Potterdom Film/Score Series Thread

[Bilbo 3,709]

7 minutes ago, bollemanneke said:

I suppose that was still a better strategy than what the Cursed Child author turned him into...

Cursed Child definitely feels more like a continuation of the film universe rather than the books.

 

I'd like to see JKR revisit it in novel form and change some stuff but o can live with it as it is. 

[bollemanneke 3,338]

I wouldn't go so far as to compare the play universe to the film universe. 'Oh, I'm bored, Avada Kedavra.' I mean... WTF?

[Alex 2,833]

Half of the Cursed Child was more like fan fiction anyway

[mrbellamy 6,272]

"Cursed Child Ron" isn't that far off from "Movie Ron," really. 

 

On November 4, 2016 at 10:03 AM, Bilbo Skywalker said:

Cursed Child definitely feels more like a continuation of the film universe rather than the books.

 

I'd like to see JKR revisit it in novel form and change some stuff but o can live with it as it is. 

 

The irritating thing is that she insisted it was all canon and consistent with the books when it just isn't. Too much retconning in there for me. I always expect a bit of that as there are minor inconsistencies within the series as well and I expect the same in Fantastic Beasts, but the play really threw caution to the wind there. Also apparently there was a bunch of stuff on Time Turners in those Pottermore books Rowling put out a month or so ago and from what I heard it all contradicts Cursed Child so...?

 

As speculative fan fiction, it was still just kind of okay? I liked where they took Draco's character but it didn't add much other than that for me. It's essentially Harry Potter Greatest Hits, I was pretty underwhelmed with where they took the villain in the end as a character (good actor might be able to make more of it) and in general I found the dialogue painfully formal reading a lot of the time. Supposedly the kid who plays Scorpius makes a lot of his stuff sound incredibly natural, though, which must be some minor miracle to witness. And of course I would expect as a light-and-sound spectacle it's first-rate.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

The worst thing in Cursed Child by far is how Snape was written in the alternate "Voldemort won" timeline.

[bollemanneke 3,338]

And the Draco/Harry duel? And the trolley witch? And everything else?

[mrbellamy 6,272]

2 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

The worst thing in Cursed Child by far is how Snape was written in the alternate "Voldemort won" timeline.

 

Because he was played up as the kind, noble hero?

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I guess, maybe?  I dunno, it just felt so so very "off." And not in a "this is an alternate timeline so he's changed" way.  Just...not Snape.

 

But Snape is also my favorite character from the book series, so maybe I was always going to hate someone else writing him.

[mrbellamy 6,272]

I hear some people were disappointed with the play's casting and found it quite bizarre to see someone other than Rickman playing him. I guess the CC actor played it pretty straight and the character seemed like just some guy off the street lol.

[Pieter Boelen 740]

9 hours ago, Bilbo Skywalker said:

Cursed Child definitely feels more like a continuation of the film universe rather than the books.

The description of the Third Task in The Cursed Child proves you are correct there.

[Once 604]

On 4/11/2016 at 3:46 PM, mrbellamy said:

 

Difference is in the book Krum's appearance at the wedding spurs Ron to ask Hermione to dance himself, not look on jealously. Point being to show he'd grown up a bit since the Yule Ball. One of a handful of examples in the films where they sorta neutered his character from what he was on the page.

Right, of course. The Steve Kloves twist.

[mrbellamy 6,272]

I quite like how this one turned out

 

 

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

Cool!  It feels perfectly in line with the dark understated tone of the latter Potter films while still remaining true to the soundscape established in the first three Potter scores.

 

[mrbellamy 6,272]

That's what I like about it too. I can appreciate the "dark dramatic thriller" tone that Yates was going for in Part 1 but it's so far removed from the other films. Obviously that was the point but I don't actually think it was necessary in retrospect, I prefer how this gently hearkens back to the early films, just edging in a little more of that warmth and lyricism and "magical" atmosphere but in a darker and quieter context. I love the female choir, cor anglais, and celesta with that two-shot of Harry/Hermione, echoing back to their 11-year-old selves. Makes it feel more of a natural progression from the rest of the series IMO. I think the whole thing works pretty well with Yates's direction (and I tried best as I could to make "Replicas" fit with Desplat's existing score )

 

Parts of A.I. do seem like a decent hypothetical for "later Potter" via Williams to me, he brought a lot of those colors into the series. And both that score and Empire of the Sun were Williams expressing lost innocence as well so I like the fit.

