Deathy Hallows Part II

Wonder if Warner Brothers is leaving it open so JKR can do another book if she chooses to? You don't think she gave them any hope that Harry's kids might have to deal with Voldemort some day, do you? Of course that would only work for the movies. From the books we know that Voldemort is dead as a doornail.

I hadn't thought about the rumors of him coming back if there is no body. Movie makers can be such dim witted trolls.

You're right Madame Pince. It was "You have your mother's eyes." Because about 3 minutes after gazing into Harry's blue eye's while Snape says this, we are staring into Lily's brown ones in the memory.

shepherdess wrote:Wonder if Warner Brothers is leaving it open so JKR can do another book if she chooses to? You don't think she gave them any hope that Harry's kids might have to deal with Voldemort some day, do you? Of course that would only work for the movies. From the books we know that Voldemort is dead as a doornail.

If they do that I will ...well I don't know what I will do. Sorry, that just seems wrong to me! Seems like a breech of integrity. Founders tales, Marauder stories or Next Generation stories would be dandy.

I'm with whoever said earlier that they probably just did Voldy's death that way because of the cool 3-D effects... bits of Voldy-corpse floating around. I can't imagine that they could actually think they could leave the door open for future movies or anything. But I also agree with whomever said that "just because you can do some particular special effect, doesn't mean you should." Tom Riddle, human, should've just fallen down dead with a big ol' thud, in front of everybody. What's wrong with that?

That's also what happened to Bellatrix, from Molly's curse. Bleah.

But one thing I think the movie-makers got right -- I really like the line "You have your mother's eyes..." instead of "Look at me!" Jo, you blew that one. (And you also blew it by not making Neville and Luna a couple, and also by not having adult-Dudley at Platform 9-3/4 with his 11-year-old Hogwarts-bound half-blood offspring in the Epilogue, but I won't quibble... )

"just because you can do some particular special effect, doesn't mean you should."

Exactly! The movies have always sacrificed the books' subtlety on the altar of the cool special effects but IMO in doing so in many crucial scenes of the DH, they ruined some its most touching and symbolic moments. Too bad really, because there was some really good stuff in it too.

I've tried to order my thoughts about the movie and thus wrote lists (I just love writing lists! ):

In the "well done" category:
- The Prince's Tale, very moving. Alan Rickman deserves an Oscar (too bad I can't vote )
- The scene in the Chamber of Secrets and the destruction of the Cup Horcrux, and the following scenes with Ron and Hermione (loved when she says "brilliant" to Ron's deductions).
- The RoR and Fiendfire scene (although it's too bad they didn't find somebody to replace the missing Goyle (or was it Crabbe?))
- Gringotts was awesome, from the Hermione/Bellatrix transformation to the dragon breaking free.
- McGonagall sending the statues to protect the school and her 'I've always wanted to do that' line.
- Harry meeting the 'ghosts' of his parents, Sirius and Lupin before entering the forest (although I missed the 'ghosts' acting as a Patronus for Harry to be able to enter the forest).
- Lupin and Tonks mirrored gestures when reaching for each other's hand in the battle and once dead.
- King's Cross (I missed the background Grindelwald story though because it made DD seem so human and Harry comforting him was a powerful moment, but I can understand why they cut it).
- Molly's "not my daughter, you B..."
- I rather liked the Epilogue (ah... Draco's receding hairline... )

In the "WHAT??????" category:
- The duel between Harry and Voldemort. IMO, they just ruined it. I guess just one spell wasn't satisfying enough for the special effects people.
- As said many times, Voldemort and Bellatrix's deaths. The whole point was indeed to show that even though he thought he had mastered death, Voldemort was only human. I wanted the "empty shell", mundane death of the book.
- In the same way, I think they ruined Neville's big moment with Nagini first by having Draco come to Voldemort at that moment, I felt it was stealing the spotlight from Neville. I liked the way they then show the Malfoys leaving though. And then of course there was the whole dragging on the scene with the snake, Ron and Hermione, just to show how awesome they could make that angry snake look. It also despoiled the Harry/Voldemort duel of its real significance.
- Voldemort feeling the destruction of the Horcruxes, that was just SO wrong.
- The LoTR-style arrival of the sea of Death Eaters, overkill!
- The final scene with the Elder wand for all the reasons already stated.
- The floating Resurrection Stone: how can people who have only seen the movies make the connection with the HBP ring???
- Harry meeting Ron and Hermione before going to the forest, the more because Harry then does not wear the Invisibility Cloak. That was the moment when he finally 'united' so-to-speak the Deathly Hallows: carrying the wand, under the Cloak and using the Stone to allow his own death.
- Lily's eyes!
- Snow in Hogsmeade!!!!! And then no snow in Hogwarts! I suspect they just used the Godric's Hollow set for the Hogsmeade scene, hence the snow, but that was a really stupid mistake IMO.

