• Missed Opportunities (sent in by "Gumby")

I just saw the movie this afternoon. I have to say that they really blew some opportunities to get some really good scenes in there just so they could manufacture that dramatic "hollywood" ending.

I think they really blew it in several areas where they had opportunities to add some comic relief to the film.

First and foremost was what might have been the most hilarious moment in all four books: the singing valentine. If you've heard the audio book version, it was absolutely hysterical.

His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad, His hair is as dark as a blackboard.
I wish he was mine, he's really divine, The hero who conquered the Dark Lord.

The entire hallway explodes with laughter and Harry turns 5 shades of red.

That should have been in the movie. The fact that it wasn't in the movie makes me feel like I've been deprived.

I don't think Chris Columbus has the greatest sense of humor. At least, I think J.K. Rowling has a much better sense of humor, and it shows in the books. Hopefully, we'll see an improvement in the upcoming movies with the new director.

Lines like Ron's "follow the butterflies" and "going to kill Hagrid" comments made the cinema audience chuckle, but there were better lines already in the book.

I know the argument will come up that "there wasn't enough time to add everything". Yes, but there were some things added that chewed up time that could have been better spent.

For instance, I would have rather seen the scene in the Knockturn Alley shop where Lucious and Draco Malfoy enter to sell some dark items than Tom Marvolo Riddle's stupid comments about "a silly girl with a silly book". First off, why is it silly if it's your book, Tom?

Also, I would have rather they spent more time on the Burrow than the time wasted on Lucious Malfoy's "let us hope Harry Potter will always be around to save the day" line in Dumbledore's office.

Speaking of which, would it really have killed them to add McGonagall, Snape, Mr and Mrs Weasley and Ginny to the scene in Dumbledore's office at the end? That would have been much better than Hagrid playing Father Christmas (again, typical f'ed up "hollywood" ending).

That moment in Dumbledore's office followed by Lucious Malfoy being foiled by Potter (Dobby's Reward) is the real climax of the book and all that was necessary.

Also, it wasn't necessary for CC to tip his hat like that with Hermione showing affection towards Potter and a awkward handshake for Weasley. One of the major charms of the book is that you really don't know what is going on with these 3. Only that they are "just friends" and that Potter is interested in Cho Chang and that Hermione is involved with Victor Krum. If anything, Rowling has Hermione and Ron constantly bickering like a "married couple" to the point of being jealous when one or the other is getting attention from someone else.

I don't know, that ending in the movie doesn't seem to jive. Looking forward to book 5.

Sorry, I'm actually not trying to nit-pick. I do realize that this was probably the most difficult book to convert to a movie. Just a few things I think could have made a good movie a great movie.

3 more missed opportunities...

1. They really should have had the scene where Potter, Weasley, and Granger are coming out of the great hall after breakfast to go down to the Quidditch Pitch. The scene where Hermione realizes the voice Harry has been hearing is a basilisk.

There was a great line in that scene after Hermione runs off to the library.

Harry: "What does she understand?"
Ron: "Loads more than I do."
Harry: "But why's she got to go to the library?"
Ron: "Because that's what Hermione does. (shrugging) When in doubt, go to the library."

2. There should have been at least one scene from Snape's lab. Perhaps when Harry tosses the firecracker into Crabb & Goyle's cauldron so that Hermione can steal the boomslang skin.

3. There should have been a better scene with Hagrid holding the bloody dead roosters. It was cental to the story.

(by gumby)