Comments on: Martyn says HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE is a stop gap for bigger things, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing

By: TONY

TONY — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:15:04 +0000

(SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
The way Dumbledore and Sirius’s death is handled feels very real to me.
Both of their deaths remind me of the way Billy (DiCaprio) was murdered in THE DEPARTED. There’s no last words. There’s no goodbyes.
Thats what makes all three of their deaths so socking and controversial.
It’s because we feel cheated. As in life. When people are taken
from us, either by murder, illness, or suicide, there’s no cinematic drama, only sadness. It’s harsh but it’s honest.

By: SNKL

SNKL — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:26:29 +0000

I agree with John – I like the way Rowling and the films thus far have dealt with death of characters – little foreshadowing, lack of pyrotechnics. The actual death isn’t the dramatic point, and that ties in with her thematic wranglings on the subject too: That it’s not something to be afraid of, and there are worse things than it. The storytelling is quite respectful in that sense – leaving the emotional choice up to the reader/viewer.

By: runescape gold

runescape gold — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:07:03 +0000

The movies are good. I hear the books are good too.

By: John Horstman

John Horstman — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 20:59:48 +0000

@nedd: They’re avoiding Dumbledore’s death to avoid spoilers for fans of the movies who have not read the books. There’s a production-wide agreement (written into the contracts) that the matter will not be discussed by cast and crew until the film’s release. I actually liked the way Sirius’s death was handled (physically); death is rarely dramatic until one projects emotion into it, and the subtle, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it transition felt… real, I guess. (Check out the plays “Wit” and “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” for interesting discussions of death in art)

@Martyn: The films really have very little to do with Jo Rowling’s writing; they condense what wind up being 24+ hour audiobooks to 2.5 hours, meaning they have very little to do, even, with Rowling’s STORYTELLING (since many plot elements have to be dropped/altered). I’m not necessarily defending Rowling’s prose (not here anyway), but it’s unfair to both Rowling and the cast/crew/production teams of the films to use either as a basis for judging the other.

As for the drama of Aslan dying… well, it’s harder to get more dramatic than the death of Christ in a majority-Christian nation. I personally find it thematically weak and meaningless for an immortal being to feign death (in both the King James Bible and the Narnia series; Aslan=Christ=God=Unkillable, at least in the standard Christian construction of reality, and if you can’t die, then ‘dying’ holds no meaning whatsoever), but I guess both views are colored by cultural perspective.

By: nedd

nedd — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:36:26 +0000

I too hope the death is handled differently in this movie, than in Order of the Phoenix with Sirius. His death was soo anticlimactic. The book had a great way of describing how Sirius is thrown into the void, into blackness, and this greatly conveyed Harry’s sudden panic and confusion when he sees his godfather killed. I DID like how Harry’s reaction was used in Order of the Phoenix, but Sirius’ physical death was so lame in the movie.
Hope Dumbledore’s is truly tragic! that is weird though, how nobody has been mentioning it, not even a little!!? I hope the’yre not avoiding it incase its unsatisfying…

By: Martyn

Martyn — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:12:35 +0000

I think the films really highlight the weaknesses in JK Rowling’s writing. As to whether there’s sufficient dramatic weight to death scenes, I suppose it’s a mix of individual emotional involvement with the characters and mythology and film direction.

It is dramatic…but it’s no Aslan-dying in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.

By: ampac

ampac — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:31:10 +0000

The most emotional death scene in the film series has to be Cedric’s death in goblet of fire.. but then again it was the scene after he dies, not the actual death.

By: Simon Gallagher

Simon Gallagher — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:47:27 +0000

I totally agree with Ray. I just watched the Order of the Phoenix again last night and every time I do sit down with it I feel like I must have imagined the lack of occassion given to Sirius’ death and will it to be done with more effect. I have a feeling the death will be dealt with in a similar manner, with the really emotive impetus being put upon the funeral scene that follows it.

By: Ray

Ray — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:13:48 +0000

It’s amazing how all of the reviews I’ve read thus far skip over the most important aspect of this film, namely, the major death at the end. Does it work? Does it carry the dramatic weight it needs to?

I was disappointed in the handling of the death of Sirius in the last film – it just sorta happened, without any real weight given to it. I’m hoping this death is handled in better fashion.