BS: Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets film

Subject: BS: Harry Potter & the C of S
From: selby
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 11:40 AM

Yesterday we exited the cinema after seeing the new Harry Potter film Brilliant was the only word that sums it up. I dont want to give anything away so go see for yourselves and as we did enjoy it.
I thought Doby was fantastic
Keith

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Fran
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 11:53 AM

We saw it on Friday and I have to agree it was excellent, I love the Weasleys house!

Fran

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 02:14 PM

Poor lad, puberty is not being kind... I heard the next one referred to as 'Harry Potter and the Cauldron of Clearasil'....

Eagerly awaiting film though....

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 02:33 PM

Spoted a book the other day called Barry (something which rhymed with potter) and the Shameless Parody.

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 03:38 PM

John McEnroe ( British game show host & ex Tennis star) has approached the author to appear as the title character in the next film ("The Prisoner of Azkzban") But she told him:
You cannot be Sirius"

Nigel

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 04:48 PM

Barry Trotter and the Shameless Parody - I got it for my birthday and it's a hoot!!!

If you can take your literature with a hefty pinch of salt, then read it!!!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: bbc
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 05:33 PM

It's Barry Trotter & the Unauthorized Parody, at least in the U.S. It's available from Barnes & Noble & from Amazon--author Michael Gerber. Amazon seems to have a better search engine that bn; it brought it up w/ the other title, but bn yielded no results.

bbc

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: JudeL
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 07:10 PM

Just got back from seeing it. I won't spoil it for those yet to see it but there are some very good bits in it. I can understand why there's been a bit in the press about how it may not be suitable for younger children. It's just a shame that they will have to find another actor to play Dumbledore for the next one. I look forward to seeing what sort of actor the lad that plays Ron is when he grows up a bit, as IMHO he already appears to be a better actor than the one that plays Harry.

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 07:26 PM

Dumbledore? They've got to have Peter O'Toole.

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: JudeL
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 07:42 PM

That may be a distinct possibility

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Larkin
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 07:55 PM

Fantastic film and much better than the first. Kenneth Brannagh is wonderful - great casting!
Martin

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Celtic Soul
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 07:59 PM

A bit ago, the producers were talking to Harris about the potential of letting him go for the 3rd film. Seems he had some issues about his health (alcohol related, I believe they hinted) that made them think seriously about replacing him even before he died. It would appear that they have a potential replacement in his body double...a man who is supposed to be Harris' spitting image. The only thing they said they would need to work on is the voice. He would need some coaching in order to pitch to a more "Harris" timber. I would be surprised if they did not use this guy, seeing as they have already considered it when Harris was still alive.

As for the current film, thanks one and all for not saying much. It doesn't open here until the 15th. Not that there's much you could say to ruin it. It's still "The Chamber of Secrets", and we've read it (and the others) about 10 times now.

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Sorcha
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 08:09 PM

Better than the first? Much wow then, I can't wait! (Peter O'Toole would be good)

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: black walnut
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 08:29 PM

Scabbers! I mean, Rats!
....I'm Potterless in Canada. One weekend to go.

~b.w.

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: JudeL
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 08:33 PM

It doesn't go on general release till Thursday , but a few places had a limited number of showings this weekend, but if you didn't book but tried to just buy when you got there you'd have been disappointed as they were all sold out

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Grab
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 09:31 PM

I went to a showing this weekend, expecting it to be equally as bad as the first one. I was pleasantly surprised.

The background: I like the books, but the first film was just blah. The first one was all "this is Hogwarts, and this is Quidditch, and look at the flashy computer-generated things we can do to this book!!!" - lots of surface glitz, but no substance. And they'd obviously surveyed a bunch of 7-year-olds for their favourite scenes, who'd all picked different ones, so as a result they tried to get in every little scene to make a "film of the book" instead of just making it as a film. The result was that it rushed around aimlessly, looking pretty in places but never letting you give a damn about Harry or his friends.

