Thoughts on a OotP Screenplay

[amanuensis1]

On the eve of the release of the film version of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, I'm aware that in a day's time, I'll be making all sorts of noises about how this scene was done just right, but that one was so not my vision, and how dare they not include this or that bit, blah blah blah. And darned indignant about those last, I'm sure.

So I've gone back to the thoughts I had after reading OotP, regarding what would stay and what would go if that veritable cube of a book were made into a single two-and-a-half-hour film. Because no neurosurgeon has a scalpel so sharp as the one that's going to be wielded by that screenwriter. It's a cruel cruel job, but it has to be.

I wrote up a scene-by-scene summary of how I'd do it, but it was four pages, so, it's shorter if I just show how brutal I'd be with the cuts and what I'd do with compression.

Mrs. Figg? Mundungus Fletcher? Gone. The Order's Advance Guard shows up right after Harry's letter about the disciplinary hearing--except that the hearing is being convened immediately, and that's where they take him. (And not by flying--portkey.) And after the hearing they go to 12 Grimmauld Place, not before.

The cleaning of 12 Grimmauld Place? Gone. Ginny's love life? Gone. All of Mrs. Weasley's debates over what the kids should know and shouldn't? Wouldn't get more than a token, "Arthur, dear, are you sure they should--?" five seconds. The Prefect issue? Well, I'd leave it in in the first draft, because it plays such a role in Harry's anger and his separation from his friends, but if I had to go back and make more cuts for length, it'd go.

No Sorting Hat song. Trelawney? Firenze? Gone. (Not going to pay Emma Thompson-type fees to have her just sitting at the staff table.) Umbridge monitoring every class? Gone. St. Mungo's? Gone, entirely. (Yes, I know. No Neville's parents and no Lockhart. Told you it was a cruel job.) Stubby Boardman? Outta there. Thestrals? They could stay, but they'd be another example of scene compression--Harry would learn why he could see them in the same scene that he first saw them; no Care of Magical Creatures scenes.

Dumbledore's Army needs some heavy compression--after Hermione proposes the idea, Harry finds the Room of Requirement with Dobby's help, and the first meeting there has to combine the pre-meeting in Hogsmeade, the first practice, establish that Neville's performing better, and end in Harry and Cho's wet kiss.

Cho and Harry wouldn't get to Hogsmeade; Harry would tell her about having to meet Hermione that day and she'd turn jealous before they even went.

And there's only room for one Quidditch scene--the first one, which results in Harry and the twins being banned. Ron's final triumph, sadly, would get turned into just a lot of people congratulating him in the background while a more important scene plays out in the foreground.

Two more things I would cut: Grawp and Sirius's mirror. I'd solicit Rowling before I did, to find out if they were too key to Books 6 & 7 to be left out, but they too could go, in the interest of time-crunching.

The scenes that would require the most homage, on the other hand, would be Umbridge's first DADA class (Hermione's refusal to be quiet or patronized should be shown in its full glory), Harry's visit into Snape's worst memory (can't waste the chance to show the Marauder Era kids, and it shapes Harry so significantly), and, of course, the climactic end chapters--from Hagrid's escape/McGonagall's stunning to Harry's dream to the centaur abduction of Umbridge to the Department of Mysteries. And that's a lot of story, and that's why a hell of a lot has to go to accommodate it.

Go on, get out your "I must not write three-hour screenplays" quills--tell me what else you would cut that I've been too soft-hearted to chop. Could you chuck Kreacher? Luna? Could you get Dumbledore away from Hogwarts without needing to have Umbridge uncover Dumbledore's Army? Because I'm sure someone like Kloves or his ilk would have the bollocks to do just that--and they have to.

Cruel, cruel job.

Comments

[ceilidh]

I bet, that if Grawp is chucked, what ends up happening is that Harry tries to contact Sirius and all that happens while the Quidditch match is going on. I'm not sure how they get Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Luna back into the picture after that, but I think that's what they'd do if they cut Grawp out, otherwise why would Harry and Hermione miss the match?

