Harry Potter Moments
May 6, 2011
In 8th grade my Social Studies teacher, Mr. McKenzie (the crusty old fart, who was weird by most standards, but an excellent teacher anyway) had a lengthy spiel about the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, claiming that anyone who could read it, especially the scene where the main character escapes over the frozen river, without a lump in their throat or a tear in their eye must be the most cold-hearted person on the planet.
Taking that as a challenge, I read the damned book, which may have been his intention. Nope. Not a tear nor lump in my throat.
I'm not often moved that way by books, but in the interest of picking books and movies that most people have read or seen, I decided to offer my favorite emotional/hard-hitting scenes or moments in the Harry Potter novels and movies (versus funny, which is a post for another day). And you can weigh in as well. (And I will note that I'm probably like many people in that the movies and the books have tended to blend together a bit in my mind).
HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE
Book: I've often been moved by Harry before The Mirror of Erised, seeing his dead parents. From an adult perspective, though, when Harry asks Professor Dumbledore what he sees in the mirror and Dumbledore says, "A new pair of socks" strikes me as being one of the most interesting things in the entire book. After all, who of us shares our deepest desires with anyone? Who even knows what they are?
Movie: The chess game when Ron sacrifices himself.
HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS
Book: Probably when Hermione is petrified. This is my least favorite novel and least favorite of the movies for many reasons, but in the book this was heartbreaking. In the movie, less so.
Movie: Maybe seeing Ginny Weasley's limp body in the chamber.
HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN
Book: Wow, so many. Probably when Harry finally learns the truth about Sirius Black in the shrieking shack. Not quite as powerful in the movie because I'd already read the book so I knew what was going on. Also, when we as the readers, perhaps more than Harry, realizes that his patronus is identical to his father's and takes on the same shape as his father when he becomes an animal. This is potent symbolism.
Movie: It's a toss-up. When Harry realizes he can save himself using his patronus or when Professor Lupin talks to him on the bridge about his mother. There are many others, of course. Gary Oldman's portrayal of Sirius Black is so rich and textured and the emotion and anger and desperation and despair in his voice when he wants to kill Peter Pettigrew in the shrieking shack tends to stay in my mind.
HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE
Book: I think the spats between Harry and Ron work better in the book, for the most part, really understanding all of Ron's jealousies coming to the forefront. I think my favorite, though, is probably when Harry confronts Voldemort in the graveyard and the ghosts of his parents appear.
Movie: Ah, an easy one. The sound of Cedric Diggory's father's voice when he realizes his son his dead and he starts shouting, "My boy! That's my boy!"
HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX
Book: The death of Sirius Black and Harry's reaction, his anger and disbelief. Anyone who has lost someone can understand that disbelief.
Movie: I thought in some ways that the entire sequence in the Ministry of Magic was shortchanged, in particular I would have liked to have seen the battle between the Death Eaters and the Order go on a little bit longer - although it's seriously cool. When Sirius slips behind the veil - AFTER being killed by Bellatrix LeStrange - seems almost anticlimactic. However, the scene immediately after where Harry tries to run after him and Lupin holds him back... now that does it for me.
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE
Book: The death of Dumbledore.
Movie: Give the director and writer credit. Dumbledore's death has the impact you expect. But for me, the real frisson in this movie occurs when McGonagall raises her wand and shoots light into the Dark Mark and all the students follow suit, dispersing the Dark Mark. This scene isn't in the book, which is too bad, because it's great.
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, Part 1
Book: Taking this up to the point where the first movie ends, I would have to say the death of Dobby. More to the point, the burial of Dobby in the book is such raw emotion because Harry won't use magic and won't accept any help.
Movie: I'm inclined to go with the death of Dobby again, although the actual death this time.
Book overall: When Harry walks to his confrontation with Voldemort and uses the snitch and is accompanied by the ghosts of his parents and Sirius Black, well aware he's walking to his death and doesn't know the outcome.
Movie, part 2. Don't know yet.
How about you? C'mon, you know you have some.