Thank god, they've sorted it this time around. Basically, I guess they've managed to settle down now. Knowing the book, I know a lot has been cut, and the film works so much better for it. Also the effects are much better than the dodgy troll animation in the first one, and the children are getting to be better actors too, so it's coming together quite nicely. And as Selby says, the animated Dobby works pretty damn well - I guess Star Wars has broken a lot of ground on animated characters, especially non-human ones where looking slightly odd is expected.

But the main difference is that they've obviously approached it from the point-of-view of making a film. There's a lot of stuff cut, and there's also quite a lot of new lines or changes to scenes which give more of the "dark tone" that the books are getting increasingly towards. The best actor from the kids is the one playing Draco - he's got the kind of malignant charisma that I was never quite sure about in the books - and he does a good line in little gestures and expressions which work well. The others do a good job too, although the lad playing Ron only seems to have two facial expressions, normal and surprised/shocked/scared.

One definite problem for the future - Hermione in the books is supposed to be bookish and not be very attractive, but judging by this film she shows signs of turning into a very pretty girl in a few years time. I can see her being the next Natalie Portman (remember, you heard it here first! ;-)

Graham.

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: GUEST,.gagoyle
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 09:38 PM

Downloaded it, today, off of KaZaa. A decent copy with no Chinko subtitles, European releases are best. GREAT Stuff! The technology is so much better than last year at this time...not at dark.

I'm just surprised that the next sequal to Lord of the Rings - Two Towers is not out there yet.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Gorgeous Gary
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 10:16 PM

Rumor I hear is that Harris' stand-in (don't have the name at hand at the moment) may end up taking over the part. Also, Christopher Lee's name has been floated; apparently they'd asked him before but he was already committed to LOTR.

-- Gary

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Firecat
Date: 11 Nov 02 - 03:49 PM

I can't wait!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: An Pluiméir Ceolmhar
Date: 11 Nov 02 - 04:28 PM

Very enjoyable, but I certainly wouldn't bring a young or over-sensitive child to it, the scariness is really effective!

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Declan
Date: 12 Nov 02 - 06:17 AM

When did Harry Potter join the Church of Scotland ?

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Catarina
Date: 12 Nov 02 - 08:09 AM

Rats!
Double Rats!
Triple Rats!
I'll have to wait for the Christmas holydays to watch it.
By the way, when is the next book due to appear? I can hardly wait!

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Hollowfox
Date: 12 Nov 02 - 09:47 AM

I've read that J.K. Rowling is a member of the Church of Scotland, so I thought that as well, Declan.
Catarina, it should come out this next year. Ms. Rowling wisely decided to get it properly crafted, rather than do a rush job. She also took tsome time off to get married.
I'm fidgeting for the next one as well, but I don't begrudge her a bit of a life as well.

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: selby
Date: 12 Nov 02 - 12:59 PM

She also took time of to get pregnant I wonder if it's a boy will it have Harry in his name,or if a girl Hermione:-)
Keith

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Cluin
Date: 18 Dec 02 - 11:42 PM

Finally saw this one a couple of nights ago. Pretty damn good, even if "Chamber of Secrets" was my least favourite of the books.

So of course the topic came up afterwards: Who will be cast as Dumbledore next. Peter O'Toole naturally was the first name that cropped up. Maybe because he's Irish too?

Others were: Sean Connery (interesting, but doubtful), Albert Finney, Christopher Plummer (THAT could work), John Thaw, Patrick Stewart (eeehhhh, I don't know `bout that one..), Ian McKellen (tho' that's pretty unlikely), Derek Jacobi (even more so), Charlton Heston (hahahahahaha), Wilford Brimley (got silly then).

And from there, it went to who could you see as Sirius Black? Russell Crowe? Sean Bean? Jeremy Northam? Clive Owen? Robert Carlyle? (not sure that could work) Personally, I'd like to see Liam Neeson in that role. Just don't get Mel Gibson, man.

