— Hagrid, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
As of 2011, each Harry Potter book has become a film. The films star Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, and Emma Watson as Hermione Granger. The entire series (which has taken a higher aggregate box-office gross than any other series in the same medium) spans eight movies; the seventh book, Deathly Hallows, was split into two separate films in an attempt to encompass as much of the final book's content as possible (in contrast to the rushed scenes of the largest book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, for example).The first two films, directed by Chris Columbus, place more emphasis on plot than characterization, with most scenes being identical to their counterparts in the books, and are generally regarded as solid but workmanlike. Columbus was succeeded by Alfonso Cuaron, who decided to reverse this and created what is likely the most controversial movie in the series. His Prisoner of Azkaban is either an artistic triumph or a lot of wangsting with a plot incomprehensible to anyone who hasn't read the book (or both). Mike Newell came next, following more-or-less in Cuar๓n's footsteps, but with a larger eye for spectacle and adventure. As Goblet of Fire was when J.K. Rowling started writing Door Stoppers, the movie version received attention mostly for how much stuff got left out. British TV director David Yates followed, helming Order of the Phoenix and all subsequent films, combining the Cuar๓n and Newell approaches in terms of style, while embracing the increasingly dark and grim tone of the later novels.The Harry Potter fandom is rather sharply divided over whether the earlier films directed by Columbus, or the character-driven films which followed, are better; it basically comes down to how important certain subplots and plot points are, and whether the latter films are really exploring the characters or just indulging in angst. Critics are less divided, holding all of the later films in higher regard than the Columbus films. This being said, all of the films have been overall critical successes (the lowest mark on rottentomatoes.com being a 78, the lowest on Metacritic being a 63).Discussion has been going on among fans about the possibility of remakes in the future. Time will tell.Warning: High chance of unmarked spoilers!
Tropes exclusive to the films:
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Ability Over Appearance: The actors were frequently cast this way. Horace Slughorn, Dolores Umbridge and Gilderoy Lockhart were all played by actors who didn't quite match the physical description of their book counterparts (for instance, Slughorn is meant to be short and stout, but Jim Broadbent is over six feet tall), but who had the attitude down perfectly.
Absurdly Sharp Blade: Pettigrew taking off his whole hand with a pithy little blade about four inches long in Goblet of Fire.
Warwick Davis plays Flitwick throughout the series (with a different look in the earlier films), the goblin bank teller in Stone, and is also Griphook in Deathly Hallows. Additionally, Flitwick's new look was originally meant to be a separate character. Basically, they cast Warwick Davis whenever they need someone very short.
In the first film, Ian Hart played Quirrell and provided the voice and motion capture for Voldemort. (Richard Bremmer was not the voice, he portrayed Voldemort in the flashback to the death of Harry's parents.)
The end of the first film, with Harry, recovering from the injuries received after stopping Quirrell/Voldemort, worrying about the condition of his friends and the status of the Philosopher's Stone, and Dumbledore calmly comforting him like a father to his child. Then Dumbledore spots the wizarding candy in front of Harry, and wistfully reminiscing about the first time he tried Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.
The scene in Deathly Hallows Part 1 where Hermione talks about visiting the forest of Dean with her parents when she was little.
Hermione: Maybe we should just stay here, Harry... grow old.
Dudley Dursley is played by Harry Melling. There is a brief moment in the first film, which was not in the book, in which Hagrid mistakes Dudley for Harry, to which Dudley responds that he's "not Harry."
Ralph Fiennes is playing a bigoted, sociopathic, totalitarian psychopath with zero compassion or humanity and who commands/leads an influential racist cult in a war-torn, politically unstable world... now, are we talking about Lord Voldemort or Amon Goeth? Notable given that the latter was Fiennes' big break in the film-making business.
Look at Dumbledore's death in The Half-Blood Prince (3:00) and Hans Gruber's death in Die Hard (2:45). Nicely inverted, as the killed in one is the killer in the other.
In Deathly Hallows Part 1, the Power Trio ends up in a caf้ that has a promotional poster for Equus on the wall.
Adaptational Attractiveness: Pretty much everyone — most characters are given intentionally unattractive descriptions in the books but are played by considerably more good-looking actors.
Most notably Hermione. She had large buck teeth until she had some magic dental work done in Goblet of Fire; the films skip this detail entirely. Her hair also becomes less of a bushy mane after the first two films.
In the earlier films, when she's not intended to be pretty, that may be because the books are from Harry's POV and he doesn't actually take much notice of her looks beyond hair and eye color until he sees her gussied up at the Yule Ball (in Goblet of Fire).
Snape is never portrayed with the sallow skin and greasy hair that he has in the books. Some of the illustrations for the earlier books also give him a very ugly beard, and others give him unsightly stubble, neither of which he has in the movies.
Neville: In the books he's a meek, chubby foil to Dudley, and then his actor lost his light hair and all his baby fat and gained about three feet in height; in the words of Emperor Kuzco, he has become a "hottie hot hottie!"
Bellatrix, who in the books had lost her beauty after years in Azkaban prison, is played by Helena Bonham-Carter in the movies, and looking pretty damn good... except for her teeth.
Luna goes from somewhat plain and having slightly bugged-out eyes to quite attractive in the book to film transition.
Dudley, while quite tubby in the first few films (he's actually the largest he ever gets in the third film), seems to be merely stocky by the time the fifth movie rolls around (admittedly this happens in the book as well, as Dudley takes up boxing and becomes more muscular than fat). Harry Melling, the actor who portrays him, actually lost a great deal of weight in between the shooting of the fifth and seventh films (the Dursleys were left out of the sixth film entirely). According to interviews with the actor, the producers nearly died of shock when he showed up for filming a good seventy pounds lighter (likely more than they were envisioning for Dudley). Fortunately for him, instead of recasting, they stuffed him into a fat suit. Unfortunately, the effect wasn't quite what they wanted, and ultimately his scene with Harry at the beginning of Deathly Hallows Part 1 was cut.
Pansy Parkinson, in the books, is described as having "a face like a pug," but in the movies she's not too bad-looking. Then again, she's being described by Gryffindors, so maybe that's a jaundiced account.
While Mad-Eye Moody is not attractive by any means, he is certainly not nearly as ugly as he is in the books.
Bill Weasley, in book 6 Half-Blood Prince, is scarred to the point of being described as only slightly less mangled looking than Mad-Eye Moody, but in the film only has slight scratches on his face. (Note: In the films, Mad-Eye Moody and Bill Weasley is played respectively by father and son Brendan Gleeson and Domhnall Gleeson, so the comparison comes as propriate.)
Adaptational Badass: The films are slightly more action-packed than the books, and the main characters tend to be able to hold their own against adult wizards.
In particular, Harry is able to hold his own during a protracted duel with Voldemort during the climax of the eighth film. Such a feat would be completely beyond him in the books, where Voldemort held off multiple veteran wizards simultaneously.
Somehow, even Dumbledore gets upgraded some in the sixth film. In the book, the ring of fire he summoned was barely big enough to circle both him and Harry and had to move with them as they moved within the tiny island. In the film, its a spectacular firestorm raging through the entire cave.
Hermione benefits from this as well, as early as Chamber of Secrets. In the book, after Lockhart releases the cage full of pixies, Hermione is shown recapturing two or three of them at a time by using "a clever freezing charm". In the movie, once Lockhart flees, Hermione takes out the entire classroom full of pixies with a single spell. She also seems to be able to fly a broom as well as Harry and Ron, as seen in Deathly Hallows Part 2, when in the books she's an atrocious flyer.
Ginny in Film 8. Before Molly takes over in the book, Bellatrix is seen duelling Ginny, Luna, and Hermione at the same time. In the films, Ron and Hermione are busy with the snake and Luna is otherwise indisposed. Thus Ginny is trying to hold off Voldemort's second-in-command alone. Maybe her dad, who was in the background, was helping her (which would count as this trope as well), but George seemed to have his back turned, only turning around when he hears the noise from Ginny nearly getting fried.
Unlike his counterpart in the books, who was definitely under the Imperius Curse, Pius Thicknesse is implied to have joined the Death Eaters and Voldemort of his free will.
In the books, Grindelwald and Dumbledore were childhood friends (and maybe lovers), and Grindelwald redeems himself by lying to Voldemort about the Elder Wand. In the movie, basically all of that subplot is cut out, and so is his lying to Voldemort.
The final fight between Harry and Voldemort. In the books, Harry appears from beneath his invisibility cloak in the midst of the battle to deliver a Shut Up, Hannibal! to Voldemort, just before the Dark Lord tosses a killing curse at him, which backfires horribly. Again. In Deathly Hallows Part 2, the fight sprawls the entire breadth of the castle, from Voldemort stalking him in the hallways, battling in the Astronomy Tower, and pulling a Freefall Fight before landing in the courtyard, where they engage in a Beam-O-War duel which Harry wins when his Expelliarmus reaches Voldy. Yes, it is just as epic as it sounds.
Order of the Phoenix keeps the plot point that no-one believes Harry about Voldemort, since that is part of the Anthropic Principle for that particular book. But, because some points were edited out of Goblet of Fire and never reinstated, viewers never know why no-one believes him beyond Fudge's complete denial of the facts and using Sirius as The Scapegoat.