In 8th grade my Social Studies teacher, Mr. McKenzie (the crusty old fart, who was weird by most standards, but an excellent teacher anyway) had a lengthy spiel about the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, claiming that anyone who could read it, especially the scene where the main character escapes over the frozen river, without a lump in their throat or a tear in their eye must be the most cold-hearted person on the planet.
Taking that as a challenge, I read the damned book, which may have been his intention. Nope. Not a tear nor lump in my throat.
I'm not often moved that way by books, but in the interest of picking books and movies that most people have read or seen, I decided to offer my favorite emotional/hard-hitting scenes or moments in the Harry Potter novels and movies (versus funny, which is a post for another day). And you can weigh in as well. (And I will note that I'm probably like many people in that the movies and the books have tended to blend together a bit in my mind).
HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE
Book: I've often been moved by Harry before The Mirror of Erised, seeing his dead parents. From an adult perspective, though, when Harry asks Professor Dumbledore what he sees in the mirror and Dumbledore says, "A new pair of socks" strikes me as being one of the most interesting things in the entire book. After all, who of us shares our deepest desires with anyone? Who even knows what they are?
Movie: The chess game when Ron sacrifices himself.
HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS
Book: Probably when Hermione is petrified. This is my least favorite novel and least favorite of the movies for many reasons, but in the book this was heartbreaking. In the movie, less so.
Movie: Maybe seeing Ginny Weasley's limp body in the chamber.
HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN
Book: Wow, so many. Probably when Harry finally learns the truth about Sirius Black in the shrieking shack. Not quite as powerful in the movie because I'd already read the book so I knew what was going on. Also, when we as the readers, perhaps more than Harry, realizes that his patronus is identical to his father's and takes on the same shape as his father when he becomes an animal. This is potent symbolism.
Movie: It's a toss-up. When Harry realizes he can save himself using his patronus or when Professor Lupin talks to him on the bridge about his mother. There are many others, of course. Gary Oldman's portrayal of Sirius Black is so rich and textured and the emotion and anger and desperation and despair in his voice when he wants to kill Peter Pettigrew in the shrieking shack tends to stay in my mind.
HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE
Book: I think the spats between Harry and Ron work better in the book, for the most part, really understanding all of Ron's jealousies coming to the forefront. I think my favorite, though, is probably when Harry confronts Voldemort in the graveyard and the ghosts of his parents appear.
Movie: Ah, an easy one. The sound of Cedric Diggory's father's voice when he realizes his son his dead and he starts shouting, "My boy! That's my boy!"
HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX
Book: The death of Sirius Black and Harry's reaction, his anger and disbelief. Anyone who has lost someone can understand that disbelief.
Movie: I thought in some ways that the entire sequence in the Ministry of Magic was shortchanged, in particular I would have liked to have seen the battle between the Death Eaters and the Order go on a little bit longer - although it's seriously cool. When Sirius slips behind the veil - AFTER being killed by Bellatrix LeStrange - seems almost anticlimactic. However, the scene immediately after where Harry tries to run after him and Lupin holds him back... now that does it for me.
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE
Book: The death of Dumbledore.
Movie: Give the director and writer credit. Dumbledore's death has the impact you expect. But for me, the real frisson in this movie occurs when McGonagall raises her wand and shoots light into the Dark Mark and all the students follow suit, dispersing the Dark Mark. This scene isn't in the book, which is too bad, because it's great.
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, Part 1
Book: Taking this up to the point where the first movie ends, I would have to say the death of Dobby. More to the point, the burial of Dobby in the book is such raw emotion because Harry won't use magic and won't accept any help.
Movie: I'm inclined to go with the death of Dobby again, although the actual death this time.
Book overall: When Harry walks to his confrontation with Voldemort and uses the snitch and is accompanied by the ghosts of his parents and Sirius Black, well aware he's walking to his death and doesn't know the outcome.
Movie, part 2. Don't know yet.
How about you? C'mon, you know you have some.
posted by Mark Terry at 6:25 AM
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