Harry Potter- round 6-who's ready?

[Strangler Lewis]

Spoiler:

For someone truly dead, Dumbledore has an awful lot to say in Book 7.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I was going to post about how I disagree regarding Rowling's handling of these huge deaths and then I remembered that I disagreed with how she handled the last 3 books entirely...so I should probably shut up now.

[BarTopDancer]

Rowling had stated that once someone died they were dead, as to not confuse kids.

I was more affected by Siruis' death then Dumbledore's. I'm not sure why because in the books I was bawling through both. I think I was still so far removed from Potterland and stuck somewhere between LOTR, StarWars and HP that it didn't bother me.

[Alex]

If she'd applied that rule to Voldemort then things would have been easier, wouldn't they?

But even if dead things stay dead that doesn't prevent it turning out that something never actually died despite appearances. (Besides, I never believe authors about their characters until they -- the author -- is dead.)

[innerSpaceman]

Originally Posted by BarTopDancer

Rowling had stated that once someone died they were dead, as to not confuse kids.

Yes, she said that in interviews ... but that's not how she wrote it in her novels.

Serious fell through that mysterious veil portal, he was not Avra Kedavera death-cursed. There was a lot more about the veil portal in the book, so it seemed like a one-way trip, but it was left decidedly unclear. And since he fell through it without being killed first (like in the movie), all the kidlets were left unsure whether he was dead .... unless they also read every word J.K. says in interviews.


With Dumbledore, a lot more was made of the mysterious phoenix that appears at his funeral. His death was a lot more definiate, but that rise-from-the-ashes portent was not exactly subtle in the book. I didn't know till Book 7 whether he was going to be revived all Gandalf-like or not.



Speaking of which, yeah, some of the LotR touches in the current movie were not, to my memory, in the book - - specifically the ring touching that was totally Peter Jackson (i.e., that sort of thing was not in Tolkien either).

[Gemini Cricket]

Avada Kedavra... reminds me of Abra Cadabera.

I started reading the last book again last night. Within the first chapter, there's a scene that I'm wondering if the filmmakers will actually film. It's pretty gruesome.

[innerSpaceman]

Heheh, I'm reading the current movie's book, as I always do right after the movie comes out.

Won't get to Deathly Hallows again till right after the next movie (but does that mean I should only read half of it?)


I'm with CP ... I hate the direction the last 3 books took ... though Order of the Phoenix is my favorite of those because it (and the movie) contain a heavy dose of funny satire on education, media, and politics. The final two books have no such redeeming qualities.

And I call shenanigans on Rowling's claim to have made them joyless because the kids of the first books are no longer kids. What a sad commentary on life.

I don't know if it's a coincidence or not, but I love Prisoner of Azkaban best (book and movie), and it's the only one not about the Trouble With Harry and Voldemort. The only one Voldemort's not in. I'm sure that's one of its many unique appeals as contrasted with the rest of the series.



Oh, and GC, I'm sure the similarity between Avada Kedavra and Abra Cadabera is purposeful. A while back, Alex linked to some research on the history of the once-powerful, now Bugs-Bunny comical magic spell ... but I'm too lazy to find that post.

[Gemini Cricket]

From Wikipedia:

Avada Kedavra (Killing Curse)

Pronunciation: /əˈvɑːdə kəˈdɑːvrə/ ə-VAH-də kə-DAH-vrə

Description: Causes a jet of green light(Though Snape hits Dumbledore with red light), and a rushing noise; the curse causes instant death to the victim. It leaves no mark of death. There is no known counter-curse or blocking spell (with the exception of the curse striking another spell midflight, negating both), although the caster can be interrupted, the victim can dodge the curse, hide behind solid objects (which burst into flame when hit by it), or, if the casting wizard is not sufficiently competent, the curse may be completely ineffective as described by Barty Crouch Jr (acting as Alastor Moody) in Goblet of Fire. It is one of the three Unforgivable Curses; the use of this spell on another human being can earn the caster a life sentence in Azkaban.

Survivors: Only two people in the history of the magical world are known to have survived the killing curse - Harry Potter and Voldemort who was only saved by his horcrux. Harry was hit twice directly. Phoenixes can also survive a killing curse. They burst into flame as they would do in old age and are reborn from the ashes. This occurred in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Seen/Mentioned: First said (not by name) at the beginning of the first book when Harry arrives at the Dursley's home. First seen in Goblet of Fire against Muggle Frank Bryce, and in every book following.

Suggested Etymology: During an audience interview at the Edinburgh Book Festival (15 April 2004) Rowling said: "Does anyone know where avada kedavra came from? It is an ancient spell in Aramaic, and it is the original of abracadabra, which means 'let the thing be destroyed.' Originally, it was used to cure illness and the 'thing' was the illness, but I decided to make it the 'thing' as in the person standing in front of me. I take a lot of liberties with things like that. I twist them round and make them mine."

[Disneyphile]

Well, I still didn't finish the book, but opted to see the movie two nights ago. It was kinda fun not knowing what was going to happen, unlike the previous films.

Snape's a traitorous ass. That is all.

[Chernabog]

I saw it a few days ago and rather liked it. It did seem like a "random crap happening" sort of storyline (such as when Dumbledore takes Harry to the cave.... it just seemed so random in the movie). Of course major parts of it deviated from the book, but all of them do when they're condensed so much.

Order of the Phoenix was such total garbage (book, which needed a good editing, and movie, which was morose and boring) that I wasn't going in with great expectations (due to the same director as OotP). He did better this time around.

But the special effects were good as always, the guy with the crush on Hermione was cute as can be (and FYI he is also an underwear model, yummy), and Rupert Grint is shaping up nicely for a soul-less ginger.

Three and a half demons out of five.