We saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.  As most of you know I've read all of the books at least twice and I'm quite critical of the movies.  I was, as usual, disappointed in the film.  I am aware that they can't include EVERYTHING in the movie.  That's not my point.  But in 2 full length feature films you would think they would be able to get key parts of the 7th book right.  The problem is that they change small things that alter the outcome of big events.  Or they leave out things that someone who hadn't read the books wouldn't know or that might lead to confusion.  They don't explain key things that can't necessarily be inferred.  But my biggest compliant is the lack of real dialog.  There is so much focus on fight scenes and big action that they leave out alot of the dialog between the characters.  This, in my opinion, leaves the characters under-developed.  You miss out on so much of the emotion of the story for this reason.  They also work too hard to make Rowling's world seem less magical and more ordinary...when it isn't.  They leave out alot of "magical" stuff that is in the books. 

 

I guess all of that I can deal with but for me they missed the mark big time on one specific issue...

 

The BIGGEST thing left out of this film is the constant inner conflict in Harry's mind regarding Dumbledore.  Harry is conflicted because of the information he is getting regarding Dumbledore's past...he doesn't understand Dumbledore's involvement with the dark arts.  Rita Skeeter's book presents "evidence" of Dumbledore's past loathing of muggles, his involvement with Grendelwald and their plans to enact Wizard domination of muggles.  Throughout the entire book, Harry is angry, withdrawn and confused.  He goes back and forth wondering whether or not Dumbledore told him the truth about things.  He is torn because for so long he believed this person to be good and kind and he looked up to him...now he is finding out things that he can't explain or begin to understand.  He feels like he didn't know the real Dumledore at all.  He is disappointed and angry.  This inner conflict plays a huge role in the book and the events that unfold.  The desperation that Harry feels isn't conveyed in the film AT ALL.  The scene with Harry and Hermione dancing...that NEVER happened in the book, nor would it have.  Harry wasn't concerned with cheering her up...he was angry, withdrawn and conflicted.  It's as if the filmmakers want to leave all human emotion out of the story.  Harry's emotions, confusion and conflict are pivotal in this book.  Period.   

 

 

Just so I don't seem like I'm being nit picky here....

 

These were all changes I picked out of the film...I went through and listed them as fast as I could so I wouldn't forget.  Now I'll go back and explain each one individually...if you are bored with this post you can totally check out here...but for my hardcore HP friends...read on....

 

1)  Harry and Dudley - in the book there was a moment, when the Dursley's were leaving, that Dudley acknowledged that Harry saved his life when he cast the patronus in book 5, protecting Dudley from the dementors.

 

2) Harry not being disguised as Barny at the wedding - BIG thing here...Harry HAD to be disguised for his safety and the safety of the people attending the wedding.  The fact that he isn't in the movie doesn't convey just how dangerous and desperate things were...in my opinion. 

 

3)  No scene for Harry's birthday party - in the book Harry had a birthday party at the Burrow the night before the wedding. 

 

4)  Harry and Hermione dancing - I've already addressed this.

 

5)  the radio being present for the entire time and not just when Ron comes back - okay I feel like this is a big one too.  In the book, there is not a radio present in the tent the entire time.  Part of the desperation they feel is due to being so cut off from everyone and not knowing what is going on ..not knowing who is alive or dead, if people are even still fighting Voldemort.  Harry is conflicted with continuing on the plan Dumbledore instructed him to carry out...OR to go back.  They have no way of knowing anything that's going on.  They are alone and desperate and have no clue what they are doing.  The radio doesn't come into the picture until Ron comes back after running out on them.  This is when Ron tells them about the radio show "Potterwatch"  and all of the people cheering him on and continuing to fight Voldemort.  In the movie the radio is used to list names of the dead but in the book the radio was a more uplifting feature, allowing them to hear familiar voices and feel more connected to everyone they were separated from.

 

6)  Mad Eye's eye from the door - how Harry gets detected - okay so when they sneak into the Ministry, Harry discovers Mad Eye's eye has been attached to Delores Umbridge's office door...he steals it and that's how he is detected.  

 

7) In the book Harry was under the invisibility cloak in the ministry - even though he was disguised with Polyjuice potion.  And in the hearing for Cattermole's wife he was under it..without being detected he was able to stun Umbridge, create a diversion and get the locket off her neck.  Also, Ron (as Cattermole) wasn't in the hearing...he didn't meet up with them til later.  I guess that's besides the point ...but anyway...harry has to cast his Patronus because of the Dementors in the courtroom and they end up escaping and he uses his Patronus to free all the people being held for their blood status and waiting to go in before the Muggle-Born Registration Commission.  That was a big moment.  He was the most wanted person in the whole wizarding world, barely escaping the building but he decides to save all these people.  Huge.  Totally missed the mark on that one in the film. 

