Book vs. Movie: Prisoner of Azkaban

So excited about this review - I love/hate talking about this topic. Seriously, the reason I decided to do book/movie comparisons. Let's get started with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. 

The Book

Without a doubt, Prisoner of Azkaban is the book in the HP series that demonstrates J.K. Rowling's ability to have her characters and prose grow with her audience. I've often told people beginning the series to start with PoA, if they can't get into SS. (With all the summing up at the beginning of the first novels, this is totally ok). I love the mystery of PoA - while mystery is huge part of each book, this one seems even more intense. As we learn more and more about Harry's parents and their history with Sirius and Lupin - the story gets better and better. I mean, getting the Marauders in this novel, makes it the best of the first three. On top of that, we have time travel (always a favorite on this site), tidbits (like Scabbers and Fred and George knowing all the passages and that motorbike from Ch. 1 of SS), and a poor, confused, desperately lost Harry. He just wants to go to Hogsmede like everyone else! What's wrong with that? We see the beginning of angry Harry in PoA (starting with Aunt Marge) and we start to see how much he really does have to be angry about. 
I think another favorite in this story is how we see Ron and Hermione step it up - they both are there with Harry when he confronts Sirius - this hasn't happened before. They went through the trap door, Ron went down the pipe, but this time they are both there in the big scary moment with him. And they're heroes - just as much as Harry. LOVE IT! It also helps that this is also the book you start to get little hints of romantic feelings between Ron and Hermione - the fighting, oh the fighting. So stinkin' adorable! I also happen to think Crookshanks is pretty awesome - what with figuring Sirius out and everything. 

The Movie
We have reached my entire reason for creating this topic of study within the Potterverse. Ahh, my feelings for PoA. How to say it, let's see... I'm actually incapable of watching most of this movie? I have to stop the movie 20 minutes before the end? I hate freakin' talking heads? Yeah, I don't like PoA - at ALL. The only good things I see - the addition of Dawn French, the prettiness factor (it is very artsy and pretty, sure), and the acting ability of the trio improved. That is it. Everything else pretty much sucks. Well, I didn't hate the Aunt Marge bit, that was actually funny. This movie, in no way, measured up to the book. I thought for years, this must be because the first two so closely followed the book and the third movie just didn't do the same. But then I saw the other movies - that wasn't the problem - the other movies didn't follow every line and I'm ok with them. It is the lack of explaining - seriously, we can add freakin' talking heads on the Knight Bus, but we can't take like two seconds to explain the Marauders - what the hell? I have literally yelled at the TV about this topic. I now just don't watch the last twenty minutes. And we don't end with getting on the train - I call foul play! Not allowed! Stupid move! Don't like it at all! 

One of the things I did like about the movie was the depiction of Sirius on the posters, etc - I thought those were great for advertising and really creepy. 

Issues
So many issues, but my largest complaint has to be the Marauder story line being completely messed up. In the book, we found out through multiple sources who each of the Marauders were and what their relationships were with one another. The scene at Christmas was so well done in the book, but in the movie that scene between the adults was so forced and awful - even Maggie Smith couldn't make it better. By the end of the scene with Pettigrew, Sirius, and Lupin we knew who everyone was, the origin of the map, etc - in the movie, basically nothing. We also had no idea why Harry's patronus was a stag - this seemed like something that could have been corrected very easily. Come on! 

My Big Whiny Complaint: 
I feel like I've done enough complaining, but I think this kinda goes into the next movies as well - I think they could have worked out a way to truly explain the Marauders in the next movies, but they didn't think it was necessary. All of those characters are huge roles in the book, but in the movies I feel like they are put off. 

DFTBA!
Jana

Slytherin Pride!

I’m a Slytherin, apparently.  I think creating houses that people can align themselves with is the coolest thing J. K. Rowling did.  If you had asked me a year ago if I would ever have a Harry Potter related costume, I would have smiled benevolently and said ‘I’m not into it enough.’  Potterverse has never qualified as a major fandom for me.  I came into it late enough (after the fifth book) that I’ve always thought of it as belonging to someone else.  I can say without too many qualms that I haven’t had anyone else direct me into a fandom and guide me through it.  That doesn’t mean I can’t take a recommendation, but I can’t have someone who’s going to watch every bit of something with me or ahead of me.

