What would you change about the films?

[snapes_witch]

Originally Posted by MicheleLovegood

1) Shorten the basilisk scene in COS
2) Put the scene with Dumbledore and Fudge arguing at the end into GOF
3) Shorten the dragon scene in GOF

Those, and one of the Quidditch games--Draco chasing Harry under the stands--it went on waaaay too long.

[RikuStark]

I would change up OotP all together. As much as I love this book, the movie just didn't have that something that would hold my interest like the other films did. I was kind of hoping for a Harry meltdown in Dumbledore's office when Sirius died. Also, the DA is an awesome storyline, but I think the film could of used a couple of sub-plots that were in the book to make it more interesting.

Harry and Ginny. It should have been done way differently. I would have kept Harry's and Ginny's first kiss the same in the book, and get them out of the Room of Requirement! The movies never really made me care for Harry and Ginny, probably one of my biggest complaints in this movie series besides OotP.

On the relationships. I wish the HBP would have focused more on learning about Voldemort and Horcruxes than the relationships. Like I would put in a scene with Merope instead of a scene with Ron and Lavender.

[Riddle1987]

Although I loved all eight films if I could change one thing it would probably be having the final confrontation between Harry and Voldemort in the Great Hall as it was in the book.

[Goddess_Clio]

Would have made the MoM battles at the end of OOTP at least five minutes longer than they were so you had a chance to see and really appreciate the awesome effects, would have had them move through the other rooms of the Dept of Mysteries a little so it didn't feel so static and the drama and danger of that scene could be developed more.

Would have recast the trio with the possible except, at times, of Emma. Wasn't a fan of their acting abilities generally.

Would have had Alfonso Curon come back for a second movie, he was the best director in the series for me and did my favorite of all the movies (and the only HP movie I can still actually watch). Loved his interpretation of the HP world and the visual style he brought to the screen.

Would have hired a better script writer/adaptor.

Would have developed Harry and Ginny better. Ties back to the recasting would-have because I also would have cast two actors that had chemistry.

[Warlock27]

The screenwriter.

[Peakes]

Philosopher's Stone - fine as it is. Yes, it's long and slavishly sticks to the book, but this is necessarily establishing a whole new world to the cinema audience. I'd make the link with the other protections around the stone being put in place by the various teachers, and include Snape's potion puzzle.

Chamber of Secrets - shorten the ending, there's a bit too much emphasis on Hagrid rather than Harry. There was a deleted scene with Harry and Hedwig sat on a hill overlooking the school, with Harry questioning who and what he is... I'd put that back in.

Prisoner of Azkaban - I'd put the kids back in their school robes when in school, get rid of those oh-so-annoying screen fades, the interludes with the Whomping Willow don't do anything for me. A bit more exposition in the shrieking shack finale, and that ending... yeuch. I know it's a favourite of many people, but Alfonso Cuarón just didn't do it for me... flameproof cloak on

Goblet of Fire - This is where it gets tough, such a long book and so many detailed subplots, I actually think they did a good job of the adaptation here. Dumbledore was way off - he shouldn't be manhandling Harry. The Yule Ball went on a bit too long, I'd cut it after the first dance and drop the whole Jarvis Cocker bit. The maze should have had more of the obstacles from the book. I thought the ending was nailed on, apart from the cheesy last words between Ron and Hermione.

Order of the Phoenix - There is very little that I'd change about this, probably just to extend the exposition in Dumbledore's office at the end, including Harry demolishing the office in his rage. In the book, there's a sense that he's really about to lose it with Dumbledore, and that's absent from the film. I'd have to re-do Grawp completely or drop him, it's a bit of a side-plot that never had a resolution in the later films anyway, and the CGI was just horrible. Oh, and I'd love to see the Weasley's swamp

Half Blood Prince - A bit less love potion, a bit more pensieve. I'd like to see the nature of the horcruxes and their relation to Voldemort's past explored more - deducing the identity of the horcruxes as artifacts belonging to the founders. I think this would make a better setup for the final two films. Dumbledore's funeral is the main glaring omission that I'd put back in.

Deathly Hallows, Part I - Not a lot to change here, although I'd teach Runcorn how to walk properly, he looked like an extra from the Thunderbirds - the puppet version. And get Mad-Eye's magical eye off Umbridge's door and give it it's burial.

