The Extra Scene

With the teaser trailer for the upcoming Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince making its rounds on the web, many are starting to figure out what parts of the 6th book will make it into the film. What has many people buzzing, however, is a part of the film that was not in the book – it was an extra scene that was added to the film.

“What are you talking about, T.C.?”

The other day, my guy-friend asked me about a specific scene from the trailer. “You know that scene with Ginny being attacked?” he asked, “When was that in the book?”

Great question! It turns out that that particular scene was not in the book – it was added as an extra scene especially for the movie. The film’s producer, David Barron, confirmed that this extra scene will be an attack by Death Eaters on the Weasley’s burrow. In an interview with The Herald Sun this past February, Baron revealed details of the extra scene and reassured fans who were skeptical of the move that it was indeed good news.

So what was the reason for the addition? Barron says, “We don’t often have things that aren’t in the book. But this was brought in because Jo (Rowling) was able throughout the quite lengthy book to keep dropping little snippets of what was happening in the outside world - there’d be people reading newspapers and talking about how somebody’s parents had been killed or somebody had been withdrawn from school because their parents didn’t think it was safe. And we’re made aware that the Muggle world is also experiencing these disasters, but thinks they are disasters rather than the work of Voldemort. The book is peppered with those moments, but we couldn’t do that quite so easily in the film. So [the extra scene] comes in the middle of the film and it just reminds us the world is no longer a safe place. Even in what would normally be considered the safe haven of the Burrow, nobody’s safe. I think you’ll like it. It’s quite effective.”

I have mixed feelings about the situation. On one hand, I understand the concept of film adaptations and that certain aspects of this novel aren’t going to translate well into the film – that is simply the nature of any adaptation. So, as a result, things need to be added from time to time, and, truthfully, this particular quandary seems as good a candidate as any.

On the other hand, part of me is hotter than a Hungarian Horntail! Since the added scene is an attack on the Burrow by Death Eaters, it will almost certainly be a detriment to a similar scene – a much more powerful and important scene – at the beginning of Deathly Hallows, when the Burrow is actually attacked for the first time during Bill and Fleur’s wedding. That scene is crucial since the moments leading up to it provided readers with a lot of information about Dumbleldore and his past, and because it signals the Harry, Ron, and Hermoine's departure for the quest to destroy the horacruxes.

My inkling says that the wedding scene from book 7 may be cut from the final film as a result, and that is a huge disappointment. Not only was that scene filled with excitement and suspense, it is incredibly crucial to the story. Further, there has been much talk about recasting Fleur's character, yet no new actress has been brought on board. It may just be that the filmmakers have decided to cut out the character completely.

What do you think? Feel free to chime in!