The results are in!

[trinityvixen]

Well, it's Monday. Time to revisit the Friday poll from last week. If you still want to vote, click on the link and do so.

Demographic limitations of my LJ being what they are, the fact that most of my friendslist got into Harry Potter in their twenties doesn't surprise me. I did have to laugh at how 20% of folks got nagged into the fandom. I technically belong in that category, as I hissed and booed at the hype for forever, before the movies ever came out, but the movies were still my entry point. It's amazing I ever liked the series, isn't it?

The favorite-book question got trickier, but I'm surprised and delighted that nearly half (40%) of folks thought that Prisoner of Azkaban was the best. I think that's right. Not just from a "I like this best," stand point, but also from a "this was actually well done" point. Prisoner of Azkaban is the first look at the wider consequences of evil and the general unfairness of life. The fact that it introduced Lupin, one of the better characters with the most realistic, grounded outlook in a world of magic, helps. But there's also the refusal to lionize dead folks with Snape's treatment at the hands of Sirius and James. There's the ugly truth of friendship not conquering all. That justice can't always be done. As a primer for the later, perhaps more tragic books, Prisoner of Azkaban, more so than the first really shockingly violent book--Goblet of Fire--set the stage for the hero's eventual maturity.

The fact that said maturity was recognized and declared to be the next most popular favorite--Deathly Hallows got 24% of your votes--is telling. I'm not surprised there was hardly any love for the emo-wangst fest and flashback-ridden Half-Blood Prince, but nobody liked Chamber of Secrets? Hell, Sorceror's Stone got at least one vote. In terms of favorites, I'd say it's 3, 7, then 2, with 1 being better than 4 for introducing the series so well, then 4, 5, and lastly 6. Of course, the Chamber of Secrets love is probably due to the tragic hotness of the movie Tom Riddle. That, and, at least for a time, the fact that I really, really thought she was going to show--for once--a Slytherin of any measure. I spent most of Chamber of Secrets going, "Well, isn't it nice that there's at least one Slytherin who's not evil--oh." Whoops.

I'm glad people agreee that the movies are hard to pick as favorites. The Prisoner of Azkaban movie was decent, but for what it left out, for what the young actors in it still had to learn about acting, I can't like it best. That it was the heavily favored makes sense--best basic story, clearest vision and first to break away from the literal stranglehold of the first two--but I dunno that it was the best done. I'm glad to see almost as many people agreed as preferred Prisoner of Azkaban.

And, people? I UNDERSTAND YOUR ALAN RICKMAN LOVE. I do. But "most inspired" casting? Have any of you all seen the Order of the Phoenix movie? If you tell me that Imelda Staunton isn't the most frightening thing to have to face down as Delores Umbridge, you're LYING. Umbridge in the books was just an irritation, something awful but ultimately, obviously doomed to falter under the weight of her own repressive attitude and repressed emotions. There was almost a sense that she might have won in the movie. Imelda Staunton was terrifying. I'd take Aragog over her, and my fear of spiders make Ron's arachniphobia look like an exaggerated dislike.

No surprises about which Slytherin y'all like best, nor that Neville and the Weasley twins came out so far ahead in the Gryffindor student poll. McGonagall though--is this just because of Deathly Hallows or what? And wooOt! Luna is totally the best "other houses" student ever. Well done.

Comments

[shell524.livejournal.com]

And, people? I UNDERSTAND YOUR ALAN RICKMAN LOVE. I do. But "most inspired" casting? Have any of you all seen the Order of the Phoenix movie? If you tell me that Imelda Staunton isn't the most frightening thing to have to face down as Delores Umbridge, you're LYING.

Haven't seen OOtP movie. Opinion open to changing if I ever get to see it. jlc is not at all interested in the movies.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

You're covered already. Especially since you agreed with me about Kenneth Branaugh.

[ecmyers.livejournal.com]

I actually liked HBP--that's the book where Harry first came into his own and I like hero quests. His relationship with Dumbledore there was as gratifying as those with Sirius and Lupin, the other father figures in his life, which I admit is one of the themes I like best from the series: Harry discovering his past (I like flashbacks) and his destiny and connecting with people who care about him. I thought OotP (the book) was much more emo, because of all his misplaced and poorly justified anger. HBP is probably my third favorite behind Azkaban and Deathly Hallows, respectively.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

The teenage angst, coupled with the lack of serious forward-moving momentum was just awful in HBP. It's especially heinous compared to the encroaching doom of OotP having exploded. There's open admission that Voldemort is on the move and nothing happens until the end of the book... Granted, the end comes with Dumbledore dying, but still.

