HP-TSS - NOW DISCUSSING Chapter 16: Three-headed Sentinel

Due to the success of the SFF CBC discussions, I would like to discuss HP-TSS chapter by chapter on the DVD. There are 34 chapters to discuss over the next eight months, excluding Chapter 35: End Credits

Each discussion will last 5 days. At the end of 5 days, the following chapter will be posted.

Chapter 12: Sorting Hat
DISCUSSION: September 13, 2006 ? September 17, 2006
DVD TIME INDEX: 41:29 ? 46:12

Synopsis:
The first-years enter the Great Hall. Before the Sorting Hat ceremony begins, Dumbledore has a few rules and regulations to get out of the way. Hermione is put in Gryffindor. Malfoy is put in Slytherin. Susan Bones is put in Hufflepuff. Ron is put in Gryffindor with the rest of his brothers. Then it?s Harry turn. The Sorting Hat has some difficulty. Harry keeps muttering not Slytherin and the Sorting Hat decides to put him in Gryffindor. The Gryffindors cheer. END OF CHAPTER

Opinion:
The Sorting Hat is quite important, not only for comedic performance in a magical substance, but later on as it is an heirloom to Godric Gryffindor and Harry questions itbut later on as it is an heirloom to Godric Gryffindor and Harry questions its decision in the next movie Chamber of Secrets.

Emma really goes beyond the limit with the overachieving aspect of her character. She does kind of annoy for once. Ron and Harry both call her mental, showing that this isn?t going to be a perfect friendship, but still believable among the three key principals. I honestly think they threw in Susan Bones into the mix because she was going to be of another house and two, it seems very narrow only to sort the main four characters.

Rupert does a good job here. Dan I?m not so sure about, I really can?t feel that he didn?t want to be in Slytherin. The Sorting Hat is pretty cool itself. The personification is just amazing even though five years ago I thought it was a joke. One thing that I did notice on this viewing is that all the first years are wearing the Hogwarts crest as a pin on their tie.

This chapter has a purpose. It has some subtleties to it like the Snape, Harry and Quirrell ordeal, but it works in its own uniqu

 

For those who are just joining us or would like to review past discussions:

Chapter 1: Doorstep Delivery
Chapter 2: Vanishing Glass
Chapter 3: The Letters From No One
Chapter 4: Keeper of the Keys
Chapter 5: Diagon Alley
Chapter 6: Gringotts
Chapter 7: Ollivanders
Chapter 8: The Boy Who Lived
Chapter 9: Platform 9 ¾
Chapter 10: Ron and Hermione
Chapter 11: Welcome to Hogwarts
Chapter 12: Sorting Hat

Don't forget we are still discussing ROTS and LOTR-FOTR in the PT forum and SFF Film and Television forum

 

this seemed like a "meh" chapter for me. it did what it was intended to do. show the students getting placed in their houses

 

The end of Chamber of Secrets goes back to this decision. It's a pretty important scene.

 

The scene played out fine for me, just like it did in the book. It served it's purpose but it wasn't one of my favorite scenes overall.

 

Thank you for all your participation in CBC (Chapter by Chapter). HP-TSS Chapter 13: Nick and the Other Residents DISCUSSION will be made available 12:00 AM EST. Although the discussion timeframe has passed, you may still discuss this chapter at your convienience. However, we will be moving on to the next chapter.

-Moleman1138

 

Due to the success of the SFF CBC discussions, I would like to discuss HP-TSS chapter by chapter on the DVD. There are 34 chapters to discuss over the next eight months, excluding Chapter 35: End Credits

Each discussion will last 5 days. At the end of 5 days, the following chapter will be posted.

Chapter 13: Nick and the Other Residents
DISCUSSION: January 1, 2007 ? January 5, 2007
DVD TIME INDEX: 46:13 ? 50:27

Synopsis:
The Great Feast begins. The new students start eating and the house ghosts appear including Sir Nicholas and the Blood Baron. Harry asks Percy who Snape is? Afterwards they head to their dormitory. Percy says that everything has been brought here. In the boys bedroom Harry plays with Hedwig and looks outside. END OF CHAPTER

Opinion:
This kind of chapter is filler material. Being the first book, Columbus stayed too true, allowing practically everything to remain in. This did not need to stay in. Sure we get a grand view of deep inside Hogwarts, but even that could be cut down.

First of all, the ghosts add to much of the child fantasy that even for the first film lighten the tone a bit too much. I?m not too crazy about John Cleese as Sir Nicholas. Not really big on him as an actor as Q in Bond and in Shrek 2. The introduction to Snape is okay, more informal if anything. It does create some ambiguity about the character, but color imagery should say it all.