The Fidelius charm is never introduced in the films, so certain things go unexplained.
A scene explaining the Taboo (Ron mentions hearing about it in the Ministry) was cut from Deathly Hallows Part 1, so it's never explained despite its effects showing up in two plot-critical moments (the book-verbatim Death Eater attack in the caf้, and a new change to the Lovegood house scene where Xenophilius says Voldemort's name to summon Death Eaters), making them seem like Diabolus ex Machina rather than a jinx.
Fudge is never shown to be directly dismissed. The Minister of Magic makes no appearance in the sixth movie and the seventh just puts a new Minister in office without explanation, except for the small fact that one of the headlines seen at the end of the fifth film reads "Minister to resign?◊".
The reason why Harry doesn't realize Bathilda Bagshot is possessed by Nagini in the seventh film is because he is a Parselmouth — snake-talk appears to him as human speech, unlike the gibberish it is to others. In the movie, we hear him and possessed Bathilda talk in Parseltongue from an observer's viewpoint.
The material is re-introduced in several ways in Hallows Part 2: merely knowing that Bellatrix was afraid of what they might have taken from her vault lets him know a Horcrux is there, and once they get inside, Harry's scar gives him a Spider-Sense, letting him track down the object in question (a cup, theoretically Helga Hufflepuff's but maybe anybody's). This same ability allows him to learn that Nagini is a Horcrux, and another is connected to Rowena Ravenclaw, and later to sense the presence of the diadem in the Room of Requirement, hidden in a velvet jewel box instead of sitting on a warlock statue.
Dumbledore is set up over the course of parts one and two as being not as kind and fatherly as he appeared. Now, in the book, all of this finally comes together and Dumbledore is revealed to still have been a good man who in the end essentially arranges Voldemort's downfall. But in the movie, most of his conversation with Harry at King's Cross is cut, and the subplot is left dangling. (Conversely, most of the explicit references to Dumbledore's dark side, such as his brief alliance with Grindelwald and his complicity in the death of his sister, don't get a mention either, so all that's left are a few vague hints of wrongdoing.)
Remus and Tonks in a blink-and-you-miss-it scene in Deathly Hallows Part 1: Tonks is apparently about to announce her pregnancy too, but is interrupted. Their relationship is not mentioned again, until the resurrection stone scene when Harry is magically aware of Teddy's existence.
Any scene pertaining to the introduction of the two-way mirrors is left out, leaving it to turn up apparently randomly at various points in the last few films. Its function is given an "explanation" in Deathly Hallows Part 2, but you are never told why Harry has it.
In the third movie, after Harry falls off his broom in the Quidditch match. In the book (and the video game), Harry sees a black dog that he believes to be the Grim watching him from some empty seats. In the film, Harry inexplicbly instead sees the outlines of the Grim appear in the sky. This would theoretically make sense if the Grim he had been spotting before was really a mystical omen of death and not the Animagus form of Sirius Black, as we later find out. Could actually be Adapation Induced Fridge Brilliance, as Harry is destined to die in 4 books.
Averted by J.K. Rowling herself, who stepped in after learning the fifth film would be cutting out the character Kreacher, and warned the crew that adapting book seven would be very problematic if he hadn't appeared before. However, so much of his parts were cut from Deathly Hallows Part 1 and completely cut from Part 2 they might as well have cut him out completely.
The third movie never mentions who Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs are. This caused confusion among some audience members during the fifth movie when Harry wrote a letter to "Padfoot" without mentioning his given name. Plus Pettigrew being referred to exclusively as "Wormtail" in film four. And it's now a mystery how Lupin knows how the map works.
The final movie removes Dumbledore's explanation of why Voldemort's Killing Curse in the forest failed to work on Harry, leaving his survival (and why it had to be Voldemort himself who cast the curse) a mystery with no "movie-canon" explanation. While it does explicitly explain why the Elder Wand wouldn't work properly for Voldemort in the film (and the failure of the Killing Curse could be explained simply by that), and InfoDumpledore also mentions that Voldemort's Soul Fragment is now gone, (implying it might have served as Plot Armor), a question mark is still left behind on the completeness of the answer compared with the book's. (Then again YMMV on whether or not adding "And Voldemort's got your blood in him which means you're still protecting by your mother's sacrifice" really adds anything to the explanation: JK Rowling herself stated that Harry's survival has as much to do with personal choice as the mechanics involved.)
Krum has Mind-Control Eyes while under the Imperius Curse in the fourth film. In the seventh film, the curse is portrayed more like in the book; the Gringotts goblin just has a vacant smile. This could be Handwave'd by the fact that it was Harry who put the goblin under the curse, and he doesn't have as much experience at casting it, so it can't exert as much control on someone as Crouch did.
In Book 6, the Prime Minister and the Minister for Magic briefly discuss a terrorist attack by Death Eaters against an unnamed bridge that kills several Muggles. Deathly Hallows Part 1 decides to Show, Don't Tell the attack, setting it in London's famous Millennium Bridge for added drama and Monumental Damage... forgetting that the scene is supposed to take place in mid-1997, whereas construction on the real-life Millennium Bridge began in 1998 and it wasn't opened to the public until 2000.
Adorkable: The awkward moment near the end of Deathly Hallows Part 2, where Neville and Luna sit beside each other and grin goofily.
Harry and Hermione's dancing in Deathly Hallows: Part 1.
Neville teaching himself to dance in Goblet of Fire, being completely unafraid of looking like a twat or a nerd, like a lot of boys his age would be. So cute, it almost goes into Crowning Moment of Heartwarming or Squee territory.
Adult Fear: Induced in Deathly Hallows Part 1; during the fight with Nagini, Harry falls through a wall and Nagini follows him; the room at the other side? A nursery... now with a GIANT snake in it. Eep...
Bill Nighy claimed he was excited to be playing Rufus Scrimgeour in the last movie because, if he hadn't, he would've been the only actor in Great Britain not to have shown up in the series at some point. Indeed, it is almost easier to note the British actors who have not appeared in the film.
As one reviewer noted, between all the supporting actors, you'd have a great production of Macbeth.
When making the first film, Columbus commented, "I put together a list of my dream cast. And every one of them said 'Yes.' That never happens."
Dumbledore, as depicted by Michael Gambon, especially in Goblet of Fire, has a highly theatrical, slightly effeminate flair. After Deathly Hallowscame out, Rowling said in interviews that she had always intended Dumbledore to be gay. She also said that she had told each actor secrets about the character that might be helpful in characterization. Presumably this was something about Dumbledore she had told Gambon. She also admitted in an interview after outing Dumbledore that the screenwriters for one of the films had handed her a script once where Dumbledore reminisced about some young witch he loved in his youth, and she handed back the script with the words "HE'S GAY!" pointing to the offending line. It was also suggested in-universe by Rita Skeeter's rather scathing interview book, which gave a cruel new twist on Harry's relationship with Dumbledore.
From Half-Blood Prince onward, the character of Blaise Zabini takes over Goyle's role, while Goyle takes Crabbe's, because of the actor playing Crabbe's troubles with the law.
Ginny zig-zags through this depending on what film it is. She has one scene in the first film, is a big part of the plot of the second, has two scenes in the third, gets a lot more screen-time in the fourth, is featured but has few lines in the fifth, is a big part of the sixth, and Demoted to Extra again in the seventh and then is pretty important in eight.
Scabior receives more screen time in the 7th film then he does in the books with him just appearing in the two scenes in the book while in the movie he appears as early as the first Malfoy Manor scene. Plus the film seems to treat him as a Death Eater rather then a snatcher that he is in the book
Ash Face: Seamus Finnigan seems to be subjected to this an awful lot. It's even lampshaded in the final film.
Asleep for Days: In the first movie, Oliver Wood says to Harry that he was knocked out for a week after taking a Bludger to the head during his first Quidditch game.
Astonishingly Appropriate Appearance: Of all of the many hundreds of Ministry of Magic workers the trio could have used for polyjuice potion, Hermione becomes a petite brunette, Harry becomes an average height guy with black hair, and Ron is, wait for it, a tall ginger. Justified since the trio are implied to have scouted the Ministry before going in and picked which people they were going to impersonate, though arguably the sensible thing to do would've been to find people who looked nothing like them.
In an example of Fridge Brilliance, though, it is established in both the books and the film that when the polyjuice potion starts to wear off, for a few minutes you get a blend of the real and disguised features. By picking people that look like them, they can squeeze a few extra minutes out of the potion. Also, since they only get one shot at this, they need to be as comfortable as possible — they need a form they can quickly adapt to. This is noted by Hermione when she polyjuices into Bellatrix, and by Harry when he polyjuices into a plump red-haired boy to resemble the Weasleys.
Author Appeal: Screenwriter Steve Kloves' favorite character is Hermione. Guess which character gets a lot more feature time.
Author Existence Failure: Or rather, Actor Existence Failure — Richard Harris, between movies two and three.
In the seventh movie, Umbridge falsely accusing an innocent witch of lying makes Harry so angry that he attacks Umbridge right then and there, in the Ministry courtroom.
In the eighth, Harry mentions Tom Riddle's name to the Grey Lady and what he did with her mother's diadem, the up-to-then serene ghost becomes enraged:
Grey Lady: I know who he is! I know what he's done! He defiled it! With dark magic!!!