[Arpy 4,145]

It never ceases to amaze me that even in underscore that is really meant to be "underscore", JW fills that soundscape with little nuggets of whimsy or warmth, like there's more going on than what you might expect to hear...

[bollemanneke 3,338]

And in HP1 that's a huge problem.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Why is that a problem?

[Arpy 4,145]

Yeah, wtf?

 

I might contradict my last post, but the warmth and whimsy and underscore is exactly what that film needed. I think I was just referring to his scores for A.I. and other darker films that the underscore isn't underscore for the sake of it.

[bollemanneke 3,338]

I didn't say the score was bad, I said it was overscored. There are moments when the orchestra just needs to be quiet.

[Arpy 4,145]

I don't think so, could you point out a specific part? 

[bollemanneke 3,338]

Sure: the infamous 'up to something' speech by Snape. That music is so over the top there. The silence between those words and 'people would think you're...' is totally botched by the intricate woodwinds.

[Arpy 4,145]

Haha incidentally that's one of my favourite parts! It's all part of the rouse to portray Snape as a villain.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Why is it botched? It's deliberate misdirection. 

[bollemanneke 3,338]

Because Rickman's voice is more than enough. It had been much more effective had JW come in right after the 'up to something' and not all the time.

[Arpy 4,145]

Meh, I think it went hand in hand with Rickman's performance. That imagery of his cloak billowing away as JW has those evil cellos in the near bass region will never leave my mind.

[mrbellamy 6,272]

I love that moment. It fits with the spirit of the score, film, and performance, Rickman's totally hamming it up there. There's a sense that he's almost looking into the camera when he says it with that ridiculous giant close-up and the slowww head-turn to Harry lol (which I guess bolle doesn't realize and may be part of why he thinks the music is inappropriately over-the-top, which would be interesting actually.)

 

But I think it hits a great tone that's scary for the kids and intentionally funny for the adults. Williams helped make that an extremely fun, memorable moment of campy villainy. I think a lot of people officially fell in love with Rickman's portrayal of Snape at that moment, it really defined the tone of his character going forward with those long, slightly comical dramatic pauses.

[Jay 37,323]

Ha!  Someone took all 8 Harry Potter movies and edited them into a single 78 minute feature inspired by Boyhood, called Wizardhood

 

 

 

Amazing how much brighter and more colorful the beginning is compared to the end...

[Skelly 261]

I wish I could visit an alternate timeline where Chris Columbus directed all the movies, and see how much better they'd be compared to Yates's films. One big difference would be the ability to see what's going on onscreen.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Oh yuck. I don't like the first 2 either.  To me the sweet spot of that franchise is 3 and 4. Post Columbus, Pre Yates.

[Skelly 261]

There are a lot of grievances to be had with 1 and 2, but they are a lot easier to digest and enjoy than anything after 3.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

59 minutes ago, Skelly said:

There are a lot of grievances to be had with 1 and 2, but they are a lot easier to digest and enjoy than anything after 3.

 

Agreed!

[mrbellamy 6,272]

5 hours ago, Skelly said:

I wish I could visit an alternate timeline where Chris Columbus directed all the movies, and see how much better they'd be compared to Yates's films. One big difference would be the ability to see what's going on onscreen.

 

 

In an alternate reality, it would be fun to know how Deathly Hallows in particular would have turned out by each of the three other HP directors. Starting with whether they all would have still split it in two or if anybody would have done it as one film.

 

3 hours ago, Disco Stu said:

Oh yuck. I don't like the first 2 either.  To me the sweet spot of that franchise is 3 and 4. Post Columbus, Pre Yates.

