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The Official "Goblet of Fire" Film Review Thread


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Marian - wondering how OOTP will turn out.

This is easy. They'll replace Hermione with Ginny to make her sudden grand appearance in HAP more believable. The film will be sexual innuendo galore appealing to the crowd who dig the shallow teen lust aspect of the series. The film's selling point will be that it's even "darker" and "scarier" than the last ones when the only thing scary about this series is the "monster" down Harry's pants. And finally, Rowling will make a cameo telling Harry and co. and the audience that they are happy characters and the only thing that matters to her is devoting three-quarters of page space to shallow romances that do nothing to further character and plot development.

And by the way... sex, sex, sex and more sex. That's what the Potterfans want. OOTP is doomed to fail.

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This movie felt like it took place over 3 weeks, not an entire school year. The kids never learned a thing and there was nothing to indicate the changing seasons, so far as I can remember.

It was nice to see Fawkes briefly, but why was Harry going to Dumbldore's study anyway?

Rita Skeeter was beyond useless in this movie. She could have been, and probably should have been, cut out.

Why weren't the paintings alive in the Sirius fire scene?

The big confrontation at the end was very well done and the aftermath was certainly emotional. But in the end, this movie just feels like it took 2 1/2 hours of it's time to bring back Voldemort and that's about it. It's entertaing, but it's not particularly interesting drama.

Neil

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OOTP is doomed to fail.

For once, I agree with you. Can't wait for H-BP, though.

Both movies are doomed to fail. OOTP only because it will be tainted by HAP, making the screenwriter struggle to have it make sense.

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An updated version of my review that went to print follows:

In the very first shot, a giant snake slithers from the mouth of a human skull, sinisterly poised at the entrance to a pale tomb. It leaves a spoor of mucus in its wake as it glides over gravestones and fallen crosses, making its way to a dark, neglected house on the hill above. Moments later, whispered words bring forth a flash of green light, and as a body falls lifeless to the ground, Harry Potter is jolted awake from his nightmare. With “Goblet of Fire,” a fatal darkness creeps silently through the halls of Hogwarts, from the pages of perhaps the most popular installment in J. K. Rowling’s ubiquitous wizarding saga.

No longer is Harry able to start his school year in the relatively safe confines of Privet Drive, to cope only with the castigations of his cruel Muggle relatives. Rather, the beginning of his fourth year is punctuated by murder and hints of a dark plot that involves his own abduction at the hands of the most evil of wizards.

In fact, there is hardly a moment in this film when Harry’s life is not in immediate danger. Harry awakens from his first nightmare to join his friends, Ron and Hermione, at a Quidditch match. Soon after, as hundreds on the campgrounds celebrate into the night, dozens of masked wizards called Death Eaters, Voldemort’s followers, terrorize the camp and burn it to the ground. Nearly trampled in the stampede, Harry barely survives the destruction, and his perils have only begun.

Soon after he arrives back at Hogwarts School, Harry is shocked to find himself selected as a Tri-wizard Champion, one of four students competing in a magical tournament involving two other schools. The champions must compete in three challenges over the coming school year, each an increasingly difficult test of their magical prowess and ability to cope with danger. If that weren’t enough, Harry struggles to uncover the spy at Hogwarts who is planning for his death, when all the while the school thinks him a liar. On top of everything else, he is confronted with the most difficult task of all — asking a girl to go to the dance with him.

For the first time, this Potter film doesn’t feel like it’s missing crucial scenes from the book. Like a third-year discovering the sweet shop Honeydukes, director Mike Newell chooses from Rowling’s marvelous source material and creates an enormously satisfying film that is equally delicious in its dangers and thrills. The three Tri-wizard tasks provide relentless action that brings cohesiveness and flow to the picture. In the first task, Harry confronts a vicious dragon on his broomstick in an exhilarating chase over the Hogwarts grounds. He must later survive the treacherous waters of the black lake and navigate a dark labyrinth full of magical predators. It’s better paced and far more believable than anything in the first three films.

Interspersed with these action-driven sequences are humorous moments that keep the tone of the film balanced. Fred and George Weasley are especially marvelous as comic relief. The film’s centerpiece is the Yule Ball, the traditional holiday dance accompanying the Tri-wizard Tournament. Harry, Ron, and Hermione (Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson) play their characters wonderfully well as they cope with all the horrors that accompany such an event. Harry entertains as he nervously asks out his crush, Cho Chang, but unfortunately misses the mark on the best line in the book, “Wangoballwime?” Meanwhile, Ron masquerades his growing feelings towards Hermione as jealousy and bitterness when he discovers she’s going to the ball with someone else. Although it’s fun to see their famous quarrel at the end of the ball, only a grindylow couldn’t feel sorry for Hermione, who has her night ruined and ends up devastated on the stairs in front of the Great Hall, in a beautiful evening gown.

The rest of the talented acting ensemble is as eclectic as a bag of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans. Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) and Madame Maxime (Frances de la Tour), head of Beauxbatons Academy, share a bonding moment while watching dragons. The rest of the Hogwarts staff, Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), Minerva McGonagall (Maggie Smith), and Severus Snape (Alan Rickman) lend their enormous talent and experience with delightful results — in Snape’s case, with sardonic hilarity. Newcomer Mad-Eye Moody (Brendan Gleeson), who teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts, is creepy and scarred, encouraging his students to tend towards paranoia, yet also displays a paternal side as he guides Harry through the tournament. It’s a joy to watch Gleeson portray this convincing mixed persona.