 

8)  Godric's Hollow - they changed SO many things about the venture into Godric's hollow.  Most notably the fact that Voldemort friggin' shows up there and attacks them and they get away.  The film only showed the freaking snake and doesn't AT ALL explain what all that was about in the first place.  Anyway, one of the most important parts of Godric's hollow is when Harry goes to his parents' house...the house where they died trying to protect him.  There was a plaque there that said:

    "On this spot, on the night of 31 October 1981, Lily and James Potter lost their lives.  Their son, Harry, remains the only wizard ever to have survived the Killing Curse.  This house, invisible to Muggles, has been left in its ruined state as a monument to the Potters and as a reminder of the violence that tore apart their family." 

Underneath that people had written stuff to Harry like "we are behind you Harry" "good luck wherever you are" and "long live Harry Potter."  I think this was an important part of the book because of the emotion it evokes.  Harry becomes very emotional, he is reminded of why he is fighting and it's the first time he realizes how many people are behind him. 

 

I realize that this is getting lengthy...I'll quit giving such a detailed explanation...I guess if you've read this far you probably already detected the differences for yourself...

 

9)  The scene at the Lovegood's house is all changed up. 

 

10)  How Peter Pettigrew dies - he is really strangled to death by his own hand, the hand Voldemort gave him, because it detected betrayal when he had sympathy for Harry in the basement at Malfoy Manner.  In the film he is stunned by Dobby.

 

11)  The lack of explanation about Kreacher and his involvement with the real horcrux locket.  Also, Dobby wasn't even in the scene where Kreacher brings back Mundungus.  AND it leaves out Kreacher's change of heart about Harry, Ron and Hermione. 

 

12)  It doesn't explain about the Taboo on Voldemort's name, and how the "snatchers" find them in the woods.

 

13)  Dean Thomas and his role is left out completely

 

14)  Bill had to introduce himself at Privet Drive because his character was left out of the previous movies.

 

15)  Tonks' pregnancy and Harry's fight with Lupin is left out.  Not that that's super important but I had to point it out because I recognized it. 

 

Okay...I'm going to stop now.  There were more but I'm getting tired.  I know alot of this didn't HAVE to be in the film, but I go back to my point about the characters' emotion, Harry inner struggle, etc.  Those things were pivotal to the feel of the book.   

 

 

 

So much has been going on lately with work, the social calendar, the house, etc. and it seems I can't keep up.  I know I'm just stressing out...I know that my need for control and perfection make me feel as if everything is OOC right now.  But man do I need a breather.  Abby and I leave for NYC in NINE days and it can't get here fast enough.  I've done a pretty good job of not over booking the trip and filling up the itinerary with a TON of stuff.  Yes it's New York, yes I should see a show, yes I should do all that touristy stuff but we aren't going to.  We are going to spend time with Joey, lay on the beach (Joey lives on Long Island) and shop.  The only scheduled thing on the agenda is my hair appointment at the famous Devachan Salon!!!  SO excited.  The trip is really about seeing Joey...NYC is just an added perk.  I was going to try to psycho stalk Rachel Maddow because I'm a huge fan, but I don't believe I'll be able to find her.  Not that she's a super celebrity (rumor has it she rides the subway to the studio everyday) but other than knowing her exact schedule it would be like finding a needle in a haystack.  I supposed I could cause a big stink outside 30 Rock (it worked in past attempts to meet Adam Duritz) but ...oooohhhhh that gives me another idea...ADAM.  ADAM.  LIVES.  IN.  NEW.  YORK....  Damn...he's on tour.  Boo..there will be no celebrity stalking for me on this trip. 

 

Anyhoo...moving on.  Work.  Work has me very stressed out right now.  I won't go into all that because, well, this blog is wide open and I'll just leave it at that.  But let me just say that I love doing therapy and if this job has taught me anything it's just that.  I love doing therapy.  I love being in session.  I'm good at it.  I just wish I got to do more of it and less of some other stuff :/  I feel like alot of other stuff is on me right now.....I've realized it will never be in my future plans to have a supervisory role or administrative role of any sort...I love the work I do with my clients and I hate when that gets overshadowed by other crap.  Frustrated is the word today.  Just frustrated. 

