PotterCast 143: Of Two Minds Transcript

News Talk (0:00 - 36:32)

Melissa Anelli (MA): All right, trekking along into the eighth Potter film, welcome to PotterCast 143! Welcome, welcome, welcome.

Frankie Franco III (FF): One forty-three.

MA: Huge, huge, huge news week. I'm Melissa. I'm here again with Sue and the ever-brilliant Frak. (FF laughs) Hey, Frak!

FF: Hey, guys!

MA: He's the new PotterCast star, everybody loves him. (FF hisses) We've been watching what they've been saying, Frak.

FF: (laughs) It's very flattering.

MA: No, it's really great. We'll keep him around a little bit. What do you guys think?

Sue Upton (SU): Yeah, I think so. (MA: Yeah?) Totally.

FF: Maybe. If you'll have me.

MA: (laughs) All right, well, this week we have a lot of big news to discuss, (SU: Yes.) we've got a Bit by Bit, we've got another Canon Conundrums. This time we're talking about Trelawney. We've got a Scribby 5. All righty, guys?

FF: Word.

SU: Yes, okay.

MA: Well, all right, Suze. Should we start with just the big giant news of the week, or what?

SU: Most big giant news that had long been rumored, but is finally officially confirmed. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be made into two films: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One and Part Two. (FF: So amazing.) David- just amazing, amazing news. We had long been rumored, and then not only did we get that confirmation, but also that David Yates will, in fact, be the director for both the films, and Steven Kloves will write both the scripts for both the movies, and Part 1 will be out in November of 2010, and Part 2 is May or Summer of 2011. Wow. (FF: Eleven?) Mm-hm.

MA: Eleven. That means...

FF: They're going to space them out like they normally do, then.

SU: No, well...

MA: Well, no. Only six months.

SU: Yeah.

FF: Oh! Duh! (MA: Six to seven months.) Okay, end of the year! (MA laughs) (SU: Yeah.) I was like, "Oh, my gosh, wow! That's a long time!" No, six months.

MA: It's like Pirates Two and Three, right?

SU: Yeah.

FF: Pirates Two and Three was a year apart.

SU: Yeah.

MA: They were a year apart. Okay.

FF: It will be more like Matrix.

MA: Matrix?

SU: Yeah. (FF: Yeah.) And well, how far apart were the Kill Bills, too? Though was it- did they do those?

MA: Somebody wrote in (FF: I didn't...) our comments that it was Kill Voldemort Volume 1, (All laugh.) and Kill Voldemort Volume 2. I liked it.

FF: I like that! Harry's in a yellow jumpsuit.

SU: Yeah. (MA laughs) Awesome!

FF: That'd be fun to draw.

MA: Awesome, with that ninja thing in his hand. (SU: Yeah.) (FF laughs) Though can we talk about David Yates for a sec? (SU: Yes. Yes, let's.) Because this guy came on for Movie Five. (SU: Mm-hm.) Hardly anyone knew who he was, only British TV fans knew his TV shows. Who is this guy? We've never heard of him before, and all of a sudden he's helming. And now he will have directed more than half of the Harry Potter films, and the entire back end of them.

FF: I really loved the fifth one, and I don't know if it's because it's my favorite book, but I think he did a really good job with the fifth movie. I know (MA: Me, too.) a lot of it was the screenwriter, as well, but I think he...I don't know, especially seeing Ron and Harry, their characters just really came to life onscreen this time, and I think it's just...I would hope that it had to be part of it, him, you know, because, I don't know, the director's such an influential role.

SU: It is extraordinary, like Melissa said. Here he has- he came from a television background, and now he is actually joining some very lofty company, in the sense that he is going to be directing this trilogy, of sense, (FF: Yes.) more than one part of a series of films. And he joins the company of people like Steven Spielberg, and Francis Ford Coppola, (FF: That's true.) and I just find that extraordinary, that he can put that down, and that they trust him so much, after just seeing one film. Now, we don't know what's going on, we saw glimpses of the teaser of Half-Blood Prince, but we don't know what it looks like on film. We just saw behind the scenes stuff. We haven't seen a trailer yet. We have no idea what he's doing for this next film. And I just- for them to put that much faith in him, to say, "Okay, you're going to take the ultimate book." (MA: Right.) And put that much faith- they put him into that just- and not only did they put that much faith, but so much that they want it made into two films! That's just extraordinary!

MA: You hear over and over again, and this was no different, not a surprise to say that this was no different when we went to the set for the sixth film, the actors love him. They really love him, and I think it has something to do with him being a very- he's very mild-mannered and polite, (SU: Mm-hm.) but he's also, when you speak to him, he's also very clear. He also- there's nothing muddled about what he's saying. You can see him really having good and productive focused discussions with the actors about how to get their characters across, (FF: Mm-hm.) and they, the actors, they love it. And I feel like they feel so- the kids feel so like they're in such good hands.