From the opening scene, the image of a snake protruding from a skull’s mouth is a central icon in this film. Known as the Dark Mark, Death Eaters cast Voldemort’s symbol into the sky to mark the sites of their victims. When the Dark Mark appears early on in the film, the inspired terror is as real for the audience as it is for the characters on screen. All Death Eaters have the Dark Mark tattooed onto their forearms, where the dark etchings of the snake writhe across their skin like living diseased veins. This effect is one of many visuals that subtly express the magic of Harry’s world, instead of detracting from the experience as something clearly computer-generated.

Those who have read the book widely acknowledge that the climactic graveyard scene in “Goblet of Fire” is the most crucial and pivotal moment in canon. The success of the film hinged on the quality of this one scene, and thankfully, it was done spectacularly well. There had to be blood, and torture, and death, and genuine fear, otherwise the whole film would have been completely false. Ralph Fiennes’s Voldemort is bone-chilling. It recalls his mutilated, gasping character from “The English Patient,” except imbued with pure evil. My only complaint is that the editing could have been tighter, because his confrontation with Harry is slightly too short, and there isn’t enough of a desperate struggle just before Harry portkeys. Other than that, Daniel Radcliffe delivers an extra cauldronful of emotion. From Priori Incantatem onward, the tragedy is physically overwhelming.

The closing shots of the trio walking off onto the beautiful Hogwarts grounds are a severe contrast to the growing danger of the world around them. Easily the best film of the series to date, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” captures the essence of the novel without being burdened by the need to fulfill every written detail.

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I agree, GoF does look a little rushed sometimes, whereas PoA even took the time to include some very poetic, off-beat moments (I'm thinking of "Secrets Of The Castle" for instance).

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Actually, GoF does take the time to include plenty of wonderful character moments. I think part of what causes the rushed feeling is that, upon reflection, the movie has no plot. The way the sections are presented in the movie, you could skip the Quidditch World Cup and the first two tasks without affecting the rest of the movie.

Marian - hmm.

:) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

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Saw it. I now appreciate the soundtrack a little bit more than without the film. Actually some of the tracks I had dismissed as boring did work very well in the film. Also I did count Hedwig's theme maybe four times in the film, even if it only appears twice on the soundtrack.

The ball... They built such a wonderful atmosphere with the walzes, that the cockerisms really ruined the otherwise great scenes...

-Snowster

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What can I say about the film? Well it combines much of genius of PoA with the awkwardness of CoS to create an entertaining film. In the end I can't put it any better than Marian's and Neil's comments. I completly agree. A very fun film which is structured awkwardly. The dragon chase is rather ridiculous how could the judges judge Potters task if they didn't even SEE it? Brenden Gleeson owns this film. He rocks. The film is probably the funniest yet. In the end my biggest gripe is the return of Voldemort. Did they do anything wrong with the scene? Heavens, no. However, IMO the return of Voldemort is the second most important scene in the whole series probably (the most important to happen in book 7) The scene is well done and serves it's purpose well. But in the end that's all it is. A dark scene which serves it's purpose.

No! Bad! Bad! This is the censored return of Lord censored Voldemort! It should have been the most incredibly dark, disgusting, and horrifying scene you've ever witnessed! The emotional core of the film is the return of Voldemort and the death of Cedric. Once Harry returns we get distracted from this by the revealing of Moody although this isn't a problem with the film but a flaw of the book. Once Harry comes back the plot should be over. I don't know how this could be structured, perhaps have Moody at the graveyard but it seems like the film tries to be emotional (which it does efectivley) then we have an (again well done) reveal of Moody which hurts the close of the film.

Overall a good film which falls short of the greatness of PoA but is still far above the first two films. The message I learned from the movie is that Alfonso Cuaron should have signed on for the rest of the series. :)

Justin - Who didn't think PoA was as brilliant when he first saw it as he does now.

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Does GOF have the same teasers/trailers everywhere? I had read attached teasers were Superman Returns and Shyamalan's Lady in the Water.

What other theatrical trailers?

Greta - seeing GOF on Sunday...

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The attached trailer was Happy Feet. Lady in the Water and Superman Returns were enclosed in the can. All three prints I built yesterday had those trailers.

Neil

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So the Yule Brawl is just as useless in the film as it is in the book. I guess the majority of Potterfans are only into it now because they love the way Rowling feels it's absolutely necessary to have every single character romantically paired off in the cheesiest way possible, never minding if it's more shallow than a Uwe Bowl movie and glorifyingly resembles an episode of some bad teen romance on the WB network.

If my friends force me to see this, I'll make them shout for me.

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In Macedonia Ohio we got two different trailers for Kong (?), Lady in the Water (looks interesting), Happy Feet (looks terrible!), Superman (ah, the Krypton theme!), Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (looks horrible), and I think that's it.

I really enjoyed Goblet of Fire. Neil is right, the film seems to take place over a period of a month, not a school year. It could have used about 15 minutes more for passing-of-time montages, lessons, exams, weather changing shots etc. Aside from that I loved this film easily as much as #3, maybe more. The cast are completely comfortable with their roles now and it shows. Hermione's "beautiful" reveal in her dress was excellent. When I saw the first movie I was surprised that they picked such a naturally pretty actress to play the role, as she was supposed to be a little plain and buck-toothed. I thought it would be tricky to make such a pretty girl's transformation in Goblet seem surprising, but they pulled it off wondefully. I think they intentionally dressed her a little grungily throughout Goblet so the transformation would be all the more dramatic. This really is the coming-of-age film and all those awkward scenes between the boys and girls were handled very well and make up the backbone of the film. The tasks were spectacular, as was the graveyard scene. Fiennes as Voldemort was obvious but inspired casting. Incidentally Fiennes has played the villain in my two favourite films of 2005! Potter and Wallace & Gromit! I really liked the music for the most part. Doyle has taken a different approach to Williams, it seemed to me in the theatre. I couldn't make out any leitmotivic themes per se, more a straight forward incidental score. I really like his variation on Williams' Hedwig's Theme. A delicate twist on the rhythm, but enough to put Doyle's personal stamp on an otherwise very familiar theme.