Deathly Hallows, Part II - Agh, where to start? The battle is fine, the hunt for the Ravenclaw horcrux is fine, the Chamber of Secrets scene is a nice addition. I'd add in the death of Fred Weasley - it's such a shock in the film seeing him dead in the Great Hall that it takes some of the impact from seeing Remus and Tonks dead immediately after. If we already know that Fred has died, that scene can focus on the family's grief, and then we see Remus and Tonks... and that's where the sense of shock comes from. I'd like to see more in the Pensieve, not because I think it's lacking, but because it's such a wonderfully well crafted scene, and I want more! King's Cross needs some more explanation about the Hallows, and the behaviour of Harry's wand against Voldemort (with Lucius' wand) in the escape - they put the behaviour in DH1 and then failed to explain it. The final battle, I'd put back in the Great Hall, and I'd have Harry return to the headmaster's office and repair his own wand with the Elder wand - I don't have a problem with him breaking the Elder Wand after that, but I dislike the idea of him carrying on with Malfoy's.

[levantine118]

I would just do all that's in my power to stay as true as I can to the books.
The first, second and seventh films were the most successful in that area in my opinion.
POA was absolutely horrific.

And I would cast a different actor in Dumbledore's role, Gambon's all wrong.

[Goddess_Clio]

Originally Posted by Peakes

Prisoner of Azkaban - I'd put the kids back in their school robes when in school

That never bothered me, actually. So I assume it bothers you in the later movies when the kids aren't in their uniforms then?

get rid of those oh-so-annoying screen fades,

Never even noticed them.

the interludes with the Whomping Willow don't do anything for me.

I liked those. I thought they were a clever way to recall the Whomping Willow from the previous movie while showing the passage of time and keeping it present in the film so that its importance later in the story didn't come so out of the blue. I hadn't read the books when I saw POA and hardly remembered COS or SS so if the Whomping Willow hadn't been in the films like it was I would have been totally confused about why all of a sudden there was this crazy tree that was attacking Harry and Hermione.

A bit more exposition in the shrieking shack finale

Nuh-uh! There was too much exposition as it is now! To delay action even more would have been cinematic suicide; look at the end of DH the book! So anticlimactic to stand around talking! (Okay, they were circling, but that's even worse! )

and that ending... yeuch. I know it's a favourite of many people, but Alfonso Cuarón just didn't do it for me... flameproof cloak on

.:*~*INCENDIO!!*~*:.


(Great joke there )

[Peakes]

AGUAMENTI!

Anyway, each to his own. And if I recall correctly, the kids were back in uniform a lot more in the later films. Even when they're not in official lessons (ie, Dumbledore's Army in the Room of Requirement).

I'm not totally against the muggle clothing, eg in Hogsmeade, just in class. And I don't know why I feel that way, I never had to wear a school uniform, so it's not that. It just doesn't feel like Hogwarts.

[RemusRubeus]

I'm sorry if this is a massive post or if it doesn't make sense or if none of this belongs here but I've never posted here before. Anyway, what I would change:

PS and COS: Basically nothing. This was a great introduction to the world.

POA: As much as I love Alfonso Cuaron, I think I would have made it a tiny bit more like the Chris Columbus movies (students wearing robes all the time, the original layout of the grounds-ish, etc.) Also I've always thought Ron's attempted phone call would be a hilarious way to the start the film as opposed to under-age magic. I'd take out the Shrunken Heads, add a tiny bit more exposition to the Shrieking Shack, maybe have the Firebolt to Christmas and then have Harry get it back at the end, and Sirius's attack on the Common Room. Looking back it seems like I hate POA but it's actually by favorite after Deathly Hallows.

GOF: I think Mike Newell did a pretty good job with this one. However, I'd add in the Dursleys in a really bare-bones kind of way (wake up, eat grapefruit, explosion of Weasleys), the Quidditch World Cup gameplay, Ludo Bagman (maybe not his Fred and George storyline, but at least given some of Dumbledore's psycopathic tendancies), the whole Moody/Snape/Filch thing after the prefect's bathroom (which for some reason I always picture happening on the Grand Staircase), and Sirius showing up at the END, which should have been more melancholy.

