Emerson's Story: Continued

Emerson: So anyway, it was really conspicuous that he didn't call up Verne/Warwick up on stage and then I had this realization that it's because when he was looking over to see which cast he hadn't called up, he couldn't even see him. [laughs]

[Audience sighs]

Emerson: It was like an 'oh my god' moment...

It Was Warwick Davis

Andrew: You know, it was Warwick Davis...

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: But I swear on the cast list...

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: ...they give the press the list of names and faces and who they play so when people like [pronounces incorrectly] Reuters, you know, they don't know who the cast are...

Ben: It's [pronounces correctly] Reuters. Sorry.

Andrew: [pronounces correctly] Reuters.

Ben: I'm here just to argue with everybody.

Andrew: I'm a Rooter. I'm a Royters, Rooter - whatever. Anyway, they give a cast list with pictures. I swear it said Verne Troyer. I think you're right.

Emerson: It did.

Andrew: But another e-mail said Warwick Davis so - wow, whatever, that was the worst...

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: That was the worst debate. You should put that in this book.

[Audience and Emerson laugh]

Jessie Cave and Jim Broadbent's Portrayals

Andrew: Let's talk about a couple of other actors who really stand out; Jessie Cave and Jim Broadbent. Jim Broadbent plays Slughorn and Jessie Cave plays Lavender. Extremely impressive, over-the-top portrayals, these guys had. I mean, Micah, you want to talk a little bit about Jessie Cave or Jim - Jimmy Boy?

Micah: Sure. Yeah, she was really nutty in her character. I thought she did a really good job. She was pretty like - she matched the teenage psycho pretty well...

[Audience laughs]

Micah: I will say that. And Jim Broadbent, I thought, just did an amazing job. I mean, he was spot-on with Slughorn.

Andrew: Yeah. Jessie Cave in person - I don't know if you've seen interviews with her, but she's a very shy person in the interviews and stuff, and she's new. She's never acted before, but in this movie she's over-the-top in love with Ron and it comes off so well. It's just so funny to watch. Every scene that she's in is just hilarious. And then Jim Broadbent - Emerson or Ben, do you want to comment about him?

[Silence]

[Audience laughs]

Emerson: I...

Andrew: Well did you like his portrayal? Did you...

Emerson: He...

Andrew: This is what happens when we record a real episode of MuggleCast but then we always edit this out, when nobody talks. [laughs]

[Audience and Emerson laughs]

Emerson: I agree with Micah.

Andrew: Yeah. This is where I would be pausing and deleting this area.

[Emerson laughs]

Andrew: What'd you think of Jim? I mean, was he good?

Ben: Yeah, he was excellent, particularly the whole modified memory scene and all of that. He did it a lot of justice because when he finally tells Voldemort about the Horcruxes he says, "Oh, this is for pure academic reasons, right, Tom?"

Andrew: That was really good.

Ben: And Tom was like, "Yes, yes."

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: And was the girl behind you like, "No, no!"?

[Audience laughs]

Emerson: Yeah.

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: I'm going to do that in the movie next time. Be like, "No!"

[Audience and Emerson laugh]

Andrew: But what'd you think of Jim?

Emerson: I just said I agreed with Micah...

Andrew: Oh, that's right. [laughs].

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: Okay, well I'll comment about Jim. He was just really good, really impressive, really into the role. He wasn't at the premiere even though he was supposed to be originally, but yeah. He did really good so I was impressed by that. And they were the two standout actors, I think, in this movie just because one, they're new to the films and they really did a great job. And also the Christian Coulson replacement for Hogwarts Tom Riddle, he was really good, too.

Emerson: I think after you watch Jessie Cave portray love-struck Lavender, you're going to - it's so gross. You're going to have to take a shower when you leave the theater.

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: [laughs] This girl right here just reacted like you said something way extreme.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Just [makes vomiting sounds] It's not gross, it's just funny! It was funny.

Emerson: No, I mean, like in a good way gross.

[Audience laughs]

Question Time

Andrew: Does anyone have any questions about the film? We're still trying to keep this spoiler-free. If you could just come up here, I'll just call you guys up and then you'll work your way up. You want to come out here? We need some - what?

Emerson: We'll just have them yell?

Andrew: Well, yeah...

[Emerson laughs]

Andrew: It's a podcast, people have got to hear it. Look, I can do this cool thing with my mic. But, yeah, it's all guys. We need some girls talking.

