Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire
Paul and I saw Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire last night, and while it’s definitely a good, watchable film, it definitely had faults. Of course, anyone reading this blog entry needs to bear in mind that I really enjoy the books, and have just finished re-reading Goblet of Fire, so I’ll be a bit uptight about fidelity to the novel, and the way I always imagined things. Also, please beware Spoilers below.
On the positive side:
- Out of all the Harry Potter films, Goblet, despite showing the least school work of all the films, really captures the sense of Hogwarts as a school: there are the popular groups, the boys making snide comments about ugly girls, the emotional chaos caused by school dances, gossiping during silent study sessions etc. The school atmosphere was very credible.
- The Weasley twins and Neville Longbottom finally received the handling they deserved as likeable characters, and not just simple comic relief.
- Madame Maxine, Rita Skeeter and the Rasputin-like Karkaroff were wonderfully realised.
- Certain set pieces and encounters were just as I imagined them- Harry and Moaning Myrtle in the prefects bathroom, especially.
- Superb special effects and set design.
- The crowd reaction to Harry’s return after the cemetery sequence and how the mood changes.
- Death eaters, death eaters, death eaters. Although they could have skipped the pointy hats. And Voldemort could have had hair and his trademark slit red eyes. Here’s hoping for someone like Kristen Scott Thomas for Bellatrix Le Strange in Order of the Phoenix.
- The film gave me an idea for the traditional fantasy story I’ve been challenging myself to work on, more as an exercise than anything else.
Cons:
- The dumbing down of the storyline. Granted Goblet of Fire as a book was over 630 pages, and sacrifices would have to be made. It’s just that I don’t necessarily agree with some of the decisions made, and the way that the plot twist, at the heart of every Harry Potter story, were made so obvious here.
- Some of the omissions: No Mrs Weasley, no Percy, no Ludo Bagman, no house elves (some of you would probably be glad about that), no sign of the other 3 dragons, and, most disappointingly, no encounter with the Sphinx.
- The criminal skimming over of the Quidditch World Cup.
- Not much screen time for the other Triwizard champions. Fleur especially appears wide eyed, vapid and utterly useless at every challenge. There is no sense of her bitchiness.
- The childish ‘spinning’ that accompanies the use of the Portkey.
- The dancing entrances of the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students seemed very forced.
- As did Professor Flitwick crowd-surfing at the Yule Ball.
- Mad Eye Moody appeared far creepier than I envisioned him.
- I don’t like Michael Gambon as Dumbledore. He’s too severe, yelling at his students. Richard Harris was spot on in terms of Dumbledore’s quiet strength, power and gentleness.
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The Non Harry Potter Front
Well, just completed my second column for GEAR, which I’ll be leaving to stew for a few days before rechecking it and sending it Walt’s way. Also have to finish the Christmas shopping and edit together the DVD of our Kruger Park holiday for Paul’s parents.
I’ve also just done a rather unusual thing for me. I bought a brand new game instead of my usual borrowing, and waiting for R100 Best Buys. I knew that no one in the usual crowd would buy it, and I hadn’t been able to find the PC version anywhere except on the Take 2 website. And yesterday I came across Total Overdose in Makro. So, despite my attempts this December to focus only on gifts for others, I ended up buying it for myself.
From what I’ve played of it so far, it is extremely Grand Theft Auto (complete with rampage-like Day of the Dead challenges, vehicle ramps, and assorted goodies to collect to improve your stamina, health, weapon handling etc). There are some nice differences though. In every combat situation, points are rewarded for stylish kills; you character can indulge in Max Payne bullet-time and Prince of Persia-like acrobatics; and you can collect and use once-off Loco Moves like the El Mariachi, where you receive bullet-firing guitar cases, and the El Toro, where you briefly have the speed and strength of a rampaging bull. Probably my favourite thing in the whole game though is the music. The Mexican rock music, particularly in big battle scenes, is awesome. 'Spicy Move'.
On the positive side:
- Out of all the Harry Potter films, Goblet, despite showing the least school work of all the films, really captures the sense of Hogwarts as a school: there are the popular groups, the boys making snide comments about ugly girls, the emotional chaos caused by school dances, gossiping during silent study sessions etc. The school atmosphere was very credible.
- The Weasley twins and Neville Longbottom finally received the handling they deserved as likeable characters, and not just simple comic relief.
- Madame Maxine, Rita Skeeter and the Rasputin-like Karkaroff were wonderfully realised.
- Certain set pieces and encounters were just as I imagined them- Harry and Moaning Myrtle in the prefects bathroom, especially.
- Superb special effects and set design.
- The crowd reaction to Harry’s return after the cemetery sequence and how the mood changes.
- Death eaters, death eaters, death eaters. Although they could have skipped the pointy hats. And Voldemort could have had hair and his trademark slit red eyes. Here’s hoping for someone like Kristen Scott Thomas for Bellatrix Le Strange in Order of the Phoenix.
- The film gave me an idea for the traditional fantasy story I’ve been challenging myself to work on, more as an exercise than anything else.
Cons:
- The dumbing down of the storyline. Granted Goblet of Fire as a book was over 630 pages, and sacrifices would have to be made. It’s just that I don’t necessarily agree with some of the decisions made, and the way that the plot twist, at the heart of every Harry Potter story, were made so obvious here.
- Some of the omissions: No Mrs Weasley, no Percy, no Ludo Bagman, no house elves (some of you would probably be glad about that), no sign of the other 3 dragons, and, most disappointingly, no encounter with the Sphinx.
- The criminal skimming over of the Quidditch World Cup.
- Not much screen time for the other Triwizard champions. Fleur especially appears wide eyed, vapid and utterly useless at every challenge. There is no sense of her bitchiness.
- The childish ‘spinning’ that accompanies the use of the Portkey.
- The dancing entrances of the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students seemed very forced.
- As did Professor Flitwick crowd-surfing at the Yule Ball.
- Mad Eye Moody appeared far creepier than I envisioned him.
- I don’t like Michael Gambon as Dumbledore. He’s too severe, yelling at his students. Richard Harris was spot on in terms of Dumbledore’s quiet strength, power and gentleness.
---
The Non Harry Potter Front
Well, just completed my second column for GEAR, which I’ll be leaving to stew for a few days before rechecking it and sending it Walt’s way. Also have to finish the Christmas shopping and edit together the DVD of our Kruger Park holiday for Paul’s parents.
I’ve also just done a rather unusual thing for me. I bought a brand new game instead of my usual borrowing, and waiting for R100 Best Buys. I knew that no one in the usual crowd would buy it, and I hadn’t been able to find the PC version anywhere except on the Take 2 website. And yesterday I came across Total Overdose in Makro. So, despite my attempts this December to focus only on gifts for others, I ended up buying it for myself.
From what I’ve played of it so far, it is extremely Grand Theft Auto (complete with rampage-like Day of the Dead challenges, vehicle ramps, and assorted goodies to collect to improve your stamina, health, weapon handling etc). There are some nice differences though. In every combat situation, points are rewarded for stylish kills; you character can indulge in Max Payne bullet-time and Prince of Persia-like acrobatics; and you can collect and use once-off Loco Moves like the El Mariachi, where you receive bullet-firing guitar cases, and the El Toro, where you briefly have the speed and strength of a rampaging bull. Probably my favourite thing in the whole game though is the music. The Mexican rock music, particularly in big battle scenes, is awesome. 'Spicy Move'.
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