The journey to the dorms is the better part of the chapter, though it could be condensed quite a bit. I like Cuaron moving the Fat Lady to the stairs that in some dismal corridor. Sure the corridor adds the mystery, but it?s better executed in film three. You can almost tell that there?s something not like about Percy from the start. OOTP will explain this.
As I said, it?s a filler if anything. Sure you want to make the first film lengthy, but this is one thing that could have been trimmed down quite a bit and would have better paced this second act just a little bit better.

 

For those who are just joining us or would like to review past discussions:

Chapter 1: Doorstep Delivery
Chapter 2: Vanishing Glass
Chapter 3: The Letters From No One
Chapter 4: Keeper of the Keys
Chapter 5: Diagon Alley
Chapter 6: Gringotts
Chapter 7: Ollivanders
Chapter 8: The Boy Who Lived
Chapter 9: Platform 9 ¾
Chapter 10: Ron and Hermione
Chapter 11: Welcome to Hogwarts
Chapter 12: Sorting Hat
Chapter 13: Nick and the Other Residents

Don't forget we are still discussing ROTS and LOTR-FOTR in the PT forum and SFF Film and Television forum

 

i agree that this section should've been cut. it's nice to have as much stuff from the books as possible in but it's not neccesary

 

Yeah GOF's like triple the size of SS and only 2 minutes longer.

 

i loved seeing the moving paintings for the first time. such an iconic harry potter thing.

-doodie

 

The moving paintings are always a great sight. But I think I like Fat Lady POA than Fat Lady SS.

 

yes definitely! Dawn French was brilliant as the fat lady. hope she manages to get a small part in future films.

-doodie

 

I can't remember how important the Fat Lady is in OOTP or HBP if she's shown at all.

 

no she doesnt have a big part. not big enough to be in the films. she's used for slight bits of exposition so i dont think we'll be seeing her on screen again. another charatecter i'm slightly disappointed that we never got to see on screen is Peeves! would have been cool to see that guy. i heard aages ago that they cast Rik Mayall to play him. that would have been brilliant.

-doodie

 

I agree, they really should have put Peeves in there! And seeing the portraits was cool, it was pretty much how I pictured them to be.

Sadly, John Cleese is underused as Nearly Headless Nick. He is just too funny not to have at least done a little bit more.

 

Thank you for all your participation in CBC (Chapter by Chapter). HP-TSS Chapter 14: Potions and Parcels DISCUSSION will be made available 3:15 PM EST. Although the discussion timeframe has passed, you may still discuss this chapter at your convienience. However, we will be moving on to the next chapter.

 

Due to the success of the SFF CBC discussions, I would like to discuss HP-TSS chapter by chapter on the DVD. There are 34 chapters to discuss over the next eight months, excluding Chapter 35: End Credits

Each discussion will last 5 days. At the end of 5 days, the following chapter will be posted.

Chapter 14: Potions and Parcels
DISCUSSION: August 9, 2007 ? August 13, 2007
DVD TIME INDEX: 50:28 ? 54:59

Synopsis:
Harry and Ron are running to Transfiguration class. They see a cat sitting perfectly still on the front desk, which turns into Professor McGonagall. She tells them to go find their seats and one of them would be useful as pocketwatch. Next is potions with Snape, who tells them all the things he can teach them. Harry is writing everything down not paying attention. Snape thinks he is too good to pay attention. Snape then starts asking Harry questions about potions which he doesn?t know the answer to. Meanwhile, Hermione perpetually has her hand in the air. Snape says fame is anything. Malfoy smiles. Back in the Great Hall, Seamus is trying to make some rum, while owl post arrives. Harry asks for the Daily Prophet from Ron, finding out that Vault 713 was broken into the same day that he and Hagrid were there. END OF CHAPTER

Opinion:
There?s much going on here. The transformation from cat to McGonagall is well done and it?s done again Order of the Phoenix when Padfoot becomes Sirius at King?s Cross. Harry and Ron act like it?s their first day quite well.

The potions lesson is a great exchange between Harry and Snape. We don?t know at this point why Snape hates Harry, but there?s a subtlety there to favor the Slytherins and make Harry look like a fool for his lack of knowledge in the area of potions.

I definitely like the Potions in the dungeon in OOTP compared to this one. I know continuity has to be addressed but maybe Snape got moved. I prefer the latter. This seems above ground and almost looks like the original DADA room where Quirrell and Wood are later in the film.

The Great Hall scene is also great. We get to see owl post for the first time at Hogwarts. Having all those owls at same time was definitely a job for the animal training crew. Plus it also brings back Vault 713 adding more to the plot. Good chapter.