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I, found the movie to be mediocre, at best....

The score was rather dry at times. I really was upset with the first opening theme. Perhaps I've forgotten the Williams score, but it seemed like this composer used his theme but changed it...for the worse... I didn't hear that much of Williams' stuff in the film.

The action music was better than the "wonderment" or fantasy cues. I did like 2 cues..... When Heromine was walking down the stairs, and when cedric died, and was laying infront of the crowd after the maze....

Other than that, I was really bored by the score... It didnt' have the same "sparkle" as the old stuff..

Anyone else agree?

I'm just a lowly college student... But something about what Williams does really sounds good.

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So the Yule Brawl is just as useless in the film as it is in the book.  I guess the majority of Potterfans are only into it now because they love the way Rowling feels it's absolutely necessary to have every single character romantically paired off in the cheesiest way possible, never minding if it's more shallow than a Uwe Bowl movie and glorifyingly resembles an episode of some bad teen romance on the WB network.

If my friends force me to see this, I'll make them shout for me.

Yes, it is a guess, and an incorrect one. Neither I or any fans I know in person or through fan sites feel that way. It's probably harder to judge if you haven't seen the movie.

Once Harry comes back the plot should be over. I don't know how this could be structured, perhaps have Moody at the graveyard but it seems like the film tries to be emotional (which it does efectivley) then we have an (again well done) reveal of Moody which hurts the close of the film.

I've been also questioning certain decisions, but when I think more deeply about them, it becomes clear that alternatives are less effective. Ending the film just after the graveyard doesn't make sense for several reasons, even if you reveal Moody there and have him somehow be captured. Obviously the film's conclusion is emotional, a student has just been murdered. You can't depict Cedric's death and ignore how his father reacts, or how Harry reacts. That's just bad storytelling. Then there's the fact that Priori Incantatem needs to be explained - Harry also has a false hope that he can somehow bring his parents back, and Dumbledore is there to confirm that he can't.

The most important point of the film's ending is to show that Harry isn't alone, despite what Voldemort says in the graveyard. Why do you think Harry walks past the courtyard during the departure and smiles? It's because he realizes these friendships can counter the coming darkness, and that people love him - Dumbledore, Ron, and Hermione. Yes, Voldemort's return is obviously significant, but even more important is how Harry initially copes with it. A powerful scene from the book is when Harry arrives back at the train station and Hagrid tells him that he will have to face what will come, there is no way around it. Omitting these scenes strips away all of this crucial development.

It could have used about 15 minutes more for passing-of-time montages, lessons, exams, weather changing shots etc.

A good idea in theory, but you have to think about whether it would actually work, aside from the time issues. What purpose would these extra scenes serve? They can't just be fillers put in for the sake of it. The lesson in Moody's class is a perfect example of how such scenes can be used well - it shows us magic, and it introduces important spells. Too many of these scenes and they become ineffective. There aren't many other classes where Harry learns something crucial. Maybe Accio, but can you imagine the scene where he's just practicing the spell? It would slow everything down, and people would complain that the film's too slow. The same pacing issues would arise from other such scenes. There are little scenes like the study hall with Snape and the scene with students running through the rain into the Great Hall that are effective.

The ball... They built such a wonderful atmosphere with the walzes, that the cockerisms really ruined the otherwise great scenes...

Absolutely agree. I shut my eyes during the first Cocker song, and the Flitwick maneuver is idiotic. If you're looking for something to cut, this is it.

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So the Yule Brawl is just as useless in the film as it is in the book.  I guess the majority of Potterfans are only into it now because they love the way Rowling feels it's absolutely necessary to have every single character romantically paired off in the cheesiest way possible, never minding if it's more shallow than a Uwe Bowl movie and glorifyingly resembles an episode of some bad teen romance on the WB network.

If my friends force me to see this, I'll make them shout for me.

Yes, it is a guess, and an incorrect one. Neither I or any fans I know in person or through fan sites feel that way. It's probably harder to judge if you haven't seen the movie.

Check out Live Journal or IMDb sometime, you might change your mind.

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Does GOF have the same teasers/trailers everywhere? I had read attached teasers were Superman Returns and Shyamalan's Lady in the Water.

Here, we had plenty of comedy trailers (I didn't even know about most of those films) and the older King Kong trailer.

Then there's the fact that Priori Incantatem needs to be explained

Except that they don't. That's one of my main complaints, basically: They don't explain anything. The whole Moody/Barty plot hardly exists in the movie (not to mention that Barty Jr. was never believed dead and is sent back to Azkaban alive, making the whole ministry denial rather odd).

I thought the emotional side of the aftermath was handled very well in the film, the plot implications were hardly handled at all. And I do believe the whole revelation sequence works magnificently in the book, because while it's essentially a standard bad-guy-explains-his-plot pattern, it makes total sense the way it's presented.

