Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Today at the box office:
“Hello”
“Hello, what can I help you with?”
“A ticket for Pirates please.”
“Pirates no longer runs in our cinema.”
“What? You got to be joking.”
“I am not.”
“You can’t just take Pirates off the program, I wasn’t finished with it.”
“Aha, well …”
“You got 10 screens in this cinema, surely it must be possible to show Pirates on one of th…”
“Listen, Pirates – gone. It’s Harry Potter now.”
“Tssk. A silly boy on a broom stick.”
“Yes. David Yates directed”.
“Ah, oh!”
“And the soundtrack …”
“Don’t tell me. Nicolas Hooper?”
“You got it. And lots and lots and lots of British actors in it. They are all there.”
“No they are not”.
“What – have you seen how many British acto…”
“They are not all there. One is missing.”
“Well just cross your fingers for him, you never know ..”
“I see, I need to have a talk with David Yates.”
“So what’s it gonna be?”
“Oh go on then, give me a ticket for that silly wizard film.”
And I so saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. And there are lots and lots and lots of British actors in it. Michael Gambon was great, Imelda Staunton was fantastic and Alan Rickman was a voicilicious delight, and I think that Rupert Grint is by far the best actor of the three magic kids. He already proved that in Driving Lessons. There’s also Ralph Fiennes, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane, Julie Waters, Emma Thompson and Helena Bonham Carter, just to mention a few.
The story, well I admit that I got stuck in book number 5, I never got through it. Maybe that was the writing on the wall because I felt that the story in this film wasn’t really going anywhere either. It is considerably darker than the previous ones. And it’s clear that the film is much more character (read: all the focus is on Harry) oriented, and what the rest was about, I couldn’t really tell you. It was also less spectacular in the special effect department, but there are some fantastic scenes in it. So I don’t really know, I give it a 7.5/10.
Just shortly back to David Yates: he directed The Girl in the Cafe (and is therefor my hero for ever), State of Play (and ever) and The Young Visiters (and ever. This is a must see if you ask me, both Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent and Bill Nighy are all fantastic and funny).
Here’s a clip of an interview with David Yates:
You worked with Bill Nighy in “Girl in the Café.” Don’t you think he’d make a great addition to the Potter films?
Oh man, I’m already there. The only problem is, we’re looking at the next adaptation and Rufus Scrimgeour, who takes over the Ministry of Magic from Fudge, we’re not sure if he’s going to be in the finished screenplay yet. We’re struggling with it at the moment, and he’s in one moment and he’s out the next. But if he stays in, I’m going to be on the phone quick as a shot to Bill and say, “Bill, come on, you’ve got to do this, man.”
And to David Yates I want to say: “David, come on, you’ve got to do this, man!”
I saw this film last night with my parents (which is, well, interesting at my age). While I only made it halfway through the second book, my mother (who does not and will not, regardless of how many books I buy for her, read) drags me to each of the Potter films when they come out. I have to say, in contrast to many others’ opinions, I’ve enjoyed this Potter the most out of all of them.
Alan Rickman makes my spine tingle, especially as Professor Snape. Good grief.
Got to disagree with you there, Ingrid. This film, in my opinion, was a masterpiece…and to think! Bill might be in the next one! I sure hope they put him in as Scrimgeour, I’ve been sold on the idea ever since it was first rumoured.
I’m not sure what you mean by the special effects. They reflected almost perfectly what happens in the book…but no, they definitely don’t hold a torch to the work done for Bill on PIRATES (of course, I know it was post-production CGI, but obviously it was Oscar-winning and deservedly so). Still, I think it’s unfair to judge HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX at all harshly if you haven’t read the book, to which–despite some drastic story cuts–it remained very faithful.
I really hope Bill gets in the next one. I can’t understand how they could cut Rufus Scrimgeour, though…he’s fairly important!!!
I also saw the film yesterday, and my youngest son gave it 1,000,000/100, high praise indeed; Pirates was the only other film he has seen this year that got near this type of mark. For me it was the first Harry Potter film that held my attention throughout, very immersive and involving. I agree Michael Gambon and Imelda Staunton were just wonderful in their roles, but also I thought Gary Oldman brought a real poignancy to the character of Sirius Black. I am certainly looking forward to the Half-Blood Prince.
I’m off to see it tonight. I agree that Bill would make a super addition to the cast (Nighy & Rickman” *sigh*)
First of all I loved, loved, loved all previous HP films. And look forward to the next one too.
@Jaci – I don’t know with this film, it just didn’t really catch my attention too well.
@Ella: I don’t compare the special effects HP to POTC, nor do I compare the 2 films at all, they are 2 completely different films. I just feel there was more action in the previous HP films.
Also – I do think you can judge a film, also harshly, even though I don’t think I was that harsh (7.5 out of 10!) if you haven’t read the book. A good film (script) should stand for itself, also when you watch it without having read the book. If not – bad script!
@Winter solstice- I might have to see it again, as everybody seems to disagree with me on this one. But on the other hand – film taste is a personal thing. I look forward to the Half-Blood Prince too, I might even pickup reading the books. How old is your son? I found the film quite dark for very young children at some points. But maybe children can handle more than I think.
@Grigorisgirl – you are going to love Snape, he is absolutely brilliant. Men in black are cool, and That Voice …
I guess on many occasions people take a piss out of Harry Potty.
Easy mark, but some are funny like this 17 minute spoof on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ0jvrRJ0Z8
Belonging to the non-British, non UK resident subset of the world population it brought to my attention the work, life and times of Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. Ronny Corbett is well known to me, but not as a miniature Hagrid.
Ingrid, I second Pedro, go make that Cafe movie and have it circulate on DVD amongst us, we will spread the word.
I am currently talking to someone about a possible collaboration to make a documentary, but – nothing is sure yet. I’ll update as soon as it is of course.
My son is 10 going on 11, and also enjoyed the Lord of the Rings films which had some dark themes. You can never really tell though, as he found some of the “monsters” in Dr Who quite scary. I do agree with you that a film script should stand on it’s own, even if it is based on a book. I recently read “Don’t Move” by Margaret Mazzantini, and then watched the film (on DVD) based on the book. While of course characters and story and many of the themes were recognisable from the book, the film brought it’s own story telling and perspective, and new insights; it could stand on its own as a good film.
I should have been more clear–no, I know you did not compare the effects in HP to those in PIRATES, that was MY comparison. I was (ineffectively, it seems) trying to defend the effects by making a comparison.
Because I can’t understand how you could form your opinion does not mean that I challenge it. We simply differ.
Having said that, we are DEFINITELY on the same page about seeing Bill being cast in subsequent Harry Potter films. It’s a gross misjudgement of the casting people to have shunted him thus far.
And so another day passes without viewing POTC III for The Girl in the Cafe…
Hi Ingrid, here they still have POTC on screen in all the same theaters as in the very first day – care to drop by? ;)
@Pedro : yes, you are the only one who understands me.
@Jill: Don’t tempt me … Do they dub it in Portoguese or is it with English subtitles?
Both options are available – just send me a line saying when your plane arrives ;)
Sorry, my brain is still not working this morning – there are two versions available, but it’s a “normal” one and a digital one. Both with subtitles. (They only dub children’s films and even in that case there’s normally at least one session with the original sound and subtitles)
Was that Porto or Lisboa? :-)
This is too ridiculous for words, so i might actually do it.
Hahahahahhh!! I’m talking about where I live, which is smaller than those two -just a second, I’ll check the cinemas online. Yup, still in both Lisboa and Porto too…!