How would YOU have done it?

[Sars]

We all dreamed about it. We all know it would have been a thousand times better if it had happened. We all know that the world would have heralded it as a classic if only it had gone through.

So if YOU had directed the Harry Potter movies, if you were sat in that funny deckchair with the words VIP-All-Powerful-Director-Guy on the back, what would you have changed?

For me...

Daniel Radcliffe: Pl-ease. The only way to have changed the expression on that boys face would have been some rather expressive stress relief on his face with a sledgehammer. He better get better in the next film or me and Mr. Stonecrusher are comin' to pay a l'il visit. Also the hair and eye colour was quite off. I would have casted someone more physically suited.

The Dark Forest?!: What was up with that? There was absolutely no logical reason to rename it the Dark Forest. Alright, so the line 'The Forbidden Forest is forbidden' would have sounded a bit stupid and blatant, but I'm sure they could have worked around that.

Tom Felton's Hair: You could have smacked him round the head with a rock and all that gel and hairspray would have kept him as safe as if he had been wearing a crash helmet. I would have let it just hang naturally, as the way they had it looked nowhere near natural, and nobody in their right minds would do that to their hair by choice.

The general pace: The movie seemed to go really slowly at the beginning and then speed up dramatically towards the end. I would have paced it out a lot more, built up the grand finale a bit more.

That's all I can come up with at the moment. But I would be fascinated to see what you would have changed. How this movie could have been a better movie.


:confused:

[Remus]

lol, I agree with all of those.

I'd change:

Hermione - I know people say that she's inexperienced and that she probably will get better, but did she have to be so annyoing ? And if she's so inexperienced why didn't they get a more experienced actress who wasn't quite so wooden.

Hagrid's Hut - It just so shouldn't look like that :rolleyes:

Dumbledore - He was way too tired and old (yes, I know Dumbledore's supposed to be old, but he's supposed to have some energy in him)

The Tasks at the end - They only glorified the boy's achievements, I mean they completely skipped out Hermione's potions bit ! Plus they tried to get Daniel Radcliffe to act, which wasn't really a good idea.

[Kristin]

The centaur - Why not have a real human as the top half? The CGI did not work! It looked really bad, really fake.

[Matt3]

The only things I would change:

The pacing of the pre-Hogwarts scenes. They went by waaay too fast, and left out a lot of important exposition. I still can't BELIEVE that they just walked into The Leaky Cauldron, and no explanation whatsoever why the Muggles on the street didn't see them go in, or why they don't see the door when it's RIGHT THERE. No explanation what the Ministry of Magic is, or WHY they have to keep magic secret from the Muggles. They didn't show Harry getting his new room at the Dursley's... I'm *hoping* they show him get it in CoS, but more than likely they're just gonna have him with his own room, instead of sleeping under the stairs, and give no explanation.

They never explained where Harry got his invisibility cloak.

They never explained why Snape hates Harry.

I didn't mind the rest of the changes....

[UpintheSky]

Originally posted by Remus
Hermione - I know people say that she's inexperienced and that she probably will get better, but did she have to be so annyoing ? And if she's so inexperienced why didn't they get a more experienced actress who wasn't quite so wooden.

The Tasks at the end - They only glorified the boy's achievements, I mean they completely skipped out Hermione's potions bit ! Plus they tried to get Daniel Radcliffe to act, which wasn't really a good idea. [/B]

Remus, great observations, especially the latter. I hadn't realized that. First I agree on Hermione. Emma really annoyed me the first time around. I think there was a drastic improvement in her in Chamber of Secrets. I am hoping she will be even more comfortable with the camera in PoA. There were a couple of awkward moments in CoS, for instance I hated when Hermione comes running out to see Harry and Hagrid in Diagon Alley. I don't know whether it was the cut or what, but it looked very staged and unnatural.

The second part of your observation was really well found. I didn't think about how they undermined Hermione's part in Harry's reaching the Philosopher's Stone.

Great points.

[LuthienElentari]

The one thing that made me mad about Hp 1 is the sorting hat
Scene it seemed too rushed . And Hermione crying was really fake .


For Chanber of secrets I woud have deleted a little bit of the barfing slugs, and wouldn't have made Hermone look neat. She looked too neat to be Hermione. They needed to make her look more grundgy. Ron was fab nothing to change there. Harry I liked. I thought that they really got the point about Harry not knowing who he is , I thought they made that plot point perfect.
I would have deleted a little bit of the spider car chace. That wasn't really that neccessay.

[Elfëa]

Someone's beeen void diving? ;)

Must say, from CoS I would have cut out the SPIDERS! :mad: Almost all of the chase, it wasn't needed!

