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dweomeroflightI've always had a strange relationship with Harry Potter: the books. I always felt that J K Rowling sold out in book six and seven and the pace got very uneven. That's not to say I didn't appreciate the world she created and the characters I came to love and the way that part of my childhood is caught up in each books pages. But having said that, this is the reason I went to DH:p1 with so much trepidation as I didn't like Book 7 all that much. I was pleasantly surprised when I found it to be the strongest movie that had been released so far. I also was given an extra treat in that I thought Bellatrix Lestrange truly elevated herself above EVERYONE and really, really encapsulated the essence of evil. It was an astonishing performance from Helena and I think it is now impossible to seperate her from the character. I really feel that Helena brought a lot to the role of Bellatrix, she was born to play the part.
Actual film under cut link for part two:
In this film however, and even though I hung onto every single Helena scene like there was no tomorrow because she is my favourite actress and always will be, it was definitely Alan Rickman's show. Again, I've always liked Alan in the part as Snape- another actor born to play the role but finally, the waiting for the reveal paid off in the most heartbreaking and beautiful of ways and I found my heart ripped out of my chest. I felt Snape's pain over Lily. I really did. I know that the awards never take Harry Potter seriously, but I actually felt that Alan's performance was near award worthy.
Other stand outs were Maggie Smith (I'd been missing her a lot), Neville and Luna. I like Neville and Luna as a couple so that scene addition really didn't bother me. Helena was as skin crawly as ever, particularly when Neville limped forward towards Voldemort and Bella mocked him cruelly and Helena's convincing turn as Hermione playing at being Bella. But it wasn't Helena who really took the scare cake this time round. Finally, finally after seven movies of me thinking poor Ralph Fiennes was just never going to get there (no slight to the actor intended. I am well aware of his considerable acting ability but I felt that a lot of the time Fiennes was too restrained for the part and got overshadowed by other actors like Jason Isaacs and particularly Helena)I was actually afraid of Voldemort more so than Bellatrix. The way his voice echoed around, the mannerisms Ralph adopted, the pain he felt each time a horcrux went down and finally the palpable fear when he realised time was running out; I was sold.
I thought Daniel Radcliffe played Harry strongly in this film as Hermione and Ron took a bit of a back seat. I found his performance to be quite nuanced and cried in the scene where he speaks to the dead for one last time. The theme is a good one. The dead are never truly gone, they exist forever as a part of us, in our hearts, as Lupin and Sirius reminded us. In the resurrection scene I was reminded of Ambrosia in one of my favourite childhood films Merlin who said to a young Merlin, "magic has no power over the human heart." Voldemort had no power over the heart and that was shown very strongly in this film, especially with Neville and The Malfoy's. I was struck by Voldemort's question to Lucius of "how can you live with yourself?" and Lucius has no answers. I liked Draco's obvious confusion and the reluctance with which he had to make a choice between the side of good and his own family (and ask yourself honestly, which side would you choose in that circumstance?). I liked Narcissa as played by Helen McCory (despite the still crap wig which I can never get used to) and her love for her son (ruled by the heart) triumphing over her fear of Voldemort as she lies to save Harry and how in the end The Malfoy's simply walk out of the story, a moral grey area enigma to the last. Dumbledore's small part in King's Cross with "Help is always given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it," particularly stuck in my head as a great dramatic lynchpin, held together by the movie's focus on the destruction of Hogwarts. It kind of served as a personal metaphor for me too. Hogwart's is finished with, but as J K Rowling said in a very emotional speech at the premiere "Hogwarts will always be waiting for those who want to come back to it."
I think the last two films have been the strongest because the art direction really picked up (very Burtonish I noticed), the storytelling cut straight to the heart of the books even if that meant adding in or taking away scenes from the source material and finally, the atmostphere and the drama was exactly right. Deathly Hallows Part One and Two succeeded in a way the previous Potter's haven't done. They convinced me that these were movies in their own right with strong themes and performances that had real lasting dramatic resonance.
Actual film under cut link for part two:
In this film however, and even though I hung onto every single Helena scene like there was no tomorrow because she is my favourite actress and always will be, it was definitely Alan Rickman's show. Again, I've always liked Alan in the part as Snape- another actor born to play the role but finally, the waiting for the reveal paid off in the most heartbreaking and beautiful of ways and I found my heart ripped out of my chest. I felt Snape's pain over Lily. I really did. I know that the awards never take Harry Potter seriously, but I actually felt that Alan's performance was near award worthy.