 

What else...OH...I have a sort of movie review. We finally watched Crazy Heart.  What a disappointment.  I'm glad I didn't waste one of my pre-oscar picks on that one.  I agree that Jeff Bridges performance was powerful but the movie, overall, was horrible.  Here are my reasons:

1) the characters weren't fully developed.  It builds up as if something is going to be fully revealed or developed and then isn't.  It seems hokey, too simplistic and unoriginal.

2) There is no depth into the relationship between "Bad" and "Jean".  The script doesn't take you to a place that can help you understand why she would even consider a relationship with someone like him.  It seems unrealistic, forced, melodramatic, not believable. 

3) Isn't this the same story we've seen a million times...it's nothing but the Country & Western version of The Wrestler.  Am I right or am I right?

4) More than anything it bored me.  It was too simple, had very little depth, wasn't original, etc. etc.   I think Jeff Bridges deserved finally getting the Oscar but I don't think he would have gotten it on the merit of this film alone.  I feel his character was more developed than the others and it was played well...but the rest of the film just fell apart in my opinion. 

 

Moving on.  What else is new...oh the canoe trip!  Lord help me.  I have been canoeing at Limestone every year since I was about 16 or 17 and every single year it is my mission to conquer that damn "rooster tail" rapid.  I've had alot of friends get injured pretty bad on that thing over the years but I have come out unscathed.  I guess that's why I keep tempting fate.  I had a few successful meetings with that rapid and felt I had finally found the trick to beating it.  But this past sunday I learned otherwise...  Eric and Mel decided they would not brave the big bad Rooster Tail this year because, frankly (and I don't blame them) their hands were more valuable to them then the adrenaline rush of the rapid.  They chose, instead, to hike around it, carrying the canoe ...they report this wasn't an easy task although I'd take it over getting the shit beat out of me by a rock.  I went down the rapid with Meagan instead.  We lost, we flipped, I got stuck under the canoe, pinned up against some rocks with the water rushing 90 to nothing.  It was scary.  I managed to get the canoe off of me somehow but I'm beat up pretty bad.  Bad to the point that I haven't worked out since saturday...y'all know it's bad when I voluntarily skip the gym.  Other than the crash the trip was great.  Got to spend some time with good friends and met some new ones too.  Loved our crew this year and can't wait to do it again.  I have definitely conceded defeat and will not be braving the big bad rooster tail anymore.  I'm hanging up that mission for good. When I was younger I guess I didn't care how dangerous it was...I'm getting older..and wiser too.  We took the disposable waterproof cameras as usual to document the trip but walmart no longer does 1 hour for 35mm film.  The pics won't be back til next sat.  I'll be in NYC so I suppose I'll get them posted sometime after I get back. 

 

In music news...Eric and I have been taking in some really great shows lately.  Truth & Salvage Co. was phenomenal.  Really talented musicians and great vocals.  Just a good sound overall. Check them out.  Last weekend we finally saw Josh Ritter.  What a killer show!  I had a few faves of his but had no idea how much stuff he had released ...and he's so young.  I love the diversity in his music.  It's one of the things I love about CC too.  There are acoustic ballads, heavier songs, songs that tell stories, simple ones, complex and deep ones....  And his energy...OMG.  Ritter seems TRULY grateful and humbled to be where he is.  He thanked the audience multiple times and kept saying "No...really...it means SO MUCH to me that you are here."  He smiled the biggest, happiest smile throughout the whole show.  For someone who really gets into the person behind the music, I was especially thrilled to have experienced Josh live.  I'm that girl who just can't get into a band whose members are known to be assholes or drug addicts...or generally mean people.  I like the story behind the band...I like the good guys who work hard and write good music and who TRY not to succumb to the music industry shenanigans.  The ones who keep it pure.  Josh seems like that kinda guy...and he seems really nice too!  Very accessible, grateful and genuine.  And for those of you who've heard Adam Duritz is an ass do not even try to argue my point...he's not an ass...I've met him several times! 

 

I guess that's about it for now.  I'm still bonding with the 50D although I've had ZERO time to go shoot anything.  I've been waiting for a day to get out to some of my favorite spots but every time that chance has rolled around we've had torrential rain and lightening.  I love being busy and having so many great things going on but it's just been non-stop and I'm seriously exhausted.  And on that note...it's time to get ready for bed.

 

Night all...