 

I think I get what you mean in that 3 and 4 probably both had the most dynamic filmmaking, the most impressive presentation in terms of scope, comfortable pacing, quick-witted sense of humor (Columbus and Yates always struck me as a bit slow/awkward), and tonally I think found the most satisfying balance between light and dark of the films. My problem with GOF is that it feels like Harry Potter cranked up to 11. It's like Newell directed the whole movie with a megaphone going "Do it bigger! BIGGER!!!" Not just on set but wandering around all the pre and post-production offices too The performances, dialogue, staging, visual effects, music....that whole movie has a major case of the HOLY FUCKING SHITs.

 

I can enjoy it divorced from the books but it feels the least like Rowling to me of all the movies. Even Columbus was more restrained, though obviously he could be pretty heavy-handed. Yates, on the other hand, I wish indulged himself more. Cuaron captured the best vibe to me, my perception of the magical world in POA is constantly shifting between eccentric, horrifying, enchanting, or just very simple and domestic, and it's a really delightful juggling act.

 

Something about that movie's cinematic language appeals to me, I always feel like Cuaron et al are frequently winking behind the camera in a way that I always enjoyed about Rowling's wordplay. You get it with Columbus and Newell, but they were less:

 

 

and a little more like:

 

 

Whereas Yates could be a bit:

 

[Skelly 261]

26 minutes ago, mrbellamy said:

In an alternate reality, it would be fun to know how Deathly Hallows in particular would have turned out by each of the three other HP directors. Starting with whether they all would have still split it in two or if anybody would have done it as one film.

 

I recall reading somewhere (who knows if it's true) that early on in development they were toying with the idea of splitting the first book into two movies, and having the split point be just as the first Quidditch match is starting. Thank goodness they didn't do that!

[mrbellamy 6,272]

Haha yeah, that would have been overkill.

 

Apparently at one point Steve Kloves seriously suggested doing Deathly Hallows as a trilogy and David Heyman was sort of terrified by the idea.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

On 10/21/2016 at 8:38 AM, Disco Stu said:

I had actually never heard this rumor about Bruce Springsteen recording a song for a Harry Potter movie, but I guess he's confirmed it now?  The article doesn't say which movie it was for, anybody know?  Sounds like something Yates would want (being the guy who used Nick Cave in Deathly Hallows).

 

Bruce Springsteen Says He Wrote a Song for Harry Potter, But “They Didn’t Use It”

 

 

 

You can finally listen to Bruce Springsteen’s Harry Potter song

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

10 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

 

You can finally listen to Bruce Springsteen’s Harry Potter song

[Skelly 261]

It's a pretty goofy song, but it's not too hard to imagine the Potter movies actually going down that pop path. Think of all the kids' books-turned-movies that actually did have that sort of crap playing during the end credits... fortunately David Heyman was very adamant that the Potter movies definitely shouldn't be like that.

[Bilbo 3,709]

That is one of the worst songs I've ever heard. 

 

I like The Boss but that's Sheeran levels of crap. 

[Will 2,215]

I actually like it, although it doesn't fit with the tone at all, obviously. 

[Pieter Boelen 740]

Did I mention I like Hedwig's Theme? Because I do.

[Muad'Dib 1,801]

Would be better as a GoT song.

[bollemanneke 3,338]

This might be a bit of an odd question, but I never brought it up on this forum, so...

 

I've been collecting Harry Potter screenplays for a long time. For some extremely weird reason, all of Steve Kloves's scripts are available online except for Goblet of Fire. I'd love to have the real shooting script, but can't find any information about it anywhere, except that it was sold on eBay at some point but the seller no longer replies.

 

If anyone can help in any way, please let me know.

[mrbellamy 6,272]

Lol idk

 

 

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Definite proof that Williams simply wasn't right for the latter Potter films!

[Alex 2,833]

Just look at that colour grading. Let's not pretend that JW would have even been able to see what he was scoring.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

It's not about seeing what you're scoring, it's about feeling what you're scoring!

[bollemanneke 3,338]

Well, Hooper cleary didn't feel what he was scoring... I'm convinced that JW would have done a great job though I'm not saying Desplat didn't do that.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

1 hour ago, bollemanneke said:

though I'm not saying Desplat didn't do that.

 

I am.

[bollemanneke 3,338]

Why?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Because he didn't like the music?