SU: Yeah.

FF: I would totally agree, just because parts of the- I really enjoyed the third and the fourth, but there are scenes that I watch in those movies that you almost get the vibe that the directors just told them, "Okay, just ad-lib it. Be kids, or be teenagers," and you can tell it's kind of contrived. Like the scene, I forget which one, they're walking through the Common Room, and I think it's when someone walks through a ghost, or when the Fat Lady wouldn't let them in, and they said, "She does it all the time!" and it was just kind of- it didn't seem congruent with the rest of it, when it was actual dialogue, rather than just background stuff. So you saying that he's so poised and just a clear communicator, I really think that has a lot to do with it. Just Daniel Radcliffe, his performance in this fifth (SU: Yeah.) movie was amazing, because I always felt in the other ones, that he was just kind of- like, "He's not the best actor, but he does a good job," but in this last one it was like, "Wow. He's up there. He's playing with the big dogs now."

SU: Yeah. I don't even know where to start to talk about this, but on Deathly Hallows, that scene is so key to me at the end, between him and Ralph Fiennes. It's just- (FF: Yeah.) and I think Dan will be up for it, I really do, and if he is comfortable with David Yates, who will be able to give him the direction and the guidance that he needs to deliver that kind of performance. And they all must feel that he is, David Yates, is the man to do that, then. They gotta know how much is riding on it, so...

FF: Yeah.

MA: Well, okay, here's another topic of discussion: (SU: Okay.) where should they split it?

SU: Oh!

FF: Yeah, I was just about to say that. I was talking with my friend Shane last night, and he was like, "Did you hear?" and I was like, "Yeah!" and then we were talking about it for a good twenty minutes. I was thinking either after Gringotts, or after they destroy the locket. I think either- personally I'd rather them do it after Gringotts, so they can devote so much- they can devote a lot more time to the battle at the end, and all that stuff, with the flashback, (SU: Mm-hm.) and Harry's death scene, and the whole King's Cross station with Dumbledore, I would just really love that stuff just to be as fleshed out as possible. But I don't know, do you think that's too late in the book to split it?

MA: I don't know, because you're going to have a hard time making an argument that the movie should be called Deathly Hallows if Deathly Hallows is not included, because you don't get to what the Deathly Hallows are until after the silver doe.

SU: Right.

FF: That's a very good point.

MA: They go over to Xenophilius Lovegood's house. And while the- I'm of two minds, like you said, there's the silver doe, which, finally, they've had a little bit of a battle, you see Voldemort and the Horcrux...

FF: And you get the arc with Ron leaving and coming back, so there's resolution there.

MA: The Ron leaving- right, they discover that someone's on their side. That could be the whole theme of the first movie, which is, "We're all alone, we're all alone, we're all alone," and at the end it's, "Whoa, somebody's on our side!" But then, the whole Deathly Hallows thing. So the other mind I'm of, like you said, is Gringotts. What if they- because after Gringotts, actually including Gringotts, everything that happens, (SU: Yes.) everything that happens that day for the rest of the book, two hundred and fifty pages, is in twenty-four hours (SU: Yeah. Yeah, exactly.) of time. Everything! (FF: Yeah.) So you can get the idea of- breaking out of Gringotts might be great because they can basically ride away on a dragon, and that's a great end to a movie.

FF: Yeah, exactly! And it'll be a good opening, too. (MA: Mm-hm.) And then you have them going in, there's a lot of exposition, too, with Aberforth, and then with them going into the Room of Requirement, and all that jazz, it'll start off slow. It's not like the movie's gonna start off, and then, "Boom!" Because that'd be something- you do need to be absorbed into the setting before the battle, because I think we need to reacquaint ourselves with Hogwarts, so when it is under siege, it's that much more effective. We're gonna be like, "Oh crap! What's happening?" If it just attacks right away, we've been so distant from it. And half the cast is not even gonna be in the first movie! All the teachers, and Snape, is he even gonna be in the first one?.

MA: Well, maybe they'll do it in a way (SU: Yeah.) which shows scenes at Hogwarts interspersed, so that you can see what's happening. Or maybe they'll make it more obvious, (SU: Yeah.) (FF: Okay, that's...) or maybe they'll the trio have more of a clue about what's happening (FF: That'd be smart.) at Hogwarts.

FF: Yeah. Wait, is it- I remember reading or hearing something, we talked about it a couple of weeks ago, about them adding a scene.

SU: Oh, that's in Half-Blood Prince. Right?

FF: Oh, that's Half-Blood Prince?

SU: Yeah, when they're- (FF: Oh.) the attack on The Burrow? Yeah.

FF: I thought that was in the seventh one. (SU: No.) Oh. (MA: No.) My bad.

