Harry Potter and the Eight Month Delay

[filkertom]

Potter fandom is apparently apopleptic that the film version of Half Blood Prince has been delayed from this November to next July.

I'm bemused.

Every time I've gone back to that book, I've hated it more. Same with Book Seven.

I literally think J. K. Rowling suddenly realized that her characters were way out of sync with her Grand Plan, and she, being a hell of a storyteller but not a particularly good writer (if you know what I mean and I think you do), ignored the directions in which her characters had grown, ignored I can't even think of how many plots and subplots and potential red herrings that everybody had spent years speculating about, and instead spent the next two books dragging everything back towards her original vision... no matter how little sense it made.

I will go see the last few HP films out of duty... but not because I think they're going to be any good. And I have a suspicion that, as often is the case, the delay might be based on the producers realizing they have a turkey on their hands -- but, in this case, a franchise turkey, from possibly the franchise of all franchises, a turkey they desperately have to save.

Thoughts?

Comments

[ebenbrooks.livejournal.com]

My girlfriend, a Potterite, said that Film #5 was awful, so I never saw it. I don't expect films #6 or #7 to be better, so I'll skip them, too.

(Then again, I'm very much not a Potterite. I read the first book, half of the second, and pieces of the third. They didn't grab me.)

[hanabishirecca.livejournal.com]

I can't see how a delay three months before its supposed launch can be because of the producers realizing it is a turkey they have. This seems like a big stretch. I think this is a case of really bad development and communication from the studio.

[ladystarblade.livejournal.com]

I honestly thought it was a combination of two factors...

1. The Dark Knight making a ton of money in the summer, and the WB wanting to try for those kinds of numbers and knowing they ain't gonna get there with a release before a holiday season where people are counting pennies.

2. The movie of Twilight was scheduled for just a couple weeks after HP...and with all the momentum that juggernaut's got behind it, HP would've only had a few viable weeks until Twilight came along and kicked its ass.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

That's a distinctly good possibility. The holiday movie dollar is always tricky; although HP has done very well in Novembers past, that's never a guarantee.

[jenk]

I agree. I also note that the first movie was very much a fairy tale for kids, which is great Christmas fare ... but they've been steadily moving into action-adventure territory, which is traditionally summer blockbuster time.

Frankly I was surprised that 5 wasn't a summer movie.

[ladystarblade.livejournal.com]

I thought it was? The only reason I seem to remember is because we saw Phoenix on the same day we went to the Police concert at Churchill Downs, and that was two days before Stewart Copeland's birthday (July 16th) making it July 14th that we saw it.

(Yes, I'm a music nerd, LOLOL)

[jenk]

... duh. Okay, then why was 6 announced as not a summer movie? confused.

[katster.livejournal.com]

Five *was* a summer movie. I know this because my sister and I went to see movie #5 before we wandered over to BN for the book party for #7. And that was July.

-kat

[denali1.livejournal.com]

Well, the current story is that it's all about the money (and making a shit ton of it). Seems to me your thoughts make that a viable possibility.

[jenk]

Spouse has so far refrained from reading Potters 6 & 7. His rationale is that he always dislikes movies if he's read the book first, but often likes them if he sees the movie first and then reads the book.

So he plans to read the books after seeing the movies.

[peteralway.livejournal.com]

I don't have any opinion, besides the conviction that Franchise Turkey and the Sequel of Doom sounds like a great movie title.

[bigbumble.livejournal.com]

"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly."

[janetmiles.livejournal.com]

Every time I've gone back to [HBP], I've hated it more. Same with Book Seven.

Yep.

[markbernstein.livejournal.com]

I'm inclined to take the producers at their word. The reasons they give don't smell of bullshit to me.

[zibblsnrt.livejournal.com]

I'll end up seeing them for the same reason I saw, say, the new Star Wars trilogy, but I'm reserving judgement until I actually see them. I try to go pretty far out of my way to avoid the hype cascades around things like this; it usually winds up hurting my expectations.

That said, I would like to see HBP in November rather than next July, but I would like even more to see a movie that was comfortably finished late instead of rushed through. Well, as long as it doesn't get Duke Nukemmed.

They're not THAT bad

[capplor.livejournal.com]

I'll admit that there's some justification in talking about all the missed opportunities. I'd LOVE to read the story of Harry Potter, as written for adults. There is such a story hinted at. It would be one of those multi-generation, conspiracy, political epic type things.

But I thought Order of the Phoenix benefited from the need to compress it into movie length.

[hughcasey.livejournal.com]

Actually, the reason is pure economics.

