Harry Potter

[SWMAN]

First off, I find it hard to believe that there isn't a topic about Harry Potter already. So, I guess that's why I am starting one.

I love Harry Potter. Ever since the Sorcerer's Stone came out, I have considered the series to be my favorite book series of all time. The characters are enthralling, the story is totally unique and original, and there is a kind of magic in the books that you can't find anywhere else. While I love all of the books, I particularly love the last 4. Starting with the Goblet of Fire, the return of Voldermort takes center stage, and the books become a lot darker and exciting. The first three were all about character introduction and back story, and were all around light hearted. However, the last four really dive deep into Voldemort and his past, present, and future. I have read all of the books twice, and the 4th, 5th, and 6th three times. Also, in the first 3 books, the characters are very immature and light hearted. As they get older, their personalities develop into something adults can relate too. Also, character interactions become a lot more prominent in the later books, especially the love and hate that grows between them. Movie wise, I love all of them. And while it looks like the Half-Blood Prince is going to be my new favorite, the Goblet of Fire is my current. While the Order of the Phoenix was great, too much was cut out of the movie that was in the book. Hopefully they didn't do that with the Half-Blood Prince. I am really glad that they are making the Deathly Hallows into 2 movies, because honestly there is nothing in that book that is not important to character development and the overall story.

While they are not my favorite film's ever, they are probably my favorite books.

Please share your thoughts and ideas. And after everyone goes and sees the Half-Blood Prince, please use spoilers.

[Spyder]

I have not read all the books yet, but I'm on the fourth right now. You are definitely right, there is a certain charm to the books that makes them so exciting. So far, The Prisoner of Azkaban has been my favorite, but I can't wait till I finish the entire series. So, once I do so, I then will vote in the pole. I will agree, they aren't the best movies, (I've only seen the first and second) but I think fulfill there job. I eventually want to collect all of the Harry Potter Lego sets, but it will be costly. I have heard that hey are splitting the last movie into two parts, I think the first will be released in 2010, and the second part in 2012, or somewhere arond that time.

[Orion123]

I LOVE the Harry potter series. I don't like that in the last couple of movies, he has (and will) have shorter hair. If you look at the cover illustrations and the way J.K. Rowling described him, he has long-ish, messy hair, like in the third and forth movies. Is this topic going to only be about the books and movies? Or will it also be about the games and lego sets?

And how come you don't have Deathly Hallows on the poll?!

Orion Out :skull:

[simonjedi]

I love the books, not read them in a while though.

I liked the first two films (stone and chamber) but i didn't like the "Prisoner of Azkaban," which is a shame really because it's my favourite of the books.

[tin7_creations]

i saw an advanced screening. 2 words: Jim Broadbent.

incredible performance.

[HumanPackMule]

How come the seventh novel isn't an option?

[SWMAN]

How come the seventh novel isn't an option?

I accidently posted this before I was done typing without even knowing it. It is fixed now and I added the films.

I would prefer to keep it to the Books and Movies if that is fine.

[Lt. Col. Thok]

If you ask me, the best movie was Return of the King.

Oops, wrong series.

Seriously though, I am a huge fan of the books; the movies, not so much. The first two were good, the third was garbage, the fourth was okay and the fifth was...meh.

Of course, the last book is my fav. A welcome change of pace and scenery. Shame we never found out if Harry went back to school for year 7 after all that.

[SWMAN]

If you ask me, the best movie was Return of the King.

Oops, wrong series.

Seriously though, I am a huge fan of the books; the movies, not so much. The first two were good, the third was garbage, the fourth was okay and the fifth was...meh.

Of course, the last book is my fav. A welcome change of pace and scenery. Shame we never found out if Harry went back to school for year 7 after all that.

I am not sure if it was in the book, but I read an interview with JK Rowling that said Hermione was the only one to go back to Hogwarts, which makes sense. She was the brainy rule-follower (at least in the first few books, she lightened up later on). Harry and Ron were smart enough that they didn't need to go back.

I am going to see the Half-Blood Prince on Wednesday, which I am pumped for. From what I have read, it is really good. But, even better, it really sets the stage for a great final two movies. I am really glad there will be two more movies. I can't figure out where in the story they will break it up though???