MA: No it's- they have an attack on the Burrow to remind- but it's a good and prevalent point because (SU: Mm-hm.) they have this attack on the Burrow to remind the movie audience, like J.K. Rowling is able to remind the book audience frequently throughout the book, that this thing is happening outside (FF: Oh.) their world. You don't really get that in the movie, because you're actually physically following Harry, and there's no outside commentary. So they did that to fill that need, but that could be exactly the kinda thing they do (FF:Yeah.) in a Movie Seven.

SU: Yeah.

FF: I guess they could show Neville and Luna and Ginny trying to steal the sword, (SU: Mm-hm.) and all that stuff. Instead of just talking about it, (MA: Yeah.) they'd actually show it.

SU: Right.

MA: Yeah, so maybe- I don't know how you'd do that, because it does have to interact with Harry in some way.

FF: Yeah, but you can't show too much with the- I was gonna say we could show Dumbledore instructing Snape, but then that takes away from that reveal at the end, (SU: Yeah. I just think...) 'cause that's a big reveal.

SU: For me, I really want them to break it after Dobby's death. And for me, (MA: Oh, God.) (FF: So Gringotts would be in the first one?) that part, when I read that, that, for me, turned the book. (FF: Mm.) And I understood what we're going toward.

FF: Yeah, because it's so dramatic. Especially with Hermione (SU: Yes.) being tortured, (SU: Yes.) they find Luna, they find Ollivander. They get them to safety, there's some resolution there. And then- that's a good point, I think that would be a very good point, because then you have Shell Cottage. You could introduce Shell Cottage, and planning, they go to Gringotts, and then it just tumbles into the battle.

SU: Yeah, exactly, (FF: I like that.) and then, for me, I read everything so emotional, duh, big surprise. (FF laughs) So, for me, when I see this movie, I just think that could be such an impact. And I just, when that- (FF: They better put Dobby in this movie.) I just remember being just devastated when he died. It was just so gut-wrenching, and so- and then, at the same time, I felt such anger, and I just really just felt myself urging Harry on, I just wanted to give him my strength. I know that sounds bizarre and freakish and- (FF: No, it's just good story-telling.) (MA: No, it's how you feel!) but that's what I wanted to do, and that's what I think, if they could take that impact from that movie, if they could take it in terms of a cinematic experience for you, as you're going along, you see this dramatic- they've had that incredible scene. I think the scene at Godric's Hollow at Christmas time will be just mind-numbing, and I just think it'll be awesome. And the you go, and then you've had this dramatic loss, you've explained the Hallows, somewhat, and then you have the death of Dobby, and then you can understand his emotional motivations as a character, and that can carry you over. Maybe it's too much of a cliffhanger, (FF: I really....) I don't know.

FF: No, no, I really like that. I think I'm gonna- I'm right there with you.

MA: I'm gonna be the downer on that one. (SU: Okay.) (FF: Why? I'm just kidding.) (All laugh) Because I just...

SU: Yeah.Thanks, Frak!

MA: Because it's so depressing an end. I don't know...

FF: But we get the burial.

MA: You gotta get people psyched for the next movie. You have to make them want to come back for a second film, and to...

FF: See, I think you could get them to come back, because they want to avenge his death, and we're not going to leave with him dying in Harry's hands. We'll get the funeral and then we'll get Harry's resolve.

SU: Mm-hm.

MA: Maybe. It's just such a- it would make it a whole different film. It would be less of an adventure and more like an introspective. (FF: Hm.) Because it all depends what kind of direction they want to go. (FF: Yeah.) You know? I don't know. But Harry, he does, after that funeral, come to the critical change (SU: Yeah.) in his character, so I'm sort of now going back to thinking that it should really be in the first film- I mean, in the second film. That it should be after the silver doe that they break it, because for Harry to come to that critical change that signals him becoming the man that he is at the end? I don't think you can do that in the first film, and then have a full arc in the second. Do you know?

SU: Well, yeah, but I guess (FF: Yeah.) in terms of film, and traditional film structure, you have an arc, and then you have a peak, and then you have a resolution. You know, that's just traditional filming, so from what you're saying, from that point of view, I can see your point.

MA: No, I'm not saying from traditional filmmaking, I'm talking about- not in the sense of every film has to have a peak (SU: Well...) and a downward. I'm talking about Harry's emotional coming-of-age is such a crucial moment (SU: Yeah.) that I can't see him making it part of the first film, and not the second, because that's the big- it's huge! And that's the big thing that signals that we are- he's going to win, because now he's become this leader. And I think that that's a second-movie reveal. (SU: Mm-hm.) You know? (FF: Hm.) I don't know.

SU: I don't know. I can just see them focusing- (FF: Interesting.) it would be really easy to have their big focus on the tradition, at the big scene at the end. That's what my fear would be, but I don't know. These are good points. I just don't know.

