Okay, so I missed quite a bit, loll. Here's my two cents on it overall:
Saying that there needs to be witnesses or it's just taking Harry's word is a petty argument; there are people behind there. Now, if you want talk about a large crowd being apart of it, then you have something to debate. I think the crowd isn't necessary, it's a heat of the moment sort of moment. Voldemort and Harry aren't going to wait for a crowd to walk out and circle them while they get up and circle each other. Voldemort wants to kill Harry right there, why the fuck should he wait?
Now, please take this seriously and don't say: 'how can I pretend the book doesn't exist?' because it's a question I really want to see how you're going to answer. Take the book out. Take it out completely. Pretend there never was any circling, Harry never explained everything to Voldemort, there was no massive crowd, and that Harry and Voldemort did fight each other longer and ended up in the courtyard and not the great hall. The book never existed: it's only the film. Not comparing anything to the book, what's wrong with it?
You say there are people there, but look at that picture up there and tell me if that's something hardly anyone is going to see. I know they would believe Harry, but it just means more to me if other people are there to witness it and support Harry. No, of course they're not going to wait if no one is around, but that's the beauty of storytelling: you get to create people already being there or have them immediately come running out of the Great Hall to see what's going on.
What's wrong with it other than it's different than the book? In a story, part of the pleasure of it is seeing the hero be celebrated, and no one had anything to say to say to Harry afterward. They just let him keep walking by, all alone. I'm sorry, but that was just depressing. The Hagrid hug was lovely, but c'mon. If there had been a crowd there, Hermione and Ron could have come up to him in tears to hug him. I know there are some who refuse to get the picture of the end of Cos out of their heads, but that is NOT what I'm talking about. That's fine if the film works better for you as it is, but for me that would have meant so much more.
Okay, so I missed quite a bit, loll. Here's my two cents on it overall:
Saying that there needs to be witnesses or it's just taking Harry's word is a petty argument; there are people behind there. Now, if you want talk about a large crowd being apart of it, then you have something to debate. I think the crowd isn't necessary, it's a heat of the moment sort of moment. Voldemort and Harry aren't going to wait for a crowd to walk out and circle them while they get up and circle each other. Voldemort wants to kill Harry right there, why the fuck should he wait?
Now, please take this seriously and don't say: 'how can I pretend the book doesn't exist?' because it's a question I really want to see how you're going to answer. Take the book out. Take it out completely. Pretend there never was any circling, Harry never explained everything to Voldemort, there was no massive crowd, and that Harry and Voldemort did fight each other longer and ended up in the courtyard and not the great hall. The book never existed: it's only the film. Not comparing anything to the book, what's wrong with it?
You say there are people there, but look at that picture up there and tell me if that's something hardly anyone is going to see. I know they would believe Harry, but it just means more to me if other people are there to witness it and support Harry. No, of course they're not going to wait if no one is around, but that's the beauty of storytelling: you get to create people already being there or have them immediately come running out of the Great Hall to see what's going on.
What's wrong with it other than it's different than the book? In a story, part of the pleasure of it is seeing the hero be celebrated, and no one had anything to say to say to Harry afterward. They just let him keep walking by, all alone. I'm sorry, but that was just depressing. The Hagrid hug was lovely, but c'mon. If there had been a crowd there, Hermione and Ron could have come up to him in tears to hug him. I know there are some who refuse to get the picture of the end of Cos out of their heads, but that is NOT what I'm talking about. That's fine if the film works better for you as it is, but for me that would have meant so much more.
Not with Darth's picture, when the Elder Wand is flying. In the long shot when the Elder Wand is in the air, there's people clearly in the background.
Okay. I'm really sort of aiming at the cliff jump and Harry vs Voldemort, not so much on the aftermath. I actually agree with you on the aftermath, in that long dh2 breakdown of mine, the two things I don't like about the film are: Molly and bellatrix not having more and being in the wrong spot where there could have been a sweeping battle shot, and no aftermath with Harry. If that cut after the sunrise was to Harry being hugged by people and not Neville and Luna, I'd forgive it all.
