Posted on 07/17/2005 5:16:14 PM PDT by grellis
THIS THREAD IS INTENDED FOR READERS THAT HAVE COMPLETED THE BOOK! If you have not yet read the book, consider yourself warned: There will be spoilers on this thread.
For my fellow FReepers who have no intention of reading the book but would like to discuss the more controversial issues related to the work, I am asking you as politely as I can: DO NOT HIJACK THIS THREAD. We are all members of this forum and as such, it is not up to me to disallow anyone from participating in the discussion. That is why I am asking you--please do not hijack this thread. If you would like to discuss the more controversial aspects of the book, maybe you could start your own thread and ping us over there. If we are interested, we'll come.
Yes, the broomsticks were explained--it was the reference that Scrimgeour made to the "someone" that really stuck with me. WVMM is right, though--HP did stun one of the Death Eaters when he was released from the body-bind--the DE landed on the stairs, and HP jumped over him. I think that is the DE that Scrimgeour is referring to (pardon my syntax!), and any Order member present could have questioned him afterward. I still think that's odd, though. There is no mention at all of any of the DEs being left behind, with the exception of the one who was accidentally killed. Wouldn't someone have mentioned it in passing, at least, later on, when they were all gathered at Bill's bedside? I think that it would be pretty big news, having one of the DEs. No mention is made.
The English Patient excrable??! You're being waaay too kind. That movie was so bad, one has to invent words to truly encompass its broad range of pure putrescence. I'll give it some thought. Minghella is a hit-or-miss director. When he's on, he's great. When he's bad, it is as if he is seeking new depths to how horrible a film can be.
Speaking of directors, I have always thought (and will always think) that Terry Gilliam would have done a masterful job with the HP series. He's not British, but having trouped as a Python for so long he really captures some very British sensibilities. I think the movies, to date, have been crafted to appeal to American audiences which is jarring when compared to the way the books are written. Also, Gilliam has a flair for the fantastic, as opposed to the cartoonish. Its like comparing The Adventures of Baron Munchhausen to The Goonies--visually, they're not in the same ballpark.
Thanks for saving me from spending my money on a bad movie!
You know I forgot something from POA, p. 427 about Peter Pettigrew:
"Pettigrew owes his life to you. You have sent Lord Voldemort a deputy who is in your debt... When one wizard saves another wizard's life, it creates a certain bond between them...and I'm much mistaken if Voldemort wants a servant in the debt of Harry Potter."
Oy, that has to come back in the final book, I doubt Wormtail told Voldemort about that or he would be dead. Let's not forget either that Harry's and Voldemort's wands will not do battle properly against each other, who knows what could happen besides the reverse spell effect.
My money has it that resolution to the whole story will come from or at least touch upon Harry's relationship with Ginny.
Hand waving arguments to back this up:
-Ginny is allegedly the first female Weasly child to be born in generations.
-She's supposed to be quite powerful. Who knows, maybe Snape is a vampire and Ginny's bat-bogey hex will figure in.
-She and Harry share a very special bond that was created when Harry saved her life in COS.
-All the focus on the love thing.
JKR seems to subscribe to the old noir novel notion that a gun never gets put on the table without being used. Ginny's unique status, potential and relationship to Harry seems like a fairly high caliber gun on the table.
We'll see how far off base I end up being.
LOL! He sure looks like one, doesn't he? And Rowling keeps bring up the bat-bogey hex... there must be a reason. I'm finding, especially in this book, that the simplest off-hand comment is deliberate.
-Ginny is allegedly the first female Weasly child to be born in generations.
-She's supposed to be quite powerful. Who knows, maybe Snape is a vampire and Ginny's bat-bogey hex will figure in.
-She and Harry share a very special bond that was created when Harry saved her life in COS.
I agree. A reoccurring theme is that is always comes down to love. And I really like the power couple combo of Harry and Ginny
Bumping the thread to the top of my comments page
UHG!
Now, supposing that Hogwarts does not reopen in the next book--just supposing--how creepy will it be if HP has to return there for some reason? What are some of the other locations the gang is likely to visit in book 7? HP mentioned Godric's cave (or hollow?), isn't that where Sirius hid out near Hogsmeade? Is it just me or does HP's plan to visit his parent's grave a really bad idea? Seems about as safe as wearing stilettos in a slasher flick. No good can come from it, not with VM and the DEs on the loose.
Well, I was trying to be polite. *grin*
To be completely truthful, I found TEP to be one of worst pieces of pretentious filmmaking I have ever seen. I spent months afterwards being referred to as "Elaine," after the Seinfeld character who has enough guts to tell the world how much she hated this film.
The only thing that comes close in "badness" is Titanic.
Bleagh.
Exactly the kind of sacrifice that prevented VM from killing HP in the first place. Very interesting, indeed. I wonder if someone is going to bust Lucius out of Azkaban and if so, how will he react to his son's inability to follow VM's orders? I can't see him choosing his family over VM. Lucius is pure slime.
Mentioning James and Lily's graves had me thinking, but didn't the house they were in get destroyed and I thought I read were there weren't nothing left of J and L to bury.
Godric's Hollow is the town where Lily and James Potter lived. That's why he's going back.
I'm willing to bet the final showdown takes place at Hogwarts...
Anther movie to avoid!
That's exactly what I was thinking when I read that chapter. I think that Snape kept DD informed on everything. When Snape and Malfoy left that party, Snape was desperate to get Malfoy to include him (or at least make him aware of) his plans. I don't think it's because he feared Malfoy as a rival--I think he'd sworn to DD, just as he'd sworn to Narcissa, that he would protect Malfoy as well as HP at all costs, up to and including killing DD himself.
But wasn't the house they were living in destroyed?
Yup, it was. I don't think that matters.... he just wants to see the place... and their graves.
Harry's in danger anywhere he goes. Going to Godric's Hollow shouldn't be much more risky.
True
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