Monday, October 31, 2005

Harry Potter News




As some of you might know, the latest Harry Potter film is being released on 18 November. Even though the idiots out there can and do happily claim that any adult who enjoys HP is a nascent pedophile, I will go out on a limb anyway and tell you that I have been eagerly awaiting this film, feeling a secret thrill of happiness every time I see the film posters (such as the one posted here) that decorate the subway platforms, although I have kept rather quiet about this on my blog.

Of all the Harry Potter films, I have been most looking forward to this one (and of course, HP5) because the nature of the topics they deal with are more serious than in the earlier three books .. Harry and his pals are growing up and the problems they encounter become less black-and-white as well. (And there is less Quiddich -- yawn -- in the later books/movies, too).

Considering the outrageous price of films these days, unless my pals at Scholastic Books or my actor pal come through for me with free tickets for a sneak preview or an opening night extravaganza, I'll have to attend a public showing by forking over "cat cash"; money I've earned by scooping cat shit. This is fine with me! But one thing that cat cash apparently cannot buy is the company of a birdwatching pal to go watch this film with me, as I enjoyed for the previous films (I enjoy having a second pair of eyes to rely on for the inevitable after-film debriefing of bird species). Perhaps one of my Seattle Bird pals would like to visit NYC in the near future, and see the latest HP film with me?


Incidentally, does anyone keep a bird list for all the birds seen in Harry Potter films? Or a "film bird list" for all birds seen and heard in any film they've watched?


But I digress. For those of you, like me, who are spellbound by the upcoming release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, this link to a trailer of the new film, called "The Maze", is for you! (Those of you who have read HP4 will know exactly what "The Maze" refers to). This next link is full of all sorts of very amazing teasers that you'll like (the winged horses flying past the classroom window and the Tall Ship popping up out of the lake are especially wonderful). Also linked from this page are other clips that you'll love!

Links courtesy of my ever-watchful pal, Ian, who keeps me in touch with those things that really matter when stupid issues threaten to sweep all pleasure from my life.

==============

© 2004, 2005, 2006 by GrrlScientist

6 Peer Reviews:

Blogger J.K.F. said...

Yay!

I am SO looking forward to the movie, and it always cheers me to know I'm not the only "grown-up" who is. Unfortunatly, I love the books so much that I've become one of those people who nit-picks parts that were left out (of COURSE I understand that they can't make a 6-hour movie. However...) I expect Goblet of Fire to be amazing, so I hope I can set aside my nit-picking for this one.

On the topic of nit-picking, it bothers me that in the last movie they turned the werewolf into a large hairy man-type thing. In the book, there are very few differences between a "real" wolf and a werewolf. I have a serious problem with the movie's idea of what a werewolf looks like. I will try to get over it.

Thanks for the links and preview. I join you in your anticipation.

4:54 PM  
Blogger Tabor said...

Yes, I look forward to it, because there are so few good films. But, I am not as impassioned as you. You go girl!

5:38 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Can't...stop...twitching...in anticipation. This one looks awesome, though I wish they had kept Cuaron as the director. My only big complaint about the last one was that they didn't really explain where the map came from or the whole background of Harry's dad's friends. Not knowing this kind of diminishes the impact of the fact that Harry's patronus is a stag.

Nascent pedophile? Pshaw. The story is cute and the kids are cute, but I like seeing kids growing up and figuring things out. Maybe its the nascent teacher in me.

I could only watch a little of the "Maze" clip. I don't like seeing trailers, clips, etc. before I watch a movie I really want to see. Perhaps you could try a Grateful Dead concert trick and hang out outside the theater and wait for a "miracle"...in November...in New York. If you were in Indiana, I'd buy you a ticket. :-)

aloha
psilo

5:11 PM  
Blogger GrrlScientist said...

Seadragon; even now, when I am riding the subway, I see at least one adult reading one of the Harry Potter books each week -- although, right after HP6 was published, I saw 1-5 people per day who were reading HP books, usually book 6.

Tabor; I look forward to your review about the film after you see it.

Branedy; I agree. After several years of remakes, I was beginning to wonder if Hollywood could make anything original anymore.

Psilo; why do you wish they kept Cuaron as director? what special magic does he bring the the film that you think might be lacking with this one? I will say that I really enjoyed the use of time pieces as a unifying theme in the HP3 movie (was there a hidden meaning for the timepieces that I am missing?). I also loved the biting book that Hagrid gave to Harry -- the Care of Magical Creatures book, if I recall correctly. But that was part of the book, not a special touch from Cuaron.

I love watching trailers and teasers. If anything, they make me want to see the HP movie even more (I've read all the books a dozen or more times each, so it isn't as though watching the trailers will spoil the film for me). I also have fabulous dreams after watching the trailers.

Joel the Bowerbird; for a moment, I wondered if I knew you (from your handle here; it reminds me of someone I know).

The nice thing about living on the East Coast is that I can see the film before you peeps forther west can even get into the theatre!

GrrlScientist

2:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Perhaps I am attributing too much to the Director. My liking of the third movie is particularly the visual style of the movie. This could also be attributed to the Director of Photography. Furthermore, I think a good deal of my fancy for the third movie is how non-cutesy it is, which I particularly attributed to the previous director, Chris Columbus. There are multiple other factors that make #3 far better than the first two movies, including the acting ability of the kids improving and the fact that it is my favorite book. I just really like how #3 turned out. From what I've seen of #4, however, I think Mike Newell will do an excellent job.

As for the time piece theme throughout the movie, I never caught that, but you're right. It probably has to do with Hermione's time-turner being an integral plot element.

aloha
psilo

1:00 PM  
Blogger Lillet Langtry said...

Hi! I just found your blog and enjoy it very much!

My husband and I are bird-obsessed, although not scientists, and have a particular fondness for toucans and hornbills (our favorite bird in the world is the very friendly and impressive grey-cheecked hornbill in the Bronx Zoo.)

This may sound totally crazy, but I'll see Harry Potter with you.

Best,

Lillet

3:39 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home