NOTE (5/12/08):

Just a general reminder, the purpose of this thread has slightly changed. This thread may now be used to discuss and debate everything about the movies that cannot be discussed in the threads that already exist.

As usual, we trust that every member will follow the Rules of the Great Hall, though we don't expect that to be a problem.

Have fun!

------------------------------------------------------------------

We have now had three different directors for the Harry Potter series with a fourth working on OotP. All have created a different mood for our favorite series. Which aspects of each movie did you like and which did you hate? Which director created your ideal vision of Hogwarts?

Just watching the movies you can see where each director has shaped the movie to their wishes. Different lighting, direction of the actors, CGI effects, wardrobe and many more items have changed from one movie to the next. I think Hagrid gets a new home with each movie.

While I have focused on the director this is open to all areas and people involved in the movies. I have been primarily discussing the directors as they have the final say on the finished product but everyone involved has some effect.

So Duelling Club which movie created your ideal Wizarding World?

Firstly, I should say that I am one of those people who saw Philosopher's movie before I read the series. So a vague imprint of that movie laid the foundation for my interpretation of the books. However, I read the first four books before Chamber came out, so by that time I had begun to form my own opinion of things to a larger extent.

The first two movies have an open, sunny feel to them. PoA has a much more European feel and of course, GoF has a much more British feel. I have decided not to go movie-bashing in this post, even though I am fighting the urge with every fibre of my being.

What I liked about the different wizarding worlds: (That might help me keep my resolve)

I think Columbus did a wonderful job of setting up an entirely new world. The casting of the core group of actors was well done, for one thing. Also, anything John Williams touches turns to gold, so someone did well to get him on board. Try staring at orange city lights while listening to Hedwig's Theme, and imagine not being in Harry's world - impossible. And even though HP movie bashing comes very naturally to me, once I sit an a cinema and that starts playing, I forget all thoughts of staying in the real world.

Chamber of Secrets was my least favourite movie, so I'll just move right along to PoA.

Something that saves PoA in my esteem is the wonderful music - again John Williams. However, the Marauders are a sinking factor of such weight, that Cuaron had to have done many things right to not make it my least favourite.

The Medieval feel of PoA was wonderful. The outrageous magic popping up everywhere was also great - in my opinion, this aspect of PoA makes it the closest to what Jo is trying to get at in her books. The talking heads, the Whomping Willow, the Leaky Cauldron - I thought it captured the lunacy of the wizarding world very well. That's what it is really - lunacy. Wizards are barking mad and the best of them are the worst, if Dumbledore is anything to go by, so Cuaron did well there.

The tone of sadness about PoA was very fitting - the whole Dementor thing, where Harry learns about his parents, Sirius's fate, Lupin's difficult life, Peter's escape, and Severus's hate - there is a well balanced sadness to the movie. The use of light and darkness introduces a new phase in the series. While it is rather somber, the light theme is a very inspiring line throughout the film. John Williams's Patronus Light is just wonderful.

Goblet of Fire is an entirely different thing. I didn't like Mike Newell's serious approach. He might be as mad as a hare himself, but in the film Cuaron's lunacy was lost. It was a very aggressive film, and even though the book itself is more aggressive than the previous three, I thought it was too rough edged. It is a huge pity that SPEW was cut - it took a lot of humour out of the story. I almost felt that the degree of turmoil and chaos was too heavy. That belongs to the next film. During GoF, Voldemort hasn't returned yet, Hermione still has time to worry about House Elves and Rita Skeeter, there is enough time to worry about girls and dates and although funny things are happening, real chaos (in the wizarding world and in Harry's mind) only breaks out in the next film.

I shudder to think how the chaos in OotP will try to cap that in Gof. Dan will have a hard time looking worried and angry all the time... I am a fan of his, but I might just die anyway.

I am a big fan of Patrick Doyle, but some continuity was lost when John Williams left. I'm glad he's back for OotP.

Wow, pretty much I feel exactly the same way about the films as Capricorn. Theres not really much I can say that Capricorn hasn't already said. Cuaron's world is the closest, I believe, to the wizarding world Rowling invisioned, and the world I had pictured in my mind aswell. Cauron's lighting and depiction of a darker Hogwarts along with Williams score and, more specifically, use of the harpsicord in many of the melodies, really gives the film a High Medieval times feel. It's a romantisized world, but at the same time it's more authentic than Columbus' world. I still very much enjoy Columbus' world, much more than Newells', but in the end Cauron's is the closest to the real deal (in my opinion) so PoA gets my vote the film that created the ideal wizarding world.

Great thread, Greg!!

This is a really tough one for me, because I loved CoS and PS, felt okay about PoA and loathed GoF with a vengeance, so I'm going to have to push those feelings aside, lest this turn into a film bashing thread.

Closest to JKR's vision...mmm...I think all the films have probably done that to a certain extent.

PS and CoS had an absolutely wonderful feel to them. Chris Columbus was imprinted all over them - the wonder, the magic, the set-pieces, the costumes, everything. You only have to see any of his other films, most especially Home Alone, to see that this guy has a great ability to inject a feeling of magic, family and warmth into a film. The Diagon Alley scenes, John Williams score - they were all utterly perfect and reflected Harry's growing wonder with the world he was discovering. At that time, the wizarding world wasn't quite as dark a place as it grew to be in later books, and the first two films showed that nicely. They had a warm, uplifting, more child-like feel to them. Which is why they're my favourites.

PoA was definitely a darker film, but then it portrayed a darker book and Harry's growing maturity. The wonder with his new world must have faded by then and when the glitz fades, the shabbiness begins to show through - and that was the feel I had from this film. Darker, dirtier, shabbier. Not the film itself you understand, but the set pieces, the costumes, reflecting the presence of the Dementors, the perceived mortal threat to Harry from Sirius and so on.

GoF - *sigh* It was certainly dark, which it needed to be, certainly. But there was much less 'magic' about this film than the others. It felt more like a teen drama than a HP book, to be honest. It reflected the characters growing maturity and the growing darkness of their world, but I think it concentrated too much on screaming 'these kids are teenagers' at you, rather than saying to itself, 'this is a Harry Potter movie'. I know that doesn't make a great deal of sense, but it does in my own mind...I'm just having trouble communicating that with the keyboard.

