WI Terry Gilliam Directs Harry Potter

How would the first Harry Potter film have been different if Gilliam got to direct it? How might this have affected the remaining adaptations (assuming the books are still the same)? Would there be wider pop culture implications?

I know this has been tried before, but I though it could use another go...
 
How would the first Harry Potter film have been different if Gilliam got to direct it? How might this have affected the remaining adaptations (assuming the books are still the same)? Would there be wider pop culture implications?

I know this has been tried before, but I though it could use another go...

The movie was bound to be a success no matter what. I suspect that it would easily revive Gilliam's career, at least temporarily catapulting him back into the A-list of directors. The movie itself would likely focus a bit more on the quirkier aspects of wizarding society, and have a darker tone from the very beginning.
 
One change I can see Gilliam making -- taking a pretitle sequence from Vernon's PoV instead of Dumbledore's. Then again, JK herself may end up asking that part to be filmed, which could end up making the pretitle for OTL's 1st film onto the seconds'. From there, you've set a pattern of the pretitle told from a non-Hardy PoV:

3rd: breakout from Azkaban
4th: Frank Bryce overhears Voldemart, is killed
5th: Minister Fudge assures the (muggle) PM that all is well, despite what he may have heard (taken from intro of 6th book)
6th: Snape makes the Unbreakable vow

And so forth...
 
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Well, they would be much better films. I think Gilliam's style would be a neat touch to the franchise.
 
Assuming Gilliam only directs the first installment, who might be picked to adapt the other six? I like what Alfonso Curon did for the third film, and the following got the offer to direct at one point in the series:

Steven Spielberg
Jonathan Demme
Wolfgang Petersen
Rob Reiner
M. Night Shyamalan
Peter Weir
Guilermo del Torro
Kenneth Branagh
Marc Foster
Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Mira Nair
Matthew Vaughn
 
Would it bring a problem of a 'bah, not going to be serious a movie' edge-feeling to peoples? I means, isn't him an ex-Monthy Python, maker of Brazil?
 
Would it bring a problem of a 'bah, not going to be serious a movie' edge-feeling to peoples? I means, isn't him an ex-Monthy Python, maker of Brazil?

Yeah, Brazil was hugely critically acclaimed. The fact that his later works didn't receive the critical or popular acclaim expected was a bit of a surprise.
 

MacCaulay

Banned
You forgot City of Lost Children.

How many hands do you think I HAVE!?


And besides: City was an amazing film, but I still like Deli and Amelie better. Not making value judgements, that's just what I think. I remember seeing Deli in a theatre, and I just love the whole concept of Amelie.
 
Getting back to the matter at... um, being discussed -- which of the other six books would Jeunet be best suited for? I'd think Order of the Phoenix, myself...
 
I'm not sure if he would do it but I think the Goblet of fire and to a lesser extent Order of the Phoenix could have been a lot better if it was done as a two parter like The Deathly Hallows.

The Goblet of fire to me seemed a bit rushed trying to fit in all the Triwizard events and leaving out almost all of the other stuff from the book, like Bagmans gambling problems rita skeeter's animagus snooping and Winky and Dobby in the kitchens
 
If Terry Gilliam had directed the films I might have bothered to go and see at least the first one. Some of his films might be a bit too long and sometimes simply dont work but you can never say they are boring or visually dull. Though I suspect Terry might still be in pre production for episode two if he had done the first :rolleyes:
 
I'm not sure if he would do it but I think the Goblet of fire and to a lesser extent Order of the Phoenix could have been a lot better if it was done as a two parter like The Deathly Hallows.

The Goblet of fire to me seemed a bit rushed trying to fit in all the Triwizard events and leaving out almost all of the other stuff from the book, like Bagmans gambling problems rita skeeter's animagus snooping and Winky and Dobby in the kitchens

It could certainly stand to be longer -- maybe an extra 45 minutes or so would have allowed lost elements like this to be weaved in...
 
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