I did like Harry's simple "Yes" in respons to "Everything's going to change now, isn't it?".

Marian - wondering who is going to score OOTP.

:) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

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Marian - wondering who is going to score OOTP.

I hope its not Patrick Doyle, who has produces a muddled effort similar to most of Williams 2005 stuff, moments that are very good, and then others that leave you shaking your head, wondering if his heart problems are affecting his brain.

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Then there's the fact that Priori Incantatem needs to be explained

Except that they don't. That's one of my main complaints, basically: They don't explain anything.

Yes they do, that's the point I make in my post. Harry thinks he can bring back his parents, and that needs to be remedied.

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So the Yule Brawl is just as useless in the film as it is in the book.  I guess the majority of Potterfans are only into it now because they love the way Rowling feels it's absolutely necessary to have every single character romantically paired off in the cheesiest way possible, never minding if it's more shallow than a Uwe Bowl movie and glorifyingly resembles an episode of some bad teen romance on the WB network.

If my friends force me to see this, I'll make them shout for me.

Yes, it is a guess, and an incorrect one. Neither I or any fans I know in person or through fan sites feel that way. It's probably harder to judge if you haven't seen the movie.

Check out Live Journal or IMDb sometime, you might change your mind.

I doubt it, because they don't constitute a majority of Harry Potter fans. Obviously some do feel that way, I make the point that it's not an overwhelming or even substantial portion of fans.

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i saw hp. the score was surprisingly not bad. it sounds bad on the soundtrakc but for the movie it worked. it was 'dark' and 'awesome' in that sort of aspect. it did not intrude on the scene at hand. however, it had no memorable themes! the only one i could remember was CDEbFGb for 'dark situations.' the death scene for cedric was pretty good only it's been used before by doyle. (sustained chords on the high strings on the E string). very triadic score i must say tho:(. not very complex, but it works.

i want to see williams do it. oh how juicy it would have been....PoA was SOOO good. this is not comparable. imagine williams and how dark he would have made it.

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i want to see williams do it. oh how juicy it would have been....PoA was SOOO good. this is not comparable. imagine williams and how dark he would have made it.

Eh, well, I'm glad Williams is staying away from a series whose primary focus is teen angst. Johnny needs something deeper and more on his extraordinarily much higher level.

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wondering if his heart problems are affecting his brain.

Doyle has heart problems? He had leukemia, but he's recovered.

Yes they do, that's the point I make in my post. Harry thinks he can bring back his parents, and that needs to be remedied.

That they explain. But they do not explain anything about Priori Incantatem, or why his parents appeared in the first place. The plot is so incohesive, I probably wouldn't even have thought about Harry believing he might be able to bring his parents back.

Marian - still liking the CD (and listening over headphones, it seems to me some of the "thin" sound is due to odd mastering). (And I've found several themes already - not in-your-face-type leitmotifs as Williams does them, but I've explained before why I find themes somewhat overrated).

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Eh, well, I'm glad Williams is staying away from a series whose primary focus is teen angst.  Johnny needs something deeper and more on his extraordinarily much higher level.

You've really been put out by that one book, haven't you? It's already absurd that you think either GoF or OotP are "doomed to fail", considering the former had completed filming when H-BP came out and the screenplay of OotP was already being written. Also, and this is a personal note, if you'd thought about it a bit more, you'd find that the romances and teen angst - inevitable as everyone knew, since GoF at least - were dealt with and subsequently finished with in H-BP so they wouldn't get in the way of the last book. Hell, Harry and Ginny finished as soon as they began for that reason. I can accept how you feel about H-BP, but If book 7 takes a back seat to "teen angst" then I'll gladly tip my hat to you (and even eat it). But until then, it's silly to think that Jo has thrown away what she's been building or fifteen years for another romance novel.

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Eh, well, I'm glad Williams is staying away from a series whose primary focus is teen angst.  Johnny needs something deeper and more on his extraordinarily much higher level.

You've really been put out by that one book, haven't you? It's already absurd that you think either GoF or OotP are "doomed to fail", considering the former had completed filming when H-BP came out and the screenplay of OotP was already being written. Also, and this is a personal note, if you'd thought about it a bit more, you'd find that the romances and teen angst - inevitable as everyone knew, since GoF at least - were dealt with and subsequently finished with in H-BP so they wouldn't get in the way of the last book. Hell, Harry and Ginny finished as soon as they began for that reason. I can accept how you feel about H-BP, but If book 7 takes a back seat to "teen angst" then I'll gladly tip my hat to you (and even eat it). But until then, it's silly to think that Jo has thrown away what she's been building or fifteen years for another romance novel.

She was great in her day, magic man. But it just stands to reason, when it came time to cash in her chips, this old... diseased maniac... would be her banker.

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I haven't decided whether I hate love or like this movie yet.

However I do have some comments

- Overall visualy bland, no exciting cinematography

- Story was watered down a bit

- Loved the pace of the movie, didn't feel like 3 hours at all

- The graveyard scene was FANTASTIC, better than I expected

- Score worked well in the film and the Cocker appearance was short

- Liked the second task, the floating kids was pretty dark imagery

- RALPH FIENNES IS THE PERFECT VOLDERMORT!!!!!!!!!

- Don't like the constant sexual and teenage problems crap, felt like 90210 for me.

- Moody was okay more funny than menacing.

- Wanted to see more Dan naked

- There should have been some more Draco, he's great to look at.

- Sad that they cut Quidditch but it was a good choice.

