[Film] HP and the OotP

[karohemd]

Overall, it was good entertainment and it dragged less than the book and while lots of chaff was cut, there were also some bits missing. Just like the book, it was more a vehicle to bring in some more background information (the prophecy
I really wanted to see more Tonks (yep, definitely my type) but Luna Lovegood was very cool. Helena Bonham Carter als Bellatrix Lestrange, yum yum.
It's not brilliant but better than the book, even if a few vital bits were missing.
Oh, and I think that Dan Radcliffe is actually getting a lot better as an actor, he's a lot less wooden than he used to be.


I agree with snapesbabe about Umbridge. I never liked the character, either. Not because she was someone you weren't supposed to like (Lucius Malfoy and Lestrange are utterly evil but superb) but it's one of those figures that don't work and just really annoy me. In that regard, the film was faithful to the book, I guess.

Where was the bit with Neville's parents. Neville mentioned that they were attacked with the Cruciatus curse but if you hadn't read the book, you wouldn't know what that meant. Why did Neville's dad look like Tony Blair?

Sirius' death was actually a bit more accessible than in the book because they didn't even mention what that portal was and it being described as the "Veil" in the book didn't add much to the story.

The film concentrated mostly on the action sequences from the book and most of Harry's angsting was cut, which was quite a relief. ;o)

Trailers: Stardust looks good. I still haven't read the book, must do that before. Hopefully I'll find it when I junk out my room over the weekend because I lost it. I Am Legend WTF? No idea what that is supposed to be and what I've read on imdb isn't encouraging although it looked interesting. Evan Almighty not my thing at all.

Comments

[ginasketch.livejournal.com]

I should go to Cheshire Oaks and see that film once I move.

most of Harry's angsting was cut, which was quite a relief. ;o)

Tell me about it. So much emo. And that's coming from me.

[matgb]

I still haven't read the book, must do that before.

I'm deliberately avoiding doing so, films are never as good as books, so I don't want to hate the film because of that, I'd rather enjoy the book more afterwards.

I Am Legend WTF? No idea what that is supposed to be

I hope that's a "no idea why they've done that to it" and not a "I've never heard of Matheson's classic". Which I've also not read, although it is on my list...

[ginasketch.livejournal.com]

I am Legend is one of my favorite books, and you and Mike are both wrong to have not heard of it (until i pointed it out to him that is, then he devoured it on the train). The thought of it being a movie makes me want to tear my hair out though. I just KNOW they will fuck it up.

I'm probably going to make myself angry now by watching the trailer.

[ginasketch.livejournal.com]

and by not heard of it, i meant, not read it. d'oh:P

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid it's the latter, I never got into classic SciFi for some reason. I tried to read some Arthur C Clarke and Asimov in my youth and it didn't grab me. Which is rather odd, because I've always been interested in tech and science.

[ginasketch.livejournal.com]

agh! Another one!!

*gets out the stick*

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

Apparently, there's already been a film and this is a remake.

[matgb]

Ah, that's ok, because, y'know, have definitely heard of it, it's on one of my lists:
http://matgb.livejournal.com/204136.html

And one of the reasons I'm holding off reading it is because I want to watch and enjoy the movie for itself—I've long had a problem with people hating movies because it's not like the book; it's not going to be, they'll have to change it because it's not a book. The question is how much will they change, and will the changes make it work better as a movie.

Still, at least we know Will Smith can actually act if he's made to by the director, so there is some hope (preys this is Smith-as-actor film not a Smith-as-Fresh-Prince film like ID4 &c).

@Ozzy—rereading some of the other classics, I'm finding them much more fun that Clarke and Asimov, Asimov I liked but he was a bit "I'm so great" a lot of the time, and Clarke could be so very dry a lot of the time; as I'm beginning to run out of newish authors I can stand, going back through classics is fun; above link is a good starting list it seems, they're all reprinted recently in a nice selection of covers.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

No need to get violent.

[matgb]

*cough* tha'ts like the yanks complaining that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was a remake of Willy Wonka, it's a different film version of the book, not a remake of the first film, for that would be utterly silly.

[ginasketch.livejournal.com]

(preys this is Smith-as-actor film not a Smith-as-Fresh-Prince film like ID4 &c).

That's EXACTLY what i'm worried about.

[ginasketch.livejournal.com]

*makes you read the book while watching over with the stick*

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

Heh, you're right. Another adaption attempt of the book, then.

[ginasketch.livejournal.com]

Are you sure? I can't find it on imdb and i've never heard of it. There's just a rockumentary called I am Legend, which is a different thing entirely.

[pmoodie.livejournal.com]

The thought of it being a movie makes me want to tear my hair out though. I just KNOW they will fuck it up.

*activates film-geek mode*

It's been filmed twice already with mixed results. The Last man on Earth (1964) starring Vincent Price comes quite close to the book, but it's slightly scuppered by being an Italian/American co-production, so everyone except Price is dubbed. Still, it's got some nice atmospheric scenes of Price walking through deserted cityscapes hunting the vampires.

The second stab was The Omega Man (1971) with Charlton Heston. I really like the film myself, but it's more of an action/sci-fi film than a horror one, and the vampires are only albino plague victims.

I suspect the Will Smith job will be more like the Heston one, but with more action, explosions and wise-cracks.

[ginasketch.livejournal.com]

That answers my question.

[professoryaffle.livejournal.com]

On reading stardust I think it depends on how upset you might be by the film being not terribly true to the specifics of the book

I think its my favourite Gaiman but I am not worried as he seems to happy with it and I know beforehand to know its not going to be like the book but if you dislike films which aren't true to the details I might wait till after the film before you read the book

[queenortart.livejournal.com]

I found the kitten plates deeply disturbing

[pmoodie.livejournal.com]

Yay! My geekiness serves some purpose at last! LOL

[belak-krin.livejournal.com]

Ahhh... I thought it was a remake of the Omega man when I first saw it, that clears things up somewhat.

[suchid.livejournal.com]

Wasn't the Cruciatus curse explained in one of the earlier films?

[the-lady-lily.livejournal.com]

I know! Deeply creepy. Mind you, they captured very well the sheer pinkness and giggly little girlness of Umbridge, who I actually disagree with karohemd about; I think she works quite well as a character, but that's probably because she's a good way to start blurring the obvious clear lines between 'good' and 'evil' for the under sixteens.