Potterdom Film/Score Series Thread

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I'll take The rapist for $400.00

Who directed Jeepers Creepers

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I'll take The rapist for $400.00

Who directed Jeepers Creepers

You do understand that mine is a joke from Saturday Night Live doing a skit on Jeopardy when Sean Connery is a celebrity player, and the category is Therapists, Connery puts a space where none exists.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

No...

[Jay 37,477]

I'll take The rapist for $400.00

Who directed Jeepers Creepers

You do understand that mine is a joke from Saturday Night Live doing a skit on Jeopardy when Sean Connery is a celebrity player, and the category is Therapists, Connery puts a space where none exists.

Yes, I did.

[Wojo 2,453]

Then in that case, I'll take the penis mightier for $600. I don't mind telling you that I've spent a pretty penny on them in the past. If it works, I'll take twenty.

[King Mark 3,631]

In the latter films they can apparate, maybe that's how they did it.

You can't apparate at Hogwarts!

Oh wait, in the movies you can...

NO they can't. Only Dumbledore could, and as headmaster so could Snape. Once Voldemort broke all the defenses then apparating became possilbe.

I have a question .I don't remember in the book how Harry survives being killed by Voldermort ..is it because he touched the resurrection stone? Because he tosses it away in the film

I think we had a lengthy discussion about this a few pages back. In the book, Harry survives the final duel because he is master of the Elder Wand. The Elder Wand can't be used to kill its master, so it backfires and kills Voldemort instead. However, this particular attribute of the Elder Wand is never mentioned in the film, so I guess in the movie Harry just somehow gained willpower to kill superior to that of Voldemort.

Yeah.

It is explain if you'd paid attention. Harry explains it afterwards just before he breaks the wand.

No I meant earlier in the woods when Voldermort kills Harry

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I'll take The rapist for $400.00

Who directed Jeepers Creepers

You do understand that mine is a joke from Saturday Night Live doing a skit on Jeopardy when Sean Connery is a celebrity player, and the category is Therapists, Connery puts a space where none exists.

Yes, I did.

you made me actually laugh out loud, which caused me to have to explain to my coworker.

[Wojo 2,453]

No I meant earlier in the woods when Voldermort kills Harry

In the woods, Voldemort's Avada Kedavra spell, fired with the Elder Wand, does not kill Harry. It kills the piece of Voldemort that has lived in Harry as a horcrux for over 17 years.

The impact of this spell stuns Harry, who passes out and enters a dream state in which Dumbledore explains to him some more back story and hints at what Harry must do to win the day. Whether this is just Harry putting things together himself, or an actual out-of-body experience in the lobby of Heaven, is not clearly stated.

The spell also reflects off Harry and stuns Voldemort, who also collapses for a moment.

Since Harry is the master of the Elder Wand, Voldemort could not use it to kill Harry, but it had no problem killing the bit of Voldemort inside Harry. The next time Voldemort uses the spell, it reflects off of Harry back onto Voldemort, killing the dark wizard.

[Jay 37,477]

The impact of this spell stuns Harry, who passes out and enters a dream state in which Voldemort explains to him some more back story and hints at what Harry must do to win the day.

[Wojo 2,453]

Hooray! Someone reads my novels!

[Jay 37,477]

Incanus writes novels. You write... novellas?

[Wojo 2,453]

Novellas?

The earliest lengthy post that I can find was definitely a novel.

I don't think so.

After all, Vader knows Luke is his son. He knows he must have some son out there.

I totally disagree. I remember reading somewhere that Vader only found out that the destroyer of the first Death Star was a person by the name of Luke Skywalker through galactic rumor or by tortuing Rebel prisoners. While flying in his prototype TIE "Avenger" while trying to get a lock on the last X-Wing, he could sense the strength of the Force "in this one," most likely due to Obi-Wan's freshly-dead presence guiding Luke to success, not to mention the fact who the Rebel pilot was. It didn't take long for him to put two and two together, and figure out that he had been deceived, the he indeed did have a son, and a direct threat to himself and the Emperor.

This is the only way that this makes sense, think about it: if Anakin knew that he had a son on the way before he needed the Vader life-support suit, wouldn't he have either killed him then or taken him along to the Emperor for training or exile or worse? Yes, he would have, had he known that he had a son! He did not know of Luke's existence before Luke made a name for himself by destroying the Death Star, and that is the reason why Vader's mad search for Luke takes place during the events depicted in The Empire Strikes Back, and not before the original Star Wars.

