*** Official "HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS" Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Peter Kline]

Muggles make merry as Harry does monster b.o.:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/...x-office_x.htm

 

[Adam_S]

I sincerely, sincerely hope that the studios don't drop the three key actors for Goblet of Fire or later films. by the fourth book they're 14, Radcliffe will turn 14 I think next year AFTER Azkaban's shoot.

And what's to stop Warner from going into production for at least part one of GOF immediately following Azkaban. Even Though Azkaban won't release until summer 2003, it should only take Cuaron and company three or four months to assemble a rough cut with all the necessary ADR score etc, at that point it's only waiting for the visual effects to come in. So if post production (excepting effects work) wraps around this time next year, they can enter into production for goblet of fire in january of 2004 and probably have principle photography done in time for the media blitz participants will need to do for the summer.

For Goodness sake people one year does not make that huge of a difference, go visit a middle school or high school, kids all grow at different rates, audiences are smart enough to know that. I'm certain the vast majority of audience would rather have actor continuity than looking close to see if Radcliffe has only aged 12 months or the awful career ending incredibly obvious 18 months!!!!!! That would like so ruin the movie like if he like looked like he was closer to fifteen than like fourteen!!! Warner Bros. should give the audience some credit, we're willing suspend belief for an imaginary world of wizardry, I somehow think that can be stretched just a little farther.


The really big limiting factor on the kids playing is whether or not the films will catch up with the books.
2003: Order of the Phoenix (book)
2004 - Summer: Azkaban (movie)
2005 - May: Goblet of Fire part I (movie)
2005 - Thanksgiving: Goblet of Fire part II (movie)
2006 - Book 6 and Order of the Phoenix movie (coincided for super potter blitz in the summer)
2007 - Book 6 (movie version)
2008 - Book 7?
2009 - Book 7 (movie version)

This assumes Rowling will take three years for book six, it's entirely possible that five was particularly difficult, plus involvement with the movie getting married etc slowed it down. She released the first three within one year of each other and goblet of fire 18 months after azkaban. It may be reasonable to assume that we may have book 6 by 2005 and book seven by 2007, which would push up potential release dates on the last three films. And if the kids are approachign their twenties by then who cares!? they're highschool age by that time!


I can't think of the last time I actually saw highschool age kids play highschoolers in a movie, it's always college age kids in their early to mid twentites! After all there is such a huge noticeable difference! :p

Adam

 

[Malcolm R]

Is there any room in the HP books for Radcliffe to play HP when he's 15-16 years old

I think there's no reason for him not to, unless he takes up drugs, drinking, and smoking and looks like he's 40 at age 16.

People seem to forget that Harry ages normally throughout the books, he doesn't remain the same age. Each book represents one year of his school life. In Book 1, Harry's 11 years old. By Book 7, the character will be 18. If they were to make a movie every year, Daniel Radcliffe would age about the same as Harry and would fit with the character.

Unless they draw out the series too long, or the actors start to look much older than their ages, I don't know why they couldn't retain the same cast.

But if the movies are going to start taking 2 years between each, and the remaining books take 3-4 years between each, further delaying the final films, then that might be a problem.

 

[andrew markworthy]

There has been talk in the Brit press that Radcliffe may play one more movie and the leave the series. There are fears that he looks rather *too* grown-up.

 

[Malcolm R]

Eeeek! My first ever double-post. :b

 

[Patrick Sun]

I still think they shot a lot of the 1st act last (meaning Radcliff and company were older) then in the final scene where they looked like they looked in HP1.

 

[Michael Fennessy]

I read something this weekend about Dan Radcliffe saying that he does not think they will want him when it comes to part 4.

Just saw the movie and I thought it was better than #1. Make sure you stick around for the end credits. It is worth the time.

Mike

 

[Patrick Sun]

My source (of Radcliffe thinking he'd be unwanted for the 4th film) was this week's Entertainment Weekly (with Radcliffe and Branaugh on the cover).

 

[Dan Brecher]

I don't see why Goblet of Fire has to be two Movies. It should really be the easiest to edit down if they deal with all the exposition and quidditch in an inventive manner.

Dan

 

[Kevin Korom]

Well, along with apparently most of North America I saw Potter this weekend- man, was the theater packed! As a fan of the books,I of course have an opinion, although I'll withhold a final grade until I see it again...
But I would on 1st viewing rate it excellent, albeit overall not as satisfying as Sorcerer's Stone on an emotional level. While the special effects were terrific (and a big improvement over SS), and the non-stop action scenes thrilling, I felt it lacked the emotional punch of SS. Part of that may be related to the book itself, which is guilty of the same thing. The one good thing- they nailed the humor in this one! Young Rupert Grint is quite the natural comic.
I have issues with many of the things already mentioned:
1. Ginny disappears for most of the movie, when she has an important role in the outcome. And am I the only one who miss Fred & George's goofing off? The Weaselys are Harry's real surrogate family, and in the books, he's treated as one of the brothers. Their horseplay is important to the comic nature of the series.
2. The Ron/Hermione thing- while their attraction is hinted at in the books, especially GOF, that was an awkward scene, and not necessary at this point. She hugs Ron in the books, even in GOF.
3. The ending (in the Great Hall) was way overblown. Even I, who can enjoy an almost fatal amount of corniness, was embarrassed by it.
As for Daniel Radcliffe & the others keeping the parts, I think it's essential. If they plan it out right, it'll work. Get your butts in gear & shoot books 3&4 quickly, and finish the CGI as you can. Their voices have changed, so you can do ADR anytime.
As for them getting too old- the guy who played Tom Riddle was in his 20's- did he look it? Makeup & camera angle do wonders...after all, Robbie Coltrane isn't really that tall, but he looks it, don' 'e? Changing kids in mid-series would kill the goose, IMO.
Lastly, I have this fear that the film version of Harry is turning into too much of a super-hero, much as Harrison Ford did with the Jack Ryan character. I hope they keep him what he was written- a relatively normal kid who does amazing things when he has to...that's part of his charm.
And, after all that griping, I'm planning on going back next weekend