Also in the eighth movie Ron has a minor one in the Room of Requirement when Hermione is attacked:
Ron:(starting to run after Draco, Goyle, and Zabini) That's my girlfriend, you numpty!!
Beautiful All Along: Hermione appearing gorgeously dressed and with neat, beautifully arranged hair in Goblet of Fire has essentially none of the effect to the audience that it had in the books, since the filmmakers had already shown her prettily made-up in the previous film with no given explanation. Her own admission that cleaning up like that takes hours and doesnt want to bother with it on a daily basis is also promptly ignored, so she looks consistently gorgeous throughout all the films.
Big Damn Heroes: Neville jumping out to kill Nagini with the Sword of Gryffindor.
The Big Damn Kiss: Between Ron and Hermione in Deathly Hallows Part 2after destroying the Hufflepuff's Cup Horcrux and being engulfed in a torrent of water caused by it.
Hermione: Do you ever stop eating? Ron:(his mouth full) What? I'm hungry!
Also Crabbe and Goyle, as of Chamber of Secrets
(Crabbe and Goyle waddle down Great Hall, each carrying a huge pile of sweets) Harry:(whispering, to Ron) You ready? Ron:(whispering) Yeah. (Clears throat) Wingardiu— Harry:(cutting Ron off) You know what? Better let me do it. Ron: Uhh... right. (the scene then cuts to the Great Hall, where a pair of cupcakes start to rise and hover above the ground as Crabbe and Goyle walk closer. Crabbe notices the cupcakes, and, still holding the wad of food, takes them out of the air and hands one to Goyle. The two each take a bite, chewing for a few seconds before falling back on the floor, unconscious) Ron:(with a grimace) How thick can you get?
Big "NO!": Happens a lot. Ginny Weasley cries a couple of rather impressive ones in Deathly Hallows Part 2, when it is believed that Harry, who she's been deeply in love with through the whole series, is dead.
Harry tries to call a Quidditch tryout to order in Half-Blood Prince. He isn't quite loud enough, so Ginny intervenes with a very helpful "SHUT IT!"
Binocular Shot: The Quidditch matches in the first two films both have one.
Blatant Lies: Uncle Vernon comes up with a slew of these in the first act of Chamber of Secrets, the first one being the most interesting, making it both a subversion and a straight example: When Dobby starts to bang his head on the side of the cabinet, the sound of his grunting and head hitting the furniture echoes to the living room where Vernon, Dudley, Petunia, and the Masons can hear it. Uncle Vernon, not knowing there is a house-elf, tries to cover for his nephew by stating that it's "just the cat".
Bling Bling Bang: In Deathly Hallows Part 1. Voldemort contemptuously snaps off the ornate silver handle of Lucius Malfoy's wand when he "borrows" it to use against Harry Potter. Remind you of anything?
Bloodless Carnage: Played straight as spells don't leave bulletholes, but averted for effect on two occasions: in Half-Blood Prince when Harry uses the Sectumsempra curse on Malfoy, and in Deathly Hallows Part 2 when Voldemort walks across a floor strewn with blood and the bodies of the guards and goblins who let Harry steal his Horcrux from Gringotts.
Body Horror: In a departure from the books, every time a Horcrux is destroyed, Voldemort is weakened. He realizes what's going on after the Cup has been destroyed — and once he's only left with two anchors to keep him alive, his body starts necrotizing...
Whatever in the hellMolly did to Bellatrix when she killed her.
A musical variation: The ending of Deathly Hallows Part 2 plays the exact same music that the first film ended with.
Harry's life with the Dursleys: when he was 1, Hagrid brought him to the Dursleys riding Sirius' bike. When he leaves the Dursleys, it is Hagrid who takes Harry... riding Sirius' bike. Hagrid even mentions this.
Bond Villain Stupidity: In the climax of Deathly Hallows Part 2, Voldemort has Harry tied up in his robes. When we get back to the duo after a cut to the hunt for Nagini, he is just slapping him. Harry, the boy he had set out to kill, is defenseless in front of him, and he's resorting to slapping when he could kill him at any time with the Elder Wand. This may, however, qualify as a result of his Villainous Breakdown.
Breather Episode: Deathly Hallows Part 1 notably takes a break from frantically trying to cram as much plot as it can into the movies, instead focusing on long, atmospheric shots of the characters and scenery. It really emphasizes how the Power Trio are now on their own.
Brick Joke: After Ron leaves in the seventh movie, Hermione ties her scarf to a tree just before she and Harry disapparate. They apparate back into the same location and run into a gang of Snatchers. The leader is wearing Hermione's scarf. It is also the same Snatcher who smelled her perfume while walking through the woods.
Broken Heel: While rushing to aid Harry in Godric's Hollow in Deathly Hallows Part 1, Hermione trips over a pile of books on the floor (ironically for her).
In Stone, when Harry lands after saving the Remembrall, a background student is heard saying "That was wicked, Harry!" When Harry lands Buckbeak in Prisoner, the exact same line is clearly heard.
Also in Chamber, when the Weasleys save Harry from the Dursleys, Harry asks why they're there and Ron replies "rescuing you, of course." When the Order saves Harry from the Dursleys in Order, Moody says the same thing.
Harry says "You're lying, Dolores... and you mustn't tell lies!" in Deathly Hallows Part 2, calling back to a similar scene in Order of the Phoenix.
The toy knights that Harry played with in the first film are still there seven years later.
A running gag is Seamus's tendency to set things on fire or make something explode, such as somehow adding an ingredient to make a supposed Draught of the Living Death explode in the sixth film. In the final film, Professor McGonagall suggests enlisting him to set up explosives because of this.
In the third film, before Sirius departs on Buckbeak he rests a hand over Harry's heart, saying that's where their loved ones could always be found. In the eighth, when Harry is using the Resurrection Stone, Harry asks his lost loved ones whether they'd be able to be seen by Voldemort — to which Sirius responds "No. We're here, you see", pointing to Harry's heart.
In the eighth film, when Harry is in the Room of Requirement trying to get a hold of Ravenclaw's Diadem, he climbs a mountain of stuff and accidentally knocks over a small cage. A second later, Cornish pixies, who were last scene in Professor Lockhart's classroom in movie two, are flying in every direction.
The scene in Deathly Hallows Part 2 where Albus Severus enters platform 9 3/4 is almost identical to the scene of Harry entering the platform in Philosopher's Stone.
Ron: It's just... you can't break an Unbreakable Vow! Harry: I worked that part out myself, funnily enough.
Possibly lampshading of the earlier films' tendency towards this, which in turn is likely because they were meant for a younger audience. Hagrid in particular is prone to it: when Harry swallows the Golden Snitch in Philosopher's Stone and is about to cough it back up, Hagrid exclaims "It looks like he's gonna be sick!" In another Quidditch match, when a particular Bludger seems intent on killing Harry, Hagrid exclaims "That's a cursed Bludger!" Well, duh, Hagrid.
Chris Columbus cast his own children in various nonspeaking background roles. Most famously, his daughter Eleanor is Susan Bones, who is seen in nearly every crowd scene in the first two films. And then, of course, disappears for the rest of the series. (Amusingly, Susan is a slight Chekhov's Gunman character in the books and she ends up having a small role late in the series, although one minor enough that the film versions probably would have cut it anyway. Her name does appear on the list of D.A. members in the fifth movie, however. The video game version of Phoenix includes Susan, voiced by a British actress, but physically resembling an older version of the character Eleanor Columbus played.)
In the third film, there's a portrait of a mother and a baby next to the Fat Lady's portrait. That's Alfonso Cuar๓n's wife (at the time; they are now divorced) and their then-newborn baby.
Ian Brown, of 90s britpop band The Stone Roses fame, appears for a brief period in Prisoner of Azkaban, magically stirring his drink in the Leaky Cauldron.
Jarvis Cocker appears as the frontman to The Weird Sisters in Goblet of Fire.
The first time Harry sees Sirius, Harry thinks that his gaunt appearance makes him look like a vampire. In the film version of Prisoner of Azkaban, Sirius is played by Gary Oldman, who played the most famous vampire ever in Bram Stoker's Dracula.
In Half-Blood Prince, Rufus Scrigmeour is (according to Luna, who read it in The Quibbler) is actually a vampire. In the film version of Deathly Hallows, Scrigemeour is played by Bill Nighy, who played vampire clan leader Viktor in the Underworld trilogy.
Post-werewolf attack (Book 6), Bill Weasley is said in the book to bear "a distinct resemblance to Mad-Eye [Moody]." Enter Film 7, where Bill finally makes an appearance. He is played by Domnhall Gleeson, the son of Mad-Eye's actor Brendan Gleeson.
Camp Unsafe Isn't Safe Anymore: This is said of Hogwarts in three separate films, starting in Chamber of Secrets. In Half-Blood Prince, Harry says it.
Regulus Black is mentioned casually as one of Slughorn's favorites in the sixth film.
Mafalda and Runcorn appear briefly in the seventh film before they are actually needed. Runcorn is seen with Umbridge and Thicknesse when the Ministry is taken over, and Mafalda is shown on a newspaper with Umbridge. Even better, Mafalda was the one who sent the letters to Harry after Dobby framed him for using magic outside of school in front of Muggles in the second movie.
