Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince: Let'S Hear From The Geeks!

[gogo]

OK, I'm doing this. I know there are enough geeks here to get in on this thread!

 

 

Note: this post contains not only movie spoilers (only if you haven't read the book), but also a spoiler from the next book, so if you haven't read the books and only see the movies, I'm spoiling #7 for you here, too.

 

 

I saw the movie Sunday night with my twelve year old (supergeek) niece, and my most hipster friends. I don't know who enjoyed it more, the kid or the supposedly hip adults.

 

Quidditch scenes looked great. The girl who played Lavendar was good, although in the books, I always pictured her to be black, for some reason. And I didn't cry when reading Dumbledore's death scene, and didn't cry during the cinematic version of it, either. My niece thought it was pretty funny that I bawled my eyes out when Dobby died, but didn't shed a tear for Harry's mentor/father figure. Ah well.

[jenbobblehead]

I also didn't get upset at the dumbledore death probably because i didn't ever believe it to be true; that there would be something later that would make him not dead. Although I suspect that when the 7th book becomes a movie, there might be some tears... I am hoping to see the movie this week with my 15 year old niece.

[isadorah]

this was my 2nd favorite of the movies. i was upset by dumbledore's death in the book, but not so much in the movie. that was actually my only gripe relative to the movie. in the book, there is so much fighting and intensity with the flight of Snape and all the other death eaters...in the movie they just walk out the front door and quietly walk away. snape's declaration of being the half-blood prince was weak and something they could have easily incorporated the intrigue and mystery of into other parts of the movie. Lavendar was exactly as i had pictured her. i also thought it was fun that they did so much with the "love" stories...i thought that was all the 6th book was about. originally i had always pictured slughorn to be played by Danny DeVito and wasn't sure how the actor the cast was going to pull it off, but i thought he brought something completely new to the character i wouldn't have expected. all in all it got a big thumbs up from me. i definitely liked it better than the 5th movie (and it is probably my 2nd to the least favorite of the books).

[mollyegan]

I did really enjoy the movie- but I had a few problems with it. My first is that Harry isn't shown at the Dursley's. I did think it was interesting to see Harry out in the Muggle world but I would have loved to see Dumbledore chastise them. Secondly, the burning of the Burrow. NEVER happened. I don't mind when films deviate from their books- but this just bothered me. I understand wanting to make the danger from the Death Eaters more imminent and real- but I thought if fell flat. Finally, the scene in which Dumbledore is murdered. I second that I wasn't as upset at the film. I think that cutting that battle scene made it less dramatic. Having all the Death Eaters on the tower just didn't seem right. What made his death the sadder for me in the book (and I BAWLED) was that Dumbledore sacrificed himself for Harry. In a split second he chose to freeze Harry rather than save himself. The film seemed to dilute that sacrifice. Plus, I don't think Harry would have just sat there because Dumbledore asked him to. With his loathing for Malfoy and his love for Dumbledore, I think he would have acted like the rash teenager he is- not a self-possessed, clear-thinking individual.

Yes, I do know that there is no way to 100% faithfully execute a book like that one into a cohesive film. I think that the previous movies, 5 especially, have done a really good job. I just really take issue with the Burrow and the tower scenes. All that said- I thought this one was great fun. I laughed a lot. McLaggen was HYSTERICAL. What a perfect creep. I loved Lavendar- but I also thought she was black for some reason. The sets and costumes are phenomenal. I will probably see it a few more times in the theater...and I will definitely add it to my DVD collection.

[bobbob1313]

It had been a while since I read the book, so I didn't notice so many of the things missing.

 

The burning of the weasley's I thought was a compression of the wedding scene, but I guess that was in the 7th book. Maybe they wanted the destruction of the burrow but didn't want to get into the whole wedding thing inthe next movie, so they fudge it around?

[gogo]

Maybe they wanted the destruction of the burrow but didn't want to get into the whole wedding thing inthe next movie, so they fudge it around?

I think that's very likely. That's definitely a section that could be cut from the next movie. Although, Book 7 is going to be TWO movies, so they'd better not cut too much!

[bobbob1313]

Also, people have complained about them just walking out of the castle without a fight:

 

I think tht better illustrates how dumbeldore's death further emboldened the death eaters and how truly helpless everyone else was.

[gogo]

I kind of forget the chain of events from the book, but wasn't the big fight going on before the Malfoy/Dumbledore showdown? So that was a moment of stillness, just a battle of wills, in the middle of a whole mad battle. I kind of liked that set-up, if I'm remembering it properly.

[bobbob1313]

I think you may be correct.

 

Perhaps it would have been tougher to portray snapes actions in a big battle scene like that?

 

I probably should reread it.

 

I didn't like that dumbledore didn't put Harry in the spell so he couldn't move. Harry has always been irrational and a bit of a risk taker, especially when emotions run high. He woulnt have just watched it happen.

[Guest Speed Racer]

I was dragged to opening night by my girlfriend (not midnight, but 8pm on Wednesday), having only seen Azkaban and never having read a book. I LOVED it, and have started reading the first book now.

