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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets


Hope R.
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I pulled my 12 year old out of the last 2 periods of school today and took her to see the latest HP movie.

It was GREAT! Very true to the book - even the dialog is word-for-word in most places. Of course, even at 161 minutes, there were some scenes left out that I would have LOVED to have seen done (Nearly-Headless Nick's deathday party isn't in there )

Warning: If you have children younger than 7 or 8 years old, I would not recommend it. There are two very frightening scenes that could cause nightmares, and a bunch of less frightening incidents that even made me jump a few times.

The actor who plays Lucius Malfoy is just mahvelous. And Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockhart was PERFECT casting.

Whaddya think Zix?

Hope R. color>size>face>

"Don't let the past remind us of what we are not now" - Stephen Stills

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Hope: Oh, definitely. Quite superior to the first one. Might have used a bit more humor, though. Lucius Malfoy was played by the same actor who played Mel Gibson's nemesis in The Patriot, Jason Isaacs. And Kenneth Branagh is superb in everything he does. (Which makes Wild, Wild West even more inexplicable...)

You'll have to go see it again, though. Unless you sat through to the end of the credits, you didn't get to see Lockhart's final disposition. (It's worth it.)

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Yeah - After I'd already seen it, I read in the newpaper that there is a surprise when the NINE minutes of credits are over and done. Oh well, guess I'll just HAVE to go see it again... I hope my youngin' doesn't mind!

It was much darker than the "Sorcerer's Stone" - which makes me wonder what's going to happen as the films progress.

Who do you think will take Richard Harris' place as Dumbledore? Perhaps one of the "Lord of the Rings" wizards can step in!

Hope R. color>size>face>

"Don't let the past remind us of what we are not now" - Stephen Stills

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There has been speculation that Christopher Lee may get the part of Dumbledore in HP3. That would be quite a coup--major roles in the three biggest film franchises of the past 25 years, Dumbledore, Saruman in LOTR, and Count Dooku in Star Wars 2&3.

(p.s. Speaking of Lord of the Rings, the new extended edition DVD is fantastic! The extra half hour fills in some gaps in the backstory, and it's all seamless. Fortunately, the booklet shows which scenes were added or extended so you can see all the little differences. Highest recommendation!)

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I also read that James Cromwell is being considered. He was the actor who played Farmer Hoggett in "Babe" and the warden in "The Green Mile".

Christopher Lee doesn't have that mischievous look in his eye like Richard Harris did. I think Cromwell would be the perfect replacement. Lee is 80 years old and I don't think he will be able to be in 5 more HP films. Cromwell is only 64 - I hope they give him a chance.

Hope R. color>size>face>

"Don't let the past remind us of what we are not now" - Stephen Stills

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Hey everybody.

Just watched Harry Potter again.Wow.

Even though I talked with my daughter about the

things shown in the movie I still feel it does more harm than good to watch it.

So why watch it.

Entertainment obviously but at what price?

While in TWI we watched alot movies of all kinds.

Even Miami Vice.

Teaching tools we called them then.

What should call them now and should we use them?

FORTUNATEONE to be out of TWI

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Well, if witchcraft really worked like it does in the HP movies, I'd be more concerned, but a bit of mangled pseudo-Latin and waving a stick doesn't really qualify as demonology in my book.

I think the positive qualities are that they don't gloss over the good/evil right/wrong question with a bunch of politically-correct, can't-we-all-get-along, it's-all-good resolutions consisting of excusing the wrong with hugs, happy thoughts, and "tolerance". Evil isn't just an acceptable alternative lifestyle in Harry's world.

I'm taking my grandkids to see HP2 again when they come up next weekend.

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?I don?t expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses?.. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death- if you aren?t as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.? The Potions Master

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer?s Stone pg. 137

This quotation is taken from the section of the discussion by the Potions Master as he berates the students for their lack of knowledge of making drugs when adding ?powered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood.? This plant wormwood contains thujone, a hypnotic drug, which is banned by the FDA, and wormwood is used to make Absinthe, a hallucinogenic liqueur. Another record near the end of the book, portrays seven bottles containing drug potions: 3 contain poison, 2 contain wine and 2 contain a magic drug, which the children are to correctly chose from and drink in order to reach their goal; the sorcerer?s stone which they are seeking, before the effects of the drug wears off. Pgs 286-287

I have not read the latest book but I will probably see the movie sooner or later.

