I just watched OotP again Saturday night... quite shocking there as well.
Legolas Send a noteboard - 15/11/2010 04:45:48 PM
Tons and tons of stuff they left out or changed, a few completely pointless additions, but the worst thing is that it's quite simply incomprehensible if you haven't read the books. I was watching with my mother, who just gave up trying to follow the plot. Now admittedly I'm not even sure if she'd seen GoF, and either way it was a long time ago that she saw any of them, but I too was often going "er, you do realize that a viewer who hasn't read the books won't understand this leap you've just made".
The HP movies after the second or arguably the third have three strong suits, imho: the set design (their Hogwarts, Ministry, Diagon Alley etc. are rather neat), the action (which is generally quite entertaining and even though they change a lot there too, it doesn't generally matter that much), and a number of actors (in particular Evanna Lynch, Alan Rickman, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Dame Maggie Smith, and of course Helena Bonham-Carter). Everything else, not so much. They are nearly impossible to follow for those who haven't read the books, and a constant source of aggravation for those who have. I really hope they'll do better in book seven, what with having twice as much time to tell the story. But then, considering how much they've cut out of earlier movies that they now have to get back in (or risk incomprehensibility once more, but then clearly that doesn't bother them much), that might not mean much.
The HP movies after the second or arguably the third have three strong suits, imho: the set design (their Hogwarts, Ministry, Diagon Alley etc. are rather neat), the action (which is generally quite entertaining and even though they change a lot there too, it doesn't generally matter that much), and a number of actors (in particular Evanna Lynch, Alan Rickman, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Dame Maggie Smith, and of course Helena Bonham-Carter). Everything else, not so much. They are nearly impossible to follow for those who haven't read the books, and a constant source of aggravation for those who have. I really hope they'll do better in book seven, what with having twice as much time to tell the story. But then, considering how much they've cut out of earlier movies that they now have to get back in (or risk incomprehensibility once more, but then clearly that doesn't bother them much), that might not mean much.
The Great Harry Potter Re-read: Book Six, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
18/10/2010 06:12:40 PM
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General comments on the book.
18/10/2010 06:14:10 PM
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Suggestions.
18/10/2010 06:18:46 PM
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*cough*
09/11/2010 09:24:21 AM
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Chapters 1-3: The Other Minister, Spinner's End, Will and Won't.
18/10/2010 06:21:55 PM
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Characters: The three Ministers, Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Harry, Dumbledore, the Dursleys.
18/10/2010 06:25:12 PM
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Re: Characters: The three Ministers, Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Harry, Dumbledore, the Dursleys.
18/10/2010 06:55:06 PM
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Re: Characters: The three Ministers, Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Harry, Dumbledore, the Dursleys.
19/10/2010 01:07:59 AM
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*spoilers for book 7* an assortment of characters
19/10/2010 01:01:35 AM
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Plotting and writing.
18/10/2010 06:27:40 PM
- 1343 Views
*spoilers for book 7* focalisation and why I'l accept it this time, the power/powerless issue &stuff
19/10/2010 01:02:53 AM
- 1614 Views
Re: *spoilers for book 7* focalisation and why I'l accept it this time, the power/powerless issue
20/10/2010 02:58:54 PM
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Re: *spoilers for book 7* focalisation and why I'l accept it this time, the power/powerless issue
20/10/2010 03:14:35 PM
- 1677 Views
Anything else? *NM*
18/10/2010 06:28:16 PM
- 786 Views
Dumbledore-centered.
19/10/2010 01:03:05 AM
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Chapters 4-6: Horace Slughorn, An Excess of Phlegm, Draco's Detour. *NM*
20/10/2010 03:44:39 PM
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Characters: Slughorn, Fleur, the Trio, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy,...
20/10/2010 03:46:47 PM
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Re: Characters: Slughorn, Fleur, the Trio, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy,...
20/10/2010 05:27:26 PM
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(Mostly) on Slughorn, Narcissa and Fleur...
20/10/2010 09:25:20 PM
- 1796 Views
Re: (Mostly) on Slughorn, Narcissa and Fleur...
20/10/2010 09:46:08 PM
- 1718 Views
Re: Characters: Slughorn, Fleur, the Trio, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy,...
20/10/2010 10:15:58 PM
- 1736 Views
Dumbledore, Slughorn, Tonks, Mr & Mrs Weasley, Hermione, Narcissa and the twins.
20/10/2010 09:23:04 PM
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Re: Dumbledore, Slughorn, Tonks, Mr & Mrs Weasley, Hermione, Narcissa and the twins.
20/10/2010 09:56:28 PM
- 1602 Views
Re: Dumbledore, Slughorn, Tonks, Mr & Mrs Weasley, Hermione, Narcissa and the twins.
20/10/2010 10:17:23 PM
- 1780 Views
Anything else? *NM*
20/10/2010 03:48:07 PM
- 777 Views
So. Inferi are zombies aren't they? I just realised. Ick. Do they eat brains? *NM*
20/10/2010 09:24:03 PM
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I was kind of disappointed that Harry didn't remark on that fact.
