Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Discussion Thread (Spoilers!)

not_HarryS · Nov 15, 2010

Spoiler Warning! This thread might contain spoilers, so if you haven't read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows yet, then... well, geez... you really should have read it by now, honestly.

Ok, so I'm re-reading HPATDH one last time before the movie comes out and I'm curious: where do you think they're going to split it? Or better yet, where would you split it?

I'm thinking one of two places:

For a more dramatic, oh-no-whatever-will-they-do? ending to the first half, I was thinking they might split it when Ron, Hermione and Harry get in a fight, and Ron stomps off, leaving Harry and Hermione by themselves.

Or, for a more oh-my-god-that-was-freaking-intense-what-will-happen-next?! ending, I was thinking they might end it right after Ron comes back and they destroy the first Horcrux.

Any thoughts?

katiemac · Nov 15, 2010

They've announced where the film is split. Although I can tell you they've also done a little rearranging so it doesn't strictly follow the book's chronology.

not_HarryS · Nov 15, 2010

Oh. Well that's no fun. In that case, I guess we should stick with the latter question: If you were in charge of rewriting this book for the screen, where would you opt to split it?

katiemac · Nov 15, 2010

I actually agree with where they split it, so that was going to be my answer anyway. But I'll keep my mouth shut in case people don't want to know.

not_HarryS · Nov 15, 2010

katiemac said:
I actually agree with where they split it, so that was going to be my answer anyway. But I'll keep my mouth shut in case people don't want to know.

Yeah, I just looked it up. Seems like a decent spot to split it, but that's pretty dang far along in the story, isn't it?

katiemac · Nov 15, 2010

Yes and no. Page count-wise, I think it's a little under 3/4 through. Storywise it works, especially if they want any kind of decent battle at the end. But they moved up Voldemort's retrieval of the wand and moved one scene out-of-order for Part II. So it kind of works out, even though I thought they still could have placed that scene in order.

Grrarrgh · Nov 15, 2010

Plus, I think that they really want Part 2 to focus heavily on the battle at the end. I think the plan is for that to be a majority of the movie, so it makes sense to split it fairly late in the book.

Grrarrgh · Nov 15, 2010

Also - and I know that this is a little off topic regarding the split, but I saw Shirley Henderson, who plays Moaning Myrtle, in an episode of Doctor Who last night, and out of curiousity, I looked her up. She's 45 years old!! 45!! Not that 45 is old or anything, but that means that when she first played Moaning Myrtle in the second movie, she was already in her late 30s! This may be common knowledge to some, but I had no idea. She looked perfect as Myrtle; I would love to be able to play a 16 year old.

ChronicSelfEditor · Nov 15, 2010

Harry Potter: The Elder Wand

I couldn't think of where else this might be put, so if the mods think it's better off elsewhere, please move it.

I just finished re-reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows last week and then over the weekend watched various parts of earlier movies on ABC Family. After watching the end of The Order of the Phoenix, I'm a bit confused.

It's established in Deathly Hallows that the Elder Wand is the most powerful wand ever. It's also established that Dumbledore has been in possession of the Elder Wand for quite a while.

Why, then, was he not able to overcome Voldemort when they fought inside the atrium of the Ministry of Magic at the end of The Order of the Phoenix?

katiemac · Nov 15, 2010

The Elder Wand has acquired legendary status. It's rumored to be an unbeatable wand, but that doesn't mean it is an unbeatable wand. It's extremely powerful, yes, but both Dumbledore and Voldemort are incredibly powerful wizards. And don't forget Dumbeldore defeated Grindelwald without having the Elder Wand.

Merging this with the latest "Where will they split Deathly Hallows" thread.

ChronicSelfEditor · Nov 15, 2010

Um.... okay.

DavidZahir · Nov 15, 2010

It is important to recall that Voldemort was trying to kill Dumbledore, a task at which he failed. However, Dumbledore was not trying to kill Voldemort -- a fact the Dark Wizard noticed at the time. In truth, Dumbledore didn't want to kill him at that point because it would do little good. He'd already figured out Voldemort had created more than one Horcrux (the first being Tom Riddle's journal) and that Harry Potter himself was likely one of them (hence his link to the Dark Lord and his ability to speak parseltongue).

ceenindee · Nov 15, 2010

I just finished the book last week myself.