"The Emperor knew, as I [Obi-Wan] did, if Anakin were to have any offspring, they would be a threat to him."

The Oedipus effect, pure and simple.

Moving right along, the Trade Federation and other members of the so-called Confederacy need not be crushed, but assimilated into what will become the Empire. What follows is not a spoiler, since no one knows the 100% events of a script that has yet to be written, but we know that Dooku's strong Confederacy will join with Palpatine's purposefully weakened Republic to form said Empire; this is based on logic and common sense.

And Samuel L. Jackson keeps saying he dies in the next one, duh! It's just how he dies. I, personally, would like to see a bit of revenge solve that one.

And about Yoda getting to Dagobah, I'm really concerned about that one, basically what happens to him so that both Vader and Palpatine/Sidious believe him to be dead and don't keep sending an Imperial posse out to find him, since both Anakin and Chancellor Palpatine talk with and interact with Yoda in both prequels thus far, and in the classic trilogy, Vader discusses only Obi-Wan's tutlage of Luke with his son and the Emperor. Even Obi-Wan must somehow make the Empire think him dead or something, especially he his the one who walks away after the impending lava duel that leaves Anakin's body shattered and destined to be Vader. Again, not a spoiler; established canon.

And I'm personally interested to see if Obi-Wan stops over at Dagobah to show baby Luke to his future teacher, since Luke says "there's something familiar about this place, like out of a dream" when he arrives at Dagobah in Episode V. Perhaps he's remembering his distant childhood, just as Leia can remember her "sad" mother (whether she remembers Padme or Bail Organa's wife is anyone's guess at this point).

Darth Wojo - Who still remembers his first post not even four weeks earlier.

I wonder if perhaps those Wookie braids carried by Boba Fett might actually be from dead Jedi padawans...

I don't think so.

After all, Vader knows Luke is his son. He knows he must have some son out there.

I totally disagree. I remember reading somewhere that Vader only found out that the destroyer of the first Death Star was a person by the name of Luke Skywalker through galactic rumor or by tortuing Rebel prisoners. While flying in his prototype TIE "Avenger" while trying to get a lock on the last X-Wing, he could sense the strength of the Force "in this one," most likely due to Obi-Wan's freshly-dead presence guiding Luke to success, not to mention the fact who the Rebel pilot was. It didn't take long for him to put two and two together, and figure out that he had been deceived, the he indeed did have a son, and a direct threat to himself and the Emperor.

This is the only way that this makes sense, think about it: if Anakin knew that he had a son on the way before he needed the Vader life-support suit, wouldn't he have either killed him then or taken him along to the Emperor for training or exile or worse? Yes, he would have, had he known that he had a son! He did not know of Luke's existence before Luke made a name for himself by destroying the Death Star, and that is the reason why Vader's mad search for Luke takes place during the events depicted in The Empire Strikes Back, and not before the original Star Wars.

"The Emperor knew, as I [Obi-Wan] did, if Anakin were to have any offspring, they would be a threat to him."

The Oedipus effect, pure and simple.

Moving right along, the Trade Federation and other members of the so-called Confederacy need not be crushed, but assimilated into what will become the Empire. What follows is not a spoiler, since no one knows the 100% events of a script that has yet to be written, but we know that Dooku's strong Confederacy will join with Palpatine's purposefully weakened Republic to form said Empire; this is based on logic and common sense.

And Samuel L. Jackson keeps saying he dies in the next one, duh! It's just how he dies. I, personally, would like to see a bit of revenge solve that one.

And about Yoda getting to Dagobah, I'm really concerned about that one, basically what happens to him so that both Vader and Palpatine/Sidious believe him to be dead and don't keep sending an Imperial posse out to find him, since both Anakin and Chancellor Palpatine talk with and interact with Yoda in both prequels thus far, and in the classic trilogy, Vader discusses only Obi-Wan's tutlage of Luke with his son and the Emperor. Even Obi-Wan must somehow make the Empire think him dead or something, especially he his the one who walks away after the impending lava duel that leaves Anakin's body shattered and destined to be Vader. Again, not a spoiler; established canon.