So, overall, they all show a growing maturity and have their place. But as far as JKR's vision of Harry's world goes, for me, it will always be the one in PS and CoS. Helped in huge part by John Williams' score. I don't remember a single piece of music from GoF, and that's got to say something in itself

A quick question. Capricorn, you said Williams would be returning for the fifth film. Is that true/ confirmed? i'm just curious because I hadn't seen that anywhere. That would really make my day if it is I think not commissioning for GoF was one of the biggest mistakes WB made; his music and use of leitmotif pretty much makes the films what they are, and the lack of it in GoF is I think one of the reasons the film felt so disjointed from the other three.

Ah, yes. The films. I will probably go about this the same way as others have, so I don't go on a terrible rant about how horrible the fourth movie was. But anyway, onward with the topic....

I do think that Columbus captured the magical setting the best. In PS/SS (I will probably be calling it SS) it really had a very magical feel to it. You could tell a definite difference between the magical world and the Muggle world, and everything that was created was simply astounding. I have always pictured Hogwarts as the Hogwarts shown in the first two films because I saw the first three movies before I read any of the books, but I think after reading the books, that is just how I would've pictured it. The setting was captured so perfectly and it just has a magical feel to it that none of the other films accomplished.

CoS was a lot like the first movie, except with a different plot. Unlike most, I do like the second movie, but it isn't my favorite. I thought it did a good job at things like Parseltongue, the Chamber, and Moaning Myrtle. I thought the film was just as good as the first. And it was a real laugh listening to how much deeper the actors voices were.

I am probably one of the few people who really liked PoA. I saw it before I read the book, and after reading the book, I understand where it could've been better. But all the details can't always be in there. I thought PoA really captured the lunacy and beauty of Hogwarts. The pictures were beautiful and the filming was great. I don't know about you, but I can't help but smile when Harry flies on Buckbeak. (I also have to restrain myself when I want to yell "I'm king of the world!" everytime...) The film also had a dark quality about it, that matched the growing up phase, and showing that things are getting tougher. The films weren't going to stay pretty forever, and I think this film was brilliant in capturing the dementors and the Shack and everything.

The GoF...meh. I thought the magic was lost. I thought the beauty was lost. I thought the humor was...funny but a little over the top. It was funny, no doubt about that, but not right for an HP movie. One thing it did do well, was Voldemort and the dragon. I'm glad they focused on the tasks because I think those were done well. And the Ball. Unfortunately, the movie did lack a bit. Like Laurette said, it was much to aggressive. It was supposed to be the pivotal movie, a very important movie, and I don't think it filled its shoes. I was disappointed.

So my answer to the topic question? I would say a mix of the magical feel from the first two and the lunacy and beauty from the third. The fourth...well we can just disregard that one. I do have high hopes for the fifth movie though. I'm hoping it will be a big step up from GoF.

I remember when I entered the theater to see GoF. Then the music began and I was like "What happened to the music?" then turning to a friend "are you sure we entered the right lounge?"
When the old melody started I felt like traveling through space and time, entering a completely new and different world. But that time I got the feeling of "oh boy! this must be a batman movie" And mind me; I like batman movies except for "Batman and Robin" entertained but too much color that time. I´m going of topic here, sorry.

On topic again I think I am going to talk about each movie because it is easier that way:


PS /SS
The music was pretty good, it help me in my discovering of this new world (I read the books after seeing the first three movies).
The atmosphere that Columbus made up was telling me all the time "you see? This is the "common" world but something very especial lie behind it. Come in and find it!"
The castle looked like a Disney thing at day, the kind of a dreamy fairytale. But all the same the movie had dark moments, like when they enter the forbidden forest for detention and when the trio is going for the stone.
It created a bond between the public and the screen; you could say the difference no more. It was a very well made invitation to unfold a different world.


CoS
When the music started I said "something wrong is going to happen the notes are grave".
Then every detail accompanied by the music was showing me how sad and at the same time how wonderful was what Harry was going through. He was totally miserable with his "family" but he had friends now and memories and he knew a little more about his parents. It was not wrong being different now because he has a place to go. The escaping scene and the burrow were so nice!
The light was not so bright anymore unless when it was quidditch.
I remembered the dueling scene so well, the music made my adrenaline go like "Yeah Harry! teach to this little blondie what you´re made off!" And after the insufferable sensation that Harry was an outcast again I really feel his angst when I usually am of the thought of "who cares let them think whatever". So it made me felt for real the emotions of the characters and that is something I really appreciate in a movie.


PoA
Yay! My favorite!!! The darkest the better! Lol!
I do not know where to start. When he left his home it was creepy. I am 19 and seriously, I was scared when Harry was seated all alone and the lights in the alley started to turn off. I had the same sensation of cold when the dementors show up in the train or in the match. The cold in those scenes was so well worked.
Apart from it shows us more inside Hogwarts, what I mean is that we see more minutiae from the classrooms and all inside and around the building.
What I did not like the werewolf in this movie. The transformation is nice but the creature is so strange. It was like a giant rat walking very rare.

The night bus made me remember about what I felt like dark humor. For me that travel to the Leaky Cauldron was hilarious. It was when and where the danger around Harry was introduced but it did in a very sarcastic way.

Do you remember the scene when the trio and Sirius just went out from the shrieking shack? Hermione is taking care of Ron and she made Harry to go and talk with Sirius. For a minute the last two stood looking at the castle and talking… it was so melancholic, the music at the back was so blue. If the moment had been a little longer my eyes would have watered, I swear it.
So I think Cuaron represented the closest scenario to my ideal vision of Hogwarts.


GoF
Almost everything I liked from GoF has been said already. But I want to add that I rather enjoy the introduction of the foreign schools. It was not exactly like in the book but was fun. Although, I was dying to see the Durmstrang girls, the presentation of the boys was pretty impressive.


I have very high expectations for the OoP movie and if John Williams is back for it, I think I am not going to be disappointed.

First off, I have to say that my favourite of the four movies were the first two. I thought that they were the ones which opened up the Potterverse to a broader audience, and did so in a competent fashion. The way magic was shown to us was very interesting in those two films; we came to it from Harry's perspective, with all the awe and wonder our young wizard experienced as he became more familiar with being a wizard himself. I thought Chris Columbus did a great job of getting that feeling across in PS.