*NM*
22/10/2010 07:24:11 PM
- 886 Views

Chapters 7-9: Slug Club, Snape Victorious, The Half-Blood Prince *NM*
22/10/2010 07:23:03 PM
- 929 Views
Characters *NM*
22/10/2010 07:23:24 PM
- 873 Views
Harry, Romilda, Malfoy (in luuuve), Snape, Lavender Brown, McGonagall, Hermione and Slughorn.
22/10/2010 07:26:19 PM
- 1758 Views
Love is in the air, evidently.
22/10/2010 07:54:35 PM
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Slytherin had been in need of new blood for a long time. (And assorted other comments.)
22/10/2010 10:34:49 PM
- 1713 Views
Re: Slytherin had been in need of new blood for a long time. (And assorted other comments.)
25/10/2010 10:33:04 AM
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Plotting and writing. *NM*
22/10/2010 07:23:37 PM
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Dumbledore, patronuses and the DADA job.
22/10/2010 07:27:23 PM
- 1641 Views
Anything else? *NM*
22/10/2010 07:23:50 PM
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I believe in Wrackspurts, too. And some questions.
22/10/2010 07:28:04 PM
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I'm not sure if I noticed this before, but awesome Tolkien shout-out there.
22/10/2010 09:58:27 PM
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Re: I'm not sure if I noticed this before, but awesome Tolkien shout-out there.
23/10/2010 05:34:25 PM
- 1611 Views
Re: I'm not sure if I noticed this before, but awesome Tolkien shout-out there.
25/10/2010 10:35:43 AM
- 1651 Views
Chapters 10-12: The House of Gaunt, Hermione's Helping Hand, Silver and Opals. *NM*
25/10/2010 05:00:02 PM
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Characters: The Gaunts, the Trio, Hagrid, and many more. *NM*
25/10/2010 05:02:07 PM
- 900 Views
Harry's continued insistence about Malfoy really irritates me (even though he's right).
25/10/2010 06:15:23 PM
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*lol*
25/10/2010 06:39:19 PM
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Re: Harry's continued insistence about Malfoy really irritates me (even though he's right).
26/10/2010 09:23:09 AM
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Trelawny, Ogden, Gaunt, Ron, Hermione, Ron and Harry
25/10/2010 10:23:55 PM
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Plotting and writing.
25/10/2010 05:03:16 PM
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Amazing amounts of accurate guesswork here, in hindsight.
25/10/2010 05:37:28 PM
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Re: Amazing amounts of accurate guesswork here, in hindsight.
26/10/2010 09:46:47 AM
- 1584 Views
Anything else? *NM*
25/10/2010 05:03:32 PM
- 720 Views
Dumbledore still sounds like Stephen Fry. And reflections on the nature of Potions class.
25/10/2010 05:11:24 PM
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It's like baking, I think.
25/10/2010 05:32:42 PM
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Yes, exactly like baking - and advanced baking involves experimenting, substituting, improvising.
25/10/2010 06:42:42 PM
- 1686 Views
Also, Parseltongue - is Harry that thick, or is it a magic thing?
25/10/2010 05:18:41 PM
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I think it's a magic thing.
25/10/2010 05:34:09 PM
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It can be learned actually. Dumbledore implies he knows it and Ron uses it in book 7
25/10/2010 05:55:28 PM
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Re: It can be learned actually. Dumbledore implies he knows it and Ron uses it in book 7
27/10/2010 04:31:45 PM
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parseltongue
25/10/2010 10:24:46 PM
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Interesting how many of our remarks are along similar lines.
*NM*
25/10/2010 10:27:30 PM
- 761 Views

Chapters 13-15: The Secret Riddle, Felix Felicis, The Unbreakable Vow *NM*
27/10/2010 04:16:28 PM
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Characters: The Trio, Ginny, Tom Riddle, Draco,... *NM*
27/10/2010 04:17:12 PM
- 875 Views
Dumbledore, Voldemort, Ron & Hermione, Harry, Ginny, Luna
27/10/2010 10:31:39 PM
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My take on Ginny is rather different, I must say... at least this time around.
29/10/2010 01:47:20 PM
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Re: My take on Ginny is rather different, I must say... at least this time around.
29/10/2010 09:06:16 PM
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Re: My take on Ginny is rather different, I must say... at least this time around.
29/10/2010 11:02:15 PM
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Plotting and writing. *NM*
27/10/2010 04:17:26 PM
- 691 Views
plot and writing.
27/10/2010 10:30:14 PM
- 1615 Views
Anything else? *NM*
27/10/2010 04:17:42 PM
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Re: Anything else?
27/10/2010 10:30:55 PM
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I wonder if that's actually true, though.
28/10/2010 10:39:20 AM
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Re: I wonder if that's actually true, though.
28/10/2010 10:44:22 AM
- 1603 Views
Crabbe and Goyle show us what happens when you fail (most of? all of?) your OWLs.