MA: Well, that's the badass scene. (laughs)

SU: Yeah, yeah! That's the one we're waiting for.

MA: That's when he becomes- (SU laughs) (FF: The what?) that's when he becomes a badass. (FF laughs)

FF: Harry's a B.A.

SU: Yeah.

MA: When he starts calling him Riddle. (laughs)

SU: Yeah. I don't know. There's so much news, and we heard from Steve Kloves, who's going to be back writing both scripts. He said that he would actually would have liked to have made this into three parts.

FF and MA: What? (laugh)

SU: Yes! (laughs) I know. It's like, "Dude."

FF: The sad thing is that I would have been excited. (MA laughs)

SU: Yeah. (All laugh) (MA sighs)

FF: You could make each chapter a movie and I'd watch every single one.

SU: And you know, it was interesting, though, too, because we don't often hear from him. And so, I mean, he had said they had originally considered doing this for splitting Goblet of Fire in two parts and then he...

FF: They probably should have. Sorry. (SU: Oh, yeah.) Hated that movie.

SU: You know, hindsight is always twenty-twenty, but yeah.

FF: Exactly.

MA: If the main thrust was to just wring all the money out of it, they would have split every movie. (SU: Yeah.) (laughs) They could have split every movie into two parts! (SU: Yeah. But..) So I don't think that- (SU: Yeah...) Go ahead. I'm sorry.

SU: No, I'm just going to say that he says- his quote is, "I feel we owe it to Jo, in order to preserve the integrity of the work, and the fans, for their loyalty over all these years, to give them the best and most complete experience possible."

FF: Oh, that's really cool.

MA: And I love what- was it Heyman or Kloves that said that we're really struggling about the epilogue, (SU: Yes!) because when the movie finally ends, (SU: Yes!) it needs to be those guys, (SU: Mm-hm.) and not older actors. That- I was really, really heartened to hear them say that, because it's important! I don't want the last image on the screen to be some three actors we've never seen in our lives!

SU: Right.

FF: Mm-hm.

MA: You know? (SU: Right, right.) Get some makeup out, age those guys. They can do it.

FF: They can make people younger with computer, just do some C.G. work. It'll be expensive, but they can afford it.

MA: They can, and it would be nice. I would like to see- I mean, they'll be the height and appropriate structure in their faces that they'll have, (SU: Right.) that they'll be the rest of their lives by then, so...

FF: Yeah, and they're only going to be- what, it's nineteen years after they're seventeen? (MA: Uh-huh.) So they're what? Thirty-five, (MA: Yeah.) thirty-six?

MA: Yeah, yeah. So they're gonna-, they're not gonna look all that much different. They'll thin their hair a little bit...

FF: Yeah, and just...

SU: That's a good point.

FF: Wrinkle their faces a bit.

MA: No, wait, hey, no wrinkles! (FF: A little bit!) I'm only six years away from that. (SU laughs) I don't see any wrinkles coming. Let's not...

FF: How old are you?

MA: Twenty-eight. Or no, in seven years. (FF laughs) Let's not rush things, Mr. Young Frak.

FF: I'm twenty-six, so I'm getting old, too.

SU: They can make them- but just in that, that I can see them making that just very fleeting, which would be sad, but I can see them doing that.

FF: I forgot about the epilogue. They need to split this in two for sure.

SU: There was another quote, too, that Alan Horn dude had made, and he said, "We want to give it-" about splitting the films, he said, "This way we have an extra hour-and-a-half at least to celebrate what this franchise has been, and to do justice to all the worlds and ideas that Jo has put in the amazing story." So, are we talking a three-hour film? Is he- each? I was kind of curious. But I really hope that these are not just two two-hour films.

MA: I wouldn't want them to be two one-and-a-half-hour films. If they were two two-hour films, I'd be okay with that. I don't think they need to be two...

FF: I'm okay, honestly, the lengths to me, the longer the better, just selfish indulgence, (SU: Yeah.) but whatever the length is, as long as it takes to tell the story. Because the first one, I heard that Goblet- I mean Order of the Phoenix is going to be the shortest movie yet. But it's the longest book, but it worked. You know what I mean? So if it's going to be an hour-and-a-half, as long as it's an hour-and-a-half of good cinema and good story-telling, I'm not going to knock it. But I personally, in a selfish way, would like, yeah, the more the better. (laughs)

SU: Yeah. I want it all, man. There's just so many great scenes, I just- the whole battle of Hogwarts will just rock the canyon, man.

FF: I'm listening to that again right now.

