Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

The Book:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J. K. Rowling, 2007.

I read it shortly after its release, at my mother's house in Olivia while we waited for what ended up being close to three full months as our house was put back together after a roofer ruined it. But that's another post. I am sad to say that on my first reading, I missed probably 40% of what really happened simply because I wanted to get to the end, to finish it, because I was that jazzed about knowing how it would all wrap up, so I speed-read and finished it in probably a day or two.  I was emotional, more then than I am now as I was five months preggo and concerned about the house and all that was going on, but I'm pretty sure that I cried from about the twenty-third chapter on to the end. As I felt with LOST, Rowling could have pretty much wrote any damned thing, no matter how ridiculous, and I would have swallowed it happily. It's sad when things you like come to an end, granted, we all need closure and catharsis, but it's still a bittersweet thing. There are cheesy things about this book, this specific, final installment of the series, but I swallowed them happily.

My very, very favorite passage:

"He closed his eyes and turned the stone over in his hand three times. . . Lily's smile was widest of all. She pushed her long hair back as she drew close to him, and her green eyes, so like his, searched his face hungrily, as though she would never be able to look at him enough.
'You've been so brave.'
He could not speak. His eyes feasted on her, and he thought that he would like to stand and look at her forever, and that would be enough."

I can't read it without crying.

And while I appreciate the recurring, snappy little bits of prose that have been part of the series from the beginning ("Ron agreed with the sole proviso that their next move took them within reach of a bacon sandwich," or "Snape flapped after the girls, looking ludicrously bat-like, like his older self.") it's the story of these people that really captured me.

The Film:

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, part one, 2010, directed by David Yates.

This, more than any other, was a film for fans of the book. If you didn't like the book, it's almost certain that you will not like this film. The thing I liked most about this film was its subtlety. If you know what's happened and you know what's coming, then you will see this film as a brilliant Valentine to the book, and all of the books previous. If you don't know the names of the characters (and if this bothers you), then you have no business being in the theater. Each time a supporting character, old or new, is introduced, the writers have done their homework; there is just enough background given or somehow otherwise referenced that we still feel as though we're in the loop.

Ollivander: Wandmaker. Owns Ollivander's Wand Shop. You should remember him. Also referenced by the woman being interrogated by Dolores Umbridge at the Ministry; "I didn't steal my wand, I got it at Ollivander's!"

Elphias Dodge: Friend of Dumbledore's. Wrote obituary in Daily Profit shown in one of Harry's first scenes before he leaves Privet Drive (camera lingers on name and photo in an obvious way). Speaks with Harry at Fleur and Bill's wedding. Mentions Aberforth Dumbledore, who will become important in next film.

Xenophilius Lovegood: should need no explaining at all.

Bathilda Bagshot: Writer of History of Magic. Referenced by Elphias Dodge and Aunt Muriel at Fleur and Bill's wedding.

This is a great film because they refuse to spoon-feed you. There is subtlety (certain scenes just end and fade to black as though they were little vignettes), there is comedy (Mad Eye Moody in the flight of the 7 Harrys and dialogue, George Weasley's silent expression changes as he watches Harry and Ginny make out), and dammit, there IS action.

The opening sequence at Malfoy's ends with Nagini eating the Muggle Studies professor; it's played down, but the snake is interesting. Flight of the 7 Harrys; it's tense and exciting. The revelation of Kreacher's secret and his subsequent capture of Mundungus Fletcher; this is not exactly Michael Bay-style jets flying over a salute-level action, but it's interesting, and driving! The Ministry of Magic. Encountering Nagini at Godric's Hollow. The Destruction of the Horcrux. Bellatrix at Malfoy Manor. The Animated re-telling of the story of the three brothers. Voldemort has the Elder Wand.

I hadn't ever been to a film on opening night before; experiencing this was amazing. There was applause (mostly for DOBBY!), there were tense, hushed speculations being reasoned (whose patronus led Harry to the sword?) and there were sniffs and tears (I'm thinking mine were probably the loudest). I had a great time. And while I honestly *cannot wait* for the second installment of the film, I have a very strong suspicion that I will walk into the theater, sit down, open my bag of skittles, and promptly start bawling because I will not want it to end. I made bets with myself during the night of LOST'S finale as to just how long I'd be able to keep it together-----I watched the special before the actual feature, you know, the ones where fans wrote in their LOST goodbyes and they edited them onto scenes from the show? Yeah, complete water works.

To be continued in July. . .

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

The Book:

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by J. K. Rowling, 2003.

870 pages. (sigh). Some of my favorite things happen in this novel. I love the deeper insight into Sirius, James, and Snape; Weasley twins are always aces in my book. There are some topics that get a bit over-done, such as Quidditch, the house elves (again), and there is one thing at the near conclusion that is so ridiculous it literally makes me furious every time I read it (I've read this book a few times), and it's the stupid DANCING-LEGS curse that the Death Eater puts on Neville at the Ministry of Magic when all hell is breaking loose. I can't think of something less Death Eater-like than a curse that makes one's legs dance; how about simply removing the legs? Biggest critique of the entire series of novels is that. Ridiculous. Nonsense.

Moving on, pleasing literary bits?

1. British vernacular: rubbish, as in everything negative being described as, someone being "bang out of order," and "Jolly Good."

2. Descriptions of Dolores Umbridge's foulness were wonderful: ". . . they found Professor Umbridge already seated at the teacher's desk, wearing the fluffy pink cardigan of the night before and the black velvet bow on top of her head. Harry was again reminded forcibly of a large fly perched unwisely on top of an even larger toad," and Harry's statement to Sirius in a letter, Umbridge being "nearly as nice as your mum," (who is the screaming woman in the portrait, hurling insults to Mudbloods and Blood Traitors whenever they disturb her).

