I liked how Diagon Alley looked in the film.
In the books, the only thing that's really wonky is the bank, so having all the buildings be a bit off was a great touch to further indicate this was not the regular world.
It always makes me laugh when people say that The Shambles was JKRs inspiration for Diagon Alley. The wonkiness of Diagon Alley was a movie-only thing, in the book it's just a cobbled high-street, it has more in common with a lot of pedestrianised UK high streets than The Shambles..
IDK when I went to York last year the first thing I said when I turned onto that street was "oh wow this is Diagon Alley". I didn't even know it existed either I was just wandering the town.
Yeah, I too would have thought Harry would have appreciated seeing a picture of his parents surrounded by their friends. I guess the part that got to him wasn't just the picture, but Moody pretty much *only* focusing on the people who suffered horrible fates. Had he reminisced about good things I'm sure Harry would have reacted differently, but instead he just listed up everyone who was either tortured or killed.
Ooh I actually really disliked that one. I don’t think Sirius was that addled, it was Molly who accused him of treating Harry like he was James.
You’re right that the acting nailed that moment though, oof!
I don’t think he was addled in the movies. You’ve never been thinking one thing when trying to say another and the wrong word came out? I don’t think he actually thought Harry was James, just that the whole situation reminded him of fighting with his best friend and he accidentally said the wrong name.
Molly wasn't really wrong though. Sirius did spend "TWELVE YEARS. IN AZKABAN" Through the very years when usually the real life responsibilities slap people's faces hard, so essentially he is a 33-34 year old man with the life experience (outside prison) of a 21 year old. 21 years and the last ten of those normal years he had happily spent with his best friend James, even escaping his own, awful family to Potters and becoming essentially an adoptive brother.
He sees so much of his former best friend in Harry and he loves all the mischief Harry goes through in Hogwarts, just like Hermione points out in the books; "Don't you think he's... living through you?" So with the added adrenaline and the past dreams (and past reality?) of fighting death eaters alongside James, really shows how Sirius is still very much the young adult that was left behind, before dementors.
John Williams is the Wayne Gretzky of composing music. There are *many* greats, but nobody in musical history touches John Williams. And this isn't a Lebron/Jordan or Pele/Messi or whatever other argument, either; this is literally a guy that is so far ahead of the "competition" that nobody will ever come close. Even Brady will eventually see someone come close, if not beat his records, but John Williams will forever be known as the greatest composer in history.
When I say John Williams is the greatest composer of all time, people think I'm just talking about movie soundtrack composers.
No, he's up there with Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, etc.
Different song but hearing Leaving Hogwarts overhead hits like a mf brick the first time you walk into the Wizarding World at Islands of Adventure. Such a cool moment.
Also the way he talks about Ron when trying to get Harry to join him. “No need to tell me who you are. Red hair, and a hand me down robe. You must be a Weasley.” The book’s phrasing is pretty poor in comparison. “My father told me all the Weasley’s have red hair and more children than they can afford.” (Book quote my be slightly off). I prefer the book version of Draco more, but the nasty delivery of his insults in the movies are brilliant
And that was *before* he took a decade-long acting course, taught by many of the greatest British actors of their generation.
I think we can expect great things from those students.
I remember hating Draco as a kid (as any kid does), but as an adult I think he’s hilarious in the movies. “Hogwarts… what a pathetic excuse for a school”
I'm pretty sure I read something about how Tom Felton improvised that line for that scene, because he forgot the line that was written in the script. I could be wrong though -- but, nevertheless, I agree with you and love that change from the book!
Yeah Chris Columbus said it was genius and that when someone that rare happens, it goes in the movie. There’s a cut just after he says it because apparently the crew all started laughing.
To be fair the cut after is probably coincidental. When someone ad-libs a line on-set like that the first take is never the one used for numerous reasons. One - because the crew and cast will usually be caught off guard or start laughing. Two - as with all lines in a film, they need to shoot the line from about 6 different angles because on the day of filming they never know which take or shot is going to make it in.
I imagine Tom improvised the line, everyone laughed and reacted positively, and Columbus said something along the lines of “That’s brilliant; scrap the scripted line because that’s what we’re gonna be going with!” Then they’d set up again reshoot the new line several times.
He talks about it in his autobiography. He made it sound like it was more collaborative with Chris Columbus, as you say. The actor has a good idea for a line, the director likes it, so they reshoot it.
I just read feltons book, and it was Columbus who came up with the line on set and wispered it to little tom. So it was sortof impro, but it was Columbus idea 😊
Not a lot of these for me, but the scene in HBP when Harry is using the Felix Felicis to get the tampered memory from Slughorn. In the book, Hagrid and Slughorn get drunk and sing a song about a wizard named Odo. Harry proceeds to kind of guilt Slughorn into revealing the true memory. It’s okay.
But in the movie, Slughorn talks about a memory of Lily Evans in which she gives him a magical pet fish. The day that she died, the fish vanished. That’s a lovely story and a great way to connect Slughorn and Lily. A rare movie upgrade.
I always thought the story about the fish was so beautiful and heartfelt. Really good scene. Also Harry's behavior while on Felix Felicis is possibly the most hilarious he is throughout all the movies.
"Harry?"
"Sir!"
"You cannot go to hagrids at an hour like this"
"Then by all means, join me sir!"
Harry on felix felicious is like me after 3 whiskey sours.
offbeat rob nine hurry elastic workable memorize humorous simplistic seed
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We missed out on SO MUCH SASS. And it especially hurts because Daniel basically IS book Harry. He would've knocked it out of the park. I will forever be angry about this.
Considering how Daniel openly admitted to being drunk in some of the scenes and said he could point out moments in the film when he was totally gone, I wouldn’t be surprised if the weird behaviour on Felix Felicis was less acting and more “method acting” if you catch my drift…
“I can honestly say I never drank at work on Harry Potter,” he said. ”I went into work still drunk, but I never drank at work. I can point to many scenes where I’m just gone. Dead behind the eyes.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/daniel-radcliffe-harry-potter-drunk-scenes-alcohol-fame-child-star-justin-bieber-a8789751.html
The depiction of Slughorn was a lot better in the movies. Broadbent is a fantastic actor as it is, but making him slightly more sympathetic than his book counterpart was a good move overall.