Daniel Radcliffe in Half-Blood Prince. During the entire Felix Felicis scene, Dan proceeds to eat as much scenery as he can.
In the same movie, Ron after accidentally drinking a love potion. (Notice how both scenes are "under the influence"?)
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Madam Hooch after Philosopher's Stone, Colin Creevey after Chamber of Secrets, Buckbeak after Prisoner of Azkaban, the unnamed child that showed up just to be whacked on the top of the head by Goyle after Goblet of Fire, Nearly Headless Nick after Chamber of Secrets, The Fat Lady after Prisoner of Azkaban, Moaning Myrtle after Goblet of Fire, Grawp after Order of the Phoenix... one really wonders how Hogwarts can let all these disappearances go unchecked with all the high-intensity security measures it has taken over the course of the series.
In Colin's case, this was due to his actor, Hugh Mitchell, going through an impressive growth spurt, to the point where the filmmakers didn't believe he could reasonably portray a character who was supposed to appear small and mousy. He is, for all intents and purposes, replaced by the character Nigel.
Narrowly averted with Madam Pomfrey and Professor Sprout, who were brought back in the sixth and eighth films respectively after both having been absent since the second.
Where Padma Patil and Gregory Goyle appear in the final film, Parvati Patil and Vincent Crabbe (who was supposed to get Goyle's death scene) vanish without explanation, although the latter was due to Absentee Actor.
Cliff Hanger: At the end of Deathly Hallows Part 1, Voldemort obtaining the Elder Wand from Dumbledore's grave.
Combat Tentacles: During the final fight between Harry and Voldemort in Deathly Hallows Part 2, Voldemort briefly uses the longer parts of his robes to ensnare Harry.
Composite Character: The boy identified in the later films as "Nigel" seems to be a composite of Colin and Dennis Creevey from the books; reportedly, the actor playing Colin had grown up something fierce and no longer looked boyish enough next to Daniel Radcliffe.
Continuity Nod: In Deathly Hallows, the scene where the Room of Requirement burns (the hide-everything version where Ravenclaw's diadem is hidden) features sets and props from the other films, such as Philosopher/Sorcerer's Stone's giant chess pieces.
Couldn't Find a Pen: THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE. Hermione notes it's written in blood.
Cover Identity Anomaly: In Chamber of Secrets, Harry forgets to take off his glasses when polyjuiced as Goyle. He quickly excuses them as reading glasses, causing Malfoy to remark that he didn't know "Goyle" knew how to read. This also leads to an Adaptation Induced Plothole in Deathly Hallows Part 1, see above.
Cowardly Lion: Ron's persona seems to cater this more so than in the books. He gets freaked out pretty often, but it's obvious he more than has the skill to do what needs to be done on more than one occasion.
Averted by choice. For the Mirror of Erised scene, Chris Columbus offered Rowling a cameo as Lily Potter. Jo politely refused, saying that it was best left for a real actor, and didn't want people to think she had written some Self-Insert Fic. A rumour that she was the witch who, in Chamber of Secrets, approaches Harry in Knockturn Alley ("not lost, are you my dear?") was quashed by Rowling on her website, where she confirms that she was only ever offered the part of Lily. However, it does appear that she reversed the decision come film 6, where she can be seen on the cover of the magazine Dumbledore takes from the house due to the "knitting patterns."
Alfonso Cuar๓n is the man seated holding two lit candles when Harry enters Madame Rosmerta's tavern.
In Goblet, Mike Newell's voice is heard on the radio in the opening scene with Frank Bryce.
Culture Equals Costume: In Goblet of Fire, Cho Chang wears a silver Cheongsam-style dress to the Yule Ball. The Patil twins wears saris. In Order of the Phoenix and Deathly Hallows Part 1, Kingsley Shacklebolt wears a daishiki.
Which may carry some Unfortunate Implications on Kingsley's part as the only reason Cho and the Patil twins are dressed like that is because of a ball whereas Kingsley is always wearing cultural Muggle clothes.
Curb-Stomp Battle: The duel between McGonagall and Snape in Deathly Hallows Part 2, which was moved to the Great Hall. Snape barely puts up any resistance as opposed to the book where the duel only ended because the other Heads of House interrupted. McGonagall also defeats the Carrows in the same duel.
Cute Giant: Hagrid's brother, depending on whether he's acting more cute or weird at a moment.
For the most part, an Averted Trope with the central Power Trio, and some of the other younger actors, especially in the early films. However, as the films were staggered further and further apart, the age differences between the cast and their characters grew.
Emma Watson managed to avoid this completely, since she was actually younger than Hermione in the first book when she was cast. An Averted Trope again with Evanna Lynch as Luna in Order of the Phoenix.
Subverted with Tom Riddle, whose actor was 25 in Chamber of Secrets but was recast as a teenager of equal age in Half-Blood Prince.
An especially egregious example is the casting of Shirley Henderson, well into her thirties at the time, as Moaning Myrtle, the ghost of a Hogwarts student. (Of course, it's hard to tell with all that ghost make-up.) Also, this may have been a conscious decision. If they had cast a teenager in the part of Myrtle, she would have looked noticeably older by Goblet of Fire. By casting a young-looking adult in the part, this becomes much less of an issue.
David Tennant plays Barty Crouch, Jr. both in the present day and in flashback. Present-day Crouch, Jr. is Tennant's real age, but in the flashback, Crouch Jr. is supposed to be about nineteen. Tennant does not look it at all.
Also a accidental case with Geraldine Somerville and Adrian Rawlins as Lily and James Potter as the age when they died was not revealed to be 21 until the final book 6 years after the first film was released. The two were played by actors in their 30's and 40's. The gravestone in the film indeed confirms that they are the same age as in the books. This is made worse by the fact the two actors age 10 years between the movies despite their characters being dead with Somerville and Rawlins around their 40's and 50's.
Taken to an extreme with Alan Rickman, who plays Snape (who is in his late 30's in his last appearance) when he is actually in his mid-60s.
Maggie Smith as Professor Mc Gonagall as well. Mc Gonagall, as it would be revealed later ages from 46 (in Movie 1's first season with baby!Harry) to about 63-64 at the end of the final movie. She was not recast for that scene, either, making Maggie about 20 years older at the time than her character was supposed to be.
Darker and Edgier: The later films got increasingly darker both in terms of the subject matter and the cinematography. The first two films was full of warm golds and reds, while the later films favours cold blues and Deathly Hallows is almost black and white. To further hammer this fact in, "Hedwig's Theme", which introduces each film, sounds slightly more eerie, shriller and more discordant in each consecutive film (the 4th movie shifted the theme to a minor key, and there it stayed for the rest of the franchise; in Deathly Hallows, the intro theme is drowned out halfway through by a reptilian screech). But after Voldemort was defeated in the last film, the vivid colours of the first movies return.
At some points in the final three films the action, which is easy to see when watching in a dark cinema or room, is hard to see in a bright room with sunlight shining in.
Poor Griphook, Bogrod and Pius Thicknesse in Deathly Hallows Part 2. Bogrod's fate is left ambiguous in Deathly Hallows during the Gringotts break-in, but in the final film he is seen roasted by a dragon.
People were probably cheering when Fenrir and Scabior got taken out too, though.
Additionally, Goyle replaces Crabbe as the one to be killed by the Fiendfyre in the Room of Requirement.
Word of God has confirmed that Lavender Brown DID die after having her neck chomped on by a werewolf.
Let's not forget Amycus and Alecto Carrow, who are quite possibly killed by a Blasting Curse during McGonagall's duel with Snape, while in the book, they are merely trapped in a net by McGonagall and hung in the Ravenclaw common room.
Deflector Shields: Hogwarts is surrounded by one during the Battle of Hogwarts in Deathly Hallows Part 2.
It causes some issues as the movies get further along and closer to seven. HarryืGinny have basically no setup in the films, even though they're married at the end of Deathly Hallows. (Although Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows actually give the relationship more screen time, including not splitting them up halfway through. The only real omission is all their dialogue scenes in Order of the Phoenix and Ginny gets a disappointed reaction shot when leaving Harry alone with Cho to compensate. YMMV on how the setup works in the books) Everything related to TonksืLupin in Half-Blood Prince was cut, only implying their relationship in a added scene, which makes their sudden appearance as a couple in Deathly Hallows Part 1 a tad out-of-nowhere.
The Dursleys fit under this. After the first three movies, they were only seen again in Order of the Phoenix and Deathly Hallows Part 1. Heck, they're just barely in that last one.
Due to its length, a lot of characters fall into this in Order of the Phoenix.
Even with the book adapted into two films, Deathly Hallows has this in spades.
Grawp, Hagrid's giant half-brother from Order of the Phoenix gets even less scenes than in the book, reducing him to one heartwarming intro scene and one epic Dynamic Entry scene in the Forbidden forest near the end. His one line of speech during that scene is removed as well. The rest of his appearnces in the books are completely cut as well as it appears he suffers from Chuck Cunningham Syndrome in the films.
Dobby get's most of his appearances cut in the films. He appears in all but two of the books but only appears in two of the movies.
A rare object example is the invisibility cloak's appearances are far less than in the books. While some scenes that featured it in the books were cut from the films some scenes that did make it into the films are nowhere to be seen. For example The scene where the Trio was following Malfoy into Knock turn Alley and also Harry's big reveal during the final battle.
