Deathly Hollow
I saw the latest Harry Potter movie last night (opening day) and was highly entertained, although, thinking about it later, somewhat disappointed. If I don’t read the books in the months before I go, I can enjoy the movies generally, especially this one.
But if I do remember anything about the books while watching the films, I’m disappointed. That’s always how it is with books vs. movies, of course. With HP it’s especially tricky, I think, because of the way the books just build up your emotional investment. They’re so thick, and so many things happen, and each one has an effect on you . . . and by the end you’re turning pages as quickly as you can, laughing or crying or both. Because the movies have to leave so much out, you don’t get the investment, and the payoff can feel really disappointing.
Book 5 was a good example of that – I love HP and the Order of the Phoenix as a book. So much fun stuff, and the characters you love to hate: Rita Skeeter and the most odious of all HP villains, one Delores Umbridge. By the time Fred and George rebel completely and take off, you can completely understand why, because you would do the same thing; you feel their triumph, you feel that they struck a blow for freedom! But in the movie, so much is eliminated that by the time F&G do their thing, you can’t really muster a whole lot of excitement. Yes, they’re rebelling, but the feeling of triumph and comeuppance isn’t there.
And this kind of thing happens over and over in each movie (not to mention some rather lame choices that undermine the characters. Snape’s memories? Hello?). I suppose that’s what glances between characters and lighting and music are for – to help create the feelings that you can’t get otherwise.
But it still feels hollow to me.
But if I do remember anything about the books while watching the films, I’m disappointed. That’s always how it is with books vs. movies, of course. With HP it’s especially tricky, I think, because of the way the books just build up your emotional investment. They’re so thick, and so many things happen, and each one has an effect on you . . . and by the end you’re turning pages as quickly as you can, laughing or crying or both. Because the movies have to leave so much out, you don’t get the investment, and the payoff can feel really disappointing.
Book 5 was a good example of that – I love HP and the Order of the Phoenix as a book. So much fun stuff, and the characters you love to hate: Rita Skeeter and the most odious of all HP villains, one Delores Umbridge. By the time Fred and George rebel completely and take off, you can completely understand why, because you would do the same thing; you feel their triumph, you feel that they struck a blow for freedom! But in the movie, so much is eliminated that by the time F&G do their thing, you can’t really muster a whole lot of excitement. Yes, they’re rebelling, but the feeling of triumph and comeuppance isn’t there.
And this kind of thing happens over and over in each movie (not to mention some rather lame choices that undermine the characters. Snape’s memories? Hello?). I suppose that’s what glances between characters and lighting and music are for – to help create the feelings that you can’t get otherwise.
But it still feels hollow to me.
Labels: I like books, Movie Mania
posted by Melanie at 4:01 PM
