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.”
The only thing I wouldn’t like about Yates returning is if he tries to make the film too short. From what I heard, David Yates had filmed a LOT of scenes that were cut. I think that there will be an extended Snape’s Worst Memory scene that has Lily in it, because one of the film’s promo pics has Lily. I already loved OOTP, but I don’t get why Yates didn’t include those scenes. We get a perfect director who films things from the book, and ends up cutting them because he thinks that 2 hrs. 30 minutes is too long. I think that Yates would be great for DH.
I say, once again, that I think that Cuaron did an excellent job with PoA. Although I don’t think that the Shrunken Heads, etc. needed to be added, and I don’t think Flitwick’s appearance needed to be changed, I really loved what he did with PoA. I loved the scene with Aunt Marge (the lady who played her was EXACTLY who I had imagined in the role before).
I have to say that out of all of the films, CoS is the worst. I don’t dislike the film, but it is much too kiddie and boring. It was TOO faithful to the book, so faithful that it wasn’t really a film, just an illustration of the book. Some of you fans might want that, but that’s not what I want. PoA, OOTP, and even GoF (which is hugely disappointing, in my opinion) can stand as films, and they’re overally faithful to the story without copying it word-for-word. PS/SS was a really good start, and I think that Columbus was right for that film. But by CoS, his style had gotten old and boring in my opinion. He didn’t really attempt to get the best out of Dan and Co.’s acting, either. I don’t see how anyone (except for someone who wants EVERYTHING to be in the film exactly the way it is in the book) could want Columbus to return. He would’ve done an awful job with PoA.
There’s one thing for certain, DH will have to be 3 hrs. MINIMUM. It’ll be a joke if WB makes this into a 2 hrs. 30 minute film. Everything in DH is important. A lot of fans like DH the best now (me included), so WB are going to have to be smart on this one.
“Oh and by the way, before you guys start cursing Cuaron for not adapting Azkaban correctly – even though I completely disagree – maybe you should turn your attentions to Steve Kloves, who was the one who actually wrote the screenplay.”
Posted by Brandon on July 29, 2007 @ 04:39 PM
Having read the PoA script, and noting the changes, cuts, and appalling edits made apparently at the DIRECTOR’s behest, I am laying the blame to PoA’s appalling lack of fidelity to the source book solely at the feet of Alfonso Cuaron.
I will grant him that cinematically, parts of PoA were lovely to look at (and CHILDREN OF MEN is a marvelous film in its own right.) HOWEVER, it was NOT PRISONER OF AZKABAN told in a conherent and faithful fashion, but directorial INDULGENCE with a capital “I”.
No more of Cuaron’s “artistic liscence” imposed on the Potterverse, please.
Please… Don’t!!!
It’ll be worst than PoA,He could change the whole thing, DH could be ours worst nightmare after this amanzing time reading and rereading it.
Please,please WB don’t do it!
Bring back Columbus, please!!! It will be the last, it just fits to end with who started…
Dumblemort—-Yates did film a lot of extra scenes that didn’t make the final cut, he was quoted in an interview stating that he had 3 hours of film and was TOLD to cut 45 minutes. So, I blame WB for this. At least we know that there should be a good chunk of extra’s on the DVD.
I personally love all the movies (including the often despised COS), but OOTP was definatly a huge improvement on all the past films. And I am in complete agreement that WB needs to realize that 3 hrs will be a bare minimum for the last film….let’s just hope they finally get the point!!
No please no PoA was the worst movie plz no dont let him David yates did an unbeleavable job on OotP plz let him take 7 like he is doin 6 plz not this guy plz
I haven’t seen the whole film, but I just watched a “Children of Men” battle scene. All I know is, whether or not you think Cuaron should direct DH, he would do a PERFECT job with the Battle of Hogwarts. The cinematography was great! I think that the battle should be filmed with a handheld camera, like some of OOTP was. When the camera is shaky, it makes the whole think MUCH more intense and exciting, in my opinion.
anotherweasley, you’re right. WB did want Yates to cut a lot out, but even he himself said that he wanted this to end up being the shortest HP movie, although he didn’t want to cut some of the scenes.
And, of course people are title to their own opinions, but I still don’t see how ANYONE could want Chris Columbus to return. He would make the film to light-hearted and sweet. Just a few of the scenes I’m most excited for in DH are: the Death Eater chasing scene (when Harry is being taken from Privet Drive), Malfoy Manor, Gringotts, and the Battle of Hogwarts.
I am a huge movie buff, and I like to see good direction, but at this point, I don’t care about that. I just want someone who will stay true to the books. PoA, my favorite book, was the worst movie. It was out of sync and gave too much away too early. I’m already a bit worried about HBP since OotP was kind of screwed up. DH is probably the most important book, please don’t let him mess it up!
I would love it if he made DH, POA was the best book adaptation out of the five movies, so far, though OotP is a close follower. I agree that his style is great for the tone that the book sets, and as long as nobody who worked in the fourth one collaborates on Deathly Hallows, I think it’d all be good.
God, I hated Goblet of Fire. there was pure corruption in the making of that movie.
Don’t believe me? See the “making of”s in the DVD. Not one mention of JK Rowling, her books, or the screenwriter.
It seems the few supporters of his work on poa don’t have anything to back up their argument. As far as ‘he rulz’ and other posts are concerned, back up your claim with some good. reasons why. He butchered the story and someone who truly respects jk and this all too important last story cannot afford to miss details and give it his own little flair because he wants to. It needs a respoectful director who will also fight to keep the movie long.
I agree that he had something the franchise needed and although he made an incredibly rich movie it is not the kind of carelessness needed for the last film.
...Dumbledore had drawn back his wand and waved it as though brandishing a whip. A long thin flame flew from the tip; it wrapped itself around Voldemort... For a moment, it seemed Dumbledore had won, but then the fiery rope became a serpent, which relinqu
The only thing I wouldn’t like about Yates returning is if he tries to make the film too short. From what I heard, David Yates had filmed a LOT of scenes that were cut. I think that there will be an extended Snape’s Worst Memory scene that has Lily in it, because one of the film’s promo pics has Lily. I already loved OOTP, but I don’t get why Yates didn’t include those scenes. We get a perfect director who films things from the book, and ends up cutting them because he thinks that 2 hrs. 30 minutes is too long. I think that Yates would be great for DH.
I say, once again, that I think that Cuaron did an excellent job with PoA. Although I don’t think that the Shrunken Heads, etc. needed to be added, and I don’t think Flitwick’s appearance needed to be changed, I really loved what he did with PoA. I loved the scene with Aunt Marge (the lady who played her was EXACTLY who I had imagined in the role before).
I have to say that out of all of the films, CoS is the worst. I don’t dislike the film, but it is much too kiddie and boring. It was TOO faithful to the book, so faithful that it wasn’t really a film, just an illustration of the book. Some of you fans might want that, but that’s not what I want. PoA, OOTP, and even GoF (which is hugely disappointing, in my opinion) can stand as films, and they’re overally faithful to the story without copying it word-for-word. PS/SS was a really good start, and I think that Columbus was right for that film. But by CoS, his style had gotten old and boring in my opinion. He didn’t really attempt to get the best out of Dan and Co.’s acting, either. I don’t see how anyone (except for someone who wants EVERYTHING to be in the film exactly the way it is in the book) could want Columbus to return. He would’ve done an awful job with PoA.
There’s one thing for certain, DH will have to be 3 hrs. MINIMUM. It’ll be a joke if WB makes this into a 2 hrs. 30 minute film. Everything in DH is important. A lot of fans like DH the best now (me included), so WB are going to have to be smart on this one.