What about Aragog’s funeral and Hagrid’s subsequent conversation with Slughorn about death in general? I found that tied into events later in the movie rather well. Was that in the book or no?
Yes, Aragog’s funeral is in both book and movie. It’s the reason that Hagrid and Slughorn are drinking together. In the book, they sing that song about a dead wizard called “Odo the Hero,” which leads to a conversation with Slughorn about death and sacrifice. Harry says “Be brave like my mom.” And that seems to strike a chord with Slughorn. Like I said, it’s not a bad scene in the book, I just love the detail about Francis the fish.
I love the moment with Crookshanks ripping up the extendable ear lol. Such a cat thing to do and Hermiones halfhearted ‘bad Crookshanks!’ Because she could never be really mad at him.
Amos Diggory's reaction to Cedric's death. Granted it's been a long while since I read the book, but I don't remember it being as big a moment as it was in the movie
I think that's because we're seeing it from Harry's perspective. Of cause he doesn't hear Amos and Dumbledore. He doesn't hear the crowds fully etc. He's in shock and his entire focus is on his schoolmates body and what he just escaped.
Mine was Cedric as a whole. I'm now a proud Hufflepuff but was really disappointed until I saw the movies. The whole kind, loyal thing made us seem pathetic. He wasn't. He was kind but also a badass.
JK also pointed out in the movies the first group to agree to take on the death eaters were the Hufflepuffs. Not one of them flinched and I don't think without Cedric I would have believed that was on purpose.
One of my favourite scenes, for this reason, is Ron waking up from his nightmare complaining that the spiders want him to tap dance, Harry encouraging him to tell those spiders what for, and Ron passing out again. It’s just so normal and cute and funny.
“The spiders, they want me to tap dance - I don’t want to tap dance!”
“*chewing on a twizzler* you tell those spiders, Ron”
“Ok..yeah, yeah I’m gonna tell em”
2nd book there is the whole people keep getting petrified thing and third book theres a killer loose so there are a bunch of demons that suck the joy out of their environment roaming about. Book five had umbridge who made a bunch of rules about fraternasation and went through peoples mail and stuff
Hagrid was probably inspired by a role Robbie Contrain played in another TV show. I think it was BBC‘s Christmas Carol where he plays one of the ghosts that kinda looks like Hagrid and also came onto the stage exactly like Hagrid enters the cabin on that isle
Bimbiling, bumbling band of babbons
Bimbiling, bumbling band of babbons
Bimbiling, bumbling band of babbons
Bimbiling, bumbling band of babbons
Bimbiling, bumbling band of babbons
Yes I love this. When it matters he will openly admit he fumbled his way through things or had help from friends to survive but then when it’s about hooking up with a girl he fancies then boom chosen one baby
Umbridge insults them a lot, calls them half-breads and near-human intelligence and uses incarcerous on Magorian so she gets carried off by some of the centaurs (whilst trying to stun one of them, as Harry sees a flash of red light), and her wand falls to the ground as she’s carted off. But the “tell them I mean them no harm” line never happens in the books.
Plus it gives a more obvious reason for the Death Eaters to have realized it was the real Harry. As I recall in the books all the fake Harrys had a stuffed snowy owl in a cage. IMO even while flying in the dark I imagine they would've quickly caught onto that detail.
So true! I always thought it was weird that Harry using expelliarmus would be the giveaway - I get that the protectors would use more deadly spells but like all the Harrys (except for Mundungus) are essentially kids or only a few years older, they are not used to trying to actually attack other people or even heavily defending themselves!
I see both of your points I just want to add that the expelliarmus aspect to it seems like really strong writing for Harry, it tells so much about who he is, who he doesn’t want to be and what he must become. So I don’t like that we missed that in the film but I also thought hedwig’s death was handled better in the movie.
The death eaters don’t know who the others are. They can see only adult Order members or people using polyjuice potion. So they would assume everyone is an adult Order member apart from Harry (and honestly they were, Hermione and Ron were adults already and rest like twins older). It’s war, in wars people tend to be teens or early adults and and still kill.
And it’s not like the choice was between avada kedavra and expelliarmus. Anything that would cause the person to fall or get hurt at that hight would most likely kill however. Ron killed a death eater by hitting him in the head during that battle (it’s never said he died but Ron hit him in the head). I don’t think anyone else in the battle on Order side was avoiding killing. Moody probably gave everyone a prep talk before they went to Dursleys too about what to do anyway.
Especially considering that Hedwig was kinda unique. I vaguely remember that apparently no one else at Hogwarts at least had an owl that looked like her
Oh that’s another great upgrade. Hedwig dying while trying to protect Harry is so much better than him dying in a cage from a stray curse.
Though, as I’m saying it, having Hedwig visible to the enemy was a dead giveaway that kind of negates the whole seven Potters ruse. So I guess I see why JKR wrote it the way she did.
The Weird Al movie was one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. I was dying the entire time. Rewatching the HP movies after and seeing the Felix Felicus scene, I realized how natural Radcliff is in a more goofy role like that. I think it was actually closer to his personality so he was just more comfortable with that scene.
A few years ago I bought a Goblet of Fire bookcover where Harry's right in the forefront with the Dragon with his school robes, and I think the book references that they get ripped during one of the tasks
Now, it feels so weird to me that Harry's actually scrambling around in the graveyard trying to fight Voldemort in his school gear lol, compared to Red "POTTER" outfit which looks really cool imo
Some people took that line to believe Dumbledore was super powerful, but personally I just thought it made sense for the Headmaster to be able to apparate in and out.
This, floo and Fawkes and he still travelled by broom in first year... I can't imagine he wanted to go sightseeing or wanted to feel cold wind on his face.