[ChianaWeasley]

They needed to cut out the train scene where Harry is hanging on for dear life. If never happened in the book 'jeez mon! '

[Seriphus]

Totally agree with both of those. Cutting the spiders and the OTT train scene would have left more room to put in things that are relevant to the story.

[ChianaWeasley]

Bah! Who needs a storyline, relating to the book?!

[Fleurdelacour]

lol china! :D

Oh those car/train scenes make me ill (actually the countryside does, but thats a different subject all together! :p ) don't watch any HP film with me, I will sit through it and moan!

"What about Draco and Lucius in that shop something Bangs..."

ect ;)

Hermione Make her go. Please. Someone! She's so nagging! Lil Miss Know It All and I Know I Know It All! Remember a few years back femininist groups were saying JKR was sexist because they thought Hermione being the female protagonist was to naggy, and a sterotypical woman, things like that. Well, that's the Hermione we see on screen then.

Harry Mr I Am A Broomstick. Daniel Radcliffe's acting... He'd win an Oscar if he was playing a Firebolt.

Oh heck! I'd change everything!!! The script for starters! All this 'comedy' makes me ill... Give me the orginal books anyway... :rolleyes:

[ChianaWeasley]

The only humor I want to see in the films is from;
a). fred and George
b). Ron
c). when theres a funny moment in the book
'Twitchy little ferret aren't you Malfoy?'

[owl]

I would put in the Gringotts ride so that people could see what it was like. I would also have the pile of wands that Harry supposedly used before he got to the wand that was right for him. I'm quite annoyed that they haven't put in some of the details that really describe what the characters are like and what tings should look like.:mad:

I generally imagined the voices of all the characters to be like Steven Fry read them on the CD's. Some of them are quite different. I say Fry did them best!!

[ChianaWeasley]

I am happy that they kept in the scene with ron belching slugs, that made me very happy. And for PoA they are going to have Snape in the dress and stuffed vulture hat. The little funny things that really count :D

[Athelas]

From Chiana
And for PoA they are going to have Snape in the dress and stuffed vulture hat. The little funny things that really count
I didn't know that! I can't wait!

[ChianaWeasley]

Exactly, priceless...:D

[xKatiexBellx]

Daniel Radcliffe: Pl-ease. The only way to have changed the expression on that boys face would have been some rather expressive stress relief on his face with a sledgehammer. He better get better in the next film or me and Mr. Stonecrusher are comin' to pay a l'il visit. Also the hair and eye colour was quite off. I would have casted someone more physically suited.

Tom Felton's Hair: You could have smacked him round the head with a rock and all that gel and hairspray would have kept him as safe as if he had been wearing a crash helmet. I would have let it just hang naturally, as the way they had it looked nowhere near natural, and nobody in their right minds would do that to their hair by choice.


:LOL: That is very true... I agree with Daniel Radcliffe.... that's a huge mistake thinking he could play that role... he always looks stoned! Like, goodness, try to put SOME emotion into it!!

I would also put more Hogsmead in PoA... I didnt see enough of that...

[swiftsnowmane]

Now, I am a known HP movie-hater, so I am biased, but....

I would NOT have cast ANY of the actors that they cast. Ew. Ew. Ew. I did not approve of the casting at all. With the single exception of Issacs as Lucius Malfoy, since he was even better than my imagination. ;)

All in all, I would have waited until the 7th book was long completed before making any movie adaptations. I then would have made the whole thing into a very realistic looking anime series. :D Now, now....don't laugh. This would actually be much better! This way we wouldn't have to worry about the actors growing up on us, we wouldn't need stupid CG effects for all of the awesome magical creatures, and all the boys would be pretty and all the voice actors would have sexy voices. My life would then be complete. Muahahahaha! :LOL:

[Elwen]

Anime?
Well.... that would certainly have restricted the demographic.... I for one simply cannot stand the style - the visuals look very good in Anime, but those wide eyed characters give me the creeps.....

So, well, that would be an absolute horror to me!

I know it is a matter of taste (and generation - God, I feel old!!!) ... but would it ever convey the feel of it all? I can perhaps see the kids as anime characters (although I'd rather not...) but Dumbledore or Snape? ARGH!

And you don't even agree on *Alan Rickman's Snape*????
I don't think I have come across anyone who didn't think that that was a spirited casting choice.

Of course, as far as the kids are concerned... hmmm... you'll almost always have trouble to find enough talented kids to carry a film like this. Anime gets round that.
But, well, IMHO I still prefer it if hey look at least.... erm... human. Even if their acting isn't quite up to scratch.

