To the screenwriter Steve Kloves of Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince...
With almost disregard for the book it feels like your script was a slap in the face to Potter fans. I'm not talking about omitting story lines to make it a movie script, but the failure to stay true to the scenes you are showing viewers.
For starters...
Dumbledore's blackened hand was not even that bad at all. It had a dark tint, and was noticeably different. But the book describes a BLACKENED dead hand, one that is in a state of decay from a powerful dark curse that will eventually consume Dumbledore (but we all know he is murdered before it does). The hand in the movie did not look like that, and made me sigh.
Dumbledore comments on Harry needing shave right before they set out to search out a Horcrux. This line was no where in the book at all, and felt odd and out of place with the task laid directly before them (plus the notion that in the book Harry storms up to Dumbledore's office just finding out that Snape was the one who overheard the prophecy and told Voldemort leading to the death of Harry's parents). The relationship between Harry and Dumbledore flourishes in the book, and that is why the Headmasters death is such an unreal devastation. In the movie, I just did not feel complete sadness watching Dumbledore die. Partly because Kloves changed the tower scene, and partly because Harry and Dumbledore never have those mentor and apprentice, even fatherly moments that Harry so desperately longed for minus parents and Sirius.
I was also pissed about Harry below in the Tower scene instead of under the cloak. In the book Dumbledore sacrifices precious time to cast a spell to keep Harry safely hidden and only then Malfoy is able to disarm him. In the movie Malfoy just disarms the greatest wizard of all time straight up. Lame. It just makes Dumbledore seem like a pussy (even though he was in a weakened state).
The man who plays Snape, and does so wonderfully is Alan Rickman. The book is based around Snape secretly being the Half-Blood Prince, and I barely felt like he was in the movie. Lavender Brown got more screen time that Snape.
Snape also seems out of character by allowing Harry to walk right out of the bathroom after Harry Sectumsempra's the pants off Draco Malfooy. Of course Snape knows that Harry has used his dark spell on Draco, and proceeds to let him leave? Snape...the man who busts Harry's chops each and every single opportunity he gets lets Harry...just walk away?? Huh?? In the book Snape snaps and demands Harry get his potions book and gives him detention forcing him to miss his upcoming Quiddictch match...and then he kisses Ginny after the Gryffindor team wins without him.
I cannot believe they changed the setting of Ginny and Harry's first kiss in the middle of the Gryffindor common room in front of all their peers. It leaves out one of the best Ron/Harry moments in all the books. Harry is nervous that Ron will kill him for "snogging" his sister. However, after kissing Ginny Harry finds Ron in the room who in turn gives him a shrug conveying the thought, "If it had to be someone, at least its you mate."
Why leave out the Dursleys and Privet Drive? It leaves out Dumbledore's ancient magic that he placed over Harry that even Voldemort cannot touch him there.
The absence of more of the memories was a let down too. What the hell were they thinking leaving out Dumbledore's memory pertaining to Voldemort returning to Hogwarts seeking employment?? That is a dynamite Dumbledore/Voldemort dialouge, especially because without this scene you completely leave out the UBER VILLIAN after he actually has transitioned to evil and no longer is the handsome Tom Riddle...and in course leaves Ralph Finnes OUT OF THE MOVIE!! (wtf?)Why add the Death Eaters destroying the Burrow when you could have taken that scene, changed the setting to Hogwarts, and the time to the end of the movie, and left one of the best parts in the book to play out. The stand off, Death Eaters vs. The Order, puts an absolute amazing finish to Harry's already eventful eveing. That fight gives readers a sense of complete insecurity because it shows no one is safe from the Dark Lord and his followers, not even at Hogwarts.
I was also pissed about the cut dialogue between Snape and Harry outside Hogwarts when Snape is fleeing the castle. Viewers wanted and NEEDED more! The movie is based around Snape secretly being The Half-Blood Prince! I could not believe how brief this scene along with the rest of the ending of the movie was!
NO FUNERAL FOR DUMBLEDORE...RETARDED!
NO BILL, NO FLEUR DELACOUR??
For those of you out there who are just seeing the movies will have no sense for the bleak outlook that is Harry's future. Harry has to destroy a boat load of Horcruxes and The Dark Lord himself, and the movie hardly mentions this looming future. The movie did not even discuss the other Horcruxes (Nagini, The Cup, The Diadem) which will make it a lot harder to introduce them in the very important final installment. The book uses the Horcrux storyline and the impending face off with Voldemort to wrench up the tension going into the last chapter...The movie really failed to make very clear the impending danger ahead for Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
No Scrimgeour in the film will really hurt too, bad move. Not only does this hurt the final chapter in this story, it leaves out some of Harry Potter's all time best dialogue from any of the books. BEST ALL TIME! LEFT OUT! Many of you book lovers will remember that Scrimgeour had been trying to get a sit down with Harry the entire first half of the book. Finally, Scrimgeour uses Percy Weasley to meet Harry while he is staying at the Burrow during Christmas. Scrimgeour tells Harry the Ministry could use Harry's publicity as the "chosen one" to help comfort the wizarding world in the fight against Voldemort when just a year ago the Ministry was trying so hard to discredit Harry and his claims The Dark Lord was back (I must not tell lies). Not only that, Scrimgeour demands Harry tell him where Dumbledore goes when he leaves Hogwarts so frequently. Well to say the least, this pisses Harry off. He tells the Minister of Magic essentially to shove it and that he is Dumbledore's man through and through. Then Harry turns his back on the Minster of Magic and walks away! WHY WOULD THE SCREENWRITERS EVER LEAVE THIS OUT??
Why can't they just make the potion in the cave GREEN like the book?? What is the point of changing it to be clear? What is the point? Even the cover of the damn book is wrapped with green tones all over as Harry and Dumbledore stand over the potion...WHY CHANGE IT?
This crap just pisses me off and I had to point it all out. I think it makes me feel better, and lets you all know that I know effin' everything about Harry Potter.
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