In the "can't wait to see the deleted scenes" category:
- Luna being in the RoR when the trio arrives with Neville when we had just left her at Shell Cottage. We never see the arrival of the Order either, I hope we get to see all that in due course. That part felt really rushed to me.
- Hagrid! We never see him before he is shown as a prisoner in the Forest! That felt really wrong too. **shaking head**
- Fred's death.

In the "wish they had not cut that" category:
- The House-elves joining the fight.
- Percy.
- Charlie and Slughorn coming with reinforcements.
- The background story of Ariadna and Grindelwald.

In the "big sigh" category:
- The music. It wasn't bad really, just insipid. A more inspired score may have added more emotion to the whole movie.

Sorry for the tome! Had to get it off my chest.

Agreed.

Elanor, I noticed the snow in Hogsmeade, too -- I think I said out loud in the theater "Why is there SNOW?!? It's not winter!" That was really weird. I think it goes back to what someone posted earlier about how, cinematically, they compressed all the events of DH into, like, two days or something. But even so, why was there snow one place where there wasn't snow another place 1/2 mile away? And parts of their journey looked like it was springtime, and other parts it looked like the dead of winter.

I also asked out loud in the theater "How did Luna get there?" as you mentioned when she was at the ROR when we had just left her at Shell Cottage. That was just odd.

In retrospect, it's a wonder they didn't throw me out, with all the talking I did... Ha.

I watched the movie today and I pretty much agree with everything Elanor wrote.

I did not like that Voldemort and Harry were chasing each other. And I certainly agree about Voldemort's body.

I had been worrying about that they would be robbing Gringott's for half an hour or so and forget about the Prince's Tale, but they didn't! In fact, I even liked the Gringotts part.

On the bus home a family who had been watching the movie as well were discussing Fred's ear - whether it had grown out again or whether it was a fake ear. I wanted to lean forwards and point out that it was George who lost his ear, but alas! I'm not that kind of person, so I remained quiet in my seat. That's why I didn't cry out loud about the snow and Luna either.

LOL Madam pince! I did the exact same thing! and all the "WHAT????s" of the list made me yell too (almost silently, I just mimed them very vehemently to Nick who was sitting next to me). Nobody threw me out of the theater but a) the sound of the movie was very loud and b) everybody knows foreigners are crazy anyways so that just confirmed it.

About the snow, Nick and I came to the conclusion that they must have used the same set they used for filming the Godric's Hollow scenes of DH1. Actually, if we had not known it was Hogsmeade I wouldn't have recognized it, especially compared to Hogsmeade PoA.

LOL about keeping quiet Dryleaves!

I will confess that at several points during the movie, a small part of my brain entertained itself by noticing how a particular shot was filmed to minimize...er...maximize Dan's height or lack thereof. Even in the final scene with Harry and Dumbledore, I could have sworn that they had Michael Gambon walking in some kind of track to take him down a couple of inches.

Elanor, I agree with almost all of your list items except one: I didn't like the way they had the Malfoys scurrying off over the bridge. I can see how it fit with their movie characters, but I thought the book portrayal of them sitting in Hogwarts, but apart from all the rejoicing survivors, did a better job of emphasizing their defeat. And unless it was too quick for me - I will look for this when I see the movie again - there was no "curt nod" from Draco in the epilogue. We see him, but there's no eye contact between him and Harry.

"Hello beautiful. That was it, that's the line I sign, I did that when I give autographs. Creeps a lot of people out with that and I was very, very pleased that it stayed in the film so yes, that's mine"

Edit: Got the missing word after a few more listens...when he gives autographs!

I really enjoyed the movie! I think this is the first HP movie we went to, all three of us together, since PS.

Hubby was able to understand everything, and both he and son feel it was the best HP movie ever. Son thought Neville was awesome, and I told him what first attracted me to the Harry Potter series - Neville's "I'll fight you!" in PS, and Dumbledore awarding him ten points for being brave enough to stand up to his friends. Then he wanted to know why, if Dumbledore was so omniscient (and powerful) why he didn't just get rid of Voldemort himself. I reminded him of the Harrycrux, and he said Oh , finally I understand the story!

Alan Rickman was wonderful, but the Prince's Tale was over beforeI knew it! I was so glad they included the Snape shaped hole in the window! Well, maybe it wasn't Snape shaped, but it was at least a hole, and Severus disappeared very much like a bat out of it!

