Harry Potter-I know i'm sailing against the wind...
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Harry Potter-I know i'm sailing against the wind...
But please,what's all the hoopla about???I just watched the dvd screener of this and i have NO preconceived notions about it since i haven't read or barely heard of the books before.This is just the standard kids overacting & CGI overuse a la Episode 1/The Mummy/Scorpion King etc.I just can not comprehend all the interest by (supposedly) adults in this forum and elsewhere.Now don't get me wrong-this is great stuff IF you are 9-12 years old.I know i would have thought so at that age but when you are in your mid 30's it's just embarrassing.Again,not a total waste,there is very nice set design & cinematography.9.5/10 for the under 12 crowd.2/10 for adults.Start the flames.
Last edited by AlainDelon; 04-27-02 at 11:20 PM.
#2
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Well, going into it blind is part of the problem. As an "arte de cinema" or whatever, it's not that groundbreaking or amazing. But it is a spot on adaptation of the novel. And the novel isn't exactly "arte de novel" either It's just a fun, enjoyable story of a boy that survived. It's not written down to kids, and it doesn't pull any punches. There are deaths, and people that are just bad, not "misunderstood". It deals with kids growing up and all the issues that come with it. It has it's share of controversy, but I think that only puts it in good company
I turn 28 on May 31, and my wife turned 27 in Feb, and we both enjoy the novels and the movie. I suggest trying the first novel, as usual, it has more character building and whatnot and gives a better feel for the material.
I also wanted to add that I felt the child acting was light years ahead of Episode 1. If Harry seemed reserved, he's supposed to be that way. Living under the stairs for 12 years will do that to you. If Hermione seemed like a know it all, she is. And Alan Rickman as Snape was delectable. I look forward to his performances in the next films.
I turn 28 on May 31, and my wife turned 27 in Feb, and we both enjoy the novels and the movie. I suggest trying the first novel, as usual, it has more character building and whatnot and gives a better feel for the material.
I also wanted to add that I felt the child acting was light years ahead of Episode 1. If Harry seemed reserved, he's supposed to be that way. Living under the stairs for 12 years will do that to you. If Hermione seemed like a know it all, she is. And Alan Rickman as Snape was delectable. I look forward to his performances in the next films.
Last edited by milo bloom; 04-27-02 at 08:12 PM.
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Yes you are sailing against the wind and I would advise ANYBODY who tries to criticize this film to get off their lazy asses and read the book. It's only 120 pages for godsakes. This film (like FOTR) is a beautiful adaptation of the novel that MILLIONS (adults and kids) have come to love. The second novel is 10 times better in my humble opinion and I can't wait to see the movie this November. Rowling has created an intelligent, colorful alternate world in her novels. Come join the fun.
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I would advise ANYBODY who tries to criticize this film to get off their lazy asses and read the book
Last edited by AlainDelon; 04-28-02 at 12:39 AM.
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Originally posted by AlainDelon
Well,just as i expected, this seems almost cult-like.If you don't like our film you must be uninfomed/an idiot/lazy/stupid/moron.People grow & evolve over time(hopefully) and i just don't like fables anymore.Like i said,i'm sure i would have liked it as a kid but as a kid i could not think of anything more boring that 16th century Swedish history and now as an adult i find it fascinating.
Well,just as i expected, this seems almost cult-like.If you don't like our film you must be uninfomed/an idiot/lazy/stupid/moron.People grow & evolve over time(hopefully) and i just don't like fables anymore.Like i said,i'm sure i would have liked it as a kid but as a kid i could not think of anything more boring that 16th century Swedish history and now as an adult i find it fascinating.
Also, isn't the quote in your signature from the movie Airplane!?
That movie is pure juvenile comedy, yet I am still able to appreciate it as you seem to be able to. Don't dismiss alternate forms of storytelling just because you think you've "outgrown" it.
Having said that, I'm going to disagree somewhat with milo bloom. I thought the movie didn't quite capture the spirit of of the characters of the book. Moreover, the first book in this series is ok, but nothing great. It's from the second book on that the series really starts to grab you, and is everything milo bloom says it is. It's not "deep" but it never intended to be so, and this just means that it's not just a fun read, but a very fast one too.
milo,
I just realized where your name comes from. Berke Breathed rules!