 

For those who are just joining us or would like to review past discussions:

Chapter 1: Doorstep Delivery
Chapter 2: Vanishing Glass
Chapter 3: The Letters From No One
Chapter 4: Keeper of the Keys
Chapter 5: Diagon Alley
Chapter 6: Gringotts
Chapter 7: Ollivanders
Chapter 8: The Boy Who Lived
Chapter 9: Platform 9 ¾
Chapter 10: Ron and Hermione
Chapter 11: Welcome to Hogwarts
Chapter 12: Sorting Hat
Chapter 13: Nick and the Other Residents
Chapter 14: Potions and Parcels

Don't forget we are still discussing ROTS and LOTR-FOTR in the PT forum and SFF Film and Television forum

 

As far as the Snape lesson goes, didn't we learn in Deathly Hallows that even Snape didn't know what to expect from Harry when he first came to Hogwarts? He even had the slight impression that he was as smart, gifted and much like his mother; which might have been one of the reasons for the tough questions on his first day. Of course, perhaps the reasoning for his hard questions is two-fold. One because he was genuinely interested to see if Harry was everything he was cracked up to be and two because he probably saw too much of James in Harry and just wanted to embarrass the heck out of him.

 

They knew he lived with the Dursleys having no knowledge of magic. I think it's the latter IMO.

 

Yeah but I think part of him just couldn't help but think that. Still trying to find that exact passage in Deathly Hallows. I think it's in The Prince's Tale chapter.

 

Thank you for all your participation in CBC (Chapter by Chapter). HP-TSS Chapter 15: New Seeker DISCUSSION will be made available 11:00 PM EST. Although the discussion timeframe has passed, you may still discuss this chapter at your convienience. However, we will be moving on to the next chapter.

 

Due to the success of the SFF CBC discussions, I would like to discuss HP-TSS chapter by chapter on the DVD. There are 34 chapters to discuss over the next eight months, excluding Chapter 35: End Credits

Each discussion will last 5 days. At the end of 5 days, the following chapter will be posted.

Chapter 15: New Seeker
DISCUSSION: August 14, 2007 ? August 18, 2007
DVD TIME INDEX: 55:00 ? 60:52

Synopsis:
Harry and the first years on the Quidditch Pitch for their first flying lesson with Madam Hooch. She tells them to stick their hand over the broom and say up. Some have trouble some don?t. Ron gets smack in the face. She want everyone to mount their broom and touch her cloak and hover and come back down. Neville starts a little too early and get stuck one of the structure then falls down. Hooch recognizes it as a broken wrist and takes him to the hospital wing. Malfoy sees that Neville left his Remberall and tries to get Harry into trouble by flying. Harry chases Malfoy who throws the Remberall far. Harry catches it at the sight of Professor McGonagall who sternly calls for him. She takes him to the DADA class to meet Wood. She says he?s found him a new seeker. The ghosts discuss Harry being the new seeker. Harry is congratulated by the Weasley twins and Ron and Hermione. Hermione says it?s in his blood then shows him that his father was seeker too. He didn?t know. END OF CHAPTER

Opinion:
This scene doesn?t seem important but it really is. Besides having the whole Voldemort conflict going on, the next big thing for Potter are his skills at flying and this sets everything in motion, including that pesty Quidditch.

Neville like usual accidentally creates commotion and it turns from a scene of humor to consequence as he breaks his wrist. It?s also Harry?s chance to break the rules as so does in the entire series. Even though he is the hero he has to do little evil for the good.

The Malfoy and Harry scene is classic and one of the more memorable moments of the film. I absolutely love the scene when all the first years are running across the pitch towards Harry and the triumphant cue works mutually with the shot. One plus for Columbus here. Very nice work indeed.

Also to see that his father was Seeker adds to that whole blood subplot. My only nitpick is the continuity of the DADA classroom. I like the one in the latter four films. This like Snape?s Potion chamber in the dungeons were rightfully moved down the road. Good Chapter.

 

For those who are just joining us or would like to review past discussions:

Chapter 1: Doorstep Delivery
Chapter 2: Vanishing Glass
Chapter 3: The Letters From No One
Chapter 4: Keeper of the Keys
Chapter 5: Diagon Alley
Chapter 6: Gringotts
Chapter 7: Ollivanders
Chapter 8: The Boy Who Lived
Chapter 9: Platform 9 ¾
Chapter 10: Ron and Hermione
Chapter 11: Welcome to Hogwarts
Chapter 12: Sorting Hat
Chapter 13: Nick and the Other Residents
Chapter 14: Potions and Parcels
Chapter 15: New Seeker

Don't forget we are still discussing ROTS and LOTR-FOTR in the PT forum and SFF Film and Television forum