HPFAN_2 - Who still thinks the movie should have opened like this.

FADE IN

(INT) HALLWAY RIDDLE HOUSE DAY

BLACK AND WHITE

The camera is on the floor, a pair of stocking clad legs walks down the hall towards the camera, the legs turn to our right and walks into the parlor room of the riddle house, the camera follows still on the ground. We see on the ground lie the Riddles, dead, the maid who's legs we've been following drops the silver tray and screams in terror.

CUT TO the yard of the Riddle house. The maid comes running down the yard screaming frantically.

MAID

Lying there with their eyes wide open! Cold as ice! The Riddles are dead! The Riddles are dead! The Riddles are dead.

CUT TO the door of the parlor room, it swings open and we see two police officers walk in and look at the body. CLOSE UP of one taking the pulse of the bodies on the floor.

POLICE

They're dead alright

CUT TO Police station.

POLICE

Autopsy report came in, the doctors are baffeled. They confirmed that none of the Riddles had been poisoned, stabbed, shot, strangled, suffocated or as far as they know harmed at all. In fact they say the Riddles were in perfect health apart from being dead of course. This means we have to let Frank go.

POLICE 2

But he's our only suspect

POLICE

But we have nothing to hold him on, let the man free.

CUT TO

(INT) DAY HANGED MAN

We see inside the small pub all the villagers are gathered around talking about the recent murder.

VILLAGER

'S far as I'm concerned, he killed em, and I don't care what the police say, and if he had any decency, he'd leave here.

MAID

Always thought he was odd. Unfriendly, like. I'm sure if I've offered him a cuppa tea once, I've offered it a hundred times. Never wanted to mix, he didn't But he tended the Riddle Garden real well, kept it all pretty and lush. The Riddles loved what he did.

VILLAGER 2

Ah, now he had a hard war, Frank. He likes the quiet life. There's no reason to-

MAID

Who else had a key to the back door, then? There been a spare key hanging in the gardener's cottage far back as I can remember! Nobody forced the door! No broken windows! All Frank had to do was creep up to the big house while we was all sleeping.

The Camera moves out through the window of the little pub and we see up the hill the huge Riddle House.

V.O. (Voice Over) I reckon he?s still up there tendin to that garden, that's all he knows how to do, that's all he'll ever do.

The camera dollies up through the village, through the little yard surrounding the Riddle Mansion. We see Frank mending some weeds in the rose beds. CLOSE SHOT of his hands hard at work, the rose and the grass and everything around starts to age rapidly as we see the years slip by, Frank gets up while everything around him is aging, we see the Riddle House crack and moss and weeds starts to grow, the paint starts to strip and peel, the windows break, Frank walks to the front while everything around him is aging as the years move by. He looks through a hole in the front door we see from his point of view as the grand entry way of the mansion collects dust and moss and decay away. CLOSE UP of Franks eye looking through the hole, his skin becomes wrinkle and cracked. ClOSE UP of his hands as he walks away from the door, his hands also become wrinkle and dry as the years slip by. We see frank walk to his little cottage while everything around him ages, the grass turns brown the bushes grow wild and flowers whither and die. We see Frank degrade as the years pass and he ages more, he starts to walk crooked, his back bent as age takes him, then he starts to limp because of a bad leg, the flop of hair on his head become gray and grizzled. Frank enters his cabin and the aging stops, everything around him has changed from the lush beautiful mansion to a baron creepy yard. The words PRESENT appear on the screen as the image is no longer black and white but color. Frank looks up at the big house and sees fire light coming from one of the upstairs rooms. Frank gets dressed, grabs the key to the house and walks outside toward it.

After all that is the scene with Voldermort and Wormtail, i think harry should wake up at the tent at the quiddtich world cup.

P.S. Sorry for my script writting errors, i did it in a hurry.

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I saw it.

-Liked it a lot untill after the Yule Ball is over,then the movie starts to lag(second and third task)

-Daniel Radcliffe is good as Potter,better than he was in the last,especially the "emotionnal" scenes

-Emma Watson overacted in a a few of her scenes like she did in CoS,but was good in her Yule Ball scenes.Overall her acting regressed from PoA.

-Rupert Grint is best in this film I found.He nailed his scenes as Ron and was actuually funny this time.

-The score is ok,not as great as Williams would have been.A few nice cues in the beginning of the film to introduce the TriWizard tournament and the teams,but gets real generic and unoticeable for the last half of the film.

-I found the cemetary scene lacking somewhat in "terror",but then again some 10 year old kid sitting next to me couldn't shut his mouth and was asking question to his mom the whole time.

k.M.Who likes PoA the best of all the films to date

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Thanks for the fine reviews. I'm hoping to see it in a few days.

As for the Spielberg-thing: I read somewhere recently that David Heyman (producer) indeed wanted Spielberg at first. Spielberg turned down the offer however because he felt that it was important to make the film as close to the book as possible; his own touch would make it too much of a Spielberg-film. He saw the need for a director who is able to completely submit himself to the original material.

I think Columbus indeed submitted himself to the books, and it seems that Newell did the same. Cuaron however clearly put his own stamp on it, and isn't it ironic that his movie is by many considered to be the best?

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Indeed.

I think Columbus indeed submitted himself to the books, and it seems that Newell did the same.

Actually, I've been wondering if Newell has read a single line of the books.

Marian - :?

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I saw the film Friday and Saturday. Taking it all in on Friday, I couldn't think about how well it was done and everything, just that it was there. I was able to look at it much more objectively the second time.