Plus, even I figured out that book's "mystery" and I'm the most clueless reader.

[decidedly.livejournal.com]

...I actually didn't like Staunton's casting. Or her performance in Phoenix. At all. *shifty*

[viridian.livejournal.com]

I didn't LIKE her, but goddamn did she ever make me hate Umbridge, which was the point. She made me TWITCH. PHYSICALLY. And I hate the character in the books, so for that reason, I set aside my Rickman love. It's the one case where OMG HATE is the DESIRED reaction to a character!

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Umbridge is the character you love to hate. I think Rowling overdid Umbridge's ugly character by trying to make her physically hideous in addition. Imelda Staunton, with her frigid smile and trim primness, restored some serious evil and added a whole other layer of creeping-me-the-fuck-out to Umbridge. She looks like somebody's grandma, only EEEEEVIL.

Jim Dale did a fantastic read-along version of Umbridge that goes pretty well with Staunton's portrayal. His Umbridge readings on the audiobook were just about as annoyingly hateful as her portrayal. It takes skill to make someone who is an impediment to the characters annoying to a reader. Voldemort never bothered me as much as Umbridge.

[newredshoes]

Imelda Staunton made me PEE MY PANTS. Metaphorically. *eyedarts*

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Precisely. The restrained fury gives you a case of the "Uh-ohs" of impending doom from the outset. And Staunton's tautness throughout made it that much better. She was far and away the most amazing thing about the movie of Order of the Phoenix.

Then again, it says something for her that the girl playing Luna Lovegood is a close second to her.

[moonlightalice.livejournal.com]

No surprises there. As I said before, Neville is the Eowyn of HP.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Neville! Wuv Neville. I can't wait for the movie version of Deathly Hallows. Because the actor playing Neville has done a fairly credible job as the character all along, especially with difficult scenes about his past in Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix, all while remaining loveable. I really can't wait for him to kick ass and take names onscreen.

[hslayer.livejournal.com]

"...but nobody liked Chamber of Secrets?"

As you say, demographic limitations. It's no one's first choice, but for all you know, it could be everyone's second. Trying to get complete rankings in a useful format is nigh impossible.

Anyway, damn straight McGonagall. Especially for those of us who don't want to get poked by any of the Gryffindor men. She might not be as badass as some, but she was probably the most calm, cool, and collected - moreso even than Dumbledore as we find out in DH.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Good point about the limitations of surveys. Oh well.

McGonagall is awesome, don't get me wrong. I'm just blown away by her receiving far and away the most votes over even Dumbledore. Still, Neville bested all of the trio, so maybe being the star isn't worth that much.

[happyelfling.livejournal.com]

there IS one good Slytherin! Slughorn!!

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

He loses points for being in Half-Blood Prince. Also, I found him just to be an obnoxious windbag. When it comes to obnoxious windbags, I prefer Gilderoy Lockheart, thanks.

[happyelfling.livejournal.com]

I hated Lockheart. I think I liked Slughorn *because* he was not a bad Slytherin (and he did actually have magical ability). He had to overcome the entire reputation of his House to be anything other than evil! He gets points!

[ahab99.livejournal.com]

While I totally agree that Imelda was inspiring, Alan (we're all on first name basis, obviously) has to do more with fewer lines in every movie than pretty much anyone else. I also had an awfully hard time choosing between Alan and Kenneth, but it feels like there's something different between someone who has been there in every movie from the beginning and someone who pops up in one movie later in the sequence.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Alan Rickman's not had much to do, and he has done well with what he's had, it's true. Still, I feel that some of the movie-of-the-moment guest stars have really just blown their roles out of the water. Rickman gets mad props for the dueling club scene, though, and his cool dismissal of Umbridge in her office.

[ahab99.livejournal.com]

I've always felt like Alan brought something to the role which made him Snape as I saw him rather than the Snape of the first few books, who was rather one-dimensional as seen through Harry's eyes. I've been awfully disappointed that so much of what hasn't made it into the movies has been stuff dealing with the Marauders and Snape's past, because I feel like his role will continue to remain this small rather than growing in importance the way it does in the books.