[Emerson laughs]

Andrew: Or these speakers are going to break. Okay. Hi, what's your name and...?

Question: Helen McCrory

Audience Member: My name is Joan Miller.

Andrew: So what's your question?

Audience Member: I was just curious about what you guys thought of the casting of Narcissa Malfoy.

Andrew: Oh yeah, Helen McCrory. Because she was set to play Bellatrix, and then she got preggo, and then they...

[Audience and Emerson laughs]

Andrew: And it was really cool, you could tell how bad they wanted her for the role because, you know, they brought her back for Narcissa. What do you guys think of her?

Ben: She was only in one scene, right?

Andrew: Yeah, she's not in it that much. She was in the...

Ben: The Unbreakable Vow scene.

Andrew: Yeah.

Ben: I thought she did a good job. That scene, it was just awesome because having read the book already, they do the Unbreakable Vow and you're like, "Oh. Sorry, Dumbledore. That's it."

[Andrew and Audience laugh]

Andrew: Did you really think, when you saw that, that he was going to die? When you read it for the first time?

Ben: Not when I read it...

Andrew: Oh, okay.

Ben: I'm saying, knowing how it ends...

Andrew: Oh. Oh, okay, all right. Yeah. I mean - Micah?

Micah: Yeah, she did a good job holding out her hand.

[Audience and Ben laughs]

Micah: She didn't say much. She was in, like Ben said, one scene.

Andrew: It was, yeah - who else has a question so we can bring someone up here? How about you right - yeah. That scene in particular was just cool because Narcissa was really upset. It's an emotional scene and you feel for her, so - Hi, what's your name?

Question: Harry and Ginny

Audience Member: My name is Gracie.

Andrew: What's your question?

Audience Member: I read in the L.A. Times interview with Bonnie Wright that the thing between Harry and Ginny was changed a little bit. The kiss was in a different setting, there wasn't any people around them. How was it changed and was it okay?

Ben: It wasn't that juicy...

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: ...to be honest. I was - I was hoping for something a bit more juicy...

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: ...but then they might have had to make it PG-13.

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: It was - it was really just kind of a glorified peck I guess you could say.

Andrew: Yeah.

Emerson: Yeah.

Andrew: And actually in the junket there was a really funny moment. Dan apologized to Bonnie at the junket. He was like [imitating Dan], "I'm so sorry. I watched that kiss back and it looks like I have the lips of a horse. I was just like..."

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: And then everyone was laughing so hard. He was explaining how his lower lip was off or something, I don't know. But he's really disappointed with the kiss I think!

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: Because David Yates for some reason doesn't let them watch play back. Like they film a scene and normally you could just go behind and be like, "Okay, let me check out what I did." But they don't let them do that. David Yates doesn't let them do that for some reason.

Ben: Why?

Andrew: I don't know, just not his style. Okay, so is that our question mic? Sweet.

Question: Bonnie Wright as Ginny Weasley

Andrew: Okay. Well, thank you. All right who else has a question? All right test out our new mic. Hopefully it works.

Audience Member: It has a fancy cover.

[Andrew and Audience laughs]

Audience Member: Okay, I'm Amy. I was wondering because Bonnie Wright, I love her, but she's kind of been in the background for most of the movies and they tried to play up, "Oh, I like Harry in the fifth movie." And, "Oh no! Hermione said that Cho likes me!" And, "Oh no! I'm going to kiss Cho and everything is sad because Ginny's in the back," and whatever. So is it out of the blue completely?

Andrew: Well, there was a really awkward scene in - in the Burrow. When Harry and Ginny first see each other and I just had to laugh because it was so I don't know, corny, cheesy? I don't know. I was just like, "Oh come on. This is so ridiculous." It's like - it's like in the Chamber of Secrets was it, when they give the awkward hug? Right, wasn't that Chamber of Secrets? It's sort of like that. That's what it reminded me of. What did you guys think of Bonnie? What was your question, did she have more of a prominent role?

Audience Member: [unintelligible]

Andrew: Oh, was there any set up?

Emerson: There wasn't really any set up. It was - I think if you hadn't read the books you'd be so confused. You would have absolutely no idea why all of a sudden where these sparks came from, the background for it. But because we have read the books, so, it was - I think - the acting I thought was I think very comfortable. I think they did as good a job as they could. I think this - I think there may be needed to be some more help from previous movies to really make it flow. But I thought they did as good of a job as they could by actually having - just starting really in this movie.

