Chapter 1: Dudley Demented
Firstly, Dudley is always demented. Thought we'd mention that. This chapter is pretty cool for a number of reasons, but we're not sure whether the Dursleys have been confirmed for the cast of this movie. According to IMDb, they have, so scratch that last. The first bit of awesomeness in this chapter is definitely the bit about Harry hitting his head on the windowsill, and we really hope that they keep that in, for the sheer comedic effect. Unfortunately, they'll probably take it out to start out with a fairly dark atmosphere to this movie. Coincidentally, this head-hitting probably contributed a great deal to the OMGCAPSLOCKOFRAGEEEEEE! that Harry forces the rest of the inhabitants of Grimmauld Place to endure.
So the big event of this chapter is the Dementor attack on Magnolia Cres. We both thought that Dementors were pretty awesome in the PoA movie, and we hope that they conserve their awesomeness for this movie. Also, there's a nice little scene beforehand when Harry and Dudley are quarelling. I for one hope that they'll put this in the movie: it humanizes the Dursleys, which is something JKR hasn't really done as of yet. One of the great things about them is that they're the first time we see a blurred deliniation between good and evil, as opposed to the stark contrast that Harry/Voldemort offers us. Also, I particularly adore the dynamic between Dudley and his freaky ghetto friends. I hope they keep that in for the sheer fun of hearing him being called "Big D". Is anyone else strongly reminded of Puff Daddy/P. Diddy, D. Piddles or whatever? Because I totally am.
There isn't really a lot to pre-spork in this chapter, being that it's the first one, and quite a short one at that. That being said, it would be brilliant of them to conserve the ending of this chapter: after all the insanity of the Dementor attack, I picture something like this going down:
Dudley is lying on the ground, groaning (read: blubbering). Harry gets up, covered in dirt and sweat and PANTING (because Daniel Radcliffe is always. Fucking. Panting.) We see the Dementors slinking/gliding/running/galloping away and the entire scene is very dark and dank and kinda scary, like the attack itself. Then, out of the shadows walks MRS. FIGG. She's holding a big bag of cat food and her grey hair is grizzled. She has the altogether appearance of a crazy old lady with 98 cats. Mostly because she is one. The next line of dialogue ("Oh, I'm going to kill Mundungus Fletcher!") segues into the scene that opens Chapter 2. We see a slight blackout, and Harry, Dudley and the Dursleys are sitting around an asceptically clean table in Petunia's sparkling kitchen. The dirty, sweaty, boys offer a nice contrast to the all-white cleanliness of the kitchen, and Petunia is SCANDALISÉ!
Seriously though, I for one would like to see a lot more Fiona Shaw: I find her to be a brilliant actress who really pulls off whatever she's been given. Also, I know she isn't *exactly* the description that JKR furnished for us, but in our minds, she looks the part perfectly and is altogether pretty bitchin'.
Both of us are also wondering who will be cast for the water-skiing budgie. I hope it's Samuel L. Jackson. But knowing the HP producers and directors up til now, it'll probably be a sky-diving squirrel or something.
Comment as to other things you think could be sporked about this chapter, or about HP in general! Commentary and rambling is always appreciated!
prozac-fidelus ampersand jmonkeylover