3. People are much crabbier in this novel. "'You know,' said Phineas Nigellus, even more loudly than Harry, 'this is precisely why I loathed being a teacher! Young people are so infernally convinced that they are absolutely right about everything. Has it not occurred to you, my poor, puffed-up popinjay, that there might be an excellent reason why the headmaster of Hogwarts is not confiding every tiny detail of his plans to you?'" (well said, mate).

I enjoyed it well enough. However, I think this book made for *the best* film adaptation, so when I think of the goings-on of The Order of the Phoenix, I prefer to really just think of the better, condensed, more cinematic version, if you want to read on.

The Film.


Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, 2007, directed by David Yates. 138 minutes.

A masterpiece, my favorite, favorite Potter. I find the entire film to be extraordinary, but as I'm a bit short on time, I'll spare you another drawn-out ramble and just say that this film has the best beginning and ending I've ever seen. The dry sun at the park quickly replaced by the storm clouds and darkness and THAT RUN DOWN THE FIELD BY HARRY AND DUDLEY? Beautifully thrilling, say nothing of the damned dementors just slinking into that tunnel.

And the entire sequence in the Ministry of Magic, starting with Sirius punching (my boy!) Lucius Malfoy right in the face? Dueling! The Aurors! Avada Kadavra! "You comin' to get me?" HBC as Bellatrix, killer!

OMFG. Right. On.

And Voldemort vs. Dumbledore? Utterly amazing, like a wizardy  Dooku vs. Yoda. The scene of Voldemort causing the power of Dumbledore's previous spell to ripple and build from his feet up to his chest and then flailing his arms out, BLASTING every surface in the Ministry to bits---this is my favorite scene from any film, ever. Hands down. It's fucking brilliant.

This film really just makes me happy. David Yates, you're aces. And there were wonderful high-quality images available for this, so enjoy!

Harry, Harry, quite contrary.

I loved these books, and mostly, I love the films, too. But this one left me a bit. . . bored for a lot of it.
Teenage drama, meh.

I liked almost everything from Dumbledore, and after a while, waiting for the hideous and confused deer-in-headlights looks from Slughorn became fun. Snape, as always, was the best, and my favorite; Luna Lovegood and Malfoy were pretty terrific, too (Malfoy crying? Yes!)

However. Ginny's voice seriously annoys me. It made me want to fast-forward through all of her scenes, and she's really quite pretty and a decent enough character, I suppose. But if I learned anything from Julie and Julia, it was that an unattractive voice (Amy Adams and that goddamned BUTTER! Ugh.) can literally kill any production, and Ginny was heading that way quickly. Harry seemed very marginalized in this one. Maybe he always was and I'm just now noticing it? Boo.

Tom Riddle was extremely well played by both actors Hero Fiennes-Tiffin, who is nephew to Ralphe Fiennes, and Frank Dillane. Creepy, very creepy.

Something my friend Donald said to me months ago kind of stuck out this time around, that there aren't really any rules to any of this. Sure, there's a Ministry of Magic, and they seem to be up on which underage wizards are effing around out in the Muggle world, but now that I think of it, yeah, more rules would be good.

For instance: Okay, so Bella and the Werewolf Death Eater burn The Burrow? So does that mean it stays burned forever and the Weasleys have to move? Or do they just "reparo" it and everything's back to normal? Because Molly looked very upset and sad about the house being on fire, and if a little wave of the wand was all that was needed, what's the big deal? Thanks for torching my house you bastards, now eff off while I spend a lot of time and effort doing this very complicated incantation? And then wave my wand to create a delicious meal? And while we're at it, how are they always so poor? Can't they just, you know, figure out a way to duplicate school supplies, robes, other things like that? And did they really mean to have that many kids? What of birth control in the wizard world, they've gotta be up on that, right?

Or Malfoy and that vanishing cabinet. Or Snape's special curse, Sectum-Sempra? How does one create a curse, exactly? And how is it governed once it exists? And what's with Hagrid and Slughorn and all the boozing, with students? Is that a wizard thing or a Brit thing?

I'll say again that Malfoy crying, especially as the Death Eaters all leave Hogwarts, was well done. Sometimes I seem to like Malfoy more than Harry. And this of course has NOTHING to do with the fantasies of his old man, Lucius, either. Perhaps his being at Azkaban was the reason for my feeling empty. . .

at least there were no House Elves. . .

My Favorite Potter

We watched a few minutes of "Order of the Phoenix" tonight, the ending scene. It makes me cry every time.
I think it's some of the best storytelling/filmmaking I've ever seen.

1. SIRIUS: GET AWAY FROM MY GODSON! (smacks Lucius right in the face).

2. Bellatrix LeStrange. WONDERFUL in every scene she has. I love HBC, she was perfect as Bella.

3. Sirius's nonverbal spells while dueling Lucius. Apparently Harry picks up on how to do nonverbals as well? Last two blows before his death (to Lucius) are lovely.

4. Lupin holding Harry as he cries for Sirius. The overlapping of shots and no sound but the sad music is also beautiful.

5. Voldemort waving away Harry's wand. Dumbledore emerging from the flu network. Voldemort having the confidence to battle with Dumbledore. The wand noises, the fiery snake, the electric shocks when the wands connect, the big water ball, and Voldemort trying to curse Harry from within it.

6. My favorite, FAVORITE scene in the entire film is when V draws in the energy from Dumbledore's spell and then flails his arms out and yells, sending it all out everywhere throughout the ministry, breaking all the glass, shattering everything, everywhere. It is seriously AMAZING. I wish I could do that, but for good instead of evil.

Bella.....

Can I say again how much I love this whole business?