The adults in the film are given a bigger part, which is a definite plus. Dumbledore, McGonagall, Moody, Snape, Hagrid, Rita Skeeter, and even Filch are all wonderful. This is definitely the funniest of the Potter films. The ferret bit is silly, the other material is actually funny. Filch running had me in fits. LOL I love the opening shot and the one going up the hill towards the Portkey. The effects in the film were all very good. The only problem was the ship rising out of the water.

I felt the beginning of the movie overall was too choppy, especially the stadium-to-tent cut. The Death Eaters' march started out well, but it was inexplicable and weird when Harry fainted. Then the casting of the Dark Mark: it should have just been done like in the book. I didn't feel much of anything towards it, whereas in the book everyone can see it, and people are screaming, etc. No time to explain, though, off to Hogwarts! :|

After that, the movie flows better. Like others have said Moody owns this film; he did an absolutely wonderful job. I don't understand the reasoning behind the elaborate entrance of the other schools (and the consequential cut of much more important scenes); also, their arrival, not explained until later, would seem odd to those who haven't read the book. Why is there a shot of Karkoroff sinisterly slipping into the Great Hall? To throw us off? Doesn't make much sense.

The humor and flow between the welcome feast and the champion selection is all very good. Fred and George are given a lot of the spotlight in this film, and they execute it marvelously. Hermione's acting in this scene is good, although she overacted a lot during this movie. Moody's lesson is very very great. Done wonderfully, my only gripe is that Neville looks laughable, not horrified; he looks like Napoleon Dynamite. I like Hermione's reaction, though. The "crying" window afterwards is a brilliant touch. The selection is done very well, although I'm not sure why Dumbledore beats Harry down until he admits he didn't enter himself. I like the scene in Dumbledore's office; Maggie Smith does a good job in this film. The fight between Harry and Ron is absolutely wonderful. It's sad to see, too, because they're such good friends. The ever-confusing who-said-it game is very funny when Harry hears the Hagrid is looking for him. Rita Skeeter is a joy to watch, yellow journalism at its best. She is hilarious; I just love her saying "Harry Potter, age 12 . . ." LOL On a side note, I like how the ferret scene turns dark at the end when Moody yells after Malfoy.

The first task is done very well; inside the tent is quite funny with Rita and Dumbldore ("Why are you in here, Miss Granger?"). The effects are very good, and the action and tense feel make for an exciting scene. The lead-up to the Yule Ball is greatness; Harry walking up to a bunch of girls . . . smiling stupidly . . . and walking away. Too funny. LOL The Cho-Harry scene is good; she's a sursrisingly good actress (although, why is the owlery all the way out there? :?). Fred and George are hilarious, getting dates so easily, and Alan Rickman gets some wonderful physical comedy in that scene, as well. Ron is great when he asks Fleur out: "You know how I love it when they walk." The Yule Ball is good (I'm omitting comments about Mr. Cocker), and the fight between Ron and Hermione is wonderful. Watson nailed that part.

The egg scene is also very funny; Myrtle's, erm, loneliness, was embelished. :P I like that part of the score, too; it fits very well. The second task supplies some more good action; Neville is funny here. I didn't get the Moody-Crouch interaction in the woods the first time, but I understood it and liked it the second time. (Btw, Neil was right in saying that it seems rather less than a year in length.) Anyways, finding Mr. Crouch dead seemed to have been forgotten after it happened, it was never mentioned again. The Pensieve scene was well done, although I really wished we could have seen Bellatrix Lestrange. The torture of Frank and Alice Longbottom should definitely have been explained, as well. The third task is pretty cool, although I can't figure out the extra challenge: get to the Cup before the maze condenses on you? The constant shrieking of brass from Doyle didn't help the half-hearted maze scene, either.

The graveyard scene began well. Cedric's actual death was not bad, it was pretty sudden. The rebirth was very cool and creepy; I really like how Voldemort looks. The Death Eaters' arrival was awsome and chilling. I got a very evil feeling from Voldemort saying, "We are once again together after 13 years" or what ever that line was. The "I can touch him now" was wonderful. He was extremely limber, though, for having been . . . whatever he was . . . for 13 years. He should have flowed, more than jumped around. His talk to the Death Eaters needed to be longer, as it was in the book. Bertha Jorkins should have been included as an element to this film. Her disappearance is another unsettling element in the book, and helped Voldemort in his explanation of what had happened to him. Priori Incantatem looked good, but didn't have the effect it did in the book.

When they get back to the maze, I love that everyone cheers, and no one realizes what has happened for a moment. The score, however, was somewhat inappropriate here. It should not have been heart-wrenching, but a realization of what an evil had been done; it just didn't seem right to me. Moody's being revealed went well. But Dumbledore's speech, although well-executed, should have used almost exactly the text from the book; it was so emotional there. I like, however, that he seems lost for words at the beginning of his speech. The explanation of Priori Incantatem was vastly inadequate; it's not just about Harry thinking his parents could be brought back to life, it was not explained how it actually happened. The end was pretty good, although I didn't like the last shot. It should have ended on a darker note. "What will come will come, and we'll have to meet it when it does." There was not enough exemplification of this in the film or the score. I find that "Hogwarts' Hymn" does not represent this feeling at all, either.

The biggest mistake of the film is not having the "Parting of the Ways" scene included. Not only is it arguably the best-written and most powerful scene in the entire series, but it sets up the main plot of the next installment. There was no reason to not have this scene included. This film needed to be 15 or so minutes longer to be better. A big, big opportunity was lost by not including the "Parting of the Ways" scene.