I'm pretty sure they wouldn't cut all of Harry's detentions with Umbridge, since that's a pretty dramatic and creepy thing. Can you imagine that on screen? I would love to see Umbridge monitoring McGonagall's class; that was a priceless scene, but I'm not sure if it would stay. Though one teacher getting one-up on another is pretty entertaining to school-age kids.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Oh! That's a good suggestion, to have Harry contacting Sirius during the quidditch match--lets us have Ron's triumph after all.

I cannot imagine eliminating Umbridge's detentions. Not showing every one of them, of course, but we would HAVE to see the first one inflicted upon Harry. That's...that's one of the most important moments in the entire book, my goodness! (Where's my "My fandom is bleeding" icon? Damn, not loaded right now.)

[spare-change.livejournal.com]

now i want to do this too, although i shouldn't because i'm overwhelmed by work.

i would keep neville's parents because (a) parents are an important theme in the books, and in this book in particular and (b) neville changes so much in OOTP that we need to see precisely what is motivating him, both in DA and later at the ministry.

i would keep the mirror, which doesn't take much to establish, because it is a good way to end the film. you don't need all the discussion about death and the ghosts and whatnot. all you need is harry trying to reach sirius through the mirror --it can take care of providing all that info what is and is not possible with death in the wizarding world. say, harry looking at the mirror whilst someone sits beside him and explains this. (like remus.) also, this echoes back to the mirror of erised nicely.

i think actually ootp would be one of the easier books because occlumency (like a pensieve) is such a great info dump

i would argue that the entire wizengamot trial isn't all that necessary. it establishes umbridge and that the ministry and fudge are against harry and that dumbledore is ignoring him. it lets us see inside the ministry. it doesn't do a lot else (i am imagining it is setting up for future events). it doesn't have the same sort of structural significance within the story that other plot elements have -- it doesn't really resonate with other parts of the plot the way the theme of parents or the image of mirrors, etc., does.

so i would have the whole ministry-being-angry-about-the-dementors thing solved a different way, a way that conveyed the key info (like about dumbledore avoiding harry) without taking so long.

ron and quidditch -- if he isn't going to win, then don't make him keeper. you can't set that up and drop it. that makes the story feel really imbalanced. i would do away with it entirely (even though i love ron), but since that's not really possible, i would keep it BUT instead of having ron and hermione miss the game because of Grawp, i would have it for another reason. a reason that moves the plot along more than Grawp does.

like, what about if Harry comes back to find Ron having won the game after having just confronted Sirius and Remus, via fire talk, about seeing his father in the Pensieve? Because he knew everyone would be at the game? And now he has to deal with feeling shattered whilst everyone else is jubiliant?

the thing that bugs me about steven kloves' movies is that structurally they're such a mess. i don't know if this happens in the screenplay or in editing, but the best films have a really tight structure in which there isn't a superfluous moment and every part fits together. and the pacing is right. (i.e. the traditional three-act screenplay)

i think this is possible with all the potter books except the first. i really do. i just don't think he did it.

thank you for such a great post!!! this is so much fun to think about!!

[lasultrix.livejournal.com]

I'd definitely cut the Wizengamot, yeah. And Neville's parents would be important, I think - not only thematically, but because they establish, shockingly, just what Bellatrix and her ilk are capable of. Which would add a lot of drama to the final scene in the Department of Mysteries.

[justinetre.livejournal.com]

Wow, you have more strength than I, to be able to see so many beautiful details cut! Me, I'd more-than-happily sit in the cinema for 8 straight hours just to see all the tiniest of tiny details...but I'm guessing that the majority of people aren't as obsessive about the books as I, and wouldn't/couldn't do that, lol!

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Ha, you know, I'd love it to be just as long as it needed to be, to get all those things in too--but I recognize it's not going to happen, and I'm just trying to be hard-as-nails honest with myself. Every single LOTR film seemed to pass like an eyeblink for me, even though each was 3 hours long, but I don't think it's going to set a precedent for filming of the HP books, sadly.