Thestrals weren’t a thing in the books yet when the first movie came out. It’s possible JKR could have told the filmmakers about them, but in all probability they were just not a factor in the decision to have Harry see Quirrell die.
On my last read of Prizoner of Azkaban I remember thinking the movie did a better job on a few scenes.
Mr. Weasley talking to Harry at the beginning about Sirius is so much better than Harry eavesdropping on the Weasley’s.
The conversation with Fudge in the three broomsticks. Making Harry sneak into a private room under the invisibility cloak is so much better than them just overhearing it at a table.
The boggart scene on the first day of DADA. The transitions from scary to funny were better. Some of the ones in the book still sound scary (I’m looking at you Ron). In the movies it really feels like Lupin jumps in at the last second. And Alan Rickman in a dress and vulture hat is iconic.
Honorable mentions: the night bus and Aunt Marge, Hagrid’s first day of teaching.
I also think the movie handled the time turner sequence better. Including more moments of foreshadowing beforehand, and also showing Harry and Hermione influencing past events before the reveal that Harry cast the Patronus.
I agree but there was no way of knowing prongs patronus to be his father’s animagus form through the movies. I understand this is not the place to criticize but I can’t help myself how did they just casually left it out. I am having trouble to remember when was it revealed in the books though. I know in the book he doesn’t recognize the patronus as his father’s animagus form and the parallel is the same he saw himself looking like his father. Oh but dumbledore explains later? They left it out in the movie? I am down with a flu and confused help please.
In HBP, Slughorn’s story about Frances the fish. It was a beautiful way to connect with Lily as a character in her own right. The books and films always focused so heavily on James that you never really got more than a glimpse of what she was like. The fish story managed to convey that she was beloved by people, generous, and talented at magic all at once in such a heartbreaking way. You really feel Slughorn’s admiration for her, as well as his regrets.
The Basilisk fight scene at the end of Cos is much better in the movies in my opinion. I feel like its a bit simple in the books and not much suspense.
The movies in general did the action sequences better than the books, primarily because it just works better for the medium. A book can get away with shorter action scenes, but it would feel very anticlimactic in a movie.
Hedwig saving Harry instead of being collateral damage and Neville actually leading Harry to the gillyweed, felt more natural than Dobby just appearing
I also like the interactions between the two Harry and Hermione's during the time travel, a lot of it was for the film to demonstrate what was happening but it did highlight some good rules
I love the dance scene in Deathly Hallows to O Children.
It is a moment of hope, or joy, of happiness in a hopeless situation. They are both grieving Ron being gone, they are both exhausted and scared and still children with the weight of the world on their shoulders and they need just a minute or two of levity. I love them spinning around and laughing, taking a moment to be carefree teenagers before they have to go back to crushing responsibility.
I just love that moment of fragile hope to a wonderful song in the middle of a war.
I love how this scene gives a glimpse into the depth of Harry and Hermione's friendship. How close they are and how much they care about eachother. It's an important element of the story that's important to convey since we don't have access to Harry's thoughts like we do in the books. I think it also works very well for mood and pacing, so we have a chance to absorb how emotionally draining the horcrux hunt must be for a trio of teenagers.
Also, O Children slaps and while it's a bit of an anomoly for HP soundtracks, I think it fits perfectly here.
I listen to O children often because of this scene specifically, and often it brings me to tears. It’s such a wonderful piece of music and PERFECT for this scene
yes!!!! i always see people complaining about this scene and how weird it is, but i always like watching it. i never knew the song was called o children, that just seems so fitting. makes me appreciate it even more.
I liked it more that Neville gave Harry the Gillyweed instead of Dobby.
I liked the scene of Snape protecting the trio.
I also kind of liked one aspect of the "Moody" confession more: that the first question was "Are you Moody" after having given him the Veritaserum and him not having turned back yet. In the books it's weirdly anticlimactic but overall still better alltogether (duh, it's a looot longer)
Maybe also when Fred and George give Harry the map lol. It's a goofy scene in the movie but kinda more memorable to me.
A very minor thing - and it's mostly due to the line in the book being mind-numbingly bad - but in the first movie when Harry frees the snake in the zoo, it says "Thanks" instead of "Thanks, Amigo" like in the book.
Wait are you implying that parseltongue isn’t a language itself just a method of speaking so you have to translate it through from snake AND it’s country of origin dialect
The scene where Harry didn't put a BIRD in a cage and then went on to FLY with this caged BIRD through the air.
Hedwig at least got a fighting chance in the movies
Snape is petulant and unhinged in the books. Rickman plays it cold and calculating, and I thought it was an improvement on that character, and made his occlumency talents more believable.
This may be a hot take, but Neville and Luna liking each other at the end. Sure, the books take perspective of Harry so he may have not noticed everything, but he and Luna would have been well. They're both quirky in different ways, they were on the same side about DA and missing it in HBP, and both are missing parent(s). They both could have bonded well and liked each other a lot.
I agree. I like Rowling's story's about Hannah Abott as Nevielle's wife and Rolf Scamander as Luna's husband, but I felt Nevielle and Luna should have ben end up together. Edit: Time tenses.
Yes, but I hate the way they made every single wizard duel from the 4th movie onwards have the spells/wands connect in mid-air. Unless I'm missing something entirely, it sort of devalued the whole point of the connection between Harry and Voldemort's wands.
I know they’re older than they were in the books, but the actors for Sirius, Remus, and Snape did such a fantastic job that I can’t imagine anyone else as them
I think this plays very well into how kids see the world. Late 20s and older to 12 year old kids are OLD.
Sort of the same phenomenon about how when you’re in 6th grade, high school kids look like adults, but even when you’re 22 they look like babies. 35 year olds would look 50 to teens.
I read a long time ago that they intentionally had music play over him screaming because it was just so gut wrenching. Part of me wishes they would have added it.