And I'm personally interested to see if Obi-Wan stops over at Dagobah to show baby Luke to his future teacher, since Luke says "there's something familiar about this place, like out of a dream" when he arrives at Dagobah in Episode V. Perhaps he's remembering his distant childhood, just as Leia can remember her "sad" mother (whether she remembers Padme or Bail Organa's wife is anyone's guess at this point).

Darth Wojo - Who still remembers his first post not even four weeks earlier.

I wonder if perhaps those Wookie braids carried by Boba Fett might actually be from dead Jedi padawans...

I don't think so.

After all, Vader knows Luke is his son. He knows he must have some son out there.

I totally disagree. I remember reading somewhere that Vader only found out that the destroyer of the first Death Star was a person by the name of Luke Skywalker through galactic rumor or by tortuing Rebel prisoners. While flying in his prototype TIE "Avenger" while trying to get a lock on the last X-Wing, he could sense the strength of the Force "in this one," most likely due to Obi-Wan's freshly-dead presence guiding Luke to success, not to mention the fact who the Rebel pilot was. It didn't take long for him to put two and two together, and figure out that he had been deceived, the he indeed did have a son, and a direct threat to himself and the Emperor.

This is the only way that this makes sense, think about it: if Anakin knew that he had a son on the way before he needed the Vader life-support suit, wouldn't he have either killed him then or taken him along to the Emperor for training or exile or worse? Yes, he would have, had he known that he had a son! He did not know of Luke's existence before Luke made a name for himself by destroying the Death Star, and that is the reason why Vader's mad search for Luke takes place during the events depicted in The Empire Strikes Back, and not before the original Star Wars.

"The Emperor knew, as I [Obi-Wan] did, if Anakin were to have any offspring, they would be a threat to him."

The Oedipus effect, pure and simple.

Moving right along, the Trade Federation and other members of the so-called Confederacy need not be crushed, but assimilated into what will become the Empire. What follows is not a spoiler, since no one knows the 100% events of a script that has yet to be written, but we know that Dooku's strong Confederacy will join with Palpatine's purposefully weakened Republic to form said Empire; this is based on logic and common sense.

And Samuel L. Jackson keeps saying he dies in the next one, duh! It's just how he dies. I, personally, would like to see a bit of revenge solve that one.

And about Yoda getting to Dagobah, I'm really concerned about that one, basically what happens to him so that both Vader and Palpatine/Sidious believe him to be dead and don't keep sending an Imperial posse out to find him, since both Anakin and Chancellor Palpatine talk with and interact with Yoda in both prequels thus far, and in the classic trilogy, Vader discusses only Obi-Wan's tutlage of Luke with his son and the Emperor. Even Obi-Wan must somehow make the Empire think him dead or something, especially he his the one who walks away after the impending lava duel that leaves Anakin's body shattered and destined to be Vader. Again, not a spoiler; established canon.

And I'm personally interested to see if Obi-Wan stops over at Dagobah to show baby Luke to his future teacher, since Luke says "there's something familiar about this place, like out of a dream" when he arrives at Dagobah in Episode V. Perhaps he's remembering his distant childhood, just as Leia can remember her "sad" mother (whether she remembers Padme or Bail Organa's wife is anyone's guess at this point).

Darth Wojo - Who still remembers his first post not even four weeks earlier.

I wonder if perhaps those Wookie braids carried by Boba Fett might actually be from dead Jedi padawans...

I don't think so.

After all, Vader knows Luke is his son. He knows he must have some son out there.

I totally disagree. I remember reading somewhere that Vader only found out that the destroyer of the first Death Star was a person by the name of Luke Skywalker through galactic rumor or by tortuing Rebel prisoners. While flying in his prototype TIE "Avenger" while trying to get a lock on the last X-Wing, he could sense the strength of the Force "in this one," most likely due to Obi-Wan's freshly-dead presence guiding Luke to success, not to mention the fact who the Rebel pilot was. It didn't take long for him to put two and two together, and figure out that he had been deceived, the he indeed did have a son, and a direct threat to himself and the Emperor.

This is the only way that this makes sense, think about it: if Anakin knew that he had a son on the way before he needed the Vader life-support suit, wouldn't he have either killed him then or taken him along to the Emperor for training or exile or worse? Yes, he would have, had he known that he had a son! He did not know of Luke's existence before Luke made a name for himself by destroying the Death Star, and that is the reason why Vader's mad search for Luke takes place during the events depicted in The Empire Strikes Back, and not before the original Star Wars.