OOTP: I like the tone of this movie but would have done it differently. I would have started it with Harry writing letters and asking Hedwig to peck at Ron and Hermione until they replyed (which ties into GOF's movie ending oddly enough), then go straight to the Dementors, I'd cut out Vernon and Petunia and have the Advance Guard just show up immediately and have Tonks take Dudley away. Then she could come back with Harry's stuff and comment on his Firebolt to make the audience like her. Also, I'd have the Quidditch Match and Umbridge banning Harry just to make the audience hate her even more. The montage might not even be necessary, just a Divination Class inspection and then the Quidditch Match. I would also have the other rooms in the Department of Mysteries. And I'd probably cut out Grawp and have Hagrid at Hogwarts from the beginning and then keep him and McGonagall being attacked.

HBP: I would put more focus on Voldemort. I'd do the Gaunt flashbacks as part of the Secret Riddle flashbacks in a Prince's Tale-style montage memory (which isn't really how the Pensieve works but it would be better for the film). The Quidditch Tryouts weren't really necessary, and really neither was the whole Felix Felicis episode before After the Burial. They could have a quick Quidditch Practice followed by Ron and Harry running into Ginny and Dean in the corridor to set up Ron and Lavender. I'd change up Lupin's role a bit and have him be in charge of the Aurors at Hogwarts alongside Tonks. They would attack the Death Eaters while they are fleeing the castle at the end. I'd make Fenrir Greyback do more without actually saying anything. For some reason I've always thought he was the Boba Fett of the Harry Potter world. I would also connect the Draco-Voldemort storylines by having Draco needing to kill Dumbledore but also bring in the Death Eaters so that Bellatrix could find and kill Slughorn because Voldemort doesn't want him close to Dumbledore. I have no idea how that would be resolved in a way that doesn't end with Slughorn dead though. I'd also keep the funeral at the end. Oh, and another thing, Voldemort would want Dumbledore dead in this one so he would be free to take over the Ministry.

DH: I LOVE these two movies. However, I would have probably changed them. For example, I would have it be one Lord of the Rings-length film. I would cut out the Dursleys (but shoot their scenes for the Director's Cut) and expand the battle over Little Whinging, like showing Fred's attack, Bellatrix ambushing Tonks, and the death of Moody. I would trim the Burrow-stuff significantly, cutting out Bill and Fleur entirely (let the book purists strike haha), and having ARTHUR deliver the Will (he's tying up their affaris at the Ministry since Voldemort took over at the end of HBP) during Harry's birthday and then the Death Eaters find them (after a tense chase with Kingsley at the Ministry). From there, I'd cut out the Cafe Attack (it always felt like that was unncessecary, especially in the movie). Kreacher would have the real Locket and then Snape would drive the trio out of Grimauld Place (I think Whimsey said this before and I really like it). This way, the Ministry infiltration would not need to be seen. Ron would not leave until they are in Godric's Hollow and then come back immediately during the Nagini scene for a heroic return. If I could, I would try to have the Silver Doe scenes take place in Godric's Hollow as well so that Ron can somehow help Harry and Hermione escape from Nagini and then destroy the locket in one scene. Also (again, purists will want my head), when the trio and Dean and Griphook are brought to Malfoy Manor (or maybe Azkaban), Ron will use the deluminator to help everyone escape, so there would be no need for Dobby. From there, Shell Cottage could be the Order's new headquarters and everyone would hide there. From there, Part 2 would pretty much be the same as normal, but with more scenes away from Harry showing the battle. Most importantly, I would definitely show Fred's death, then cut away to a Star Wars-style montage of people death (including Lupin and Tonks and Hagrid getting captured), and then go back to the trio and Percy in the wreckage. And, I would make the final battle (post Harry-death) more like the book. It seemed more epic in the book than in the movie. That's a criticism for most of the Battle of Hogwarts, not epic-enough. Finally, I would have Slughorn appear in THREE scenes. Scene One, Slughorn telling McGonagall that they will probably all die and her telling him that it is time for Slytherin to show it's loyalties. Scene Two, Slughorn, Pomfrey, and Filch are leading the younger students out of the castle and Slughorn hears the explosions but keeps leaving. Scene Three, Slughorn shows up with hundreds of reinforcements during the final battle and even duels with Voldemort. That's something I've had in my head since I first read the book haha.

Oh, and for all non-John Williams films, I would want Hans Zimmer doing the music.