 

[Martin Fontaine]

I liked it too, and boy will this give our subs a workout on DVD!

One thing I'm wondering, now that Richard Harris is dead, what will happen to Dumbledore? With all this talk about replacing the actor who plays Harry in a later movie being a possible problem. What about Dumbledore? They'll have to replace him too right?

 

[todbnla]

How many movies is planned in total? I think all of the cast should stick it out if they can.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Off topic really, really quickly, but do I need to read the first two books? Or is it okay to start reading the third book (Prisoner of Akaban?)?

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Dome - you can pick the series up midstream fairly easily. While the first 2 books have hints of what is to come further in the series - book 3 definitely takes the long term story to another level.

Still if were me - I would start at the beginning. The first 2 books are relatively short compared to the rest and help flesh things out a bit more.

 

[Ryan Peter]

Read the first two, or at least start with the second one.

 

[Jim_C]

Dome, read the first two. They're quick reads and worth it. It's a very well written series.

 

[Tim Glover]

I can tell I'm definitely in the minority here but I wasn't blown away by COS. My daughters and I went Friday night, and while we liked it; it seemed to lack the charm and "magic" of the first one. Dobbey really bothered us too. From the talk leaving the theater, there were many talking about being irritated by Dobbey.

Good effects and all...but a little underwhelming. Sorry if I am raining on anyone's parade. I loved the Sorcerer's Stone and wanted to love this one. Maybe we were just tired. Anyway, my .02 cents.

 

[Joshua Clinard]

Most definately read the first two books. The movies leave out quite a few details, some sub-plots, characters, and events, that you really don't want to miss.

That said, I really enjoyed the movie. I liked the first one a lot, but this one is even better. It wasn't perfect, but I think they did an excellent job, considering the time limit, which was 9 minitues longer than the first.

I am not bothered by the characters aging, and I didn't really notice that Dan's voice had changed, until someone pointed it out. I also didn't notice that they looked any younger at the end of the film. I guess I am just too BIG a Harry Potter fan to notice things like this. I was too busy concentrating on what they got right. Dobby was perfect, just like I imagined him, and so was Lucios Malfoy, and a few of the other new characters. I just wished they hadn't removed the Deathday party, and Peeves the poltergeist. One thing that did bother me was the fact that they brewed the potion in the middle of the bathroom floor, instead of in the toilet. Moaning Myrtle was dead on, no pun intended. It's a shame that Richard Harris died, he cannot be replaced. He WAS Dumbledore! Whoever they pick to replace him, will never come close to Harris.

I also agree with the poster that said that Harry and company age in the book, one year per book, so if they release one film a year, they should be pretty close to the ages that they should be in the film. It won't bother me if they look 6 months or a year younger or older than they should. Everyone ages differently, so it's really hard to tell how old someone is just by looking at them.

I can't wait for the Prisoner of Azkaban. Hopefully Couran will do a good job, although I won't get my hopes up. Truthfully, I have always liked Chris Columbus's films, and I think that he was the best one for these films. He just doesn't get enough credit. I don't even think Steven Speilburg could have done a better job. I don't think Steven has the love for the series, he would just do it to make money, or to increase his fame. I don't know how Couran feels about the series.

The print was much better this time, I didn't notice as much film grain. I saw it opening night at 6:30 both times. There was a little more talk from the kids this time, last time it was almost silent, but there still wasn't a whole lot of talk. I do enjoy kids talking about the movie. It's just one of those series. I spent an hour is line discussing the filme before it started, I love to talk about Potter, so why be upset if a child asks a question or two during the film, as lond as they don't yell?

 

[GeorgeTW]

Didn't one of the principal child actors die from cancer?

 

[andrew markworthy]

The Hermione hugging thing:

I thought this was really neatly done (is it in the book as well?). It's basically setting up the fact that Hermione and Harry are friends and that's it. They both know it, so a hug has no extra meaning. On the other hand, there is a budding attraction between Hermione and Ron (that becomes stronger and more obvious as the books progress), and they instinctively recognise this and avoid hugging because it would mean something more to them, and they're not prepared for it. As a short vignette of the awkwardness of early romantic attachment, I thought it was quite sweet.

I've a feeling that in one of the later books/films, Ron will be tempted by Voldemort with the offer of great wealth (something that hasn't been done much in the films yet is Ron's complaints about being financially poor), and it'll be his love for Hermione that saves him.