Harry Potter: Ultimate Editions (2001-2011)

[nametag]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

So annoying.

Well, I'm glad I know, so I don't have to waste any more time being curious about it. Amazing that even with 4.5 hours to tell one book, they still can't explain the supposed plot incidents.

It's not that hard to imagine when my audio book for HP7 is 23 hours long...

Honestly, I think you're a bit to hung up on this stuff, to include absolutely everything would make the whole thing expeditionary. I much prefer they add quiet character moments than have everyone explain the plot to each other all the time. I actually think that with DH Part 2 they simplified what Rowling made overly complicated in regards to

[Show spoiler]the wand etc.

Perhaps if I hadn't read the books I wouldn't follow things quite as well but I have read the books, so it doesn't bother me. Watching movies is always a subjective experience. Moreover, I think most of this stuff you can infer and I know people who have just seen the films and who aren't confused by it all.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

The movies make people who've read the books a bit nutty, but I don't know how people who have NOT read the books plow through the films.

Somehow we plow on and <gasp!> enjoy the films...

Cut footage: ask the directors why they cut it. It's useless to blame Warner since they promised from the beginning they'd stay out of it and let the producers do their thing. Somehow Rowling's been happy and *only* made sure they didn't cut Kreacher from Phoenix.

[Ernest Rister]

Pete, she DIDNT "make sure" Kreacher wasn't cut from OOTP, she let them know that if they cut Kreacher, they might have a hard time with the final novel (because a small person is needed to assist a wizard crossing the cursed lake to retrieve the locket). Well, turns out they could have cut Kreacher completely, because they cut out the whole "boat so fragile it can only hold one adult and one child/house elf" business in HBP and DH1.

Rowling had some protection clauses in her contract regarding how the series was handled - which is why Spielberg bowed out when he wanted to condense the first two books into one movie - but she doesn't have the kind of veto power over creative decisions in the films that some people seem to think she does. She's a professional, and she only speaks up and interferes when she feels that she has to, which is why she said they might have a problem if they cut Kreacher out of OOTP, not knowing they were going to pretty much cut RAB out of the Deathly Hallows storyline anyway.

[CodyCourtBlack2]

the chamber of secrets was in the book

[Show spoiler]it is where hermione destroyed that horcrux. it's accurate.

[Eismagier]

Originally Posted by nametag

I actually think that with DH Part 2 they simplified what Rowling made overly complicated in regards to

[Show spoiler]the wand etc.

They could have stayed true to the books with regards to the wands' fates without going into detailed explanations of wandlore. But that was expected since they left out most of Harry's wand's backstory.

Originally Posted by PixarPerfect

the chamber of secrets was in the book

[Show spoiler]it is where hermione destroyed that horcrux. it's accurate.

But

[Show spoiler]it was only mentioned in passing, as Harry was busy with other stuff at the time and wasn't involved directly.

[ljcuison]

Originally Posted by Eismagier

But

[Show spoiler]it was only mentioned in passing, as Harry was busy with other stuff at the time and wasn't involved directly.

True. In the book,

[Show spoiler]it is never said what Ron and Hermione did in the Chamber, it is never mentioned how they entered and stuff. Because it is from Harry's point-of-view

[Lnds500]

Originally Posted by ljcuison

True. In the book,

[Show spoiler]it is never said what Ron and Hermione did in the Chamber, it is never mentioned how they entered and stuff. Because it is from Harry's point-of-view

It is mentioned HOW they entered and of that I'm positive. Ron says in the book (when they finally find Harry)

[Show spoiler]that he tried to mimic Harry's words when he opened the locket.

[Eismagier]

Originally Posted by Lnds500

It is mentioned HOW they entered and of that I'm positive. Ron says in the book (when they finally find Harry)

[Show spoiler]that he tried to mimic Harry's words when he opened the locket.

Indeed,

[Show spoiler]and the book also tells us that it is Hermione who ultimately destroyed the cup. However, the particulars are left to the imagination. Of course actually showing that works better for a movie than just having a character mention it.

[ljcuison]

Originally Posted by Lnds500

It is mentioned HOW they entered and of that I'm positive. Ron says in the book (when they finally find Harry)

[Show spoiler]that he tried to mimic Harry's words when he opened the locket.

True, but

[Show spoiler]it is not said in the book what they did there. Ron just told Harry. Remember, it's from Harry's POV.

[Lnds500]

Originally Posted by ljcuison

True, but

[Show spoiler]it is not said in the book what they did there. Ron just told Harry. Remember, it's from Harry's POV.

i didn't argue that point that's why I said "HOW". and strictly speaking, we are told what they did there, we just don't go there with them in the books as we did in the movie

[ljcuison]

Originally Posted by Lnds500

we are told what they did there, we just don't go there with them in the books as we did in the movie

That's what I'm saying. So practically, the scene in the chamber is added to the movie because there is no chapter in the book about the chamber.

[Steve]

I'm sure this has been covered so please bear with me. I'm still seeing talk that the UE of OOTP is not an extended version. However, the run time listed for the regular blu-ray is 138 minutes and the run time listed on the UE is 212 minutes. Am I missing something here?