What I want to know is where would you cast Rowan Atkinson? As Pettigrew, maybe?

It's all pretty Caucasian though, isn't it? I wonder if they could make Black black?

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: alanabit
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 02:19 AM

I think John Thaw would have considerable difficulty fitting into the role, due to his unfortunate death earlier in the year.

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 02:23 AM

It doesn't actually say anywhere that Hermoine isn't attractive, just that she has frizzy hair that won't stay down. When she uses a sleek spell on it in another book (Goblet of Fire), they don't recognise her but never say she's not attractive.

I was disappointed that she seems to be getting better hair care, as another frizzy haired person (who said knowitall??, Come on, own up, I heard you from here!), I want to know what hair care product she used, because I've never managed it yet!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Cluin
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 02:50 AM

Damn! Another good one down.

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: GUEST,bbc at work
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 11:52 AM

At this point, I've seen the movie & liked it. Long, though. Have you heard that, if you wait through the credits, there's a short scene at the very end? We went to a late show--got out after 1 am--& were the only ones who sat through the credits. It was fun! BTW, I hated the book parody. Mediocre, as far as I'm concerned, but each to his/her own taste.

best,

bbc

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Bagpuss
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 11:56 AM

Did anyone see the sketch on Dead Ringers I think (UK) - with Ozzy Osbourne as Dumbledore? (I'll show him who is the Prince of fuckin' darkness....)

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: GUEST,maire-aine at work
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 12:45 PM

Ozzy as Dumbledore--- what a visual image that conjures up. Sorry we don't get it here.

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 02:52 PM

There are grumblings around that Viggo Mortensen might be playing Sirius Black... I think they could do a lot worse...

I thought COS was o.k... I think it took the audience by the hand and maybe over explained a lot of it... most of the story was people standing around talking about what was going on, and I just don't think it translated well to the big screen... I'm hoping that #3 movie will be better... New director, new take on things... that'll be nice...

The Weaslys were fantastic! Although I kept waiting for Mr Weasly to say "Hello ladies, My name is Olaf, and I am very good in bed"! LOL

Chris Barrie should have played Gilderoy Lockhart... I have very little use for Kennith at the best of times...

Anybody else get the feeling that at the end of the movie they were eulogizing Hagrid? J.K. Rowling has said that a major characters death is coming soon... maybe it's Hagrid...

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 05:21 PM

Noooooooo.. Hagrid can't die......

Sobbbb sooobbbbbbbb

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Cluin
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 05:54 PM

Seconded. One of the things that made me impatient for the first movie to come out was knowing that Robbie Coltrane was gonna play Hagrid. Hell, as long as he was in it somewhere I'd be happy.

Still like him best as the Ghost of Christmas in Blackadder, tho'...

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 06:01 PM

Ah yes... now that was a classic!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Nerd
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 06:41 PM

Before the first film, I had thought that Billy Connolly would be a perfect Hagrid, but Robbie C does a great job.

I don't think it's possible that the "eulogizing" at the end of the movie can have anything to do with future deaths; the people who wrote the screenplay will surely not have been told secrets about the future of the story; this is how leaks happen, and the publishers and Rowling will be very careful about this. Hence, they almost certainly don't know if Hagrid is going to die.

My own feeling is that Dumbledore may die before the series is over. Certainly, he is the logical character; the master/mentor figure in mythically-structured tales is usually killed as the hero matures (Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jin, Yoda, Gandalf [though he returns], etc) But Hagrid, being younger, would be more of a shock, so she may opt for that.

Of course, the most under-used cast member is poor John Cleese, who just floats around saying "hello" to people. Hopefully he'll have more to do in future films.

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter &the C of S
From: Cluin
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 06:45 PM

Good points, Nerd! (never though I'd see myself type that particular phrase.

She'd best get busy and crank out a few more books or those kids will quickly grow out of their roles. Too bad about the pressure; hope it doesn't have a detrimental effect on the storytelling.