MA: The battle of Hogwarts will be like the third Lord of the Rings movie, in that it's just like battle, battle, battle, brief rest. Battle, battle, battle, brief rest. (SU: Yeah.) World coming to an end. Battle, battle, battle- (FF: Yeah.) but in the less-epic- because the Battle of Hogwarts is epic for the Harry Potter characters, (SU: Right.) but it really, in all seriousness, a battle in which only fifty-odd people die is not that huge. (SU: No. Yeah.) You know? (FF: We know all of them!) Compared to Lord of the Rings, where thousands of people die. No, I'm talking in just sheer numbers. (FF: Yeah.) The epic-ness is different, but the sheer numbers of it, it's ac- But that's only because this world is so, (SU: Oh, right.) is so relatively small. (FF: Yeah.) But it still has to be, like, intense, (SU: Sure.) and just happening everywhere, and mandrakes falling through the window, and Trelawney throwing crystal balls, (SU: Um-hm.) and, ah, I can't wait!

FF: I'm just so excited to see Lily onscreen. (MA: Yeah.) This is the first time we really get to see her character. And she's awesome. She is Harry. You know what I mean? And I like the part where, in Snape's flashback, when he talks about- Snape's going off on how arr- he's this arrogant- excited to see- find himself famous, and Dumbledore says, "He looks like his father, but his deepest nature is of his mother." And it's true. And I'm really excited to see- 'Cause she's gentle, but she's not a pushover. And I'm really excited to see her.

SU: I am too. When you said that about Snape- I have long lamented- And I know that they have to do this for this film, that it's impossible to get all this in, but I have long lamented how the adults have been relegated to the background. And I am so looking forward to how Alan Rickman can handle his destiny. I know that sounds terrible, but I just think that that scene...

MA: Yeah, I'm excited for it. 'Cause to be very honest, it's been a little one-note for me, (SU: Really?) his performance, so far. He's great. He's a perfect Snape. (SU: Yeah.) But I haven't seen all that much variation. He's the same guy in every movie.

FF: Yeah. But how much has Snape's character, really, in the books, changed as well?

MA: There are shades, you know? At the end of Four, I feel like we needed to see that dread in his eyes, (FF: Um-hm.) that understanding of what was coming at the end of Four. It was just him being (SU: Yeah.) menacing around Crouch, Jr., again.

FF: Oh, that? Don't get me started on those scenes with Crouch. That was such stupid writing and directing, (MA and SU laugh) and "close the door slowly." Oh, my gosh.

SU: (laughs) Yes! All the way around.

FF: Ridiculous. (SU: Yeah.) Sorry.

MA: No. I hear you. And listen, I know sometimes we are really hard on Kloves here, and it's just because he sometimes veers off for what are probably really sound story reasons, but aren't as true to the books as possible. Hopefully he just needs...

FF: No, but that's no good story reason, though. (MA: No. You're right.) That's just- he- it's a total red herring. He didn't even address it. It's just: "Oh, we'll just make everyone think he's evil." (MA: But what I...) Because they couldn't- he couldn't communicate it another way. (MA: Right.) He couldn't- I'm sorry. I'm gonna shut up. (MA: You're funny.) No, 'cause it's- there's other ways to communicate in a way that's not just totally- He lied to the audience. He didn't point them in another direction. He didn't misdirect them. He lied to the audience, and that's stupid. That's bad story telling.

MA: In whose instance? I'm confused.

FF: When he made Karkaroff close the door in the Goblet!

MA: Oh, Karkaroff we're talking about! Yeah, no, you're right, that was a total- But then again, when we read Book Four, we thought that Karkaroff was somebody to be watched as well, so...

FF: Yeah, but Jo told it the right way. (MA: Right.) She didn't lie to us. She made him ambiguous, rather than- Basically, there should have been a screen capt- like, a subtitle at the end, "I am evil! Muah-ha-ha-ha-ha!" (SU and MA laugh) And then you...

SU: A little bubble over his head: "I am evil." (MA laughs)

FF: Yeah, exactly. And then at the end, like, "Just kidding." Sorry.

MA: Or at least explaining that the reason he closed the door on the goblet like that is because he (SU: Yeah.) did something to or tried to do something to it or mess with it.

FF: Oh, yeah! Something. Just, that was totally out of the blue, and they needed that sinister music- "dun-dun-da!" every time he walked onto camera. (MA and SU laugh) It would have been just as effective.

SU: Just as effective as the Pez dispenser thing that Moody was drinking the whole time. I mean, that couldn't have been more overt and we still just crack up.

FF: (laughs) I'm not a big fan of the Moody-on-camera. He doesn't look scary. He looks goofy. But I won't go into that.

SU: He's gonna be back. Brendan Gleeson is looking forward to doing his part in...

FF: I like him as an actor. I think he's a good actor. But I just don't like the wardrobe they gave him. I don't know. Sorry. I don't wanna- You're gonna hate me.