 

Especially given the length of the books, I'm always flustered when people complain that they left stuff out - it's just not possible to include every detail, and I'm actually a fan of movies differing from the books that inspired them. That being said (and not knowing a thing about the books), the burning of the Weaseleys' home bothered me too. Seemed way too over-the-top in the context of the scene, and didn't really mesh with the character of the Death Eaters. Whatever they were, they were not reckless and impulsive, which is what the home destruction seemed to be. I wasn't surprised to find out that didn't happen in the book.

 

I was kind of shocked, given my limited exposure to the franchise, that I had no trouble at all picking up in the middle. By reading several articles intermittently since 2001 and hearing peripheral conversations around the workplace, I'm apparently rather fluent in the HP storyline. Media osmosis is kind of frightening. The only thing I recall having to ask for help with was what a muggle is.

 

Very cute, and very fun! I think my favorite part was probably the liquid luck scene, if only for the part where Harry says, "I think it's the pincers..."

[gogo]

OK, yes, the pincers thing was adorable. Although, I don't think that the Liquid Luck actually made him "high" in the book. It was a well-being feeling, but not otherwise altered, I didn't think.

 

 

I think the reason most people hate when something is left out in the movie is because it's a part that they particularly enjoyed in the book. I also feel that the movies just don't make as much sense, plot-wise, with some of those sections left out. After seeing these movies, I often find myself answering questions from whichever non-book people I've seen them with. (Can we all just pretend that that last sentence makes sense and move on, please? )

 

There was the whole thing in the third book about the map, that wasn't explained in the movie, and I still don't see how anyone who didn't know that stuff could make heads or tails of the movie.

[John Smith]

OK, I'm doing this. I know there are enough geeks here to get in on this thread!

 

 

Note: this post contains not only movie spoilers (only if you haven't read the book), but also a spoiler from the next book, so if you haven't read the books and only see the movies, I'm spoiling #7 for you here, too.

 

 

I saw the movie Sunday night with my twelve year old (supergeek) niece, and my most hipster friends. I don't know who enjoyed it more, the kid or the supposedly hip adults.

 

Quidditch scenes looked great. The girl who played Lavendar was good, although in the books, I always pictured her to be black, for some reason. And I didn't cry when reading Dumbledore's death scene, and didn't cry during the cinematic version of it, either. My niece thought it was pretty funny that I bawled my eyes out when Dobby died, but didn't shed a tear for Harry's mentor/father figure. Ah well.

 

Dobby’s dead? Damn.

 

I’ve read all the books and seen all the movies. As the books became more expansive the movies have veered more from the detailed telling of the story, otherwise I think each movie could easily be 4 – 5 hours long. Anyhow, it’s been a while since I read HBP so the details were a bit sketchy to me, but overall the movie was decent. I could see where it veered away from the story and am really not enough of a purist to be too upset about it. I do think that once they discover the word Horcrux, that the story rapidly moved towards its conclusion, which is not how I remember the book, though I could be mistaken. In my opinion they could have developed that portion of the movie to the end a little better, but they never asked my opinion.

[Hoodoo Man]

I'm hoping to take my 2 oldest to see it tonight. From the clips I've seen, it looks like it should be good. I've enjoyed all the movies but like most HP geeks, wished they were all about 30 minutes longer.

[gogo]

I always feel that way, too. One of the women I was with for this one said that when they were all standing there in the tower for the big climactic scene, she felt like it just should have been over by now. But I disagreed, I would have rather had another 30 minutes to build up to that scene, as I mentioned earlier, with the battle, etc.

[Gobias Industries]

1. Where the fuck was my wand battle?

2. Harry Potter was basically blazed out of his mind in the Felix felicis scene. My friend looked at me when it came on and was like, "he's soooo blazed. I know because this is what my friend acts like when he's blazed."

3. While I appreciated some adaptation for the film, the whole Ron-Hermione segment was built up without resolution (which had to have happened, but they spent a whole lot of time dealing with it), and the Ginny-Harry segment was just really awkward. Maybe I should try picking someone up with "You're shoe's untied" and tie their shoe? And the setup to their first kiss was just really, really awkward. Maybe that was the point, but it was almost unbearable.

4. The movie actually had funny moments, unlike the book. That was pretty good.

 

65/100, in my opinion. Maybe I'm too dedicated to the source material in this instance (I thought Order of the Phoenix was pretty damn good, actually).

[KevinG]

I kind of forget the chain of events from the book, but wasn't the big fight going on before the Malfoy/Dumbledore showdown? So that was a moment of stillness, just a battle of wills, in the middle of a whole mad battle. I kind of liked that set-up, if I'm remembering it properly.

 

I heard they left out the battle at Hogwarts (right before Dumbledore died) becasue their is a battle at Hogwarts at the end of Deathly Hallows and the director thought it would be redundant.

[mollyegan]

Also, people have complained about them just walking out of the castle without a fight:

 

I think tht better illustrates how dumbeldore's death further emboldened the death eaters and how truly helpless everyone else was.

