Ch-ch-changes on the OotP Posters

May 04, 2007

Posted by: Melissa Anelli

Uncategorized

This is an editorial.
Well: We’ve talked about it on the Quibbler, and on our podcast. You’ve talked about it and yelled about it and emailed about it, enough that we thought we’d give you a place to properly discuss it. Here’s our opinion, and a chance for you to talk about this issue in the comments (respectfully, please).

The new OotP posters have a lot of fans confused. We’re sure this is a matter of miscommunication of some sort, but:

In one, we see our sextet plus Cho, looking very about-to-march-to-battle, as they should. But in another, Hermione looks a bit more, shall we say, curvaceous than usual. And while we’re loath to bring any further attention to this portion of her body, there is just one way to show you what we mean (thanks to peachespig). Watch for a few seconds.

And in THIS poster, there have been so many airbrush changes that we hardly recognize it. We simply don’t know who that redhead at the back is. Where is our real Ginny, and who has replaced her?

This is a “spiel.” You are free to skip it.

You know, airbrushing and photo manipulation can be good. Take out pimples, smooth skin, make fab lighting and killer shadows. Use all the tools possible to make the series looks just as dramatic, wonderful, exciting and terrifying as it already is. Do all those edits you need to do, movie people, to get the butts in the seats.

We only take objection when it becomes clear that someone thinks getting those butts in the seats equals cheapening some of our beloved characters by padding their bosoms/cheekbones and cinching their waists. It’s disappointing to see a character so beloved for her mind and morals cheapened graphically

Yes, it’s very normal (if still sorta gross) for movie posters to feature actresses whose bodies have been emphasized for the print. But these aren’t any actresses. These are a pair of beautiful, talented girls who are playing roles that have become symbols of beauty existing in places that aren’t always visible. What kind of message do we send the little girls who look up to Hermione and Ginny as their ideals, when we publicize a photo that clearly says they’re more beautiful with a larger chest, more protruding cheekbones and a smaller waist?

WB once reprinted a slew of posters just because of a misplaced comma. This is more important than any piece of punctuation. This is a bigger part of remaining true to the spirit of the series than any plot change or script cut could ever hope to be. With little girls everywhere fighting to find their own beauty, is there any need to take their most beloved literary characters and give them the Barbie treatment? Emma Watson is playing a 15-year-old girl, and she herself is under 18. I get the full heebie jeebies thinking about the person who sat there thinking: ‘Now, if we cinch her waist a bit, and inflate her bust a bit, and give her some dramatic lighting and more blonde hair, this would be a much better picture.

We know what you’ll say: It’s nothing to get our skirt in pleats over. Right? This happens all the time. Well – not to Harry Flippin’ Potter, it doesn’t. Or shouldn’t. (If you want a reminder what J.K. Rowling thinks of the pressure to look a certain way, read this).

It’s not like these actors/actresses need this work, guys. These actors/actresses are beautiful, slender, handsome people without this work done to them. Not the cast of The O.C.. And that’s what we love most about them. Maybe we could respect them just as much?





The Leaky Cauldron is not associated with J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., or any of the individuals or companies associated with producing and publishing Harry Potter books and films.