#6
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Originally posted by AlainDelon
Well,just as i expected, this seems almost cult-like.If you don't like our film you must be uninfomed/an idiot/lazy/stupid/moron.People grow & evolve over time(hopefully) and i just don't like fables anymore.Like i said,i'm sure i would have liked it as a kid but as a kid i could not think of anything more boring that 16th century Swedish history and now as an adult i find it fascinating.
Well,just as i expected, this seems almost cult-like.If you don't like our film you must be uninfomed/an idiot/lazy/stupid/moron.People grow & evolve over time(hopefully) and i just don't like fables anymore.Like i said,i'm sure i would have liked it as a kid but as a kid i could not think of anything more boring that 16th century Swedish history and now as an adult i find it fascinating.
Growing and evolving doesn't mean necessarily throwing aside all items of childhood. It also means learning to read them in different ways.
Read my son "The Lorax" the other night, and for the first time, cried reading it. While I've understood it and enjoyed the book in the past, its undercurrent of sadness really got to me this time. I asked myself a question I hadn't asked before. Why didn't the Onceler just leave with all of his cousins and brother and sisters and the like? Why did he just sit in his broken down home all alone with the windows boarded up holding on to the last seed? Over time the book has evolved, for me, from simple colorful book to a plea for the ecology in light of progress to what it is now, a tragedy about someone who has destroyed all around him and is now hoping for a final shot at redemption.
Most of the adults discussing Harry Potter here read all four of the books prior to seeing the movie. We carried baggage into the movie. The books are much more than an adventure story. They have a strong Roald Dahl-ish tone to them, especially in the opening chapters, which give more weight to the events that follow. Wonderful details were lost in order to cram plot devices into the movie. Became like one of those "Children's Illustrated Classics" comic books, where the plot of a piece of classic literature was faithfully recreated at the sake of character and atmosphere. But having read the books, our imaginations filled in the cracks and make us more forgiving. Don't get me wrong...I still like the movie, but more as a work of design and fun. Its just not the books.
And remember...fables were not written for children. They were typically spoken tales passed down from generation to generation as definers of a culture. To us, Little Jack Horner just sits in his corner eating his Chrismtas pie. But to people of the time of the rhyme's origin, Horner was a messenger know for stealing a number of valuable land deeds being transferred from King to lord. The ryhme was meant as a mockery of his deed. Why was London bridge falling down? Because the bodies buried in its walls were decomposing leaving a less than sturdy foundation for the bridge. And the ring around the rosie was a sign of contracting the plague. Not really kids stuff, huh?
Oh...and two things regarding CGI. One..it's here to stay...get used to it. Burton tried going the Harryhaussen route on Mars Attacks and found it too expensive and complicated. Few producers will shell out the money needed to go backwards. If you want something different, the indie market isn't doing too bad. Second, in the right hands, CGI can be quite enthalling. Say what you will about Episode 1 as a piece of entertainment. As a piece of art design, however, its just mind-numbingly beautiful. Just about everything you see hails from the fevered minds of a series of CGI artists. It may not look real but it sure is dazzling.
#8
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Bear in mind that the Harry Potter "hoopla" has to do with the novels, and existed long before the movie was released. Also, many fans of the novels were disappointed in the film.
#9
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Originally posted by AlainDelon
Well,just as i expected, this seems almost cult-like.If you don't like our film you must be uninfomed/an idiot/lazy/stupid/moron.
Well,just as i expected, this seems almost cult-like.If you don't like our film you must be uninfomed/an idiot/lazy/stupid/moron.
I am one of those that liked the film (read my review on this site for it) and felt it was an accurate portrayal of the novel. I look forward to the next movies in the series given that each book is better than the one before it.
My mom and wife, who had not read a lick of any of the novels, both loved the movie. I was very surprised my mom liked it so much, but she did. Harry Potter is as far away from cult-like as I know and calling it that is just plain wrong.
