Being a fan of the HP book series, I must say that of the 5 books published so far, my favorite is a toss up between books 3 and 5. I just downloaded the aforementioned trailer for part 3 the movie. Wow! Looks great. As for the choir, it wasn't in the books, and I'm thinking it may be one of those "just for the preview" clips. I kinda hope it is. Older movie previews tended to do that, but they've gotten away from that a little more, probably because people were confused as to why such and such scene wasn't in the actual movie. If anyone can get ahold of the Back To The Future DVD, it has the original teaser trailer for the first BTTF movie. It's really funny, kinda cheesy, and uses ABSOLUTELY NO FOOTAGE from the actual movie. But it works. I hope the choir isn't in the Harry Potter movie, 'cuz it makes the preview really cool, but probably doesn't have any real place in the movie. It'll probably end up as some "cut scene" on the DVD. I think a lot of directors know which scenes they're not going to use BEFORE shooting, but they shoot 'em anyway for good measure, or just in case, or because they like the scene and want to see it made, or because it's a good way to start the first day of the production (to get the wheels turning with actors, crew, etc. without having to worry too much about the quality on a throwaway scene) or maybe just to fill out the special features portion of the DVD. Anyone notice that videos/DVDs are coming out sooner these days? It used to be that the crummy ones came out after a few months, and the good ones took forever. Now they all come out pretty quickly. It probably has alot to do with the whole internet piracy thing. I also suspect that the whole "home theater" thing is a big factor. Theaters widened their screens to give audiences something they just couldn't get at home. Well, now you can get a widescreen, surround sound, hi definition digital experience at home, so it seems like theaters need to come up with a new gimmick.

groon:

Well, unless you were really into Shakespeare, do you think anyone else was really into the "Something Wicked This Way Comes" line from Macbeth?

When Lexus automobiles came out with that line, I tracked it to an agency department that created that specific ad, but never got around to targeting individuals responsible. If I did, I would have had to ask, Okay, WHY did you use THAT line?

Same with the Harry Potter trailer. I believe someone, somewhere just HAS to have become aware of this line thru Bradbury, and know well the familiarity of line because of him...and used it accordingly...

As to theaters, IMAX has become successful. I am positive there is something on the horizon that will make current motion viewing take second fiddle to the new kid on the block...

Nard,

I agree that most likely whoever thought of using the line might have been first inspired by Bradbury. Unless your knowledge of the play is fairly intimate, you wouldn't recall the phrase. Perhaps the "Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble. . ." bit but "Something Wicked?" No, I'd venture a guess that the common usage of the phrase comes from Bradbury. Then, whoever was inspired by the phrase might've found the actual source and took it from there.

Then again, there's so much of Shakespeare that infuses our language today. Read, or watch the play or any of the films of, Hamlet and you'll realize its filled with phrases that are common to us today.

Pete

pterran:

Hmm!
Name me another car somewhere in the last couple decades that used a line from Shakespeare to sell their cars, besides contemporary Lexus!!

A college girl was supposed to have said she didn't like Shakespeare "because he's full of cliches." Heh-heh.

At the end of "Toy Story 2," at least on the DVD, there is an "outtakes reel." Considering all the characters were computer-generated, I couldn't believe someone going to the trouble of making an "outtakes reel"--which is hilarious!

Nard,

Um. You got me.

Pete

"Okay, WHY did you use THAT line?"

Nard, what a great topic you've got us on now. I remember that lexus commercial and how it really caught my attention. There was a car commercial out around the same time as that one (I'm not sure what company) which featured the car driving through a midway full of acrobats, an illustrated man, people blowing flames out of their mouth and the car driving through it, etc. and it was set to the piece "Karn Evil Nine" (a song with a very Bradburyesque theme) by Emerson, Lake, & Palmer. I was blown away, because here was this wierd Ray Bradbury-ish car commercial with ELP playing in the background!

As for Harry Potter 3, my honest guess is that it was John Williams' idea. I'm pretty sure he wrote the music for the preview first and the footage was then cut to match the music. I'm guessing that they showed him some of the shots they wanted in the preview and he came up with the Shakespeare reference. His famous "Duel of the Fates", from Star Wars Ep. 1, was, from what I understand, adapted from an old gaelic poem about two trees duking it out. Thus it would make sense for him to do the same thing with shakespeare. After all, what are you supposed to think when you see a screen-full of English witches?

So maybe the title card that says "Something wicked this way comes," was put in because that phrase stands out in the choral arrangement. Or perhaps the people at Warner Bros. figured that they needed to reach out to an audience bigger than just kids and fans of the book, so they tried to catch the curiousity of Bradbury readers (who are likely to enjoy the Harry Potter series, due to the fact that they like to read) by throwing them a familiar line. Or maybe we are reading way into it, and it really is just a shakespeare reference.

Either way, we'll just have to take the cheap thrills at any chance we get.

[This message has been edited by groon (edited 12-08-2003).]

Dandelion: Best Line from the out-takes in Toy Story 2 (according to my 2 scruffs: ages 5-7), Mrs. Potato Head's response to Mr. P., when she emphatically states, "For the Monkey's, of course!"

Ingenious use of our technology. Amazing advancements since those stop action frame by frames of the big ape on the Empire State Building and those wonderful R.H. dinosaurs!

Did you notice all the cross references and tributes to other films? Check near the end of "Toy Story 2" in the scene when the four characters are frightened by an airplane, and just tell me that pose is not a "Wizard of Oz" reference.

There's a scene in the toy store where the T-Rex is chasing the car and it shows him in the car's rearview mirror. An obvious nod to Jurassic Park.

A casual look thru different websites turned up no less than 1/2 dozen uses of the term, 'Something Wicked This Way Comes', from a column about the war in Iraq as a headline, to musical groups using THAT line. Check out the 2nd website, that explains the history of the line in some detail...

(1) http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/h/herbaliser/something-wicked-this -way-comes.shtml

(2) http://www.phobos-deimos.com/History/SWTWC.htm

[This message has been edited by Nard Kordell (edited 12-14-2003).]

Actually...

...there is no rhyme nor reason to put this post here, but...what the dickens, or this case, Tolkien...

Went to see 'Lord of the Rings 3' this early morning....and...

Guaranteed:
You have never seen anything like this before, ever, in movies. This is the most dazzling...(let's call it an 'adventure film' for sake of a more generalized term)...the most dazzling adventure film ever made.

Battle scenes in there truly amazed everyone. I saw NO ONE leave for anything during the 3 1/2 hr moviel.
12:01 AM, Chicago... 3 large theaters in Countryside, IL. All packed...

Amazing movie!

Okay...next post...will deal with Bradbury again! (Wonder if Ray has seen the first two Lord of the Rings? Anyone know?)

Nard,
Agreed. Yesterday, i went to one of the 50 movie theatres in the country hosting the trilogy. I sat in the theater for almost 11 hours (with intermissions of course) but despite a sore neck, it was definitely worth it. Return of the King has to top the other two, though they're hard to compare considering they're all just part of the same story. It was amazing. I've never heard people clap so many times in a movie theater for one movie. It was actually kind of annoying, but consider the fact that these are loyal LOtR fans. Anyway, I suggest everyone see it. Definitely worth the 3 1/2 hour sit.

Is it strictly necessary you see Part 2 first?--because I never did get around to seeing it.

Dandelion:
No.
If you have an idea of what's the storyline, then you're okay!
Again.... an amazing movie feat.