<shiver>

[swiftsnowmane]

Ohhhhh......I should have been more clear. I don't mean that the characters should have the anime "wide-eyed" look. Anime is very diverse, and I have seen some really realistic characters (normal looking eyes, proportional bodies, etc). Anime is not just for kids, it can be very serious and absolutely exquisite in style. What I meant was that I just thought Harry Potter could be done much more easily as an animated movie, and that many Japanese animation styles have both and elegance and a playful quality that I feel would work well for the series.

And no, I do not like Alan Rickman's Snape. Much too old looking and sounding. :p

[Telchar II]

Oh, I can't wait to see Rickman do films 4 through 6. SWM, the Unbreakable Vow scene -- there's some scenery coming up that he can chew. Definitely the best thing about these movies. He has such fun with the role.

"Page three hundred and sixty four."

I'm dyin'! ROFL!

[Elwen]

Same here, Telchar :D


Swift Snowmane, I KNOW that Anime isn't just for kids... and that at times characters don't have to look like wide-eyed kids, but, well, we can bet that *kids* would look like wide-eyed kids... :eek:

I can't claim much experience with the genre, but I have come across dark and grown up anime. What I have never seen is anime that portrays characteres in a way that shows emotions well enough. They gesture and cry and wriggle their eyebrows and what not - but subtle emotiuon it is not.

I think, actually, that this is to do with japanese (Asian - I just saw a Korean Anime which had the same falws) dramatic tradfition - works well within the context.... but not for a story like this, IMHO.

Sure, they might get the look of the castle just right - but the characters.... nah... I just can't see it!


And whatever the medium - it is highly unlikely that the anime designers would get the characters just right for *you* - so the same dilemma would still exist.... A film will never approach a particular reader's imagination.

As it happens, HP managed this for a surprisingly large number of people for most characters - I don't think anime would manage to be so widely acceptable, as I have already said.

[Colli]

Alright, let's get this back on topic!!

just kidding, you all ARE on topic. this forum's just been quiet lately and I feel a bit useless. ;)

:raspberry:

[swiftsnowmane]

Sigh....well....I still think it would be better than real people. :p

[Moxie]

Interesting to see this discussion on the same day I stumbled across a page of fanart drawn in anime (http://www5e.biglobe.ne.jp/~haripota/e/03.html) style... I don't care for this artist's take on all the characters, but I do like some of the pics of the kids - especially in comparison to some of the recent stills I've seen from the Goblet of Fire set. :rolleyes:

(Disclaimer: I can't read a word of the Japanese text on that site. The art itself is simple inoffensive portraits, at least.)

[Monkfish]

I think they are all perfect so ner ner ni ner ner!:p (outstanding, concise arguement for a 33 year old!)

[Fleurdelacour]

I don't like anime... Only anime I've ever really seen is Pokemon! I prefer these: http://www.artdungeon.net/ :D Exactly how I imagine the characters!

[Elwen]

Well, Moxie's picture perfectly illustrates that wide-eyed style I absolutely detest.

It somehow... trivialises things visually and I really really dislike that.


There surely is much more stylish Anime than that, or Pokemon, for that matter :eek: - but still.... :no:

[swiftsnowmane]

Yes, I dislike the wide-eyed look as well. Fleur, I like that type of fan art also, if not the even more realistic stuff out there. Wouldn't it be great to have an animated Harry Potter that was like that? It doesn't have to be anime....just has to be better than the current movies. :p

You must all forgive me, I don't know why I dislike the movies so much. I tried to like them, I really did. :(

[Elwen]

Wait a moment, you are *apologizing* for your opinion????
The girl who seems to have re-started movie discussion on these boards apologizes for her opinion?


Nah.. that's not right....

Sorry for seeming so hostile towards your POV, it has just been fun discussing all this again, and your opinion is a good one to discuss. No hostility invlved, really... :)

Why shouldn't you dislike the movies? I disliked the first two, but the third one won me round (good visuals tend to do that for me ;) )

Come on, give us some more controversy to discuss :D

:hug:

[lithorose]

Another difficult thing with making an animated version of Harry Potter is getting sufficient budget for it. Most animes are produced on miniscule budgets, which partly explain the strong stylization. Though I like certain aspects of anime (like the profusion of detail in the drawings), I wouldn't want to see HP become one, or any other sort of cartoon.

I think having different directors helps the movies. It breaks the unity of vision a viewer can develop if they watch the movie before reading the book, allowing a little more variety of vision. Having a different cast also helps, but I like the current cast and wouldn't replace them, bad actors or not.:P