Other stand outs were Maggie Smith (I'd been missing her a lot), Neville and Luna. I like Neville and Luna as a couple so that scene addition really didn't bother me. Helena was as skin crawly as ever, particularly when Neville limped forward towards Voldemort and Bella mocked him cruelly and Helena's convincing turn as Hermione playing at being Bella. But it wasn't Helena who really took the scare cake this time round. Finally, finally after seven movies of me thinking poor Ralph Fiennes was just never going to get there (no slight to the actor intended. I am well aware of his considerable acting ability but I felt that a lot of the time Fiennes was too restrained for the part and got overshadowed by other actors like Jason Isaacs and particularly Helena)I was actually afraid of Voldemort more so than Bellatrix. The way his voice echoed around, the mannerisms Ralph adopted, the pain he felt each time a horcrux went down and finally the palpable fear when he realised time was running out; I was sold.
I thought Daniel Radcliffe played Harry strongly in this film as Hermione and Ron took a bit of a back seat. I found his performance to be quite nuanced and cried in the scene where he speaks to the dead for one last time. The theme is a good one. The dead are never truly gone, they exist forever as a part of us, in our hearts, as Lupin and Sirius reminded us. In the resurrection scene I was reminded of Ambrosia in one of my favourite childhood films Merlin who said to a young Merlin, "magic has no power over the human heart." Voldemort had no power over the heart and that was shown very strongly in this film, especially with Neville and The Malfoy's. I was struck by Voldemort's question to Lucius of "how can you live with yourself?" and Lucius has no answers. I liked Draco's obvious confusion and the reluctance with which he had to make a choice between the side of good and his own family (and ask yourself honestly, which side would you choose in that circumstance?). I liked Narcissa as played by Helen McCory (despite the still crap wig which I can never get used to) and her love for her son (ruled by the heart) triumphing over her fear of Voldemort as she lies to save Harry and how in the end The Malfoy's simply walk out of the story, a moral grey area enigma to the last. Dumbledore's small part in King's Cross with "Help is always given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it," particularly stuck in my head as a great dramatic lynchpin, held together by the movie's focus on the destruction of Hogwarts. It kind of served as a personal metaphor for me too. Hogwart's is finished with, but as J K Rowling said in a very emotional speech at the premiere "Hogwarts will always be waiting for those who want to come back to it."
I think the last two films have been the strongest because the art direction really picked up (very Burtonish I noticed), the storytelling cut straight to the heart of the books even if that meant adding in or taking away scenes from the source material and finally, the atmostphere and the drama was exactly right. Deathly Hallows Part One and Two succeeded in a way the previous Potter's haven't done. They convinced me that these were movies in their own right with strong themes and performances that had real lasting dramatic resonance.
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Date: 2011-07-17 10:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-17 10:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-17 11:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-17 12:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-17 12:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-17 03:14 pm (UTC)Alan's performance was near award worthy
Near? Just "near"? Seriously? :D
Maggie Smith and Alan Rickman broke my heart. And I loved HBC in the Hermione/Bellatrix scene.
Love your new icons btw ;)
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Date: 2011-07-17 03:18 pm (UTC)Haha ok it IS award worthy damn it. His whole performance in every movie as Snape has been pitch perfect from the start (cough as is Helena). Loved Maggie :P
In other news: I'm trying to figure out how to copy images from a magazine article to post to the
How are your Spooks fics going?
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Date: 2011-07-17 03:43 pm (UTC)Well, I posted a new 'Countdown' chapter last night. I can't wait to finish it, I want to go back to my Ros/Lucas fics and the Ruth/Lucas one. I've got so many fic ideas, and I know I won't have the time to write it all. It's driving me mad!
Have you been writing again?
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Date: 2011-07-17 03:47 pm (UTC)I am planning on writing my second s9 alternative fic tonight but I am halfway through rewatching 9.1. I can't remember stuff :P I'll read and review your fics tonight too if I can :)
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Date: 2011-07-17 04:26 pm (UTC)I'll be looking forward to read that, especially as you've been such a tease and now I wonder which characters the next fics will be about. ;)
I'll read and review your fics tonight too if I can :)
That would be lovely of you, but don't feel obliged. :)
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Date: 2011-07-17 04:34 pm (UTC)YOU'LL HAVE TO WAIT TO FIND OUT MWHAHAHAHA.