I didn't cry much. Not at all during the Prince's Tale (though I thought it was done very well), a slight prickling of tears during the Harry going to his death/resurrection stone scene. And some tears when the Hogwarts Express left Platform nine and three quarters, with the kids waving goodbye. **sniff** actually that makes me cry just to think of it, even now.

Unlike most of you, I liked getting sprayed with Voldy-bits! I thought it was a pretty cool 3D effect.

Just to clarify: my post of July 19, referring to the snuffling, snorting and sobbing during "The Prince's Tale" portion of DH 2....that was copied from a blog written by a facebook friend, Kristin S. I did't mean to confuse anyone...just thought it was funny and wanted to share.

I can't believe I have been back for another viewing...perhaps later this week. I want to check for Oliver Wood and for Percy, both of whom I missing on first and 2nd viewings.

Also, thanks to those who provided the Ron quotes...I heard "That's unfortunate.", but had completely missed "At least we've still got Bogrod." which, of course, totally makes the 2nd line.

Denise P. wrote:

Maybe it comes across better in 3D, which I have not seen. I may try to go to a 3D showing of it in the next few weeks.

The Imax presentation wasn't in 3D? I thought it was!! Sheesh.

I think there are some IMAX 3D versions but not at Udvar-Hazy

I came across an article online today and I thought it was funny -- it raises some of the same points / questions we all had when "Deathly Hallows" first came out (the book I mean, not the movie.) [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Also thought of two more things today: It was so so very obvious that the actor who played Aberforth was not the same guy with the goat at the Hogs Head in OotP. Also really stood out that the baby playing Baby Harry was not the same as in SS. I get why that had to be in the baby's case, obviously, but I wish Aberforth had been the same guy. It was such a funny little "nod" to the book readers to put that goat in there, so it had to have been intended to be Aberforth.

Now that reminds me of a third thing -- the whole bit where Aberforth is yelling at the Death Eaters about "I'll put my cat out if I want to!" and them arguing over whether they saw a stag patronus or a goat patronus got left out of the movie (or if it was in there, it was only background yelling that I couldn't hear, because the movie was concentrating on showing the trio and Ariana's picture.) I really wish they'd have left that in there. I thought it was such a neat bit of quick thinking on Aberforth's part -- I hate he didn't get to have his big moment.

I liked the movie, too. It was the 3D-version, which meant some additional excitement at the beginning of the movie, but it was surprisingly easy to get used to it. Earlier, I had only seen short 3D movies where everything was about the 3D effects, and this was certainly different.

I agree with most of the comments on this thread, let's see what I can add.

I loved how the movie (almost) started with Snape standing in a tower, literally "watching over" Hogwarts. Of course, the Snape-backstory was too short for me, but otherwise it was well done (colours of eyes aside). In the book, I really like the "Look at me" line, but in the movie, the "You've got your mother's eyes" was probably necessary. Severus-kid was cute.

I would not have missed the snow in the village if it had not been there, but I've found an explanation that I can accept: It was because of the Dementors (remember the window of the train in PoA when the Dementor came?). There were Dementors stationed around the castle, and they kept the temperature below zero permanently. That there was no snow in Hogwarts means Snape kept the Dementors safely out of the school.

I really liked Neville. But I did not quite understand why he seemed to be, for a while, facing an army of DE's apparently alone at the beginning of the battle.

I didn't exactly cry, but I had a few sentimental moments. The first of them came unexpectedly when McGonagall sent the statues to battle in defence of Hogwarts.

Did I see it correctly that Harry actually touched Snape's wound as Snape lay dying?

I agree that Voldemort should have died "properly". I missed Harry's speech to him about Dumbledore, remorse and Snape, which should have taken place in front of everyone.

You can just break the Elder Wand? Wow! And Harry got stuck with Draco's wand forever.

I also liked how the Malfoys were presented. Haggard-looking Lucius... and Narcissa taking charge. I liked the touch of having Narcissa leading Draco away at the end of the battle and Lucius running after them. That spoke volumes of the Malfoy family, I think.

My husband said the best part was the Epilogue. He is not fond of battle scenes.

IMO, adult Ron was uncharacteristically quiet with that benevolent-daddy-look and -smile permanently on his face. He is very different in the book.

I'm glad that "the bravest man I ever knew" line was included.

Found a neat article about their struggle to film the epilogue. I didn't realize they went back at it a 2nd time after the rest of production was wrapped up.

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I agree with Daniel, I think his aging came out particularly effective. Emma doesn't look older, just tired.