Subject: About making Sirius and Lupin look old,
Author:
Posted on: 2009-02-02 22:31:00 UTC
both were justified; in the book, it mentions Lupin being prematurely aged (from the stress of being a werewolf), and it also mentions that Azkaban had aged Sirius to a point where he was nearly unrecognizable.
To get straight to the point, I'm doing a short essay on the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, focusing mainly on scriptwriting and deliberate alterations, for better or worse, from the books. There are a number of moments where I think that they may not have made plot points clear to people who haven't read the books before, or made changes that upset/don't satisfy fans who have.
I'm not asking for much, but if any of you can throw your opinions and / or experiences at me - especially if you can give me some links that'll look nice and shiny on my bibliography - I'd very much appreciate it.
Cheers,
- Sedri
(...And I trust this isn't TOO off-topic. Don't suppose anyone will come at me with torches and pitchforks, anyway. ;p )
I've worked as much as possible into my essay. You guys are invaluable. CHEERS!
I like Prisoner of Azkaban, only because it's the only stylish Potter film they've made so far (Alfonso Cuaron has a lot to do with that). They did miss a fair bit of stuff out, but the question remains - do you stick religiously to the text, and end up with an overlong, crammed film without any atmosphere until the final moments, a la Goblet of Fire (essentially, a Greatest Hits package), or do you compile the most captivating film you can by liberally cutting and altering a few elements? Yes, the Marauders should have remained, but other than that, I think Azkaban is better for its changes.
I think I've got you beat for not having been here in ages... it's quite literally been YEARS!
I hate college, it leaves no time for the 'unimportant' things in life....why'd I have to go do something technical like engineering....
I'll bet 300 sporks, and 4 boxes of bleeprin (or whatever the current permutation of it is), that NOBODY here these days remember who I am...
~E.N.
hmmm...if I really wanted ppl to see this, I wouldn't have put it under a comment made by someone else. Ah well, what's done is done...
I don't remember well enough to say "Oh yeah, you're that guy who did that thing" (mostly because my memory sucks), but I have definitely seen your username before. Welcome back. {= )
~Neshomeh
Ah well, having stayed shy of the world of fanfic I hadn't been self-medicating with them as often as I had previously...though they did come in handy after a few overheard conversations about plans for the weekend....
I'll just have to wear headphones more often.
I'm still interested in seeing if anybody else remembers me! I may be out of bleeprin, but I can probably steal some from my greatgreatgrandmother. I think my little brother told her they were her heart medicine...he thinks the blackouts are funny I guess. I've got plenty of sporks, and can supplement with junk food of all types, I'm at college after all. It's all over the place, free for the taking, I may have to do a little running after the taking...but exercise is good for me right?
Thanks for remembering me Nesh! I do remember you were active back then too, congratulations on surviving this long in the business. My hat is off to you.
Oh and the reason you probably don't remember me as the guy who did that thing, is I never did get around to doing it... Thus it is quite impressive that you merely recognize me!
(I had written an introductory chapter for my cousin EruDaughter, guess who joined first, I believe we got it approved, but we never got around to putting it up anywhere....I still have it somewhere if anybody's interested in seeing a dated spinnoff)
~E.N.
('course, I hate all the films in general and generally consider each worse than the last. I actually walked out of the newest one.)
In response to Sedri, my main objections were the - in my mind - inaccurate characterizations of Remus Lupin and Sirius Black, the addition of the evil accountant's mustache on Remus, the changes made to the Boggart lesson as I thought they took away from Neville's characterization, and explaining who the Marauders were...and the mustache. Remus is my favorite.
They weren't in the books, were they?
http://www.canmag.com/news/3/3/248
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a64205/harry-potter-books-vs-films.html?page=3
I skim read those two, but they're from the references on the wikipedia page. I assume you've had a look on that - that has a section on what they've missed as well. Even if you can reference it, it makes for a good start.
Good luck!
Been a while since I've seen it, and I've only got it on video, so this is going off memory. But I remember bitching about that film loads so that should be alright.
Deliberate alterations have to include That Damned Moustache. JKR generally mentions facial hair when it's there. She mentions none on Lupin. And the one the film-makers gave him was just dire.
Other small alterations that annoyed the hell out of me include the ages of Harry's parents' generation. They should be 33/34 in his third year, but they're all blatantly ancient. And it's Moony, not Mooney, and changing it to the latter on the Map was unforgiveable.
Main problem, which I think you're getting at, is the total lack of backstory. I'll see if I can get hold of a working video player tonight so I can give you a breakdown of everything that's wrong with them cutting out the backstory, because my brain's mostly blocked it out. Then I'll send you a lovely long ranting email about it.
both were justified; in the book, it mentions Lupin being prematurely aged (from the stress of being a werewolf), and it also mentions that Azkaban had aged Sirius to a point where he was nearly unrecognizable.
