The Hogwarts Choir

We have all seen and head the "Hogwarts Choir" in Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, and Half-Blood Prince, but what are your thought about it? I don't mind they added in the choir, but I am mad that they made that Flitwick's full-time job. He is first and foremost, the Charms professor. If they at least showed him teaching charms in another movie besides the first, I think I would be perfectly okay with the choir.

Also, do you think the choir adds anything to the films? In HBP in the deleted "In Noctem" scene, I think that the choir singing really adds to the feel of the movie. It made the scene so eerie, and it is by far my favorite deleted scene out of all of the films. I really wish they would have kept it in the final cut.

We have all seen and hear the infamous "Hogwarts Choir" in Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, and Half-Blood Prince, but what are your thought about it?

What is 'infamous' about it? Here's the dictionary definition of 'infamous':
1. Having an exceedingly bad reputation; notorious.
2. Causing or deserving infamy; heinous: an infamous deed.
3. Law
a. Punishable by severe measures, such as death, long imprisonment, or loss of civil rights.
b. Convicted of a crime, such as treason or felony, that carries such a punishment.

I am not seeing how any of those definitions fit an extremely innocuous and charming addition to the HP movies. :)

I don't mind they added in the choir, but I am mad that they made that Flitwick's full-time job. He is first and foremost, the Charms professor. If they at least showed him teaching charms in another movie besides the first, I think I would be perfectly okay with the choir.

Why does this matter, either to the book fan or the non-book audience? Flitwick is a nice character but he's also a minor character who doesn't do a lot in the books. What would his teaching Charms add to the film narrative, since none of his Charms lessons have any significance to the overall plot? :hmm:

These films are extremely faithful to their source material. It is nice that the film-makers actually bothered to include a minor character like Flitwick and gave him added charm by making him choir master: it's a light, delicate touch and adds a nicely judged bit of humour here and there. I particularly enjoyed the scene in OotP in which the odious Umbridge is measuring the outraged Flitwick while he is trying to conduct a singing lesson.

Also, do you think the choir adds anything to the films? In HBP in the deleted "In Noctem" scene, I think that the choir singing really adds to the feel of the movie. It made the scene so eerie, and it is by far my favorite deleted scene out of all of the films. I really wish they would have kept it in the final cut.

So do I. :)

I believe the "Hogwarts Choir" is a really good addition to the movies... When it is shown at least... Yes, it actually makes the scene eerie, and displays emotions, but it doesn't really seem to play an important part as they deleted the only scene where it was shows... Tho I really liked the scene(in PoA maybe?) where the Choir was singing the Double Trouble (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMaONZAKajc&feature=related) song. I have no problem with Flitwick's second occupation, but I have really missed Hogwarts classroom scenes. :'(


What is 'infamous' about it?


I think he was trying to say unpopular.

Fantastic idea. It makes Hogwarts feel more like a school and has allowed for some excellent tie-ins with the soundtrack and some decent comedy. I also liked the band that Mike Newell had in GOF. I don't see the problem with Flitwick conducting them either. At my school almost every teacher had an extra curricular role, be it coaching a sports team, running a club or society, or as in Flitwick's case, a musical ensemble. Perfectly logical. We might not see his Charms class, but that doesn't mean he's stopped teaching it. We haven't seen Snape teaching since Potions/DADA since POA, but that doesn't mean he's been demoted to Hallway monitor (though it seems that way).

I don't see the problem with Flitwick conducting them either. At my school almost every teacher had an extra curricular role, be it coaching a sports team, running a club or society, or as in Flitwick's case, a musical ensemble. Perfectly logical. We might not see his Charms class, but that doesn't mean he's stopped teaching it. We haven't seen Snape teaching since Potions/DADA since POA, but that doesn't mean he's been demoted to Hallway monitor (though it seems that way).
I think their problem is not that he teaches Choir as well, but that the Choir has taken the frontseat for him in the movies, rather than Charms class. It would be nice to see Flitwick teach another Charms class, rather than showing him teaching Choir in every movie since then.

Could be wrong, but I think that's what the topic creator is saying.

I don't mind they added in the choir, but I am mad that they made that Flitwick's full-time job. He is first and foremost, the Charms professor. If they at least showed him teaching charms in another movie besides the first, I think I would be perfectly okay with the choir.

Probably because nothing relevant happens in charms that would be worth shooting a scene in the charms classroom.

Movie 1 showed a bit of several classes, charms, transfiguration, potions, flying, DADA
Movie 2 showed DADA because of Lockhart and Herbology because of the mandrakes.
Movie 3 showed Care of magical creatures because of Buckbeack, DADA because of Lupin and Divination because of the Grim
Movie 4 showed DADA because of the unforgivable curses and Moody
Movie 5 showed DADA because of Umbridge
Movie 6 showed Potions because of the prince's books

Besides, do you remember what Flitwick looked like in movie one? He was very old, with white curly hair and beard. Then, in the next movies, Flitwick is younger with black sleek hair. I guess there are people who watch the movies who probably think they are two different characters.

Okay, I took the word "infamous" out of my first post. Poor choice of words on my part.