CoS presented us with a more knowledgeable Harry, fresh from his first year at Hogwarts. This film showed us some more "practical" side of the magical world. Transportation, for instance, was addressed via the Ford Anglia and floo powder. We saw Mrs. Weasley doing her dishes magically. Those were the kinds of things we hadn't really seen in PS.

PoA pressed on with this (e.g: the Knight Bus), but also presented us with a much more gloomy universe, one where evil was on the rise in a much more tangible way. Magic, accordingly, started to turn darker: defensive spells, dementors, bogarts, etc... Harry seems to slowly realize that he's part of something that's not all wonder and amazement, but which also has a dark side. Oddly enough, this one is my least favourite movie, which is odd because it introduces two of my very favourite characters: Lupin and Sirius. I'm not sure what it is I didn't like about it, changed dynamics betwen characters, less witty dialogue? I really don't know. Maybe it was the fact that everything looked as though it had been desaturated by about 45% and had a bluish/gray cast applied (sorry, that's the Photoshop geek in me talking, but there was no other way of putting that...)

GoF, while not my favourite, surprised me. I knew right off the bat that a lot would be cut out, and perhaps going in with that mindset and expecting to be disappointed left me actually rather pleasantly surprised. I thought it was quite action packed, that the story moved along quickly (perhaps too quickly, witness to this the arrival of the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang delegations...) and that the dialogue was better. But, and this is a big but, I have to agree that it did very little to really show us anything "new" about magic or the Potterverse. We already knew about polyjuice potion. We did learn about the Unforgiveable Curses, about the Wizengamot and a bit more about quidditch (Oh! How I wish we had seen a lot more of the World Cup!!) To me, this was an okay film considering the length of the book it was trying to cover and considering how much had to be cut out...

I'm really looking forward to the next one, however. It should be interesting to see what slant this director will have...

oooh... That's a hard question!

But it would probably be PoA and GoF. I love the medieval feel of PoA, the Leaky Cauldron was the spit how i imagined it Although I do love Columbus' Diagon Alley

As most of you probably already know, I live in the North of Scotland, so when i read Harry Potter i had a clear vision of Hogwarts, this dark castle, with turrets and a Loch and just scottish I really didn't like Columus' Hogwarts, that big, wide tower? I'm so used to seeing castles, and hills and lochs, and imagined Hogwarts looking like that it shocked me when i didn't.

in PoA, when they changed set and when up to GlenFinnan/Glencoe, i was so happy to see hills and that Hogwarts had been imporved slightly (although that big fat turret was still there i have a thing about that turret, probably best not the get me started ) The magic was amazing, the knight bus was brilliant! And of course the Horseless carriages! The marauders map was good, and also, the fact that the pictures spoke more, in the other ones they just moved I think. The sweets that they eat at the begining in the dorm, the boy walking through the ghost! All these little things that aren't of the 'muggle' world. it made me feel a lot more like 'I'm in a different world!' I loved Sirius Black's poster everywhere all moving, like he was following you around the room. I couldn't stop staring at him!

So yeah, I think that PoA is my favourite

Bendis, excellent analgy (sp?) to the music! Although, I must say i loved the music for the fourth film best. I loved the dark-ness about it. Let you instantly know, 'This is a dark film' Excellent

Sometimes when I read others posts I feel that I have been unfair in my appreciations towards the work done for Newell.

But it is just that the atmosphere was too agressive and not exactly the kind of hard things that appear in the book.
Some changes are good, it is difficult to try something new but it is fun all the same. In the case of GoF it was a radical change. The style is completely another thing and probably that is the reason for my shock. Ygraine you are probably right about the music. The old melody contribute to certain continuity but I think this music was good too. The only thing is everything as a whole (film plus music) seemed to me slightly different from Harry's world. But this can be look thinking about how all change with the return of the Dark Lord... I am not completely sure regarding to what to think anymore.

I agree with a majority of you. I think PS/SS and CoS were the corner stones for me picturing the books setting and feel. I actually didn't know a lot about HP until I saw PS/SS movie on TV in my 6th or 7th grade year. So I bought the CoS DVD and then I got the books and read all 4 of them in about a week and then kept watching the movie. They first two movies had a more, this is going to sound weird, but they felt like Christmas movies to me. Maybe thats because I saw both of them around Christmas. The music was good, more of a classical sound to it which was good.

When PoA came out, I hated it so much. Alfonzo changed the entire dress code. They wore jeans and sweatshirts and "muggle" clothes. I reconized that in the previews. Yeah, I liked the action in it and you could see that they have grown up a lot since the CoS. The music was a little darker and stronger, as expected and that was about the only part that I liked in the movie.

I thought it got a little better in the GoF. They went back to wearing their robes, but in a looser, more relaxed way (the way I would wear it) which I thought was a great improvement since the PoA. There was a lot more action but it came no where near as good as the book. They left out a lot of things, especially in the maze and there was no Hagrid pretty much. There were no creatures in the maze like the sphenix, which I was looking forward to. They did a good job in hiring the new major characters like Moody and Voldemort. Ralphe Fiennis (sp) was did an excelent. The music was very good in this one. More of a blend of the first two but still good.

I'm just going to talk a little bit about the OotP, I don't know if they hired the right people for the roles, particularly Kingsley. I imagined him to be a taller, more muscular person. We don't know much about the movie but if they do add parts in that aren't in the book, I am going to be quiet unhappy.

I have to be very careful in talking about the movies or else I'll get very aggitated very quickly... Overall, my disappointment with the movies has increased with each new release. But narrowing it down to just the atmosphere of the movies... I have to say I liked PoA the best. I just loved the enviorment that was created with PoA. The little details. It brought the wizarding world to life in a way that none of the others really quite accomplished in my opinion. I agree that the Columbus's version were magical in a fanciful sort of way, but Cuaron's world made it into reality, at least for me. I don't know which is actually closer to JK's vision... but personally, I liked the look and feel of PoA the most.

I'm not even going to talk about GoF... still too bitter...

(Oh, and an afterthought: Is it just me, or did anyone else think that Daniel looked most like Harry should look in PoA? Personal opinion, maybe, but that's what I've always thought.)

I think that ,because I didn't know any better, that PS/SS was a good scene setter. CoS followed the same trend with the same magical atmosphere and I was relieved in a way when things got darker in PoA. I suppose then for me that PoA was the best with GoF coming a close second for atmosphere rather than content.

