Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Sneak Peeks

[sediment]

The biggest examples are her forcing them a) to put the scene at Borgin and Burkes back in C of Se , b) not putting the graveyard in P of A and c) not cutting Kreacher from O of TP.

a) I'll have to check my DVD copy, but I don't think the original cut had a lot of Borgin and Burkes, even though it is an occasional plot point throughout the books. I know there was a cut scene in the "extras" that was longer, and that is now included in the Family Channel's presentations.
b) Not sure what this is about, since it was apparently cut.
c) I don't think a few mumblings was sufficient, relative to his roles in books 5, 6, and 7. Harry's feelings toward Kreacher change drastically, yet he currently has no feelings. Wizards' general opinions about elves is not thoroughly explained in the movies (especially when cut completely out of Movie 4), yet here we are, being asked in Movie 6 to accept some kind of relationship between Harry and Kreacher.

[kirbilicious]

You all do realize that Jo has total control over everything Harry Potter and that includes the Movies from Warner Brothers and the Theme Park coming from Universal don't you? She must sign off on anything from story points to costumes to props. EVERYTHING is under her control, so there won't be anything like making a whole new movie. The points left out were done with her OK. So that has to mean she know what will be done during movies #6 and 7. She will make sure it call comes out the way it should.

That's what surprises me about the movies. I understand and can accept that things are obviously going to be changed and cut when the transition from book to film is made, but someof the changes seem strange and just downright stupid. One of the things that bothers me about OOTP is how Kreacher was virtually eliminated. He plays such an important role in DH and I'm not sure he'll be able to keep that role with what's been done with him already in the movies. What's going to happen to Dobby too in DH? Will Neville once again take his part and save everyone from the Malfoys' manor? He's been absent from the movies for such a long time that I don't know how they could really just introduce him in DH and have it make any sense.

[Queentitania19]

Most of the time when I watch the movies I feel like they can't possibly make sense if you haven't read the books. I have friends that don't read the books that tell me that they can follow but I just see the great big gaping holes. The director tried to eliminate Kreacher completely and JKR told him that he couldn't because he played a vital role in the future books. That's the only reason we got the tiny amout we did.

If you think about it none of the characters have gotten the development they need to stand up to the last book. Well, maybe Luna, Neville and Hagrid. They've completely axed all the real development that Hermione and Ron get and really played down the angry rebellious phase that Harry was supposed to go through. Dobby and Kreacher are basicly not there and they've turned Draco and Severus into cartoons. Dumbledore is no more than an elderly wall decoration. Now all those characters are intregal parts of the plot in the final 2 books and I just don't know how they are going to throw it back in.

b) Not sure what this is about, since it was apparently cut.

Alfonso Cuaron wanted to include a cemetery scene in Prisoner of Azkaban at Hogwarts. JKR told him he couldn't because that wasn't where the cemetary was and she wanted to save that for later in the series.

[Goofy Daddy]

Most of the time when I watch the movies I feel like they can't possibly make sense if you haven't read the books. I have friends that don't read the books that tell me that they can follow but I just see the great big gaping holes.

Yet if JKR has the sweeping "final say" some fans are claiming she has, how did that happen? Why are those big holes there? Especially with the large amounts sawed off of OotP. Weird and unfortunate.

[kirbilicious]

Yet if JKR has the sweeping "final say" some fans are claiming she has, how did that happen? Why are those big holes there? Especially with the large amounts sawed off of OotP. Weird and unfortunate.

That baffles me so much. I was fairly certian she did have to approve the scripts but then why would she let so much get altered? Unless they have a really good way of getting around all of the cuts.

[kirbilicious]

Most of the time when I watch the movies I feel like they can't possibly make sense if you haven't read the books. I have friends that don't read the books that tell me that they can follow but I just see the great big gaping holes.

I've always felt the same way. To me, it seems as if GOB would be extremely confusing because so much of Crouch's explanation in the end was cut. The cutting of Winky didn't help with the confusion either.

Dobby's part was reduced greatly. Kreacher got about 3 seconds of screen time. Winky was completed eliminated. House elves really do face harsh discrimination, don't they?

