Pardon my extended hiatus. I type that like there’s a fan-base foaming at the mouth for my diatribes on everything about nothing. (Hi Mom!)
I must say, I was wary of Harry Potter when the series initially appeared. I remember when the first two films went into theaters. I was less than interested, which is odd since I grew up loving everything magic. Then, at the insistence of my all-things-British-loving college roommate, I started in with the books just before Alfonso Cuaron’s PRISONER OF AZKABAN was released. I literally devoured the first four novels and gleefully lined up for the 3rd film (which is, in my opinion, the best of the series), as I lined up for the 5 that followed.
It’s a hard thing, to adapt a film from a book that’s so well written, loved, and thoroughly dissected. How can a studio ever hope to appease fans when the source material becomes a part of the public consciousness? If anyone is up to that challenge, it’s Warner Brothers (well, mostly). The key element to the movie magic was JK Rowling’s involvement from the get go. The woman is a genius – and anyone who disagrees can suck it. She created a story so layered, characters so believable, and a world so intoxicating – surpassing the work of any other fantasy author before her. Yeah, that’s right. I said it. I’m talking about the novels, not the movies – lets be clear.
And so it all ended this past weekend. Audiences are starving for movies that mean something beyond CGI and gloss. An emotional attachment formed between viewers/readers of the series. Combine those two elements, and I think fans are willing to overlook some of the weaker points in the film and DEMAND it win best picture this year. Lets pump the breaks there, kiddies – that’s a little much. I enjoyed DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2 – the effects were fantastic, I didn’t hate on the 3D, the grownup actors rocked the boat. The end was never going to be perfect, but I think the best effort was made to tie the series up in a shiny bow for everyone.
One thing I do see happening, however, is Alan Rickman finally getting his due as Snape. If you’ve read the novels, you knew what was coming. Without spoiling you if you’re not familiar (how are things under that rock?), lets just say people aren’t always what they seem. It’s rare that you meet someone who is, to the core, a truly evil human being. Ralph Fiennes has played it a couple of times now. Alan Rickman had a much more difficult role to play, there was no Robin Hood to rage at this time around. His final scene with Harry, and the Half Blood Prince’s Tale, were about the most heart wrenching moments I’ve seen on screen in a while.
“After all this time? Always.”
It’s a tough thing to watch someone you love run around with a socially awkward, unfunny, arrogant, stupid, slutty alternative. I’m talking about Snape’s view on James Potter, of course. Who did you think I meant? Snape was in a dark place, and he loved Lily Potter so deeply and obsessively that he was willing to protect her son with another man, all because Harry had his mother’s eyes. Alan Rickman conveyed it flawlessly, and the urban legend is that JK told Rickman from the first day of shooting CHAMBER OF SECRETS what Snape’s true motivations were. Talk about a spoiler alert.
Anyway, I don’t know if I’m really saying much here other than to tip my metaphorical hat to Rowling for mobilizing the next generation back to books again. For helping kids use their imaginations again. To Warner Brothers for committing to a series (saga), the likes of which we will likely never see again. I’ve enjoyed the ride, and implore anyone out there who hasn’t read the books to grab a copy, get word-grinding, and stop your hating.
Thoughts and rumblings 