It's interesting that each director has their own interpretation of how things should look, and that where one has used an existing building or location another has used a studio set. The lake for intstance has been different locations and Privet Dirve has/is being built at a studio where previously it was a house in the next street to where my brother lives! I think that all these little changes can affect the mood/atmosphere/feel of the films.

I always envisioned the magical world as having magic in all aspects of life. This is partly why the first book had an amazing feeling of excitement and exploration. Harry is discovering not only that he can do magic, but that magic can be a determining force in his life. For Harry, magic was a world of opportunity. It surrounded his every fiber and dream.

In the second book, Harry has started to master the rudiments of magic. He is becoming acclimated to being surrounded by magic and using magic in his life. In short, Harry starts losing his muggle tendencies and embracing the benefits offered to a wizard.

Very little of this was conveyed in the first two movies. Yes, we saw magic as in the Great Hall and when Hermione fixed Harry's glasses. However, we saw very little magic outside of lessons. This is not commensurate of the magical world I envisioned.

Prisoner of Azkaban did show a great deal more magic. It was not always in the form of spells. Of course, we see extended use of Harry's invisibility cloak. We are also introduced to the Marauder's Map (a magical object that had profound impact upon Fred and George's lives) and the time turner. Magic is hinted by the shape of the buildings in Hogsmeade. We see the dementors and hippogriffs. There is far more visible magic in the Prisoner of Azkaban movie than the first two movies.

In Goblet of Fire, there was such a rush to get the central plotline of the Triwizard Tournament included that the presence of everyday magic was very limited. We lost the wonderment of the magical community. Perhaps this was fitting. As Harry grows older, he too loses his wonderment at magic (for the most part). The everyday occurrences no longer amaze Harry as they once did. Losing this aspect of the books when creating the movie makes Hogwarts feel less magical.

In short, Prisoner of Azkaban most closely created the wizarding world as I envisioned it.

I think that in PS and CoS the settings for places like diagon ally, the burrow and the durselys were perfectly done. This is because it is a much lighter atmosphere which was reflected from the books. As you get into PoA and GoF the places like hogsmeade and the quiddtch world cup get darker, which is good for the tone of the movie. Hogwarts was good in the first two films because it felt more like a school. With PoA I think that Hogwarts got made much darker, to what some people think Hogwarts should be like but I still think that Hogwarts should be percieved as a school because that is what it is.

I loved PoA because it was set more outside, which is what Alfonso wanted so I thought that was good. GoF was good as a balance between out and indoors but I do agree it didnt quite have the same atmosphere as the others.

So basicly I think PS and CoS set the perfect wizarding world for the first films but I think the setting reflects what is happening more in the books, so as the books get darker so does the setting, so it help to create a tense effect on the audience.

For me, the first two films always made me feel as though hogwarts and the whole of Hp world were really real, especially PS. I think this is because these two films were more about Harry discovering a whole new world. We, as a first time audience of any Hp films also had to make that journey and that discovery. I loved the Diagon Alley scenes, as they gave you a rare glimpse of the magical world outside of hopgwarts. this is also why i am loking forward to OotP, because there is alot more happening outside of hogwarts.

As for the actual school, I aagain think that the first film was the best, again because of the discoveries that had to be made. everything from the moving staircases to the third floor corridor was carefully thought out, and it showed. I also think that the detail put into some of the outside scenes in PoA made the film what it was. The basic sets and areas were normal, with little magic, but throw in some magical creatures and a violent tree and the world becomes magical.

However, although the grounds and sets were indeed more magical in the first three films, there did not seem to be as much huiman related maigic as in the books, in the first two. That is, spells and use of magic in everyday life. There were magical objects and the occasional large arachnid or three headed dog, but there was not that, sparkle. PoA remains to be my favorite film, i love the touches of magic, hermionie's class attendance, the prophecies, the hipogriff, anoimagus's and of course the introduction of the marauders (alive and not so alive), the map and use of the cloak, the list goes on.

Even though PS and CoS showed a new world, by the time i saw PoA i had already seen that, and had the world in my mind. The journey that needed to be undertaken to make the world real had been done, and the third film continued the story, whilst keeping and introducing the magic. Prisoner of azkaban, is the world that i think of when i think of Hp and was, in my mind, virtualy perfect.

(you may have noticed that i made few references to GoF. i want to do it justice..but well... better luck next time.)

The films each have their own wonderful attributes. I think that SS was a great set up for the whole series, and really helped to create the ideal wizarding world. The trick with the next 6 would be of course to not deviate from this world too much, but to add to it. Layers were built more in PoA, and GoF then in CoS. I actually was not that impressed by CoS very much, so I won't go into too much detail, but it didn't step away from what was created in SS. They were both very subdued compared to the other two.

PoA was an awesome movie for a number of reasons. If you watch it again, you will notice the use of mirrors, and glass as a reflecting surface in many scenes. It drives home the idea that the people that we see on the outside are not always the same on the inside (Sirius is innocent, Remus is a werewolf, etc.). It also gave us an insight into the greater magical community (The Knight bus, The Leaky Cauldron scenes, Hogsmeade). In that sense I felt that artistically this was the best movie, and that it didn't deviate, but added layers.

GoF was an action movie. It was a *great* action movie, but the essential points of the story are a lot of action. The fact that it screams "Hey we're teenagers" to some of us, is a very good point, but I think it's appropriate. An interview with the cast on that movie is very revealing: Rupert, Emma, and Dan all thought that the directors treatment of the movie was very complete in that he caught the mood of going to a private school very well (public school for those of you in the UK). They didn't go so far as to say it was better than the other directors, but they did say it was very good. I just felt that despite some of the darker moments of GoF, the movie was a real hoot, and was actually funny in spots just like JKR's writing, compared to the rest of them. Despite the absence of Dobby there was still comic relief. "Way to show your moral fiber!"

Gosh, didn't realize I had that much to say.

I think the movie with the greatest wizarding world was SS... I think it was because it was very bright and colorful... And it was when we where first introduced to the wizarding world... CoS was pretty good too... I liked Chris Columbus and his style...

I think that PoA and GoF were both really dark... Like it wasn't bright and colorful... I know that those books weren't very bright either but I think that they could have like used brighter colours in the back grounds I guess.


I never noticed that until I read that, yeah your right though, thats really cool, now I'll have to watch that movie again!

And I didn't like that they hardly wore their robes in PoA and GoF, I mean yes they were teenagers but still, they should still wear their robes... It is Hogwarts...