The Elder Wand itself may be unbeatable, but the wizard himself isn't. In fact, everyone who's ever had the wand was killed or defeated for its possession, the story goes (for example, Dumbledore had to beat Grindelwald to get it, so obviously it didn't do Grindelwald enough good). You need all three hallows to truly master death. The wand just provides you with an edge over others, but, as we see, Voldemort is very powerful anyways.

mscelina · Nov 15, 2010

Um...and Voldemort flees when the Ministry arrives. Hard to kill someone who disappears. The arrival of the Aurors ends the fight, which was already being played out on another level with Voldemort's possession of Harry.

fredXgeorge · Nov 15, 2010

The split is when Voldemort gets the Elder Wand from DUmbledor's tomb.

fredXgeorge · Nov 15, 2010

Grrarrgh said:
Also - and I know that this is a little off topic regarding the split, but I saw Shirley Henderson, who plays Moaning Myrtle, in an episode of Doctor Who last night, and out of curiousity, I looked her up. She's 45 years old!! 45!! Not that 45 is old or anything, but that means that when she first played Moaning Myrtle in the second movie, she was already in her late 30s! This may be common knowledge to some, but I had no idea. She looked perfect as Myrtle; I would love to be able to play a 16 year old.

I know, I remember seeing her in Bridget Jones years ago and being like omg I think that's Murtle!

MissMacchiato · Nov 15, 2010

oh wow, that's REALLY far along!

I think it's a good place to split it though, just before

the battle.

I'm seeing it friday evening. I couldn't get my relatives to agree to a midnight session, boo. I'm definitely wearing my Gryffindor scarf though!

not_HarryS · Nov 15, 2010

Grrarrgh said:
Also - and I know that this is a little off topic regarding the split, but I saw Shirley Henderson, who plays Moaning Myrtle, in an episode of Doctor Who last night, and out of curiousity, I looked her up. She's 45 years old!! 45!! Not that 45 is old or anything, but that means that when she first played Moaning Myrtle in the second movie, she was already in her late 30s! This may be common knowledge to some, but I had no idea. She looked perfect as Myrtle; I would love to be able to play a 16 year old.

Oh, totally. Kinda creepy when you think that she as a 30+-year-old was trying to sneak a peek at Harry's wand in the bathroom, though

I freaked out when I first saw her outside of her HP role. Especially 'cause the Myrtle voice is actually her real voice. Haha.

If the entire second movie is going to focus on that battle, I guess that's cool. I just hope that they include enough expository scenes beyond all the fighting. An extended scene with Dumbledore's ghost/otherworldly presence/whatever would be cool. I dunno -- I like it when people talk and things get explained.

I just don't want this movie to go the way of Half-Blood Prince, where there was so much action and so little explanation that people who'd never read the books were kinda left in the dark. Wasn't good movie-making, in that case.

katiemac · Nov 16, 2010

Merged two threads.

MsGneiss · Nov 16, 2010

I just want to add that I love everything about this thread. Carry on.

ChronicSelfEditor · Nov 16, 2010

I don't understand why the threads were merged.

katiemac · Nov 16, 2010

We have a lot of Potter threads cropping up, and I'm sure we'll get new ones/bumped threads once the film opens. The same individuals who are likely to participate in one Harry Potter thread will likely participate in another. Keeps everything in one place.

And it seems like my answer about the Elder Wand didn't make sense. So I'll try again.... The Elder Wand was created by the Peverell brothers along with the other Hallows. So whereas they are extremely powerful objects, they're not completely infallible. It's just that throughout history, being passed from one wizard to another, it took on this legendary status and mythology to the point where wizards started talking about it as being unbeatable.

DavidZahir · Nov 16, 2010

Why, then, was he not able to overcome Voldemort when they fought inside the atrium of the Ministry of Magic at the end of The Order of the Phoenix?

Because Voldemort is a very powerful wizard in his own right. The wand maybe awesome and everything, but it isn't really unbeatable. After all, Dumbledore got it from Grindelwald.

eyeblink · Nov 16, 2010

fredXgeorge said:
The split is when Voldemort gets the Elder Wand from DUmbledor's tomb.

I saw the film last Friday (press showing) and can confirm this. In the scene immediately before this Dobby dies and Harry, Ron and Hermione bury him.

MissMacchiato · Nov 16, 2010

yargle I am so excited to see this movie.

Eyeblink, without giving anything away.... just tell us if it was good or not??

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Discussion Thread (Spoilers!)

Peen Copter Aficionado

Five by Five

Peen Copter Aficionado

Five by Five

Peen Copter Aficionado

Five by Five

Not so new, not so much a kid

Not so new, not so much a kid

F.K.A. NolaBlue

Five by Five

F.K.A. NolaBlue

Malkavian Primogen

Teh doommobile, drivin' rite by you

I heart sexy elves and wizards.

I heart sexy elves and wizards.

Bring on the Sweet, Sweet Coffee

Peen Copter Aficionado

Five by Five

F.K.A. NolaBlue

Five by Five

Malkavian Primogen

Barbara says hi

Bring on the Sweet, Sweet Coffee