Diegetic Switch: "O'Children" starts out playing crackling on the radio, then fades into clear background music when Harry and Hermione start dancing.
Did They or Didn't They?: Harry and Hermione, type 3. Part 1 of Deathly Hallows builds up as much Will They or Won't They? tension as possible between two characters who are in love with other people, then Part 2, with its coy references to Harry talking in his sleep, seems to invite the audience to ponder what's likely to happen when you leave two hormonal teenagers who know they might be killed any day alone in a tent for several weeks. (Especially when they're probably both virgins.) For a certain section of fandom, it possibly qualifies as Fridge Brilliance.
Fenrir and Scabior. Neither were killed in the book.
Goyle, to an extent. He falls into the fire.
Dissonant Serenity: Neville gets this after waking up from Voldemort's knock-out blow in Deathly Hallows Part 2. It's so bad, he's actually completely oblivious to another fighter being thrown back not more than 3 feet from where he is. Did we mention that the guy getting thrown back was on fire?
Disproportionate Retribution: After Harry tricks Lucius into giving Dobby a sock by accident, Lucius pulls out his wand and attempts to curse Harry. In the second book, he gets blasted by Dobby before he can say anything. In the movie, he manages to get out an "Avada" before he's blasted. "Avada" is the first part of "Avada Kedavra", the Killing Curse. Killing Harry in broad daylight in front of Dumbledore's office probably isn't the best course of action... Word of God states that the script didn't specify a curse for that scene, so Jason Isaacs just ad-libbed the first one that came to mind.
The Death Eaters' pointed hoods give them a strong resemblance to the Ku Klux Klan, although with the opposite colour scheme, of course.
In Half-Blood Prince:
Cormac inquires about Hermione to Ron, while brandishing his quite large Quidditch broomstick.
A bathrobe-clad Ginny points out to Harry that his shoelace is untied, and drops down to a knee, at first out of frame. To tie his shoe, of course!
Ron is wiping a lot of things off Hermione's lips... like toothpaste and butterbeer foam...
Deathly Hallows Part 1 has two major ones:
The scene where Hermione is tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange. It happens offscreen in the book, but you get to see plenty of it in the film adaptation, and it strongly ressembles rape.
The Nazi-esque posters and pamphlets being printed from the same film. Another Nazi-esque bit of symbolism is Bellatrix scarring Hermione's arm with "Mudblood", which is reminiscent of the serial numbers tattooed onto the forearms of interns in concentration camps.
Speaking of Nazis, Albert Runcorn, the man Harry polyjuices into, wears a leather jacket and an outfit that makes him look like a Gestapo officer.
From Deathly Hallows Part 2:
Possible as another Nazi-esque reference, Lucius' Azkaban number is tattooed on his neck.
Ron opens the door to the Chamber of Secrets with some Parseltongue.
Ron: I learnt that from Harry — he talks in his sleep, did you know that? Hermione:(looking a bit flustered) No... of course not!
Dramatic Curtain Toss: In Prince, every time Draco goes to the wardrobe. It gets silly after a while.
Dramatic Pause: Alan Rickman as Snape... loves... these.
Drool Hello: In the first movie, the gang is alerted to Fluffy's presence by his drool on Ron's shoulder.
Eat The Camera: In Deathly Hallows Part 1, Voldemort kills Charity Burbage, a professor at Hogwarts whom he considered repugnant for supporting Muggles. He tells his huge pet snake Nagini that "dinner is ready", and she slithers across the table, until the camera enters her mouth as she starts devouring Burbage's corpse.
Epic Movie: Deathly Hallows. So big, they needed an entire extra movie for the last ten chapters. The two halves feel very different; Part 1 is very grim while Part 2 has more fantasy.
The trend started with the first movie, which had an $125 million budget (unprecedented for a children's film), wall-to-wall A-list actors, and a 2.5 hour running time.
Those twin girls from the sixth movie were meant to set up one in which Harry realizes the Vanishing Cabinet has a twin. The scene got cut, but it's included in the deleted scenes on the DVD. Thus, the twins' appearances throughout the finished film might count as The Artifact.
Hermione gets one in Deathly Hallows Part 1 while she's cutting Harry's hair.
Even Mooks have Standards: Draco Malfoy has rolled his eyes at the ridiculousness of being taught how to defend himself against Cornish Pixies, tracked the path of Dobby's rogue Bludger out of fear along with Harry, and cringed at the sound of the infant Mandrake Root's cries.
Everyone Can See It: Ron and Hermione in Half-Blood Prince, even more so than in the book. Ginny lampshades it in the infirmary scene when leaving Ron and Hermione alone and says, "About time, don't you think?", which also doubles as a huge hint from herself to Harry.
Exact Words: In Deathly Hallows Part 2, in Bellatrix's vault:
Griphook: I said I'd get you in. I didn't say anything about getting you out.
Fanservice: The nude kissing scene between Horcrux-Harry and Horcrux-Hermione in Deathly Hallows Part 1 is this to male and female fans alike.
Fantastic Racism: Voldemort and his Death Eaters to all Muggle-Borns. The Malfoys employ this egregiously to anyone Muggle-born, who associate with Muggles, the entire Weasley family, and, judging from the reaction Lucius gave when entering Hagrid's hut in Chamber of Secrets, anyone who was not rich. A sort of unifying brand of racism goes through the Death Eaters, the Malfoys, and Dolores Umbridge in regards to members of other magical species as well.
Fascinating Eyebrow: In Deathly Hallows Part 1, Emma Watson finally managed control over her infamous overacting eyebrows to be able to just raise one to punctuate the joke of Ron trying to win Hermione over by "voting" for her idea to see Xenophilius Lovegood.
Faux Affably Evil: Voldemort has shades of this early in Deathly Hallows Part 1, during the meeting at Malfoy Manor.
Flat "What.": Harry does this when Hagrid tells him that he can ride Buckbeak.
A blink-and-you-miss-it one: near the beginning of Prisoner of Azkaban, a wizard in the Leaky Cauldron is seen reading A Brief History of Time. The last act is based heavily around time travel.
In Half-Blood Prince, Harry has a brief reaction to the ring foreshadowing the fact that Harry himself is a Horcrux. This, and other subtle hints towards the events of Deathly Hallows, are due to the fact that this was the first script drafted in conjunction with the following film's script.
Deathly Hallows Part 1: Harry thinks that there might be a Horcrux made in Godric's Hollow.
During the "Tale of the Three Brothers" segment, the elder wand resembles Dumbledore's Wand.
In Deathly Hallows Part 2, the music that plays at the very beginning while Snape is looking over a decrepit Hogwarts is Lily's theme.
For the Evulz: Presumably the only reason the Death Eaters torch the Burrows in Half-Blood Prince and the Quidditch pitch in the assault on Hogwarts.
"Harry Potter, you give me my wand!" "Harry Potter, you listen to me right now!"
G-L
Geographic Flexibility: Also present in the books, but less noticeably. The books give it a Hand Wave which is alluded to with the shifting staircases.
Occasionally, but especially in Half-Blood Prince.
Ginny: Your shoelace is untied. (her head bobs down nearly to the bottom of the frame)
And then there's this:
Ron: So, did you and Ginny do it? Harry:What? Ron: Hide the book.
Also, there's Mrs. Weasley yelling at Fred and George for scaring her by Apparating in Order of the Phoenix:
Mrs. Weasley: Just because you can use magic now does not mean you have to whip your wands out for everything!
As pointed out in this Cracked article, during the credits of Prisoner of Azkaban, which are modeled after the Marauder's Map, judging by the movements and shoe positions, there's a pair of students who are fairly obviously doing the nasty in a corner.
Gilligan Cut: Played for laughs in the sixth film, when Harry and Hermione are discussing their date choices to Slughorn's Christmas party:
Harry: I'll invite someone I like. Someone cool. (cut to Luna Lovegood waiting for Harry in her Jane Jetson dress)
Glass-Shattering Sound: The Fat Lady attempts this in The Prisoner of Azkaban, but has to resort to breaking the glass on her frame.
Good Colors, Evil Colors: When Voldemort comes back in Goblet of Fire, he's a nice, sickly green. Notice when Harry fights him in the morning sun in the final movie, he's pretty near a normal skin tone — probably because he's now missing several evil Horcruxes.
Severus Snape's death. Even then it's a Nothing Is Scarier moment as we see only a view through a dirty window, but can hear clearly the sound of the snake striking him again and again.
Inverted and played straight with the discovery of Bathilda Bagshot's body in Deathly Hallows Part 1. While you don't see her body, as it is being used by Nagini like a suit, the indication that Bagshot was brutally murdered is the rather large and gruesome pool of blood dripping from the ceiling of her house.
Green-Eyed Monster: The locket turns Ron into this in Deathly Hallows Part 1 by inflaming his insecurity about his relationship to Hermione, which sparks jealousy over her appearing to dote on Harry. Part of his motivation for abandoning them is seeing them coming back from the close call with the Snatchers and thinking they've been doing... something else.
Headphones Equal Isolation: In Deathly Hallows Part 1, the waitress at the diner is in the kitchen with her back turned and headphones playing music on, and doesn't hear the loud and destructive wand battle between the Trio and a pair of Death Eaters.
