Another critical scene and one of the most memorable chapters in any of the 7 books: "The Only One He Ever Feared," is the chapter in Order of the Phoenix that describes the fight between Voldemort and Dumbledore in the Ministry. Ok, I personally found Book 5 to be a bit slower of a read than the rest of the books and it was very long, but for me, this chapter made the entire book worth reading. You basically wait 5 books for this. The greatest Dark Wizard of all time vs. the greatest Wizard of all time. Imagine how many galleons people would have thrown down on this fight if they'd had the chance. Not only does Dumbledore enchant some statues to prance around and take spells like champions to defend Harry as well as accost Bellatrix (not in the movie), this is one of the only times where the reader feels the true power of Dumbledore, where the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end every time he flicks his wand. Voldemort's embittered screaming emanates loathing and hatred, while Dumbledore's calm and measured words ensure the reader (as well as Voldemort, I believe), that he is superior. The movie does alright with the snake and the aquaorb, but they make Dumbledore seem so feeble, so old, so challenged by Voldemort, which in my mind was never the case.
But what about the HBP movie you say? Well the one example that I can think of off the top of my head is when someone (can't remember who) casts a spell at Fenrir Greyback, who, wandless, blocks this spell. I'm sorry, but how? We have a clear counter-example present in all the books and movies, Remus Lupin, who is clearly a wizard but for one night a month. He doesn't just conjure or block spells at whim with his hands. I believe JKR's intention with Fenrir was not to endow him with special powers, but rather to express his truly sinister and evil nature, demonstrating things such as his positioning before the full moon, etc.
I realize that these things may seem little or insignificant, but what will confuse and upset me forever about these movies is that I do not and will not understand why details provided by the author of the incredible books are changed when they don't have to be. One example of this will be discussed in #3, but you'll have to wait for that. Stay tuned later for today for #s 6 &5.
Finally, if you think something, post a comment!
I havent seen this most recent movie yet, but I remember from #5, both the death eaters and order of the phoenix goons, when in combat, are able to flit around in big whooshes of light and smoke like evil tinkerbells. Ive looked for any indication of this in the books and its not there. Of course, Rowling isnt exactly good at describing wizard battles, she generally confines herself to "The Death Eaters and Order faced each other across the room, and then they were dueling! Flinging spells back and forth and dodging out of the way!" Its not much more complex than that, and is predominantly left up to the reader's imagination.
ReplyDeleteI guess the Hollywood execs realized how lame a fight scene would be between two groups of tumbling cavorting acrobats, who never manage to hit each other with any of their attacks unless they for some reason decide to use a non-lethal one. So perhaps the tinkerbell dog-fights of the movie are better than the heavily choreographed ballet recital we get in the books.
It probably all comes down to the problems of fighting mechanics in the Potter universe. The only spell that actually kills someone is unblockable, so the only reason groups of wizards dont instantly wipe each other out in a fight is because none of them can hit the broad side of a barn door.
Youd think that the death eaters, being trained killers, would actually know how to aim their pointy sticks.