Posted on 07/11/2007 12:44:49 AM PDT by Dianna
Please DO NOT read this thread if you have not seen the movie. Even if you have read this book, topics under discussion can affect what you will expect in the last book.
Several pet theories for the Deathy Hallows have, perhaps, been laid to rest by the release of this movie. A number of plot points I had thought were important to the end of the series were completely left out of Order of the Phoenix.
1. There is absolutely NO reference to the cleaning of Grimmauld Place. Thus, any speculation about the locket horcrux being hoarded by Kreacher must be false.
2. The prophecy was never heard in full. The portion of the prophecy which could have referred to Neville instead of Harry was omitted.
3. There was no mention of Percy's estrangement from his family. Percy was shown at Fudge's side at important points, but unless his face was remembered from previous movies, people not reading the book may not have caught that.
There were two plot changes which puzzled me. Cho was the one who gave Dumbledore's Army away, not the unimportant character of Marietta. Also, Sirius, before he falls through the veil calls Harry, "James". I assume these changes have a point, but I don't know what.
There was also no reference to Hermione and Ron being Prefects. There was no Quidditch at all, so Ron would not be on the team.
The general feeling is that it is Regulus Black, but she doesn't come right out and say it (unfortunately!). BUT wouldn't it just be like her to stick something in there to throw us off? ;-)
From the Leaky Cauldron/Mugglenet interview:
MA: R.A.B.
JKR: Ohhh, good.
[All laugh.]
JKR: No, I'm glad! Yes?
MA: Can we figure out who he is, from what we know so far?
[Note: JKR has adopted slightly evil look here]
JKR: Do you have a theory?
MA: We've come up with Regulus Black.
JKR: Have you now?
MA: Uh-oh.
[Laughter]
JKR: Well, I think that would be, um, a fine guess.
MA: And perhaps, being Sirius's brother, he had another mirror -
JKR: [drums fingers on soda can]
MA: Does he have the other mirror, or Sirius's mirror -
JKR: I have no comment at all on that mirror. That mirror is not on the table. [Laughter from all; Jo's is maniacal.]
MA: Let the record note that she has drummed her fingers on her Coke can in a very Mr. Burns-like way.
[Laughter]
JKR: Oh, I love Mr. Burns.
I don’t know if Rowling has specifically said anything about current American politics. I do know that book six begins with a discussion of generic American and British political leaders that is neutral to positive in tone. No specific issues are mentioned other than their difficulties with the press. There is a strong implication that leaders have to do things that they can’t discuss in public.
The movie directors, however, are mostly left leaning. The “W” at the end of the current movie is not a reference to Bush. It is an invention of the director, and I suspect he doesn’t know what it implies in the U.S.
Mmmm, cookies. Thanks.
I’m going to see the movie this weekend, maybe Friday night. Depends on my beloved’s schedule; he’s a pilot and has to fly on Saturday, probably at some unnaturally early time.
Maybe I can go to the theatre straight from work so I can get him home at a decent time... or I’ll just go to the movie myself! :-)
We’re going to go early Saturday morning. The one theater we like has it at 9:50 AM, too. I’m hoping we will niss the rush that way.
I think you haven’t read the books. The HP series isn’t a guideline or reference manual for witchcraft and wizardry. Witchcraft and wizardry are nothing more than plot devices in the books. The stories could easily take place at soccer camp, but they’d be far less inventive.
There’s a new theatre in Bellevue that has nice, wide, leather seats and is designed so that each tier has an unobstructed view. It’s worth an extra buck to go there.
She mentions wizards from France, Belgium and Eastern Europe, even Africa, but never North or South America.
Goblet of Fire. A group of middle-aged withes are hanging out under the banner "The Salem Witches Institute," or something of that nature. Also, one of the older Weasley boys had a penpal who was, IINM, from Peru or Brazil.
But, by and large, yes...the books lean so far toward the Old World that they practically tip over.
Fudge, Umbridge and many others in the Ministry refuse to believe that LV has returned, primarily because they know if it is publicly admitted, violent conflict will ensue. The characters preparing for a war with LV and the Death Eaters are all sympathetic to heroic.
Rita Skeeter and the Daily Prophet are a spot-on representation of most news media, both here and abroad. Nothing factual, completely slanted. Rita even admits to Hermione that "The Prophet exists to sell itself, you silly girl." Hardly paints a pretty picture of the liberal media.
Now that you mention it, Draco used Peruvian Instant Darkness powder twice in “Half-Blood Prince.”
Also, I read somewhere that JK use to belong to Amnesty international.
He's much better.
Today's 11:00 am showing was only about 2/3 full, FWIW.
One of the few times we see Kreature he's putting something in a box and lugging it away.
Dunno.
2. Does the movie include the detention and the writing-instrument-from-hell?
Yes. Ain't sayin' more...
I doubt it. We aren't in the Bible, either.
Since OotP is an intensely political book, I doubt she will disapoint.
We have a theater just down the street from us that has those big seats and they serve food and booze during the movie. It’s one of those things that seems good in theory, but in practice it’s not so great. They take your order/bring your food within the first 20 minutes of the movie, then they come and settle up your bill in the last 20 minutes. Yeah, that’s right, in the most important parts of the film. Not to mention they come back every so often to see if you want anything.
If you’re with a group of friends and it’s a movie you aren’t that interested in it’s really fun, but if you really want to see the show go to the regular theater.
The one thing that’s hard to beat is that the guy who owns it used to be a concert promoter and he’s great at PR. For GoF and now OotP he’s got the actors who play Fred and George signing autographs live and in the flesh.
LMAO
Yes and no.
It was a bit thin. I don't think I could have done a much better job of condensing it down to two hours of screenplay, though.
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