Yeah, I am okay with the cliff jump. I just think dialogue needed to be added to that scene in the courtyard. You don't think the dialogue is needed, and I think that's really about all we disagree on. The rest I'm totally in agreement on...and I will sit down and read your whole review!
Hmmm...that's an interesting picture you put in my mind. Voldemort's ashes floating up slowly in the sunrise, then cut to Ron and Hermione (with others around) coming to hug Harry in slow motion, along with that Lily's theme music.... Hmmmm. And yeah, that Neville and Luna moment was AWKWARD, LOL!
Yeah, I am okay with the cliff jump. I just think dialogue needed to be added to that scene in the courtyard. You don't think the dialogue is needed, and I think that's really about all we disagree on. The rest I'm totally in agreement on...and I will sit down and read your whole review!
Hmmm...that's an interesting picture you put in my mind. Voldemort's ashes floating up slowly in the sunrise, then cut to Ron and Hermione (with others around) coming to hug Harry in slow motion, along with that Lily's theme music.... Hmmmm. And yeah, that Neville and Luna moment was AWKWARD, LOL!
It was, but omg, it was so cute! This was legit the first time I could HEAR people crying insanely, going awhhhhh like they were shouting through a megaphone, and cheering like their favorite sports team won their 10th straight championship.
Yeah, I am okay with the cliff jump. I just think dialogue needed to be added to that scene in the courtyard. You don't think the dialogue is needed, and I think that's really about all we disagree on. The rest I'm totally in agreement on...and I will sit down and read your whole review!
Hmmm...that's an interesting picture you put in my mind. Voldemort's ashes floating up slowly in the sunrise, then cut to Ron and Hermione (with others around) coming to hug Harry in slow motion, along with that Lily's theme music.... Hmmmm. And yeah, that Neville and Luna moment was AWKWARD, LOL!
It was, but omg, it was so cute! This was legit the first time I could HEAR people crying insanely, going awhhhhh like they were shouting through a megaphone, and cheering like their favorite sports team won their 10th straight championship.
Kinda, but here is my "vision"; have some fight erupt before Harry reveals himself to be alive. The audience should not be aware that he is actually alive at this point. He is just laying on the ground, lifeless. Have Voldemort go after Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Neville who are fighting alongside. Then zoom out of Harry's eyes who opens up as Voldemort's spell barely misses one of them. Have him step in with a powerful protection bubble that leaves the courtyard in dust and sillence and have him come out of it and approach him and tell him that he has killed for the last time or something. I am unsure about what dialogue I would have wanted, but the idea is that Voldemort is throwing spells at Harry, who blocks them and humiliates Voldemort with words, making him progressively angrier. That's his weapon. Remember Dumbledore's line at King's Cross about words being the most powerful of magic? Well, here I'd like to demonstrate that words also win over violence in the end. All right, so now there are people fighting all over Hogwarts, but the people in the courtyard gather behind Harry as he asks Tom to try for some remorse. Then they cast their spells, they collide in an explosion of lights, the red light of the dawn blinds their eyes for a moment and, as they can see clearly again, the green spell hits Voldemort in the chest and he falls to the ground, dead and left alone as the pathetic human being he was. Silence for a moment. People cheer.
Kinda, but here is my "vision"; have some fight erupt before Harry reveals himself to be alive. The audience should not be aware that he is actually alive at this point. He is just laying on the ground, lifeless. Have Voldemort go after Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Neville who are fighting alongside. Then zoom out of Harry's eyes who opens up as Voldemort's spell barely misses one of them. Have him step in with a powerful protection bubble that leaves the courtyard in dust and sillence and have him come out of it and approach him and tell him that he has killed for the last time or something. I am unsure about what dialogue I would have wanted, but the idea is that Voldemort is throwing spells at Harry, who ducks and blocks them, and furiates and humiliaties Voldemort with words. That's his weapon. Remember Dumbledore's line at King's Cross about words being the most powerful of magic? Well, here I'd like to demonstrate that words also win over violence in the end. All right, so now there are people fighting all over Hogwarts, but the people in the courtyard gather behind Harry as he asks Tom to try for some remorse. Then they cast their spells, they collide in an explosion of lights, the red lights of the dawn blind their eyes and finally the spill hits Voldemort in the chest. He is laying on the ground, dead, alone and as the pathetic human being he was. Silence for a moment. People cheer.