Hide Your Pregnancy: Helena Bonham-Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) was pregnant during the filming of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, but it would have thrown a major wrench into the plot for Bellatrix to appear pregnant. So she spends that film wearing a loose costume and hiding behind the furniture, especially in the Unbreakable Vow scene.
Hoist By Their Own Petard: What ultimately drives Ron to destroy the locket in Deathly Hallows Part 1 is the soul fragment presenting itself as Harry and Hermione mocking him and then making out, the very thing it was driving him to think was happening earlier on.
Holier Than Thou: Draco certainly cops this attitude through films 2-5.
Hot Scoop: Rita Skeeter as played by Miranda Richardson in Goblet of Fire. She also seems to be a bit of a Mrs. Robinson.
I Always Wanted to Say That: Said by Professor McGonagall of all people, after using the Piertotum Locomotor spell. Considering whatit does, can you blame her? Especially cute is the schoolgirl giggle she gives after delivering the line.
I Can't Dance: Harry and Ron in Goblet. Subverted with Neville, who actually rehearsed dance steps and ends up having a much better time at the ball than Harry and Ron.
I Have You Now, My Pretty: Scabior, the head Snatcher in Deathly Hallows. After he captures Hermione, calls her "My lovely" and sniffs her hair. The actor Nick Moran told Entertainment Weekly they cut out his line: "You're going to be my favorite."
I Never Said It Was Poison: In Goblet, Barty Jr., disguised as Moody, blows his cover by mentioning the graveyard Harry was sent to before Harry does.
International Coproduction: The series is a US/UK co-production, with Warner Bros. on the American end and Heyday Films on the British end. Additionally, Chris Columbus's company, 1492 Pictures, was involved in the first three films and effects house Moving Picture Company helped produce Deathly Hallows Part 2 on top of providing effects.
Harry, after imbibing some Felix Felicis in the sixth movie. Hilarity Ensues.
Hermione seemed to be feeling some effects from drinking butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks.
Intro Dump: Scene Two of the seventh movie, when Bill Weasley introduces himself, his injury from Grayback and his impending wedding, as well as Tonks and Lupin already being married. Partly justified, in the sheer number of subplots left to die in the previous movies.
In both the book and movie versions, Harry is continuously forced by Umbridge to write "I must not tell lies" in his own blood. In the movie version, after leading Umbridge on a wild goose chase into the woods, she's captured by the centaurs, and begs Harry to tell them she means no harm, at which point Harry replies, "I'm sorry, Professor. I must not tell lies." This occurred in the book, but those lines between Harry and Umbridge were left out. In the film version of Deathly Hallows, Harry once again uses the "must not tell lies" line on Umbridge while in the Ministry.
Also in Deathly Hallows, when Griphook asked Harry where he got the Sword of Gryffindor, Harry said "It's complicated." Griphook gave the same answer when Harry asked him why Bellatrix thought the sword would be inside the Lestrange vault.
Done very subtly within the first ten minutes of Philosopher's Stone: As the thousands upon thousands of letters begin to shoot down the Dursley's chimney, the camera begins to shake rather wildly to indicate that the house is being bombarded by scores of Hogwarts admittance letters.
David Yates is a fan of Jitter Cam, apparently, as it's used in Order during some scenes in the Ministry, in Prince when Harry is pursuing Bellatrix in the field outside of the Burrow, and in in Deathly Hallows Part 1, particularly in the scene where Ron fights with Harry in the tent and leaves.
A rumour exists that when Kenneth Branagh was selected to play Lockhart, he, Alan Rickman (Snape) and Jason Isaacs (Malfoy) competed to see who could deliver the most porktacular performance that would make it into the final cut of the film.
And Jessie Cave as Lavender Brown hams it up, especially in the scene in the hospital wing.
McGonagall: Why is it that whenever something happens, it's alwaysyou three? Ron: I've been asking myself that same question for the past six years.
And earlier in the film:
Dumbledore: You're probably wondering why I brought you here this evening. Harry: Actually, sir, after all these years, I tend to just go along with it.
There is a build-up between Hermione and Ron in the books, but the movies downplay the Slap-Slap-Kiss and build them up as a couple earlier, averting the trope. It also manages to avert it for Harry and Ginny in the film version of Prince by giving Ginny more screen time and giving them more scenes together and not having them break up at the end as they do in the book, making their being Happily Married in the epilogue a bit more believable.
In the final movie Neville declares that he's crazy about Luna, which is contrary to what J.K. had happening to the two characters. That said, both Neville and Luna's actors stated they imagined Neville and Luna would only dated for a short time before realizing they were better as friends.
Lecherous Licking: Barty Crouch Jr. definitely seems to idolise Voldemort a bit too much. It's taken to the extreme Goblet of Fire, when Barty actually wipes blood off Harry's arm, saying that his blood now runs within the Dark Lord, before appearing to lick it off his finger.
Snape: Well, it may have escaped your notice, but life isn't fair.
Literally Shattered Lives: In Deathly Hallows Part 2, an enraged Molly Weasley casts a curse on Bellatrix that freezes her in place and dessicates her... followed by a blast that shatters her into a million pieces.
And later, Harry does the same to Voldemort.
Leave Your Quest Test: Depressed after Ron walks out on them and Voldemort's forces are all-powerful, Hermione suggests that she and Harry just stay hidden by the river where they're camped out and grow old together. It's doubtful she's serious, but it's a telling moment for this normally driven character.
Loophole Abuse: Done by Griphook after he double crosses the trio during the raid on Bellatrix's vault at Gringotts.
Griphook:I said I'd get you in. I never said anything about letting you out!
M-R
Medium Blending: Deathly Hallows Part 1 has an animated segment for "The Tale of the Three Brothers", the legendary story of the Deathly Hallows. It's CGI that looks like the fantasy Jim Henson productions like The Dark Crystal or Labyrinth.
Million Mook March: Averted in Deathly Hallows Part 2. When Voldomort's men think they've won they just shuffle wearily across the bridge to Hogwarts, exhausted after fighting all night.
The Training Montage in Order Of The Phoenix going to the D.A.'s Christmas lesson, with Harry and Cho's kiss, to the group practicing Patronus Charms and being raided by Umbridge's Inquisitorial squad, to her and the Ministry confronting Dumbledore and his departure is enough Mood Whiplash to give any Potter fan severe neck injury.
In Half-Blood Prince, the scene goes from funny with Ron being under the influence of the love potion to him convulsing and frothing at the mouth after drinking a poisonous tonic.
In Half-Blood Prince, the intentional Narm of the Felix sequence is quickly sidelined by the Tear Jerker story of Francis the fish.
Moral Luck: Lampshaded in Philosopher's Stone just after the troll incident. Prof. McGonagall awards Harry and Ron five House points each "for sheer, dumb luck". While there was some skill involved, both Ron and Harry were exceptionally lucky nevertheless.
Mundane Made Awesome: The way Deathly Hallows Part 2 handles Neville killing Nagini. If it wasn't for the slow motion, lack of sound, and the Visual Effects of Awesome, it probably would have turned out much more embarrassing than it looked.
Musical Spoiler: In Deathly Hallows. Whenever the Slytherin locket is influencing someone's behavior, there is a characteristic, high-pitched noise. The noise appears when Harry talks to Bathilda Bagshot in her home, hinting early that she is in fact Nagini.
Rita Skeeter:(throwing Harry into a tiny broom closet) Well, now, isn't this cosy? Harry: Um, Miss Skeeter, it's a broom closet. Rita: Well, then, you should feel right at home.
In the fifth film, when they find the Room of Requirement, Ron queries whether it would appear as a bathroom if you really needed it. In the books, the first mention of the Room was when it appeared to Professor Dumbledore as a room full of chamberpots in Goblet of Fire (which didn't make it into the film version).
A Nazi by Any Other Name: The "Death Eaters = Nazis" allegory is made quite clear in the books, but emphasized with the posters and pamphlets printed for the anti-Muggle, anti-Muggleborn campaigns; low-grade miserable looking workers in gray striped robes in the Ministry; and the Ministry's elite guard wearing blue Nazi-styled uniforms (arm-scarf included!) in Deathly Hallows.
Goblet's trailer shows Harry spitting out his water upon seeing girls from Beauxbatons when it's really Cho he's looking at!
A good majority of the ads for the sixth movie consisted of wacky modern dance music in the background while trying to imply that it will be nothing but a wacky magical teen romantic comedy movie, which is half-right, but that still doesn't excuse there being about... one commercial made that made any mention of, you know... Voldemort. Justified in that Voldemort is an outside presence in the film, just like the source material.
A small and rather cruel one for the seventh film. There was a shot of Harry setting Hedwig free, implying that she wouldn't die like she did in the book. However, she ends up reappearing during the chase scene and tries to save Harry's life, but is hit with a killing curse. However, test screening viewers warned fans about this ahead of time.
This was done rather sneakily with a few lines in trailers for the seventh and eighth film: most noticeably with some of Voldemort's lines:
"I have seen your heart, and it is mine", which in both the book and film is Voldemort's locket Horcrux speaking to Ron, is used out of context to make it seem like Voldemort is talking to Harry.
The frequently used sound byte "Bring him to me!" is always used with a shot of Harry, while in Deathly Hallows Part 2 proper, it's Voldemort ordering Lucius to give him Snape.
