*I have to warn you that there might be spoilers listed down below in the Q&A section, so if you haven't seen the new HP proceed with caution!!!
Here is her entire post regarding the newest Harry Potter and some reflections on the older ones as well. If you have any more questions regarding HP please feel free to leave a comment on here and I'll get an answer back to you from the Guru of HP herself as soon as possible!
And be sure to check out Lisa's blog and show her some big love for being such a great guest blogger!!
1.This movie was much more in depth into the love lives of the Hogwarts students – so what happened to Harry’s first love, Cho?
While the movie makes it seem that Harry was done with Cho after she “ratted” them out (under the influence of Veritaserum, a.k.a. truth potion) for being in Dumbeldore’s Army, the truth is, she just couldn’t get over Cedric Diggory. She spent their first, and only, date crying. He was done with her then. Ginny is a much better match anyway!
2.What is the significance of the Half-Blood Prince? What does that even mean “Half-Blood Prince”? Other than having some extra little snippets in his old book for Harry to use, what was the purpose of the Half-Blood Prince?
Half-Blood Prince was a self-given title that Snape gave himself. Half-Blood means that you are not a full-blooded wizard (i.e. both parents being wizards). Here’s where reading the book REALLY comes in handy, Harry, Ron, and Hermione are under the impression that it was really Voldemort’s book. They had no idea it was Snape’s until Snape revealed that little tidbit to him.
3.Who was that new kid – the blonde one who liked Hermione so much? One minute he was there and then he was just kind of gone. What was up with that?
Cormack McClellan is a new character in this book. He’s “that guy” you have in every high school. Ruggedly handsome, great at everything, and a pompous jerk. He plays a very minor role in the book too.
4.When did Nymphadora (I don’t remember her other name) and the werewolf teacher guy hook up? Isn’t he a lot older than her?
One of the key missing ingredients from the book to the movie. He is a lot older than she. I’m hoping they elaborate on their relationship more in the next movie for the “movie-only fans.” Their relationship is key to Harry and I was really disappointed that they didn’t elaborate more on that in the movie. Not to mention, Luna does not discover Harry on the train petrified under his cloak. Tonks does. Harry notices she’s not quite herself and worries about her terribly. Her patronus has changed in the book, which is also a key indicator to Harry that something is not right with her. You later discover that it is the weight of the relationship between her and Lupin that is so difficult for her. He was worried about the age difference and at one point chooses not to pursue the relationship. Like I said, I’m hoping they elaborate more on that in the next two movies.
5.Was Draco just used a pawn by Voldemort? Did he really want Draco to kill Dumbledore or was he just using him to get the death-eaters into the school?
I cannot answer this question until the next two movies are completed. If they don’t explain this in the “Deathly Hallows” movies, I will be more than happy to elaborate on this, but for now, I cannot answer this.
6.Why did things come back weird in that traveling box thing (the apple bitten, the bird dead)?
One closet is in the school, one is in Borgin and Burkes (the dark artifacts store in Diagon Alley). I think the point of this was to show that someone was, in fact, on the other end. You don’t even know how these things are happening in the books until the end. You are completely unaware of the closet being the key until the end of the book. I was disappointed that they gave so much away so soon in the movie.
7.If the Weasleys and everyone else surrounding them are such wizards of magic, why didn’t they put the fire out and just save their house? Dumbledore was able to put Slughorn’s house back into order, so why can’t the Weasleys do the same?
The house doesn’t get burned down in the book. This is my biggest issue from the movie. LIKE HUGE ISSUE! The Burrow plays a huge role in the next book and is the location for many important events. I’m hoping that they do have the wizards repair the house because it is essential. I’m still bitter. Grrrrr.
8.Don’t fully explain, because I hate spoilers but, is R.A.B. someone we already know or is someone new in the story to be introduced later?
All I’m going to say is that the mystery of RAB is a mystery through at least ½ the next book. No, we don’t know who he is yet. Nothing more on this.
Who are Padfoot, Prongs, Wormtail, and Mooney? (Authors of the Marauder’s Map)
Padfoot and Wormtail, you’ve eventually learned from the movies are Sirius and Peter Pettigrew, respectively. Prongs is Harry’s father (James) hence he could turn into a stag (hence Harry’s patronus). Mooney is Lupin, because he’s a werewolf.
Does Harry really lose his broom in the first Quidditch match of the year against Slytherin?
Yes and No. The first match is actually against Hufflepuff. This match introduces Cedric Diggory into the mix, who as you know if you’ve seen movie 4 and 5,plays a huge character in Harry’s life. But yes, dementors storm the field during the match, causing Harry to fall off his broom and his broom really does get blown into the Whomping Willow.
Does Harry really get a Firebolt (“best of the best” broom) from Sirius?
Yes, he does, but he receives it in the middle of the book and there is a huge fight between Harry and Hermione. She tells McGonigal and she confiscates the broom from Harry until it could be tested to make sure that whoever the anonymous benefactor is (at this point they don’t know it was Sirius who sent it), isn’t actually trying to kill Harry.
