Muggles rejoice! Magic is surely in the air with news today that “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” will be split into two feature length films, the first of which will hit theaters in November 2010.
But like an uninvited trip through somebody else’s memory (we’re looking at you, Harry), the news, while satisfying, offers up nearly as many questions as answers. If only Dumbledore was still around to help us sort it all out, right David Heyman?
“The question will be, where do you break it? And how do you make them one but two separate and distinct stories?” the “Potter” producer asked in a recent “LA Times” story. “Do you break it with a moment of suspense or one of resolution? These are the interesting challenges.”
Forgive me if it seems like I’ve taken an extra dose of draught of insanity, but what’s all the confusion about? In my mind, there can be only one ideal place to divide the two films:
SPOILERS BELOW
The best, most logical place, to divide the two films comes with the death and funeral of Dobby the house elf, corresponding to the chapter entitled “Shell Cottage.”
Aside from the simple fact that it comes at (relatively) the book’s halfway point, the moment is also one of the most significant in the entire novel (if not the series). As J.K. Rowling told MTV News last October, Dobby’s death “woke Harry up to what he was doing.”
Indeed (and now I quote myself) Dobby’s death comes at a crucial time in Book 7, when Harry must decide whether to continue chasing Voldemort’s horcruxes, or to abandon that quest and search for the legendary “Deathly Hallows” instead. The death of Dobby “focused [Harry],” in his resolve to choose the former, Rowling insisted.
It could be called a mini-climax, where Harry finally accepts the wisdom of Dumbledore and resolves to see his quest to the end. Fine. Bu what makes it particularly intriguing as a division even beyond that is that it’s a remarkably melancholy moment sandwiched between two high-octane action sequences – the fight at Malfoy Manor before it, and the assault on Gringotts immediately after.
Everything before is search, everything after is destroy: Harry goes directly from Shell Cottage to Gringotts, from Gringotts to Hogsmeade, from Hogsmeade to the BATTLE OF HOGWARTS!!!
I can even picture the last shot of the first film – Harry, crying over Dobby’s grave, sweat pouring down his face,ready to give-up instead stands tall, his fists clenched, resolved to discover what comes next.
Just like the rest of us.
Am I crazy or does this make way too much sense? Do you have a better idea for where to divide the series? And while we’re talking “Deathly Hallows,” make sure to help us cast it here.
Sound off below.
March 12th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Well, I couldn’t agree with you more. I think that Dobby’s funeral would be an ideal place to break up the two films. From that scene on, it’s all action and then the final battle. I hope the people at Warner Bros. listen to you!
March 12th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
this is the best part to split it. it just makes perfect sense. ever since the rumor came out of it being split in two, i instantly thought shell cottage. that’s where harry decides his fate!!
March 12th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
I agree wholeheartedly. That is a perfect place to stop the first half of the movie.
my gosh though, I’m still reeling that they’re making it a two-part movie! I’m so excited!
March 12th, 2008 at 11:43 pm
That is the only place to split it unless that decide to change the time line again…
March 13th, 2008 at 12:02 am
I agree, but think it would be best to also include in the first film the scenes where Harry decides to chat with Griphook first, when he does and ultimately decides to go after horcruxes rather than hallows, and when the connection lets him know that Voldemort now has the Elder Wand. To not leave the viewer hanging without that information and cutting the movie before that, it would be too cut off, not ending.
March 13th, 2008 at 12:52 am
That is exactly what i was thinking. I agree with everyone. There is nothing more i could say on this i dont think.
Thanks for keeping us up to date!
March 13th, 2008 at 12:57 am
Nicole, I agree completely!
March 13th, 2008 at 1:20 am
You’re Right! With the Ocean wind blowing his robes about and the sound of the waves crashing on the cliffs and he etches “Dobby: a Free Elf” and then Harry stands, looks out to the dark horizon as the shot pans out, Cut.
March 13th, 2008 at 1:53 am
I agree with Nicole… In order to kind of “finish” that particular part, They need to include Harry talking to Griphook & Olivander…. It should with a shot of Voldemort getting the wand from Dumbledore’s casket…
On a side note… I hope we don’t have to wait too long for part 2!
March 13th, 2008 at 1:57 am
couldn’t agree with you more its like you read my mind.
March 13th, 2008 at 1:59 am
I agree also. It is a great place to split the book so that the guys can do more effort into the second part.