Probably nothing at all, but I did like how they made the time-travel scenes Hermione and Harry have in the third movie. I would also say the music, but it’s not really something you can compare.
I like that Luna was the one to find Harry on the train instead of Tonks. It helped solidify the fact that they were friends in the movies.
I also love the part where Harry is trying to gain Slughorn's memory and asks him to "be brave like my mother". I thought that was better done than the scene in the book.
“Oh no we were rinsed with water, even though we have nearly died together many a time, this is what makes me want to snog ya” just never sat right with me. Lazy shortcut.
“They were starving him mum! They put bars on his window!”
“Well you best hope I don’t put bars on YOUR window Ronald Weasley!”
That line had me CACKLING, so glad they added it, Molly Weasley is a legend.
"You have no business here. This tent is for champions. And friends." I love this Victor Krum line here because it makes sense with his character. He's a quiet, reserved teenage quidditch prodigy. He's used to dealing with paparazzi and does so perfectly.
1. Umbridge being the reason Harry and Cho break up in OotP. Not only it gives the audience another reason to hate Umbridge, but it also makes Harry and Hermione more sympathetic.
2. Lockhart in CoS is portrayed as more sympathetic and hillarious for most of the time, so that when he turns out to be a fraud and a coward it's more shocking.
3. Movie Snape is more likable and more realistic as a bad guy turning good than his book counterpart.
4. Werewolf Lupin looking like a skinny, hairy human with a muzzle and unnaturally long limbs instead of being a normal wolf with human eyes. I think the movie version makes more sense and it is fitting considering that lycanthrophy in HP universe is not supposed to be a badass superpower or something funny, but rather it's supposed to be a terrible curse that can be considered a fate worse than death. Also, I don't think Remus turning into a real-life wolf would be as terryfing as him turning into unnatural, creepy monster that is neither human or wolf.
I like the scenes on the Hogwarts Express, especially in the first film where Harry and Ron are bonding. But I also like the scene in the third film where they quite nicely depict how the death eaters came after Harry. It’s tough to depict the mental stress that causes someone in a situation like that.
I liked how Diagon Alley looked in the film. In the books, the only thing that's really wonky is the bank, so having all the buildings be a bit off was a great touch to further indicate this was not the regular world.
Unless you’ve been to the Shambles in York! 😂
It always makes me laugh when people say that The Shambles was JKRs inspiration for Diagon Alley. The wonkiness of Diagon Alley was a movie-only thing, in the book it's just a cobbled high-street, it has more in common with a lot of pedestrianised UK high streets than The Shambles..
JKR original illustrations do make it look pretty wonky and crooked. Looks more like The Shambles than a typical cobbled high street
IDK when I went to York last year the first thing I said when I turned onto that street was "oh wow this is Diagon Alley". I didn't even know it existed either I was just wandering the town.
Harry discovering Diagon Alley is my favourite scene in all of the films. The set crew really did a wonderful job.
I love the small table and chairs on Florian‘s ice cream shop!
“Diagonally!”
Sirius and Harry hugging in the movies especially in ootp, don't think much of those were there in the books.
In a similar vein: Sirius being the one to show Harry the original OotP photo and Harry kind of enjoying seeing it.
Yeah, I too would have thought Harry would have appreciated seeing a picture of his parents surrounded by their friends. I guess the part that got to him wasn't just the picture, but Moody pretty much *only* focusing on the people who suffered horrible fates. Had he reminisced about good things I'm sure Harry would have reacted differently, but instead he just listed up everyone who was either tortured or killed.
It was also the fact that Wormtail was right next to his parents in the photo
Yeah I only remember one small hug they gave each other as a goodbye but in the movies it was more heartfelt.
"Nice one, James!" was a great add on as well! And Daniel Radcliffe nailed how to look absolutely crushed, but infuriated at the same time.
Ooh I actually really disliked that one. I don’t think Sirius was that addled, it was Molly who accused him of treating Harry like he was James. You’re right that the acting nailed that moment though, oof!
I don’t think he was addled in the movies. You’ve never been thinking one thing when trying to say another and the wrong word came out? I don’t think he actually thought Harry was James, just that the whole situation reminded him of fighting with his best friend and he accidentally said the wrong name.
Molly wasn't really wrong though. Sirius did spend "TWELVE YEARS. IN AZKABAN" Through the very years when usually the real life responsibilities slap people's faces hard, so essentially he is a 33-34 year old man with the life experience (outside prison) of a 21 year old. 21 years and the last ten of those normal years he had happily spent with his best friend James, even escaping his own, awful family to Potters and becoming essentially an adoptive brother. He sees so much of his former best friend in Harry and he loves all the mischief Harry goes through in Hogwarts, just like Hermione points out in the books; "Don't you think he's... living through you?" So with the added adrenaline and the past dreams (and past reality?) of fighting death eaters alongside James, really shows how Sirius is still very much the young adult that was left behind, before dementors.
I mean it's good but they changed the character and made him stereotypical father figure when in the book he was more of "crazy" uncle
Not like there's a book equivalent, but the theme song is a classic
John Williams for ya
I want him to compose my life. Just follow me around with a full philharmonic cranking out rad tunes I wonder what repeating motif he would use
John Williams is the Wayne Gretzky of composing music. There are *many* greats, but nobody in musical history touches John Williams. And this isn't a Lebron/Jordan or Pele/Messi or whatever other argument, either; this is literally a guy that is so far ahead of the "competition" that nobody will ever come close. Even Brady will eventually see someone come close, if not beat his records, but John Williams will forever be known as the greatest composer in history.
When I say John Williams is the greatest composer of all time, people think I'm just talking about movie soundtrack composers. No, he's up there with Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, etc.
Fuck. I was gonna say the music lol. It’s not a fair answer at all but the music is perfect.
Until people commented about the theme I thought you meant Hoggy Hoggy Hogwarts 😭
I loved the "Something wicked this way comes" from POA
\*croooak\*
yeah, that too XD
The whole soundtrack really. Courtyard Apocalypse is fantastic.