So that's basically it for changes. Again, I'm sorry if this is in the wrong place.

[Verena]

The scene of possession in Order of the Phoenix, the first kiss between Harry and Ginny in Half-Blood Prince, Neville in Deathly Hallows part 2, but specially… Harry’s hair in Globet of Fire!

[deafswordsman]

Definitely the wedding scene in DH2; just felt rushed. And um Moody? I mean the whole part with the different Harrys felt rushed and Moody being such a strong character was dismissed worse than a third-rate actor. "Oh yeah, Moody died" is kind of how I felt. Poor Moody. And Half-Blood Prince almost felt like Act II of a longer movie.

[jbwarner86]

I'm on the fence about some of this, but in thinking about how I'd handle an adaptation of Deathly Hallows, I'm tempted to pull a Spared By The Adaptation for a couple of major characters. Yes, it flies in the face of Jo's text, but I'm so strongly attached to some of these guys, is it really so wrong that I'd like to see 'em survive to the very end?

I think Hedwig, Dobby, Fred, and Tonks could all survive the story without any major impact on the plot. I'd especially love to see Dobby leading a platoon of house-elves out of the kitchen, brandishing cooking utensils as weapons. But the big one is Mad-Eye Moody. It's bad enough he dies, but that it happens offscreen just feels so unfitting to such a great Auror. I think he'd be a little tougher than that. After Mundungus Disapparates from the back of his broom during the flight of the Seven Potters, Moody gets singled out by Yaxley, who starts blasting curses at him left and right. But c'mon, this is Mad-Eye Moody we're talking about here - he won't go down without a fight. Yaxley blasts Moody's broom so it starts to nosedive, but Moody blasts Yaxley off his broom in turn. Yaxley flails through the air, losing his wand, and clings to Moody's broom, then punches him in the face, knocking his magical eye out of its socket. As they're plummeting towards earth, Moody stuns Yaxley, throws him over the side, then Disapparates seconds before his disabled broom hits the ground. Of course, when Yaxley comes to, he finds Moody's eye and puts it on Umbridge's office door at the Ministry. The payoff comes later during the Battle of Hogwarts, when Moody finds Yaxley wearing his eye on a chain around his neck - he grabs the chain, punches Yaxley in the face, and plunks his eye back in his socket, which he then uses to spot a Death Eater approaching behind him and blast him without even turning around.

Furthermore, I keep envisioning a series of brief montages depicting what's going on in the Battle of Hogwarts while Harry, Ron, and Hermione are running around trying to hunt down the diadem. Maybe it's just my proclivity for comedy, but a lot of these play for laughs as well as action:

- Peeves nailing Death Eaters with a barrage of Dungbombs, then dropping a chandelier on 'em once the smoke clears.
- Death Eaters breaking into the greenhouse, only to be met by a snarl of Devil's Snare and an earmuffed Professor Sprout, who yanks a couple of shrieking baby mandrakes out of their flower pots and knocks the Death Eaters unconscious.
- Fenrir Greyback corners Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, but Professor Trelawney beans him with a barrage of crystal balls. Once he's good and woozy, Lavender and Parvati nail him with an Impediment Jinx that knocks him out the window.
- Amycus Carrow corners Colin Creevey, puts his wand to his throat, and snarls "Any last words, shorty?" Colin says "Just one...smile!", then snaps a photo of Amycus with his camera. Disoriented by the flashbulb, Amycus stumbles, and Colin stuns him while he's staggering around blinded.
- Scabior breaks down a door, thinking there's students hiding behind it - but it's the door to the Owlery, and a thousand angry owls swoop down from the rafters and start pecking the **** out of him.
- In the Astronomy Tower, Lupin starts to get the worst of it from a Death Eater - and Tonks, normally so clumsy, leaps and bounds to his aid and executes a series of dangerously graceful spells that send the Death Eater plummeting.
- Fred and George levitate an entire box of Nosebleed Nougats and send them flying down the throats of an oncoming rush of Death Eaters, who proceed to bleed themselves dry.

Keep in mind also that my ideal Harry Potter adaptation would be a series of animated films. These are all slightly more gag-oriented sequences that I think lend themselves best to animation. Trying to pull them off in live-action would probably seem too goofy.