[hated-and-loved.livejournal.com]

Do you know what amounts to an absolutely brutal cut (at least to fandom people like me), but really, when you think about it, has next to no purpose in the plot and could be dispensed with almost entirely? Draco. I know, I know, I don't want to see him go either. But come on. He's becoming less and less significant in Harry's life, and any plot he moved along in OotP could be handed off to another character.

Realistically, I'm unsure whether a script would cut him out entirely, but it's certainly something to consider. (I'm afraid the only place we'll get to see him fleshed out as a character is in fanfic. Your loss, J.K.)

[slinkhard.livejournal.com]

Blasphemy!
Seriously, that would probably be a sensible cut structurally, but having established him as a fairly major character in the films (witness the merchandising and promotions), and with a fairly large fanbase; I would advise against it.

[noblerot.livejournal.com]

Wow! Well done. After reading this, I'm really looking forward to your views on PoA. Cuaron has made some brutal cuts, and for me, they worked. Others disagree: It's hard to admit that, while a favorite character or scene might be exquisite in isolation, he/she/it is expendable in terms of the larger picture.

Go. Try to enjoy the film as a singular interpretation. And do report back!

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Going today! Can't wait! And of course I'll spout off on what I think about PoA. The only moment that will just kill me if it's cut is the "embraced him like a brother" bit, and from the squees that I've been letting myself skim so as to stay relatively spoiler-free, it doesn't look like I have to worry. (That's my "Don't go where I can't follow" moment that Jackson almost got perfectly for me--my expectations were really high, I admit.)

[laurelwood.livejournal.com]

Cruel, but inspired! I agree with all of your cuts, as ruthless as they are. And oddly enough, I've found this an enormously comforting pre-viewing-of-PoA reading experience. I've already read all the spoilers for the movie and I was working up a big head of indignation and disappointment, and now I just feel all calm and forgiving, because you're so absolutely right; it can't all stay in and be any kind of viewable length. (Though if the HP people jumped on the LotR bandwagon and offered rabid fans a nice, impossibly long extended edition DVD, I'd certainly be one of the first trillion people in line to buy it!)

"Cube of a book" indeed. :D

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I've had people speculate that LOTR will start a new movement where Hollywood will recognize that people will sit still for 3 hour-plus films, but, I dunno. Me, I'd be RIGHT there with you!

[puppy-tenchan.livejournal.com]

Kreacher: completely cut. He's redundant for all but the scene where he tells Harry that Sirius is not in Grimmauld Place, and that can be a done by every other random character and be called an unwanted mistake by that person later on.

The complete scene in the department of mysteries: reduced to the room with the veil.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I would so hate to see Kreacher cut. He's one of JKR's best smaller-role characters, I think, with his mutterings and his twisted concepts of what it means to be a "good" house-elf while still trying to betray his master at every turn. However I do think that if you don't have to work his treachery into the film, it makes it a much easier job for the screenwriter. His betrayal requires lengthy explanation of how he accomplished it, too.

[lyricalnights.livejournal.com]

If Steve Kloves were to "mysteriously disappear," you should totally take over. ;)

I'm torn on whether I think a shredded OotP adaptation will kill me or please me. A nice tight one, much like you've described, might actually improve on the book in a lot of ways by ditching the deadweight, though some stuff would be sorely missed.

If it ends up being a willy-nilly nonsensical collage of set pieces from the book, though, I sense disaster, esp. depending on who's in the director's chair.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

There would be no pleasing the fans, I know that, once you start making cuts. This is why I do not resent Tarantino's "Hell, NO!" statements regarding why he'd never make comic book adaptation films, unlike the indignant fanboys/girls at whom his statements were aimed. He's right. There's no pleasing us.

