Puzzled ...

[snorkackcatcher]

According to the Leaky Cauldron, they've cast one Robbie Jarvis in the part of the 'young James Potter' for OotP.

Um, shouldn't it really be played by Dan Radcliffe, sans scar makeup, since Pensieve!James is the same age as OotP!Harry and the main point everyone keeps making is that they look almost identical?

Oh well. Won't be the first thing to be changed in the films. Maybe it seems odd to me because for a long time I actually did have different mental pictures of James and Harry until the whole 'you look exactly like your father' thing finally registered.

Kingsley's also been cast -- don't know the actor George Harris, but he looks the part in his IMDB picture, although he's possibly a bit old for the role. Oh well. I refer you to my previous remarks. :)

Comments

[eccentricpirate.livejournal.com]

Maybe it is because whenever someone says "Oh! You look exactly like your Great Uncle Joe!", you usually have many similar characteristics, but do not look exactly the same...

[snorkackcatcher]

Mm, but in the Pensieve Harry sees that they do look almost identical, except James has brown eyes and a slightly longer nose. At a guess, I'd say its plot importance is that it's one reason Snape instinctively hates him?

[eccentricpirate.livejournal.com]

Curious, yes I had forgotten the detail of the Pensieve incident. I hope that they look very much the same in the movie then, for which purpose I do quite like your idea of using Daniel-as-Harry-Without-Scar to play James, maybe throw in some coloured contacts, and elongate the nose with latex or something... Also: I agree with you on the plot importance.

[lls-mutant.livejournal.com]

Heh. Given that Alan Rickman's a good 20 years older than Snape, and David Thewlis was a little old for Lupin (and missing patches...), I suppose the age doesn't matter as much. :P

I was really, really surprised that they are going to include the Pensieve scene, to be honest. I mean, being a huge Marauder fan I love it (and this means there's a better chance for the fireside conversation, which is one of my favorite Sirius scenes in OotP), but I didn't really think it was THAT important for the moviemakers, y'know? Actually, I've really wondered how they'll do OotP. GoF was pretty obvious, but OotP is much more a character-driven novel to me, instead of heavy on the plot. I still can't always tell you what the plot of OotP is- just a lot of the events that happen.

Anyway, I agree that James should have been Dan Radcliffe, but maybe they're concerned the movie audience will be too dumb to figure it out?

[snorkackcatcher]

OotP might be tricky -- I suppose they have to have the Dementor attack and the flight to 12GP. Maybe the hearing, maybe not. For the school scenes they need at least one row with Umbridge, the DA, the snake dream scene, some of the Cho storyline. an Occlumency lesson, Trelawney's firing, Dumbledore's flight, and maybe the twins' flight. Then it's into the final action sequences (which may be very different -- I heard something about a broomstick chase over the Thames) and the prophecy revelation. If they're casting Luna the Quibbler scene is probably in there (since that's her main plot role) and apparently the Pensieve is. It's inevitably going to be very different -- whether they'll pick the best things to keep or not, I'm not sure!

[jesspallas.livejournal.com]

I thought exactly the same when I saw it - why did they cast James at all instead of having Dan pull double duty?

Also, the fact that this scene is going to be filmed should suggest the Marauder connection is finally going to be made? Unless they just pull all reference to the nicknames....

[snorkackcatcher]

I suspect the nicknames might go -- their friendship is the key thing, the MWPP names only really had plot significance in PoA. Mind you, they made little of the friendship between the boys in the film, so Movie!OotP might be very confusing for anyone who hasn't read the books!

[jesspallas.livejournal.com]

To be honest, I think you can say the same about any of the movies! I saw PS film before reading the book (yes, I know - I am ashamed ;)) and I was very confused in several places (notably Quidditch - the rules were a mystery to me by movie standards for I couldn't understand what the point of the quaffle was if the winner was the one who caught the snitch...;)). I think the movies definately make more sense with the books in mind, but at the same time if you've read the books, the movies can't help but be a bit disappointing.

They've rather shot themselves in the foot there...;)

[snorkackcatcher]

GIven the box-office take, I don't suppose they mind. :)