So on the off chance this is the first you're hearing of Severus Snape and the Marauders, too, get ready to feel all the feelz you can feel.
But first, a quick setup from the film's producers:
Set in 1978 just after Harry Potter's father James graduates from
Hogwarts, he and his friends Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter
Pettigrew celebrate at a bar, contemplating their place in a war they
are to soon become a part of. When Severus Snape enters the same bar,
knowing the part he might play in the war, James Potter decides to do
something about Snape once and for all.
The production quality and casting is simply jaw-dropping, and though I've always been a *little* resistant to Team Snape (that whole "friend zone" anger from the fandom towards Lily gets me riled, y'all) this had me rooting for Severus in a whole new, yelling-at-the-screen-and-fist-pumping way.
As for James Potter... well, as I posted to my personal FB, this is hard to watch, because it's so, so good. And again, feelz. As in, you're gonna feel this one in your gut.
Afterward I decided to give the film the hardest litmus test there is for all things Potter: I had John watch it. And get this: HE LOVED IT. Yep, the biggest Potter geek/book purist I know gives this his stamp of approval, guys! That's the highest of high praise!
K, no more spoilery talk. Just watch.
Oh! And when you're done, go check out the website for behind-the-scenes photos, official posters & wallpapers, and more:
(Did I mention Lily makes a badass appearance? Srsly, guys, you have to see this.)
Brilliant, but Voldemort is all wrong! He shouldn't look like that yet...
ReplyDeleteThe same group put out an amazing fan film about young Dumbledore and Grindelwald a few years ago called "The Greater Good" - you should definitely check it out if you haven't seen it before!
ReplyDeleteYeah, Voldemort is completely wrong, and the rest of the casting is rubbish. They're supposed to be 18?
ReplyDeleteHa! Aw, c'mon, it's like every TV show (or 80s movie) ever set in high school; all the actors are always in their 20s-30s.
DeleteAm I the only person who never liked James Potter? I'm sure he had redeeming qualities; after all, Lily loved him. But he was a bully and a jerk, and quite full of himself. I don't recall much of anything in the books that showed him any better than that.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the fan film, all I can say is a resounding WELL DONE! Good acting, lovely special effects, and a good story. I do agree with a comment above, though, that Voldemort shouldn't look like that yet. Otherwise, fabulous! Thanks for pointing us to it, Jen!
Me too! The marauders were a bunch of nasty bullies, and I've never understood the love for any of them, other than Lupin. He, at least, grew up enough to be remorseful. James might have too, but we never got to see it, so for me, he's always that arrogant little snot he was in the books.
DeleteOh, I concur. Can't STAND the Marauders. 3/4 of them were douchebag bullies. James was a jerk. Sirius was a BIGGER jerk. Peter was the only one who showed his true colors. Lupin was the only one who redeemed himself from that group.
DeleteWhile I absolutely get and concur about the "friendzone" BS that surrounds Snape and Lily. I'll still take him ANY day over James, Sirius or Peter.
I can't stand James - and the whole "Oh, we were just boys" thing is such a weak & evil excuse to down-play bullying. They were punks. Snape loved her but Potter wanted to win her. I wish she'd forgiven Snape & helped him become a better man. But that would be a whole different book series... Maybe James would have been the mean Potions professor? Wow. I'm outrageously invested in this, aren't I?
DeleteAll I can say is wow. And I'm all kerflumped. The feels. ALL of dem.
ReplyDeleteThe actors are definitely older, but the only one who seems distractingly too old is Lily. She looks around 35-ish. Maybe it's a styling thing? Maybe her character is more mature, so it's harder for an older actor to come off younger? And yes, Voldy is wrong. But I still loved it. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! That gave me goosebumps!
ReplyDeleteThat made my day! It definitely seemed in character. I loved bad-ass Lily at the end! I always felt the books gave her precious little character development next to James. I also thought the costumes were really good; I can so see young Sirius wearing that!
ReplyDeleteWow!
ReplyDeleteIt's very special. Not bad, not good.....just special
ReplyDeleteI don't understand how the 3.25 of them weren't able to overcome Snape any better than they did. I do understand that Snape started fighting dirty with the unforgivable curses, but they should have had him long before that.
ReplyDeleteFan theory...perhaps since we are getting the story told by Snape, it isn't quite accurate? embellished?
So good! Thanks for the recommendation. Definitely went on to watch all the behind the scenes and "The Greater Good."
ReplyDeleteNope. I'm just not on board with the James (and Remus and Sirius) as nothing but a total jerk. I know we get the memory of him bullying Snape, and it was probably pretty accurate. But I don't get this portrait of James as Draco version 1.0 where he is obsessed with (torturing) Snape. I don't think James lived and breathed trying to bully Snape.
ReplyDeleteJames was probably a pretty decent guy. Lily married him after all. He was an early member of the Order of the Phoenix - you know, the impressive group of good guys dedicated to bringing down You Know Who. Also, people are constantly telling Harry how much he reminds them of his father, usually after he does something good, not after he does something bad or mean.
Finally James threw down his life without a single thought when Voldy came for Harry. Run Lily, take Harry, I'll hold him off. There is no way he had any expectation of living, he was sacrificing himself in the hope of giving them an extra second or two to get away. Lily is practically given saint status because she sacrificed herself for Harry, but James did the exact same thing, for Harry and for Lily. I doubt either of them were saints, but come on, James as this portrayal? I don't buy it.
I'm a Potter purist and resented the idea of anything coming along - especially made by some random yahoo - that even smelled like a spin- or rip-off of the real deal. I just watched it. And cried. Thank you so much for sharing. It's lovely.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Rebecca, about James. Very well said.
ReplyDeleteAs for the film...it was amazing. The acting, costumes, special effects, music...very well done. Thanks for sharing, Jen!! :)
Good golly. I haven't even started watching this, and I'm already a hot mess of emotions just from the build up. OK. I'm going to go get a grip. And then some kleenex. And then I'll press play.
ReplyDelete