And of course, there's NYEEEEAAAAH! which was used only once by Voldemort in Deathly Hallows Part 1 (after the Seven Potters chase), but shows up very frequently in the trailers for Part 2.
The trailers for Part 2 were partial to using Voldemort's line "Only I can live forever." during shots of the final showdown with Harry. It's actually what Voldemort says right before cutting Snape's throat and ordering Nagini to attack.
Never Work with Children or Animals: As Katie Couric pointed out in a TV special about the making of the first film, Harry Potter breaks both rules rather spectacularly. Chris Columbus has said that the first film is full of cuts because the kids would so often ruin takes by laughing, looking into the camera, etc. He was therefore quite impressed that the main trio had progressed enough to be able to do The Oner in later films. And, of course, the UK's child actor laws provided the inconvenience of only being able to use their lead actors for four hours per day while they were still underage. The Great Hall scenes were especially difficult, as they combined the difficulty of working with children and the difficulty of working with crowds.
No Animals Were Harmed: The fourth film carries the disclaimer "No Dragons Were Harmed in the Making of this Movie."
No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Voldemort vs. Harry in the expanded fight scene. As Voldemort's wand won't work, he retorts to using his fists to give Harry a pummelling.
Oblivious Janitor Cut: In Deathly Hallows Part 1, while the hero trio is attacked at the diner, the waiter/cook is in the kitchen, blithely listening to music on her headphones.
Obviously Evil: Absolutely no-one who is with the Death Eaters seems like they would fit in anywhere else. You have the guy with a snake face, the grovelling servant, the Ax Crazy witch, the sneering rich blonde, and the guy who likes screaming and flailing his tongue around.
The other contestants in the first round in Goblet of Fire, though you have to wonder just how boring they were if Harry's round helped him Win Back The Crowd.
In Deathly Hallows Part 1, when Umbridge realizes Runcorn is really Harry in disguise, just before he stupefies her.
Also in Part 2, Neville has a an Oh Crap look on his face when the barrier around Hogwarts fades, and hundreds of Voldemort's mooks come rushing towards the bridge he's guarding.
Neville is prone to these: He gets one in Goblet of Fire during the second Triwizard Tournament challenge, after Harry fails to surface for air after taking the Gillyweed for a certain period of time, believing that he killed Harry.
Neville:(turning around, grabbing clumps of his hair) Oh my God! I've killed Harry Potter!
The look on poor Colin's face in Chamber of Secrets, when he realizes that he is in the direct path of Dobby's cursed Bludger can only be described as this.
Snape, when he realizes that Voldemort believes that Snape is the true master of the Elder Wand and thus Voldemort must kill him to gain the wand's allegiance. It endsbadly for him.
Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping: Kelly Mac Donald plays the Grey Lady with an English accent but when she becomes enraged, her natural Scottish accent comes out.
Over The Shoulder Murder Shot: Partial example in the first film when Harry, Draco and Fang accidentally interrupt Voldemort's unicorn meal in the Forbidden Forest. He doesn't turn around, but he does look up, and there is blood on his lips.
Harry gets one in Deathly Hallows while wandering around, away from civilization, for weeks at a time. At one point, we see Hermione cutting his hair (manually, with a pair of scissors), so he may also have shaving equipment that, because of his circumstances, he can't use daily. Or maybe Daniel Radcliffe didn't want to grow his facial hair out further, but the director wanted another visual indicator of Harry's "on the run" status.
Lucius Malfoy from both Hallows films, his dishevelment symbolizing how far he's fallen from Voldemort's graces.
Pimped-Out Dress: Trust Luna to attend a Christmas party in a dress that looks like the lovechild of a Christmas tree and a wedding cake.
Promotion to Opening Titles: Of a sort. Half-Blood Prince marks the first time Bonnie Wright is listed in the main credits instead of just on the list of cast members.
Deathly Hallows Part 1 features a private police force stationed in the Ministry of Magic after Voldemort takes over. They all wear red armbands. Subtle. Not to mention all of those anti-Muggleborn propaganda pamphlets.
Albert Runcorn's leather trench coat, when combined with his duties and demeanour, give him the appearance of a Gestapo operative.
Also from the seventh film, Bellatrix carves "mudblood" into Hermione's arm, much like how the Nazis tattooed numbers onto the skin of Jews during the Holocaust. You know, just in case the allegory was still too subtle at that point.
The way the students at Hogwarts are marching at the beginning of the eighth movie evokes this. The students. Some of whom are eleven.
Seamus Finnigan making everything explode (including his cauldron and a feather) in classes. Acknowledged / lampshaded in Goblet of Fire, where he mentions he doesn't do it on purpose, it just happens a fair bit, and in Deathly Hallows Part 2, when McGonagall tells Neville to rig the wooden bridge to blow, and she suggests he enlist the help of Seamus and his talent for pyrotechnics.
Much of Prisoner of Azkaban, especially the outdoor scenes and the shots of the spiral staircase. (Maybe not so much scenery porn per se as cinematography porn — but as that isn't yet a recognized trope, this trope comes closest.)
The swooping shot of the sea cliff in Half-Blood Prince.
Several scenes in Deathly Hallows while Harry, Hermione, and Ron are on the run. The movie really loves long shots of the trio's campgrounds.
Seeing Hogwarts for the first time in Philosopher's Stone, with the camera panning up from the students' point-of-view on the lake, and again at the end of Chamber of Secrets when the camera zooms out from the Great Hall.
Scenery Gorn: Hogwarts half-destroyed in Deathly Hallows Part 2.
Schr๖dinger's Cast: In Deathly Hallows Part 1, Peter Pettigrew's death is omitted. He doesn't return in Part 2, and it's never mentioned if he dies. Also a case of Karma Houdini.
Scooby Stack: The trio do this on their way out of Hagrid's hut in Prisoner of Azkaban when Fudge, Dumbledore, and the executioner arrive.
In Deathly Hallows Part 2, as the final battle of Hogwarts begins, Narcissa and Draco are calmly, but quickly, walking away from Hogwarts as Lucius tries to catch up with them.
Several of Voldy's men noticeably disapparate the moment Harry turns out to be Not Quite Dead.
Secret Government Warehouse: Who would have thought something innocuously named the Department of Mysteries would have one of these?
Shadow Discretion Shot: Used in the second film when Fawkes takes out the basilisk's eyes. Justified in that Harry couldn't look the basilisk in the eyes, or he'd, y'know, die.
In Goblet, when Harry uses the bath to figure out the secret of the egg.
The Deathly Hallows films feature several over their course:
Part 1: Harry (several times over) during the clothes-changing in the "everyone Polyjuices into Harry" scene, and when he strips down to jump into the pond to get the sword. Ron also has one right after the trio escapes from the Ministry, but it flies straight into Fan Disservice when we see that his shoulder's laid open to the bone.
Part 2: Harry and Ron changing into dry shirts after the trio emerges from the lake.
Shoo the Dog: At the start of Deathly Hallows Part 1, before the crew are about to fly off, Harry lets Hedwig go. She comes back and attacks one of the Death Eaters chasing Harry during the Battle for Little Whinging, and ends up taking a Killing Curse.
During the reading of dead wizards and witches over the radio in Deathly Hallows Part 1, there is a dead witch named "Ebony Raven".
The scene in the prelude of the Battle of Hogwarts with McGonagall enchanting the castle's "statues" and armory is reminiscent of the climax of Bedknobs And Broomsticks.
One of the posters has Harry and Voldemort's heads staring at each other with a wand between them, แ la the Freddy vs. Jason poster.
Skyward Scream: In Deathly Hallows Part 2, Voldemort does this in his death scene. The effect of the rebounding death curse starts to disintegrate him, and he lets out a last, haunting scream as he turns to the sky and breaks up into nothing.
Subverted. In Deathly Hallows Part 1, Hedwig looks like she'd be about to get this, when Harry lets her fly away, where in the books, she got hit by a stray curse while in her cage. Subverted when she flies back and takes a blow for him. However, test screening viewers told fans what would happen, so it wasn't unexpected when it did.
Deathly Hallows also spares Wormtail (he survives Part 1, and doesn't appear at all in Part 2). It also spared Vincent Crabbe, whose actor wasn't available for the movie, so Goyle was the one to die by Fiendfyre.
Unless you believe that Dobby kills him, which is conceivable given that he doesn't appear in later films.
Voldemort does not kill Grindelwald, who tells him where the Elder Wand is unlike in the book.
The film version of Goblet of Fire seems to spare Barty Crouch Jr., as we do not see what happens to him after the interrogation scene and he is never seen again. In the book he is given the Dementor's Kiss.
Special Effect Branding: When Apparating, Death Eaters are dark smoke and Order members are streaks of white light. Don't ask why (as the more standard one from the books also appears), but it looks cool. Also falls under Color-Coded Characters.
It's actually different from Apparating, which is still instant. It's more like flight.
Harry's scar is somewhat used as this, as in each film, the pain it inflicts indicates that Voldemort is particularly angry/happy.
In the eighth movie, Harry seems to use this to recognize horcruxes. This plugs the Plot Hole caused by cutting out the dialogue where Dumbledore theorized what they might be.
The Protego Maximashield charm that envelops Hogwarts in Deathly Hallows Part 2, which not only deflects bombardment for a while, but actually disintegrates humans that try to breach it.
