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I’ve just been to see Harry Potter with Newkate and I liked it! I expected it to be a dumb story bolstered with special effects.
I was a dumb story with special effects, but it actually worked quite well I thought.
Newkate on the other hand didn’t enjoy the show at all. Being from Russia, she couldn’t get her head round all the Brit schooly culture like house teams and bording school stuff.
Did that spoil it for any of you other non-Brits?
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Originally posted by SadGeezer:
I’ve just been to see Harry Potter with Newkate and I liked it!
The boarding school culture didn’t throw me off, as I’ve seen that in a number of other British books/shows/movies.
I liked it, but I can’t say as I really liked it. I thought it lost quite a bit of the heart and whimsy of the first book, as well as that child-like sense of wonder and discovery. It seemed like the kids just kind of took all of the Hogwarts and environs as given. Also, it never seemed like Harry *suffered* at the hands of his aunt and uncle, while in the book, it plays up this horribly Roald Dahl-esque dark life for him, having to subsist on his cousin’s birthday cake for weeks, etc. It’s an enjoyable spectacle, and my initial reaction was that it was fun and a really good flick, but it just doesn’t hold up on the afterthought.–Aleck
It’s most fun seeing it with kids. Especially the trip home, my sisters explained every difference between the movie and the book.
I liked the books (I’ve read all of them, cute) better.
Horse and I just saw the movie and have not read the books, thank goodness! I have seen many books made into movies and the books always win. Having no kidds in the household I have not had the”pleasure” of haveing to get the books. But LOVED the movie! There was even a small surprize, though Horse said after that he thought it would turn out that way. If the movie is this good the book will be a must read!! Sorry….Books!
I went to see the movie, and I loved it! I haven’t read the books, but I’m going to read them now. It’s hard for me to tell others that I like Harry Potter here, though. I live in such a religious area. There are so many fanatics here. I was telling one of my friends what a good flick it was, and some guy started yelling at me. I was working at the time, and I just told the guy that my opinion was mine, and I needed to get back to work. It’s just crazy here!
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Originally posted by Aeryn Crichton:
I went to see the movie, and I loved it! I haven’t read the books, but I’m going to read them now. It’s hard for me to tell others that I like Harry Potter here, though. I live in such a religious area. There are so many fanatics here. I was telling one of my friends what a good flick it was, and some guy started yelling at me. I was working at the time, and I just told the guy that my opinion was mine, and I needed to get back to work. It’s just crazy here!
I went to see the movie twice. Once with some friends of mine who run a small-time publishing company for local poets and authors. And then a second time with my niece and nephew.
I’ve read the first two books and I want to read the rest. But I don’t hold a movie company to be responsible for directly translating a book into a movie. They did a very, very good job with Harry Potter. I look forward to all the future movies.
Aeryn, you live in the “Bible Belt” too? You have my sympathies. Growing up in the southern United States has made me hate fundamentalist Christians. If you live in this region, you’re either stupid and buy into the misery of self-righteous bible-thumpers or you grow a brain instead. Being an intelligent free-thinker, I have to continually watch myself around strangers. One false move and I’ll find myself on the wrong end of a paranoid rant by some religeous nut!
I was hoping that when I went to see Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone there would be fundamentalist Christians protesting outside the theaters. I was actually disappointed that they were not there. I thought for sure that they would be screaming and crying and preaching about the evils of black magic! The movie is clearly about magic and witchcraft presented in a good light! They hate that kind of open-minded non-Christian viewpoint! I was looking forward to getting into an arguement with any one of those @ssholes. I would have pointed to them and shouted to all the children going into the theater, “Look, kids! Behold the worst type of muggle there ever can be! These people want you to always feel sad! They will try to hurt you if you don’t like what they like! These are exactly the same kind of people who blew up the World Trade Center!”
I hate fundamentalists with an intense passion.
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Originally posted by Flamegrape:
These are exactly the same kind of people who blew up the World Trade Center!
I agree! And unfortunately, there are a lot of them about! (in all countries)
Flamegrape: Ah yes, fundamentalists. Commonly known as fundies, these pathetic creatures live under small rocks, occasionally popping thier heads out to make life miserable for the rest of the world’s humans. Also known as ‘mentafundalists’ and ‘fundaMENTALists’.
I’ve always despised the little f**ks but thier comments after 9/11 (the homosexuals and the ACLU did it!) changed that to absolute hatred.
My sympathys Areyn Crichten. Check out Morons.orgwhen they get you down.
Actually, that’s why I chose this nick. Hypatia was a brilliant, beautiful philosopher and scientist killed by a mob of ’em.
Harry Potter sucks. It’s unimaginative crap, a higgelty-piggelty collection of elements from mythology and folklore mutilated for the purpose of commercial appeal that just cheapifies the mythic image and has no value but to make those responsible filthy rich. I could write better childrens’ fantasy.
Ah yes, but would it be as popular. It’s one of the most popular series of childrens books in the world! And I thought the movie was pretty good.
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Originally posted by DalekTek790:
I could write better childrens’ fantasy.
Put your money where your mouth is and do it.
Is ‘cheapifies’ a word, DaleckTek?
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Originally posted by DalekTek790:
Harry Potter sucks. It’s unimaginative crap, a higgelty-piggelty collection of elements from mythology and folklore mutilated for the purpose of commercial appeal that just cheapifies the mythic image and has no value but to make those responsible filthy rich. I could write better childrens’ fantasy.