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Date: 2011-07-17 04:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-17 04:50 pm (UTC)Oh Severus *sniffles* even if I'm not a fan of L/S his performance was amazing. God, I still can't get over the fact that HBC was not the orginal choice for Bellatrix - GARH! I'm so glad that Helen got pregnant and couldn't do it! But she was a good Narcissa in the end (HBP she was a bit eh). But since they are my favourite female characters <3 flawless.
Neville was shining and yeah you've read my thoughts :P
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Date: 2011-07-17 05:28 pm (UTC)I didn't mind Lily/Severus mainly because by that point I thought James was a right bastard but I never was quite sure why Lily dumped Snape for James if he was kind to her to begin with.
HELENA WAS BORN TO PLAY BELLA. THE WORLD KNOWS IT.
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Date: 2011-07-17 05:30 pm (UTC)I hate James but I just didn't like L/S.
SHE WAS!
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Date: 2011-07-17 09:25 pm (UTC)I really enjoyed the first half of Deathly Hallows and excited about the second half. Can't believe it is over.
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Date: 2011-07-17 10:31 pm (UTC)If you liked the first half you will LOVE the second :)
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Date: 2011-07-17 11:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-18 10:02 am (UTC)But Even though Snape's Tale and The Resurrection Stone and Poor Freddie *WAAAAAAH!!! FREDDIE!!!!* totally made me cry I still feel very "meh" about the movie.
Everyone keeps talking about it being hte end of of an era, and it's so sad and and all I can keep thinking is: "And this is a surprise to you lot? I was more sad and upset when the books ended (a lot because I kept going, Really? That crap epilogue is how this is going to end? REALLY?) than for this movie.
Maybe I just need to see it again.
I LOVED the bit with Draco though and being torn between staying and going. I really felt that when Daddy Malfoy was like "Come bitch" he was all set to stay. But when Mummy Malfoy asked you could see his resolve waver. Because even though he wants to be like his father, i think pretty much 98% of the love in his heart is for his mother and he'd do anything for her. *BTW: It made me SO mad that in HBP they left out the bit about how Draco was doing the KILL DUMBLYDORE thing cause Moldy Voldy had threatened to kill Mummy. I think that said a LOT about his character*
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Date: 2011-07-18 03:06 pm (UTC)I thought that both parts of Deathly Hallows were vastly superior to the book (yes even with the lame epilogue which was lame in the book and lame in the movie). There were of course things that bugged me about the film, but overall I really enjoyed it and it was sad because it was saying goodbye to an era. I remember watching the first movie when I was eleven! I am now 21!
I've always liked Tom Felton as Malfoy. I really thought he added to Malfoy and made him far more relateable. In HBP his fear and his guilt and his overall respect for Dumbledore is done very well imo. But yeah, I wish they had given Helen McCory more to do.
THE SNAPE PART WAS SO AMAZING.
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Date: 2011-07-22 01:39 pm (UTC)I'm pretty sure this book is the reason I haven't been camping in years. Because I used to LOVE camping.
Definitely agree that the movies were vastly superior to the book (the epilogue was even slightly digestible. Though I kept wanting to rip Ginny's horrible wig off her head.) Hahah, maybe it's just not as sad for me cause I started reading the books (back when there were only 3) when I was 12 so the movies didn't come out until I was 15. *grins at the memory of lording it over her State-side friends when she got to see Chamber in Ireland a whole week before it came out in the States.*
Tom Felton really made me love Draco all the much more than I already did. *granted I already thought he was adorable from my obsession with Anna and the King* IMO his performance in HBP completely validates my stance that Draco comes off as a total wanker because we see him only through Harry's eyes and Harry hates his Slytherin guts.
SNAPE PART WAS THE BESTEST!!!! HIS DEATH AND FREDIES WERE THE ONLY ONES THAT MADE ME CRY!!! *though to be honest I was a little mad we didn't actually get to see Freddie die. Not least of which because I want to be able to bitch about "Rocks fall and Fred Weasley dies??? WHAT IS THIS SHIT?!?!?!?!?"*