Mm, but what's the excuse for Snape?
They should have wanted someone who was within a reasonable age range to play him instead.
And it's why we have adaptation theory in Film Studies. Yes, they should have. But there's all kinds of arguments as to why they didn't need to, starting with that people had no idea how important his past coinciding with the Marauders would be when they started the film (although, really, people should just assume things are important and leave them in. We'll get the last laugh, as they try and redo their mistakes to make the bits they left out still be able to feature in the last film), and ending with "he drew a large amount of fangirls money in".
I do agree, it's just not how things work.
Bring on the email! *braces herself*
Also, I may quote that bit abut JKR generally mentioning facial hair. Just so you know. :)
Only I'm going to have to try and find a DVD copy, since my dad's dismantled his video player. Fairly sure I've got it on DVD downstairs, but it'll be on a fairly inaccessible shelf, and you know me, I'm bone idle. So give me a deadline to get my arse in gear.
I just hate this whole bloody thing. *sigh*
I'll get on it either later tonight or tomorrow then. Probably tomorrow, as tonight I am once again making a concerted effort to get that damned To Read list down below 130.
We never find out that Remus, Peter, Sirius and James are Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs.
Then Harry and Remus call Sirius "Padfoot" in the fifth movie, with no explanation.
Was the omission of the "parting of ways" scene, in which Sirius and Snape come face to face in the Hospital Wing and Dumbledore explains in no uncertain terms that they are now on the same side and must at least pretend to get along. And then sends Snape on a secret mission. I couldn't believe they didn't include something as significant to their characters and the overall story as that. Now it's too late to do something similar and a lot of that wonderful ambiguity will be missing from Snape's character.
I didn't like the way they did the werewolf at all, either. What was up with the "mating call" thing? How could Hermione mimic something she'd never heard before to such great effect? {= P
~Neshomeh
Wasn't this movie the Advent of the Ridiculously Trendy Outfits? 'Cause I'm pretty sure Wizarding society would've raised its collective eyebrows at that sort of thing, even if those kids COULD afford the style. If it were a mission, I'd charge for butchering the culture.
~Neshomeh
Like what they wore to Hogsmeade? I'm completely blind when it comes to fashion, so I'm not really sure what you're getting at.
Leaving aside Hermione's ghastly pink monstrosity, wasn't it PoA when Harry started wearing hoodies? And ones that fitted, at that, despite him supposedly wearing Dudley's hand-me-downs. Hoodies of the style Harry sports in the film weren't really standard accessories in the early nineties. I was wearing them in the late nineties, but as a so-called "mosher" - the trendies and the teggers wouldn't have been seen dead in hoodies. Dudley certainly wouldn't wear them. So unless Diagon Alley had alternative clothing stores in the early nineties, Harry's clothes can be charged for.
Can probably charge for hairstyles too. Early nineties, remember. It was a terrifying age. It also featured leggings, and shell suits, and other ghastly things I'm doing my best to repress.
Bloody hell, Pads, try to speak English that others can understand. Or at least explain your regional slang.
I must really have missed something. That is not a term I am familiar with. Same with tegger. Is that British slang, or am I just completely out of it?
Moshers = those that mosh. Led to the time-honoured abusive chant "Mosh, mosh, get a wash!" These days, they're your vaguely "alternative" kids. In my day, there weren't so many of us, and not many sub-denominations were needed. Way back when, the outfit was huge trousers and a band hoodie or t-shirt, and an oversized keychain. Makeup on men, silly piercings, and dodgy illicit substance habits optional. Stupid dyed hairstyles were pretty much mandatory. Precursors to the emo kids, if you like, except we didn't generally slit our wrists.
Teggers = local word for townies. These days usually known as chavs, although a couple of years back they were all called scallies.
but a friend told me it meant "people who are in the mosh pit at concerts". Not knowing - or particularly wanting to know - what a mosh pit was, I just nodded and left it at that. But point taken.
Last time I was in a mosh pit, I took a steel-toe-capped boot to the head. Not an experience to be repeated, though thankfully I was off my tits at the time and didn't really notice.
My guess is that it's old slang that's fallen out of use.
Or at least, it was when I left. It's not used often, but if 13-18 year olds know what it means, it's hardly dead.
Your first paragraph, I mean. No secret mission needed until Voldemort's back, after all.
Werewolf = man who becomes wolf. What they gave us was bizarre man/wolf hybrid. Annoyed the hell out of me. And the mating call was totally unnecessary - Sirius is a big dog, he's meant to be able to just about handle the werewolf himself, and distracts it from the kids.
You make a convincing point. Also, it's been a while since I actually read the books. {= P
But if that HAD happened in PoA, it would have really annoyed me there, too. {= P
~Neshomeh
Mweeeee, werewolves should be furreeeeee... not slimy... *wails*