Explain Harry Potter to me

[mojo1701]

The books are very differnet. There is just so much more in the books that they relaly don't translate all that well to the movies. They leave things out of course and explain things that in the book are just done better.

Which is why books are adapted for film, and not transcribed.

 

[Psychic Warrior]

He did mention that buying books is an expensive proposition in South America .

I haven't read them myself, but it's got to do more with stubborness than anything else. Everyone in my family has already read them, and they keep asking me too read them. Since I'm pretty stubborn, I haven't touched them.

I find it hard to believe there aren't libraries in Rio de Janerio.

For me the first book was way to 'kiddie' for my tastes and I stopped about 1/4 of the way through. I picked the series up again at book 3 (the only movie I can claim I honestly liked) and read 3-6 and enjoyed them quite a bit (although 6 was a let down since everything seemed to be too obvious - I am hoping for some major plot twists in the final book).

 

[Desdichado]

I find it hard to believe there aren't libraries in Rio de Janerio.

Or that you can't get them as eBooks from Amazon or something. That shouldn't be too expensive either, no matter where you live.

 

[Dragonblade]

I didn't get into the Harry Potter craze at the ground floor. At first he reminded me of a watered-down Tim Hunter (The Books of Magic), so I never got around to reading the books (books are a tad expensive in these tropical parts). When the movies came out, I opted to see them, and expected to like them, since the books were such a hit. But the first two movies struck me cold. This week I borrowed Prisoner of Azkaban DVD from a friend and watched it. Everyone told me it was the best of all three. But alas, I could not get engaged in it.

What is it about Harry Potter that is so brilliant? The character isn't a hero, he barely does anything in his own movies. If justice were to be done, they should rename the series 'Hermione Granger', 'cause she's the one with not only the skills and wits, but also with the initiative to do something. She has the ideas and generally outshines Harry in all three movies.

So, what am I missing here?

(Sidenote: the hippogriff was very cool, but the werewolf looked like a shaved, starving gnoll)

I highly recommend the books. I didn't like the first Harry Potter movie all the much. The second one is a little better, but Prisoner of Azkaban I really liked.

But whatever I think about the movies, the books are awesome. And a lot better than any of the movies.

 

[Dragonblade]

I actually haven't seen the movies. I strongly dislike that annoying kid who plays Harry Potter. (I always picture him as a young Eric Idle, though perhaps in part because he did the voice for Rincewind for the Discworld games)

I have never heard that. Frankly, I think Daniel Radcliffe is brilliant. I have read all the books and seen all the movies, and for me, he IS Harry Potter. I don't even like elements of some of the movies, but I do like him.

I have also always heard that he is actually extremely nice and down to Earth person as well.

 

[sniffles]

I would definitely recommend reading the books too, Claudio. Like any movie version of literature, the films leave a lot out and change some things to make them more cinematic. You're missing a lot of character development by experiencing only the movies.

I really enjoyed the fact that Rowling doesn't talk down to her audience, nor does she pretty everything up just because they're marketed as childrens' books. Bad things happen, things with consequences. And Harry isn't the perfect hero. He makes a lot of mistakes, serious mistakes, and he doesn't always learn from them. The books also capture very well what it's like to be a teenager - peer pressure, first romance, thinking that adults don't understand anything - I think the books really do a good job with making the young characters convincing, and that's why they strike such a chord with young readers and adult readers as well.

 

[Klaus]

I find it hard to believe there aren't libraries in Rio de Janerio.

For me the first book was way to 'kiddie' for my tastes and I stopped about 1/4 of the way through. I picked the series up again at book 3 (the only movie I can claim I honestly liked) and read 3-6 and enjoyed them quite a bit (although 6 was a let down since everything seemed to be too obvious - I am hoping for some major plot twists in the final book).

Oh, about 20 libraries, mostly in out-of-reach locations (at least a one hour drive from my neighboorhood, given no traffic) and with a limited selection that is very unlikely to include "foreign pop books".

As for e-books, they're very hard to read on a computer screen, and I use the limited computer time I have to work. Plus they're all in US$, which rates as twice as expensive in local currency (not to mention the minimum monthly wage of US$150).

At any rate, thanks to everyone for their views and recommendations. If I do come across the first book, I'll give it a try.

 

[Ranger REG]

I have also always heard that he is actually extremely nice and down to Earth person as well.

True, but give it time. Many celebrities usually develop big egos.

The only negative about him is that he's a fan of professional wrestling (WWE).

 

[Squire James]

I have never heard that. Frankly, I think Daniel Radcliffe is brilliant. I have read all the books and seen all the movies, and for me, he IS Harry Potter. I don't even like elements of some of the movies, but I do like him.

I have also always heard that he is actually extremely nice and down to Earth person as well.

Of course, at the rate things are going, there's going to be a bunch of thirty-something actors trying to play teenagers for the last book... some are already twenty-somethings trying to play 14-year-olds after all!

 

[Viking Bastard]

Yes, but thanks to some age old Hollywood traditions, we won't care.