Tons Of New ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ Images
Jan 19, 2009 by Ross MillerGet ‘em while they’re hot!
To fuel the fire of the Harry Potter fanbase’s anticipation for the upcoming entry into the series Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince we have an absolute slew of new images. They are actually from a new Japanese TV spot (which, strangely, isn’t available online to view) and are in the form of screenshots – most have Japanese subtitles but I’ve taken a few of the best (non-subtitled) images and included them below for your viewing pleasure:
For the full gallery of all 75 images click here (Japanese site, slow loading).
Although most of the images aren’t of the greatest quality, which is understandable considering they aren’t officially released images but screenshots from a TV spot, the ones above are quite stunning. Particularly the last two – those look like kick-ass scenes.
I find myself strangely looking forward to every new Harry Potter film that gets released. I’m not, by any stretch of the imagination, a “fan” of the series (I really like a couple of them, though), the book (I haven’t read a single one) and the general mythology (the whole fantasy genre isn’t usually my cup of tea) but I find myself excited about each new one.
What I like most about the series as a whole (again - I haven’t read the books) is how they seem to mature as they go along, dealing with darker and more serious issues every time just as you’d imagine the characters would be. It looks like the term “dark” is going to apply to this newest installment more than any of the others (although the PG rating seems to contradict that), and it looks like they’ve kicked up the amount of CGI, which is fine if they don’t let it get in the way of the story.
So what do you make of these images - are they helping to fuel the fire of anticipation for you?
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is set to hit theaters on 17th July 2009.
Source: PotterMania.jp
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I’m quite surprised about how visually stunning Half Blood Prince seems to be turning out. I can sorta get the PG rating, because the book was a little lighter than 4 & 5, but hopefully it’s not too cheesy or too light. It probably means they eliminated some of the more bloody parts, though.
@Judy
Thanks for pointing out the book this film is based on is lighter than the previous two. I wasn’t aware of that… I kind of figured they just got progressively darker.
Vic
@Judy, I would have to disagree with you there. This book is by far, first and foremost my favorite of the series so I’m slightly biased, some of the darkest material in all of the series. In fact, the books due get progressively darker and more violent, as Harry uncovers more about his past/present/future and how Voldemort is involved.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to hijack this post with my Harry ramblings, but the PG rating on THIS movie makes no sense. I understand that they are YOUNG adult novels, but in order to truly bring to the screen the breadth of the last 2 novels, they need to be able to get gritty and dirty.
Hmmmm …. a bridge that appears to be moving. I didn’t know Magneto was in the Harry Potter series.
@Dan
You’ve also need to remember that PG doesn’t mean what it used to.
@Dan
Ah… see, now THAT’S what I thought (I haven’t ready any of the books after the first one). It seems really strange that this film will drop to a PG.
Maybe it’s due to what I call “ratings creep,” where the edge of each rating level keeps getting pushed further over time.
Vic
Great screen shots. All the images are excellent.
Thanks for posting.
Kelly
@Vic
That’s what I said (the ratings thing) … only a whole lot better.
@Dan and whoever else, I mean that there are less gruesome/PG13-worthy scenes in Half Blood Prince. I get that there are Inferi and blood and stuff, but I’m guessing that they cut a lot of bloody parts, like Draco breaking Harry’s nose and the Sectumsempra scene. The Inferi might be the extent of the gruesomeness. And to be honest, I didn’t really think Goblet was PG13 worthy. I DO wish HBP were PG13 though; that would give me a whole lot more to look forward to.
The books get progressively darker throughout the series. It was a really unique take on writing a series like this. As the characters grow and mature so does the story and enviornment. They go from children excited about going to Hogwarts to adults battling against evil and a life and death struggle. It really is amazing. I would highly reccomend reading through the series because they are no longer children’s books by this point really as the content has matured.
David Yates is a studio hack, he should be banned from directing another Harry Potter movie again. He has ruined Half Blood Prince! The word from the early screenings is that he has gotten rid of most of the flashbacks (there are only 3 flashbacks: Orphanage and the two slughorn flashabacks) there is no Merope , no gaunt family and probably no way near the detailed origin story. He has gotten rid of the big battle at the end, now it is only a minor skirmish. On top of that a PG rating? Not to spoil anything but a certain death towards the end of the movie should have been enough to push it to a hard PG-13, if it had been executed the way it was supposed to be. This movie is dead to me. I just hope this movie does badly box-office wise so that Warner Bros can fire Yates and hire someone who will do justice to the final 2 movies.
After reading my last post even I was confused. What I meant was that you, Vic, said it a whole lot better than I.
@John Locke,
no matter the director…don’t count on ANY film with a title that starts, “Harry Potter and….” to do badly at the box office. The studio could make NO other movies for the time it takes to make and release the last HP films and STILL guarantee to be a-okay financially.
@Vic,
That’s a good point. It seems studios are pushing the envelope farther and farther out from where traditionally a rating system would let you go.
Remember Airplane? That movie was rated PG and it had a scene of a naked woman (top only) go across the screen. That still to this day boggles my mind when I think about the movies of the 80′s and how traditionally they were rated.
this story of the series is my most favourite. so i’m waiting for this film.i want to see harry’s proposal scene. i’m too eager to watch it
@ross miller; great photos.
not a lot darker than the 5th, although not much lighter either, i think its about as dark. Has a very tragic part though. I cried in the book.