I would also like to say that Harry Potter is as much for the adults as it is for the children. I know many people over 20 that read the Harry Potter novels and love them. Harry Potter extends its reach much like Disney's animated movies (for those that don't hate everything Disney stands for) to adults as well as children.
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By cult like, i mean the almost fanatical devotion to this movie(and books),far more fanatical than any Star Trek/Star Wars geeks.Like when everyone associated with Jim Jones drank the Cool-Aid,NOT as in cult/niche movie(Rocky Horror Picture Show).I've had discussions at work and to some people it's like i'm attacking god/country/apple pie or the constitution itself.And just because the movie made $1 billion i can't have a contrary oppinion?I personally liked Titanic,but i would never ridicule someone that did not.
#11
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I never said you couldn't have a contrary opinion. I would be pretty naive to believe everyone loves the books and/or the movie. I was just calling into question your "cult-like" phrase. I would not go as far as to say HP fans are more fanatical than Star Wars/Star Trek fans. The latter ones have had many more years to build up fans than Harry Potter has.
I just think the whole "cult-like" statement rings false, that is all. You can say that many HP fanatics take an elitist attitude to you not liking the film and books, but I don't think they are any more "fanatic" than the Star Wars/Star Trek fans you talk about. I am a fan of all 3, but I would never enforce my will upon others...I have other things to do with my life.
I just think the whole "cult-like" statement rings false, that is all. You can say that many HP fanatics take an elitist attitude to you not liking the film and books, but I don't think they are any more "fanatic" than the Star Wars/Star Trek fans you talk about. I am a fan of all 3, but I would never enforce my will upon others...I have other things to do with my life.
#12
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I saw it, and found it to be a relatively entertaining movie. I wouldn't buy it, but it was alright. Personally, I didn't like how it took an hour and a half to actually get the plot moving.
The special effects were pretty damn good.
Just fyi, I never read the book.
Of course, I never read LotR and found that movie to be spectacular and quite enthralling.
The special effects were pretty damn good.
Just fyi, I never read the book.
Of course, I never read LotR and found that movie to be spectacular and quite enthralling.
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Re: Harry Potter-I know i'm sailing against the wind...
Originally posted by AlainDelon
Now don't get me wrong-this is great stuff IF you are 9-12 years old.I know i would have thought so at that age but when you are in your mid 30's it's just embarrassing.
Now don't get me wrong-this is great stuff IF you are 9-12 years old.I know i would have thought so at that age but when you are in your mid 30's it's just embarrassing.
With regards to the movie, I liked it, though I would not call it great. I have read all of the books, which are pretty much fluff, but entertaining fluff.
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Originally posted by ignition
The special effects were pretty damn good.
The special effects were pretty damn good.
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Re: Harry Potter-I know i'm sailing against the wind...
Originally posted by AlainDelon
This is just the standard kids overacting & CGI overuse a la Episode 1/The Mummy/Scorpion King etc.
This is just the standard kids overacting & CGI overuse a la Episode 1/The Mummy/Scorpion King etc.
Actually, I don't think the kids were over-acting. They just had to have those outrageous accents so we'd know they were British.
Anything else? Oh yeah, all you FANBOYS stop liking Harry Potter right now. You're embarassing Alain.
Last edited by sexy_overlord; 05-01-02 at 11:48 AM.
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I don't think you're sailing against the wind at all, Monsieur Delon. As I recall, the general consensus regarding this movie was "meh".
But what would you expect from Chris Columbus but a bland, middle-of-the-road, mere gesture of a movie?
But what would you expect from Chris Columbus but a bland, middle-of-the-road, mere gesture of a movie?
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Originally posted by AlainDelon
Well,just as i expected, this seems almost cult-like.If you don't like our film you must be uninfomed/an idiot/lazy/stupid/moron.People grow & evolve over time(hopefully) and i just don't like fables anymore.Like i said,i'm sure i would have liked it as a kid but as a kid i could not think of anything more boring that 16th century Swedish history and now as an adult i find it fascinating.
