Rotten Tomatoes UK recently caught up with Prisoner of Azkaban director Alfonso Cuaron and spoke to him about his feelings on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and asked the director if he had any interest in returning to direct the film of the last Harry Potter book. Saying he has just begun reading “Deathly Hallows”, Alfonso Cuaron gave the following answer about his feelings if he were to be offered a directing position for the film adaptation of the book:
“You know, it was such a great opportunity and such a beautiful two years and everything around Harry Potter – JK Rowling’s creation – is enveloped in this really beneficial energy. I got the benefits of that energy for those two years. So yes I’d be very tempted to do so even though, at this point, I feel a little bit like I have to try to do the films that are not going to exist without me. On the same token, I would be really tempted because it was really beautiful. I just started reading the last book and something I respect is the care the producers have put in the film franchise. It would have been so easy after the success of the series just to take the cynical approach of knowing that no matter what people are going to see those movies. Actually they’ve been taking a lot of care from beginning to end, so yeah I would be really tempted.”
I hated the third movie. Sure it was pretty, but I don’t think the story was told well at all. DH simply does not allow for nonsense like shrunken heads and deep plot cuts. In fact, I don’t know that I’ll want to see movie 7 at all, regardless of who directs it. As I read DH I kept thinking of how it would just never work as a movie, how the deep emotional struggles of the book will just never be transferred properly to film. I don’t think I will be able to stand seeing Book 7 cut and spliced up into an ‘adaptation.’ I don’t think I will like any version of the film so as far as I’m concerned, Cuaron can go ahead and direct it.
All those “no don’t let him” comments make me very angry! He is the best that could have happened to the HP series!!!!!!!!!!!! Do you really want Chris back then? Together with David Yates he is on the top list for Deathly Hallows!
POA was the best so far, a tied number 1 with OOTP! I’ll stop now before I get to angry with all the whiners here!
I am really of two minds here. I think Cuaron is an amazing director, and Deathly Hallows actually made me think of Children of Men while reading it. I think he would make a fantastic movie out of it. On the other hand, I am sooo protective of these characters and I hated how he portrayed Ron and Hermione. I think a lot of the blame goes to Kloves, but the director works very closely with the screenwriter in this type of adaptive process, so I place the blame on both for the characterization.
I think Yates has done the best as far as characterization goes and emotions. I didn’t like OOTP at first because I felt that you could tell Yates had only directed t.v.and some of the cuts annoyed me. However, I really liked it the second time, and I think he’s come the closest to capturing the spirit of the books. I am curious to see how he improves (or doesn’t) for HBP. If I like HBP, I’d say keep him. His movie was definitely dark. I think he could handle the complex emotions and darkness of book 7, even though Cuaron would be much better with the visuals. I tend to side with Yates because of better characterization.
cries I swear, I nearly died when I read this article. Seriously, if WB lets him return to direct the seventh film, I’m not going to see it. Just.. no. He did a horrible job with Prisoner of Azkaban, which was my favorite book of the series, behind Deathly Hallows. The seventh book is the one that must remain the most intact, and if he directs it, the movie will be just as bad as the third one.
Prisoner of Azkaban is a beautiful film, the pacing is great, and the story is well told and full of subtlety. I would love to have Cuarón back for Deathly Hallows.
Also, it’s kind of funny that people complain about the shrunked heads so much, especially when Jo herself has confessed to loving them and wishing she had come up with them herself. Combine that with Rowling also saying that Cuarón unknowlingly foreshadowed things, I think it’s rather surprising that fans don’t want a director who seems to have such an intuitive feel for the world, by Rowling’s own admission.
No No No No No!!! Anyone but him!!!!! PoA was distressingly bad. He’ll make the stupid shrunken heads a part of the battle at Hogwarts or something. I wince everytime I have to think about those heads….......
I really hope he will NEVER EVER direct another HP movie !!!!
Prisoner Of Azkaban is the worst of all movies released so far… it had NOTHING to do with the book.
Deathly Hallows is a masterpiece, so the movie will have to be !
NOOOOOOO! Please, do not let him near the movie! I hated PoA as a movie! I know, the movies are going to be a bit different from the book, but dear Lord, he cannot make it completly his own. No one wants to see those stupid shrnken heads in battle and a little bluebird get smashed every 4 seconds. WB cannot let him direct the film with so many fans bad feelings about him…. they just can’t! cries
A final post to this discussion, then I’ll just become a spectator: regardless who directs, writes etc, we will all go to the films. And regardless of how we feel about those films, we will buy the dvds as they appear…and if extended versions should ever appear, we’ll buy those too. Let’s be honest with ourselves.
I just wish all involved in every stage of the films’ production would really ensure the quality is always the highest possible, which is what Potter fans crave and Rowling’s marvelous novels deserve.
I really hope he does direct it, he would do such a great job, like he did in POA, which is one of the best HP movies. He made it feel real, as if it really exists, let’s pray for him to come back to the HP world¡, with him DH will be great, as he is able to create such a great atmosphere.
let’s pray for him to come back to the HP world¡¡
Can I just express my horror at this enthusiasm to direct the film!? PLEASE NO! I’m very grateful to everyone else that supports my views!:)
PoA was one of my favourite books – and he murdered it as a film. It’s growing on me but please nooooo!!!
Posted by Princess Pickled Onion on July 29, 2007, 09:21 PM
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I love Prisoner of Azkaban, the movie. It was the only, yes ONLY, HP movie I thought was good. Columbus’s films got the details right, but missed the emotion. GOF and OotP films were very atmospheric, but I thought they didn’t have any depth. Cuaron was the only director of the HP films I thought got the depth of emotion correct.
I think Deathly Hallows will make a terrible movie. I think it will be very difficult to capture on screen the emotion the book delivers. That said, I think Cuaron would be the only one who could make a good effort at it. I would LOVE to have him back.
I think Cuaron is one of the greatest directors working in film today. His Children of Men is utterly haunting. If he can bring that level of emotion to that story, I am all for giving him a crack at DH.
"If your determination to shut your eyes will carry you as far as this, Cornelius," said Dumbledore, "we have reached a parting of the ways. You must act as you see fit. And I -- I shall act as I see fit."
Please! I loved POA and I think he would capture the style perfectly :)