[dphearson.livejournal.com]

This is why screenwriters are paid so much damn money (full disclosure: I have been turned down for screenplays 4 times; told instead to convert them to novels or stage plays. Massive complement on behalf of teh powers that be)- they do what you just did, while keeping the intergrity of the story.

a Lsight diagreement- You need Grawp for comic relief, to blend with he horror of Sirius death. and you need the mirror- show the box being tosssed, then a flashback, then Harry opening the box. Not subtle, but it works.

Oh, and by the way- that Star Trek/HPcrossover thingie I started last summer? I will do this as a screenplay, publish it in August, and make it aavailable for the whole fandom to play with.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Star Trek/HP crossover? Bwah ha ha! Oh, goody!

[boniblithe.livejournal.com]

If you cast Kristen Kreuk as the annoying Cho Chang, I will be your slave.

[lasultrix.livejournal.com]

You are a genius. A true genius.

[glockgal.livejournal.com]

I would love for Grawp to be cut, but I have an awful feeling that his boring-ass self will make a return appearance in the books. Damn him!

I know there were talks of reintroducing the intermission for the fourth movie; like, make GoF 3 1/3-4 hours, and have 20 min intermission inbetween. If they implemented that and it was a success for GoF, would that adjust the things you would cut?

As it stands, your writers know way more canon detail than I do, so I usually trust your decisions. Hee!

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

If we could have a 3+ hour film of OotP, sure, I'd love to put stuff back--but I'm already afraid that the number I've cuts I've made still wouldn't be enough to compress the film, and that it would need 3+ hours for what I've got here alone! I'd still advocate compression for a lot of things, like the disciplinary hearing and the meetings of the D.A.

And I disliked Grawp so much I was rooting for Hagrid to be the one to get offed in OotP just for bringing the guy into the darn story--and I LIKE Hagrid!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_hannelore/]

I'd agree with most of this except for St. Mungos. Ron and Hermione finally find out about Neville's parents and I get this weird feeling (hopefully!) that Neville will be that much more important in books 6 & 7. Besides being a big Neville fan, I would just want to see that whole hospital scene. And who wouldn't want to see Neville's Gran! She's like... the teacher in the Charlie Brown movies. Wah-wah wah wah wah ... but we never see her. I'd like to see his Gran.

Overall, well done!

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

IMHO I think Neville's inclusion in the Dept of Mysteries raid would establish his backbone well enough--I just can't imagine there's going to be enough time to include St. Mungo's. I'd love to be wrong!

Did you see that online "JKR answers questions" day when someone asked if Neville was going to have a more important role in books 6 & 7? Her response was: "I think he's already got a much bigger part. Neville has changed a lot as he's become older and more confident. Book five was a real turning point for Neville." So I don't know that there's anything that needs to be shown as a premonition, y'see, except that Neville has become more confident. That's my take on her words, anyway.

[(Anonymous)]

Fascinating! I myself would leave in St. Mungo's -- I bet that is more important than it seems, and it certainly adds depth to Neville. I'd also leave in the banter regarding Ron -- "Weasley Is Our King" and its reprise are just too cool.

I agree with you on a lot of the rest of it (although I'm not sure how "wet" the kiss with Cho would be)... but I also am willing to leave a lot in. As Peter Jackson just proved, people will sit through as much as three hours and twenty minutes of film, if it's something they really, really want to see, and I wouldn't be surprised if they made a 2:40 or even 2:50 cut for general release.

So -- you sneaking off to a midnight show? ;)

-------------
Sobriquet :)

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Take a look at what I said to _hannelore above about St. Mungo's--I really think it's there to flesh out Neville, but not in a premonition way. And that fleshing-out is served reasonably well by the role he plays in the Ministry raid.

"Wet" refers to her tears, you naughty-minded thing! Of course that'll be in the film.

(No midnight show--I can't believe I'm waiting as long as Saturday to go see it!)