"The Emperor knew, as I [Obi-Wan] did, if Anakin were to have any offspring, they would be a threat to him."

The Oedipus effect, pure and simple.

Moving right along, the Trade Federation and other members of the so-called Confederacy need not be crushed, but assimilated into what will become the Empire. What follows is not a spoiler, since no one knows the 100% events of a script that has yet to be written, but we know that Dooku's strong Confederacy will join with Palpatine's purposefully weakened Republic to form said Empire; this is based on logic and common sense.

And Samuel L. Jackson keeps saying he dies in the next one, duh! It's just how he dies. I, personally, would like to see a bit of revenge solve that one.

And about Yoda getting to Dagobah, I'm really concerned about that one, basically what happens to him so that both Vader and Palpatine/Sidious believe him to be dead and don't keep sending an Imperial posse out to find him, since both Anakin and Chancellor Palpatine talk with and interact with Yoda in both prequels thus far, and in the classic trilogy, Vader discusses only Obi-Wan's tutlage of Luke with his son and the Emperor. Even Obi-Wan must somehow make the Empire think him dead or something, especially he his the one who walks away after the impending lava duel that leaves Anakin's body shattered and destined to be Vader. Again, not a spoiler; established canon.

And I'm personally interested to see if Obi-Wan stops over at Dagobah to show baby Luke to his future teacher, since Luke says "there's something familiar about this place, like out of a dream" when he arrives at Dagobah in Episode V. Perhaps he's remembering his distant childhood, just as Leia can remember her "sad" mother (whether she remembers Padme or Bail Organa's wife is anyone's guess at this point).

Darth Wojo - Who still remembers his first post not even four weeks earlier.

I wonder if perhaps those Wookie braids carried by Boba Fett might actually be from dead Jedi padawans...

NOW the spoiler tags are justified! That post would kill every dialup modem known to man.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

you are a true artist!

[Wojo 2,453]

There are worse things I could, be I suppose.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

A quantity surveyor...

[Wojo 2,453]

That's not too far off the mark.

[gkgyver 1,646]

Excuse me for posting on-topic stuff, but having watched DH 2 again, I'm really struck by the fact that practically everyone in this series ends up with a hotter chick than Harry.

[Wojo 2,453]

Hermione doesn't.

[Henry B 50]

Are we seriously using spoiler tags for Star Wars?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I rather like Ginny.

Love redheads

[Wojo 2,453]

Are we seriously using spoiler tags for Star Wars?

No. I used spoiler tags because it was an obnoxiously large chunk of text that had no present relevance anymore, and because I am not proud of the long incoherent posts that I used to write. Wanna read it? Move your hand over to the spoiler button. Don't wanna? Nothing to see here, move along.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Excuse me for posting on-topic stuff, but having watched DH 2 again, I'm really struck by the fact that practically everyone in this series ends up with a hotter chick than Harry.

Hermione doesn't.

A missed opportunity if there ever was one.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Indeed!

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I rather like Ginny.

Love redheads

ginny is gorgeous, Harry ends up with the best looking woman in the series.

[Wojo 2,453]

[JoeinAR 1,949]

she's so pretty that there will be a sequel.

It's called Harry Potter and the Big Trouble in Little China, as Harry must battle Lo Pan for Ginny's soul this time.

[davros72 1]

Ginny is very beautiful, Hermione is very attractive as well... If forced to choose between those too, I think I'd go with Ginny.

But then there's Luna... Did anyone see Evanna Lynch at the London red carpet premiere thingy for Part 2? Holy effin' heck!

[Wojo 2,453]

And for all the gushing that Neville did about Luna when he thought they were all going to die, at the movie's end, he looked like he would have traded sitting next to her for being back in a nest of Death Eaters again.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

ginny is gorgeous, Harry ends up with the best looking woman in the series.

Either her or Emma Watson.

[MSM 126]

I prefer this one:

[Datameister 2,082]

Emma Watson and Bonnie Wright are both gorgeous.

[gkgyver 1,646]

I'd prefer Ian McKellen over Bonnie Wright.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Eeewww...

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

I have a very soft spot for redheads, but even with that bias Emma Watson is definitely better looking by Bonnie Wright. Not that there's anything unattractive about Bonnie. She actually reminds of Kate Isitt a lot

[gkgyver 1,646]

Now imagine Emma Watson with red hair.

[Wojo 2,453]

I'd prefer Ian McKellen over Bonnie Wright.