Ahh, quite like the
pioneering mythological works of one George Lucas, eh? Artistic, mythological and philosophical integrity up the wazoo there, now, that’s for sure. No cash cow, that George, boy howdy.The sig file says it all.
–Aleck
quote:
Originally posted by SadGeezer:
Ah yes, but would it be as popular. It’s one of the most popular series of childrens books in the world! And I thought the movie was pretty good.
While popularity is never a good barometer for quality, you’re absolutely right, Sad. Rowling is poised to become the *first* billionaire author. The very first. Ever. And she freakin’ deserves every last penny of it. J.K. Rowling wrote her books as a single mom, on the dole, while working as a waitress to support her baby. Her books did, and continue to do well because they don’t pander to their audience. They *understand* children, their thought processes, their instincts, what captures their imagination, better than just about any other books out there. And she has, by not treating kids like idiots while providing them with densely-packed and imaginative fiction, introduced more children to the joys of reading than just about any author you could possibly name. Sure, DT may look down upon her books because her works aren’t particularly “literary” enough, but she has done what a more “respected” author quite probably could not: got childrens’ noses in books. They are more likely to move on to something DT might find more “acceptable” than other children, whose idea of quality entertainment is sitting in front of the TV or playing their X-Box.
More power to her, I say. I may not think the movie is the best thing in the world, but I hope that it continues to rake in the dough, and that her books continue to fly off the shelves with its help.
–Aleck
Hmmm… Harry Potter… well, this literary snob, er, jaded book seller has to go somewhere between DT and Aleck on this one. Harry Potter isn’t bad–it’s mediocre. That is, it’s a hell of a lot better than the last big thing in children’s publishing, Goosebumps, but it’s still a far cry from the best children’s fantasy being put out there by the likes of Jane Yolen, Robin McKinley, or Phillip Pullman. Personally, I find Harry Potter to be rather patronizing in it’s cuteness, and even more by the American publishers who thought the little darlings couldn’t handle the word “Philosopher” in the title. Harry Potter is very accessible, with no difficult words or difficult concepts. It’s amassed a huge audience and a huge fortune, and it’s even slightly increased the profile of a few other writers. Good for Ms. Rowling. But I do lament this inability to distinguish success from excellence in a children’s writer. I don’t begrudge Rowling her success, but resent the exaggerated acclaim. Harry Potter won a Hugo award, for crying out loud! Dune, The Left Hand of Darkness,and…Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire? I don’t get it.
-frosch
Well, see I think HP deserved a Hugo, and that Dune was pretty dull and unimaginative. *shrug* It’s just me.
Oh, btw ‘cheapifies’ is not a word. If you’re going to write a better childrens book, don’t use ‘cheapifies’.
And to show my colors, Lexx has waaaay better CG.
[ 08-12-2001: Message edited by: Hypatia ]
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Originally posted by Hypatia:
Is ‘cheapifies’ a word, DaleckTek?
It is now.
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Originally posted by Headgehog:
Put your money where your mouth is and do it.
I will, too, some day. After I’ve revolutionized the science fiction genre. What does it take to write childrens’ science-fantasy? All I’d have to do is create a main character children can relate to, present some kind of escapist fantasy world, dumb down the science, lay off the complex intellectual/philosophical concepts, cool it with the explicit descriptions of physical violence and eliminate anything sexual. That can’t be too hard. At the risk of sounding immodest, I’m quite a good writer.
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Originally posted by SadGeezer:
Ah yes, but would it be as popular. It’s one of the most popular series of childrens books in the world!
Now, I don’t know about that. I’m not sure I really know how to make something popular, especially with younger readers. My style is a little…unconventional. But hey, I remember being 10. I know what appealed to me at that age. I can just use that knowledge to get a good idea of my target audience.
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Originally posted by Uberfrosch:
Harry Potter isn’t bad–it’s mediocre. That is, it’s a hell of a lot better than the last big thing in children’s publishing, Goosebumps, but it’s still a far cry from the best children’s fantasy being put out there by the likes of Jane Yolen, Robin McKinley, or Phillip Pullman.
I agree with you, there. Harry Potter is a few notches above Goosebumps. I remember reading a couple of those books back in grade school, they were really lame.
[ 08-12-2001: Message edited by: DalekTek790 ]
Now there’s a man who’s not afraid to speak his mind, and mine while he’s at it.
The Harry Potter books got kids to read. That fact alone is an astonishing miracle.
I explained to my niece that the Philosopher’s Stone was the goal of ancient alchemy. The art of alchemy evolved into modern chemistry. Magicians evolved into modern scientists. She was fascinated. Next, I will buy her a book about tarot along with Crowley’s Thoth deck.
Lee, you would damn something that sparks the imagination of millions of children everywhere? How miserable. I expected better of you.
Well, no matter what my views on the ‘black arts’, Christian fundamentalism, children’s fiction OR cult sci-fi, I thought that the movie was pretty bloody good. I was OK with the English school culture, I was OK witht he mixing of mythologies and morals, and I was OK with the fact that the books were written for children 4 years younger or more than me. I haven’t read the books, and I don’t think I will because the books spoilt the movie for a Helluva lot of people…
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