[cellia.livejournal.com]

Pretty much agree with you on cuts, although St. Mungo's and the mirror.... These are things that really stuck in people's minds. Same for the evil detention quill. The mirror could probably be added without much pain/time. Mungo's on the other hand... hm. I'd look for some way to stick it in. If you keep the snake attack on Mr Weasley it wouldn't be that huge of a stretch. Maybe it would be perfect for an "extra scene" on the dvd.

Grawp sadly bored me in the books, so I'd be happy to see him go.

Things I think should definitely stay in (though pared down):

Humanization of the Dursleys (dementor attack might make for a nice opener)
Quill detention
Twins' triumphant departure

I'm not sure the wizengamot is necessary--depends on how much of the Fudge-Lucius-Ministry-bad-beaurocracy theme you want to pursue. Umbridge could be introduced perfectly well at Hogwarts.

Luna: because I am really a Harry/Luna shipper, I mean, um, because I think she's going to be a main player in the next books. And there's a nice scene that could be done with her in about a minute or so at the end that can accomplish more than a few things (the world going on after Sirius, kids' cruelty, Harry's sympathy with someone else's pain, Harry moving outside the trio etc etc) Also, for pure entertainment value: she's one of the characters that could add a lot of oomph with little screentime if cast right (think how much pizazz Felton adds to the movies with not many lines or time)

Kreacher: Am split. Thematically, if you've cut out Grawp and Firenze and the werewolf in St Mungos (and I assume Hermione's SPEW--which isn't even that well-connected to anything in the *books* yet), you don't have the whole wizarding world prejudice for creatures and the potential for that to backfire... But maybe that just needs to be sacrificed. With Umbridge and Neville and Cho and Sirius and Snape (and Luna) and whoever else, plus Harry and Hermione and Ron, we're already pretty overloaded with characters and plot arcs. So, yeah, probably not enough time to establish Kreacher.

But, hm. Now I vacillate... On the other hand... Grimmauld place is very creepy; maybe he could be put into a establish-creepiness scene when Harry 1st arrives? Tied very briefly into a Black-family-history looking at the burnt family tree scene? (Since Sirius dies, I think you'd have to include a bit more of his scenes than you otherwise would to give his death some bite) Plus, without Kreacher, we miss out on some of the best and emotionally punchy lines during the final Harry-Dumbledore confrontation--which I saw as the climax. So I vote: keep him in, but very pared down. Perhaps doing things in the background that get a second or 2 of notice in any Grimmauld scene.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Definitely agree that the Dementor attack would be a good way to open the film! I'd open with Harry sitting morosely on the swing. You can't get that "Harry tries to eavesdrop on the news" thing accomplished without expository sotto voces, and I hate those.

And I can't imagine cutting the Disciplinary Hearing, just can't. The Evil Ministry thing is the whole book. The whole point is that no one believes Harry during this book, and that Voldemort is working to stay hidden, and Sirius dies because the war cannot be fought openly--instead Harry is manipulated by Dumbledore making the wrong choices and Umbridge working to silence Harry and Voldemort taking advantage of the situation to deceive Harry.

I like Luna's purpose at the end of the book as well--'ship or no, hee! And I would cry to see Kreacher eliminated. He's too good a character, and I love Harry and Dumbledore's confrontation over him too.

[elsajeni-fic.livejournal.com]

I couldn't bear to see Kreacher go. I have to have that "Kreacher did not see Young Master, nasty blood traitor that it is, and there's its twin, unnatural creatures" stuff. It's too funny. Anyway, he's important-- although I think Hermione (and by extension Rowling) really needs to get over the whole house-elf thing, and would be thrilled to see S.P.E.W. go, we need Kreacher around to get everyone to the Ministry.

