Week 1 out of 12
If you brain works in even a slight normal manner, you will agree that there is no fault to J.K. Rowling's books. She is the queen of fantasy. I'm sorry George R.R. Martin, but there't too much sex in Game of Thrones for it to appeal to five year olds.
I love you too, George. You know that, so don't look at me like that.
If anyone thinks that the Harry Potter movies are better than the books, they don't deserve to call themselves fans.
Everyone always talks about amazing moments in books that the movie people left out because they all stoopid. But it has to be said that the screenwriters for Harry Potter did add a few good bits into the movie that weren't in the books, They weren't all particularly mind-blowing- maybe it was just the little bantery bits that we didn't see enough of in the books. And I know I probably missed out like, gazillions. But, in no particular order, here we go
1) Hermione shows Harry his father's name on the Quidditch Shield (Harry Potter and the the Philosopher's Stone)
Aww. (I couldn't find a gif to show it. My one-man viewership probably just left in disgust) Rowling didn't put that in the book- the first Harry sees of his parent's existence at Hogwarts is when Hagrid gives him the photo album at the end. But it was so cute- especially the music that plays when Harry says "I never knew" and the camera zooms in to his face.
2) Harry and Buckbeak fly across the lake (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban)
*sniffs* I'm sorry. I needed a moment.
I don't know why I loved that scene so much. I think because in the book, Rowling writes it as an unenjoyable experience for Harry, and he doesn't really like it a lot, and also, it's really short, but the movie makes it seem so cool. I mean, who doesn't want to ride a Hippogriff across the lake at Hogwarts. The music is so good, at the part where he glides across and skims his toe along the surface of the water is just beautiful. And when Harry does the Titanic pose, I was literally waiting for Leo to just pop up behind him and Celine Dion to start singing. But seriously though, it's like "Good on you, Harry, have some fun!"
3) Ron gets his dress robes (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire)
Even though everyone knows the fourth movie as "Oh-yeah-the-one-where-they-all-had-long-hair", there were quite a few banterous moments. This being my favourite. In the book, Ron opens the package left on his bed by his mum, and only Harry is there to witness the shame. The levity of the situation is dispersed when Mrs Weasley admits "Well, I had to get yours second-hand and there wasn't a lot of choice!" I'm telling you, if I was Harry I would literally force my money onto the Weasleys, but anyway.
In the movie however, the package is delivered to him in front of the entire Gryffindor table, and they are all there to helpfully laugh along.
I don't know why, I really like that camera shot. It's the sort of thing my form at my high school did, and it kind of shows Gryffindor table unity, if ya know what I mean. I don't know, but it made the situation funnier that everyone witnessed it. I mean, look at that girl sniggering across from one of the Weasley twins. Who even is she?!
Also, I know it's just one tiny line, but Bonnie Wright delivers the line "I'm not wearing that, it's ghastly!" so perfectly, with the exact attitude of any kid being told they had to wear that. I wish she had more funny (ish) lines in the movies.
And to be honest, I can't be alone in thinking Harry was a bit of an arsehole for the "Is there a bonnet? Aha!" bit. Oh Harry, Harry, Harry. We can definitely see that you're 50% James.
4) "But I am the Chosen One" (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince)
See, that's the kind of friendly banter there should have been more of Harry Potter. Friends always take the piss out of each other in real life, and Harry, Ron and Hermione definitely would. It's clear Dan and Emma liked that scene, Emma probably 'cos she got to hit Dan. I mean, I'd never wash my hair again if Emma did that to me. And we all know Emma's got a violent side.
GIRL POWER!!!
That line was great though. It's like, the previous books is everyone like "OMG ITS HARRY POTTER HE'S THE CHOSEN ONE OMG OMG OMG!" and Harry obviously gets a bit pissed at that nickname. So we're glad he finally got some fun out of it.
5) Hermione's Yule Ball dress (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire)
Ahhh...
That part was so nice though. I liked that part in the book as well, when Harry walks past Krum and his date the first time and barely registers Hermione except for noting that she was a "pretty" girl, and it's only when he is forced to stand with all the other champions, that he recognises her. But the film does it so nicely, from the moment she first peaks out from behind the wall, fiddling with her hair-
- And you know there's going to be some sort of butterfly-from-the-chrysalis moment about to happen, and then she comes down the stairs and the looks on Harry's face like "Dayummm...."