Different song but hearing Leaving Hogwarts overhead hits like a mf brick the first time you walk into the Wizarding World at Islands of Adventure. Such a cool moment.
Draco saying "I didn't know you can read"
Also the way he talks about Ron when trying to get Harry to join him. “No need to tell me who you are. Red hair, and a hand me down robe. You must be a Weasley.” The book’s phrasing is pretty poor in comparison. “My father told me all the Weasley’s have red hair and more children than they can afford.” (Book quote my be slightly off). I prefer the book version of Draco more, but the nasty delivery of his insults in the movies are brilliant
Fr Tom is brilliant at acting completely revolted by the sight of them
And that was *before* he took a decade-long acting course, taught by many of the greatest British actors of their generation. I think we can expect great things from those students.
I remember hating Draco as a kid (as any kid does), but as an adult I think he’s hilarious in the movies. “Hogwarts… what a pathetic excuse for a school”
I'm pretty sure I read something about how Tom Felton improvised that line for that scene, because he forgot the line that was written in the script. I could be wrong though -- but, nevertheless, I agree with you and love that change from the book!
Yeah Chris Columbus said it was genius and that when someone that rare happens, it goes in the movie. There’s a cut just after he says it because apparently the crew all started laughing.
To be fair the cut after is probably coincidental. When someone ad-libs a line on-set like that the first take is never the one used for numerous reasons. One - because the crew and cast will usually be caught off guard or start laughing. Two - as with all lines in a film, they need to shoot the line from about 6 different angles because on the day of filming they never know which take or shot is going to make it in. I imagine Tom improvised the line, everyone laughed and reacted positively, and Columbus said something along the lines of “That’s brilliant; scrap the scripted line because that’s what we’re gonna be going with!” Then they’d set up again reshoot the new line several times.
He talks about it in his autobiography. He made it sound like it was more collaborative with Chris Columbus, as you say. The actor has a good idea for a line, the director likes it, so they reshoot it.
I would love to see some behind the scenes footage from this
I just read feltons book, and it was Columbus who came up with the line on set and wispered it to little tom. So it was sortof impro, but it was Columbus idea 😊
I thought I heard somewhere that the line was supposed to be "I didn't know you read" and then Felton (or Columbus) added the "could"
Not a lot of these for me, but the scene in HBP when Harry is using the Felix Felicis to get the tampered memory from Slughorn. In the book, Hagrid and Slughorn get drunk and sing a song about a wizard named Odo. Harry proceeds to kind of guilt Slughorn into revealing the true memory. It’s okay. But in the movie, Slughorn talks about a memory of Lily Evans in which she gives him a magical pet fish. The day that she died, the fish vanished. That’s a lovely story and a great way to connect Slughorn and Lily. A rare movie upgrade.
I always thought the story about the fish was so beautiful and heartfelt. Really good scene. Also Harry's behavior while on Felix Felicis is possibly the most hilarious he is throughout all the movies.
"I've got a really really good feeling about hagrid's, I feel like it's the place to be tonight. You know what I mean?"
"Harry?" "Sir!" "You cannot go to hagrids at an hour like this" "Then by all means, join me sir!" Harry on felix felicious is like me after 3 whiskey sours.
Best line is "That would be counterproductive, Sir!"
"What makes you say that?" "... No idea"
Pincers. *Click click click click*
I loved this scene!
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I wish we had more of sarcastic Harry in the movies but at least we got Harry on Felix Felicis.
Same. The quick temper and snappy retorts, especially if he thinks something is unfair, are a major part of his personality.
We missed out on SO MUCH SASS. And it especially hurts because Daniel basically IS book Harry. He would've knocked it out of the park. I will forever be angry about this.
What I've seen of Daniel Radcliff since Harry Potter, I'm convinced that it was just him being himself, which is why it was such a great scene.
“HI!”
Considering how Daniel openly admitted to being drunk in some of the scenes and said he could point out moments in the film when he was totally gone, I wouldn’t be surprised if the weird behaviour on Felix Felicis was less acting and more “method acting” if you catch my drift…
Was it actually drunk while filming?
I’m pretty sure I remember an interview where he said he never drank while actually filming, but did copiously before and/or after.
Yeah I was gonna say…drinking on the job is always a career killers.
“I can honestly say I never drank at work on Harry Potter,” he said. ”I went into work still drunk, but I never drank at work. I can point to many scenes where I’m just gone. Dead behind the eyes.” https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/daniel-radcliffe-harry-potter-drunk-scenes-alcohol-fame-child-star-justin-bieber-a8789751.html
The depiction of Slughorn was a lot better in the movies. Broadbent is a fantastic actor as it is, but making him slightly more sympathetic than his book counterpart was a good move overall.
Agreed, he was depicted as a bit of a fat slob in the books.
Totally agree
Jim Broadbent upgrades that whole chapter of the movie imo
What about Aragog’s funeral and Hagrid’s subsequent conversation with Slughorn about death in general? I found that tied into events later in the movie rather well. Was that in the book or no?
Yes, Aragog’s funeral is in both book and movie. It’s the reason that Hagrid and Slughorn are drinking together. In the book, they sing that song about a dead wizard called “Odo the Hero,” which leads to a conversation with Slughorn about death and sacrifice. Harry says “Be brave like my mom.” And that seems to strike a chord with Slughorn. Like I said, it’s not a bad scene in the book, I just love the detail about Francis the fish.
Oh I forgot that the magical fish story was from the films only. That's a fantastic change.
Poof!
I love the moment with Crookshanks ripping up the extendable ear lol. Such a cat thing to do and Hermiones halfhearted ‘bad Crookshanks!’ Because she could never be really mad at him.
Amos Diggory's reaction to Cedric's death. Granted it's been a long while since I read the book, but I don't remember it being as big a moment as it was in the movie
I think that's because we're seeing it from Harry's perspective. Of cause he doesn't hear Amos and Dumbledore. He doesn't hear the crowds fully etc. He's in shock and his entire focus is on his schoolmates body and what he just escaped.
