Book #12 – Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince – the movie
In keeping with my plan to blog about any movies I see based on books I’ve read this year, I’m going to join the fold and add my two cents about the new Harry Potter movie.
A couple months ago I decided to reread Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince partly to refresh myself with the story before I saw the movie, which made it #12 of my 2009 books. Although the movies never quite live up to the books, I was excited for this installment of the series. I held myself back from seeing it opening night, so my husband and I went to see it on Friday (along with a theatre full of teenage girls who screamed when the New Moon trailer hit the screen).
As a movie, I thought that The Half Blood Prince was well done. The effects were great (I liked how the Pensieve memories were done), there were some good tense parts (when the Inferius’ hand shoots out of the water and grabs Harry), and a lot of laughs (especially Ron and his love potion).
Obviously there were parts of the book that were left out of the movie. Some of them I probably didn’t even notice, but there were others that I wish had been included.
Here’s a quick-ish rundown of what I wish had been included or hadn’t been changed:
* When Dumbledore collects Harry at the beginning – they way the movie begins is okay, but I loved the scene in the book when Dumbledore shows up at the Dursley’s house
* The news that Cornelius Fudge had been replaced by Rufus Scrimgeour as Minister of Magic
* Scrimgeour’s attempt to recruit Harry as the Ministry’s mascot
* Bill & Fleur – their relationship & engagement
* Harry & Prof. Slughorn – in the book Harry wanted nothing to do with Slughorn and definitely didn’t want to become part of his Slug Club
* Harry finding out that Snape had overheard the prophecy, which was why Voldemort tried to kill Harry as a baby. Basically Snape passing that information along was the reason that Harry’s parents died.
* Fight at Hogwarts between the Death Eaters and members of the DA
* So much of Riddle’s past was left out of the movie – memories of his grandfather, uncle and mother.
* The Burrow burning down – this was new to the movie, and I can’t really understand why it was added. Maybe just to show that the Death Eaters were out and active again?
After that list, it may sound like I didn’t like the movie. But really I did. It was entertaining and fun, a good summer movie.
Now the wait is on for movie #7, based on the first half of book #7, which is scheduled for release in November 2010.
Don’t you think the Inferii scene was a bit of a rip-off from Frodo falling into the water in the Two Towers?
http://aminorityofone.wordpress.com/2009/07/19/hurried-potter-and-the-half-baked-film/
Ha interesting that you say that…I just watched the Two Towers again a little while ago, and at that scene said “Hey, that’s just like in Harry Potter!” Without a doubt, those two scenes are very similar.
i quite enjoyed the movie, too. probably my favorite one. and i agree with your points on the scenes that were left out. i read beforehand what scenes were going to be cut so it didn’t come as too much of a shock…but i can’t wait for the last 2 movies!
every time I watch this movie I wonder why they burned down the burrow!
Ugh, I hated the scene where they burned down the Burrow – not just that I didn’t like to see the Weasleys’ house burned down, but I was also angry that it was using up valuable movie time that they could have been using to let Harry find out what Snape did. Or some other good plot point. Plus, I can’t see Mr. or Mrs. Weasley seeing Harry and Ginny run out of the house after some Death Eaters and NOT going after them.