Which Tom Riddle do you prefer?

[oceanborn]

Originally Posted by decarus

I am surprised. I liked the older Tom in HBP the best so far. When he was facing the fireplace turning his father's ring on his finger and said the word 'murder' that did it for me. Though i like the other three Tom's as well. No complaints all around.

But that is a problem. You can tell he's really not so good. As many people here already noticed, he's supposed to look charming, not creepy. We all know what kind of person he became later, but at that time, no one knew. Because it could not be seen.

[decarus]

I disagree. In this scene with Slughorn, Tom Riddle gives himself away. In the book, Slughorn gets very nervous at the end wondering if he shouldn't have said what he said. The other Tom, in CoS, was supposed to be the regular charming Tom and so was this Tom at the beginning of the scene when they are talking about the professor retiring and the candies he gave Slughorn. I think they both did great jobs being the charming Tom in those moments when they were supposed to be.

Tom Riddle then in HBP asks Slughorn about horcruxes and Tom Riddle gives himself away and Slughorn knows that Tom knows he gave himself away. That is why Slughorn goes into hidding. Slughorn knows that he did much damage by telling Tom Riddle what he told him and hides the memory because he knows that. Tom Riddle knows that he gave too much away in asking these questions and wants to kill Slughorn because of it that is why he is searching for him.

That is the purpose of this memory. This is not a moment when Tom Riddle is charming, but a moment when he gives his true self away to Slughorn. I think it showed that and was a great scene and that is why i think he was the best Tom so far.

Though as i said, i like all the Toms, they have done great casting with them.

[Voldemorts8thHorcrux]

Originally Posted by FleurduJardin

It's true that Frank Dillane looks creepier than Christian Coulson, and that's just the point. Tom Riddle when he was young was supposed to be good-looking (like his father) and a charmer. He wasn't supposed to be creepy at all. Only Dumbledore had doubts about him, and those doubts were not based upon his looks. I think Coulson conveyed the hidden malevolence perfectly. As played by Dillane, Tom Riddle would never had charmed poor old Hepzibah Smith out of her secrets about her treasures (the locket and the cup), or all the professors at Hogwarts except for DD (who didn't say or do anything about his doubts) into being made Prefect and later Head Boy, not to mention wheedle the secret of where the tiara was from Helena Ravenclaw. Dillane is OK-looking, but I wouldn't call him handsome, or charming.

I think Dillane is decently good looking but he was far too creepy to be anything remotely close to charming

I disagree. In this scene with Slughorn, Tom Riddle gives himself away. In the book, Slughorn gets very nervous at the end wondering if he shouldn't have said what he said. The other Tom, in CoS, was supposed to be the regular charming Tom and so was this Tom at the beginning of the scene when they are talking about the professor retiring and the candies he gave Slughorn. I think they both did great jobs being the charming Tom in those moments when they were supposed to be.

Tom Riddle then in HBP asks Slughorn about horcruxes and Tom Riddle gives himself away and Slughorn knows that Tom knows he gave himself away. That is why Slughorn goes into hidding. Slughorn knows that he did much damage by telling Tom Riddle what he told him and hides the memory because he knows that. Tom Riddle knows that he gave too much away in asking these questions and wants to kill Slughorn because of it that is why he is searching for him.

You make a good point, but in the book, and i'm rereading it right now so i know i have my facts right, but first, Slughorn says that Tom could become Minister of Magic, but Tom acts very humble about it.

And then the scene in the memory:

HBP Chapter 23 page 496 it was very well done, thoguht Harry, the hesitancy, the casual tone, the careful flattery, none of it overdone.

bold and italic by me. Dillane was nowhere near casual, or careful, or hesitant to me. He was just trying to be creepy and evil.

HBP page 497 His voice was carefully controlled, but Harry could sense his excitement.

Well, Dillane had a carefully controlled voice in a way, but it was careful in the trying to be evil way, than the trying to hide things from your professor way.

It was only like halfway in when he starts going to

497 But Riddle's hunger was now apparent, his expression was greedy, he could no longer hide his longing.

IMO, Coulson would've done that better as well. like his performance when he was in the Chamber and the expression he had when Harry was poisoned, before Harry went for the diary. Dillane was very flat the entire time, but very obvious, and not in the wild longing kind of way either.

