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The Harry Potter film series

Started by Cool Chris, April 15, 2018, 01:35:46 PM

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Cool Chris

I didn't get swept up in Pottermania is real time. I read the books a couple years ago and loved them. Then after a time I decided to buy the Blu-Ray set. I had seen Goblet of Fire on a date, but it was a midnight showing, and my date was more interested in the film than me, so I dozed off*. The only implication here is that Michael Gambon was my first Dumbledore.

So I recently watched through all the movies, without the benefit, or detriment, of time between each film as if I watched them upon their release in the theater. These are not the greatest films I've ever seen, but they are damn fun and enjoyable, and quite the overall achievement. I am sure people on the net have dissected all the differences and changes they made. We can discuss those here, but I won't get too wrapped up in them, as it takes a little more thought than I want to commit to that activity. I think by and large each film was made the right way, and while most changes/omissions/additions made for time, budget, or creative purposes seem reasonable, only one seemed to bother me in real time and continues to weigh on me.

The casting is genius. The whole story arc hinges on Potter himself, and Daniel Radcliffe is nothing short of astonishing. As do everyone else. I knew who all the major actors were since I read the books after the movies came out, so I already had them in my mind when I was reading, again for better or worse. But everyone delivered admirably.

I am starting to ramble.... discuss the Harry Potter film series here.


* We didn't go out again.
Maybe the grass is greener on the other side because you're not over there fucking it up.

The Walrus

I haven't reflected on this series much, but I am now, and it's a little staggering to me how this has been a part of (just about) my entire life. I was 6 when the first book was released, and I have all kinds of memories, from reading the book with my older sister in her room when we were little kids, to being 16 and getting the final book as one of the last gifts my grandmother ever gave me. So Harry Potter was always there in my childhood.

I think most of the films do a stellar job of portraying the books properly on screen. Most. Just going off the top of my head here. I do think the portrayal of the characters is spot on for almost every role in each film, which is impressive given the enormous amount of characters. If I had to rank them, I'd probably do it this way from favorite to least:

Deathly Hallows Part 2
Order of the Phoenix
Chamber of Secrets
Half-Blood Prince
Deathly Hallows Part 1
Sorcerer's Stone
Prisoner of Azkaban*
Goblet of Fire*

I don't like Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire. PoA is my least favorite book (not as entertaining to me), and GoF is my least favorite film (suffers from being very rushed). All the others are fantastic, and I still think the first two films are fun to watch and look great.

Cool Chris

I am a little envious of those younger people who could "grow up" with Harry like you.

Didn't think to rank them, despite that is what we here at dtf.org do. Goblet of Fire is my least favorite book and movie. I think it has the weakest story. I am not sure there is much separation otherwise. Which is why I view the series as highly as I do.
Maybe the grass is greener on the other side because you're not over there fucking it up.

ProfessorPeart

Never read the books and totally dismissed it as cutesy kiddie flicks without actually knowing what I was talking about. Saw the first film at a family members house and got sucked in. Then the films just got darker and darker. Wife and I ended up seeing the last 4 or 5 in the theater.

Was in Orlando last year on business and the conference rented out Universal Orlando for a private party one evening. Spent almost the entire night in Diagon Alley. Was mesmerizing. Went on the Gringott's ride which was pretty cool.

As a sidebar, if you're interested in a rated R version of Potter, check out SyFy's The Magicians tv show. Third season just ended. They even throw in an occasional Potter joke here and there. It too is based off of a novel series. From what I understand, they try to stay pretty close to the books. It is very vulgar and grown-up from a language perspective. I believe Netflix has the first two seasons.
Quote from: ProfessorPeart on November 14, 2023, 11:17:53 AMbeul ni teh efac = Lube In The Face / That has to be wrong.  :lol / EDIT: Oh, it's Blue! I'm an idiot.
Quote from: Indiscipline on November 14, 2023, 02:26:25 PMPardon the interruption, but I just had to run in and celebrate the majesty of Lube in the Face as highest moment in roulette history.

MirrorMask

Half Blood Prince to me was the best.

I think the movies series was fantastic, and that they got lucky in getting the trio. Of course we don't have counterproof but really, how lucky they got in getting those three? they fitted the bill perfectly. the movies were faithful renditions, there were no elves at Helm's Deep kind of thing. The only thing they screwed up? oh, a minor detail, Voldemort's final defeat  ;D really, the whole point of it was to show that Tom Riddle was a mortal man afraid of death, and that he died like anybody else, to have him snowglobe to death into the air made him look like a demon from another world.

Zydar

I haven't read any of the books, just watched the movies a couple of years ago. I quite liked them. I think I'll be rewatching them soon.

ganpondorodf

I've read the books and seen most of the movies, and like the series ok. Like many things though, some of the people who are REALLY obsessed with it alarm me a little

lordxizor

My wife and I are rewatching these movies as she finishes each book. Overall I think the movies do a pretty good job of adapting the books. Really the only character that isn't really well translated is Dumbledore. In the books he's pretty goofy and funny at times. He's always very serious in the movies. That doesn't really bother me at all though. There are occasionally spots in the movies that you miss something if you haven't read the books, but that's to be expected, especially on the longer books. They can't leave everything in.

chknptpie

I was sad S.P.E.W wasn't more included in the movies.