Where was Ian McKellen in the Harry Potter movies?

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I'd prefer Ian McKellen over Bonnie Wright.

not even in my faggiest moment.

[King Mark 3,631]

No I meant earlier in the woods when Voldermort kills Harry

In the woods, Voldemort's Avada Kedavra spell, fired with the Elder Wand, does not kill Harry. It kills the piece of Voldemort that has lived in Harry as a horcrux for over 17 years.

The impact of this spell stuns Harry, who passes out and enters a dream state in which Dumbledore explains to him some more back story and hints at what Harry must do to win the day. Whether this is just Harry putting things together himself, or an actual out-of-body experience in the lobby of Heaven, is not clearly stated.

The spell also reflects off Harry and stuns Voldemort, who also collapses for a moment.

Since Harry is the master of the Elder Wand, Voldemort could not use it to kill Harry, but it had no problem killing the bit of Voldemort inside Harry. The next time Voldemort uses the spell, it reflects off of Harry back onto Voldemort, killing the dark wizard.

thank you

[Once 605]

The recording studio phase of the work is not a place for improvisation. But Williams delights in spontaneous impulse. This time he's concerned about a brief scene in which three ghosts sing a Christmas carol.

This has been set up to "Deck the Halls," but Williams is not happy with this choice, even though it is a secular carol chosen to avoid giving offense to any religious group.

"Why should there be anything from the Muggles world at Hogwarts?" he asked. So at night, he wrote a little tune for a new carol, and then he amused himself by producing the lyrics too.

Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, ring the Hogwart bell,

Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, cast a Christmas spell . . .

Find a broomstick in your stocking, see the magic on display.

Join the owls' joyous flocking on this merry Christmas day.

Later he was delighted to learn that his lines would need to be translated into six languages.

Source: http://web.archive.org/web/20011202143130/http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/chi-0111150136nov15.story

I love this!

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

Fantastic article, thanks for sharing.

I wonder why his guide to the orchestra idea didn't take off as planned. The suite is fantastic.

[indy4 155]

Wow, that was a great article! Thanks for sharing!

Really cool about the Christmas carol...it's definitely one of the most eerie things JW has written. But why was it translated into 6 different languages? Was it for international releases?

I've always thought that the amount of themes in Sorcerer's Stone is pretty impressive. He's got a main theme, a theme for Voldemort, a theme for the stone, a theme for Diagon Alley, a theme for Harry's family, a theme for Quidditch, three(!) themes for Hogwarts, a theme for Christmas (arguably), a Christmas carol. . . Plus a bunch of these themes have B themes that are different enough to be played on their own (Hedwig's B Theme, Hogwart's B Theme, etc.)

[Datameister 2,082]

Finally saw DH2 this afternoon. Wow...that was about as good an adaptation of the climax of the book as I could have hoped for. I must say that after a very lackluster OOTP, Yates and company really turned the franchise around and delivered an increasingly impressive final three films. This one was probably the best of those three...maybe the best of the Potter films in general. Of course, there were no big surprises, as I'd already read the book years ago and had heard others' reactions to the film, but I still was really pleased with how it turned out overall. It swiftly picks up right where the first part leaves off, starting with some nicely subdued dialogue and then launching into what is really a two-hour-long climax to the entire series. Although it's been a while since I read the book, this struck me as being a pretty faithful adaptation that really only omitted unnecessary details and really only changed things that really wouldn't have translated as well to the cinema. The latter was especially the case with the end battle and Harry's big duel with Voldemort in particular...these were obviously expanded from the rather shorter and more frantic versions in the book, and I thought it worked well for the film.

For me, one clear highlight of the film was the Pensieve flashback sequence. This struck as very, very well handled, with Rickman finally getting a chance to do something more in this series than scowl - and he really sells it well. In fact, I daresay I felt more compassion for the character while watching this part of the film than I did while reading that part of the book. The music even worked well...it was totally forgettable from a melodic standpoint, but the emotional content was right on the money. I also appreciated the bits of footage from SS...those and the other throwbacks to the early films (Gringotts, the Chamber of Secrets, the Forbidden Forest, etc.) really did lend a nice sense of closure to the film, reminding the viewer of how far we've come.