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter & the C of S
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 20 Dec 02 - 12:59 PM

Well, with book 5 coming out this spring, she's only got 2 more to finish, and then she's done... In it's originals inseption, Harry Potter was meant to be 5 books, and JKR has said when they're done, she's likley never gonna write about him again...

And well, as far as Robbie as Hagrid goes, that's who she was thinking of when she wrote the character of Hagrid, so for Robbie to have not played it, would have been silly...

"the people who wrote the screenplay will surely not have been told secrets about the future of the story"

You don't think that JKR is up to her eyes in the screen writing of these movies?

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter & the C of S
From: Just Amy
Date: 20 Dec 02 - 01:57 PM

As an employee of the maker of this fine film, I thank you.

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter & the C of S
From: Nerd
Date: 20 Dec 02 - 11:19 PM

Clinton,

Chris Columbus in Entertainment Weekly:

"People seem to think I had JK Rowling standing over my head with a sledgehammer, which was not the case. She left us alone--and she's done it again on this picture."

So I would guess that, no, JKR is not up to her eyeballs in writing the screenplays of these movies. Movie companies usually buy the rights to make movies out of novels, and then produce their own screenplays using professional screenwriters, rather than hiring novelists to write the screenplays. There are exceptions (Mario Puzo, etc), but I'm fairly sure from the above and other things I've read that she is not at all involved in drafting the screenplays. Steven Kloves wrote the screenplay for HP&COS.

In Hollywood, it is often the case that a lot of people, including the credited writer, other uncredited writers, the producer, the director, the editor, and the actors have some influence on the words that are said on screen. This tends to make an individual writer with a secret LESS likely to get that secret on the screen; at very least she, the director and the editor would have had to know why the scene was so important, or it would have ended up on the proverbial cutting-room floor. I seriously doubt she would be willing to tell them.

None of this means Hagrid won't die, but I seriously doubt this movie of book 2 is eulogizing a character who in any case can't die until book 5--three movies from now. It would make more sense to eulogize him in Goblet of Fire, if indeed he is to be eulogized before his death.

I do think Robbie C. is an excellent Hagrid; it was just that the image I had in my head had always been Billy Connolly. But if Rowling was thinking of Robbie Coltrane, he was obviously the man to play it!

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter & the C of S
From: Cluin
Date: 20 Dec 02 - 11:32 PM

The Big Yin could have pulled it off too. I could see that. As a distant second. ;)

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter & the C of S
From: Amergin
Date: 21 Dec 02 - 11:34 AM

looks like Pam Ferris will be playing Aunt Marge in the next one....

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter & the C of S
From: Hollowfox
Date: 21 Dec 02 - 12:32 PM

Eulogizing Hagrid? I don't think so. His scenes chimed with the book, as I recall it. I thought the Weasleys were just right, and I love the house. One thing that got to both me and my kids was how everybody stopped and brought attention to Harry at the school's end feast. The way it was handled there is a surefire way to saddle a kid with a "teacher's pet" reputation among any bunch of normal kids, magical or muggle. We speculated on the likelihood of him getting beat up on the playground sometime, from that scene alone. Nothing like driving home in the evening with a trio of bloodthirsty humorists..

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter & the C of S
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 02 Jan 03 - 04:42 PM

I had a bit of 'fan fiction' pointed out to me, which some may find mildly amusing. (I found it hilarious, but I'm like that).
Loading time is virtually nil, reading time is quite a bit longer

Nigel

Naked Quidditch

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter & the C of S
From: Firecat
Date: 02 Jan 03 - 05:38 PM

Nigel! I'm shocked!

Mind you, it gave me a laugh!

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter & the C of S
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 02 Jan 03 - 05:56 PM

Ug... fan-fic... lower almost as filk-singing...

Subject: RE: BS: Harry Potter & the C of S
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 03 Jan 03 - 06:53 AM

Clinton: as a Filker I represent that remark!

Nigel