[Goofy Daddy]

That baffles me so much. I was fairly certian she did have to approve the scripts but then why would she let so much get altered? Unless they have a really good way of getting around all of the cuts.

Ah, and here is the problem. As is the case with many authors whos works are turned into movies, she probably does have "final approval" of the script. That is part of a standard deal in most cases.

The problem is, 90% of the time, the "final script" that has been approved gets changed further by the Director DURING FILMING and things sometimes get changed even by the actors. Those changes are allowed (it's called "artistic licence") and are not subject to review by anyone at all, including the orginal author.

It is my opinion that some fans have mistaken JKR having "final approval" on the script being the same as final approval of every change done during production. It is not the same, and the latter is very rare. If a director, or producer, or sometimes even actor goes through a scene that is described in the script and sets it up (sometimes they even film it) and then feels for what ever reason (and there could be many) "this just doesn't work for me" then he/she can and often do change things from the script to get it the way they want it/invision it. No approval is required in that case going back to the author of the "source materiel."

Often that author can look at those changes/cuts/ect and SUGGEST things (and you would think smart producers would listen to those suggestions) but ultimately they have no power to force things to go their way or to stop the production at that point.

As I said, if anyone might be able claw a better deal or more power from the studios, it would be JKR, but my opinion (and based on the stuff I have seen changed and edited in the films) is that JKR has "final approval" on the script and then is a consultant during the actual production.

[sediment]

I've always felt the same way. To me, it seems as if GOB would be extremely confusing because so much of Crouch's explanation in the end was cut. The cutting of Winky didn't help with the confusion either.

Dobby's part was reduced greatly. Kreacher got about 3 seconds of screen time. Winky was completed eliminated. House elves really do face harsh discrimination, don't they?

It's also possible that the elves are hard to create and interact with in what seems to be a very short time frame. All three of LOTR's principal filming was done long before the first one was released. (I think.)
As I wrote earlier, I hope some preliminary work is being done on the DH movie now, so it won't be pressed for time later.

And, how (in the movie) did Barty Crouch escape from Azkaban? And was this publicized? It was never explained how he escaped

Spoiler

with the help of his mother and father.

[Goofy Daddy]

It's also possible that the elves are hard to create and interact with in what seems to be a very short time frame. All three of LOTR's principal filming was done long before the first one was released. (I think.)
As I wrote earlier, I hope some preliminary work is being done on the DH movie now, so it won't be pressed for time later.

And, how (in the movie) did Barty Crouch escape from Azkaban? And was this publicized? It was never explained how he escaped

But you see, your spoiler tells how he escaped in the books. Perhaps it is/would be different in the film version. Seriously. We may never know because that detail was never covered in the film (an unfortunate omission) but other movies based on written sources have diverged from those kind of plot details and (unfortunately) I don't think the HP movies are immune to that.

[sediment]

But you see, your spoiler tells how he escaped in the books. Perhaps it is/would be different in the film version. Seriously. We may never know because that detail was never covered in the film (an unfortunate omission) but other movies based on written sources have diverged from those kind of plot details and (unfortunately) I don't think the HP movies are immune to that.

I understand that, but Harry drops into the Pensieve to see him being sent to Azkaban, so he must have escaped somehow in the movie version, whether it was by the book's method or some other way. It was never explained, even though it was a big deal that Sirius escaped from it in Movie 3. Heck, Harry sees Barty in the very first scene, somehow through the Muggle's eyes (another poor decision by the filmmaker -- should have been through Nagini's eyes, even though the book was written in third person, if only to provide backdrop of what happened at The Riddle House so long ago).

[Deanna]

I'm fresh from seeing OOtP for the first time (I have kids, we're on a budget, we don't go to the movies...), and am really enjoying this thread!

I simply cannot concieve of how they are going to get movie Draco up to emotional snuff to carry out assasination attempts on Dumbledore...