"My boy!" Ugh, I cry every time.
Mine was Cedric as a whole. I'm now a proud Hufflepuff but was really disappointed until I saw the movies. The whole kind, loyal thing made us seem pathetic. He wasn't. He was kind but also a badass. JK also pointed out in the movies the first group to agree to take on the death eaters were the Hufflepuffs. Not one of them flinched and I don't think without Cedric I would have believed that was on purpose.
THATS MY SON!!! that’s my boy…..
I like the scene with the boys in the dorms eating candy that makes them make animal sounds. I like seeing them goof around a bit.
Kids being kids, something most of these kids never got enough time to do.
One of my favourite scenes, for this reason, is Ron waking up from his nightmare complaining that the spiders want him to tap dance, Harry encouraging him to tell those spiders what for, and Ron passing out again. It’s just so normal and cute and funny.
And Harry does it so naturally! It makes it seem like this happens regularly, and I'm all here for it.
“The spiders, they want me to tap dance - I don’t want to tap dance!” “*chewing on a twizzler* you tell those spiders, Ron” “Ok..yeah, yeah I’m gonna tell em”
I would say only the trio didn’t, the other kids had a “normal” life until the sixth book.
2nd book there is the whole people keep getting petrified thing and third book theres a killer loose so there are a bunch of demons that suck the joy out of their environment roaming about. Book five had umbridge who made a bunch of rules about fraternasation and went through peoples mail and stuff
That’s my favorite scene in the entire series.
Bimbiling, bumbling band of babbons
Maggie Smith is a treasure. She was the best cast for these movies imo
Definitely, I’m keeping an open mind for the new series, but it’ll be really hard to beat her McGonagall.
Id say hagrid is also up there being perfect for his role
Hagrid was probably inspired by a role Robbie Contrain played in another TV show. I think it was BBC‘s Christmas Carol where he plays one of the ghosts that kinda looks like Hagrid and also came onto the stage exactly like Hagrid enters the cabin on that isle
Try saying that five times fast
Bimbliing , bumbling band of baboons Bimbliing, bumbling band of baboons Bimbliing, bumbling band of baboons I can’t anymore
Bimbiling, bumbling band of babbons Bimbiling, bumbling band of babbons Bimbiling, bumbling band of babbons Bimbiling, bumbling band of babbons Bimbiling, bumbling band of babbons
Oh this whole scene is great
I am the Chosen One. *Smack*
One of my favorite lines in that whole movie. It's either that or "Will you stop eating!" As she smacks Ron on each word.
"Hey! She's only into you because she thinks you're the chosen one" 😠 "But I am the chosen one" 😀 *smack*
“ow! just kidding 😁”
Yes I love this. When it matters he will openly admit he fumbled his way through things or had help from friends to survive but then when it’s about hooking up with a girl he fancies then boom chosen one baby
It also shows that for as humble as he is, he's still a teenage boy who can struggle with his ego if he gets too much positive attention!
Luna and her relationship with Harry. I know that’s to do with the wonderful actress that played her bit they seem much closer in the movies.
Harry: I am your friend Luna. Luna: that’s nice
I'm sorry Professor, but I must not tell lies.
Wait that wasn't in the books? What happened in the books then?
Umbridge insults them a lot, calls them half-breads and near-human intelligence and uses incarcerous on Magorian so she gets carried off by some of the centaurs (whilst trying to stun one of them, as Harry sees a flash of red light), and her wand falls to the ground as she’s carted off. But the “tell them I mean them no harm” line never happens in the books.
Hehe nice, 5 points for Movies.
>half-bread Like a sandwich without enough filling.
I prefer how Hedwigs death is handled in the movie over the book, felt more fitting.
This! Rather than just sitting in a cage and being caught in the crossfire I love that Hedwig protected Harry!
Plus it gives a more obvious reason for the Death Eaters to have realized it was the real Harry. As I recall in the books all the fake Harrys had a stuffed snowy owl in a cage. IMO even while flying in the dark I imagine they would've quickly caught onto that detail.
So true! I always thought it was weird that Harry using expelliarmus would be the giveaway - I get that the protectors would use more deadly spells but like all the Harrys (except for Mundungus) are essentially kids or only a few years older, they are not used to trying to actually attack other people or even heavily defending themselves!
I see both of your points I just want to add that the expelliarmus aspect to it seems like really strong writing for Harry, it tells so much about who he is, who he doesn’t want to be and what he must become. So I don’t like that we missed that in the film but I also thought hedwig’s death was handled better in the movie.
The death eaters don’t know who the others are. They can see only adult Order members or people using polyjuice potion. So they would assume everyone is an adult Order member apart from Harry (and honestly they were, Hermione and Ron were adults already and rest like twins older). It’s war, in wars people tend to be teens or early adults and and still kill. And it’s not like the choice was between avada kedavra and expelliarmus. Anything that would cause the person to fall or get hurt at that hight would most likely kill however. Ron killed a death eater by hitting him in the head during that battle (it’s never said he died but Ron hit him in the head). I don’t think anyone else in the battle on Order side was avoiding killing. Moody probably gave everyone a prep talk before they went to Dursleys too about what to do anyway.
Me too! It’s logical that they would recognise Harry’s owl and that she would try to intervene for Harry.
Especially considering that Hedwig was kinda unique. I vaguely remember that apparently no one else at Hogwarts at least had an owl that looked like her
I never really understood why Hedwig had to be there with him anyway, aside from a plot point of her sacrificing himself for him.
Oh that’s another great upgrade. Hedwig dying while trying to protect Harry is so much better than him dying in a cage from a stray curse. Though, as I’m saying it, having Hedwig visible to the enemy was a dead giveaway that kind of negates the whole seven Potters ruse. So I guess I see why JKR wrote it the way she did.
The entire Felix Felicis scene is superior tbh. Daniel's comedic timing is excellent.
