It's been a long time since I've posted anything here, but it's not due to lack of interest in Harry Potter. Quite the contrary. I've been rereading all the books, with the intention of stopping after each one for a few comments (or more) relevant to how my understanding of the story has changed since we now have all seven of the books. However, I have found that, mixed with real life and actually reading some books that were not Harry Potter, I've been just as compelled to jump into the next book as soon as I've finished whichever one I was reading. So at the moment, I'm about half-way through Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
And now comes the news from Warner Brothers that they are doing what I thought they should have done with Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince. Well, at least with the last two, and they should have made Prisoner of Azkaban about 10 minutes longer to include more of the back story for the Marauders and the talk at the end that Dumbledore and Sirius have with Harry.
The word from WB is that the splitting of Deathly Hallows into two movies is for artistic reasons and not monetary. Yes, well, I don't think many people are buying that, but whatever. I'm just very pleased that they will have the opportunity to really include all the richness of the story in this last view we'll have of Harry Potter on the big screen. Very pleased indeed.
2 comments:
Pat, it's lovely to see you posting over here again! I just clicked on your name on the thoughtful post you left in response to mine at HogPro (the Austen/HP post) and it brought me over to your profile and blog.
I felt completely cynical when I first heard they were doing the final HP film in 2 parts...and I think it's likely true the decision was all about the bottom line. But now that the decision's been made, I'm looking forward to seeing what they do. I think it could be great. Do you think Gambon is up to the task?
How wonderful you've been re-reading HP. I've decided to take a bit of a hiatus from re-reading the series, just because I lived and breathed it so much last year. I've been letting myself enjoy reading other things, and you're right that the HP books help enrich that reading. I can tell I'm itching to re-read Harry again though. In fact, I've been sick with an ear infection for a while, and at my worst, just lay on the couch and listened to tapes of Sorcerer's Stone I borrowed from the library!
Ear infections are awful, especially the inner ear ones that leave you dizzy. I had one once a long time ago and hope never to have another. Makes the middle ear ones seem easy.
I have all the audio books except the 7th one. Hubby discovered a way to order the Stephen Fry ones (now it's easy, but then it was a bit tricky) and he started giving them to me for Christmas. One of the things I've been doing is listening and following along in my book and making all sorts of notes in the margins. As my books are the US versions and the CDs are the UK, there are some differences. Once in a while I find myself wondering at the editing choices.
I'm not sure about Gambon, but then I'm a bit more worried about him for Half-Blood Prince. Guess we'll find out soon enough. After all, there is a lot more in HBP that requires him to portray the Dumbledore we all think we know.
As for reading other things than HP, I've been doing a lot of that as well. I've finally started noting in the back of my journal when I start a book, partly to see if I actually finish and mainly to keep a list of what I've read. I found that when I tried to think back to the books I read last year I forgot a few. But then some of the time when I was reading last year I was very distracted, so I'm not surprised. (Hubby had colon cancer, so I spent a lot of time in doctor's waiting rooms, the hospital and just trying to focus on other things. He came through the surgery just fine, finished up his radiation and chemotherapy and life once again seems more normal.
I do hope to start posting more. It's been a busy year so far and it's been easy to get caught up in the conversations at The Hog's Head and Hogwarts Professor blogs.
Take care and thanks for stopping by. I hope you feel better soon. (If we lived near enough, I'd loan you another audio book.)
Pat
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