March 13th, 2008 at 2:30 am
nice, laurence, nice
you should become the director - you know, so it’s from a fan’s point of view
yeah, this seems like the perfect spot to cut it, but we can’t have ALL action in the second part because that would lack all the JKR charm
March 13th, 2008 at 2:31 am
FINAAAAAAAALLLY!!!!!!!!!!! At LAST we’ll see Dobby again. I was wondering WHY IN THE… didn’t they bring back Dobby to Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix?? He was as important as the other characters!!!!!!! I hope he’s on Half-Blood Prince… GOD he’s so important for the PLOT. He help Harry to watch Draco.
OMG DOBBY!!!!!!!! My Dobby *snif* I’m ok with the end of DH part 1 though, the dead of Dobby’d be the best thing to finish it.
March 13th, 2008 at 3:29 am
yes i totaly agree, the best part to split the 2 is at shell cottage when dobby dies [snif snif:(] and that harry is left with the desision of going for the hallows or horcruxes….
fantastic if you ask me:D
March 13th, 2008 at 3:40 am
Dobby’s death is a perfect place to split it but i have another idea which is a bit complicated but it can be thought out: the point where it seems that Voldemort has killed Harry using Aveda Kedavra near the end of the book,is an excellent point to end the first part which will create great suspence.Some parts should be left out as a secret or mystery in the first part and would be revealed in the next part ultimately leading to the dramatic surprize of Harry being alive and that chat with Dumbledore and then the ending glorious fight or more appropriately “war”.WHAT DO YOU THINK???
March 13th, 2008 at 5:34 am
Hmm, Dobby’s burial seems too far into the book.
I reckon the best cutting point (both for storytelling and cinematical purposes) would be when the the trio are at the Lovegoods place and Xenophilius says:
“Are you refering to the sign of the Deathly Hallows?”
And then the screen goes black or something, and then at the start of Part 2 they have a recap of what happend in Part 1 or something like that… =D
March 13th, 2008 at 6:14 am
Great great idea.
Sets up the sequel after. The only probelm as of such is that you won’t have hat muc content for a thought provoking finale film. It’ll be a short little action epic. I think the producers should take a leave out of the Godfather text book, the most important thing about DH to me was Dumbledore’s story. Why not intercut into the last movie Albus’s story, much like the young Vito? I nominate James McAvoy for the part.
March 13th, 2008 at 7:32 am
i just hope that they won’t cut out too many scenes…so spliting the movie into two is a great idea!i just can’t wait!!
March 13th, 2008 at 7:39 am
totally agree with dobby’s death, but will he even be in the film? he’s only been in the 2nd movie and i think he’s been in every book after the 2nd. for the people who haven’t read the books it might be like, where did he come from? but if he is in it, they should definately cut it there.
sucks about it being 6 months apart tho.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:17 am
I think that after the movie (for the 1st part) ends, they should show the trailer for the 2nd part. That way people can get hyped up for it even more. I’m sure that would be possible to do since the 2nd part comes out 6 months later.
March 13th, 2008 at 10:12 am
That would be a good point to finish, however I feel its too far into the book. Even though you definitely could make a whole and full part 2 from dobby’s death onwards it just wouldn’t be a very good narrative arc, way to fast paced, of course they could move some of the slower sections of part 1 to part 2 to even the two stories out. The problem I can for-see is that if they end part 1 too early it will be before the deathly hallows story line is really introduced (first time at xeno lovegoods) and how can you have deathly hallows: part 1 without much mention of deathly hallows?
March 13th, 2008 at 10:49 am
When I first heard about splitting the story into 2 movies, I thought of another place to cut: Right after the destruction of the first horcrux. Ron’s return (and Ron saving Harry from the water), followed by the mental struggle with the piece of Voldemort’s soal, could make a nice combination of suspense and a first bit of success that would give a good ending.
However, Dobby’s funeral is probably a much better place to cut.
March 13th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
That sounds like it would be just fine and if ne a great place to split the book of course though we all would like to see movie Asap ..but itll be worth the wait
March 13th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
I totally agree with this. Nevertheless, the last shot of the film should not be Harry crying, but Harry taking resolutions. The first part will have a great end with the battle in Malfoy’s manor and Gringotts’s scene at the beginning of the second part will be really entertaining. Let’s hope Steve Kloves will have the same idea !
March 13th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
I kind of agree with the whole Dobby’s death theory…makes sense… but do you all think they will def. keep that in there? What if they think we have forgotten Dobby and simply use Kreacher instead…. I’ve heard other people talk about..and I think its a good idea to cute it when Ron leaves… seems more like a half way point to me. After the Goblin’s revenge chapter.. I think it would be a good cliffhanger… to see Ron leave them… and Hermoine stays behind w/Harry crying… Then 2nd one can start with them 2 making the trip to Godric’s Hallow…
That’s what I think… but doesn’t matter I suppose as long as they don’t cut anything extremely important..