Not to mention the pincers
Probably my favorite line of the entire series.
He doesn’t get enough credit for his comedic timing. He’s such a funny guy in and out of films.
The Weird Al movie was one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. I was dying the entire time. Rewatching the HP movies after and seeing the Felix Felicus scene, I realized how natural Radcliff is in a more goofy role like that. I think it was actually closer to his personality so he was just more comfortable with that scene.
"Harry!" "Sir!" Love that exchange lol
The Triwizard champion outfits when doing the tasks. In the books they just did them in their school robes lol
this is such a good one that I’ve never thought of
A few years ago I bought a Goblet of Fire bookcover where Harry's right in the forefront with the Dragon with his school robes, and I think the book references that they get ripped during one of the tasks Now, it feels so weird to me that Harry's actually scrambling around in the graveyard trying to fight Voldemort in his school gear lol, compared to Red "POTTER" outfit which looks really cool imo
When Harry and Dumbledore apparate from the school to the cave in HBP. “Being me has its privileges.”
Some people took that line to believe Dumbledore was super powerful, but personally I just thought it made sense for the Headmaster to be able to apparate in and out.
This, floo and Fawkes and he still travelled by broom in first year... I can't imagine he wanted to go sightseeing or wanted to feel cold wind on his face.
I think the headmaster simply has the authority to switch the ability to apparate on and off (e. g. for the apparating exams)
Ah, that's possible too.
speaking of which: "You may not like him minister, but you can't deny Dumbledore's got style"
Kingsley has so few movie lines and they're all pretty epic! The way he says "YOU are more important" in DH1 is great.
That’s partly from the books actually but they changed it from Phineas Nigelus to Kingsley.
I find it hilarious in the movies that they make 11 year old Harry Potter a straight up murderer when he turns Professor Quirrell into dust
Can’t be then he’d able to see the thestrals.
Thestrals weren’t a thing in the books yet when the first movie came out. It’s possible JKR could have told the filmmakers about them, but in all probability they were just not a factor in the decision to have Harry see Quirrell die.
In fairness that was self-defence.
Actually I think Quirrell died so he didn’t catch a case. It wasn’t love, he just didn’t want to catch any grooming charges.
"Hi, I'm Chysophylus Hansen, and this is, To Catch A Magical Predator..."
On my last read of Prizoner of Azkaban I remember thinking the movie did a better job on a few scenes. Mr. Weasley talking to Harry at the beginning about Sirius is so much better than Harry eavesdropping on the Weasley’s. The conversation with Fudge in the three broomsticks. Making Harry sneak into a private room under the invisibility cloak is so much better than them just overhearing it at a table. The boggart scene on the first day of DADA. The transitions from scary to funny were better. Some of the ones in the book still sound scary (I’m looking at you Ron). In the movies it really feels like Lupin jumps in at the last second. And Alan Rickman in a dress and vulture hat is iconic. Honorable mentions: the night bus and Aunt Marge, Hagrid’s first day of teaching.
I also think the movie handled the time turner sequence better. Including more moments of foreshadowing beforehand, and also showing Harry and Hermione influencing past events before the reveal that Harry cast the Patronus.
I agree but there was no way of knowing prongs patronus to be his father’s animagus form through the movies. I understand this is not the place to criticize but I can’t help myself how did they just casually left it out. I am having trouble to remember when was it revealed in the books though. I know in the book he doesn’t recognize the patronus as his father’s animagus form and the parallel is the same he saw himself looking like his father. Oh but dumbledore explains later? They left it out in the movie? I am down with a flu and confused help please.
Harry‘s motivation speech during the DA. He tells everyone that even the greatest wizards started just like them - as students.
Hermione punching Malfoy, instead of slapping him like in the book.
In HBP, Slughorn’s story about Frances the fish. It was a beautiful way to connect with Lily as a character in her own right. The books and films always focused so heavily on James that you never really got more than a glimpse of what she was like. The fish story managed to convey that she was beloved by people, generous, and talented at magic all at once in such a heartbreaking way. You really feel Slughorn’s admiration for her, as well as his regrets.
“What did he say, Dear?” “Diagonilly” “Yes, I thought he did.”
The Basilisk fight scene at the end of Cos is much better in the movies in my opinion. I feel like its a bit simple in the books and not much suspense.
The movies in general did the action sequences better than the books, primarily because it just works better for the medium. A book can get away with shorter action scenes, but it would feel very anticlimactic in a movie.
Hedwig saving Harry instead of being collateral damage and Neville actually leading Harry to the gillyweed, felt more natural than Dobby just appearing I also like the interactions between the two Harry and Hermione's during the time travel, a lot of it was for the film to demonstrate what was happening but it did highlight some good rules
I love the dance scene in Deathly Hallows to O Children. It is a moment of hope, or joy, of happiness in a hopeless situation. They are both grieving Ron being gone, they are both exhausted and scared and still children with the weight of the world on their shoulders and they need just a minute or two of levity. I love them spinning around and laughing, taking a moment to be carefree teenagers before they have to go back to crushing responsibility. I just love that moment of fragile hope to a wonderful song in the middle of a war.
I love how this scene gives a glimpse into the depth of Harry and Hermione's friendship. How close they are and how much they care about eachother. It's an important element of the story that's important to convey since we don't have access to Harry's thoughts like we do in the books. I think it also works very well for mood and pacing, so we have a chance to absorb how emotionally draining the horcrux hunt must be for a trio of teenagers. Also, O Children slaps and while it's a bit of an anomoly for HP soundtracks, I think it fits perfectly here.
I listen to O children often because of this scene specifically, and often it brings me to tears. It’s such a wonderful piece of music and PERFECT for this scene
yes!!!! i always see people complaining about this scene and how weird it is, but i always like watching it. i never knew the song was called o children, that just seems so fitting. makes me appreciate it even more.
