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Original poster

to think that the Harry Potter are timeless literature and the films are woefully miscast?

577 replies

LRDtheFeministDragon · 03/08/2014 22:18

Inflammatory title to draw you in. I hope. I just fancied some HP chat. Smile

I'm re-watching the films at the moment. Is it me or is there something old-ladyish about Alan Rickman's mouth? I realize I am thinking about this far too hard, and I know it's practically forbidden to speak ill of him on MN. But every time I see those films, I'm disappointed again that he just isn't as sexy as his voice.

I also think the Burrow looks all wrong to me. I love what they do with the reeds in the scene where Bellatrix taunts Harry and he and Ginny run after her. But I imagined the Burrow being rural and farmland-ish, with an overgrown garden around it - not plonked down in the middle of a marsh. Am I right?

What's your favourite bit of the films/books?

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Thebodyloveschocolateandwine · 03/08/2014 22:48

Yes agree with that LRD also the film ignores the fact that Dudley starts to be concerned for Harry and grateful that he saved his life. Think that's a shame it's ignored because it does show a character as nasty as Dudley can change.

I do like the bit in the last film where Draco and his mother simply leave together without a backward glance at
Lucius. I think their casting is great and Draco is brilliant in the half blood prince.

SnapeAndLily · 03/08/2014 22:48

Oh! Kenneth Branagh! Was fabulous as Lockhart.

Would have liked to have seen Peeves.

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LRDtheFeministDragon · 03/08/2014 22:48

I'm amazed we've got to 50 posts without someone coming along to drop a sneery comment about children's literature. Clearly my wind-up title worked! Grin

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IsabellaofFrance · 03/08/2014 22:49

I only think he would be good because of his outing in Doctor Who.

I don't think he would be perfect, but certainly better than Gambon.

Alisvolatpropiis · 03/08/2014 22:49

Christopher Lee could have worked as Dumbledore II but suppose he was already rather tied to being a white bearded wizard in LOTR.

Thebodyloveschocolateandwine · 03/08/2014 22:51

Yes Kenneth was very funny. Perfect.

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LRDtheFeministDragon · 03/08/2014 22:51

thebody - YY, I wanted to see Dudley as more than just a caricature. And his mother. They did show her sitting in the car looking sad, but it wasn't really brought out.

Tonks was awful. She was an annoying character anyway, IMO (and I don't say that simply because I enjoy Remus/Sirius, though I did think of that pairing when I first read the book and well before it was all over the net). But in the film, with those very 90s earrings and terrible haircut? Completely pointless.

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SnapeAndLily · 03/08/2014 22:51

The film makers did exceptionally well to make you go from your first glimpse of Dobby - 'Did their CG budget run out?' - to sobbing uncontrollably when he died.

NuggetofPurestGreen · 03/08/2014 22:53

I thought Voldy was crap in the films, not scary at all, but don't think it's Ralph Fiennes's fault, he's pretty non scary in the books too.

Loved Jim Broadbent and Mark Williams (is that his name? Mr Weasley).

slithytove · 03/08/2014 22:53

Epilogue was terrible.
DR is terrible.

Voldemort was brilliant.
Dobby was the best thing ever.
Molly Weasley was fab.
So is Warwick Davis.

Love the British actors effort though.

SuffolkNWhat · 03/08/2014 22:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

slithytove · 03/08/2014 22:55

thebody I thought he went with both his parents? Or was Lucius just running after them cos he is a coward?

Alisvolatpropiis · 03/08/2014 22:55

I didn't think the actress playing Fleur was quite right for the role, considering how she was described in the books.

SuffolkNWhat · 03/08/2014 22:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GalaxyInMyPants · 03/08/2014 22:56

Luna lovegood casting was good.

Agree that Daniel Radcliffe wasnt ever the best actor. Shame, maybe they thought he'd develop more. I suppose there's not meant Great 10yo actors.

NuggetofPurestGreen · 03/08/2014 22:56

Ah I like Daniel.

slithytove · 03/08/2014 22:57

I liked gambon Blush

Tonks was awful, and the pairing of her and Lupin really didn't make sense.

The Harry potter eye thing annoys me in each and every film.

I suppose with the age of his parents they are showing them the age they would be rather than the age they died. Maybe they wanted to keep up with their peers and age in heaven.

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LRDtheFeministDragon · 03/08/2014 22:57

YY, Fleur is meant to be stunningly beautiful and very silvery-blonde. It's not just about her, though - they needed to have everyone around her reacting as if they were star-struck and they didn't really.

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slithytove · 03/08/2014 22:57

Luna was brill and even better considering she won the role

dancestomyowntune · 03/08/2014 22:58

Gambon was wrong because he played the part in a more angry manner. he looked right, but he almost instilled fear, whereas in the books Dumbledore was a calming, gentle influence for the most part.

tisrainingagain · 03/08/2014 22:59

I thought Daniel Radcliffe was ok too (which he admits himself in interviews). A bit wooden it's true but in a way very ordinary in the same way that Harry is. His face is perfect for the role.

DrankSangriaInThePark · 03/08/2014 22:59

How funny this thread should have popped up....dd and I have just this very second finished rewatching The Halfblood Prince...We were at the Warner Brothers studio a fortnight ago, and are rereading The Order of the Phoenix.

I agree with much on this thread. Ginny is pathetic. Harry would have married Luna in my world. I don't mind the casting of Dumbledore 2 but have never been very happy with the Dumbledore character. He is a bastard.

Voldemort's face looks really cheaply done, like some student on a cartoon graphic course got a bit heavy on the picasa touch up button. With the gazillions of £££s they must have had, I think they could have done better.

Alan Rickman needs a facelift. His face is too flobby. But yes, I so would.

Ron is great, as are most of the Weasleys,(except Ginny) although Mrs irritates me sometimes with her Alison-Steadman-School-of-over-acting.

Daniel Radcliffe is a bit shit really. (dd and I were just discussing him, and the one scene where he is brilliant is in HBP where he's taken the luck potion and is acting pissed at Aragog's demise...I actually laughed-out-loud)

Tonks irritates the bejaysus too. (though Lupin and Sirius are fab)

I wish David Tennant had had more than just his bit part as Barty Crouch Jr. He would have been ace as someone more important.

But Bellatrix is superb. And I am not a HBC fan generally. (too much posh bonnetry) Best casting ever in Harry Potter though.

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LRDtheFeministDragon · 03/08/2014 22:59

I'm ok with Daniel Radcliffe too. Partly because he comes across as such a nice human being in post-HP life.

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Jennifersrabbit · 03/08/2014 22:59

My eight year old is currently obsessed with both. From
The horses mouth, why aren't the films as good as the books?

Hermione - improbably gorgeous
Ginny - awful. Even if the child actress hadn't grown up to rival Emma Watson looks wise, they seemed to squash all the personality and talent out of the part in how they scripted it. Reading the books there's so much humour in there that has all been wiped!

Maggie smith absolutely is McGonagall
Interestingly I think Alan rickman is a brilliant Snape. Could watch him on a loop (which may not be all about casting :) )

I also think Ron lost it the last couple of films - hilarious in the first ones but to me you didn't see the maturity and loyalty that underlie the pratfalling and make the Ron/Hermione thing work.

Can't stand Bellatrix although H B C is a great actress. Verges much too much on the comically unhinged - Bellatrix needs to be properly scary and have a genuinely commanding presence.

Why the Dementors swoop around not glide? Gliding is just fine scary- wise!

tisrainingagain · 03/08/2014 23:00

I meant Daniel Radcliffe admits that he is wooden in parts of the earlier films.