New director appreciation thread.

[Ingwe]

New director appreciation thread.

[Ingwe]

What do you think about the new director Alfonso Cuaron from the Harry Potter series????? :)

[Colli]

... I haven't seen any of his work yet, so I don't know. :) But we'll see.

[Elfëa]

Don't know anything about him?

What movies has he done before?

[Ingwe]

Biography: Alfonso Cuaron

Date of birth:
28 November 1961
Mexico City, Mexico

Trivia:
Is supposedly going to direct the third Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, following the news that Chris Columbus has decided not to continue.

Director - filmography
(2000s) (1990s)

1.-Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (probably) (2005)
2.-Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
3.-Children of Men, The (2003)
4.-Y tu mamá también (2001)
5.-Great Expectations (1998)
6.-Little Princess, A (1995)
7.-"Fallen Angels" (1993) TV Series (episode "Murder, Obliquely")
8.-Sólo con tu pareja (1991)

[Elfdaughter]

Oh, I remember 'A Little Princess'! That made me cry!

[alqua]

I have great faith in Mr. Cuaron. I wasn't too pleased with Columbus, so I'm happy about this change.

[Colli]

Judging from the new pictures and some of his quotes, I am NOT pleased.

Surely I'm not alone in this?

Ripping Sean Biggerstaff out of the movie only started it.

Now Lupin and Sirius Black are ugly (I know it never says in the books that they're goodlooking, but come on!) PLUS they don't look right. Lupin's hair is all wrong and he's wearing a SUIT.

The clothes! Whatever happened to robes? He says that they wanted a more CASUAL look!!! This is a private magical school in Scotland. Where are the uniforms?????

*sigh* It can only get better from here.

[LuthienElentari]

I actually have hope that he will fix it.

And remember you haven't seen the movie, so don't judge it
quite yet.

Even though Lupin looks like crud

But, otherwise anyone besides Columbus is on my list of exceptable directers.

[Drizella]

While I am disappointed in Sean Biggerstaff's absence in the next film, I do think it's a bit early to start making complete judgments on the direction Cuaron is taking with PoA! I highly doubt the kids will be out of uniform for it--the only pictures we've seen of them out of uniform are all virtually taken from one scene which takes place after the last term of the school year ends. And as long as Rowling is signed on as writing consultant, nothing will be apporoved which hasn't been passed through her.

I think it's more than okay to speculate and analyze and discuss, but to already have your mind made up about how you'll like something before actually viewing it is unwise, IMO. If we walk into the theater next June having already decided that the film will be a disappointment, there's a more likely chance that it will be. I'm sure we won't love everything about PoA, just as there are clearly flaws in the first two movies. But it's not all about the movies, is it? The films aren't made to replicate the books; there are things that can be done and said in books that simply cannot be communicated on screen (which is, for me, something that makes these books so uniquely brilliant!)

If anything else, it'll be easier on our stress levels if we all just appreaciate the films as a separate entity, just as many of us have learned to do with LotR.

Take heart, Colli. Cuaron's versions of 'Great Expectations' and 'The Little Princess' were superb and beautiful films to watch. 'Y tu mamá también' received excellent reviews as well. He's not out to butcher the books at all or disappoint the fans. He was hired for the job of director for a very good reason I'm sure. And, just as with Dumbledore, as long as Rowling's around, the films can't stray too much. ('With Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you.') :D

As for the actors portraying Lupin and Sirius, there's no pleasing everyone. They're not exactly the way I pictured them to be, either. I'm just anxious to see how they're portraying the characters acting-wise, as that makes all the difference. The picture we have of Lupin is hardly enough to pass judgment on at this point, IMO. I'm just hoping he does his character justice. If he does well in becoming Lupin's character, I'm sure he will become Lupin for you too. (At least to a tolerating extent?)

And as Cedric pointed out in another thread (forgot which :o ), pictures don't always do justice. There are plently of pictures of me that certainly look off.

However, I completely and totally understand wanting to see certain favorite scenes on film. So many of my very favorite scenes in the whole series take place in the third book, some of which I'm sure will be cut out. :( And while a complaint thread is a good place to vent frustrations, I don't think we should start one until next summer after we've all seen PoA and--if necessary, even--can actually have substantiated reasons to complain!

But speaking of favorite scenes being cut, with regards to a recent picture posted, I will be very much disappointed if Hermione instead threatens Malfoy with her wand rather than slap him across the face as she does in the book. How much more powerful and utterly amusing is a slap than a mere threat? Threats don't generally work with Malfoy, especially from someone like straight-A student Hermione Granger. The fact that she actually retaliates and uses physical force with him, something she's never done before to anyone, gives him quite the shock that I someone don't think he would get if she merely points her wand in his face with a mean look in her eyes. But I don't know. I'm hoping they didn't take that out, though.

And ... maybe Harry's just wearing clothes that belonged to Dudley when Dudley was, like, 10. :D I'm sure they won't be out of uniform for the entire film. I certainly wouldn't be happy if they were. :(

[Athelas]

She had slapped Malfoy across the face with all the strength
she could muster... Hermione pulled out her wand. Malfoy stepped backward.

[Drizella]

Thank you Athelas, for pointing that out! :o I do hope the slap makes the film. It just adds so much to the scene.

[Colli]

Thank you Athelas!