And speaking of the Ministry (ooh! look! a clever segue!), I'd cut most of it. Go in, blunder around, maybe open a couple of wrong doors and immediately know that's not right-- get the impression they're unsure where they're going, but quickly-- then get them to the prophecy, and straight from there to the Veil room. Keep the injuries that are going to be important (Ron's brain-related wounds), but cut the rest (didn't Ginny have a broken ankle? and if so, who cares?)-- in my mind, this is breaking down into magical injuries to stay, non-magical to go, since the magical ones are more likely to have lasting effects (Ron might well be permanently damaged; Ginny will just drink some Skele-Gro and sleep it off). Cut most of the dueling-with-Death-Eaters, too (but, um, give Lucius lots of gratuitous screen-time).

And unlike everyone else, I'm inclined to tone down Umbridge's detentions. And look, I thought that was the most incredible scene in the book-- the quill and the blood and everything, and it was so chilling and so key to the total understanding that Umbridge isn't just a bad teacher and a Ministry toady, but actively evil-- but I think showing it on film would be different. I realize I sound like a sissy and everyone watches violent bloody gory movies from the age of 5, and I watch them too, and I know that Harry Potter has gone way beyond being a children's series now, and that, frankly, everyone would probably be better off if they'd stop acting like it's a children's series, but I'm still inclined to say that those scenes are too intense for a Harry Potter film. Give her something else evil to do. I don't want to cut the detentions-- compress, yes, but not cut-- because her active evilness is so important, so I know this may not be totally relevant to the initial question, but I don't want to see that quill on the screen.

Oh, and let's just pretend that whole Grawp episode never happened, shall we?

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I like what you say about not worrying about the non-magical injuries! Though it's easy to take out characters with quick blows, especially at one swoop, and not dwell on the aftermath, so that Harry can stand alone at the end.

And yes, I failed to make a point that the Dept. of Mysteries doesn't get to show everything. That's a given, yes.

Umbridge's detentions are awful. They're horrible. They were the moment I dropped the book on the floor and buried my fingers in my hair and sat there rocking back and forth moaning, "Not a kid's book, oh, dear god, not a kid's book anymore..." That's why they shouldn't be toned down. (Compressed, yes! Can't show that scene more than once--just have to imply that there are others.)

Grawp who? Hee.

[ladyflowdi.livejournal.com]

I just read all of that, and threw up a little in my mouth. Cutting parts of OotP feels like chopping away limbs of a beloved family member--no matter how much you know it has to happen, it still brings a wee tear to the eye. God help the screen writer.

My Ron muse just screamed from the nether regions of my brain about the Quidditch thing, by the way. ::grin::

I agree with you on all of this, and I'd like to throw in tossing away Luna's whole story line if she's not a main character in books 6 & 7, and probably compress and crunch a lot of the Inquisiter Squad scenes (depending on how much they want to focus on the Draco/Harry love&hate fest).

I'm already dreading GoF and OotP, and they haven't even been filmed yet.

[the-plebe.livejournal.com]

*meeps* That's a lot of cutting, but I agree with the others who've said that St Mungo's should be kept and that the Wizengamot isn't necessary. The reason is because, in the movies, underage wizardry is allowed. It was never established that wizards can't do magic outside of school, so the whole trial, which pretty much centres around Harry doing magic around muggles etc, is kind of redundant. There will probably be just some complaint about the dementors being in Little Whinging(sp?), and things will just roll from there. Also sorry about just dropping in out of nowhere! :)

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

'S cool to have you around! I'm still cheering for the Ministry Hearing to be included because I think it establishes the way there is a dual enemy in the books: Voldemort plus the Ministry. Umbridge's appearance at Hogwarts just wouldn't have the same impact if we hadn't seen her as part of that hearing, IMHO.

Tangentially related

[cheshyre]

Roger Ebert's review of PoA includes the comment:

Hogwarts [...] boasts, as it does every school year, peculiar new faculty members (this school policy promises years of employment for British character actors).

I know they already cast Moody, but I started thinking of other actors suitable for the new characters in OotP.

How about Dame Judi Dench as Umbridge?

Re: Tangentially related

[mizbean.livejournal.com]

I totally agree. I pictured Dench as Umbridge from the get-go.

