My husband and I went to see the latest Harry Potter movie this afternoon. A number of people showed up for this (two theaters had showings today), and there were a number of middle-aged (like us), and older who came in pairs, and just a few were families, and then a couple of small groups of teens.
My husband had not seen the last movie, so he knew he would be lost, and so I had to whisper things to him so he understood what was happening. This was fine. He never made it through the first book, so the movies are all he ever knew of the Harry Potter series, and he said the movie was "excellent".
I also enjoyed the movie. Usually I would read the book first to renew my memory of what was to happen, and this time I didn't. I didn't want to try and compare the movie to the book--not that I do. I felt that every H.P. movie I've seen so far has taken the essence of the books, put in what needed to carry the whole story--because, let's face it, this is an on-going story--and from start to this point, I feel that the director, and the actors, and all that goes into the "magic" of making a movie, has done a great job in suspending our belief systems where we "believe" in magic and that witches can fly on bloom sticks and so forth.
What I'd like to say is this: When an author's work is sold to a production of a movie of the book, you, as the writer, are lucky that they actually take the book and use what was in it, and not do much dabbling of their own garbage. A number of authors either back out of a book/movie deal mainly for the reason that the producer wants to change a lot of the basic character of a book. For Rowling to have had the people behind her that she did, and they worked with her, and followed the books to keep the essence in tact is simply awesome.
Just to see your own book come to life must be thrilling for Joan Rowling. I don't know if I could get past the thrill of it. I would have passed out from the moment someone said they wanted to make a movie of something I'd written. It's an opportunity of a life time. I wouldn't know how to properly act. I'd have to be hidden away for the giddiness I'd be in. "Ms. Bell can't be interviewed--uh--because she's just gone to cloud 9 for a few--um, er--weeks?"
I wanted to say my favorite part of the movie was when Doby appeared at the home of Malfoy, and the whole bit there was a pivotal moment. Even as Doby was killed--that's what magnifies what the main character's ordeal is about, why they have to fight, why they have to go on, and the ending, where it shows evil Voldermort stealing the wand from Dumbledore's tomb. It shows that this villain will go to every nasty depth of depravity to get what he wants, and that's to kill the one person who stands in his way of taking over the world: Harry Potter.
So, the hero is placed at an even higher level than before, where danger is around every corner, and he can trust no one--almost--but his dearest, closest friends.
When we write, we need to take a page from this. We need to see just what J.K. Rowling did. She made boxes of notes before she even put pen to page. Why? Because, this is a complicated series. What was to pull every reader through all 7 books? Her masterful, wonderful story-telling, and the way she could pull it all together at the end was, in my opinion, nothing short of genius.
Thinking a plot through is one thing, deliberating how a 7-book series must go, had to have kept the woman up nights. I remember in her interview that she'd said she was on a definite schedule of books, and that the fourth one--Goblet of Fire--"nearly killed" her. That was a long book!
So, I'm inspired, of course, as always with the instalment of yet another Harry Potter movie.
And I hope all you Muggles out there sleep well tonight, for Harry Potter is still your champion.