And it was just so beautiful. Of course, it's all the moment that all the pubescent males suddenly realised that the buck-toothed, bushy haired Hermione (well, she's meant to be in the book) is actually staggeringly beautiful. Call it the evolution of Emma Watson if you will.
I also really liked that moment because you could kind of see that Emma liked playing that part as well, because it really does show the evolution of Hermione's character. Rowling and the movie, to be fair, set Hermione up as an irritating, nosy, condescending, know-it-all, nerdy suck-up, and it's so easy to be simultaneously amused but more annoyed at the iconic
- but for me, the scene showed that Hermione is, after everything, still just a teenage girl who does want to feel beautiful, even if everyone around her is telling her she's not. You could tell even Emma was quite chuffed with how she turned out. She had a bit off a sheepish grin, like "I'm sorry for looking so damn fabulous, but honestly, what can I do?"
That part was so nice though. I liked that part in the book as well, when Harry walks past Krum and his date the first time and barely registers Hermione except for noting that she was a "pretty" girl, and it's only when he is forced to stand with all the other champions, that he recognises her. But the film does it so nicely, from the moment she first peaks out from behind the wall, fiddling with her hair-
- And you know there's going to be some sort of butterfly-from-the-chrysalis moment about to happen, and then she comes down the stairs and the looks on Harry's face like "Dayummm...."
And it was just so beautiful. Of course, it's all the moment that all the pubescent males suddenly realised that the buck-toothed, bushy haired Hermione (well, she's meant to be in the book) is actually staggeringly beautiful. Call it the evolution of Emma Watson if you will.
I also really liked that moment because you could kind of see that Emma liked playing that part as well, because it really does show the evolution of Hermione's character. Rowling and the movie, to be fair, set Hermione up as an irritating, nosy, condescending, know-it-all, nerdy suck-up, and it's so easy to be simultaneously amused but more annoyed at the iconic
- but for me, the scene showed that Hermione is, after everything, still just a teenage girl who does want to feel beautiful, even if everyone around her is telling her she's not. You could tell even Emma was quite chuffed with how she turned out. She had a bit off a sheepish grin, like "I'm sorry for looking so damn fabulous, but honestly, what can I do?"
6) The dancing lessons for the Yule Ball (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire)
Dem moves, do.
That part was so great, because it was exactly what everyone would be like in a normal school.
From the horrified face of the unlucky person forced to demonstrate with the teacher:
... to the lads who just do NOT concentrate at all:
... to the appropriate piss-taking of the unlucky sod forced to dance with the teacher:
(that part I LOVED)
...and the girls who LEAPED forwards in their eagerness to start the dance, compared to the boys who sat their looking pissed off.
To be fair, my reaction would be more similar to that of the boys
7) Fred romantically asks Angelina out (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire)
This kind of gr8 bantz also goes on in school. I can imagine the entire scene playing out exactly like how it did here
... how every boy gets his dream date's attention, of course. Oh, I love Angelina's pissed off face.
And these amazing communication skills. Good thing nothing was lost in translation.
Even our main man Severus is having a cheeky little peek.
This just shows how Fred is an absolute GOD. There's not many lads that could pull off a move like that... successfully.
And then it all culminates in this terrific moment:
That can't be allowed. Literally abuse.
Still hilarious though.
8) The raising of the wands (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince)
Honestly, there's not much I need to say about this moment, except that it was just terrifically moving.
It was just so on point, you know what I mean? Like, when I was watching it, it just seemed completely right, despite not being a part of the books, which is a shocker, because I expected Jo to have come up with something like that. Just the sad music, and the camera panning out, everyone's grieving faces, and the wands slowly being raised.
Especially after this legend passed away, this moment was remembered and put to good use
RIP, Alan.
9) "Ten Galleons" (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince)
Ahh, the Weasleys. They're the total dream, aren't they? Who wouldn't want such terrific brothers as Fred and George.
Well in this moment... definitely not Ron
"What about the ginger, Weasley bond, guys?"
The Weasley twins are just great, aren't they. They are just one of the reasons I wish I had older brothers, instead of two younger ones.
And there we go!
I know I missed loads. No seriously, I know, I've wrote down a list and I didn't even mention half of them, but I have completed my weekly allotted hour for my Skills section, so that's it for now. I might do another post like this another time, actually.
What does my one-man viewership think? Any really important ones I've missed out? Tell me in the comments, I'd genuinely love to hear what you guys think. Any excuse to talk to another obsessed Potterhead.
