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Columbus does an impressive job of putting the books on the screen but it all feels too much, the way they adapt POA is just genius, the way they condense it and cut to the chase is what makes it my favourite, Cuaron knocks it out the park.
DH pt 1 was always going to be a struggle as the first half of the book is rather meandering whereas the second half gets all the best bits so DH pt 2 is much better.
1. POA
2. GOF
3. DH 2
4. HBP
5. OOTP
6. COS
7. PS
8. DH 1
Due another Potter run through with the run up to Christmas this year and have already earmarked Fantastic Beasts for Chrismas Day. Haven't seen it since the cinema viewing, I might be 45 but I still love a bit of Potter. Far more consistent than most franchises in my book and the unique experience save Dumbledore of seeing all the characters grow up with each subsequent film.
Bought Fantastic Beasts today not watched the film as yet glad there is a few positive reviews, due a rewatch off the Potter films I recently bought my third boxset off the series second on BD.
I'm sure I saw the extended cut at some point in my childhood, though the next time I run through the films I'll probably seek out the latest blu-ray release that no doubt has those included (one would hope).
Glad to see you have CoS in consideration for your favorite, @doubleoego. When I think of it the first word that comes to mind is "epic." The scale, the power, the richness of it all, and the story covers so many amazing moments in the series. The basilisk battle alone is legendary, and it's such a beautifully crafted movie in every way, from production design to music, effects and atmosphere even in a way the others don't match for me. A fantastic effort, and a lot of that is down to Columbus and his team who just did it the best.
Great point, @RC7. I not only think the effects of the early Potter are better realized, but also that the less emphatic nature of them are far better served than the later films when it comes to presenting the magic of the films. This may be an an issue of practical vs. effects too, as I think the emphasis on computerized vs. practical later on gives the movies more of a hollowness.
Just reading this shows you how revolutionary and clever the teams of those early films were:
http://screenrant.com/harry-potter-practical-special-effects-not-cgi/
It's also no secret why the first four films are the only ones mentioned, and the first two the heaviest of all, for their practical effects. Much like we see in movies like Star Wars, when the effects are man made directly there's a great reality and texture to it all, and not artificiality. That Aragog, Fawkes and the basilisk (a big chunk of the time) were practical creations and not computer generated gives them so much more impact when they are on screen. You can see the feathers reacting to the movement Fawkes is making, just like the movements of Aragog's legs by the animators causes real crunching and rustling on the ground because it was real. And of course the giant basilisk the team made for those close-up shots made me terrified when I was a kid; the scales, the moistness on its skin and the animatronic jaw and eyes that moved like a real beast felt so real to me and I was so uncomfortable and frightened alongside Harry.
I think it's a great misfortune that Columbus didn't stick around, because he just knew how to do effects and paint worlds. He really understood the value of practical effects that pushed the boundaries of their use in the medium at the time. Because he made a choice to do so much for real in those films they have such a great impact and reality despite existing in a fantasy world and even do this day you can still watch those films and exclaim, "No way they did that for real!"
David Yates for my money is the weakest of all the Potter directors, so I lament that he got to direct the most films out of all of the rest. There's more artificiality in those last films than I care to see, and not as much emphasis on the practical effects that made the early Potter films so special. Adding on top of that is the man's lack of an artistic eye, and his favoring of a colder and more ordinary shooting style in comparison to a Columbus or Cuarón who you could tell put amazing thought into every shot with the mind of a true artist. I guess from a Bond perspective it's like comparing Hunt with a Glen, and how the series moved from a visionary director who made the films their own rich visual experiences to one who just shot a movie like a commercial with not as much of an emphasis on the power of the framed image.
If I could go back in time I'd have Columbus direct at least PoA and GoF (I'd love to see how his team handled the Triwizard tournament and all the effects therein) and I'd give Richard Harris immortality so that he could be Dumbledore all the way to the end. The latter is what really hurts me, not only for the loss of such a great actor, but also for the inferior replacement that fell in after him. I can only imagine how powerful the ending of HPB would have been with Richard there, the only Dumbledore we'd known. It's one of the fine castings in modern cinema, if not ever, for how he perfectly nailed the wise, grandfatherly touch of the character and his devil may care and overt bias towards Gryffindor whenever he threw points their way. He just felt so right, and so warm. A real shame, but those first two movies are just perfection for the series and everything else follows after for me.