[-JD-]

The books are great, and the movies are great. I did miss the book and movie Order of the Phoenix. Meh, I'll borrow it from my uncle.

Oh yeh, Emma Watson looks good too! I'll be watching the new movie next week.

Greetings,

JD

EDIT:

I am going to see the Half-Blood Prince on Wednesday, which I am pumped for. From what I have read, it is really good. But, even better, it really sets the stage for a great final two movies. I am really glad there will be two more movies. I can't figure out where in the story they will break it up though???

Yes, they will split it up in a 'To be continued..." fashion.

Edited July 19, 2009 by Jammiedodger714

[Commander Flash]

I am both upset and happy there are two more movies.

Pro:

More details

Con:

1.5 year wait like most movies, so you would have to watch part 1 before 2nd part to refresh memory

[SWMAN]

The books are great, and the movies are great. I did miss the book and movie Order of the Phoenix. Meh, I'll borrow it from my uncle.

Oh yeh, Emma Watson looks goo too! I'll be watching the new movie next week.

Greetings,

JD

EDIT:

Yes, they will split it up in a 'To be continued..." fashion.

I realize they are splitting it up like that, I am just not sure where in the book they will split it up. However, I recently read something that says that the whole forest/camping section of the book will be the stopping point for the first movie, which makes sense. From what I have read, the Battle of Hogwarts will be somewhere around 30 minutes of Part 2, so they need to leave room for that. I am guessing that either after they break the

Horcruxe or they are captured by Death Eaters

is when Part 1 will end. Oh, and I agree with you when it comes to Emma Watson!

After watching the Half-Blood Prince a second time, I realized that some things they did in the film will greatly effect the last two movies.

In the book, Harry placed the Half-Blood Prince's book under a bust with a wig and Diadem on its head. This is significant because that is how Harry knows where the Diadem, which is a Horcuxe, is in the Deathly Hallows. But, in the film Ginny just put it somewhere randomly. Also, in the book there is a memory about Voldemort gaining the Goblet/Cup of Hufflepuff. That is how he knows that that is a Horcruxe. They don't have that in the movie, so how will he know?

After going back and reading the book again, my only major complaints are as followed.

1. Not enough memory's were included in the movie.

2. There is a whole subplot where Hermione and Ron hate each other for half the book. This would have been interesting.

3. Instead of the stupid Death Eater attack at the Burrow during Christmas, they should of had the meaningful encounter between Harry and the PM.

4. The Apperating lessons would have been entertaining to include.

5. Dumbledores Funeral should have been included.

6. At least a tiny battle should have been included. Maybe not the whole thing, but a little bit.

After all this, I still feel like this one was better at staying with the book than the Order of the Phoenix.

Commander Flash: Part 1 comes out November 2010, and Part 2 July 2011. There is only an 8 month waiting time, not 18 month.

Edited July 19, 2009 by SWMAN

[Matn]

I haven't seen the movie yet, but I'd like to also share some thoughts. I'm going to see it saturday. I was worrying about some things even when nothing was known about the sixth movie. It was possible that the makers would not show some very important things that happen in the books, or use just something else instead and that it won't work out exactly. First of all, I was worrying that they wouldn't have shown enough about the Horcruxes enough, but I guess that'll be alright. Second, I just read that

the potion book has been put away somewere else! I hate when they do something like that. How will they work out that out properly?! About the cup, I think they will figure it out in the last movie because it's pretty obvious that the cup would be a Horcruxe.

The real thing that makes me mad:

what's that with the Burrow?! How can they burn it down, when it plays such an important role at the beginning of the last book? I asked my sister, who has seen it Wednesday, if it's really burn down, she thinks so... Does she think wrong? Or are the Weasleys going to say at the funeral: "Oh yes, we just rebuilt our house!"...

And that the funeral isn't included and the battle at the end

makes me think the movie won't be as good as everybody is telling in their reviews... I can't stand it that they can afford it to make such mistakes... I'm just really glad that when I'm reading to books I picture myself everything like a movie in my head.

It's not I don't like the movies, not at all, I enjoy them! But not telling important things, or changing them in the last few movies makes me a bit mad, it's like they are not thinking forward enough.

Edited July 19, 2009 by Matn

[Clone OPatra]

Matn, you can't really tell if the Burrow is burned down or not. It's kind of on fire, but it's easy enough for some wizards to put it out and repair everything.