I really disliked the first two movies (for numerous reasons), so I don't remember much about the visual feel or setting of them. I do remember thinking that the CGI was used rather clumsily, and that the basilisk and his lair were incredibly cheesy and not very menacing or convincing to me. It was only with PoA, and Cuarons use of outdoor scenery and natural settings did I start to see wizarding world as a real, and substantial place that infused with magic, rather than as a place that was quaint and fanciful but somewhat plastic-coated. I think in those earlier movies they were trying so hard to establish the wizarrding world by differentiating it from the non-magical world that it felt forced and stiff (and looked that way too.) I'm sure if I watched them again that there would be some things that I would like. But overall, I felt that there was such a direct and heavy-handed approach in trying to instill a sense of child like wonder that it lacked any subtlety. Furthermore there were parts of it that were positively Disneyesque which just jarred for me.

With PoA, magic just exudes from the settings and the films atmosphere. Cuaron really knew what he was doing, by ensuring that Hogwarts was a central 'character' in the film. A darker book and narrative coincided with a darker film. I didn't think that the dress code needed to changed, nor was I all that enamoured with the bus scene but overall it was the most atmospheric and organic atmosphere that I've yet seen in a Potter movie. I'm not a very visual person, so the fact that I even remember what Hagrid's house and the pumpkin patch still look like (even though I haven't seen PoA anymore than I've seen the other films) suggests that Cuaron's visualisation is imprinted on my mind.

I do agree however, that TGoF is so plot oriented, and so teen oriented/action-adventure that it kind of forgot about the magic. There were magical acts and events, but I never got the sense that the place (Hogwarts, the magical world) was secondary and not all that integral to the movie.

For me, my invision of the Wizarding World was really molded in the first 2 books, expecially SS. I would have to say it was almost as soon as Hagrid and Harry go to diagon alley did I realize that JK hadn't only created a character and his adventures, but an entire society rather. I loved reading about the wizarding government, the currency, the education (of course ) as well as everything else that JK offered. Now I realize that I said it was the books that modeled my opinions, but the movies just made all of what I read and invisioned come to life. I think the first two movies were well done, even though I wasn't on the edge of my seat as I was in the movies following, it stuck to the plot pretty well.

PoA changed my perspectives a little bit. This movie seemed a lot darker to me, and as someone else (I'm pretty sure it was Capricorn) said it: the movie was very European. There were so many things that made me fall in love with this movie, but at the same time, I have one major bone to pick. I was so frustrated to see that the entire Marauder information was left out of the movie. That made explanations so hard to those I saw it with who hadn't read the books. My previously stated negative attribute of SS/CoS regarding lack of the adrenaline rush certainly doesn't apply here. I was almost constantly on the edge of my seat, and I was engrossed in all of the emotion that was put forth from the actors.

GoF was basically just like PoA to me in the sense that it kept me on my toes. It was another film that seemed dark to me, and I think that OOTP will probably be the same way. i don't think that the darkness is a bad thing, but it's very noticable to me. I agree that there was lack of magic in this film compared to the others because the plot was quite caught up in the teen romance and whatnot. Irregardless I have no complaints, because I really loved the graphics during the tournament scenes.

I just can't wait to be able to comment on my views of OOTP!!

I will try by hardest not to bash the movies,since a lot of things about them (mostly stuff they left out) annoy me.

PS/SS- This is the first movie, first book, and it is also the first time the audience is going to Hogwarts and entering the magical world. The film did a very good job at introducing the magical world. There is cheeful, light music (most of the time), and the lighting is brighter than in any other movie. You sense Harry's amazement and wonder at magic, and you feel it also. Hogwarts is nearly perfect. It is mysterious, yet warm and welcoming. Hogwarts is very charming and magical. The wizarding world is cheerful, happy, and peaceful. You can tell that in the film. The only thing that bugs me is that you don't see a lot of magic in everyday life. Overall, there is always the feeling of youthfulness throughout the film.

CoS- It is nearky the same as the first movie. It is ever so slightly darker, but still cheerful. You still feel Harry's wonder at magic, and it is still very magical. CoS is my least favorite movie as of yet. I liked how they did the Chamber, Parseltongue, and the Burrow. You see a little bit more magic in this film, but not outside of classes.

PoA- It is the third in the series. The magical world is established in the firt two films, so the film pays more attention to the story, and focuses on detail. What I mean is that there is more focus on the characters, and little details and aspects of wizarding life (i.e., the Talking Heads, self-stirring spoons, chairs put away with a wave of the hand, etc). You see magic everywhere, not just during classes. I liked that. Hogsmeade was perfect. PoA is darker, just like the book. For me, PoA is the best portrayal of the wizarding world. Its image of everything sticks out in my memory, and is implanted in my mind. You really sense that Harry and his friends are growing up in this film. They behave like teenagers, which they are. It is well balanced. Cuaron did a wonderful job at creating a sense of authenticity, without loosing any of the magic. I was really dissappointed that the Marauders were cut, so the film must be reqally good to redeem itself in my eyes. It did.The music was wonderful, the best in the series.

GoF- It is too focused on the plot and the school story that is looses some of the magic. The magical aspect is in the background, while the teen-focus/action/adventure is in the spotlight. A few things stand out as great. Those are Mad-Eye, Voldemort, and the QWC. This movie is a lot darker, which fits the book. The Graveyard scene was well done. There is too much panic and craziness in this movie. There is still a sense of peace, however little it may be. In the movie, this is lost.

OotP- It is a lot darker than previous movies. You have a feeling of unease throughout the entire movie. They did a good job with it. The scenery, mood, and acting are good. The CGI is better than in previous movies. The dememtors look different. I think they were scarier in PoA, mainly because they seemed more tangible, less CG. I got gusebumps during the trial when Fudge stataed that "laws can be changed". That was when you really sensed that things were starting to fall apart in the wizarding world. Umbridge was perfect. I liked the Order, and the threstles. The battle at the MoM had me at the edge of my seat. The main abjection I have is that everything is so condensed they cancel eachother out. They cut Snape's Worst Memory. This brought the movie down, and it didn't fully redeem itself.

I can't wait until HBP is out. I am looking foward to seeing it. I am most excited about DH because John Williams is most likely comming back for it. He said that he wanted to do it.