MA: Well, what I was saying about Kloves is that maybe this will give him the room he needs not to have to do that.

FF: Oh, okay. I should probably let you finish your thought.

MA: And we can see his writing really shine. And that's what I'm hoping. I'm a fan of his other work, I just- I've never seen a Harry Potter movie that he's written and thought, "Wow, the writing was great!" And I want to think that.

FF: It gets frustrating too because sometimes- I noticed it when you guys pointed it out in one of the commentaries or one of the shows back a couple years ago- He'll give Hermione Ron's lines. (SU: Oh! Mm-hm. Don't get me started.) And I don't understand that at all. 'Cause it's not like it was hard or a hard way to get around it. Ron's right there.

SU: Right, right. The big POA- Prisoner of Azkaban switch is- yeah. But we should save that for another conversation. Yeah.

MA: Or like when in Movie Two she's like sprouting "Fear of the name increases fear of the thing itself." (SU: Yes! Yes.) Its like, "Come on. Come on. She's twelve." he's not Dumbledore.

SU: That's why I just hope he uses more- like Goldenberg did- I thought he used a lot of Jo's dialogue. (MA: He did.) And I'm hopeful that Kloves will do this, 'cause there's such powerful writing in Deathly Hallows, just...

MA: Mm-hm. There is such powerful- If they don't have "Not my daughter, you mmm," I will be very angry.

FF: Yeah. Honestly. And it's great that that's the only- I'm not a huge fan of the curse words myself, (MA: Right.) but, honestly, it was like I didn't mind it at all, because it was its only use, and, you know what? If someone's doing that to my daughter, you better watch out, I'm not gonna hold my tongue. (MA: Yeah.) I don't know. And it just shows Molly as a powerful witch, not just some- And, know what I liked, too? It gives that whole- a lot of people say, "Oh, housewives, you don't have to be a-" If you wanna be a housewife, and just be a mother, that's an honorable thing. (MA: It's a powerful thing.) And the fact that Molly was up to scratch too, (SU: Yeah.) like she could take out Bellatrix? Pff. Amazing.

MA: I love it and I love and what I really hope they try to emphasize is that this whole series has been about being a good mother (FF: Hm.) and being good to your children and loving. And if they keep all those elements in, Narcissa lying about Harry being dead, (SU: Oh, brilliant.) Lily's- the specific magic of Lily's sacrifice because one of the things that I'll be so angry if they don't have- I'm sorry I'm getting upset- in Movie Six is when he has that talk with Dumbledore and we've all been kinda rolling our eyes. Every book he says, "Your love saved you. Your love saved you. Your love saved you." But like, Harry like he breaks it down and he says, "No, you don't understand. Your love actually did save you because you are able to love. You are able to fight. And otherwise, you would have been dead. You are protected by your ability to love." And if they don't have that whole conversation, getting real specific about why Lily's sacrifice is so powerful, oh man, I'm going to be real angry. Sorry.

FF: And I just really like it, (MA: Went on a little rant there.) too, because there's a line in Deathly Hallows on King's Cross Station- I was just going over it- I was listening to it when I drive. It's the one where he talks about how Voldemort doesn't even bother trying to understand the things he doesn't like- I forget how he said it- things he doesn't think worthy he won't bother to understand. And how he says, "There are things out there that are more powerful than any kind of magic." And like that's like love. And the fact that Lily used something that's more powerful than any magic and wove it with magic as well to make it even that much more powerful (MA: Yeah.) is so cool.

MA: And the fact that she didn't know. She did it out of pure love. She didn't think, (FF: Hmm.) "Well, if I do it this way, it'll be the most strongest magic." She just loved him that much. (FF: Yeah.) Like that was it. And people kinda roll their eyes and think that it's morbid and maudlin and what, but specifically what it was about, you know? And, uh! I just remember reading Seven and thinking, "How is it possible I didn't realize that with J.K. Rowling as the author of this series that this was going to be so much about being a good mother." (laughs) You know? (FF: Yeah.) I sorta smacked myself against the head, "You should have realized that, you idiot!" You know, like that, so.

SU: So much.

FF: And you know just good fathers too. 'Cause...

MA: There are very few good fathers in this series. I have to say.

SU: Arthur! (FF: Well, yes.) You don't think Arthur?

FF: Yes, Arthur and James.

MA: Arthur? Arthur's- James? (SU: Yeah.) James is a good father, but all we know about him is that he tried to protect his family which is an honorable thing, (SU: Right.) but I think most fathers would do it. (FF: You would be surprised.) Well, yeah, you're right.

SU: And people would say- look at Lucius. He's a- no! (MA: I don’t think he’s that good of a father.) I think he's a horrible father! (MA: He became a weak...) And (MA: Yeah.) that's the dichotomy I thought between him and Arthur, you know. But (MA: Mm.) you're right. (MA: Mm-hm.) There's not very good, strong (MA: No, it was great.) father figures.

