love the visuals - beautifully done, and the lake was exceptionally well done.

Enough of my mindless drivel for now.....

Re: In agreement !!!

[therealsnape.livejournal.com]

You're right about Riddle's hair as a teen. I didn't notice it at the time, but it is rather Hitler-like.
I was struck by his child-appearance. So very young! One forgets how young he is in that first encounter. That really makes you wonder where it all went wrong.
And Narcissa was not as I pictured her either - but this image is a very satisfying one.

And thanks for friending back!

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

I see our great minds are thinking alike in most things HBP.

--Poor Maggie's hair and robes. Ugh. She looked fine in her hat in the early corridor scene with Harry -- because the hideous old-lady hair was covered up. What part of "black bun" do the costumers not get? The entire principle, apparently. Another LJ friend says that her robe looks like something designed by a mad Klingon. One of these days I'm going to post a full rant about McGonagall on film.

--Sorry as I was not to see it, I also understand why they cut the "I'll write Augusta" scene. But at least we have fanfic to let us follow up on it.

--About the Burrow-burning: at first, I couldn't imagine why they had added this seemingly-unnecessary scene, with all the unnecessary complications it adds. But then I read someone else's theory that the writers wanted to give a sense of how much the Weasleys sacrifice for the war, and since they had cut out the Bill/Fenrir mauling (which would have required hiring more actors or something), the fire is the alternative. I'm not sure I'm completely sold on this explanation (how much cheapter could staging a fire be?), but at least it tries to make some sense of the otherwise inexplicable. Still, I don't think they plan on cutting the entire Bill/Fleur relationship in the DH films. I've read that they've already filmed a scene at Shell Cottage. So why not just bring in the actors now? And let us understand more about Fenrir?

--I remain totally baffled about the absense of "I'm not a coward." What a loss. I agree with Moira -- that whole scene between Harry and Snape, such a defining moment in the book, seemed just thrown away.

--I loved the wand-raising scene because of Dame M (and nice support from Gemma Jones), but it is a rather trite idea, I fear. Plus, as another LJ person said, it took one Death Eater to raise the Dark Mark and a whole courtyard full of "good guys" to remove it? But still, I'm with you: Maggie's two-second facial reaction made the film for me. She and Pomfrey and the others make the scene work very powerfully.

--It's too bad that both McG and Snape were sidelined as much as they were. In McG's case, that at least fits the book (where she was woefully underused and, when she did appear, mostly misused). But Snape is the HBP, for cryin' out loud.

--Oh, yeah -- that silly hospital ward scene. So much opportunity wasted.

"Severus ... Please ..." Words that hang around an actor's neck like an albatross.

Definitely. But he did do a fine job with it.

I don't envy Maggie Smith that "NO!" in the Battle of Hogwarts. But she'll pull it off, and if the director doesn't let her, I'll want to hire a reliable, not too expensive killer.

I expect she will pull it off if it's included, but it will inevitably be an anticlimax; that's the sort of thing that works in books (to the extent that it does) because each reader can hear it his/her own way. It gains resonance from not being pinned down, the way film has to. But I wouldn't be surprised if it were left out. I wouldn't be surprised if McG's entire role in the battle weren't diminished significantly. She's never been really a powerful presence in the films, much to my dismay. I doubt that they'll change her character dynamic at this point.

[therealsnape.livejournal.com]

One of these days I'm going to post a full rant about McGonagall on film.
Please do! It would make such an enjoyable ... erm ... it would be very good to get the frustration out of your system.
And that Burrow-burning thing, c'est une raison, pas une excuse. Bad fanfic.
Curious to know what they do about Bill and Fleur. Perhaps as with Tonk and Remus: it just happens.
Understandable of course, Tonk is at least in her twenties and Remus is, well, ancient really. At that age, surely, you don't do love scenes anymore? Or relationship difficulties?
I agree on the wand rising scene of course. It's the Disney style of 'moving'. But oh, that close-up.
but it will inevitably be an anticlimax I don't know about that ... it's like 'a handbag' in 'Being Ernest'. Dreadfully difficult, but still.

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

but it will inevitably be an anticlimax

I don't know about that ... it's like 'a handbag' in 'Being Ernest'. Dreadfully difficult, but still.

That's true. . .you may easily be right, and I hope you are! If anyone can do it well, Maggie Smith can. And it would be a wonderful screen moment if she did.

[minervas-eule.livejournal.com]

It is always so satisfying to read like-minded comments...even some months later *gg*
Too bad the director will not give a d. about our ranting or suggestions... to give so little screen-time to McG and then waste precious seconds on "calling the love-birds inside" *wth* !?! I could have cried in frustration about that scene (I had seen the pic beforehand and hoped for something quite different...)

My pleasant surprises were Helena BC at the beginning and Rupert G being really funny this time! But these pros could not make up for the minus points, especially the missing "I am with you" and "Don't call me a coward" - how could they do that to the readers?!? They do know how many people have read the books, don't they??

[therealsnape.livejournal.com]

They do know how many people have read the books, don't they?? I dare say their marketing department has the figures somewhere ... I just hope that for DH-the sequel they will read them too, instead of just glancing at a synopsis.
Dreadful thing is, if they cut the McG/Snape duel, we can't even boycot them for future films.
Loved to see your comment, it's always so flattering when people take an interest!