Harry Potter

Because it’s Halloween, I got in the mood to rewatch the Harry Potter movies. Then I decided to record my random observations, at least during the first movie. Read and remember. That is if you’ve read the books or seen the movies. If not–

SPOILERS AHEAD!

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

I’ve organized this according to the scene titles from the DVD for clarity. Also because I wanted to post this on Halloween I ran out of time and only linked to a few images so I may come back and add more later. 

1. Doorstep Delivery

  • what exactly is the point of turning all the street lights off when there’s a full moon?
  • the flying motorcycle that comes roaring in is also not very stealthy but it is so Hagrid

2. Vanishing Glass

  • I hate the Dursleys, really really hate them not just love to hate them but simply hate
    • but that was probably the point
  • Daniel Radcliff is almost too perfect as Harry

3. Letter From No One

  • owls as postal workers are adorable especially when they cover the Dursleys house and yard
    • I hope they’d all had a full meal first
    • and again how is that hiding magic?

4. Keeper of the Keys

  • Harry’s birthday wish!
    • Hagrid!
  • “You’re a wizard Harry.” “I’m a what?”  
    • the entire first story in one conversation
  • Harry’s maternal grandparents knew about magic 
    • an obvious but curious detail

5. Diagon Alley

  • shopping trip!
    • should really get new clothes first
  • Harry learns he’s really, really, really famous
    • but for what no ones says 

6. Gringotts

  • Gringotts, the safest place outside Hogwarts 
    • at least until Harry, Ron & Hermione have at it
      • (but not yet)
  • “It’s about You-Know-What in vault you-know-which” 
    • so the goblins are mind readers too

7. Ollivanders

  • did Olivander just recognize Harry on sight?
  • “Well give it a wave” 
    • famous last words before destruction and chaos happen
      • probably for the umpteenth zillionth time 
  • “It’s brother gave you that scar.”
    • finally someone says something
  • after everything that’s happened so far is Hegwig is what overwhelms Harry?
    • because he looks downright stunned

8. The Boy Who Lived

  • “A few years ago… there was one wizard who went as bad as you can go. His name was V– His name was V– ” “Maybe if you wrote it down?” “No, I can’t spell it.”
    •  and neither can anyone else
      • probably because they never say it

9. Platform 9 and 3/4

  • a whole gaggle of redheads
    • wonder who they could be?
  • as Harry is going through the portal to Platform 9 3/4 I realized his hair is really dark in this movie
    • does it get lighter with each movie or am I imagining that? 

10. Ron and Hermione

  • “Well, you can’t expect him to hang around all day, can you?”
    • I’ve always thought that aspect of the magical pictures in Harry Potter is highly suspicious

11. Welcome to Hogwarts

  • the first glimpse of Hogwarts is gorgeous cinematic perfection from the top down shot of the kids in boats through the pan upwards to the castle
  • “I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks”
    • the actor who plays Draco Malfoy doesn’t get enough credit
    • also, does his hair get lighter, too, as the movies progress?

12. Sorting Hats

  • “The Dark Forest is strictly forbidden”
    • and another rule bites the dust
  • a hat making life altering decisions for young minds
    • my daughter insists that this is explained in the book in the song the hat sings but I don’t remember
  • Gryffindor!

13. Nick and Other Residents

  • the staircases in Hogwarts must be related to Doctor Who’s TARDIS because the they take you “where you need to be” not “where you want to go” 
  • seriously who would be able to sleep after a day that starts with the Dursleys and ends at a magical castle?

14. Potions and Parcels

  • Snape! 
    • does it really matter whether he’s a good or bad guy because he’s Snape!
  • I need a remembral

15. New Seeker

  • Harry finds out he can fly a broom really well
    • because 
      • “It’s in your blood”

16. Three-Header Sentinel

  • “I wasn’t looking at its feet!”
    • Ron has a point because who can see the feet with those heads in their face

17. Facts and Feathers

  • Quidditch basics
    • why do the British always make games so complicated?
  • “I think we’re going to need another feather over here, Professor.”
    • I wonder what Seamus ends up doing with his life…

18. Mountain Troll

  • Dumbledore has a lot of lung power for an old man
  • Harry has great battle instincts
  • Hermione takes the blame and seals her fate as Harry and Ron’s friend

19. Quidditch

  • Oliver Wood needs to work on his pep talk technique
  • The quidditch match is another amazing, if dizzying, visual scene 

20. Interference Overcome

  • amazing how scared wizards are of a little fire
  • Harry catches the snitch the hard way

21. Christmas Gift

  • “Fluffy?”
    • does that thing look fluffy?
    • also, the first of many Hagrid “I shouldn’t have said that”
  • wizard’s chess
    • barbaric but strangely satisfying
  • “I’ve got presents?” 
    • all together now “Aww!”
  • invisibility cloak
    • superhero power up!

22. Cloaked in Darkness

  • seriously, what is the point of even having a restricted section in this particular school?
  • one does get the feeling Snape has experience with people hiding under invisibility cloaks

23. Mirror of Erised

  • Harry’s mom and Dad
    • and we have another “Aww” moment

24. Norbert

  • light reading
    • it’s all in the perspective but at least we finally learn about the Sorcerer’s Stone
  • “Hagrid, what exactly is that?”
    • a question they will learn not to ask over the years

25. Forbidden Forest

  • detention for being out of the school at night
    • it would be easier to just assign them to detention permanently and save time
  • the forbidden forest 
    • is it Hogwarts’ version of a playground– or a biology lab?

26. Up to Something

  • “As long as Dumbledore is around you’re safe.”
    • keep telling yourself that, Harry, and also safe is relative
  • “How many people wander around with dragon eggs in their pockets?”
    • Harry still hasn’t figured out what universe he’s in yet, has he?
  • my son told me that JK Rowling said in an interview that the dark wizards weren’t sure which way Harry was going to go in the first book
    • which gives the look on Snape’s face when he questions them in the hallway a completely different meaning

27. Through the Trapdoor

  • Hermione is brilliant and scary at times
  • “Kill us faster? Oh, now I can relax!”
    • Ron doesn’t seem to trust Hermione nearly as much as Harry

28. Wizards Chess

  • life size wizard’s chess
    • just keep telling yourself that Hogwarts is the safest place to be

29. Sacrifice Play

  • this scene is way more menacing than the one with two-sided Quirrel & Voldemort to me
  • I’m still not sure how Ron gets hurt by the queen’s attack unless it’s just magic

30. Man With Two Faces

  • “Snape tried to save me?”
    • ooo, foretelling
  • does Snape really seem more the type than Quirrel or is it just the greasy hair?
  • ewww, that is one weird method of possession

31. Magic Touch

  • again Harry has really good instincts and immediately goes on the attack
    • no dithering around for this kid
      • must be all those years of eluding Dudley

32. Mark of Love

  • all that candy came  in one night? 
    • did the entire school send him something?
      • you know, except for the Slytherins

33. House Cup Winner

  • another highly suspect thing at Hogwarts is the House Cup count system

34. Not Really Going Home

  • got to wonder where Hagrid got all those pictures of Harry’s parents

35. End Credits

Doing this was a lot more fun than I expected. So, I may eventually do some of the other Harry Potter movies. Or other movies period. Eventually. Maybe. We’ll see.

Happy Halloween!

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