T-ski

my 10 year old is currently reading the series and is on book 5.  we have been watching the movies after each book is completed.  both my wife and I have read the series and its interesting going back and rediscovery things with the kid.

we may be venturing down to Orlando after he finishes the series.

soupytwist

#10
My wife is a fan, so I've seen the movies a couple of times.  I haven't read the books, but the only films I kind off like are 3 & 4.  David Yates is a shit director with no visual flair whatsoever, throw in his favored monotone pallet (it's a kids film, throw in some colour at the screen for Gods sake) and the final 4 films are a real borefest.

Also Rupert Grint was the only one of the trio of main kid actors who can actually act, Emma has the tendency to wiggle her eyebrows and shout act alot and Daniel is just wooden.

Grappler

Read the books twice - I remember taking a trip to Vegas just after the final book came out.  I'm laying out by the pool at the Flamingo in 112 degree weather, drinking a margarita and I have tears in my eyes as I'm reading the scene where Harry goes to the forest to sacrifice himself to Voldemort.  My wife asks what's wrong and I'm saying "she just killed Harry Potter!" as I'm laying out by the pool.  What a strange place to be reading that book.

The films are magical.  I had no interest in them until my mom rented the first movie and made me watch it - I was in my early 20s then and had never read the books.  She knew how much I loved sci fi and fantasy movies, but at the time, I wasn't interested in the phenomenon of the kids' story as it was blowing up.  I was wrong.  Such a perfect job in casting every single part.   I can't wait until my kids are old enough to read the books and watch the movies. 

lordxizor

Quote from: Grappler on April 17, 2018, 05:19:30 AM
I can't wait until my kids are old enough to read the books and watch the movies. 

We're debating the appropriate age for my kids to start. The first few books aren't too bad for younger kids, but by the end they're definitely for older kids. Not a problem if you start at 8 with the first book if you read them in real time as they were released, but my son will want to read them all within a few weeks of each other and we don't think he's old enough to read the last few. So I guess we wait a couple more years. Actually I plan on reading them aloud to my kids.

bosk1

We made each of our boys wait to see the movies until they read the books, which I think was a good idea.  Somewhere along the way, we dropped the ball with our daughter, and she ended up seeing the movies with all of us without having read the books yet.  Oh well.  :dunno:

I've never read the books myself.  From the films, I can say that they seem like fun enough stories.  I've just never taken the time to read them.  The movies themselves are good, but I find that they don't really hold my interest, and I usually seem to find my mind wandering and looking for something else to do when watching them. 

The Walrus

The final battle of the series is awesome. I watched it last night just to relive it and wow is that some epic wizardry action.

SoundscapeMN

bump.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-03/warner-bros-nears-deal-for-a-new-harry-potter-television-series?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_content=business&cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business

New TV Series in the Works:

I was imagining this literally 15 or more years ago. I likely mentioned it in my old livejournal . Regardless, this has me intrigued, but also knowing they could screw this up pretty easily. However, it is HBO thankfully.

QuoteA 'HARRY POTTER' reboot is in the works at HBO.

Each season of the series would be based on one of the 7 books.


"I have facility enough that I can throw down something, and play it, and play it correctly, and play it in time, but that doesn't make good records.  What makes good records for me, is when you capture a performance or you get some feeling that you get on tape and that you know you can't plan for it" -Kevin Gilbert

XJDenton

The first two books are silly adventure books targeted to preteens. The antithesis to prestige television that is HBOs bread and butter. I'm also not sure that JKs worldbuilding is going to survive the long format that an HBO series would likely demand.

So I'm going to be sceptical.
"I'll be more enthusiastic about encouraging thinking outside the box when there's evidence of any thinking going on inside it."
― Terry Pratchett

soupytwist

Need to keep the Williams score.

lordxizor

Tell a new story please. The story of James Potter and his friends in school. Teddy Lupin with Harry Potter as his godfather and mentor. Harry as an auror. Neville Longbottom's adventures in herbology. Anything but recreating the same thing. Please.

If they insist on redoing the books, at least make it animated to stand out as something unique.

hefdaddy42

Quote from: BlobVanDam on December 11, 2014, 08:19:46 PMHef is right on all things. Except for when I disagree with him. In which case he's probably still right.

lordxizor


TheOutlawXanadu

My wife and I watch the movies every year. They came out at just the right time to where they feel like an indelible part of our childhoods. All the actors are around our age and I believe Harry is 11 in the first movie, which was exactly my age. And of course we read the books as they were becoming a cultural phenomenon. I enjoyed the movies as they were coming out, but in hindsight, I feel like they are minor miracles. To keep so many actors together for such a long time, and for the main three to actually end up growing into their roles really nicely, was pretty much the best case scenario and it actually happened! I'll always go back to these movies.

Regarding the HBO show... I think it could go either way. I'm also not looking forward to another round of controversy. :lol