[Eismagier]

Originally Posted by Steve

I'm sure this has been covered so please bear with me. I'm still seeing talk that the UE of OOTP is not an extended version. However, the run time listed for the regular blu-ray is 138 minutes and the run time listed on the UE is 212 minutes. Am I missing something here?

Depending on where you looked, they may have counted the special features among the runtime. The movie itself is definitely not extended.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by Eismagier

Depending on where you looked, they may have counted the special features among the runtime. The movie itself is definitely not extended.

Ok thanks. I was looking at Amazon. The run time for HBP is listed as the same for the UE and regular blu-ray, so that one obviously does not include any special features. I wonder why they would have included special features in the run time for the OOTP UE.

[ljcuison]

Originally Posted by Steve

Ok thanks. I was looking at Amazon. The run time for HBP is listed as the same for the UE and regular blu-ray, so that one obviously does not include any special features. I wonder why they would have included special features in the run time for the OOTP UE.

That might be a typographical error. Shame it was just an error though.

[victorvondoom88]

Okay so I'm looking at possibly getting the "ultimate editions" But I'm getting the impression from some of these posts that not all are extended cuts of the film?
Which films are Extended and which are not or not yet anyway? I haven't read the books yet either so I'm trying to avoid reading too much in HP threads as I don't know if everyone is using spoiler tags. I've found if I read the book it really takes away from my enjoyment of the films.

[Stinky-Dinkins]

Originally Posted by victorvondoom88

Which films are Extended and which are not or not yet anyway?

Just the first two. 7 extra minutes on Sorcerer's / Philosopher's Stone and 13 on Chamber of Secrets.

All other versions are the standard cuts (which, in my opinion, makes it a huge waste to buy the "Ultimate Edition.") It's well known they're sitting on a tremendous amount of extra footage for Order of the Phoenix that really fleshes out the storyline. I stopped buying these after Order of the Phoenix was revealed to be the standard version.

You're better off buying standard versions now and waiting for the super duper Ultimate editions which are almost certain to be released eventually. Warner is looking to squeeze every possible remaining dime out of this franchise that they're able (seeing as the movies have now come to an end.)

[Jumpman]

There's no guarantee that we'll extended cuts for films 3 through 8. I honestly wouldn't wait.

I mean, if the reports are true that WB went to Newell and Cuaron about extended cuts for films 3 and 4 and they passed, I don't see them changing their mind in the future.

As for Yates' films, I just get the feeling he's not into extended cuts either. And honestly, I want director involvement with extended cuts. I don't want studio extended cuts without the director's input.

[victorvondoom88]

Originally Posted by Stinky-Dinkins

Just the first two. 7 extra minutes on Sorcerer's / Philosopher's Stone and 13 on Chamber of Secrets.

All other versions are the standard cuts (which, in my opinion, makes it a huge waste to buy the "Ultimate Edition.") It's well known they're sitting on a tremendous amount of extra footage for Order of the Phoenix that really fleshes out the storyline. I stopped buying these after Order of the Phoenix was revealed to be the standard version.

You're better off buying standard versions now and waiting for the super duper Ultimate editions which are almost certain to be released eventually. Warner is looking to squeeze every possible remaining dime out of this franchise that they're able (seeing as the movies have now come to an end.)

Thank You! You just saved my a bunch of money!
I already have the movies on blu-ray I just keep seeing stuff I haven't seen before when they run them on ABC Family channel.

[Stinky-Dinkins]

Originally Posted by Jumpman

There's no guarantee that we'll extended cuts for films 3 through 8. I honestly wouldn't wait.

I mean, if the reports are true that WB went to Newell and Cuaron about extended cuts for films 3 and 4 and they passed, I don't see them changing their mind in the future.

As for Yates' films, I just get the feeling he's not into extended cuts either. And honestly, I want director involvement with extended cuts. I don't want studio extended cuts without the director's input.

These are almost guaranteed not to be the final Harry Potter releases. Considering that, apart from the first two, the rest are just the standard cuts with a bunch of superfluous crap tossed in the box alongside them and packaging that got cheaper and more inconsistent as time went on I can't imagine not spending only a tiny amount on the standard releases and just waiting for the inevitable super-duper boxset. Its release is almost a certainty.

3 and 4 were never meant to be "extended", from the get go, they were always seen as the "director's cuts." I don't even know if any serious amount of workable extended content even exists for them. Order of the Phoenix is missing portions important to the story as they were cut because of theatrical time constraints. These portions weren't just planned, they were filmed and finished and eventually cut (so if Warner can eventually use them as a selling point, and they can, they will.)

This is what Warner does, this is what they always do....and this franchise is literally their biggest cash cow in the history of their company. There's no way in Hell this will be the be-all, end-all of Harry Potter releases.

Originally Posted by victorvondoom88

Thank You! You just saved my a bunch of money!
I already have the movies on blu-ray I just keep seeing stuff I haven't seen before when they run them on ABC Family channel.

I think they just add back in the deleted scenes.