Overview: Riddle is supposed to be charming and humble and curious at the beginning, then halfway through, when he knows he's got Slughorn where he needs him, that's when his longing and evil starts unfolding, and i didn't get either emotions from dillane's performance. But kudos to Jim Broadbent, he portrayed Slughorn in that scene like perfectly. Except the looks part

The only thing Dillane has going for him, apart from looking creepy (he must be a very good actor btw) is that he is very believable as an older version of Hero Fiennes-Tiffin (also a good actor, he's really quite cute when he's not playing Tom Riddle, I've seen pictures.)

he's adorable even when he is playing voldemort . I have new appreciation for how adorably evil young voldy must of been

[LumosSempra]

Excellent argument! I agree with everything you said. I still don't get why some people think Dillane did such an amazing job, considering he doesn't at all follow the Tom Riddle we know from the books. Tom was pretty much the most popular boy at Hogwarts at the time. I just don't see Dillane as being the type of person that students would flock to in admiration.

[ActingDude17]

Calling someone a creepy-*** is not helping your argument at all. It's making you personally look very bad and disrespectful. You try portraying the Dark Lord sometime, then get back to me. Maybe then you can call Frank Dillane or any of the other Potter actors a creepy-***.

Sorry for being hostile, but I got slightly offended there. I don't think any Dillane supporters have called Coulson anything of that nature. I could call him a pretty-boy pansy. But I won't.

[LumosSempra]

I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to offend or be disrespectful at all. I wasn't thinking when I typed that. I'll edit my comment.

[decarus]

HBP Chapter 23 page 496 it was very well done, thought Harry, the hesitancy, the casual tone, the careful flattery, none of it overdone.

I disagree. I think that the older Tom in HBP succeeded in being casual, hesitating, flattering, etc. I think he did all of these things. It was only the moment when Tom asked about splitting his soul into seven that Slughorn looked slightly worried.

HBP page 497 His voice was carefully controlled, but Harry could sense his excitement.

I think his voice was very controlled throughout the entire thing. He only became disturbing when he stated how many horcruxes he wanted to create and when he said the word 'murder' and that is only, for me, because i know that he is twisting his father's ring on his finger. The father he murdered and took the ring from and turned into a horcrux.

497 But Riddle's hunger was now apparent, his expression was greedy, he could no longer hide his longing.

I think he did hold himself together until he got what he wanted. Then he sort of lost it when he said murder and gave himself away. I think it was very like the book. Tom Riddle gave the game away in that moment and he knew it because of how Slughorn reacted and that is why he wanted to kill Slughorn which is what happen in the book and in the film.

[Voldemorts8thHorcrux]

Originally Posted by decarus

I think his voice was very controlled throughout the entire thing. He only became disturbing when he stated how many horcruxes he wanted to create and when he said the word 'murder' and that is only, for me, because i know that he is twisting his father's ring on his finger. The father he murdered and took the ring from and turned into a horcrux.

I think it's controlled in the wrong way. the book implies that he was trying to control it so that it didn't seem like he was really excited, and controlling it to sound merely casual and curious, which I dont think Dillane did well. the entire time Dillane did it, it sounded controlled in the reigning in his inner dark nature, which i didn't mind, but his voice didn't sound anything close to trying to be innocent, which is what the book seemed to imply, but just trying not to show that he was excited.

I just asked my friend what he thought dillane seemed like at the beginning of the memory and he said obnoxious....i dont think so but does anyone else agree? i just thought he seemed too obvious

I think he did hold himself together until he got what he wanted. Then he sort of lost it when he said murder and gave himself away. I think it was very like the book. Tom Riddle gave the game away in that moment and he knew it because of how Slughorn reacted and that is why he wanted to kill Slughorn which is what happen in the book and in the film.

I wish i could've argued this a few days after i watched the film, but i just remember that near the end, he might have pushed up the creepy vibe just a little bit, but there was no bestial hunger or happiness or anticipation or excitement.

[CrimsonZephyr]

Dillane was...really creepy as Riddle. I mean, we didn't have the countless other memories to judge his portrayal. Only the Slughorn one. And in that one, Riddle reveals his true self. So I can understand why we might not have seen the humble, charming Riddle, because in that particular scene, he dropped the facade.

[2green_eyes]

I believe the youngest riddle is played by Ralph Fiennes nephew? He's got it in his blood doesn't he?

I think I prefer the teenage Riddle in HBP, the one in COS was certainly less creepy but considering the darkness of HBP I think it was appropriate for him to be creepier.

[Voldemorts8thHorcrux]

Originally Posted by CrimsonZephyr

Dillane was...really creepy as Riddle. I mean, we didn't have the countless other memories to judge his portrayal. Only the Slughorn one. And in that one, Riddle reveals his true self. So I can understand why we might not have seen the humble, charming Riddle, because in that particular scene, he dropped the facade.