[mizbean.livejournal.com]

I have never had a problem when screenwriters tweak original material when adapting books to screen. I took a writing class in college where I had to write a screenplay adapted from a short story and it's a lot harder than you would think.

I think the movie should open with Dudley's encounter with the Dementors -- it's a good set-up scene in that it established the sense of darkness that pervades the book. I also think Petunia's previous experience with Dementors will be significant in the coming books. From there I agree with the idea of the advance guard rescuing Harry and avoiding the whole Wizingamont trial. After the reunion at Grimmauld Place, it's on to Hogwarts where we first meet Umbridge at the feast where she hijacks Dumbledore's welcoming speech. I would keep a scene of her DADA class and definitely keep her detention scene. I don't know if we need the obligatory quittach match, but I think keeping Harry's confrontation with Draco and Harry's subsequent banning would be a great scene.

I would definitely keep the pensive and occumancy scenes with Snape. Not only do I think that occlumancy is going to be key later, but Rickman is so good in his role, it would be foolish to deny such a meaty scene.

I agree, Trelawney, Firenze, Grawp -- out, Tonks, Shacklebot -- out, the department of Mysteries majorly trimmed. I thought the different rooms to be confusing in the books anyways. Everything happens in the room with the veil, including Dumbledore's confrontation with Voldie. Hagrid can have a brief walk on when he returns and at the end. Molly's boggart scene might be significant later on, so that could be kept. Ginny can have a few walk-in scenes. I would cut the twins completely, unless the movie starts getting too dark and some comic levity needs to be added. I would keep a scene with Cho Chang, just because I think she is going to be in fourth movie and we will need some closure of Harry's crush. Plus, Harry's first kiss would be a nice scene.

I think exposition about Neville's parents and Bella could be compressed and occur somewhere else, on the way to the final battle, perhaps? I think the mirror should stay, because it really nails home Harry's responsibility in Sirius' death and it doesn't take much space in the movie. The thestrals could go away.

Lastly, I think Luna has to stay. I think she will be key in the final books and I see Harry moving into a relationship or at least a close friendship with her. She is the only peer that is able to empathize with him.

Oops, one more thing! I would definitely keep Draco. Harry needs that little shit to make his life miserable. I would even consider expanding his role in the movie, there is a reason why fans love Harry and Draco together.

Sorry for the long post, I didn't realize had so much to say.

[yonmei.livejournal.com]

I would even consider expanding his role in the movie

Ack! NO! This was the thing that infuriated me about The Two Towers - there was so much that Peter Jackson cut to make the film an acceptable length, and yet he left in lengthy scenes that he'd added in to no particularly good purpose.

Where there is sufficient good material in the book to tell the story (and there surely is) any additions should be seriously considered and then eliminated with prejudice. Remember why Gone With The Wind was loved by fans for decades: necessary changes from the book, but no additions.

[yonmei.livejournal.com]

I wrote up a scene-by-scene summary of how I'd do it, but it was four pages, so, it's shorter if I just show how brutal I'd be with the cuts and what I'd do with compression.

*waves hand* I'd be interested in your four page summary!

I think St Mungo's *probably* ought to stay, even if it's cut down a lot - I suspect Neville is going to be a lot more important in books 6 and 7.

But your version of the film is one I could live with, I think. My hope is that PoA won't be just a fluke - that future directors will see that they don't have to make films that reflect the books exactly to make good HP-fan friendly books.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Heh, thanks for the interest! Most of it got squeezed into this post--if I ever do a more polished version I'll post it here, though.

And you know, St. Mungo's could be cut quite drasticallly to get Neville in there, for a few seconds--I'm just not sure how satisfying that would be.

[p1nkpl4typus.livejournal.com]

Gah, it hurts thinking about cutting anything really. I get this little pain, right here -pats wrong side of chest-

I am one of those people who would sit through and 8 hour movie, but I have also been a firm believer that as long as a movie stays true to the book, it doesn't have to be exactly the same.