[Peakes]

What is this? The Expendables? The A-Team? Go on, give Neville a mohican, Luna can be Howling Mad Lovegood, and put them in a big black van with a red stripe, and a guest spot for Arnie Schwarzenegger as Mad-Eye Moody. Dumbledore is clearly Hannibal, loving it when a plan comes together.

War is hell. Death is real, cold, unfeeling and unrelenting. Losing our beloved heroes is heartbreaking, but those feelings are what make us human, and what makes these fights worth fighting. By trivialising these losses, it would disgrace their memories and dishonour their sacrifice.

[jbwarner86]

Originally Posted by Peakes

What is this? The Expendables? The A-Team? Go on, give Neville a mohican, Luna can be Howling Mad Lovegood, and put them in a big black van with a red stripe, and a guest spot for Arnie Schwarzenegger as Mad-Eye Moody. Dumbledore is clearly Hannibal, loving it when a plan comes together.

War is hell. Death is real, cold, unfeeling and unrelenting. Losing our beloved heroes is heartbreaking, but those feelings are what make us human, and what makes these fights worth fighting. By trivialising these losses, it would disgrace their memories and dishonour their sacrifice.

Yeah, I know, it's mostly just me goofing around. But what the hell, it's fun to think about, even if it's not gonna happen.

[Peakes]

Originally Posted by Verena

The scene of possession in Order of the Phoenix

What specifically is that you would change about this scene, I wonder? I only ask as it's one of my defining moments of the series, and I think it's done brilliantly as it is. As you may have spotted from my sig

[horcrux4]

Originally Posted by Peakes

Prisoner of Azkaban - I'd put the kids back in their school robes when in school, get rid of those oh-so-annoying screen fades, the interludes with the Whomping Willow don't do anything for me. A bit more exposition in the shrieking shack finale, and that ending... yeuch. I know it's a favourite of many people, but Alfonso Cuarón just didn't do it for me... flameproof cloak on

I'm with you on this - I've never understood why this is so many people's favourite movie! I had a problem with the non-uniform, mostly that Harry would have had to be wearing Dudley's old clothes and he clearly wasn't. I didn't mind the whomping willow, but I hated the scene where Harry found out Sirius had betrayed his father - Dan couldn't act that scene at all and it was so bad it should have been cut IMO!

Goblet of Fire - This is where it gets tough, such a long book and so many detailed subplots, I actually think they did a good job of the adaptation here. Dumbledore was way off - he shouldn't be manhandling Harry. The Yule Ball went on a bit too long, I'd cut it after the first dance and drop the whole Jarvis Cocker bit. The maze should have had more of the obstacles from the book. I thought the ending was nailed on, apart from the cheesy last words between Ron and Hermione.

I agree on Dumbledore - it put me off Michael Gambon for a couple of films - I thought he really hadn't 'got' the character. I suppose the scriptwriter/director was to blame though. And I thought the maze was pathetic - as the last task it should have been tougher than the others; instead it was just a maze.

Half Blood Prince - A bit less love potion, a bit more pensieve. I'd like to see the nature of the horcruxes and their relation to Voldemort's past explored more - deducing the identity of the horcruxes as artifacts belonging to the founders. I think this would make a better setup for the final two films. Dumbledore's funeral is the main glaring omission that I'd put back in.

Oh, how I agree! If the horcruxes had been set up properly in this film, they might have had time to do a bit more with the Hallows in the last films.

Deathly Hallows, Part II - Agh, where to start? The battle is fine, the hunt for the Ravenclaw horcrux is fine, the Chamber of Secrets scene is a nice addition. I'd add in the death of Fred Weasley - it's such a shock in the film seeing him dead in the Great Hall that it takes some of the impact from seeing Remus and Tonks dead immediately after. If we already know that Fred has died, that scene can focus on the family's grief, and then we see Remus and Tonks... and that's where the sense of shock comes from. I'd like to see more in the Pensieve, not because I think it's lacking, but because it's such a wonderfully well crafted scene, and I want more! King's Cross needs some more explanation about the Hallows, and the behaviour of Harry's wand against Voldemort (with Lucius' wand) in the escape - they put the behaviour in DH1 and then failed to explain it. The final battle, I'd put back in the Great Hall, and I'd have Harry return to the headmaster's office and repair his own wand with the Elder wand - I don't have a problem with him breaking the Elder Wand after that, but I dislike the idea of him carrying on with Malfoy's.

