Maybe I will like this film if Tom Felton gets the screene time that he is supose to.

Er, I’m pretty unimpressed with Tom Felton’s acting, so I kinda hope they downplay him a bit. They can’t TOO much, of course, since Draco has a pretty pivotal role in HBP, but the less we see of Mr. Felton’s hammy overacting, the better, I say.

I am surprised that there is so little appreciation for the comedy in HBP. The idea of Ron responding to Ginny’s taunts by rolling about with Lavender is, well, rather funny. I have this mental image of them lolling on the floor in a lip lock, limbs flying, looking absolutely ridiculous (and then him hiding from her later when he doesn’t have the guts to break it off). And can’t you just picture Harry running around like a chicken with his head cut off trying to hide the potions book? This is quite comical and should be a great deal of fun on the screen in an otherwise dark story.

I didn’t get interested in this series until book 7 came out (then went back and read the entire series), and I am quite impressed with how well it is written. But not having read the books before seeing any of the first 5 movies, I can tell you that the movies only made a lot more sense after reading the books. They have to do a movie that can stand on its own merits becuase many people won’t have read the book – so unfortunately that means “hollywood-izing” the story.

I thought OOTP was not well paced – so far the best paced movie was #3, although I confess to a secret fondness for COS – the kids were learning to act a bit but still had that sweet prepubertal innocence, and the adults were still just having a rollicking good time before they realized these were “serious” movies.

The main theme in HBP is Dumbledore preparing Harry for his task ahead. He further reveals important info about the Dark Lord’s history through memory flashbacks, Horcruxes come into the story, Harry tries to learn to shut out V. Know your enemy! Snape is made Defense against the Dark Arts teacher for that purpose, as well. His old text-book annotations give the book its name! Slughorn was brought back to teach potions, because he was the best there was, next to Severus. And is so funny, to boot. And he loved Harry, in spite of the Slyverin connection. Then the big news of Draco now a death eater, and Harry’s spying on his activities which weaves throughout like a ribbon.

Dumbledore has a lot to do. His death is a big shock.  Leaves Harry, the chosen one for sure, full of doubt and sorrow, and confusion and fear throughout the entire Magic world.

A formidable task for any film maker and if OOTP was compromised, this one will be too. The comedy will be played up, but no quidditch again? Darn! In fact the toad-like Umbridge was the best part Order! setting in motion Dumbledore’s Army. There should have been two parts to that one, and HBP too, and it seems they have deciding on two parts to DH. Yates gave us half a picture, and with his take on things, we will get another.

Lets face it. Movies are not books. As much as we love the side-plot themes and details, we are talking about two different media and what works for one, may not work for the other. Each has its rules and limitations. Won’t we all see it again and again no matter what?

As a life-long bookworm it broke my heart when my neice passed on the offer to read “The Secret Garden” by saying “I saw the video”.

One of the best lessons of the HP movie experience is helping another generation to see that the richness of the written word can never be duplicated in a two hour movie! The movie is a couple of hours of entertainment. A book grabs your soul for the rest of your life.

I really enjoyed the LOTR movies, but even the Director’s Cut extended DVD version pales in comparison to reading the books for the first time in my college dorm, getting snowed in for 3 days during the blizzard of 1978 when I finished the second book and couldn’t find anyone who had the third (had to wait literally days for the roads and stores to re-open thinking Frodo was dead and not knowing what was about to happen next,,,,)

But if they’re going to shoot the seventh movie in two parts, I hope they borrow a page from LOTR and film them all at once even if they space the release – soon it will be hard to pass off a 25 year old Radcliff and Evans as fresh faced 17 and 16 year olds, especially now that Radcliff is accepting adult roles (Dan Eaton).