Draco is just a bully, in both books and movies. After OOtP, his dad has failed Voldy, multiple times, and now Draco (being 15/16, that teenage place where you want to be treated like an adult, but you're still such a little boy at heart) is forced by Vold to step up and take his father's place, to redeem his family. It's not that he has the emotional snuff, it's that he's terrified of what will happen if he doesn't follow orders. He doesn't really want to kill Dumbledore (as D points out on the rooftop that night), that's why he fails. Tom Felton will do a fabulous job of showing it, he'll be scared, but trying so hard to be tough...

And, as with the last few films, they chop so much of it up that it's hard to get any kind of momentum going at any given time. It's like watching the CliffsNotes version.

That's almost exactly what I told my husband the other day. I told him there was so many revealing little things that were left out of OOtP, from Petunia's knowledge of Dementors (and "that awful boy"), to the visit to St Mungo's, to cleaning out 12 Grimmauld (locket anyone?), to Kreacher, not to mention Lily's defense of Snape... It was like the director expected that EVERYONE has read the books, so it would be okay to leave all these things out, and to just touch on them instead, because we all know about them anyhow. Well, Mr Deanna hasn't read any of the books (though he made a point of listening to the last half of DH, while I read to the kids), so there was a LOT of info he needed filled in after seeing OOtP.

Yep, I was disappointed in the movie of OOtP. It is my favorite book in the series, it's the first time Harry is just a young boy, and not a superhero figure. He is confused, and angry, and lonely... But I definitely think HBP and DH can still be good movies.

[MasterGracey]

I understand that, but Harry drops into the Pensieve to see him being sent to Azkaban, so he must have escaped somehow in the movie version, whether it was by the book's method or some other way. It was never explained, even though it was a big deal that Sirius escaped from it in Movie 3.

Right, it was such a big deal that Sirius escaped Azkaban, but I don't think, after all the commotion over it, that they even explained how he escaped in the film!

It was sort of just expected that the audience would piece together the puzzle - Sirius + Animagus + Dementors = Freedom ??? Or was it that we were just expected to forget that Azkaban is supposed to be inescapable?

[MasterGracey]

I'm fresh from seeing OOtP for the first time (I have kids, we're on a budget, we don't go to the movies...), and am really enjoying this thread!


Draco is just a bully, in both books and movies. After OOtP, his dad has failed Voldy, multiple times, and now Draco (being 15/16, that teenage place where you want to be treated like an adult, but you're still such a little boy at heart) is forced by Vold to step up and take his father's place, to redeem his family. It's not that he has the emotional snuff, it's that he's terrified of what will happen if he doesn't follow orders. He doesn't really want to kill Dumbledore (as D points out on the rooftop that night), that's why he fails. Tom Felton will do a fabulous job of showing it, he'll be scared, but trying so hard to be tough....

[bold mine]

You're right that Draco is nothing more than a bully - but in the films he's simply a bully that provides comic relief, most of the time, much like Snape has been handled.

It's never really shown in the films how much Draco really hates Harry, Ron, and Hermione as much as he really does in the books.

It's going to be a tough job taking both Draco AND Snape and making them into the characters they need to be to believably carry out their plotlines in films 6 and 7.

[sediment]

I told him there was so many revealing little things that were left out of OOtP, from Petunia's knowledge of Dementors (and "that awful boy")...

THAT'S IT!!! That's where I remember her talking about an "awful boy"!! Thanks! I thought it was in the first book, but I checked and she said "that Potter boy" instead.

[sediment]

It's going to be a tough job taking both Draco AND Snape and making them into the characters they need to be to believably carry out their plotlines in films 6 and 7.

Well, movies play up to title characters. In three of them it's "HP and Some Inanimate Object." "HP & The Prisoner of Azkaban" played up Sirius pretty well. Could have been better, if we consider perfect replication of the books to be optimal. HP&TOOTP showed who TOOTP are, but, again, not as much as the book did. No St Mungo's visit, which would have been pivotal for character development of Neville, Lupin (visiting with the werewolf-bitten patient), and others.
Well, as somebody is the second part of the Book 6 title, perhaps he (or is it she?) will get a similar treatment in Movie 6. Surely, there is a lot to be done there. I hope we get to find out who overheard part of the prophecy during Dumbledore's interview with Prof. Trelawny.