First images and Harry Potter (1 Viewer)

[Glenn Overholt]

I found out that the more books I read, the fewer movies I wanted to see because of the first images that my brain received while reading it. Often they do not come out the way that we interpret them.
Thus, I am wondering how many Harry Potter fans are going to shake their heads because the set didn't come out the way that they had imagined it to look like.
What if you got 50 Harry Potter fans together to decide what a certain scene should look like on the screen, and 47 of them agreed? What if the movie was based on the opinions of the other 3?
Glenn

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

Every snippet I have seen of the film so far has met or exceeded the expectation of my mental images of the characters as described in the text and occasional illustrations. Some of the CG creatures in the latest trailer looked a little cheesy, but on the other hand, the CG-assisted production design for locations like the great hall and the staircases & hallways of Hogwarts looks breathtaking. I anticipate being satisfied, so now they can worry about the other millions of readers.

Regards,
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Ken McAlinden
Livonia, MI USA
[Edited last by Ken_McAlinden on October 03, 2001 at 09:09 AM]

 

[andrew markworthy]

I'm not sure whether American readers/viewers will feel as contented as Brits. JK Rowling is British and the images and scenes she uses draw upon buildings, character types, etc, which are derived from things and people familiar in British culture. Hogwarts, for example, is clearly meant to be a cross between one of our older and more expensive public schools and our older universities (e.g. Oxford,Cambridge, Edinburgh). From what I've seen of the movie in the trailers, it looks as if the set design has copied this 'British look' extremely well. Certainly, what I've seen so far conforms to what I expected, and the same goes for Brit friends of mine who've also seen the trailer.

 

[Iain Lambert]

Its hardly surprising shots look like Oxford - Christchurch College is one of the shooting locations, and strangely enough is pretty much how I always picture Hogwarts looking even before the extra set design work is added.

 

[Andy Sheets]

Everything I've seen so far looks very well done...except for the kid who plays Neville. I can't really explain it but he just looks totally off of how I pictured him while reading the book. Maybe I pictured him looking a bit more delicate? The kid in the trailer had a more oafish look, as I recall. But other than that, it's looking quite good.

 

[Leo Kerr]

There are some things in the trailers that have bothered me.. in particular, the Great Hall.

I don't remember the exact figure, but the student population of Hogwarts is/was in the neighborhood of 500 - 550 students. The way I remember them showing the Great Hall was more like 800-1000 students.

[note: I don't remember my exact estimate, but when I worked it out, it was based on fairly extensive information embedded in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (note that's the English edition, not the American edition,) and working with the assumption of no students dropping out/dying/whatever during the seven years.]

Leo Kerr
[email protected]

 

[RobertR]

quote: I'm not sure whether American readers/viewers will feel as contented as Brits. JK Rowling is British and the images and scenes she uses draw upon buildings, character types, etc, which are derived from things and people familiar in British culture. [/quote]
I can't speak for other Americans, but not only am I content with the film looking and sounding very British, I very much prefer it that way, for exactly the reasons you stated (Rowling's insistence on British actors was the right call).
Based on what I've seen, the film has just the right look, and very much fits the images I have in my mind from reading the books.
[Edited last by RobertR on October 03, 2001 at 11:05 AM]

 

[Jim_C]

So far everything but the Quidditch scenes has looked like I expected them to. I hope that the Quidditch scenes in the movie are more 'open'. I've always imagined the matches taking place in enormous stadium with a very spread out feeling to them. The quick clip in trailer doesn't look right to me. I know that it's not fair to judge the movie until it's out so I won't. I just hope that it looks better in the movie than what I've seen so far.
The rest is looking great to me.
PS To be fair the clip in the trailer isn't an actual Quidditch match but the part where Draco steals Neville's ball and Harry goes after Draco.
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You want to upgrade again?!!
[Edited last by Jim_C on October 03, 2001 at 11:38 AM]

 

[JohnE]

I've always imagined the matches taking place in enormous stadium with a very spread out feeling to them.

Yeah, that's what I visualized as well. But I do like what I've seen so far. Should be a fun fall movie.
[Edited last by JohnE on October 03, 2001 at 05:38 PM]