The score, overall, is growing on me. I really like the recurring motif for darkness, (not the Voldemort theme) that I think is first heard in "Frank Dies." I think, however, that the lush string pieces towards the end of the score do not belong. ("Hogwarts' March" is a big guilty pleasure. :P)

My ratings:

Film: A- or B+

Score: C+

~Sturgis

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When they get back to the maze, I love that everyone cheers, and no one realizes what has happened for a moment.  The score, however, was somewhat inappropriate here.  It should not have been heart-wrenching, but a realization of what an evil had been done; it just didn't seem right to me.

Which cue are you refering too? Death of Cedric or Hogwarts' March? I find both to be wonderfully executed in the film. When the come back and the band begins right away gives the film an almost tangible sense of realism. Death of Cedric is just glorious in the scene uplifted by Mr. Diggory's stirring performance.

Good review!

Justin

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Sorry about that. :P

I, too, love how the band begins to play again, and I love "Hogwarts' March." It does contrast wonderfully with what just happened. But "Cedric" seemed to manipulate you a bit too much. Maybe the strings were an octave too high. I think the scene would be great with slightly different music; it doesn't need to be manipulated. I felt the effects moreso the second time I saw it, but I think Doyle could have done a little better on that part.

Good review!

Thanks! :|

~Sturgis, who thinks Vitamin C's "Graduation" should have replaced "Another Year Ends" and "Hogwarts' Hymn"

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Fred and George are given a lot of the spotlight in this film, and they execute it marvelously.

All the pupil interaction is wonderful in GOF I thought. Not only the great Fred & George scenes; even just having Ginny walk around with Ron and Hermione made me think more of the "school stuff" sections of the books than any of the other movies.

The biggest mistake of the film is not having the "Parting of the Ways" scene included.

I missed that very much indeed. I also agree that the very final shot isn't dark enough.

However, I'd say although Williams might have written a better score, one thing about Doyle is that he is *not* manipulative, less so than Williams.

Marian - who wants to see it again, but will likely wait for the DVD.

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 The Death Eaters' march started out well, but it was inexplicable and weird when Harry fainted.  Then the casting of the

it's a bit harder to explain that everyone there would just leave Harry laying on the ground in the middle of things.He's the only one left after all the tents are burned

k.m.Watching The Poseidon Adventure re-make TV movie,hoping to hear Williams theme.

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k.m.Watching The Poseidon Adventure re-make TV movie,hoping to hear Williams theme.

you didn't just say that KM.

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Harry didn't faint at the Death Eaters scene, he got knocked out by someone's leg.

I just got back from seeing the movie, and I thought it was good. The opening was eerie, but what I found funny is that, in the theater, no one started to clap until Williams' theme came in just before the title image. I was still generally surprised that there were a lot of kids under the age of 10 with their parents. When Harry got knocked out at the World Cup, some little boy asked if Harry was dead :|.

I thought the tension between Harry and Ron was well played, and slightly glad that it was resolved fairly quickly, unlike the book. The Rita Seeker stuff was completely worthless, but it was still sorta funny. When Harry read the paper that had the exact quote he scoffed at, "flirting with the ghosts of his past" or something like that, it had me laughing out loud.

The Barty Crouch stuff was not carried out well at the end, about who killed him and why, or anything dealing with his wife (or is that book 5?). I did realize that I was mispronouncing "Pensieve" wrong this whole time, unless Michael Gambon just said it differently.

The Grave Yard stuff was done pretty well, and I also liked how the Death Eaters came out of the snake end of the Dark Mark which was created by clouds.

I almost feel, now that I've seen it, that the Quidditch Cup didn't even need to be in the film. The only thing it set up was Ron's love of Krum, but they could have gone about it another way. They could have had the scenes with the tents and still have bypassed the action which I didn't care for (it would even had been nice to introduce Lucius for the first time at the grave yard scene).

There is a lot I'm not getting at, but I'm tired. I'll check on the thread tomorrow.

Tim

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Clicking on a random Rotten Tomatoes review link:

"Eclipse Magazine" had this to say:

" The one thing "Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire" lacks is a strong film score. John Williams who scored all of the previous films was replaced by a talent less hack Patrick Doyle whose score is bland, as bland can get. They do keep a couple of Williams' signature tracks, but even that is radically toned down."

K.M.

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~Sturgis, who thinks Vitamin C's "Graduation" should have replaced "Another Year Ends" and "Hogwarts' Hymn"

:P:|

Question:

Was anyone else watching Snape more closely, in this post HBP world? I was curious as to how they might handle his character now, and maybe hint at things... Just a thought.

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Why weren't the paintings alive in the Sirius fire scene?

l

Not only in that scene,but many others.The paintings were not moving in hallways and Dumbledore's office.They ran out of budjet?

K.M.

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There are some great reviews here already (well done, Kevin and Sturge!), so I'm not going to try and equal those in length or depth. I'll just go through my thoughts on the film after two viewings.

I was able to enjoy it more the second time, which I expected. There's just so much to take in during the first viewing that it's hard to sort everything out (I expect it's this way moreso for readers of the books, as there's the added, and perhaps subconcious, tendency to compare everything presented on screen to its portrayal in the novels).