Now, Desplat's score did generally strike me the same way DH1 did - that is to say, it followed the emotional thrust of each scene well, it never annoyed me, and it has a nice wholesome orchestral sound with inoffensive hints of contemporary Zimmerlike influences. But on the whole, it's totally forgettable. I heard nothing memorable going on melodically, which isn't a big problem for the film itself, but it doesn't encourage me to buy the OST. I do think Desplat's scores were the best of the non-Williams Potter scores, but they also had the least character to them. Doyle's GOF might have been annoyingly overenthusiastic and shrill, and Hooper's efforts might have seemed rather weak and bland, but at least both composers wrote some tunes that I can still hum, you know? That's obviously not the only thing that counts in music, but strong themes are one of the big things that'll make me interested in the score beyond its function in the film.

Of course, all of what I just said is really just relevant to Desplat's own original material. His uses of Williams' material were another story. As with DH1, the quiet sprinklings of Hedwig's theme were harmless at worst, but I did find the louder uses of the second part of the melody (e.g., when Harry returns to Hogwarts) to be a little peculiar. I didn't have any problems with whatever leitmotivic meanings could be ascribed to the material, but I just wasn't sure it fit the scenes that well. (Speaking of memorable music, the original moments that this material was based on were one of the things that drew me to the SS score in the beginning. Love those horns.)

So...yeah, for most of the film, I wasn't especially impressed with the score. It felt serviceable, appropriate, and ultimately forgettable.

Then came the "19 years later" epilogue.

I of course knew about the reuse of "Leaving Hogwarts" in this scene. It's something I'd been hoping for since a year or two ago, and it's something I was very pleased to hear about when the news broke. I also knew exactly what would happen in that scene, of course, and I've heard the original cue countless times while listening to the album, watching the film, arranging the cue for piano, engraving the full score in Finale, listening to "Reunion of Friends", etc., etc. I even knew what the aged actors were going to look like from the on-set photos. So there really were no surprises to be had here whatsoever. I knew exactly what to expect.

Nevertheless, when the orchestra built up into that big final statement of the family theme, this strange watery fluid started leaking out of my eyes, and I had to wipe it away with my hands. I'd never had that happen to me in a movie before. Ever.

I didn't even think that final scene was especially well done or anything. It was just the combination of the context and the nostalgia and Williams' incredible music that finally sent me over the edge. Like so many folks in my general age group, I felt like I grew up with Harry Potter. In fact, it's the literal truth...I was always roughly the same age as Harry as I read the books, and Dan Radcliffe was born less than two months after me. I even had kids telling me I looked like Harry Potter when I was younger, and I sort of identified with how he felt like a bit of an outsider. And I'm generally sentimental about the turn of the millennium, when the first film came out, and I've always loved the pairing of image and music at the end of that film, and...yeah. So it really got to me. Didn't last long...I'd managed to clean up my face by the time a few names had rolled in the credits...but for a guy who's never so much as gotten slightly misty-eyed in a film before, this was BIG. And I doubt it would have happened if not for "Leaving Hogwarts." If anyone was going to finally make me (almost) cry with their art, it makes sense that it would be Williams.

Anyway. Glad I saw the film. Kinda feeling like re-reading the entire series at some point.

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

For me, one clear highlight of the film was the Pensieve flashback sequence. This struck as very, very well handled, with Rickman finally getting a chance to do something more in this series than scowl - and he really sells it well. In fact, I daresay I felt more compassion for the character while watching this part of the film than I did while reading that part of the book. The music even worked well...it was totally forgettable from a melodic standpoint, but the emotional content was right on the money. I also appreciated the bits of footage from SS...those and the other throwbacks to the early films (Gringotts, the Chamber of Secrets, the Forbidden Forest, etc.) really did lend a nice sense of closure to the film, reminding the viewer of how far we've come.

All of this +1. The absolute highlight of the film for me, even agree that it was more well done than the book. Maybe it was Rickman's acting, or Rowling's writing, but I just didn't feel any sincere emotion for the book character, but on film it was incredible.

Now, Desplat's score did generally strike me the same way DH1 did - that is to say, it followed the emotional thrust of each scene well, it never annoyed me, and it has a nice wholesome orchestral sound with inoffensive hints of contemporary Zimmerlike influences. But on the whole, it's totally forgettable. I heard nothing memorable going on melodically, which isn't a big problem for the film itself, but it doesn't encourage me to buy the OST. I do think Desplat's scores were the best of the non-Williams Potter scores, but they also had the least character to them. Doyle's GOF might have been annoyingly overenthusiastic and shrill, and Hooper's efforts might have seemed rather weak and bland, but at least both composers wrote some tunes that I can still hum, you know? That's obviously not the only thing that counts in music, but strong themes are one of the big things that'll make me interested in the score beyond its function in the film.