March 13th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
I agree whole heartedly! This would be the best solution. If they stop it here then both movies will have a battle ( Malfoy Manor and Battle of Hogwarts). I realy hope that they do keep this part and not cut Dobby b/c this is a very important part of the book. They cannot use Kreacher because he is suppose to fight in the final Battle.
March 13th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I dont know about ya’ll but i would be all for a 5 hour Harry Potter movie. I just dont like it ending in the middle. I dont know, I guess if the split it up then the cottage is the best place to do it. I also think they should show Voldemort breaking into Dumbledore’s coffin. That would build a lot of suspense.
March 13th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
I think that everybody is right about stopping there because in the final part of the first film, when Dobby dies, it will be a great cliffhanger and it will make people want to see more. Hopefully, it will leave people with their mouths wide open.
March 13th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
I agree with whoever said that it should end when they are at the Lovegood house, because Dobbys’ death is too far in the story. Besides how do we even know that they’re going to put Dobby in the final movie, they haven’t put him in the rest. So I’m not gonna get my hopes up for him being in this one either.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Ending with voldemort finally getting the elder wand from Dumbledore is a GREAT idea, with the sparks flying everywhere and you just know ralph fiennes will do it amazingly…. however there is the same problem of this being waaaay to far into the book… they would definitely have to move some slower sections of part 1 to part 2 so as to create a better narrative arc
March 14th, 2008 at 2:59 am
i think it will be when harry is in the water and then start up again when he is getting pulled out by ron
March 14th, 2008 at 5:27 am
OMG i’m soooo excited, & i completly aggree its a perfect divide i think they should do it at dobbys funeral aswell.
(Long Live Harry Potter) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
March 14th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
I think it ought to end with Harry saying Voldemorts name and the snatchers showing up outside and saying there little bit about not carring who they curse and then it should end. Dobby’s death is to far in in my opinion!
March 14th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
I think it needs to end with Harry saying Voldemorts name and then the snatchers saying from outside the tent ‘there are a lot of wands pionted at you and we don’t care who we curse and then the screen needs to go black. Dobby’s death is a great turning point but I really think that it is way to late. I thought the idea of Xeno’s house was good but hen the move would have one line about the deathly hollows!
March 14th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
I understand where you’re comming from, and idealy, that would be a fantastic place to cut. I ALSO agree with the fact that there is not enough story after Dobby’s death. The last thing I want to see is something like the LotR movies where the 1st was too much story and the 2nd too much action. I don’t think they should cut it INSIDE the Lovegood’s home, but right before they enter. Maybe as they’re walking up to it or right after they knock on the door… This leaves plenty of story in the first one, but enough story to make the second one more than a bloodfest.
March 14th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
I agree with what Rosey said about not wanting part 2 to be all fighting and no plotline. In reality if Dobey’s death is used as the ending for part 1, the second movie will be the action at gringots, getting almost caught by death eaters at Hogsmead, and then the final battle at Hogwarts. The second movie will just be an action film with none of the creative twists the book has. Malfoy Manor would be a great opening for the second film that would get the audience interested quickly. It is only about a half and hour earlier than the Dobey’s death scene, which is good because the first move still needs to have enough plot to last 2 and a half hours like the rest of the Harry Potter movies. The first one could end with Hermionies stinging jinks that disguises Harry from the snatchers causing a burst of light on the camera screen that fades away to reviel the credits. A cliff-hanger ending is definatly the way to go!
March 14th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Since they are splitting the movies they are not going to be able to just call them both harry potter and the deathly hallows. They will have to be deathly hallows #1 and #2 or they will have to rename one of the movies.(Spoiler Alert) If they rename one of the movies I vote the first one should be harry potter and the deathly hallows and the second should be harry potter and the 7th Horcrux!
March 15th, 2008 at 11:17 am
I totally agree with you!!its a great breaking point because after that its just..excitment!!
March 15th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
I think shell cottage is the most perfect place to cut the first half of the movie because it leaves alot of the action for the seacond part. that would leave a perfect battle movie for the seacond movie althogh there wouldnt be as much plot twists as the first half would have. it wouldnt matter though because you would be to caught up in the action to understand much of the plot anyway. well thats what I think.