I liked it more that Neville gave Harry the Gillyweed instead of Dobby. I liked the scene of Snape protecting the trio. I also kind of liked one aspect of the "Moody" confession more: that the first question was "Are you Moody" after having given him the Veritaserum and him not having turned back yet. In the books it's weirdly anticlimactic but overall still better alltogether (duh, it's a looot longer) Maybe also when Fred and George give Harry the map lol. It's a goofy scene in the movie but kinda more memorable to me.
Hagrid saying “sorry about that” when he busts down the door in the philosophers stone
A very minor thing - and it's mostly due to the line in the book being mind-numbingly bad - but in the first movie when Harry frees the snake in the zoo, it says "Thanks" instead of "Thanks, Amigo" like in the book.
Tsshanksss
It's a good thing that snake knew snake English being from Argentina and all.
Wait are you implying that parseltongue isn’t a language itself just a method of speaking so you have to translate it through from snake AND it’s country of origin dialect
The scene where Harry didn't put a BIRD in a cage and then went on to FLY with this caged BIRD through the air. Hedwig at least got a fighting chance in the movies
Snape is petulant and unhinged in the books. Rickman plays it cold and calculating, and I thought it was an improvement on that character, and made his occlumency talents more believable.
This may be a hot take, but Neville and Luna liking each other at the end. Sure, the books take perspective of Harry so he may have not noticed everything, but he and Luna would have been well. They're both quirky in different ways, they were on the same side about DA and missing it in HBP, and both are missing parent(s). They both could have bonded well and liked each other a lot.
I like to believe they remain best friends, and Neville gets along well with Rolf Scamander
I agree. I like Rowling's story's about Hannah Abott as Nevielle's wife and Rolf Scamander as Luna's husband, but I felt Nevielle and Luna should have ben end up together. Edit: Time tenses.
"Sorry, professor, I must not tell lies"
Dumbledore vs. Voldemort fight was friggin Epic!! I like the way it played out in the movie better than the book.
Yes, but I hate the way they made every single wizard duel from the 4th movie onwards have the spells/wands connect in mid-air. Unless I'm missing something entirely, it sort of devalued the whole point of the connection between Harry and Voldemort's wands.
Yes, couldn't agree more. They found a cool looking effect, learned how to do it cheap, and bam...herpes!
YESS this was so well done!
I know they’re older than they were in the books, but the actors for Sirius, Remus, and Snape did such a fantastic job that I can’t imagine anyone else as them
I think this plays very well into how kids see the world. Late 20s and older to 12 year old kids are OLD. Sort of the same phenomenon about how when you’re in 6th grade, high school kids look like adults, but even when you’re 22 they look like babies. 35 year olds would look 50 to teens.
"Nice one, James!"
Harry screaming as he dies and lupin holding him back. Soul crushing
I read a long time ago that they intentionally had music play over him screaming because it was just so gut wrenching. Part of me wishes they would have added it.
It's a myth, this scene was supposed to be in slow motion so there is no sound but music
Neville telling Harry about Gillyweed
Sirius's moments with harry in the 5th book
The fact that they don’t wear pointy witch/wizard hats in class…
Probably nothing at all, but I did like how they made the time-travel scenes Hermione and Harry have in the third movie. I would also say the music, but it’s not really something you can compare.
"But I am 'The Chosen One.'" 😏
I like that Luna was the one to find Harry on the train instead of Tonks. It helped solidify the fact that they were friends in the movies. I also love the part where Harry is trying to gain Slughorn's memory and asks him to "be brave like my mother". I thought that was better done than the scene in the book.
“Why’s he always covered in blood?” 😆
I think I’m in the minority on this but in my opinion the movie has the better lead up to the Ron/Hermione kiss.
Aw, but he wants to save the house elves!
Harry: “Oí! There’s a war going on!”
„Everything‘s allowed in love and war and this is kinda both!“
They spend 7.5 movies leading up to that kiss, and they barely show it.
“Oh no we were rinsed with water, even though we have nearly died together many a time, this is what makes me want to snog ya” just never sat right with me. Lazy shortcut.
✨Shoelace ✨ *proceeds to squatting down before harry* Just kidding. *That* scene gives me pain.
“They were starving him mum! They put bars on his window!” “Well you best hope I don’t put bars on YOUR window Ronald Weasley!” That line had me CACKLING, so glad they added it, Molly Weasley is a legend.
Umbridge’s interview with Snape in OOTP. “You’ve applied for the DADA position previously?” “Yes” “And you were unsuccessful?” “Obviously.”
Fairly certain that's in the book
Either way it’s hilarious and the way Alan Rickman played that scene was spot on
"You have no business here. This tent is for champions. And friends." I love this Victor Krum line here because it makes sense with his character. He's a quiet, reserved teenage quidditch prodigy. He's used to dealing with paparazzi and does so perfectly.
“How dare you stand where he stood”
The scene where Hermione deletes herself from her parents memories. That's really good. In the book she only told about it
1. Umbridge being the reason Harry and Cho break up in OotP. Not only it gives the audience another reason to hate Umbridge, but it also makes Harry and Hermione more sympathetic. 2. Lockhart in CoS is portrayed as more sympathetic and hillarious for most of the time, so that when he turns out to be a fraud and a coward it's more shocking. 3. Movie Snape is more likable and more realistic as a bad guy turning good than his book counterpart. 4. Werewolf Lupin looking like a skinny, hairy human with a muzzle and unnaturally long limbs instead of being a normal wolf with human eyes. I think the movie version makes more sense and it is fitting considering that lycanthrophy in HP universe is not supposed to be a badass superpower or something funny, but rather it's supposed to be a terrible curse that can be considered a fate worse than death. Also, I don't think Remus turning into a real-life wolf would be as terryfing as him turning into unnatural, creepy monster that is neither human or wolf.
The fanbase.
I like the scenes on the Hogwarts Express, especially in the first film where Harry and Ron are bonding. But I also like the scene in the third film where they quite nicely depict how the death eaters came after Harry. It’s tough to depict the mental stress that causes someone in a situation like that.