Well,just as i expected, this seems almost cult-like.If you don't like our film you must be uninfomed/an idiot/lazy/stupid/moron.People grow & evolve over time(hopefully) and i just don't like fables anymore.Like i said,i'm sure i would have liked it as a kid but as a kid i could not think of anything more boring that 16th century Swedish history and now as an adult i find it fascinating.
#18
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Deke, if you are an avid reader you should at least give the books a try. They are more sophisticated then you give them credit for and get progressively more so as the series progresses. The fourth book is pretty intense.
Last edited by Groucho; 05-01-02 at 03:43 PM.
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Didn't do much for me. No, didn't read the book(s). Yes, I'm an elitist of sorts and don't read "childrens" books at all. Couldn't understand why the wife read the books. I'm 32.
Yes, I enjoy other guilty pleasures in movies: American Pie, Mummy, pretty much any highschool movie such as Rushmore, 16 Candles and Ghost World.
Yes, I enjoy "geeky" things on occasion - I'm a big Star Trek fan.
No, I won't read the Potter books as I can't see enjoying them. Yes, I suppose I'm prejudiced that way. No, can't understand people who wait in line for days/weeks to see the latest Star Wars movie.
Yes, I enjoy indie / foreign arts. A lot.
I'm not gonna put Potter down as the film was an enjoyable couple hours in the theater, but I wish I'd have simply waited for the DVD. Wife made me take her. It was merely enjoyable entertainment to me.
LOTR? Didn't even go to the theater. Will buy / rent the DVD to watch at home. May have FPTV by then, but for now watch on 47" 16:9 set.
Yes, I enjoy other guilty pleasures in movies: American Pie, Mummy, pretty much any highschool movie such as Rushmore, 16 Candles and Ghost World.
Yes, I enjoy "geeky" things on occasion - I'm a big Star Trek fan.
No, I won't read the Potter books as I can't see enjoying them. Yes, I suppose I'm prejudiced that way. No, can't understand people who wait in line for days/weeks to see the latest Star Wars movie.
Yes, I enjoy indie / foreign arts. A lot.
I'm not gonna put Potter down as the film was an enjoyable couple hours in the theater, but I wish I'd have simply waited for the DVD. Wife made me take her. It was merely enjoyable entertainment to me.
LOTR? Didn't even go to the theater. Will buy / rent the DVD to watch at home. May have FPTV by then, but for now watch on 47" 16:9 set.
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The writing in the Harry Potter books reminds me a lot of Robert Frost's poetry. Very simple words (deceptively so) so it is easy to read. It is an easy read for kids. Like Frost's poems, though, there is a good bit more than meets the eye that make it more than worthwhile for adults.
Ms. Rowland is a rare talent.
Sand
Ms. Rowland is a rare talent.
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Re: Harry Potter-I know i'm sailing against the wind...
Originally posted by AlainDelon
But please,what's all the hoopla about???I just watched the dvd screener of this and i have NO preconceived notions about it since i haven't read or barely heard of the books before.This is just the standard kids overacting & CGI overuse a la Episode 1/The Mummy/Scorpion King etc.I just can not comprehend all the interest by (supposedly) adults in this forum and elsewhere.Now don't get me wrong-this is great stuff IF you are 9-12 years old.I know i would have thought so at that age but when you are in your mid 30's it's just embarrassing.Again,not a total waste,there is very nice set design & cinematography.9.5/10 for the under 12 crowd.2/10 for adults.Start the flames.
But please,what's all the hoopla about???I just watched the dvd screener of this and i have NO preconceived notions about it since i haven't read or barely heard of the books before.This is just the standard kids overacting & CGI overuse a la Episode 1/The Mummy/Scorpion King etc.I just can not comprehend all the interest by (supposedly) adults in this forum and elsewhere.Now don't get me wrong-this is great stuff IF you are 9-12 years old.I know i would have thought so at that age but when you are in your mid 30's it's just embarrassing.Again,not a total waste,there is very nice set design & cinematography.9.5/10 for the under 12 crowd.2/10 for adults.Start the flames.