If you can take a fine-toothed comb to the book and bring out a script that is still true to the book, and has all the necessary plot details then all the power to you.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Sometimes it's terrific, and sometimes it's so awful all you can do is tell those who have read the books to flee. But I've got faith, given what I've seen of the HP films.

[teawithvoldy.livejournal.com]

I think the Umbridge detention scenes will be cut out too ... with only a reference of what happened in there. I think it's uneccessary and if it was to be shown, the rating for the film would go up.

I think the movie should start with Harry on the swing watching Dudley and gang disapear. For some reason I find that spot a good one to begin the film with.

The Black family tree, Mrs Weasley's boggart can be cut out. theres a lot of stuff that doesn't really need to be shown. That's my opinion.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Ooh, man, I really will moan if they don't show one Umbridge detention in all its horrible glory. It's just so awful, it deserves proper homage.

And I definitely agree with you about the opening shot of the film!

[teawithvoldy.livejournal.com]

Amen! I agree with what you thought up, and knowing now that there is going to be a lot of changes, I mean I haven't seen POA yet, but I know there are changes, because they have to be. Knowing that there are going to be changes has allowed me to adapt to the movie experience because if I don't then I will be dissapionted in the movie.

there was a girl on my Aim, who could wait to see it ... and she had high hopes that it would be very canon, but I had to tell her the truth that it's not going to be the way she planned.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Knowing that there are going to be changes has allowed me to adapt to the movie experience because if I don't then I will be dissapionted in the movie.

This should be emblazoned on every single movie ticket, man. That's what it all comes down to.

[erised1810.livejournal.com]

Hmmm..there's some repititive stuff that could do with just oen summarizign scene (liek the bickering debates over the kids' heads"
and I want the extendable ears in! at least onceThe twin's escape and the swamp, adn mr warwick saying that 'excelent job"/'monbument" something line.
And if we stil have the same Snape I wonder if he could pull
offf the seething one from after the penseive incident.
I'm also rather biassed perhaps after just having seen POA
but I'd like cuaron to direct. He caught some stuff of the
essence and almost seemed to want to push beyond the
limits of Klove's script. So I'd say if they're not already
working on the stuff let him choose someone he worked
with before and yes that's gona be an "I know you in and
out" business but I wish he had the freedom to condense
the thing on his own because man he caught the mood 9imo0, even POA made methink the man had read all 5 books.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Cuaron did do a wonderful job. I loved PoA! It does seem a pity he only wanted to do the one film.

[ms-le-fey.livejournal.com]

I'd definitely have to leave in the St. Mungo's scene with Neville's parents. That necessary parallel with Neville and Harry has to be there when the prophecy is revealed. This shows why Neville has a backbone strong enough to take on a gang of Death Eaters. Currently, in the movies, Neville does absolutely d*ck as far as fighting is concerned. To have him suddenly show up and take on a dozen very powerful, very crazy, very adult evil wizards will be incredibly stupid and unrealistic.

If they cut the Wizengamot, they'll have to emphasize, if only with one well-worded sentence, that Percy has distanced himself from the Weasleys. I think this is important because at this point in the mythos, the line in the sand has been drawn and people are choosing sides. This is a HUGE thing because, as we see with the Weasleys and with the comment that Seamus made to Harry at the beginning of the year, this is breaking up families and friendships. That adds overall to the devastating affect that Voldemort has on the Wizarding community. That is why people will begin to not trust each other and be left vulnerable to be killed or recruited by Voldemort. I think this is a major theme of the series.

Kreacher, Mundungus and Figg can be cut. Also, if they cut any of the early Ministry scenes, perhaps a line delivered by Arthur Weasley about somehow knowing money has exchanged hands between Lucius and Fudge to show the further corruption of the government. I think a lot of scenes that could take up precious minutes can be referrenced with the proper emphasis. Especially since now they're in desperation mode as far as Voldemort's return.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

More people who are willing to cut Kreacher! Wah. Stronger backbone than I, you have.