FF: That's true. I guess it's just nice to see a healthy- I don't know. Hollywood portrays men in a funny way. I can get into that, but I'll bite my tongue.

MA: It's such a great discussion because, look, even when Lucius is such a terrible person, Narcissa who is an equally unpleasant and bad person ends up being (SU: Yes!) a really good mother. You know? Whether or not she is a good person is irrelevant next to the fact that all she's trying to do is protect her son. (SU: Yeah.) So, yeah.

FF: Well, she protects her son- well, like I think- well, I guess she's more loving than (MA: Than Lucius.) Lucius, but she could- well, I guess she- I guess it counterbalances Lucius's attitude towards Draco if you’re going to (inaudible).

MA: This is a whole...

SU: We can hold a whole subject on this. We can hold a whole conundrum right there. (laughs)

MA: We're in a whole other conversation. (FF: I'm sorry.) Ugh!

SU: Can I say something one more thing though? (MA: No, I'm just-) Kinda related to the news. (MA: No, go for it.) Kinda sorta related. (FF: No! Just kidding.) We're talking about things we'd like to see in this Deathly Hallows and things that are so important in this book and it kinda relates to it is the man by the name of Matt Lewis who is talking about his character of Neville Longbottom. (MA: Love him.) (FF: Mm.) Love him. (MA: Love him.) Love him. (MA: Love him.) And he's talking about having to do sword practicing for his scene with Nagini. Rock.

FF: Nice! (MA: Nice!) Sorry, (MA: Good.) that's amazing.

MA: Good, good. (SU: Mm-hm!) And may I say, I'm looking- I'm looking at Leaky right now and there's a picture of him in like a dark shirt with like dramatic lighting (SU: Yeah.) and these pictures of him that have shown up. Where did he come from?! (SU laughs) Where?

SU: It's so funny because remember how Jo said- Jo had said she had gone to the set visit and she's like, "Who is this good-looking guy?" And then she realized it was Matt Lewis! Suddenly, he turned into this gorgeous young man, grown up, and just- you know?

MA: I just- I just...

FF: It's indicative of Neville though, you know? (SU: Yes! Totally!) He was this- there was nothing wrong with him. He was just this homely, little like Gryffindor who probably just barely made it into Gryffindor because he really wanted to- because of what his grandmother just kinda rammed up- down his mouth, you know like, "You need to be like your parents." And he genuinely just wanted to- that was probably the only piece of his parents he had being Gryffindor. (SU: Yeah.) You know what I mean? And then how he just totally came into his own and found his voice and just- Neville is such- everyone can relate to Neville. Neville is probably the character I relate (SU: Me too.) to most. (SU: Me too.) But I think a lot of people could say that.

MA: No, I'm- it's wonderful to hear this. Okay, and let me address something else regarding this. Yes, when the many fan sites who went to the set- went to the set, this question was asked repeatedly because the rumor had just come up; "Are you splitting it? Are you splitting it?" Yes, everyone kept repeatedly asking (SU laughs) these people because everyone wants to know! Which was kinda stupid because any answer we got would be embargoed until we were about to talk about it which was going after the- but anyway, in the journalists spirit, everyone was like, "Tell us if the movie's going to split it two!" And it was really, really obvious that without anyone saying it, this was going to happen. Because nobody said it, nobody’s answer would be like, "Oh no, that's silly", where as if it was something that kind of crazy of a rumor, people would just put it down right away. But- and it was not any great leap to come away from it that day and think, "Mm, I think they're really going to do this." We all were talking about it afterwards going "I really think this is going to happen, oh my gosh!", so that's what I mean when I say that I hate embargos, because you can't, even if- Ah! Embargos, blah, it's like being Frankenstein and having your lips zipped- anybody who you asked about it said something along the lines of, "Oh, we don't know", but then went on to talk about the prospect, you know? So, without getting into the specifics, which you'll find out when we are allowed to do out set reports, it's clear that everybody is excited about it.

FF: I had a dream last night that I was having a party, and Evanna Lynch came, she just flew in, and she came to my party.

MA: She would, she would.

FF: I just remembered that right now. Sorry.

SU: Ah she's going to be so great in Deathly Hallows! Oh man, Luna! Yes! Okay, sorry. Just so many good things.

MA: No, I just so love her. My God, oh yeah, oh wow, oh gosh. (FF: Luna's amazing.) What news. And it's nice- isn't it nice to have fun news...

FF: "Oh look, they're pleased!" That's one of my favorite lines. (MA: What?): When she senses the Death Eater and like the whole, "Oh look, they're pleased!" Like ah... (laughs)

MA: I love her! (laughs)

FF: I just want to give you a hug Luna.

