Two such omissions are addressed here:
The first is the first chapter of the book, "The Other Minister," which incidentally seems to me like a logical starting place for a movie. This chapter depicts the introduction of the new Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, by the old forcibly resigned minister, Cornelius Fudge to the Muggle Prime Minister of Great Britain. Additionally, this chapter chronicles the dissent to despair that is actively occurring in the Wizarding world; each time Fudge visits with the Prime Minister, he seems more and more disheveled and disheartened by the news he's required to report. Then comes Scrimgeour, the former Head of the Auror's office, a grizzly, chiseled, time-tested wizard who in my mind is the equivalent of electing a "wartime president," someone who has experience dealing with the worst the world has to offer. Additionally, this chapter is paramount to the understanding or comprehension of how truly bad things have gotten as Voldemort's ascent to power continues. Coordination and collaboration with the muggle world on the part of the Ministry of Magic clearly illustrates the worst things can be. As if it wasn't enough to not include this awesomely powerful scene that really sends a chill down the reader's spine, the geniuses in charge leave out the entire ministry of magic plot line. Scrimgeour isn't mentioned, in turn he doesn't visit the Weasleys and ask Harry to be the poster child for the ministry, Kingsley Shacklebolt isn't an aid in the Prime Minister's office, etc. etc. So many cool things are left out and it just amazes me that a brand new character who has such an awesome description in the book can be omitted entirely from the movie when an obnoxious and totally despised character, Dolores Umbridge, got so much screen time in Order of the Phoenix.
Albus Dumbledore is far and away recognized as the greatest wizard of all time. Exceedingly brilliant, devilishly clever, longtime Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, co-inventor of the Sorcerer's Stone, some hundred and fifty years old, and responsible in part for the education of every talented wizard this side of Russia for the last three-quarters of a century (personal estimation). I say all this to make clear the fact that when someone of this stature, of this quintessential unparalleled importance to the wizarding world is murdered by his own subordinate, his life will be celebrated second to none. JKR does this fact wonderful justice. Point to someone who didn't get chills when they read about the merpeople's song, the centaurs' tribute of arrows, and the somber lowering of a white, marble coffin and I'll point to a robot. To me, if I were a director or part of making a movie, I would be salivating at the thought of showing people my vision of this funeral. It was too good not to. The movie fails to include any bit of this scene. While I am quick to condemn them for this and despise the movies as I do, my friend suggested to me a compromise that even they could have come up with: why not have the cheesy, misrepresented last scene of the movie take place at the funeral. Then you get your lame appeal to the tween audience that giggles when the actors touch each other and you reach the very tip of the iceberg with pleasing people like me (or at least you give me one less thing to criticize you for).
Your comments are more than welcome. Stay tuned for #8 later today.
I forgot about Kingsley Shacklebolt, thanks for shedding light on that area. I definitely missed the whole Ministry of Magic subplot.
ReplyDeleteThey also could have take out the scene where you see Dumbledore on the ground with the entire school huddled around him (don't even remember that in the book) and replaced it with the funeral. By having so many people at his funeral, and the wide variety, you really capture the immense stature of the man.
ReplyDeletedear nick... couldn't have said this one better myself... and in re-reading HBP after seeing the movie, all i could think about was how AWESOME that would have been to see in the movie.
ReplyDeletecheers