636 pages and about 36 of them reflect in this film.
No I’m kidding of course but my goodness, so much cool stuff is missing that would have been great to see on screen. Alas, I’ve said it once and i’ll say it again. The books and movies are not to be compared, they are two completely different bodies of work. The films we know and love are just an interpretation of the original, like anything that would be creatively adapted. And lucky us we get a 3rd adaptation of this story anyway when the HBO series is about and for those who have only seen the films, can now join me in marvelling at all the stuff I’ve been frothing over in these posts…
One thing that always stuck with me after reading this book for the first time was that you actually need to get a license to apparate and there’s training involved. Its like the Wizard’s equivalent to driving a car, you don’t just start doing it one day. And like driving a car, some people go their whole lives without getting a license and some people are just better than others. Broomsticks to me, are like scooters. The floo network is like public transport. And I guess talking heads in the fire is like a video call. Heh…
The twins!
Honestly a couple of the best and my favourite characters in HP. The obvious factor being their great sense of humour and also their entertaining disobedience for authority and rules. In this chapter especially, I feel like I can relate the most to them. Finding out how they’ve managed to find the secret entrance to the kitchens of Hogwarts and over the years they have regularly been visiting the house elves down there to nick some food, is something I 100% would be guilty of doing. And not to mention their inclination to go toward a more creative path than educational.
There is also a quick scene in the book that cracks me up, which would have been so fun to see on scene. Its between the twins and Harry, Ron & Hermione in the owlery in the early hours of the morning. It does make sense as to why they didn’t add it in as it involved them sending a letter to someone who is nonexistent in the film. I’m not going to get into the fact that this being one of the most prevalent characters in this entire story, is completely wiped from existence in the film but as we know, time. The new series is going to be a gift to us all whether you’re on board for it or not!
THE QUIDDICH WORLD CUP!
MY GOODNESS. This is some of the most epic entertainment we come across in the whole story. JKR gives a full play by play of the match. Its entirely anticipating watching the tricks on the brooms and foal play in my imaginations eye. Oh and the team mascots! A World event like this, the apposing countries like to show of the creatures native to them as their mascots. The Irish come out with Leprechauns that throw time limited gold and the Bulgarians come out with Veela. The Veela are like land Sirens that lure men in with their perfect looks and magical gaze but really its just a mask for the scary beast that hides beneath the surface. Amazing. Can’t wait to see what gorgeous models they use for this in the series. I’m predicting ones like the Sirens in Pirates of The Caribbean [another fantasy story and piece of art I love to enjoy].
One thing that really stuck with me the first time reading Goblet was the Omnioculars. I think about them all the time even until this day. They’re magical binoculars used at sporting events that not just allow you to zoom in and out but to rewind and watch in slo motion. How cool would it be to have something like this invented in our world somehow. In saying that [maybe not even sporting related] I think they could come up with a lens that you could zoom in and out with or something along those lines. Hmm. Perhaps i’ll write something further on this in a future post.
I think we can all agree the best part of this story is the visiting schools. Not only does it open our imagination to the Wizarding universe globally but its also just exciting to watch. High school becomes monotonous after a while, I’m sure even for magic students. So we got to live through the characters as this exciting time of visitors and school activities came about. I really wish they put a little extra time into the visiting school’s entrances. The flying carriage and the ship. And their school logos, so very different to Hogwarts’ coat of arms. We did see it, just very briefly. Also, I wonder why they made Beuxbaton’s an all female school and Durmstrang an all male one. They were both co-ed in the books…
Hermione
I love Hermione and the side journey of activism she goes on in this school year. Her views on equality amongst the creatures and wizards is exactly how my views on animals and people were when I was around her age. Once I did get older and learnt more about the world and my ignorance to all the facts however, I can say my views are more along the lines of Hagrid’s. Still weirdly comfortable and loving towards all creatures, no matter how big or small; but understanding the natural order and respecting the balance nature’s put in place.
Speaking of Hermione… an insignificant fact that some may know is JKR actually wrote for her to come out in a blue dress instead of pink at the Yule Ball but the costume designer for the movies stated that Emma suited a pink dress more for her big reveal. I actually agree completely. Remember, we actually don’t know exactly how JK envisioned Hermione to look or the dress for that matter. We have an idea but I think the pink dress in the film is iconic and I don’t think Jo would have minded. I wonder how they are going to cast the next Hermione and if they’ll go with the blue or pink this time.
Sort of but not entirely off topic – Mr Victor Krum. I don’t like how they depict him to be some sort of dumb jock in the movie when although he appears that way at first, we learn he’s actually more intellectual and makes more sense as to why he’s always in the library. Again, insignificant.
The prefects bathroom
I have been inspired to recreate a smaller version of this magical giant tub in my future home.
“It was softly lit by a splendid candle-filled chandelier, and everything was made of white marble, including what looked like an empty, rectangular swimming pool sunk into the middle of the floor.”
I’m dreaming big but I will make it happen.
And now speaking of Cedric. Its mentioned at the wand weighing ceremony that he regularly cleans his wand, and Harry has a thought about how his has finger prints all over his and evidently never cleans it. I thought it was funny because it’s like the equivalent of us and our phones. I, like Cedric, regularly clean my phone as I like to think of it as an extra limb seeing as how much we use them. I clean my hands and feet daily, why not my device. A tip I like to tell everyone is whenever you come across sanitiser [which is all the time since Covid], use this as an opportunity to wipe the disinfectant over your phone if you aren’t always cleaning it.
A crazy thing is while “Moody’s” character is teaching at Hogwarts, he plants the seed in Harry’s mind for the future pursue to become an Auror [dark Wizard catcher – basically a detective but way cooler].
My favourite new invention we are introduced to is Dumbledore’s Pensieve. The device in which he extracts his thoughts into. What a beautiful design. The description is exactly as what is portrayed in the films, the wispy vapour like substance. Neither liquid nor gas, but both. Oh how often there comes times in my life where I wish I had my own. When my thoughts are running rampart… But until I can conjure one up, a good old notepad and pen will have to do!
Devotion to Dumbledore
I love Professor McGonagal’s devotion and complete trust in Dumbledore throughout a couple scenes in this novel. As well as the shift in focus when Voldemort makes his return and Dumbledore starts setting his orders like this wasn’t the first time and being as its Dumbledore, they all clearly take them without discussion. Well not all… But I love more and more of the insight as to what it was like when Voldemort was at power, before he met Harry. Its amazing how much back story there is to this huge story. And from the very beginning she, meaning JK Rowling, would have had this all worked out as its mentioned from the first novel. Again, I am just praying for her to write about these events, about the lead up to Voldemort’s power, the Order of the Pheonix before it was created, Harry’s parent’s and their friends’ time in high school, the drama between Snape and the planting of the Whomping Willow for Lupin, etc, etc…
All in all, the Goblet film is a big one and a crowd favourite but like Prisoner, MAN the book is so much better. Not something I would even admit for the first 2 as they’re almost identical anyway. Granted, you can’t get the cinematic scenes with Harry flying Buckbeak or fighting the Hungarian Horntail in the books but if you’re as big as a fan of this world as I am, abundance is everything. But I am still in love with every single film created as that was what I fell in love with first.
Things I would love to ask Madam Rowling:
- If she would or has or is creating a series dedicated to the order and/or the events that take place in Snape and the Potters’ time.
- What Hermione was really supposed to look like
- If she’s involved in the casting for the HBO series [pls lord i hope so]
And a great quote to end my love letter to the fourth –
“Curiosity is not a sin… But we should exercise caution with our curiosity”.