March 15th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
i think that the cut of part 1 should be when ron lifts sword to destroy the first horcrux….i knoe thats a bit to early for the cutting of part one but it will make great suspense and it leave the fans so unpatient for part 2
March 16th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Firstly, so psyched about the final movies!!! i definately agree the ending it at dobby’s funeral is a good idea as it is at a point where an important conflict (harry’s decision on which mission to persue) is resolved. it is also at a sombre sort of moment however it will still keep people in suspense as, although they know what harry has decided theyll still want to know how he carries out the mission and whether he will succeed. as for the second part being to action packed, there are some plot filled moments like when harry plots his break in to gringotts and when he reunites with his fellow hogwarts students. cutting it at dobby’s funeral is perfect as the second part which is more action packed can be dragged out so that it isn’t too fast paced (as someone mentioned in LOTR or even star wars III)!
March 18th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
I think Dobby’s funeral is the perfect place to end it.
Although I think that when it comes out on dvd it should be possible to buy both films as one massive one…cause I would love to just sit and watch it all the way through on a one-er.
April 2nd, 2008 at 7:24 am
I think ending the 1st part at ron’s return is the best as it divides the book equally… 1st and 2nd movie will have enough action and drama then..2nd can start with them planning to go to the lovegood’s… i really hope they dont cut out anything as I just love the whole book…
April 3rd, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Dobby’s funeral, that is a good place to break it. But please do not use David Yates! Use Alfonso Cuaron or maybe Christopher Columbus, but NOT DAVID YATES! Yates is terrible, and the acting in his films is the worst that it has been in the series so far, and it looks to be worse in HBP even than it was in OOTP. Yates screwed up OOTP with his crappiness. I hated the ministry of magic building, and the annoying smoke flying bad guys were so corny! Please, do NOT use David Yates. Use Alfonso Cuaron. Peter Jackson or Guillermo Del Torro would be ideal, but that will never happen. SOOOOOO, Cuaron is the natural choice, and he WANTS to do it.
April 16th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
I totally think that they should end the first movie there because if they dont they whould have to cut so many scences out of it
April 26th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Not a fan of David Yates… For one, I’m still perplexed as to how he managed to make the longest book into the shortest movie.. If he ends up butchering the next 3 movies like he butchered OOTP, I think we should kill him
(not serious.. unless they are REALLLLLY BAD)
Thoughts?
April 28th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
I totally agree! Dobby’s funeral is the crucial turning point. Part 2 would still have plenty of drama. Don’t forget about King’s Cross and Snape’s memories. They’ll both be an important pause in all of the action. Not to mention neither can be cut hardly at all without losing important explanations. For those worried part 2 would be too much like LOTR: The Two Towers, don’t worry, these two scenes will have enough emotion to balance out the second half.
May 8th, 2008 at 9:12 am
the cliffhanger does need to come about 2/3’s through the books as to do the final third justice where most of the action happens, with gringotts and finally hogwarts. up until that point there are plenty of action scenes but it is all building towards part two. they could transfer the dialouge between harry and griphook and olivander to malfoy manner so to end on the knowledge of voldermort gaining the wand. dobby’s death and voldermort taking the elder wand combinded into a final scene leaves a really strong image, with a determined harry and an “seemingly victorious” Voldermort… either way bring it on!!
May 14th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
First of all, I want to say that OOTP was my fav. Potter film. It may have had alot cut from it, but the story read really well, anyway. The acting may not have been “Academy” level, but the characters were still believeable and fun. And as for the “corny, smoke flying, bad guys”, that was just plain rad as hell. Anyway, as for where to cut the movie, although it would be cool to have Dobby back, I just think that this point in the book(Shell Cottage), is not only too far, but it also makes me feel like “i sat through this whole movie and now have to wait 6 months just to see a conclusion. If it cuts at the point of Ron’s departure, then you are left with the feeling of, “What the hell is Harry going to do now?” Wouldn’t you just love to see the movie end with Harry and Ron at each other’s throats. Ron’s out of his head with anger and Harry is angry at himself for putting them through a battle that isn’t theirs. Ron just has enough and storms out into the rain. Hermione runs after him, tears runnig down her cheek. She re-enters the tent, “He’s gone…Disapperated.” Last shot, a close-up on Harry’s face. A look of anger, sadness and a loss for what to do next…(DUN DUN DUN
May 28th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
I don’t know where it should end, both options are really good. First:If it ends where ron leaves, that scene would leave the people confused because the poeple that haven’t read the book won’t know if he’s going to come back or if he is … how?? but also the scene at Shell cottage is really good becuase it leaves harry in a matter where he has to choose what he is going to do so i don’t really care both options are good