Now here I disagree. I thought the battle was poorly done. Mostly explosions and people running. We didn't get to follow any of the people we 'knew' in the battle (apart from Neville) and don't get me started on the final confrontation between Voldy & Harry. In the book it was so tense, with the battling crowd silent and watching as Voldy & Harry faced off, and then the exultation when Voldy died! Where was all that? Instead we had them falling off towers and crawling about for their wands, and Harry won because he was the stronger wizard, not because of the Elder Wand. I just hated it! (Perhaps you'd guessed!)

[owlycherries]

Originally Posted by GillyweedFan

The thing I would change is something simple, but probably troublesome for the actors and crew.

In the first two films, I liked the way the cast+crew actually travelled to sets that looked like Hogwarts. Key examples are The Training Grounds, the corridor outside Moaning Myrtles and that courtyard by Transfiguration (Yes, this was present fleetingly in GoF too.)

I don't like how from OoTp onwards, they use those horrible corridor sets that look clearly made up by a studio team, the one outside the Room of Requirement bugging me a lot. It just doesn't look like a natural castle. I was joyed to see the return of the Gloucester Cathedral corridor in HBP, but again, that wasn't for long.

So the change I'd make would be to have more scenes filmed outside the studios and in different castle like locations.

=O And I thought it was just me! I completely agree with you. The corridors and sets used in OOTP are just so tacky The scene when Umbridge breaks through the wall into the Room of Requirement, the wall looks like yellow cardboard!

Anyway, other things I would change:
PS&COS
Nothing really for these, except make them less ... plodding?
POA
Wouldn't really change a thing. Although, i'm actually someone who never liked the change in robe design I preferred the plain black with just a badge. OH WAIT, like someone mentioned on a previous page, I would have dearly loved to see the scenes of Harry in Diagon Alley with ice cream and looking at the firebolt.
GOF
I would make this a little slower and pad it out a bit more with explanations from the book. As much as I love it, it was rather fast and missed out a lot. Also I'd slot in the Dursley's scene.
OOTP and HBP
Everything! I would change everything! David Yates ... why did you ruin my beloved film series?
-First off. Harry, I'm sorry but I cannot take you seriously with that ridiculously short haircut.
-The music score. Too quiet, bland, blah. Is reasonably nice listening to by itself, but a Harry Potter film needs a beautiful, swooping, majestic score.
-The sets, as mentioned above. The Dursley's house looked like a cardboard cutout, the corridors looked stupid ... I could go on.
-The incredible fast pace with silent, empty, awkward scenes. The hearing felt like it went on for hours ... other scenes were like two seconds long and far too abrupt. Not even going to mention the kissing scene. D=
-The modern setting!!! David Yates, these books are set in the 90s! The millennium bridge wasn't built then!!
-Harry and Ginny ...
-Burrow burning and associated scenes.
-Waitress scene ... is there anybody who actually liked this? It has to be the worst scene in the history of HP films. Perhaps apart from all the Harry and Ginny scenes. I literally and honestly squirmed, went really hot, bothered and uncomfortable watching them. *vomits* I also hated all Dumbledore's stupid and random comments about Harry needing a shave, are Harry and Hermione together, etc etc. I try to pretend all these never happened.
-Too much focus on the love stories in HBP, not enough on the memories (we get that waitress scene, and lose the Gaunts ).
-No Quidditch in OOTP. Hmm. Longest book, shortest film.


I'll stop there. Sorry if that ^ seems all jumbled up. I could rant about those two horrendous films for eternity.
(on a side note, though, I do prefer HBP over OOTP. It followed the book slightly more and had more rhythm as a film).


I can't really comment on the Deathly Hallows films, as I have only watched them once, in the cinema. I have no desire to see either again (although I probably will at some point, just to refresh my memory). I will admit they had an occasional good scene, for example the Prince's Tale. And I loved Hermione's clothes ...

[Vagalume]

This is a really minor thing and I'm not sure if it's been mentioned before, but... where are young James' glasses in DH II?

[snapes_witch]

Originally Posted by Vagalume

This is a really minor thing and I'm not sure if it's been mentioned before, but... where are young James' glasses in DH II?

Yeah, how were we supposed to know who that kid was?