What do you think?
No dialogue about who owns the Elder Wand, take out cheering, and I'd be very interested to see how that could executed by Yates and co.
I mean honestly I think just about anything would have been cool, which is why I don't really wish to dabble in, like I said, might have's and what if's. Pretty much everything ever made, even if it's great, "could have" been better. Creativity has no bounds. Could someone else have made a great film too? Probably. Could someone else have did a better job than Yates? I don't know, maybe and maybe not. I'd have to see what they did with it. What someone else would have did with Deathly Hallows doesn't exist, so that's something that no one could possibly predict.
Even if Cuaron or Spielberg or hell, Stanley Kubrick directed Deathly Hallows, they would have did their own thing and it could have been better than Yates' version. Likewise, some unknown director could have come along and made something spiffy. One just never knows until the material is there. Someone could have written Deathly Hallows better than J.K. Rowling for all I know. What I do know is that I was happy with what she did and I'm happy with what Yates did.
For me it's about being satisfied, not wound up knee-deep speculation of what it could have been because that's not very productive. I like to look what what they actually do, and go from there. If I can find faults, whatever. If I can find greatness, that's... great. I found plenty of greatness in Yates' film and that's where I draw the line. I could sit around and think of ways that it could have been better, but it's not going to change anything. I could sit around and wonder if another director would have made something way better-- because that's just something I do not know, nor could know, unless someone actually tried it.
Kinda, but here is my "vision"; have some fight erupt before Harry reveals himself to be alive. The audience should not be aware that he is actually alive at this point. He is just laying on the ground, lifeless. Have Voldemort go after Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Neville who are fighting alongside. Then zoom out of Harry's eyes who opens up as Voldemort's spell barely misses one of them. Have him step in with a powerful protection bubble that leaves the courtyard in dust and sillence and have him come out of it and approach him and tell him that he has killed for the last time or something. I am unsure about what dialogue I would have wanted, but the idea is that Voldemort is throwing spells at Harry, who ducks and blocks them, and furiates and humiliaties Voldemort with words. That's his weapon. Remember Dumbledore's line at King's Cross about words being the most powerful of magic? Well, here I'd like to demonstrate that words also win over violence in the end. All right, so now there are people fighting all over Hogwarts, but the people in the courtyard gather behind Harry as he asks Tom to try for some remorse. Then they cast their spells, they collide in an explosion of lights, the red lights of the dawn blind their eyes and finally the spill hits Voldemort in the chest. He is laying on the ground, dead, alone and as the pathetic human being he was. Silence for a moment. People cheer.
What do you think?
No dialogue about who owns the Elder Wand, take out cheering, and I'd be very interested to see how that could executed by Yates and co.
I said that I was unsure about the dialogue, but you get the general idea of how I would have directed it if I had the chance. I am not saying it would be better or anything because I am not a director (yet ), but I would have liked it more that way.