The maximized version of the Patronus charm, as cast by Harry in Prisoner of Azkaban and Aberforth during Deathly Hallows Part 2 to ward off mass quantities of Dementors, also has this visual effect.
Spotting The Thread: In the fourth film, Barty Crouch Sr. recognizes Barty Jr. disguised as Moody when he licks his lips in the same manner that he is shown doing during the Pensieve Flashback.
Harry's memories in the fifth film are footage from earlier scenes in that same film and from the previous four installments.
Snape inserts himself Forrest Gump-style into the Mirror of Erised scene from the first movie. And in a nice moment between Harry and Sirius, to which he says, "I may vomit."
In the eighth movie, scenes from the other seven are used for Horcrux flashbacks and Snape's Pensieve memories.
A Storm Is Coming: Hagrid says "There's a storm coming" in Order of the Phoenix — and this scene is directly followed by the Death Eaters breaking out of Azkaban.
Strange Minds Think Alike: In a deleted scene from Hallow, Part 1, Arthur Weasley echos Ron's comment that Yaxley should try an umbrella if it's raining in his office.
Take That: It was actually taken verbatim from the books and likely wasn't meant as one, but many people who hadn't read the books thought Ron trying to replace "Twilight" with "midnight" in Hermione's narration as one.
Tempting Fate: In the eight movie, after Griphook abandoned the Golden Trio, Ron commented that at least they still had Bogrod. Bogrod was then burned to death by a dragon.
Theme Tune Cameo: In the first movie, soon before the climactic pursuit of the stone, Hagrid plays the opening theme on his fife.
Three-Point Landing: After casting the Piertotum Locomotor spell, the Hogwarts statues descend from their plinths and land in this way just before the final battle.
Timeshifted Actor: Baby Harry in the first and last movies; the various actors to play Tom Riddle (with 16-year-old Voldemort played by two different actors); the young Marauders, Snape, Lily, and Petunia.
Took a Level in Badass: Ron takes a small but noticable level between Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows Part 1, possibly in response to some fans criticising how he was made into a bit too much of a comic relief in the previous six movies. In Hallows he becomes a more mature and reliable sidekick, and some of his greatest moments in the last two movies even have him acting more confident and determined than in the books. After destroying the locket in the book, Ron is understandably upset and is comforted by Harry, while in the film he's rather upbeat about it, and casually quips that there are now "only three to go!"
The Half-Blood Prince trailer spoils just about every major plot point, excluding Horcruxes and Dumbledore's death.
The first teaser trailer for the two Deathly Hallows movies starts with the part where Harry is by himself confronting Voldemort and his followers in the Forbidden Forest and Voldemort using the "Killing Curse" on him!
The trailer for Deathly Hallows Part 2 shows Ron crying over his brother Fred's dead body while Harry's V.O. says "I never wanted any of you to die for me."
Anothere trailer shows Harry in the Forbidden Forest talking to his mother, father, Sirius, and Lupin, who are all supposed to be dead, but now brought back to life by the Resurrection Stone!
The fourth showed that Harry's name comes out of the goblet.
For the third, the trailer with Harry shouting "expecto patronum" very loudly likely makes obvious what is going to happen for those far enough into the movie to have already heard Harry's quieter "expecto patronum" shouts.
In Deathly Hallows Part 2, as Professor McGonagall calmly and silently completely overwhelms the Carrow siblings as well as Snape at the Great Hall, knocking out the former and forcing the latter to flee.
Trash the Set: Hogwarts gets utterly destroyed in Deathly Hallows Part 2.
One of the biggest laughs is, after the final battle, whilst all the main characters are resting and congratulating themselves, Argus Filch, a Squibb with no magical ability, starts to clean up the mess with a push broom.
Un Evil Laugh: Voldemort has an evil, spiteful chuckle after announcing Harry's "death" to a crowd. It's... less than satisfactory and is becoming the stuff of Memetic Mutation.
"HEH-HEH-Heeehhh!"
Underwater Ruins: The arches at the bottom of the Black Lake in Goblet of Fire.
Unskilled, but Strong: Harry is able to stand toe to toe with Voldemort by the time the eighth film rolls around due to this, though without Voldemort's knowledge and experience he is left running away much of the time. This is notable because up until this point anyone Voldemort has battled has been slaughtered, like the goblins and workers in Gringotts, or the human guards at Azkaban. Dumbledore, described by most characters as the most powerful wizard alive (for awhile, anyway) is only able to fight him to a stalemate, making Harry's strength all the more remarkable.
Up to Eleven: At the end of the second novel, Lucius Malfoy goes after Harry with intent to harm. In the film, he goes after Harry with intent to kill. This can be explained by the fact that Jason Isaacs ad-libbed the line — he probably shouted the first spell that came into his head.
Villainous Breakdown: It's safe to say that this happens to Voldemort as Deathly Hallows Part 2 progresses as his Horcruxes are destroyed. This results in him randomly killing Pius Thicknesse when he asks Voldy if he's alright. Of course, the murder is completely in line for the guy. By the end of the night even Bellatrix is tip-toeing around him.
Voice Of The Resistance: Sends out the message to Remus & co. in Deathly Hallows Part 2. "Abrupt weather report; lightning has struck! I repeat, lightning has struck!"
Vomit Discretion Shot: In the sixth movie, Cormac is shown leaning down out of camera shot and vomiting on Snape's shoes.
We Can Rule Together: Toyed with near the end of the fifth movie when Voldemort "coaches" Harry on how to use the Cruciatus Curse on Bellatrix.
Also used near the end of the first when Voldemort tries to turn Harry in an attempt to get the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's stone.
"Cinema Sins Narrator: Voldemort offers an Empire, but Harry strikes back."
What You Are in the Dark: Instead of a monster-filled maze, the third trial of the Triwizard Tournament in Goblet of Fire becomes this as both Harry and Cedric are tempted to perform actions neither would normally consider all for the sake of winning.
White-Haired Pretty Girl: Luna Lovegood. Though officially she has dirty blonde hair, it does look white sometimes, depending upon the lighting.
Why Don't You Marry It?: In the fourth movie, when Ron is raving about Krum, Ginny's reply is "I think you're in love, Ron."
Why Won't You Die?: In Deathly Hallows Part 2, Voldemort's reaction after everybody finds out Harry has survived the killing curse again.
Win Back The Crowd: In-universe. Harry in Goblet of Fire gets decidedly unpopular when his name gets picked for the Tri-Wizard Tournament — but wins them over with the dragon battle.
World Half Empty: Seen in Deathly Hallows Part 1 when the Golden Trio are wandering through Britain, with Scenery Porn of beautiful yet cold and empty fields and highways, the scorched remains of a caravan park where the Death Eaters have struck, and their dark contrails overhead.
World of Ham: Just about damn near EVERY adult actor.
In Chamber of Secrets, Alan Rickman, Jason Isaacs, and Kenneth Branagh were apparently embroiled in a contest to see who could "out-ham" the others the most.
Jason Isaacs recalls sitting next to Branagh in their makeup chairs one day and he asked Isaacs how he was doing. Isaacs confessed his acting may have been "too big." Branagh replied "Look up at my heels."
Radcliffe, as well, demonstrated his own potential to unleash the Hog in Half-Blood Prince.
It's pretty damn clear with every line she speaks in Deathly Hallows that Helena Bonham-Carter is now the undisputed ruler of Ham World! Except for the sequence where she pretends to be Hermione's poor impression of Bellatrix, where she does a good job of being Emma Watson pretending to be someone else, who is pretending to be someone else.
For only appearing for five minutes in Goblet of Fire, David Tennant holds his own ground as incredibly hammy as a fellow psychopath. Especially his facial expressions.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Helen McCrory joked that all of the adult actors hammed it up as revenge for having their subplots cut.
Wormtail's death is cut from Deathly Hallows Part 1, but Wormtail doesn't appear at all in Part 2. Timothy Spall was originally intended to reprise the role in Part 2, suggesting that he was intended to be killed off anyway, but his part ended up being cut. Some believe Dobby's attack killed him, or that he is among those killed by Voldemort at the beginning of Part 2 after the Gringotts scene.
Crabbe fits this trope when he doesn't appear in Deathly Hallows Part 2 (where Goyle does), although there was a reason the filmmakers cut him out (his actor Jamie Waylett was arrested for possession of drugs). Still, it wouldn't have been too hard to at least give mention to him in the Room of Requirement scene.
Wrestler in All of Us: Our first glimpse of wizard chess shows the queen killing the Knight with it's throne.
You and What Army?: Neville completes his transformation into a badass when he says this to taunt the Death Eaters when they try to get past the protective enchantments and three of them end up disintegrating. It's all the more awesome considering Neville says this to about a thousand Death Eaters who are inches away from attacking.
Zip Me Up: Ginny to Harry in Deathly Hallows Part 1.
alternative title(s): Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows; Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban; Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets; Harry Potter And The Philosophers Stone; Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire; Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix; Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince
, holding all of the later films in higher regard than the Columbus films. This being said, all of the films have been overall critical successes (the lowest mark on rottentomatoes.com being a 78, the lowest on Metacritic being a 63).Discussion has been going on among fans about the possibility of remakes in the future. Time will tell.Warning: High chance of unmarked spoilers!
4 reviews 