If Lupin’s class had to write an essay regarding werewolves, why is it that Hermione is the only student who figured out that Lupin is a werewolf?
Because Lupin returns to the very next class and cancels the assignment immediately. The only person who’d completed it was Hermione, thus, leaving her the only student who had figured it out.
Is there really a fight between Ron and Hermione in the book?
Not only between Ron and Hermione, but Harry and Hermione too. Hermione is quite outcast in this book. It isn’t until the end of the book that their relationship is restored, when Hagrid calls them down to his hut.
So, how does Harry really learn about Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew?
This is actually a huge discrepancy between the book and the movie. In the book, Harry learns the story in Hogsmeade, like the movie, EXCEPT, he is NOT under the invisibility cloak, and he is NOT alone. He’s in the Hogshead with Ron and Hermione and is forced under the table when Hagrid, Flitwick, Fudge, and McGonigal walk in. The whole, teen angst, crying thing… never happens. THEN, when in the Shrieking Shack, Harry learns the truth. The only reason Sirius was able to keep his sanity in Azkaban was because he knew he was innocent. He also kept murmuring “He’s at Hogwarts” in his sleep. Why? Because he saw the edition of the Daily Prophet that has the Weasley family on the front with none other than Scabbers (Pettigrew) on Ron’s shoulder. Sirius’ mission was then to protect Harry, not kill him.
There are a lot of details missed in the third movie, and these are just a few that are actually crucial. There are actually more that are crucial. But that could be an entire post.
Now for the fourth book: Actually, this is another very, very long thing. I will say that they do get the challenges for the Triwizard Tournament right, in general. A few details are missing, but overall, it is almost accurate. The events at the World Cup are inaccurate. The Weasley’s actually have top box seats WITH the Malfoys and the Minister of Magic. There’s a gambling ordeal. There’s S.P.E.W. House Elves play a HUGE role in this book. The whole story is missing from the movie, really.
Order of the Phoenix. I liked the movie. There were a few discrepancies, but minor compared to 3 and 4. A huge thing is the attack on Mr. Weasley. While you see this in the movie, what you don’t see is that Ron, Ginny, AND Harry and Hermione go with them to the hospital and back to Sirius’ house. This is where you learn about Neville’s parents, as he’s there over the Christmas Holiday to visit them. This book is also where you learn that Neville could have been the “boy who lived” instead of Harry, but that Voldemort chose Harry. This book also has the complete prophecy told to him by Dumbledore, as he was the one who heard it from Professor Trelawney during her interview for the post. Not to mention, Harry is also finally given an explanation as to why he is forced to go back to the Dursley’s year after year. It is for his protection. There is an enchantment that Dumbledore performed to protect Harry from Voldemort.
If you Google search “Harry Potter differences book and movie” You’ll get a whole LIST of things from others who’ve blogged about it before. These are really just a few things. I encourage all to read the books. They’re fast reads, even though they are huge books (well, at least 3, 4, 5, and 7 are), and you’ll get a great appreciation for the story of Harry Potter!
A BIG, HUGE, GIGANTIC, MONGO THANK YOU TO LISA!!!
From one measly Harry Potter fan to the creme de la creme of Harry Potter fans!
CORRECTION! PRONGS is James, Harry's father. TYPO!!!!
ReplyDeleteI love Harry Potter, the books way more than the movies. I'm not really a film person, so it takes a lot to impress me. I don't know how people can enjoy the movies if they have not read the books. Sure, the movies are good, but do they really make sense on their own?
ReplyDeleteThe inaccuracies bother me a lot also. The Burrow scene totally pissed me off! What was the point of that scene? The Deatheaters don't break the security around the Burrow until Book 7, and it didn't seem to serve any purpose to burn it.
And one last thing...Tonks and Lupin? They're already married and perfectly happy?
Great interview! I really liked the HBP movie, but I was also pissed that they pretty much left out the side-story with Tonks and Lupin. Not just because I wanted those two crazy kids to get together and be happy, but because Tonks' inability to morph is the clue-by-for to help readers figure out the central theme of the story: that the people you love are the ones who hurt you the most, whether they ever meant to or not.
ReplyDeleteThink of Draco, who spent his whole life trying to emulate his father, but is now in over his head, punished for Lucius' failure. Or Harry breaking up with Ginny because he thinks he has to. Or Hermione sending that flock of canaries at Ron. Or even Voldemort's mother, who was treated shamefully by her father, brother & husband.
There was a little of that theme left in the movie, but I thought they did the story a huge disservice by leaving it out.
Finally, tiny nitpick (don't shoot!): Cormac McClellan should be Cormac McLaggen.
*hangs head in shame* I forgot the last name of Cormac. I should have looked it up. He's so minor, I thought I got it right. *sigh and for shame*
ReplyDeletePfft, there will be no shame here! I wrote a book review of HBP that, in all modesty, was printed far and wide. And it was only after it came out in the paper that I noticed there was a HUGE typo in it that made me look really stupid. *facepalm*
ReplyDelete