I'll say that once I bought the DH2 soundtrack and listened to it in isolation I appreciated it much more. The main theme ("Lily's Theme", though it seems as accurately titled as Hedwig's as it's more of a general theme than anything) is great, and gets a lot of good treatment on the album. It's very delicately used, in many versatile ways, so it's hard to spot on even its most bombastic appearances (the Gringott's escape sequence comes to mind). I've come to appreciate the battle/castle theme as well, despite the very Zimmerish approach in "Statues" and "Courtyard Apocalypse". The subdued statements in "New Beginning" are just gorgeous.

Nevertheless, when the orchestra built up into that big final statement of the family theme, this strange watery fluid started leaking out of my eyes, and I had to wipe it away with my hands. I'd never had that happen to me in a movie before. Ever.

Happens to me a fair bit, but I'll admit that it hit me harder in this film than in most. It was really mostly nostalgia that got me. I grew up with Harry as you did (read the first book at 11), and both the books and films have been a huge part of my life over the last decade. It's hard not to ignore that. I'll definitely be re-reading the series soon. It's been quite a while since I've read 1-4 and I'm looking forward to it.

In other news, had another nostalgic moment as I listened to the PS sessions, particularly the "Voldemort" arrangement for the children's suite. I remember buying the sheet music to the first film back in 2002 at the tender age of 14, and I performed the piano arrangement of "Voldemort" for my recital that year. Was only the second time I'd ever performed in public, and I was adamant it would be that piece. It took me all year to learn it (those semi-quaver runs were a bitch back then), but I did it. I'm now a professional musician and teacher and preparing for my own students' recitals. Where the hell did that time go?

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I'm thinking about watching the film tomorrow at the 10am matinee, in 2D to see if I still come away with this wonderful feeling.

Data/Joe, very nice take on the film, well written.

[Jeff 10]

Data - I pretty much agreed with everything you said - very nice review!

The first time I saw SS (I was in college and had only read part of the book), the thing that really hooked me was that final scene at the train station with "Leaving Hogwarts." I can still remember walking outside a theater playing SS one day and hearing the climax of "Leaving Hogwarts" and wishing I were in there watching the film.

Therefore, it was only fitting that the series should conclude on this magical cue. That, and the whole Hogwarts Express atmosphere at Platform 9 3/4 was a perfect storm for nostalgia. Some people don't like the epilogue, but emotionally it plays a vital role, wrapping up the series up and circling back to where it began. You almost got the feeling that 5-7 were not part of the same series until DH2, when they tied in so many references to previous entries.

I'm incredibly satisfied with what the finished product. I've already seen it twice and I'll have to see it at least one more time in theaters!

[Marian Schedenig 8,240]

I've always thought that the amount of themes in Sorcerer's Stone is pretty impressive. He's got a main theme, a theme for Voldemort,

TWO themes for Voldemort.

a theme for the stone, a theme for Diagon Alley, a theme for Harry's family,

A theme for Harry himself, too.

a theme for Quidditch, three(!) themes for Hogwarts,

One of the Hogwarts themes is actually a Gryffindor theme.

[indy4 155]

I stand corrected. What is the theme for Harry? I always assume people are talking about the B theme of Hedwig's Theme when they say that.

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

Harry's Wondrous World?

[Jeff 10]

I think they may be talking about what is also called the "family and/or friends theme." Which is right after the A Theme in Harry's Wondrous World. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. (Although I'm sure that last sentence is completely redundant on this board.)

EDIT: I meant to say "B" Theme.

[MSM 126]

I think they may be talking about what is also called the "family and/or friends theme." Which is right after the A Theme in Harry's Wondrous World. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. (Although I'm sure that last sentence is completely redundant on this board.)

EDIT: I meant to say "B" Theme.

No the Family theme is the one heard in Mirror of Erised, Change of Season and Leaving Hogwarts.

Harry's theme is indeed the second theme heard in Harry's Wondrous World, although sometimes the fist theme is also referred to as Harry's Theme or the Castle Theme, while it is in fact the secondary theme to Hedwig's Theme.