Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I

I finally finished my rereading of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows over the Christmas break. I had to reread the book before watching the movie verision, which was released in theaters over Thanksgiving. I should have been on the ball about this earlier, so I know my posting about the movie is a bit late. But it's better late than never, right?

In my opinion, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 is the best movie adaptation of the books yet. Some people were upset that the producers decided to split the book into two parts, but I think this was the right decision. Very few scenes were left out, so avid fans can see all of their favorite parts. Yes, as always there were a few changes in the movie -- however, most of these were for good reason and didn't take anything away from the overall effect. And the overall effect was amazing! The dark tone of the book and the anticipation of the final battle between Voldemort and Harry Potter translated brilliantly.

Two scenes from the movie were done particularly well. In the opening scene, Hermione performs the obliviate spell on her parents as she prepares to leave on her journey with Harry. The music, scored by Alexandre Desplat (who also wrote the music for Twilight: New Moon) is dramatic, painful, and also shows the urgency of their situation. The scene is perhaps the best and most emotional of the entire series.

The other scene that really stood out was the scene where Harry and Hermione danced in their tent. Hermione is in love with Ron, who has returned home because he is frustrated with the lack of progress or direction in the trio's quest. Hermione is heartbroken, so Harry pulls Hermione out of her chair and tries to cheer her up with a dance. The music, O Children by Nick Cave, is both haunting and wonderful. It's so nice to see the deep level of platonic love that these two have for each other, and it was one of the sweetest and most touching scenes of the series...even if it wasn't actually in the book!

The seventh Harry Potter movie reminds us all the end is near. After ten years of films and fourteeen years after the publication of the first book, the series is about to come to a close for good. My generation grew up with these books, and seeing the final installment on the big screen is bittersweet. However, it's not over yet! Part 2 comes out on July 15, 2011. In contrast to Part 1, where the trio spend most of their time pondering and hiding, Part 2 promises epic battles and showdowns to end the series. July cannot come quickly enough, I just hope that Part 2 is as good at Part 1!