~Bella

I am posting here to bring attention to the fact we've changed this thread name to encompass all the movies, both past and future, and bring this post to the front on the forum page.

Please, feel free to post here about any aspects of the movies, what you like, what you don't, what is missing, what you would change, how you would change it, or how you feel about the ones to come.

I'm going to pose a question just to get the ball rolling: how do you feel about seeing HBP knowing now that when Snape kills Dumbledore on the tower he was acting in Harry's best interest?

I want to thank David for making a few necessary changes. The goal is to motivate everyone to discuss about the movies, both the ones we've already seen and the ones we're expecting to watch.

To reply to Dorthy's question, I have to say firstly that I, myself, am not such a huge fan of the movies. Ever since the first movie, I realised that they can not be exactly like the books. I had high expectations when the SS was released, and I was disappointed when I saw it. Not only because of the characters, but also because of the movie style in general. Now, I know that the movies will never be the way I want them to be, so I just forget about the book and judge the movie as it stands on its own. This is why I like GoF and OotP so much; they were more like Hollywood-style movies and I enjoyed every minute of them.

After this short intro, I believe it's pretty clear that I will not be affected by Snape's role. I know that I will be very sad when Snape kills Dumbledore, but I won't be angry, like I was when I initially read the book. What I'm trying to say is that I'll enjoy the movie but I won't feel as emotional as I felt when reading the books. The atmosphere depicted by JKR is something that can not be shown in the movies. That's my opinion though.

I think it's pretty clear I'm a books-lover!

I distinctly remember watching SS for the first time, as I had read up through GoF. I firmly believed Snape was good, although that did not become paramount to my reading the series until POA. I was undecided through SS and CoS. Thus, when I viewed SS in the privacy of my own home, I was stunned by the movie's portrayal of Snape as far less sinister than in the books. In fact, I was so stunned that I posted here on the website as a new member my confusion between the book Snape and the movie Snape.

At the conclusion of HBP, I still believed that somehow DD and Snape had planned the outcome of the evening, even if not all the specifics. Of course, JKR wrote the endiing to hang and build intensity, which she did superbly in my opinion. Yet, I was still a staunch supporter of Snape as good.

When I view HBP, I believe I will see the movie differently knowing the end, perhaps enjoying that scene more knowing, than being wrapped up in my confusion over the two differing portrayals of Snape's character.

How do you feel about seeing HBP knowing now that when Snape kills Dumbledore on the tower he was acting in Harry's best interest?
I don't think it will change my enjoyment of the scene, I agree with Sirren on this one, I will probably be able to enjoy the scene more, and be able to study and appreciate Alan Rickman's portrayal of the scene, something I am greatly looking forward to. I think I will throughly enjoy being able to act as horrified and as shocked as my friends who watch the films but don't read the books, and who will be experiencing Dumbledore's death for the first time. I will find it very amusing, I'm sure.

In terms of my enjoyment of the movies in general, there were some movies I liked and some I did not. I liked the first two, especially PS, I think it really captured the magic and introduced us, as well as Harry, to the Wizarding World. PoA was my personal favourite, I found it very funny really. But GoF and OotP I wasn't too keen on, I'm not sure why. I didnt like OotP because it put more emphasis on the Harry/Cho relationship than was actually there in the book. But that's just my opinion.

Ali, I'm afraid that we have the exact opposite opinions when all five movies are concerned.

I did not like at all the first and the second movie. Something about them made me feel very disappointed, especially when I've been waiting for so long for them. I didn't like the special effects they were using, I thought they were really fake. I know there is no other choice in such movies. But I can't hide the fact that I expected more from them.

The third movie? I thought it was ok. I was never a fan of the third book (i actually found it a little boring) but the movie, I enjoyed it.

When the fourth book was released it really made up for not liking that much the third one. It was full of action, adventure, secrets and revelations. The movie? I loved it. Yes, it had many special effects, more than the first two, but I expected those and I loved them.

The fifth movie? To me, the best so far. Finally, I saw a movie that rises up to Hollywood's image! I adored the beginning of the film, where Harry is at the swings and the wind starts blowing. It was atmospheric...it had what I wanted to see.

So, now I expect a lot from the sixth movie. Especially now that they delayed the release date. It'd better be good. That's what everyone has been saying!

Hmmm....I loved the first movie for this reason, we/I got to see the wizarding world from Harry's point of view. Diagon Alley, Cauldron, Hogwarts, Platform 9 3/4. Ron, Harry, and Hermoine meet, interact, and become the tightest of friends; face adversity and come out on top, and test their magical limits at such a young age.

The second movie I also loved because we/I got to see the Trio form the unbreakable bond between them. Also we got to see Ginny show why she's a Gryffindor, even though I think she could've been a Ravenclaw as well, by coming to the defense of Harry. After Harry killed the basilisk in the chamber,when he knew he was dying, he still protected Ginny.

The third movie was supposed to be dark. No one had told Harry about his Godfather or the crime he had committed. With him leaving the Dursley's the way he did, dementors for the first time. He had to learn the patronus charm from a thought he didn't know if it existed or not. Meeting and confronting Sirius after he he found out they were best friends, and then having to face the true betayer, man that's some deep stuff.

The fourth having to deal with The Triwizard, along with possibly pummel his best friend for being such a freakin' git. Harry thought the wizard who was teaching him DODA was actually on his side, come to find out that he was the one that sent him to the graveyard to battle LV, defeat......no, escape LV, get back to school and be the one to tell everyone LV was back and having no proof except for Cederic's body...wow. And remember, he's only 14.

The fifth, my fav, just like the book, having to deal with the anger of watching Cederic die, no news from anyone over the summer months. Harry, so happy to see his Godfather, but at the same time seeing this proud man diminished to staying around a house he never felt loved in. Harry was strong enough to be in the Order, but because he was only 15 he wasn't allowed. The friends @ the school seemingly turned against him because he wouldn't discuss the events around Cederics death. Dealing with Umbrige and her mid-evil teaching methods to the DA, to occumency lessons with Snape hearing the prophecy and the fight at the ministry. This book....I didn't have to face the things Harry did, but at some point in a 14-17 year old males' life, no matter what country, we feel like the whole world is truly against us.

I really wished Del Toro was doing the last 3 films, mainly because they are so, so dark. I don't revel in murder, mayhem, and chaos, but the last 2 books have it all and it'll be a shame if all that, well maybe not all, was shown on the big screen.

i like the third movie.