Pottermore's Slytherin Welcome

Harry just always seemed to be for other people.  I want to live with the things I love, and if I already see them existing, or know too much about what happens ahead of time, then the thing doesn’t become real anymore.  It flattens back out into just a story, or movie, or television show.  (Side note- is that how “normal” people experience these amazing books, films, and series?)  If I’ve already seen pictures Lois & Clark’s first kiss on Smallville, how can I be as thrilled as if it was finally happening, right then, in that exact moment?  If I see a million people quoting “Don’t Blink!” on Pinterest before seeing the episode, how can it have a gripping, ominous feel, as though I am in danger from the weeping angels in that exact second?

As much as I can appreciate it and enjoy Harry Potter, I haven’t ever found a way that I can actually live in it.

My Slytherin outfit for
the Renaissance Festival

Then came Pottermore.com.  Just get sorted.  If it feels right, like you’ve found your people, then it’s done.  I proudly claim the Slytherin House. (Just for the record, I am SURROUNDED by Hufflepuffs.)  Now I have a seriously Slytherin inspired Ren Faire outfit.  It’s awesome.  I am able to see myself in the Potterverse, and it’s a fun place to be. I’m not living the existing stories; I’m living my own.  It’s still a bit of a challenge to have Slytherin pride while watching the films.  There isn’t a lot of gray area shown among the Slytherin characters on screen, but I’ve read the books. I know that there’s more to the Slytherins than being the House of Bad People.  There are so many admirable qualities, along with a couple of faults.  This is the case with all the houses.  Now, if you remain unsorted, and especially if you aren’t sold on loving Harry Potter, that is easy to fix!  Head to Pottermore and let J. K. Rowling find your home. 

Legen - Wait for it...

The anticipation. That's what made Harry Potter so amazing for me. I love so many things about HP - the characters, the way the story progresses, the symbolism, the fandom, and so on, but it was the anticipation between each book that made me love that series.

Anticipation is a funny thing - you love and hate it. Waiting for something you love is such a frustrating feeling;   you wait and wait and wait for this thing to happen and then it does. And all of a sudden you aren't anticipating anymore - the excitement and the nervousness and the wondering is gone. And most of the time, the anticipation is not worth it - more often than not, what we so desperately waited for doesn't live up to the hype.

Waiting for Harry - totally not like this. The anticipation factor (waiting to be disappointed) doesn't apply to Harry because the books live up the hype. You start reading with such excitement and joy and that feeling stays with you until the last word. You put down a Harry Potter book and you have a feeling of completion; the year came to a satisfying conclusion, the mystery has been solved, and Harry is safe for the time being. (John Granger (amazing, amazing, amazing Harry Potter critic) describes this as the "ring composition." He wrote a whole book on the topic and yes, of course I own it. A signed copy.)

But ever so slowly, you get that anticipation feeling - the next book is coming, there is more to the story. And while you wait, you grow and you change. And the amazing thing is - the next book meets you there. The story has grown up and changed to meet you, the reader.

I've read the books so many times and that feeling of joy when I pick up a Harry Potter book is always there, but it's never quite like the first time I cracked open that book a little after midnight. I remember those moments vividly.

Reading Sorcerer's Stone babysitting and needing to read more, becoming addicted with Chamber of Secrets by the fireplace at Christmas, finishing Prisoner the night I forced my parents to buy it for me, cracking open Goblet of Fire in the car on the way home from camp because I'd already waited a week, begging my eyes to stay open past Chapter 7 of Order of the Phoenix and staying in my pajamas the next day until I was done, bemoaning the lack of electricity at camp when I was forced to stop reading Half Blood Prince, and literally staying up all night to finish Deathly Hallows.

It is a connection you feel with the characters and the story that J.K. Rowling has so beautifully written - even though it might take years to get the next book, the characters are the same flawed, familiar human beings and the story becomes more heart-wrenching and yet satisfying.

Anticipation for Harry is something I am so happy to have been a part of - others won't truly experience waiting the way we did for the next installment of Harry's adventure.

And just because I can't leave everyone hanging... I hope you're not lactose intolerate, dary.

DFTBA!
Jana