I grew up in the Potter heyday but oddly enough never read them until I was in my early twenties. I saw the films first, or at least the films up through Goblet of Fire, mostly on ABC Family in bits and pieces here and there during the holidays. When I did finally get to the subsequent four films, the shift in tone and quality you all are speaking of here definitely stood out. Again, I don't feel like I'm familiar enough with the films to even attempt a ranking of them, but I can most certainly understand how the first four would fare far better and be looked on more favorably.
As a further note, I do feel comfortable enough with the books to rank those, and with all this talk of CoS I thought I'd leave this here. ;)
1. CoS
2. HBP
3. GoF
4. DH
5. OoTP
6. PS
7. PoA
Carry on with the film talk, though, and entice me into a marathon. You're all very close.
These two films have so many moving scenes in them with the passing of two Harry's mentors being the obvious ones. But also for instance the great funeral of Aragog.
There is also a sense of mysterious, almost horrorlike, creepiness in both films such as Harry's link to Voldemort's mind and the flashbacks of Riddle. 'I can speak to snakes too.' Always sends shivers down my spine.
Nevertheless I also have fond memories of Chamber of Secrets and Prisoner of Azkaban. Both of them finding a balance between mystery and child-friendly entertainment. Love the design of the Chamber too!
Both parts of Deathly Hallows really miss the school life setting in my opinion though the last one does have many touching scenes and that Gringot escape.
As for Goblet of Fire I rate it in the middle because I feel it is a bit too episodial and I really don't like that rock festival ending of the ball, worst moment in the series for me. The Quidditch World Cup is also rather poorly treated. Nevertheless much to enjoy as well with Voldemort's return being especially memorable.
Philosopher's Stone is my least favourite, it's a tad too much aimed at the kids for me and it feels really long in places. In a way the atmosphere is just not creepy enough for me.
I get the magical element of those first 2 and they miles ahead of the SW prequels but I prefer the darker turn the films take and the casting improves greatly with POA, Oldman, Thewlis, Spall etc, that film is an utter treat.
I've always been happy with Yates but I know he has a lot of critics, Cuaron is my favourite, my Wife's favourite is GOF and I rate that as well and Newell did an admirable job, pity his proposed version of the much loved christmas based childrens novel The Box of Delights never materialised, I would say Rowling defintely lifted from this.
I know some object to the adaptations as they cut a lot out and concentrate on more of a Potter centric approach but the books are the books, to do these like that it would need to be a TV show.
I think the writers do a rather impressive job of getting these down to a point where they can fit into films.
Both Columbus films feel like they couldn't let anything go and feel a little too jammed for my liking.
I'm a fan of the books but I understand you can't everything and I can't imagine anyone was that bothered about the exorcised sub plot of Dobby in Order of The Phoenix?
2.POA
3.PS
4.DH
5.HBP
6.GOF
7.OOTF
Funny is that Jessica Williams sharing her birthday and month with JK Rowling.
1. Prisoner of Azkaban
2. Chamber of Secrets
3. Philosophers Stone
4. Goblet of Fire
5. Deathly Hallows pt 2
6. Half Blood Prince
7. Order of the Phoenix
8. Deathly Hallows pt 1
9. Fantastic Beasts
1. Half Blood Prince
2. Deathly Hallows Part 2
3. Prisoner of Azkaban
4. Goblet of Fire
5. Order of the Phoenix
6. Deathly Hallows Part 1
7. Chamber of Secrets
8. Philosopher Stone
And that's when a dark lord was created...
You´re sounding like a vegan
http://variety.com/2017/film/news/fantastic-beasts-2-title-first-photo-1202616420/
Looking forward to this, really enjoyed the first movie!
Dumbledore looking like 60s Bond
That's not Dumbledore
Yes it is. Kindly check your facts. Jude Law has been cast as a 45 year old Dumbledore.
Seriously? Now I'm getting worried about the new film...