Mod Edit: Here in the Great hall we expect members to contribute to the discussions in a way that keeps the topic going. Your one sentence does not contribute much at all. I suggest you read the Rules of the site, as one liners are not permitted, and the Rules of the Great Hall before posting again.

In my opinion, PoA was definitely the best movie. the only thing i was disappointed in the movie was that it didn't show errol, hagrid's owl, and hedwig soaring through harry's bedroom window to deliver his letters from ron, hermione, and hagrid, which was probably the only thing that disappointed me in PoA. everything else was absolutely perfect. stan shunpike was exactly how i imagined him to be -- the accent, the pimples, the attitude. and peter pettigrew was perfect too. especially sirius though, even lupin. these were all very imaginative and i thank warner bros for this.

CoS and SS were absolutely awesome too. I loved everything in them. it made everything so real, and actually most of the actors' lines were copied directly from the book, which was another thumbs up. GoF was alright but i wouldn't really know, i haven't really spent much of my time reading the 4th book, but I kept in mind to start reading it again once i'm done with PoA for the umpteenth time. OOTP was okay too I guess but they changed only very few in the movie. it was so exciting and full of suspense when harry, hermione, ron, neville, and luna arrived in the Department of Mysteries. I especially loved the part where the Hall of prophecies came smashing down due to the death eaters. full of SUSPENSE. but I was also hoping to see the room full of brains, the ones that nearly strangled Ron to death. and i also very much wanted to see the part where they smashed the room with the Timeturners.

But all in all, warner bros did pretty good in 1-5. I CAN'T WAIT TIL JULY 17TH!!!

I love the Harry Potter Books, but the movies never did them justice. I don't have a favorite movie yet and hope that the sixth one is better. I plan to go see it in IMAX because I have never been scared by a movie, and if it seems more real, it might actually work. Also, I love the IMAX. As far as I've seen in the previews, the movie looks amazing! I sat at my computer for hours just watching the previews. I can't wait until it comes out. It's going to be amazing... I hope.

Books =
Movies =
My friends tell me
I always am and and and especially

For me, SS and CoS were the best two movies, without a doubt. Granted they were the shortest books, but I believe that Chris Columbus did a wonderful job and I was very sad when I found out that he wasn't directing PoA. They were both 10 movies, without a doubt. As for PoA, Couran definitely took the book and made it a much darker movie. PoA was the first book that really delt with Harry's Parents deaths, and the man thought to be responsible (Sirius). It was a very important transitional book, and I felt that the movie could have been better, especially if Couran woudn't have excluded S.P.E.W. but I still gave it a 7.5. GoF was the first movie that I was able to go to at midnight, and I was SO excited. I hadn't seen any trailers, and I really had no idea what to expect. Mike Newell could not have done a better job screwing up the movie. The Quidditch World Cup scene, almost made me stop watching, and walking out of the theater. Firstly, the exclusion of Winky, and everyone in the top box was horrifying (slightly sensationalist and I apologize). However, when the Bulgarian and Irish teams came onto the field, I was genuinely excited to see the match knowing full well what it should look like. And the film cut directly from the 4 balls being set into play, to Mr. Weasley lighting an incense. At first I thought the projectionist screwed up and cut the world cup scene...but he didn't! I know that if you include everything from the books into the movies, the movies would be eight hours long, I would GLADLY sit through that, I would even pay extra, but that scene only would have had to be five minutes long, and it would have been amazing. Ok, enough ranting about that. Couran was the first director to cut out house elfs, almost entirely was bad enough, but with Newell came even more house elf exclusion. No trips into the kitchen, no Winky, and the absense of Dobby, despite the fact that he gives Harry the Gillyweed. How are the audiences suppose to care when Dobby dies in the seventh film, if they haven't had a chance to see how good of a friend he became to Harry. I firmly believe that David Yates is the worst thing that has happened to the Harry Potter franchise. OOTF was another film that I was looking forward too for months, but another one that I was sadly dissapointed in. Granted I am typing all of this in the mindset of a Harry Potter...for lack of a better word, purist, and I wish the movies could have captured the books better. OOTF is the longest book in the series, yet it is the shortest movie. So much was cut out, and what was left was horribly inaccurate and almost painful to watch. It makes me sad that Guillermo del Toro turned down the opportunity to direct HBP to work on Hellboy 2, and that the production sadly had to go back to Yates. At this point, there is no way to correct what the movies have horribly screwed up. DH is going to be in two parts, and there is absolutely no reason THAT book should be two movies. Literally hundreds of pages are Harry Ron and Hermoine in the woods, looking for the Horcrux, those pages can be cut. Maybe in the extra couple of hours they are going to try to scrape together some last ditch effort. Make Harry's green (wait, not in the movies) eyes the reason Snape was so horrible to him, because those eyes reminded him of Lily. Maybe make it so the audience cares when Dobby dies. Throw a couple scenes from Weasley Wizard Wheezes so the audience knows what it is, even though Harry never gave the twins their start up money after wining the tri-wizard tournament. It's going to be a travesty, and I will see it at midnight, and I will stand around until sunup complaining with my friends.

Well that's enough rant for tonight.

One big disappointment about the movies is the necessity to change the storyline. The movies are not the same as Harry Potter series books. They are a different Harry Potter series. Another version by a different group of authors (scriptwriters). I hope one day BBC or other TV studios will make a true adaptation of the series.

To answer the first question, it was PS/SS and CoS that really set the scene for me. They are also my two favourite movies. To me, they just seemed to stick to the story better than the rest. I do admit after rewatching them recently that there were some things that I wished they kept the same or didn't change, but little stuff like that didn't ruin the story.

PoA is my LEAST favourite of all the movies so far. Whenever I watch it, everything just seems jumbled and not together. And although I know all the movies would change things and delete things, this movie - in my opinion - seemed to be the worst for that, making me cringe in the theatre (especially the ending. I was very disappointed ). I did like the music though, but I believe that Cuaron (sp?) just ruined it.

GoF was....okay. I found it to be better than PoA even though some things were missing. And even though they added some things, I found some of the scenes to be funny. But overall, I don't really care much about this one. I'm indifferent about it.