I would say that it's a very good film, but whether it's up to the level of PoA remains to be seen. It's certainly less stylistic and has less flair than Cuaron's vision, so almost any superiority it has over PoA will result from the inherent subject matter and storyline. With that said, however, one of the best points of the film is the marvelous interactions between the characters; as people have said, it really feels like these are real people for the most part. The Weasley twins are brilliant and hilarious here (their crooning about Ron and Viktor, the submission of their names into the Goblet, asking Angelina to the ball). The adult actors are all used more than any of the pervious films (except for Snape), and their portrayals and scenes together really help make the film seem serious and important. I love the immediate aftermath of Harry's selection as the fourth champion; Madame Maxime, Karkaroff, Moody, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, and Crouch are all presented wonderfully and the actors do a terrific job together. Little touches like Maxime swatting the light out of the way just add a sense of realness to everything. I also really like McGonagall's hesitation to allow Harry to compete; that scene with Smith, Rickman, and Gambon is very well-played and enhances the gravity of the situation. Brendan Gleeson is a delight as Moody, and that classroom scene is one of the film's best. I love the way it turns from humorous to grim in an instant, just like the book.

Gooin back a bit, I agree with Sturgis about the chaos at the World Cup. It would have been much more effective had the Dark Mark erupted above the frenzy to screams of horror from the crowd, and then explained later. But it functions all right as it is.

The film is a little disjointed leading up to the arrival at Hogwarts, but once the tournament is announced, things flow better for the most part. Ron and Harry's conflict is done well on both their parts, with the Hermione-the-messenger scene being pretty funny. I'm not sure I really like how the first task is handled. It doesn't seem to make much sense for the dragon to break away and become an actual threat to Harry, the spectators, and the surrounding area without someone trying to do something about it. And though it is visually thrilling, I wasn't much affected by it.

The whole lead-up to and execution of the Yule Ball is one of the most entertaining aspects of any Potter film to date. It's pulled off so realistically and humorously by the kids, and provides some great laugh-out-loud moments (the aforementioned Weasley twin asking out Angeline, Snape's reaction to Harry and Ron whispering, Harry's approach to and subsequent retreat from a group of girls, etc...) The ball itself is also pretty good, with the highlight being the great spat between Hermione and Ron. Watson nails the part here, and it's a great end to this portion of the film, which albeit doesn't affect the plot much, but is great in character development.

The second task is the strongest of the three, with some great imagery, as HPFan mentioned, in the four eerily floating figures. I really like the three other Champions; Cedric, Fleur, and Krum are all spot on in their portrayals, and Cedric's character in particular is set up well for what eventually happens.

The pivotal graveyard scene was done pretty well, but it's definitely not as affecting as it is in the book. With that said, it is very intense and Fiennes' appearance as Voldemort is quite horrifying at first. I don't like how he leaps about the graveyard, though; striding around, almost gliding, would have been more true to the character. Seeing Lucius Malfoy here again was nice; I never get tired of watching Jason Isaacs ooze evil as well as he does. Priori Incantatem was all right, but again not as powerful as it could have been. I think a stronger score for this scene could have really helped. But it is quite good the way it was done, and the aftermath as Harry returns to the maze is perfect - the initial celebration shattered by Fleur's scream, and the realization that something has gone terribly wrong. Radcliffe is truly great here, as is the actor playing Amos Diggory. That shot of Diggory and Dumbledore clutching each other is heartwrenching.

I do miss the parting of the ways, as Sturgis lamented. It really is one of the best scenes in the books, and is necessary to set up the central conflict of the next story. Maybe they'll somehow work it into the beginning of OotP? But the end of the film in general is handled well. Dumbledore's speech, although not quite as long as it could be, is very fitting. Gambon does well here, especially as he seems to fumble for words at the beginning. It's always difficult to see such respected figures of strength and authority falter. The final scene in the courtyard is also conveyed well. Although it's not quite as dark a feel as the end of the book, it is appropriately bittersweet with a mixed sense of closure on one part, and apprehension of the unknown on the other. Doyle's closing cue works well.

The score is definitely a mixed bag for me. It works well for the most part in the film, and yet I can't help but imagine that Williams would have produced a better effort. Doyle's few themes are fine, but not terribly inspired or memorable for people other than score fanatics. The action music in particular seems almost inept at times. It sounds as though Doyle is unable to masterfully command the full orhchestra at times ("Hmm...another great swelling of brass? Why not?"). I do enjoy much of the score, though. The source music (both waltzes and "Hogwarts' March") are absolutely wonderful, and the slower cues like "Cedric," "Hogwarts' Hymn," and "Harry in Winter" are beautiful (although I have two words for Mr. Doyle, especially in regards to the latter of those three: KEY CHANGE!). Overall, a decent effort, but lacking in any moments of true brilliance, which I know Doyle is capable of (see "Kissing in the Rain" from Great Expectations). Now that I've heard what Doyle has to offer the Potter series, I hope the reins will go to someone else for the further installments.

Well, that was longer than I expected :sigh:. Glad I was able to get it out, though. I really did enjoy the film, and time will tell where it falls in relation to the other great Potter movie.

Ray Barnsbury

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"Eclipse Magazine" had this to say:  

" The one thing "Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire" lacks is a strong film score. John Williams who scored all of the previous films was replaced by a talent less hack Patrick Doyle whose score is bland, as bland can get. They do keep a couple of Williams' signature tracks, but even that is radically toned down."

Doyle's score has never been described more perfectly.

gkgyver - who still hates Hogwarts' March, even with the context in mind.

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Doyle is certainly not a talentless hack, even if characterized solely by this score. That's a pretty disrespectful, not to mention ignorant, comment.

Ray Barnsbury

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