221 Rowena Ravenclaw
202 Helga Hufflepuff
56 Albus Dumbledore
05 Harry Potter

To tell you the truth, the only merchandise I've paid any attention to is the comp games. I've not really looked at anything else, so don't really know how good it is.

As for the films, I am very opinionated about them. I really don't like them, for me, they just don't do the story any justice. This is against no one in particular, it's just on the whole. The one thing that really does annoy me though, is when they put in scenes that aren't in the book. I just end up screaming at someone "If they have the time to put in that scene, then they shouldn't have cut out so much from the books." It just really infuriates me. I know to put a book into film is a hard job and they have done well in those terms, I still think some of the things they have left out are crazy.

I think it was quite silly to start the films when the books weren't complete. They just don't/ won't flow properly and I think that the change in directors has unsettled it quite a bit, also. It would have been better for JKR to have written the sceenplays, but we would still be waiting for book 6 if that were to have happened. I suppose we just can't have it all

I know, I'm Bah Humbug when it comes to the films, but each to their own I suppose.

221 Rowena Ravenclaw
203 Helga Hufflepuff
56 Albus Dumbledore
04 Harry Potter

I know what you mean about the films. Some of the scenes they add in are really pointless. But even J.K.R. herself said that some of the scenes (like the dance lesson in GOF) that were in the films she wished she would've thought of and put in the book. So ... some of the "extra" scenes aren't all that bad, but they shouldn't really be there if it isn't in the books.

I just think the films would've been far better off if they stuck to ONE director and went with a better company other than WB. I'm sure that WB was the first to grab hold of Harry Potter, but it sure looks like they're doing a nice job of keeping the films true to the books. Compaired to the Narnia movies (which are pretty accurate compared to the books), it just looks like they are trying to make a different Harry Potter. Yeah, some of the actual book stuff is in there but it just leads away from what the actual book was trying to get across.

*shrugs* That's my opinion on the films.

222 Rowena Ravenclaw
203 Helga Hufflepuff
56 Albus Dumbledore
03 Harry Potter

Zoe, I couldn't agree with you more. One of the things that really really bugged me about the movies was that they changed the directors. Remember when they changed the castle? It was like starting Harry's first year all over again.

I like the movies as movies. When I watch them, I try to not think of them in terms of the books. By themselves, they're brilliant movies. All though it helps a lot to have read them. My dad, for example, has a hard time understanding some of the movie stuff. Barty Crouch Jr, for example, he totally didn't understand what was going on in those scenes.

222 Rowena Ravenclaw
204 Helga Hufflepuff
56 Albus Dumbledore
02 Harry Potter

Yeah. I remember that. I was happy with the castle in the first two films, but then POA had a huge pretty new scenery thing going on. I really liked the new POA additions though. To be honest, I thought that POA was the best film for costumes, colouring, and sets. But yeah. I get your point.

223 Rowena Ravenclaw
204 Helga Hufflepuff
56 Albus Dumbledore
01 Harry Potter

Actually, Zoe, you made me realize that I do like the second castle better. I just wish it was that castle the entire time, not the first castle the entire time. The costumes and locations and filming and graphics and even the acting have gotten so much better as the movies progress, which is why I'm a little more optimistic about the last two films then say the first two.

223 Rowena Ravenclaw
205 Helga Hufflepuff
56 Albus Dumbledore
00 Harry Potter <---- I "Avada Kedavra"ed Potter!

heehee. Yeah. The first castle was nice and everything, but it was just too basic for me. POA was nice, especially with the gorgeous Scotish scenery. I'm glad that they stuck to the basic parts of the castles in the films after, but the bright coloured scenery/sets seemed to go away for me. They were great films and all, but I like things staying pretty much the same way without it changed so drastically.

224 Rowena Ravenclaw
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55 Albus Dumbledore

Best case scenario: They take Jo's images of everything HP from her head and magically trasform it into real life. I like that idea.

224 Rowena Ravenclaw
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54 Albus Dumbledore

^^^ I think you're on to something. I don't think that's asking too much, ha ha.

I've never been fond of the films, but I really didn't like the feel of POA. It was like they were trying to make it too creepy that it actually was. I suppose I really do have a set idea how it should be in my head, and any variation just grates on me. I thought the first castle was spot on for what it needed to be in the first film. It has to be more friendly and welcoming for Harry to feel at home straight away.

But I do like consistency. It bugged me so much when they changed the Fat Lady. Don't get me wrong, I adore Dawn French (met her before and she's just brilliant), but she wasn't the first Fat Lady. And Dumbledore. I know there was no getting round it, but As Michael Gambon wasn't the first, I really have a hard time accepted him. I'm just stubborn, I supose.

225 Rowena Ravenclaw
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53 Albus Dumbledore

^ I hate the acting changes too. What was wrong with the first Fat Lady? And they should just CGI Dumbledore, I really don't like the new actor. He doesn't get the character right.

225 Rowena Ravenclaw
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52 Albus Dumbledore

I think the first fat lady took on another role, or became too ill... stuff happens.

I'm just glad they didn't recast the trio, like they were rumoring for so long, haha!