29/10/2010 02:10:39 PM
- 1730 Views
Chapters 16-18: A Very Frosty Christmas, A Sluggish Memory, Birthday Surprises *NM*
29/10/2010 05:40:39 PM
- 862 Views
Characters: The Trio, Fleur, Scrimgeour, Percy, Remus, Slughorn,... *NM*
29/10/2010 05:43:02 PM
- 950 Views
Mr Weasley, Lupin, Fleur, Harry and Scrimgeour
29/10/2010 08:51:58 PM
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Re: Mr Weasley, Lupin, Fleur, Harry and Scrimgeour
02/11/2010 06:23:04 PM
- 1635 Views
Anything else? *NM*
29/10/2010 05:44:04 PM
- 759 Views
Chapters 19-21: Elf Tails, Lord Voldemort's Requests, The Unknowable Room *NM*
01/11/2010 02:00:22 PM
- 655 Views
Characters: The Trio, the elves, Draco, Dumbledore,... *NM*
01/11/2010 02:00:56 PM
- 981 Views
the twins, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Voldemort, Draco and Tonks
01/11/2010 02:08:32 PM
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Anything else? *NM*
01/11/2010 02:01:27 PM
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I want to hear the joke about the hag, the Healer and the Mimbulus mimbletonia. *NM*
01/11/2010 02:10:11 PM
- 1361 Views
Me too. And is a "hag" just an old witch, or something more specific?
03/11/2010 09:52:12 PM
- 1673 Views
Re: Me too. And is a "hag" just an old witch, or something more specific?
03/11/2010 09:54:05 PM
- 1956 Views
Re: Me too. And is a "hag" just an old witch, or something more specific?
08/11/2010 01:54:59 PM
- 1609 Views
Chapters 22-24: After the Burial, Horcruxes, Sectumsempra
03/11/2010 09:50:17 PM
- 1883 Views
Characters. *NM*
03/11/2010 09:50:33 PM
- 902 Views
Malfoy, Ron & Hermione, Slughorn, Voldemort, Snape and Ginny.
04/11/2010 12:12:57 AM
- 1642 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
03/11/2010 09:50:50 PM
- 794 Views
Harry wrong again, house elves, horcruxes, free will, well hidden clues and some irony *DH spoiler*
03/11/2010 10:35:20 PM
- 1606 Views
Re: Stuff.
04/11/2010 04:28:04 AM
- 1661 Views
Re: Stuff. *spoilers for book 7*
04/11/2010 09:10:19 AM
- 1668 Views
This "we'll see in book seven" thing is getting old, but still that's what I have to say here...
04/11/2010 01:23:01 PM
- 1505 Views

Chapters 25-27: The Seer Overheard, The Cave, The Lightning-Struck Tower
05/11/2010 05:37:42 PM
- 1497 Views
Characters: Harry, Trelawney, Dumbledore, Draco, Snape. And maybe some other people. *NM*
05/11/2010 05:38:19 PM
- 767 Views
Romilda, Snape, Trelawny, Draco, Dumbledore, Voldemort, Harry *spoilers book 7*
05/11/2010 07:34:01 PM
- 1599 Views
Anything else? *NM*
05/11/2010 05:39:43 PM
- 803 Views
I like how good magic is not flashy. Also, a Tolkien thing
05/11/2010 07:55:27 PM
- 1588 Views
I didn't take the comparison as far, but the gate thing did remind me of Moria, yes. (DH spoilers)
05/11/2010 10:03:16 PM
- 1815 Views
Chapters 28-30: Flight of the Prince, The Phoenix Lament, The White Tomb. *NM*
09/11/2010 02:13:12 PM
- 903 Views
Characters. *NM*
09/11/2010 02:13:25 PM
- 740 Views
Snape, Lupin, Hermione & Ron, the Order, Mrs Weasley & Fleur, Luna & Neville, Scrimgeour, Ginny *DH*
09/11/2010 02:20:01 PM
- 1520 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
09/11/2010 02:13:40 PM
- 869 Views
Spoilers.
09/11/2010 02:26:38 PM
- 1519 Views
Re: Spoilers.
09/11/2010 04:49:06 PM
- 1572 Views
I'm assuming not even the Ministry knows 100% what she did.
13/11/2010 12:26:14 AM
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Very true.
15/11/2010 01:48:36 PM
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Not much, no, but there's one fairly crucial mention.
15/11/2010 04:37:23 PM
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With my keen attention to detail, I somehow missed that.
Another good catch!
15/11/2010 09:36:37 PM
- 1800 Views

Anything else? *NM*
09/11/2010 02:13:53 PM
- 750 Views
We did the Harry Potter marathon thing on Sunday
09/11/2010 02:28:08 PM
- 1643 Views
This is definitely the most painfully altered of the movies.
09/11/2010 04:34:33 PM
- 1663 Views
Re: This is definitely the most painfully altered of the movies.
09/11/2010 04:36:29 PM
- 1643 Views
I just watched OotP again Saturday night... quite shocking there as well.
15/11/2010 04:45:48 PM
- 1755 Views
Re: I just watched OotP again Saturday night... quite shocking there as well.
15/11/2010 04:50:57 PM
- 1572 Views