I think the choir adds the perfect mood to the scenes that it's in. Also, the song Double Trouble is really fun. My brother and sister and I go around the house singing it all the time and it's quite funny. But I actually like having the choir in the movies because it can be fun, eerie, and as I said before it adds the perfect mood. So, if they held a vote whether or not to keep it in the movies, I'd probably vote towards yes, keep it.

I also love the scene in OotP when Umbridge is measuring Flitwick while he's conducting. So funny... but really, the nerve of that woman!

We still see hints that Flickwick teaches Charms. In the HBP movie, Harry addresses him as "Professor Flitwick" by the gates, and we see him using Charms to levitate the gates behind them, as well. I think that the choir adds a lot to certain scenes, such as the part in PoA and In Noctem.

i think the choir is unnecessary... i personally would rather have them show Flitwick doing Charms class if they are going to do a scene with him. I would like to see more classes in the movies.

i think the choir is unnecessary... i personally would rather have them show Flitwick doing Charms class if they are going to do a scene with him. I would like to see more classes in the movies.

Agreed, but the uncut scene of the choir in HBP so should have been in the theatrical version. It was amazing.

Good addition. A director's job is to use the tools of film-making to delight the audience. The use of music is one such tool. Dancing is another one (the Minerva-teaches-Ron-to-dance scene in GoF).

A director who can't do any more than plonk a camera down and have the actors spout lines from scenes from the book - shouldn't be a director.

I thought having the choir was good. It was better than having Flitwick cut altogether.

I thought having the choir was good. It was better than having Flitwick cut altogether.

Agreed! :) I liked the addition of the choir, the toads are hilarious :lol:. I do wish they had either kept Flitwick looking the same, or had made him that way from the start.

I don't think the choir really adds to the film so much. Like others have said I'd rather see Flitwick in Charms class (with his original look). I did like the deleted scene in HBP with 'In Noctem' though. Really eerie feel and I thought it was the best choir scene. I guess maybe they added a choir to make Hogwarts seem like other schools, like 'look, they have a choir like any normal school'. Something to that effect.

I enjoy very much the choir at the begining of HP 3 really liked that detail, it brings so much magic to the film.
That touch of music to the school.

About the choir in the other movies, I don´t mind, I say the same, in HP 5 is funny, I like professor Flickwig.
He adds a bit of fun and a touch of originality to the school, maybe that´s the purpose.

I love it. I always like seeing an appreciation for music in the Potter universe, and the idea that the school has a choir and an orchestra makes me smile. It makes sense too; music is a universal language that affects anyone who allows themselves to enjoy it.

Besides, do you remember what Flitwick looked like in movie one? He was very old, with white curly hair and beard. Then, in the next movies, Flitwick is younger with black sleek hair. I guess there are people who watch the movies who probably think they are two different characters.Little ot-remark: I think that's because JK told the movie team than Flitwick never was supposed to be a goblin (as in the first movies), but just a very small wizard. Can be wrong, though. All in all there are some minor characters who have been exchanged.

I love the Hogwarts Choir! It makes everything that much better! My friend and i love the song Double Trouble. I sometimes just break out and sing that song. I might even ask my select chorus director if you could sing that song!

I really like the Hogwarts Choir (I don't really understand the toads...) I think it was a good idea, I loved "Double Trouble" in PoA and I wish they kept the choir in the HBP deleted scene. I thought it brought so much more emotion to it.

I think the choir does add a nice element to the film. I don't believe that it was actually in the books, it was an added extra. I suppose it shows that wizards and witches are not too different from muggles. It does show that they enjoy the same leisurely activities as what we do. And it does add drama and emphasis, just like in the third film. I do not remember seeing them in the Fourth Film, I believe I will need to relive that moment, nor the Order of the Phoenix. Mind you, it has been a while since I have seen the movies. (:

While I agree that the movies would be absolutely fine without the choir, I love that they added it! It adds some fun in PoA with Double Trouble (which is soo catchy btw haha) and some eeriness in HBP with In Noctem (which I wish they had kept in!) I always believe that music adds so much to anything, and it certainly holds true here!

In POA Warwick Davis isn't even on the cast list as Prof. Flitwick; he's merely a wizard.

I think Warwick Davis asked to be included in the movie. And then they included the choir. He is supposed to be the Charms' Professor's brother.

I loved the addition of the Hogwarts choir! Unless I am forgetting something, there really isn't mention of activities that students can take part in outside of Quidditch. I think including a choir and showing that one of the core teachers also is the choir director makes Hogwarts feel more like a real school!

I don't have a problem with Flitwick's role being reduced to that of 'choir director' because, as someone stated, we don't see most classes unless they are critical to the story. We saw the lesson on "wingardium leviosa" because that is obviously used later (showing Ron couldn't succeed at it in class, but did when it really mattered is particularly good).

I so wish "In Noctem" had been included in the film version of HBP. In my opinion, it is one of the most beautiful scenes in any of the films. The song is lovely, the lyrics are so fitting, and the foreboding sense that something awful is about to happen as the storm approaches is just chilling.