226 Rowena Ravenclaw
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The new Dumbledore grew on me. He's no RH, but he's close, if you really look into his acting style. There will never be another RH, but MG is pretty amazing, especially in OoTP in my opinion.

I would have been highly dissapointed if they re-cast the trio, I think I would protest by not watching the last 2 movies (well okay maybe not but yeah I wouldn't be happy)

226 Rowena Ravenclaw
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50 Albus Dumbledore

226 Rowena Ravenclaw
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49 Albus Dumbledore

I know what you mean with the whole Dumbledore thing. But I really like MG, even if he isn't a RH. RH was amazing in the first two films, but something tells me that he probably wouldn't be able to get all the way MG was in GOF. Both brilliant actors, but I am pleased with how MG has taken the whole Dumbledore role.

227 Rowena Ravenclaw
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I was terrified they'd recast the trio. That would've been horrible. I still don't like MG much, but maybe he'll grow on me in the last two movies.

227 Rowena Ravenclaw
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I could just never accept MG after the whole getting-violent scene in GOF (after Harry's name was called). That was just so not Dumbledore, so I can't just get the feel for him now. But I still say good on him for taking it on. It's always hard filling the shoes of someone half way through a project.

I just don't know how they would have coped with recasting the trio. I just could never imagine it working.

227 Rowena Ravenclaw
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46 Albus Dumbledore

There's a lot of things that I'm not happy with when it comes to the movies. I thought that it was kind of foolish of the to have a Parvati Patil in POA and then get the "official" Parvati Patil for one.

Speaking of the Patils, I so do not like how they have them both in Gryffindor. Padma was supposed to be in Ravenclaw. That made me go WTF? for a while, but I think they wanted it so that the twins were with each other like all the time like Fred and George are.

I think it goes the same witht he Pansy role. They found a girl to play her in the previous films and they now how a new girl. I just odn't see why they can't stick to the people the have. They either change the actors all the time or just pretend they aren't there. That just bugs me.

Dude. If they got a new trio that would've been so weird. It'd be ... so stupid of them. They've already gone this far, why get rid of them. Good thing that was just a rumour.

227 Rowena Ravenclaw
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I know what you mean. I mean, if I was the original actor, I'd be pretty annoyed if they just decided to cast someone else. Unless they pulled out for some reason. But it just adds to the inconsistency.

And does anyone know what happened to Colin Creevey? It bugs me that they've replaced him with that random "Nigel" character.

227 Rowena Ravenclaw
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It was that more violent Dumbledore scene that made me not like him as well.

The whole Nigel/Colin thing bothers me. It's like: we need him for CoS, but after that, who cares? Let's cast nonexistent characters that have similar personalities and appearances to real characters!

227 Rowena Ravenclaw
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43 Albus Dumbledore

I know what you mean with the whole Nigel deal. He's cute and all, but why is he called Nigel? If I were the director and stuff, I would haven't called him Denis Creevey and also bring back the Colin Creevey actor. ... I have seen recent pictures of the Colin Creevey actor not too long ago and he looks way different than what we saw him in CoS. But, I guess, that wouldn't have been much of a big deal if they just randomly had Colin appear with his camera.

But yeah. It just bugs me too that they add characters that aren't even in the books.

227 Rowena Ravenclaw
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42 Albus Dumbledore

Definitely. I just don't get why they would get rid of an offical character and then add one that is just random and quite pointless. I think you are right about perhaps introducing him as Dennis and still keeping Colin in. I just find it frustrating.

227 Rowena Ravenclaw
216 Helga Hufflepuff
41 Albus Dumbledore

yeah. it's just, as you said, frustrating. Why take hte time and effort into something when it could be way better? It's just kind of a waste if you just add stuff in that doesn't even have anything to do with the series plot or nything of the sort. I mean, now a days most people just want to go and see a movie and not read the books. So, they're pretty much depending on how good the movie is without touching any of the books. It may not be like this everywhere with everyone, but I've seen it happen quite a bit.

Gah. I don't know. I just hope that, if the Harry Potter movies are ever refilmed, that they'd do it right the next time around.

227 Rowena Ravenclaw
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Hehe, I think SSers should refilm the movies. We could get all the right actors, make every scene...and have no money. But at least it would be accurate. The two things I've always missed in the movies are Peeves and the Deathday Party.

227 Rowena Ravenclaw
218 Helga Hufflepuff
39 Albus Dumbledore

God could you imagine if we set about doing the remake of the films? How many billions would we need to get all the things we want in there ha ha.

I've missed peeves in the films, but also the full Characters of the Weasleys. The cheekiness of the twins, the pompousness of Percy and also Bill and Charlie in the films. I just think they are missing out the best bits.

227 Rowena Ravenclaw
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Oh, I forgot about the Weasleys! They try a bit, with the twins, but I love them so much that nothing can really compare. The Phelps do a great job, but the lines they get are just horrible...

Now what do they do right in the films?

227 Rowena Ravenclaw
220 Helga Hufflepuff
39 Albus Dumbledore

Bwahaha! SSers should remake the films. At least we'd have enough people for cast & crew.

What do they do right? Umm ... like take a few events/lines from the books and actually don't change them. *is giving them a ahrd time*