I kind of see what you mean...but they weren't really all that helpless, were they? Especially in light of what we discover in 7 about Dumbledore already being on his way out. You know? I think that the burden is actually heavier on Malfoy (with whom I was really impressed in this movie) if he is alone with Dumbledore on the tower. Then it is just he and the headmaster.

 

I didn't like that dumbledore didn't put Harry in the spell so he couldn't move. Harry has always been irrational and a bit of a risk taker, especially when emotions run high. He woulnt have just watched it happen.

Exactly! The movie portrayal dilutes both Harry's rashness and Dumbledore's sacrifice (although...considering my earlier argument- he was already on his way out. Either way- it saved Harry).

 

I was dragged to opening night by my girlfriend (not midnight, but 8pm on Wednesday), having only seen Azkaban and never having read a book. I LOVED it, and have started reading the first book now.

I hope you do read them! I have friends that are hesitant to read them. I always ask them if there would be this extraordinary amount of hooplah if the books were worthless. They are indeed more layered, rich, and complex than the movies allow. But the movies are great fun! I was also disappointed (but not surprised) that the other memories were not included! I really wanted to meet Merope!

[Sir Stewart]

I've read all the books and have only seen bits and pieces of a few of the movies as I happen across them airing on ABC Family. I may seek out this one in a theater though.

[Guest Speed Racer]

I hope you do read them! I have friends that are hesitant to read them. I always ask them if there would be this extraordinary amount of hooplah if the books were worthless. They are indeed more layered, rich, and complex than the movies allow. But the movies are great fun! I was also disappointed (but not surprised) that the other memories were not included! I really wanted to meet Merope!

 

I was pleasantly surprised, and I do intend to read them! The movies sure do spin a good, enthralling story, and given that books are almost always better than their companion movies, I have no reason to doubt that wouldn't hold true for the HP series.

[gogo]

What I like most about the books is that the first two are kind of sweet stories. Some darkness, sure, but the stories are simplistic, as much about Harry finding his place in the world as about the evil he's facing. But then bam, you hit #3, and it goes nuts. There's crazy history to everything, and the Dementors are just fantastically, perfectly frightening, and stuff from the first couple of books starts to mean a lot more as you reflect back. No, the books are not great literature (sometimes the writing is just shudder-worthy [not in a good way!]), but the overall accomplishment of an author creating this world is definitely impressive.

[Hoodoo Man]

I finally got to see this last night and was impressed. I really enjoyed it. Thought they did a good job of touching on all the major events without leaving too much out. Would have been cool to see some of the other memories of Riddle's family, but can understand why that was left out. The younger actors have really matured into pretty good performers, particularly Daniel Radcliffe and Tom Felton. In some of the earlier comments the Dumbledore death scene was discussed and questioned about Harry's inactivity. My guess is the director wanted to emphasize that Harry was putting his trust totally in Dumbledore. Maybe to show Harry's maturity or perhaps to set up for the next 2 movies. As I recall, in book 7 Harry starts to lose faith in Dumbledore because he feels like he was betrayed by Dumbledore's unwillingness to disclose to Harry everything he knew about Voldemort. So maybe that was the thought process.

 

Anyway, it was a really good movie. I didn't feel cheated with its length like I did with Phoenix (and I did like Phoenix, just wanted it to be longer). My 2 sons both dug it immensely and said it moved to the top of their HP list.

[mollyegan]

In some of the earlier comments the Dumbledore death scene was discussed and questioned about Harry's inactivity. My guess is the director wanted to emphasize that Harry was putting his trust totally in Dumbledore. Maybe to show Harry's maturity or perhaps to set up for the next 2 movies. As I recall, in book 7 Harry starts to lose faith in Dumbledore because he feels like he was betrayed by Dumbledore's unwillingness to disclose to Harry everything he knew about Voldemort. So maybe that was the thought process.

 

Oooooo. Food for thought! I'm hoping to catch it again this week.

[jimtweedy1977]

I'm going back to reading the books in anticipation of book 7 movies. the way i figure it, i should be able to finish all seven in the next year and a half. was really impressed with the movie. although i really enjoyed the pensieves plotline of the book, i could see how too many of those scenes in the movie would have dragged it down. a pretty faithful intepretation of the book.

[gogo]

although i really enjoyed the pensieves plotline of the book, i could see how too many of those scenes in the movie would have dragged it down.

I pretty much always want more flashbacks, no matter what movie I'm watching. I could have had an entire movie of just the pensieve, and I would have been happy with that.

 

 

I'm also hoping to re-read the books over the next year and a half. The Deathly Hallows (Part 1) will come out on my birthday weekend next year. I'm already planning to make my nieces and nephew take me out to that.

[Sir Stewart]

For a long time I was sort of confused by the concept of the pensieve - I'd wondered: if certain memories are in the pensieve, then how does one even remember they're in there? Watching a bit of GOF over the weekend, it hit me - Dumbledore keeps the basics in his head, and goes to the pensieve for all the details. I realize this is probably common knowledge for you all, but it was cool to finally 'get' it, because I'd been thinking it was a loose thread of Rowling's.