I think that they think ahead enough. They know what they're doing, and they haven't yet made a HP movie that makes absolutely no sense (well, the scenery change between 2 and 3 is debatable), so I think they'll be able to do everything they need to in the 7th movies in their own way.

While they might not be "apparently" thinking ahead on some key plot points, they definitely are on little details, like Dumbeldore's brother in the Hog's Head with his goat in the fifth movie. It amazed me to see that there.

Even if they did change a few things and add a few scenes for the 6th movie, I think it might be the best of the movie series so far. While you might need to read the book to understand what's going on in the 6th movie, you can't compare the movie too much to the book or else you might always be disappointed.

[SWMAN]

Considering that they are wizards, I am guessing that he Weasleys will rebuild/repair it. They can't cut the wedding and everything else in the beginning of Deathly Hallows out completely.

[Tom Bricks]

I liked the latest movie allot but it obviously doesn't compare to the book. (None of them really do) Not going to give anything away but the end was missing a couple things. I voted for POA as my favorite movie and DH as my favorite book. I just recently started on my anuall rereading of all the books too!

[SWMAN]

I liked the latest movie allot but it obviously doesn't compare to the book. (None of them really do) Not going to give anything away but the end was missing a couple things. I voted for POA as my favorite movie and DH as my favorite book. I just recently started on my anuall rereading of all the books too!

Annual rereading? That's a good idea. I have read the first three only once (my dad used to read them to us aloud when they first came out). I have read GOF and OOTP three times, HBP four times, and DH three times. I actually just finished reading HBP again after seeing the movie and felt like reading DH again because it is my favorite. The first time I read DH was the day after it came out. I got home from vacation at four in the morning and it was waiting there in a fancy Scholastic box (because we had pre-ordered it). I sat down to read it and did not get up again until around noon when I was done. I have always read the HP books pretty fast. I reread HBP in a day and DH in another day. They are just really gripping. It is hard to put them down.

[Emperor Claudius Rome]

Just saw the The Half-Blood Prince today! Funnier than the other ones

I have'nt read the books, but my favourite movie was the chamber of secrets

[Lepaka]

Half Blood Prince is my fave book, and Goblet of Fire is my fave movie. I don't see why so many people think that the last book is the best. Rowling ruins it with how Harry kills Voldemort and also the many people that die.

[SWMAN]

Half Blood Prince is my fave book, and Goblet of Fire is my fave movie. I don't see why so many people think that the last book is the best. Rowling ruins it with how Harry kills Voldemort and also the many people that die.

I agree that the way Harry kills Voldemort is kind of anticlimactic, but the whole thing with the who the master of the Elder Wand really is is pretty good. Also, I just love how the last book wraps everything up and we finally learn about Snape. I don't think that it is so bad that so many people died. She had to kill somebody. It wouldn't have been believable if nobody did. I was reading about this book that talks about different things in the books and if JK Rowling should have done them. The big one is if she should have killed Harry in the last book.

[Commander Flash]

Might want to add some spoiler tags

[hewkii9]

Half Blood Prince is my fave book, and Goblet of Fire is my fave movie. I don't see why so many people think that the last book is the best. Rowling ruins it with how Harry kills Voldemort and also the many people that die.

I agree, I didn't understand why Voldemort died at all first time reading, and I found that the whole plot of the series ending as just some silly semantics was poorly thought out. Also, the gaping plot hole - if Grindelwald had the Elder Wand, how did Dumbledore defeat him in a duel?

Might want to add some spoiler tags

Not for a book that came out two years ago.

[Orion123]

...

Not for a book that came out two years ago.

But It would be good for a movie that came out a couple of days ago. And for Deathly Hallows it does spoil it for some people though, since it's the latest book.

Orion Out :skull:

[SWMAN]

- if Grindelwald had the Elder Wand, how did Dumbledore defeat him in a duel?

While this is a fair question to pose, I have found that if I look for plot holes and worry about them, it makes the books a lot less enjoyable. I think that it is one of those things that we have to blindly except. I don't let things like that ruin my experience.

[FilmGirl27]

Sorry for reviving an old thread. But I thought people might be interested in this:

http://video.the-leaky-cauldron.org/video/1410

It's a mini-trailer for The Deathly Hallows.