There were differences between the first book and movie. What are the major differences in part II of the HP series?

But as far as a "teaching tool" perhaps it is like the Exorcist was. I mean who really spins their head 360 degrees around or has a troll in their bathroom at school.

So what's to learn?

Hype makes right?

FORTUNATEONE to be out of TWI

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quote:
Originally posted by fortunateone:

This quotation is taken from the section of the discussion by the Potions Master as he berates the students for their lack of knowledge of making drugs when adding ?powered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood.? This plant wormwood contains thujone, a hypnotic drug, which is banned by the FDA, and wormwood is used to make Absinthe, a hallucinogenic liqueur.


Absinthe is not illegal in the UK (where the books come from), and it's "technically" not illegal in the U.S as long as you don't sell it for human consumption. In reality, it's not even as harmful as eating a meal at KFC. Of course, the FDA often do stupid things, and are a big slow beaurocracy like the rest of the government. It may eventually become legal if someone pushes for it enough.

quote:
Originally posted by fortunateone:

But as far as a "teaching tool" perhaps it is like the Exorcist was. I mean who really spins their head 360 degrees around or has a troll in their bathroom at school.

So what's to learn?

Hype makes right?

FORTUNATEONE to be out of TWI


I think parents who feel that everything their kids do needs to be educational should lighten up. Some things are just entertainment and for fun. I wouldn't try to justify seeing that movie for "learning" like in TWI. I'm not a parent, nor a Christian, but I wouldn't think that it would really be damaging to children old enough to read the books. I used to like watching "The Dukes of Hazzard" when I was a little kid, and did imitate them some, but never did anything dangerous, and it hasn't affected me in the long run in life.

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  • 3 weeks later...

My step children, (now 14 and 13) were absolutely

scared spitless of ET when they were small. We had to talk them through it.

This started a campaign of teaching them what was REALITY AND FANTASY!

we got videos of make up artists turning humans into the most disgusting of monsters. Knowing how it was done, removed the fear from them.

Took time, but they are now fascinated with the manipulation of digital images, and while watching 'Attack of the clones' they observed the special effects, stunt, etc from a very informed point of view.

They watched The Matrix with the white rabbit option enabled and they came to appreciate just how the whole special effects were done.

They have been playing Dungeons and Dragons for nearly 4 years now, with Tim the DM. They are learning by role playing characters that they are not! Role playing is teaching them deductive logic, problem solving, co-operative work in a group, and tolerance for differences in people. I believe they are well adjusted people partly because they have played D & D.

We have taught them that it is as important to PLAY as well as WORK!

Educating kids is fun! We did some very strange things with pumpkin pies one year working on both fractions and ratios. Tim's Matt said that he knew more than his friends about that, and his teacher was really amazed at how quickly he caught on!

Harry Potter is WONDERFUL entertainment. I went to see both and we own both on dvd and watch them frequently!

My whole point!

Kids aren't scared of things if we make sure they understand the facts about them.

Kay

Kay1952

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They started out with 2nd edition, and are now playing 3rd.

Matt plays a wizard, a druid, a rogue and a ranger.

Nate plays a cleric,a barbarian, and a dual class fighter ranger.

I play druids, always lawful good, lawful neutral, or absolute neutral. This time I'm an elf.

Our friend Jason plays, a wizard, a sorcerer, a rogue, and Tristian a high level multi class humanoid.

Why?

Kay

Kay1952

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I have taken a few years as a break and I am starting to play again this Sunday. My kids are excited about it, and they are looking forward to it. The new system is great, makes a level one character much more fun to play. I don't play more than one character at a time but Tim has Matt and Nate play with at least two so they are good at it. I play very complicated characters so one is enough for me.

Great FUN!

Kay

Kay1952

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  • 3 weeks later...

My daughter and I saw this today. I thought it was a lot more fun than the first movie. I wish I had read this thread first, I would have stuck around for the whole credits. I just stuck around long enough to see that Nick was played by John Cleese.

I guess I'm showing my age but when Christopher Lee's name comes up I think of his work in those old Hammer Films horror movies where he played ( in one film or another) Dracula, the Mummy or the Frankenstein monster.

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