http://boards.theforce.net/your_jedi_council_community/b10008/27136718/p1/?9

I love you.

 

He's so correct. And this most recent installment did absolutely nothing to change my opinion on this matter.

 

He's so completely wrong for the part. They make, for the vast majority, inspired casting choices... and then take complete leave of their senses casting someone as Dumbledore whose only relation to Rowling's brilliant creation is a long grey beard. Which is fake. Therefore Gambon bears absolutely no relation to Dumbledore. His speech, his mannerisms, his demeanour, it's all wrong. I sometimes wonder if Gambon knows anything about the character at all.

It's a travesty of a disaster of a selection.

 

To be fair, Richard Harris was a superb casting decision. Absolute genius, in fact. But this guy...uggh! There's a moment in the movie where he winks at Harry and it lacked...everything! Just looked like a dirty old man, to me.

 

I actually thought Harris was a little too lethargic for Dumbledore. As it turned out, there's no way Harris could've fulfilled the more physical requirements of the role in later films. Gambon is a more able person, but has none of the quiet power Dumbledore exhudes. The perfect fit is somewhere inbetween - closer to Harris thant to Gambon, though. Although I'll admit I've no idea who would be the perfect Dumbledore.

The Dumbledore I see in my head carries not a trace of either Harris or Gambon.

But the actors who portray - for example - Snape, McGonagall, Ron, Voldermort, Arthur Weasley, Ginny, Luna, Oliver Wood, Lupin have all supplanted my own imaginings as I read.

 

Well, when I first read it, I thought of Ian McKellen. You're right that Harris wouldn't have been able to do this movie, for example. The only problem with Ian McKellen is that he's sort of the guy that everyone uses for "old, wise guy with long white beard". But he definitely has the wisdom and power about him, not to mention the raw physicality.

 

I suppose he's as close as we could've got. But Gandalf stood firmly in the way.

 

Precisely.

Whatever the case, this guy doesn't cut the mustard. And I'm really sick of seeing him. I'm actually looking forward to him getting killed by Snape

 

I know what you mean, sadistically speaking, about looking forward to it... but I don't think he'll be able to pull it off.

Alan Rickman will nail it (of course), but I believe Gambon will flounder. He'll insert a hard edge where the exact opposite is required. It breaks my heart that such a crucial scene will only ever be, really, 50% realised.

That is true. I certainly don't see Snape as old as Rickman is.

 

Could we not start a petition to have Richard Harris brought back from the dead?

We could make a poll about it.


-JR