OotP is my second least favourite movie. The beginning seems very slow to me, and whenever I watch it I have to try and NOT change the channel. It also seems to me that almost no one had emotion in the movie. In certain scenes where Harry is supposed to be yelling, he's calm. Everything just seems flat. Although the actor/actresses who played Kingsley, Luna, and Umbridge were absolutly BRILLIANT! The fight between Voldemort and Dumbledore was also amazing, especially in IMAX 3-D

I have faith in the 6th movie, and I hope that after I see it I'll have many positive comments about it




It'll be very hard to watch that particular scene. Even though I'll know why Snape killed him, it'll almost be kind of a shock for me to actually see it in front of me instead of in my head. I'll deffinately be crying for a while after that scene

OoTP was the biggest disappointment since the MC Pacer car. They left out so many vital scenes from the book that needed to be put into the movie in order for it to make sense. My second least fave movie was GoF, that too left out alot of vital scenes that the book covered.

My fave movie had to be the CoS, it lead up to all of the unanswered qiestions that will later be revealed in HBP. I really liked the CoS it's by far my fave movie out of the series.

I can only hope and pray that HBP will be like a stunner of a movie, with all of the drama of DD's death, Draco's task from Voldy and Snape's "betrayal" of sorts. I am really hoping that this will be the best installment in the series so far. I will be reaaly disappointed if it is not.

I don't know if I could pick a favorite but if I had to I think it would be CoS. Even though it was one of my least favorites of the books I thought the movie included most of the important stuff. The main reason that I don't love the first two movies is that they seem so childish but then when you look back at the book that's kind of the way JKR originally wrote them.


I didn't like PoA because too many things were left out. The group of "marauders" weren't explained well and I think it must have been really confusing for anyone who hasn't read the books.

GoF was alright. I was disappointed that the obstacles in the maze were left out but the maze was still pretty good. I really liked the second task though. I thought the mermaids and the underwater shots were really well done.

OoTP just changed way too many things in my opinion. It just seemed like in every scene something was changed that really didn't need to be. I was also sad about how much shorter the end fight was in the movie than it was in the book. I really wanted to see Ron get attacked by the brain.

I think HBP looks like it's going to be really awesome and I hope it is. I can't wait for it to come out. From the previews it looks like they didn't change a whole lot and kept some important stuff in.

I think that the first two movies were the best. I agree that they were a bit childish, but I've noticed that JK's writing style was in fact a bit more like she was telling a fairy tale. The fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh books had a bit different feel to them, if that makes any sense?

The first movie did stay true to the book, and Chris Columbus (the director of the first movie) did a really good job of making it very fantasy-like and just... you know, magical. The third movie was kind of bad, since the director didn't really know the series as well as most people, and he made it a bit more like they were muggles. As for the fourth and fifth movies, I like them well enough, but that first movie will always be my favorite.

I have to agree with what a lot of you are saying about CoS being the best movie - I think the relative shortness of the book, yet the fact that it had much more action and suspense than PS meant that it was perfect for a movie adaption.

I was shocked when I saw PoA - ditching the wizard's robes for home clothes!! - but Cuaron did a good job. Hogwarts suddenly felt a lot more dangerous, and we got some really good performances from the trio.

GoF is my favourite book, so it was inevitable that I would love the movie. I wasn't too bothered about them cutting the quidditch world cup, as we got plenty of broomstick action later!

I wasn't impressed by the OotP, but recently rewatched the DVD, and he did a pretty good job. I wasn't happy when I heard Yates had bagged the directing job for the last few films - but the HBP trailers look mind blowing, and his plans and ideas for DH sound really interesting...

'Part One is dynamic, adrenalised, visceral...It's a gritty road movie within this magical universe', while 'Part Two is more elegiac and operatic. It's where the heart and soul of the story comes home to roost' - TF157

I'm not so sure I like the ideas about Part One, but we'll have to wait and see!

In general, I have absolutely loved the movies to date. Each one has represented it's book very well, and told the story completely. HBP is the first one where I felt that the focus was a bit off. I liked the "style" of the movie, but felt the focus was on misplaced.

After being asked about certain aspects of the book for HBP, my general comment was "It isn't who dies or who kills them, it is the story behind it that matters most." I still feel that way. I just didn't feel that the 6th movie "told the story" as well as it shoul d have.

I also felt that character developement in HBP did not represent the book. Fenrir Greyback, in the book, was a savage beast with nothing but evil intent. In the movie, that potential was not well realized. He seemed menacing at best.

After spending days on my personal "all things Harry Potter" quest (reading books 6&7 again, watching all the previous movies in order and tapping online resources), I was ready for HBP, I had the anticipation of a bride waiting for her walk down the aisle. One very important scene that I fully expected was the battle inside Hogwarts when the Death Eaters entered through the vanishing cabinet. Instead, they just "walked in" and went to the astronomy tower.

I did feel the "teenage romance" aspects were well represented. The relationship between Ron and Lavender was wonderfully acted. I laughed quite a lot through those parts. Slughorn's Christmas party was a laugh riot.

I know that the movies cannot, realistically, contain all the detail of the books. Up to this point, however, they have represented each book very well. My opinion is that HBP is my least favorite movie. I didn't feel that the story was told or the pivotal moments were shown. We didn't get to "know" Voldemort as well as we did in the book. I still look forward to the next 2 movies with great anticipation. I will continue to love Harry Potter and all his adventures, but will likely not re-watch the movie before it is on DVD.

You were speaking of the new HBP movie and now that it has been released I wonder what is thought now?

I think this is a safe place to discuss how worried I am after watching HBP. I am going to use spoiler tags just in case someone hasn't seen the movie yet.



Whew, sorry about the rant but I really like the Harry Potter series and I feel very passionate about wanting to see it done justice in the theaters.

There are other topics as well where you can all discuss the new movie, but if you want to talk about it here, please use spoiler tags like nevillesgirl did. There are people who haven't watched the movie yet *cough*like me*cough* because some European countries have later release dates.

Thanks!

PS: I so hope I won't be disappointed. I doubt it. Oh well. *sigh*

I loved PoA because the Womping Willow scene was great. Also, the Knight Bus was done well. I liked the special effects and it didn't leave anything inportant out.

CoS and PS were also done very well. I didn't like GoB because they left out the part were Dudley ate the sweets from fred and george. I heard it was supposed to be split in two parts but then they gota new director who didn't rea the book and decided to cut out some parts.Did that actually happen? OotP ws quite good.