Warners doesn't have a tent-pole movie for next summer, because there was a writer's strike earlier this year. It has all of the studios scrambling. Unless they were able to stock up on scripts beforehand (and most studios didn't... they thought the writer's were going to fold right away), they had nothin'.

It's the same reason that Paramount moved Star Trek back to next May. They didn't have a big summer film. They've got one now.

[kismatt.livejournal.com]

WB cites that one of the reaseons they decided (in the last 8 days!!) to move it was that they had 'issues' with the writer's strike.

Me, I think that someone realized that BECAUSE of the writer's strike, they weren't going to have anything big ready for the Summer '09 season. Neither will anyone else. *lightbulb* Let's move HP6 to next year and make money hand over fist: it'll be the only 'blockbuster' of the early summer, and all the merchandise will still be out for Christmas!

Mind you, I am a fan, and yeah, I'm rather pissed off at them, but I'm a number. They don't care about anything but my money. Do I think it'll sit in the can for 8 months while they wait for July to roll around? Yeah.

They delayed it to make more $$. End of story.

ETA: LOL And the poster ABOVE me thinks the same! score!

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

I can't see how they're going to get two movies out of Deathly Hallows.
Let's be blunt. About half the book is Ron, Harry and Hermione sitting in a tent, w-h-i-n-i-n-g.
It could be done in one movie, easily, just pare a lot of the redundant stuff.

[laurel-potter.livejournal.com]

I have to say first that I completly disagree with Tom about the sixth and seventh books -- I loved them both. But Tom knows I'm OBHWF, and we still love each other. LOL

They moved the movie to next summer for money, pure and simple, as other people have already said. They do not think they have a bad movie -- there have not been an test audiences yet, and everyone that talks about it, from the director to the extras, say it's good.

About making the last book into two movies -- I believe it's because they just don't want to leave anything out. And I'm not talking about the camping (I didn't like that part, either) but possibly showing things from others POV. The way Jo wrote the books, mostly from Harry's POV, is stiffling for a movie. Hopefully, we will get to SEE what's going on at Hogwarts instead of just hearing about it.

[vesta-aurelia.livejournal.com]

But Tom knows I'm OBHWF, and we still love each other.
Hail and Well Met!

I liked book six and seven -- it was nice to see Rowling's characters, instead of the scriptwriter's version of them (Kloves' idea of characterization falling decidedly short).

Hopefully, we will get to SEE what's going on at Hogwarts instead of just hearing about it.
Yay! More Neville! More GINNY! And maybe we'll get BookHermione, too -- she'd be great to see in the movies! More Lupin! More Tonks!

It's very exciting :)

[laurel-potter.livejournal.com]

I'm going to go friend you.

[kismatt.livejournal.com]

*high-fives you* and add me as well.

[laurel-potter.livejournal.com]

I just did. I see we have some of the same friends and communities!

[admnaismith.livejournal.com]

Answer: They reduced Goblet of Fire to the world's longest preview, and yet drew out the dragon scene for maximum action-adventure footage. They'll do the same with book seven with the flight from Privet Drive, the flight from the wedding, the diner scene, the Ministry scene, The Lovegood House scene, the Malfoy Manor scene, the Gringotts scene, and then the big climactic messes at Hogwarts, which ought to make the final 40 minutes of Return of the Jedi pale by comparison.

A whole lot of fight and flight, and not much story. Ought to be a better couple of movies than the book, actually, if you like spectacle.

I didn't exactly hate book six. It was a solid puzzle piece and a good mystery...Book Seven going the way it did really did bug the heck out of me, though.

[dan-ad-nauseam.livejournal.com]

Harry screamed away any chance of my taking it seriously. Absolutely terrible character work.

[allisona.livejournal.com]

Actually I do believe them when they say they're moving the movie because they think it's strong enough to be their "summer of '09" hit. And I'm quite sure they are right- HP6 will make a ton of money, good or bad, and it may very well be good. There's parts of Six I'm really psyched about seeing on the screen, especially the last few chapters. I was disappointed to learn I'd have to wait another eight months to see it.

[laurel-potter.livejournal.com]

I love you icon! May I steal?

[allisona.livejournal.com]

Hee. As long as you realize it's from a painting of Severus and Lily as kids (therefore the "Always"), not Harry and Ginny :).

I'm a sucker for that Marauder generation. Like someone mentioned above, I've often wished that Rowling had written the books (at least sometimes) from an adult perspective.

[laurel-potter.livejournal.com]

Ooo... thanks for the clarification. I should have picked up on that, lol.

[mihai-lado.livejournal.com]

I gave up after six books, feeling that she had lost control of her story and was leaving glaring plot inconsistencies. I said that if 5 people that I knew would tell me that I should read the last one, I would.
So far the count is at one (1).