Hello confounded, I was the same way as you, although I read the whole series before I saw OoTP in theatres. But I refused to watch any of the HP movies before then, because I didn’t understand what was going on. All of the movies have been “choppy” and they vary drastically in style and location from one to the next. Once I read all of the books I developed a fondness for the movies, because I could sit there and pick out what was missing, what they switched around, and understand Harry’s inner psyche so to speak. Anyways, if everyone is thinking that HBP will be drastically different from the other movies I don’t see it. I see a two-part DH being more like the book. I think HBP will be very enjoyable, emotional, and perhaps this movie will drop more hints about what will be included or excluded from the filming of DH *hint hint Mundungus Fletcher. Even though I agree with John that the romance of HBP threw me off it was like the calm before the storm of the Lightning Struck Tower that really set the pace for DH. And it shows how Harry normally interacts within his world without the presence of Voldemort, OoTP, but that he is also more primed for recognizing danger then the others, such as Draco, which again is a DH primer.

Anyways, Felix rules, I hope they keep it!!

Also to confunded, my brother and sister who are a fair bit younger then I am, about a ten year age gap, I had to read them the books at night. Once I started using it as a bed-time tool they were hooked, but before then they refused to read them. Now they are both reading a variety of other books, my brother for instance picked up Moby Dick, and my sister is reading chapter books with her American Girl collection. They are about 10 and 6, so I don’t know how well a teenager would take being read to, but if it matters to you that much, night-time reading worked for me.

It’s so hard for me to get excited about this movie. I’m trying not to gear myself up for a let down. I’m not one of those people that is overly crytical about movies. I watch them and enjoy them for what they are. I saw Goblet 5 TIMES at the movies. But Pheonix is my favorite book and I was SO excited about the movie and it was such a dissapointment. They just took everything that makes it magical out and just totally watered it down. I would even dare say it was…boring. Sorry for all of you that enjoyed it. If you did that’s great. I just think they could’ve done better in writing it. I’m just so worried they are going to do the same to this wonderful book.

Natalie: It must be the hospital wing scene. Though I dont understand where in the heck everyone else is? Mabey there individual scenes with Harry being shot. But Molly and Harry outside the cathedral…that puzzles me.

Iyamjody:

I agree about the writers “watering” down the plot. What ticks me off is they can give Lord of the Rings such detail, not to mention all the time in the world, to gaurentee they give the books enough respect to do it justice. WB’s has it in their heads that Harry Potter appeals mainly to children, that they must keep it “watered down” and “time limited.” Im 30 years old, a Mum of 3 young boys and Im one of the biggest HP fans around! When I went to see OotP, 5 times in the theater, 95% were adults every single time. Nothing more ticks me off as a HP fan then the blatant stupidity WB has when it comes to the time limitation on the movies. So much, TOO much, gets left out and as you put it, the magic gets lost.

Hi everyone, we, Swedish family of four, are going to London Saturday. jippey ! plan to visit some or as many HP filming locations as possible. Happy if anyone of you could comment if it is worth going to Gloucester over the day to perhaps be able to have a glance of the filming of HBP? Would be a great memory and moment. Thanks all for charing information ! / a

omg I hated OotP!! This movie i am begging it to be good! HBP is one of my favorite books and if they downplay ANY of it i will freaking kill Yates!! While I admit OotP was as dark as it should be, so many important, funny, awkward, cute, necesary, and anything-else moments were cut out!! Ahem…NEVILLE!! and what about that scene from the penseive? While that part was OK in the movies, I was really quite upset!! and one of my favorite H/G scenes, the chocolate egg scene was CUT OUT!!! i really liked that scene because it shows that it doesn’t take much to get harry to open up to Ginny even in the darkest of times. What a great scene for non-book readers to see a bit of H/G. OotP was so…rushed!!! The movie reminded me of the books the first time, but when i really watched it, i fully realized how much they left out. I really, REALLY hope that HBP is worth watching as opposed to OotP. As discussed on last weeks Pottercast, does anyone have guesses as to what the actors are filming there? I think the battle but i dunno…

Hi, I’m an italian girl. I would like to know which are the locations for the latest film “Harry Potter and the half blood prince”. Thank you!

Hi. Check out a few pics and video from filming at Gloucester Cathedral in this new BBC Gloucestershire feature: http://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/content/articles/2008/02/05/harry_potter_2008_video_feature.shtml