SU: You know what I hope they do, and I hope the art director and the set director does it- paints her room with the friends. You know, just how they describe when Harry goes up to her bedroom and looks up and sees their pictures up on the wall and it's intertwined between the chains and it just says friends. I just hope they put those little touches in the movie.

FF: Yeah.

MA: Just...

SU: Oh! Oh! Man.

FF: I really want to see the Ravenclaw tower. In my head, it looks so cool.

SU: Oh! Yeah!

MA: Me too. I hope they go there. You should draw it.

FF: Now that would be good practice for me, I need to draw background environments more and just do characters.

MA: Hey Frak, we're now keep getting email from people asking you to draw peoples patroni. (FF: Really?) Seriously. (FF: That's funny.) We got a couple. And so I think, that we should have a contest one day, (FF: The winner...) and the prize is for you to...

FF: That would be totally- I would be all about that. That would be so much fun.

SU: Cool!

MA: Okay. Let's figure...

FF: What would be the contest?

SU: Mm, let's think about it.

MA: I don't know. I still owe many people things, like the big pack of stuff that I promised people. I owe so many contests prizes. It's kind of scary. And they're all in my closet and I promise they're all coming out and being sent, but I don't know. (SU laughs) Let's think about it. Also, also remember when I mentioned last week that maybe we'd do the Jingle Spells and you said that you would make it pink.

FF: Yeah. Yeah.

MA: And we can make a limited run for people. (FF: For sure.) Email if you think that would be a good idea guys, so I can know how many, you know, to gage that I should order. (SU: Okay, can we...) Okay, it is now thirty-eight minutes into our show recording. (laughs)

SU: Okay, one more thing, one more thing before, it'll take thirty seconds. Jo Rowling as confirmed that she is in fact, once again, that she is working on the Scottish book. Okay, I'm done. (FF: Oh, nice.) Thank you. (laughs)

MA: Good. Good.

FF: You know, I would so- I would- I want to do drawings for that book. (laughs) Ah, sorry.

MA: Just imagine though, just imagine like a big tome of all new Harry Potter stuff. It would be the only reference book I ever sat down and read.

FF: I would just pour over it. (MA: Cover to cover.) Because honestly, that's the stuff that when I read the other books, that's what I missed from the seventh book, is that they weren't at Hogwarts. And I love all that exposition, like what books they- like I love their study list, and I love it when they talk too in the class about different kinds of magic, the history of the magic, and where it came from and all that jazz, so it just be like, just a big- I don't know, just a- I don't know I could just sit over it and pour over it. (MA: Yeah.) I really want to read it. I want to read it now.

MA: Ah, one more thing. I said- there's a really unfortunate moment that I found out about last week. Remember when we were talking about the marathon? And I said that, "Oh, that guy that ran the marathon and then died" and everybody was kind of laughing? I was talking about the original guy for whom the marathon is named, the ancient times, way back before- I didn't know that recently somebody actually ran a marathon and died. (SU and FF: Oh!) Yeah! I got an email about it, like, "How could you joke about this," and "This is terrible!" Oh my gosh, no never! No, I'd never ever do that. So in case there was any confusion last week, we were not laughing at the expense of somebody, some poor soul who died after completing a marathon. It's not...

SU: Oh, heavens no!

FF: That's what I was laughing at.

MA: No no no!

SU: Oh!

FF: I'm kidding, I'm kidding, I'm kidding, I'm sorry!

MA: Laughing at the guy who did it many many thousand of years ago. (laughs) That's terrible! I think I had a couple of doubts and then- oh, yeah.

SU: Oh now I'm appalled! Oh no! I would never do that!

MA: I know. I mean we weren't even laughing, we weren't even laughing about that guy either, about the guy in the ancient times either, it's just the story, you know. But no, we'd never. We'd never. Just so anybody's you know...

SU: Oh, now I'm crushed. No!

MA: No, we'd never. So we apologize, I apologize to anybody- (FF: I'm sorry.) I don't even know- I said I would look up the story and I haven't looked up the story, I don't know where it was but no. (SU: Okay.) I also want to mention we got an interesting email and I think we should do this from time to time. When you have a comment about our Bit by Bit or Canon Conundrums or something, send us an email, if you want to refute what we said or if you want to agree with what we said or if you have more to add, send us an email to staff@pottercast.com and we'll pick some and read them. This one is from Glen Johnson, and he said that he had just finished listening to our Bit by Bit and he wants us to discuss this in the next Bit by Bit in Grimmauld Place. (SU: Oh, okay.) So, with that in mind, I guess I should read this when we do the Bit by Bit, huh?

FF: Yeah, well why don't we do that transition over there now?

MA: Well, let's go do that! (FF: Okie doke!) (SU laughs) Forty-one minutes into the show. Bye! (laughs)