I think we got the creepiness part just fine from Mini Tom. And i dont think the creepiness is quite as important to the plot or his character as showing how he got what he wanted

[Oceans2342]

I think the Tom Riddle in HBP was best for that particular movie. I could totally see the young Tom from the orphanage growing up to become the Tom in Slughorn's office. They both had an eerie quality about them that worked for the portrayal of the character that they were going for.
The Tom in CoS was definitely less obvious about his evil side, but the movies showed two different interpretations of the character and it's hard to judge which was better without comparing them to the books.
Personally I liked HBP better in general so I preferred that interpretation of Tom Riddle.

[Shingie]

Definitely, this is a discussion and not an argument, as you said. In fact, in my opinion you've produced the most cohesive case for Coulson thus far. All his other supporters seem to say is "He was pretty."

He is pretty, isn't he? I think Coulson's looks more like that charming psychopath, his handsomeness sort of draws you in.

Coulson had a very intense, almost angry look to him when he was talking. The whole time he seemed like he was doing his best to suppress his temper. Plus when he was ranting about his awesomeness man, did he look like a completely whacked-out, sadistic crazy maniac! When I re-watched it closely for his acting I noticed that before he says "Voldemort is my past, present, and future" he has this totally evil scary grin.

In the black/white memory he seemed totally innocent & normal and not a psychotic serial killer; I think he pulled off the innocent mask much better than Dillane. (Dillane was like, hey I'm obviously-glaringly evil!) When he met Harry again his use of facial expressions changed so much it was like he was almost a completely different person.

Then again, he had this arrogant-basturd aura around him. He didn't give much dimension to Riddle though, but re-reading CoS Rowling didn't give Riddle nearly as much depth as she did in HBP, so Coulson didn't have much to work with in the first place.

Frank Dillane was really good too! I liked his little pauses in between his words, although in the book his hesitancy was supposed to sound like unsureness but in the movie it sounded like he was taking his time thinking how to phrase his lie. I understand that he couldn't be completely subtle about his evil-ness because he only had like 2 minutes to convey his evil so better bring it out quick. I wish they'd give him more screentime though, it's hard to judge his acting.

Fiennes-Tiffin was brilliant... what an outstanding 11-year old kid. (man, I fail at description).

My favorite would have to be Fiennes-Tiffin.

A note about book Riddle in HBP, Slughorn-Horcrux scene: When he was excited, his sentences were all cut-up/choppy and he looks all excited and figidity, and his face was animated... I think JK Rowling was picturing his mannerisms perhaps maybe like Ted Bundy's last interview. XD But that would have looked really stupid on screen, so it's all cool that they had a chillax, laid-back, slow-talker Riddle.

[Potterwatch1994]

I Loved Coulson wayy back in COS then when i heard he wouldn't be coming back to do HBP i was a little upset

but now i thought Frank Dillane was deffinatly the best he seemed the most evil and the most like a true Voldemort

and Hero-Fiennes-Tiffin was very good too when i seen him in the teaser trailer for HBP i loved him immediatley more than COS Riddle

My favorite Riddle list
1.Frank Dillane
2.Hero
3.Coulson


can't wait for Ralph Fiennes to do his voldemort in movie seven he's awesome in his role too

what do you think about him?

[Voldemorts8thHorcrux]

I both love and hate Fiennes. On one hand, he's exactly how i pictured grown up voldy in how he acted and talked and moved and somewhat looked. On the other hand, did he have to scream "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO" at the end of the graveyard scene like ever cliched movie villain out there? i still get agood laugh out of that every time though

My Voldy scale goes

1. Hero
2. Ralph
3. Coulson

Dillane isn't awesome enough as Voldy in his scene to make it on, even if i'm sure he would've done great in the Gaunt house memory

[CowsRSkary]

I liked the Young Tom Riddle from HBP most, just for creepy factor. He made my skin crawl, but not in a way I could acually put my finger on.

[MinervasCat]

The one from CoS. He was really close to what I had pictured the young Tom Riddle to be. He was handsome, arrogant, uncaring, ambitious, and had an evil air about him that was chilling. He would have been good for the Tom who was asking about the Horcruxes. Also, wouldhave been good if they'd had a scene with him coming to Dumbledore seeking a position at Hogwarts.

[ActingDude17]

I really can't see Coulson's Riddle growing up to be Lord Voldemort.

[HedwigOwl]

Originally Posted by RemusPotter

Do you like the Tom Riddle from COS or the one in HBP in the memories with Slughorn? For me, I like the one from COS, but the Riddle from HBP was a creepier. That's my opinion.

I prefer the 2 actors who portrayed Riddle in HBP. Perfectly cold, underlying creepy, possibly evil, definitely unnerving. They both did a great job in my opinion. Wouldn't want to be in the same room with either of those Riddles....

COS was only a memory from a certain point in time, so I think that was fine for what it was supposed to portray.

[mrfutterman]

Haven't got a problem with any of them.