[jcw-da-dmg.livejournal.com]

6 & 7 were my favorites.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

They were a lot of peoples' favorites. I am admittedly Not The Audience for the last two/three films, but it's not because I'm not a Potter fan. And I'm sure a lot of people will love the hell out of the movies.

[vesta-aurelia.livejournal.com]

Well, I get people telling me they can't stand Lois Bujold's writing in the Sharing Knife books -- maybe it's the genre change?

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Actually, that's another good topic. It happens that I absofreakinglutely adore those books (have to start Vol. 3 this week), as much (and perhaps even more) for the romance than for the fantasy. Some of her best work, and you guys know how much I love her work.

[blueeyedtigress.livejournal.com]

You may just have a point there, Mr. Smith -- I have yet to be able to move myself to finish reading the seventh book, or to see the fifth movie. And it can't *all* be about "avoiding endings", can it?

[smallship1.livejournal.com]

I just know Jan will be disappointed at having to wait.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Not to mention my dad. I don't think he's heard about it; I talked to him several times this weekend, and he never said anything. Murfle. That means I get to tell him. Joy.

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

Veritaserum has a little poll on the side of its homepage re: how did you feel about the delay of HBP? You could choose from the classic "grief" list: anger, betrayal, guilt, etc. I wanted to add, "What if my feeling is, who gives a fuck?" Especially after the less than interesting teaser photos I've seen *yawn*

And word to what you said about JKR's writing.

[mimiheart.livejournal.com]

As long as I'm not the only one with that reaction. I'll live in fandomland. This land where canon only exists as a starting point for fanfic. I've read much better fanfic versions for the sixth and seventh book. And I've never been as devoted to the movies as the books anyhow.

Loved 6 and 7

[loriruadh.livejournal.com]

Ok -- I liked "Prince" and "Hallows."

And Book Seven played out pretty much the way I figured it would -- the template for "Deathly Hallows" is set up in the final chapters of "Philosopher's Stone" (when Harry, Hermione and Ron realize with Dumbledore absent from Hogwarts the Stone is unprotected and they go to the rescue).

Even Ron's departure in Hallows is predicted by the events in PS -- Harry and Hermione have to leave him behind when he is injured during the chess game.

As for HBP, it was fun seeing Harry do well in Potions, and Hermione's dismay that he was doing so from following the Prince's notes.

I'm not surprised they changed the release date, but I am wondering how the heck they can turn "Deathly Hallows" into two movies. The posibilities are ending the first half with a cliffhanger a la " The Empire Strikes Back" or "Dead Man's Chest" -- say the attack at Godric's Hollow; or with a sucess -- the destruction of the Slytherin Locket. I can see arguments for each.

Lori Coulson

Re: Loved 6 and 7

[jcw-da-dmg.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing the cutoff point to be the capture by Greyback (end of chapter 22).

Re: Loved 6 and 7

[loriruadh.livejournal.com]

Hmm -- Isn't that leaving it rather late in the book? I'll have to look it over when I get home. Don't have a copy to hand at the moment?

Re: Loved 6 and 7

[jcw-da-dmg.livejournal.com]

For one thing, "Deathly Hallows" aren't even MENTIONED until the visit to Xenophilius. For another, there are LOTS of action sequences late in the book which can take up lots of film time.

[janne.livejournal.com]

I rather liked book 7, most of all for having the unlikely hero at the end. But even if I hadn't, I'd be going to see this movie for Snape/Rickman. <3

[bfirrera.livejournal.com]

I would also suspect that it may have something to do with the "Twilight" movie coming out...not that I'm a fan of those books (never read them), but the kids have already moved on...

[bardicwench.livejournal.com]

I agree with you that I didn't like books 6 & 7. And I've never been really found with the movies... the first was good, but then I started getting pissed off with them changing stuff after that. Not chopping stuff because of time, but changing stuff, even the small detail stuff bothered me.

So I haven't watched the 4th or 5th movies. And have no plans to see them or the 6th or 7th.

[andpuff.livejournal.com]

she, being a hell of a storyteller but not a particularly good writer

That may be the best description of Rowling I've read. And I totally agree with you.

Now, me... I couldn't finish five until after I'd read six and decided to give it another chance. Seven...well, I read it but I remember almost nothing but the epilogue. And one particular death that REALLY horked me off.

Brightside, a delay for Prince means less of a wait between it and the next one.

One Particular Death?

[loriruadh.livejournal.com]

Animal or human?

If it's the character I'm thinking of, I know why it happened even if I don't agree that it was necessary...