Kinda, but here is my "vision"; have some fight erupt before Harry reveals himself to be alive. The audience should not be aware that he is actually alive at this point. He is just laying on the ground, lifeless. Have Voldemort go after Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Neville who are fighting alongside. Then zoom out of Harry's eyes who opens up as Voldemort's spell barely misses one of them. Have him step in with a powerful protection bubble that leaves the courtyard in dust and sillence and have him come out of it and approach him and tell him that he has killed for the last time or something. I am unsure about what dialogue I would have wanted, but the idea is that Voldemort is throwing spells at Harry, who ducks and blocks them, and furiates and humiliaties Voldemort with words. That's his weapon. Remember Dumbledore's line at King's Cross about words being the most powerful of magic? Well, here I'd like to demonstrate that words also win over violence in the end. All right, so now there are people fighting all over Hogwarts, but the people in the courtyard gather behind Harry as he asks Tom to try for some remorse. Then they cast their spells, they collide in an explosion of lights, the red lights of the dawn blind their eyes and finally the spill hits Voldemort in the chest. He is laying on the ground, dead, alone and as the pathetic human being he was. Silence for a moment. People cheer.
What do you think?
No dialogue about who owns the Elder Wand, take out cheering, and I'd be very interested to see how that could executed by Yates and co.
I said that I was unsure about the dialogue, but you get the general idea of how I would have directed it if I had the chance.
As Darth said above, you could say almost anything that can sound cool. What matters is what we got, and I think we got something very special.
I know that this isn't "enough" for some of you, but you can see Neville watching from the GH entrance, Ron and Hermione should be there somewhere after the Nagini attack, and the entrance is clearly wide open so that everyone inside probably saw it go down. It's enough for me but if it isn't enough for you, that's just a personal quip you're going to have to deal with.
But yes, clearly, to me, the space is wide open so I think everyone witnessed it. I DO think that there should have been a shot in the Great Hall of people seeing it after it happens or right before the curse rebounds, but like I said, I have my own nitpicks. It's a nitpick though, not a complaint. I would have liked to see that, but it doesn't ruin the moment for me personally.
I already knew this. But still, it isn't enough... then we move on to the very short and abrupt aftermath.
Do you think Voldemort and Harry apparated when their faces merged? I just watched the escape from the ministry and I noticed that it was the same effect. Take a look:
Comments
What's wrong with it other than it's different than the book? In a story, part of the pleasure of it is seeing the hero be celebrated, and no one had anything to say to say to Harry afterward. They just let him keep walking by, all alone. I'm sorry, but that was just depressing. The Hagrid hug was lovely, but c'mon. If there had been a crowd there, Hermione and Ron could have come up to him in tears to hug him. I know there are some who refuse to get the picture of the end of Cos out of their heads, but that is NOT what I'm talking about. That's fine if the film works better for you as it is, but for me that would have meant so much more.
Okay. I'm really sort of aiming at the cliff jump and Harry vs Voldemort, not so much on the aftermath. I actually agree with you on the aftermath, in that long dh2 breakdown of mine, the two things I don't like about the film are: Molly and bellatrix not having more and being in the wrong spot where there could have been a sweeping battle shot, and no aftermath with Harry. If that cut after the sunrise was to Harry being hugged by people and not Neville and Luna, I'd forgive it all.
Hmmm...that's an interesting picture you put in my mind. Voldemort's ashes floating up slowly in the sunrise, then cut to Ron and Hermione (with others around) coming to hug Harry in slow motion, along with that Lily's theme music.... Hmmmm. And yeah, that Neville and Luna moment was AWKWARD, LOL!
What do you think?
Even if Cuaron or Spielberg or hell, Stanley Kubrick directed Deathly Hallows, they would have did their own thing and it could have been better than Yates' version. Likewise, some unknown director could have come along and made something spiffy. One just never knows until the material is there. Someone could have written Deathly Hallows better than J.K. Rowling for all I know. What I do know is that I was happy with what she did and I'm happy with what Yates did.
For me it's about being satisfied, not wound up knee-deep speculation of what it could have been because that's not very productive. I like to look what what they actually do, and go from there. If I can find faults, whatever. If I can find greatness, that's... great. I found plenty of greatness in Yates' film and that's where I draw the line. I could sit around and think of ways that it could have been better, but it's not going to change anything. I could sit around and wonder if another director would have made something way better-- because that's just something I do not know, nor could know, unless someone actually tried it.
Lord Stafford.
Lord Stafford.