Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows (Parts I and II) discussion (1 Viewer)

[Adam Lenhardt]

Even though Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince doesn't hit theaters until this summer, news for the final installment is coming fast and furious. Filming starts this month, and it has been announced that Eduardo Serra (What Dreams May Come, Unbreakable, Girl with a Pearl Earring) will be the cinematographer:


I got to say, I'm a lot less excited by his pick than I was when Bruno Delbonnel was announced.

 

[oscar_merkx]

can't wait

 

[Ray H]

Eduardo Serra is a damn good DP. At least Yates is good at picking them.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

And then he gets them to turn in murky, swamp-colored messes. I figured if anyone could turn in genuinely colorful photography, it'd be Bruno Delbonnel -- responsible for some of the most vibrant, saturated cinematography in recent memory. Maybe he did, but judging by the trailers it's all been drained out in post to a Black, yellow, white monochrome. With the exception of What Dreams May Come, a lot of Serra's cinematography already leans in this direction.

 

[Yee-Ming]

I recall years ago when the movies were first starting and the "kids" were first cast and were literally about the same age as the characters were in the first book, since the movies wouldn't be shot quite as fast as one a year, there was concern that they might age a bit too fast, and look too old in the final movie(s).

Can I just say, I think it's actually worked out really well. You literally see Harry Potter as boy in the first movie, but by now he's unmistakably grown up, as have his friends.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I remember those concerns that some people had back in the day, and I thought they were ridiculous - I'm glad time proved me right on this one. In the first film, the characters are supposed to be what, 11? They were roughly that age, maybe a tiny bit older when they made the first film. I figured it would take about ten years to do all of the books, and I for one don't see anything out of the ordinary with 21 year olds playing 18. Happens all the time. People that were worried about the age thing, in my opinion, seem to have not really thought it out fully.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

First photos from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows:

Harry and Hermione on the run after Ron abandons their mission and goes home. If done right, this movie will have a lot of tent scenes, which provide a unique ability to convey the passage of time through the scenery. The only movie thus far that has done a decent job of that was Prisoner of Azkaban with the Whomping Willow.

Harry, Ron and Hermione find themselves fugitives on the run in London after the Ministry of Magic falls. This shot reminds me a lot of the recent Summit Entertainment thriller Push, in a good way.

Harry, Ron and Hermione are chased through London after the Ministry of Magic falls during Bill's wedding. At this point, they still haven't had a chance to change. (And man, in heels Emma Watson towers over poor Dan).

 

[Holadem]

As soon as I saw the first picture, I wanted to read the book again. Somehow, it's the tent that gets me.

--
H

 

[oscar_merkx]

I am officially stoked to read the books again for the umpteeth time

 

[Ray H]

About one of the photos....

I'm kinda surprised they're still doing Bill's wedding if that blurb is accurate. We've haven't really seen the character before (except for maybe a photo in POA).

 

[Yee-Ming]

Perhaps the only 'unfortunate' thing about casting Radcliffe all those years ago, is that the poor guy hasn't grown very tall...

Rupert now towers over him, and didn't I read that even the girl playing Ginnie is taller than him?

 

[Hartwig Hanser]

Emma Watson is more in the foreground which may let her seem taller than she is. In the other 2 pictures she does not seem to be much taller than Radcliffe. Anyway, size doesn´t matter, right?

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

She's wearing heels in the third picture, which is what accounts for the difference:

They're probably about the same height in real life, with Rupert being noticably taller. It matters only in regards to our cinematic expectations of taller male action hero, shorter sidekick and female cohorts. And for the reasons I've noted, subverting those expectations can be as rewarding as validating them.

 

[Brandon Conway]

Looking forward to the last 3 films.

Emma looks stunning in that dress.

 

[mattCR]

I think the size difference turns out to be a great benefit. Early in the book series, Harry was described as a scrawny, wiry kid. Talk about whether or not being kept basically in a box below the stairs at his house hjelped keep him small.

I think it fits in with his mythos that it isn't that he's some giant superhero stature, but a "good kid" who does the right thing as his standing as a hero..

 

[Ray H]

 

[bosque]

Half-Blood Prince is one of the weakest books in the series, like a filler and its only purpose was to give us a few unnecessary details about Voldemort's background and set-up the Horcrux business which oddly enough hadn't even been hinted at previously - but it makes you want to skip the sixth movie and go straight on to The Deathly Hallows which has a much better, more engaging, more enthralling story.

 

[Jim_C]

 

[Brandon Conway]

The 6th book is actually my favorite. It's the only one I've read 3 times. Go figure.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

If the sixth book didn't exist, the final story would have felt like a huge cheat. It put together all of the pieces that have been carefully scattered throughout the earlier books, so everyone knew what was to come in the seventh story. It has the least texture of the seven books, a consequence of Rowling's focus on brevity after the criticisms of OOTP, but my opinion of it has improved greatly over time. OOTP would have been a hard one to get right, even if Yates and Goldenberg hadn't made some very disappointing decisions. HBP is a very straightforward story, broken up by very cinematic flashbacks. If Yates screws that one up, I think I'll throw in the towel on the two DH films.