We scurried up the hill on Virgil to the fantastic Vista Theater for an early matinee ($9.50 for 2 – woo hoo!) of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I felt like I was a 13-year-old girl again as I fidgeted impatiently through the previews. I had (*gulp* confession) just finished re-reading the book over two days’ time this past week, and I was full ready for more of that kind of escape – the same I used to seek at age 13 in the Anne of Green Gables series or the Rats of Nimh, and in the Nancy Drew mysteries before that and in the Encyclopedia Brown capers way back when. And, ehm, in The Lord of the Rings as the mature adult I have become…
Anyway. I want to say that I think this movie is a great fantasy, a smashing adaptation of the book, a real pleasurable indulgence. Compared to those first two movies it’s like attending one of Professor Lupin’s refreshingly imaginative lessons after surviving too many of Professor Snape’s oppressive Potions classes. I mean, how could they have managed to project life at Hogwarts as such awful drudgery before now?
The new movie works as a great adaptation by following the Three Bears approach: it’s not afraid to sacrifice some of the nice things from the book for the sake of efficient visual storytelling, it cleverly offers little improvements beyond the book, and it visually interprets some scenes just right to satisfy my most finicky of expectations.
Examples. [Here's where you may want to check out if you don't want any plot spoilers.] I missed Oliver Wood, Harry’s obsessive Quidditch team captain (especially since he’s been acted by a dashing Scottish lad (and I honestly can’t get enough of dashing Scottish lads)). I also missed some of the backstory of Harry’s dad’s generation at Hogwarts – when I explained the somewhat confusing "Sirius Black revealed" scene to Bob (in earnest 13-year-old know-it-all mode), he suggested that they had missed the opportunity to employ some great flashbacks.
Just right and immensely satisfying were: Harry meeting Buckbeak and taking flight, Sirius Black’s mug shot, Snape-in-drag for Neville’s Riddikulus Boggart, the Hogwarts portraits, Harry’s Patronus (whoever designed that effect possibly admired Princess Mononoke’s God of the Forest?!), Emma Thompson’s Professor Trelawney, Aunt Marge’s bulldog Ripper…all right, I may be getting carried away here. Oh, but let me add that Julie Christie’s cameo as the buxom barkeep of the Three Broomsticks pub was truly inspired casting.
Some gentle improvements that left me gleefully surprised include: Hermione slapping Harry’s hand away from the Time-Turner because there was no time to lose, Harry just hanging out with his friends in the dormitory eating wizard candies, Fred and George tackling invisible Harry before bestowing upon him the Marauder’s Map, the car alarm and the housekeeping service at the Leaky Cauldron, Dumbledore subtly taking his leave from Harry and Hermione outside the hospital wing, and the Whomping Willow through the seasons.
Also pleasantly surprised that Professor Lupin likes to listen to jazz! And I’m most thankful that someone managed to rein in the John Williams’ music factory this time out. I greatly appreciate all the quiet, JW-free moments I can get after being constantly harassed during Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Now if I just had a Time-Turner and magic wand capable of fixing those first two dreadful movie adaptations!
Friday afternoon I walked across town thinking I’d catch a bit ‘O Harry Potter matinee before the mobs hit in the evening. Yeah right – after seeing the line wrap ALL the way around the theater building, I decided to keep on walking. I instead blew my dough on a bar of dark chocolate and a back of animal crackers for the treck back home.
You hit the bloggart on the nose by noting that ESCAPE is what fantasy entertainment is all about. I don’t think you need to be 13 to participate or appreciate how a good story can completely pull your mind away from any stressful situation your physical self may be dealing with. For me at least, the farther away from reality the story is the more potent escape it prescribes.
Finally, eventhough it seems very bandwagonish – I encourage anyone with any interest at all in Harry Potter to check out J.K. Rowling’s website. I have to say its one of the slickest and most creative sites I’ve ever visited!