I've not yet seen HBP, however, I've just learned the following: Apparently Snape's presence in the sectumsempra scene is almost nonexistent and the "Don't call me a coward" line has been cut. These are, arguably, two of the most critical moments of Snape's characterization in the series and the "Don't call me a coward" thing was intrinsic to everything the books claimed (and ultimately weren't) about. I've never been one to get very cranky about the book/movie differences, but this is a big blow for me.
In my ongoing processing of Torchwood: Children of Earth, I'd like to note the following two petty things: wow, I could listen to Voltaire's Come Sweet Death over and over and over again. It's been my morbid cheer me up song since CoE. Meanwhile, any day now, my tailor will write to tell me my shirts and new suit are done and she's shipping them out. And then a big box will show up at my office containing a three-piece pin-stripe suit. If you're going to wager I'm not going to cry when I open that up (even though my ordering it had nothing to do with Torchwood beyond Ianto Jones has good dress sense), you might as well just burn your money.
We're going to Boston tomorrow and I'm behind on EVERYTHING. More later.
Man... I've been really disappointed with the various HP movies, especially Snape. They get a bloody legend like Rickman to play him and they don't even allow him to have character, depth or effing lines.
I think I may need to start getting suits for myself... Ianto continues to inspire me.
If you're going to use someone so much older than the character -- you have to _use_ them -- which they really haven't. It's so irritating. So so so irritating. The tragedy of the Marauders' generation is that these were young men -- men my age at the end of the series, and it's just lost in the casting and script choices.
The tragedy of the Marauders' generation is that these were young men -- men my age at the end of the series, and it's just lost in the casting and script choices.
Yes. This.
The casting of the older actors as these comparatively young characters has always bothered me, right from that first photograph of James and Lily. It makes the first war feel much farther away, when in reality the time span is less than Harry's age. Some of these wounds should still be fresh, or should at least re-open easier.
Couldn't agree more. As I was reading the books (12-22 years old, yeah I'm a baby) my older sisters were the same age as the older character so I could see in my mind what they would sort of look like.
But dude, in the films! They just do not Get It! At all. The only one that kind of pulled it off was David Thewlis, who managed to create that miasma of disease that Lycanthropy feels like to Lupin. Apparently Alfonso Cuaren [sp?] told Thewlis to play Lupin sick and gay, which I thought was perfect as he (and Tonks) are two of the clearly (at least, imo) marked queer characters in the series. Which is why JKR gave them a Lavender Marriage.
I totally agree about THewlis's performance. I never even really read Lupin as queer (as many others hand) until I saw the film, and I was like "ooooh, this is smart."
Tonks, as well as being entirely hot, can also presumably change her gender appearance at will. I think this is a relationship with boundless possibilities. Also, I would really really like to marry her too.
Yes to this. The Marauder-era characters are DEFINED by their ages. They all had to grow up so fast, and so much of their present lives are defined by their past lives, that it's supposed to be shocking when you realize how young they are. Snape fucked up early in life, and has spent every moment since then (a) trying to atone for it with actions, and (b) failing to atone for it with words. Sirius made a mistake born of carelessness, and because he lost most of his life in prison as a result, he spends his "free" years as a grown-up who sort of thinks he's a kid. Remus lost everything when he was barely out of school, and became the Sad Lonely Old Man Whose Friends Have All Died way before his time. All of these play into character types that you usually see in much older people, and the tragedy, as you said, is that they're NOT. So when you cast older, it's not as poignant.
In a way, they've gotten a bit better about this: Rickman plays up Snape's weariness and sense of obligation, while Snape's snaping with Harry is almost entirely absent.
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Date: 2009-07-16 08:12 pm (UTC)I think I may need to start getting suits for myself... Ianto continues to inspire me.
Enjoy Boston!
no subject
Date: 2009-07-16 08:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-16 08:19 pm (UTC)Yes. This.
The casting of the older actors as these comparatively young characters has always bothered me, right from that first photograph of James and Lily. It makes the first war feel much farther away, when in reality the time span is less than Harry's age. Some of these wounds should still be fresh, or should at least re-open easier.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-16 08:20 pm (UTC)But dude, in the films! They just do not Get It! At all.
The only one that kind of pulled it off was David Thewlis, who managed to create that miasma of disease that Lycanthropy feels like to Lupin. Apparently Alfonso Cuaren [sp?] told Thewlis to play Lupin sick and gay, which I thought was perfect as he (and Tonks) are two of the clearly (at least, imo) marked queer characters in the series. Which is why JKR gave them a Lavender Marriage.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-16 08:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-17 12:04 am (UTC)It's just lost in the casting and script choices.
Date: 2009-07-16 08:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-16 08:32 pm (UTC)Um... in other words, IAWTC. :)
no subject
Date: 2009-07-16 09:57 pm (UTC)