Welcome to the Muggle Informer, drizella! :hug:

Usually I am pretty positive about things, I never even had that many complaints against Chris Columbus, and I did a lot of defending on his part.

And I do like Sir Michael Gambon as Dumbledore, from that picture! That looks to be an improvement, I just forgot to mention it.

But I can't help but feel wholly negative seeing and hearing what we've seen and heard so far. So until I get some positive evidence that things are going better than they seem, I'll stay in my icky mood. :D

PLUS
but to already have your mind made up about how you'll like something before actually viewing it is unwise, IMO.
I haven't made up my mind about everything, look what I said:
Judging from the new pictures and some of his quotes, I am NOT pleased.
It'd be silly to judge what I haven't seen. But I'm not pleased with how he's dealing with things, i.e. "I thought they needed a more casual style"


(edited because I spelled drizella's name completely wrong)

[Drizella]

I do hear you on that, Colli, re: 'casual style.' We need those uniforms! Let's hope the kids only wear those casual clothes when they're not in school. I'm thinking that shot with McGonagall takes place before Hogsmeade, which may explain the lack of robes. Perhaps school uniforms aren't required on weekends?

Thanks for the welcome. :)

[lithorose]

Can't remember where I read this, but in an interview wih Cuaron, a reporter asked him how the movies would change to reflect the changes in the characters (i.e. hormones; keep in mind Cuaron's last movie was "Y Tu Mama Tambien"), and he replied:
"Sex. Lots of nudity, and lots of sex!"

What a great sense of humor!:D I will wait to see the movie before I say yea or nay about anything. Problem is, it's a long wait. :rolleyes:

[RosieLass]

I'll reserve judgment until I see the movie, but I have to say that I was pleased with Chris Columbus as director. It will be interesting to see what Cuaron does, but I won't criticize what has already been done.

IMO, there is no such thing as sticking too close to the book. :p

I wasn't happy with the casting choice for Sirius, but I'm starting to actively dislike the guy in this latest book, so now it's okay. :D

Does anyone know why Biggerstaff won't be in the films? Are they cutting his character? Was it a salary dispute?

I also looked to see if Jason Isaacs would be in any of the later movies, and I don't see him anywhere. Nor Tom Felton after PoA. What's up with that? Surely they wouldn't cut the Malfoys?

[Deagol's Bane]

Well, going on two things 1. The casual clothes (assuming those aren't rehearsal shots ?). 2. His little joke/comment on the changing characters (which I read in some article), I don't know that he's my kind of director.

No robes? It makes it look like some TV afternoon kids TV show - like werewolf fighting teens or and stuff like that, you know what I'm talking about? Admittedly, I haven't actually watched those kinds of shows, so I probably speak as shouldn't, but I don't like the look anyway.

Call me old fashioned, but millions of quite young kids are reading his every word. I think he might keep that in mind before making comments that I'm sure many parents would rather he keep to himself. I mean really, these actors are barely teenagers, if I'm not mistaken. Anyway, that sours me on his personality a little bit, I have to say.

But I've seen the Little Princess movie and it's ok, I guess. So, if he can put more feeling/character into the HP movies than I have personally seen so far, then I'll give him a big thumbs up.

I'll have to go look up this Biggerstaff person. Who is he and why are we sad to see him go? (Don't answer that. I'll go look it up.) :)
edit: ... oh, it's Wood. Yeah, I did like that actor, actually, but I didn't think he was quite as enthusiastic/Quidditch-crazy as the book's Wood, so I might like the new one better!

[Drizella]

from Deagol's Bane
I didn't think he was quite as enthusiastic/Quidditch-crazy as the book's Wood, so I might like the new one better!
Will we be getting a new Wood? Anyway...I was under the impression that Biggerstaff wasn't signed on to do PoA because of personal reasons and not cut screen time. I may be wrong on this. If I'm right, though, and we do get a new Wood, he better have a Scottish accent. No one else does in these films! It's an injustice! :p

And crazed Wood in the books is priceless. Love him.
Deagol again
No robes? It makes it look like some TV afternoon kids TV show - like werewolf fighting teens or and stuff like that
*cringe* Ack!! *shudder* Let's hope for the best, shall we? Besides, if the direction's all wrong but they still have uniforms it may just turn out to be werewolf-fighting-teens-in-robes anyway... but I have faith in Cuaron. I really don't think he wants Harry Potter to be that kind of film.

[LuthienElentari]

I think that Sean Biggerstaff is not available. Maybe he's doing another movie. Or he decided not to do it becasue he was busy or that he wanted to spend more time with school work then filming. I know that Daniel Radcliffes parents in paticuler are worried that Daniel is losing a lot of educational experiances. If Daniel Radcliffe does that fourth movie it will definately be his last movie till he at least gets through high-school ( maybe).


I'm not as worried about the thrid film as I' with the fourth film. I have just recently figured out that ( as you probably know) that the film be made into one film. Think about all thats going to be cut out. I bet they will cut out alot of spew and cut the minutes of the first and second task. I bet they will also cut out most of the quidditch world cup. But in my opinion ( I think JKR could have edited down on the qudditch world cup) it was too long.

Offits: I actually don't as much about the casual wear. I mean the story is more impotant then the costumes.

:hug:s
Luthien