The books don't lend themselves very well to a movie format.
I think it's more of a problem of the writers/directors trying to put too much of the book into the movie. Details are just going to have to be dropped; film is an entirely different medium, so Chris Columbus trying to put all of the first two books on film just didn't work: it was too boring. I really enjoyed the last three films though, it seems like they're daring to edit more and they're getting the point across better. To expect every beloved canon moment in the film is a sure way to end up disappointed; it's better to hope they manage to catch the theme and feel of the book. I think OotP managed this largely... though I'm not saying it was perfect.
No DA, no pervading presence of the war ... just rambling down pensieve lane and juvenile boy/girl nonsense. :-(
Oh yeah. *laughs* But HBP must be a dragon to bring to the screen. NOTHING happens in the book. Just Harry skulking after Malfoy, potions lessons, rearing chest monsters and DD yapping about a past that can't be changed instead of telling Harry about actual important stuff, like how to dismantle a horcrux or something. How does knowing about Voldemort's family make any difference to the battle now? Voldemort himself doesn't even know his family cause he wasn't even born nor did he ever know them, so how does it shape or define him? JKR apparently just thought she could write an interesting, psychologically revealing villain backstory or something (er, no). It just fills the pages with worthless backstory that does nothing to drive the plot forward. And it's going to be a drag on screen too. The scriptwriter's bound to cut it up, but what's left? Ron necking Lavender? Hermione's jealousy? Harry's obsession with Malfoy, Slughorn and Ginny the Quidditch Queen? Yeah... action packed.
I've said to friends before that though HBP sucked, they will probably manage to make it look good on screen because they can cut out a lot, but now I'm wondering what would be left of the book? A romantic comedy, when the war and threat should have been at its height? Sjeez.
Heh. I'm getting a bit excited, and I'm hoping for H/Hr ... the complete lack of satisfaction - of credibility - of OBHWF just repels me from thinking otherwise.
I certainly know what you mean. I was sooo like this before HBP: I couldn't believe that anyone would think that the R/Hr setup was anything but awful, nor that JKR would be so bad to write an MS. I just hope you're not setting your hopes up too high. They're clearly setting R/Hr up in the OotP movie (and doing it better than JKR managed it), even though the book felt completely H/Hr to me. I don't think that the movie makers don't get it, I think that JKR is just lousy at writing a meaningful romance. Her interview and HBP don't leave much room for anything else.
Not that it wouldn't be totally awesome if H/Hr happened, but yeah, it is what it is. I'll see you next week. o_O
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I think it's more of a problem of the writers/directors trying to put too much of the book into the movie. Details are just going to have to be dropped; film is an entirely different medium, so Chris Columbus trying to put all of the first two books on film just didn't work: it was too boring. I really enjoyed the last three films though, it seems like they're daring to edit more and they're getting the point across better. To expect every beloved canon moment in the film is a sure way to end up disappointed; it's better to hope they manage to catch the theme and feel of the book. I think OotP managed this largely... though I'm not saying it was perfect.
No DA, no pervading presence of the war ... just rambling down pensieve lane and juvenile boy/girl nonsense. :-(
Oh yeah. *laughs* But HBP must be a dragon to bring to the screen. NOTHING happens in the book. Just Harry skulking after Malfoy, potions lessons, rearing chest monsters and DD yapping about a past that can't be changed instead of telling Harry about actual important stuff, like how to dismantle a horcrux or something. How does knowing about Voldemort's family make any difference to the battle now? Voldemort himself doesn't even know his family cause he wasn't even born nor did he ever know them, so how does it shape or define him? JKR apparently just thought she could write an interesting, psychologically revealing villain backstory or something (er, no). It just fills the pages with worthless backstory that does nothing to drive the plot forward. And it's going to be a drag on screen too. The scriptwriter's bound to cut it up, but what's left? Ron necking Lavender? Hermione's jealousy? Harry's obsession with Malfoy, Slughorn and Ginny the Quidditch Queen? Yeah... action packed.
I've said to friends before that though HBP sucked, they will probably manage to make it look good on screen because they can cut out a lot, but now I'm wondering what would be left of the book? A romantic comedy, when the war and threat should have been at its height? Sjeez.
Heh. I'm getting a bit excited, and I'm hoping for H/Hr ... the complete lack of satisfaction - of credibility - of OBHWF just repels me from thinking otherwise.
I certainly know what you mean. I was sooo like this before HBP: I couldn't believe that anyone would think that the R/Hr setup was anything but awful, nor that JKR would be so bad to write an MS. I just hope you're not setting your hopes up too high. They're clearly setting R/Hr up in the OotP movie (and doing it better than JKR managed it), even though the book felt completely H/Hr to me. I don't think that the movie makers don't get it, I think that JKR is just lousy at writing a meaningful romance. Her interview and HBP don't leave much room for anything else.
Not that it wouldn't be totally awesome if H/Hr happened, but yeah, it is what it is. I'll see you next week. o_O