Micah: Yeah, there's a lot of subtlety in the first I would say the first half hour, hour to the movie. And also I thought, Hermione and - and Harry kept playing off each other between Harry knowing that Hermione liked Ron and Hermione knowing that Harry liked Ginny.

Andrew: Yeah.

Ben: Oh, and there is this scene - there is this Quidditch scene where they are having practice, and I picked up on this. Harry is wearing the number seven and Ginny is wearing the number six, and seven goes after six.

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: Its bit of a stretch don't you think? [laughs]

Ben: No, you don't think that was on purpose?

[Audience and Emerson laughs]

Andrew: Yeah maybe. It's a good theory I suppose.

Emerson: And why is it you even noticed that?

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: When you saw that, you were like, "Ah, I get it."

[Audience laughs]

Ben: I was like I got to bring this up on MuggleCast.

Andrew: [laughs] You write it down. Did you tell the girl behind you.

Ben: I told Melissa.

Andrew: Okay, who else has a question? How about this girl in the Pickle Pack Shirt? Okay, we'll get to you next.

Emerson: We could do our line up now and we could do this faster.

Andrew: Yeah, sure. Go ahead. Ah, for anyone - for anyone at home, we have about a 95% girl population here. A few guys. A shout out to the guys. Oh, I said five percent! You're in the five percent! Okay, maybe a little - maybe eight percent.

Ben: This line is big enough. We will wait till some people clear before other people come line up.

Question: Dumbledore's Funeral

Andrew: Okay, what's your name? Where are you from?

Audience Member: Okay, I'm Chelsea. I'm from Long Island and I was just wondering about this funeral because I know that Eric said that they didn't really have a good funeral for Dumbledore. So how did they do that? Did they pay homage to him at least.

Andrew: There's no funeral but there is a moment of unity.

Ben: Dumbledore, he's dead of course.

[Everyone laughs]

[An audience member screams, "What?!"]

[Everyone laughs]

Audience Member: Like, was there a sense of finality to his life?

Ben: Well, yeah, he's dead. So then of course everyone comes out to look at the corpse. And...

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: ...they all - they all stand in the yard and then there's this big moment when McGonagall's like, "Huhhh!"

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: And then you know everyone claps and it's all - it's all good. There's no white tomb or anything like that though.

Andrew: Yeah.

Audience Member: Did they have like a Fawkes song or anything like that?

Andrew: No! They - they have...

Ben: You do see Fawkes flying.

Andrew: Yeah, but no song which was a bit disappointing. I thought they would do that too.

Micah: And you do get a portrait.

Audience Member: Oh, you see his portrait in the office?

Andrew: Yeah, you do see the portrait.

Audience Member: Okay.

Andrew: Yeah. Actually, he looks kind of weird in the portrait. I laughed a little bit.

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: He was like - he was like snoozing, and he was just like - just like...

Emerson: Sleeping.

Andrew: I thought I saw him like...

Emerson: He was really slumped over at a really awkward angle.

Andrew: Yeah. It looked like - it looked like he was dead still...

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: ...or something and they just threw him in a chair.

Emerson: Yeah.

Andrew: I didn't get that. All right, well anyway, thanks. Thank you.

Audience Member: No problem.

Question: Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy

Audience Member: Hi, I'm Victoria. I'm from Louisville, Kentucky. And...

Andrew: Did you come here just for the premiere?

Audience Member: Oh, well, we happened to be here...

Andrew: Good.

Audience Member: ...and then we heard about this.

Andrew: Good.

Audience Member: I was wondering about how Tom Felton did as Draco Malfoy, because he has really kind of been in the background for most of the movies. And this is the first movie where he has a really prominent role.

Andrew: Yeah, yeah. And besides that, I mean have you guys seen how much promotion he's doing for this tour? I mean, it's insane. He was in Canada the other day, and I think he just flew to Southern Africa, and later tonight he's going to be back. I'm - I'm - I'm just kidding.

[Audience and Emerson laugh]

Andrew: And tonight quick plug, he's going to be at the Hot Topic in Paramus, New Jersey. And - is anyone going to that?

[Audience answers]

Andrew: Oh, okay. But myself and Melissa Aneli from the Leaky Cauldron, we're going to be doing this panel thing - with her. And so I'm bailing out of here in twenty minutes to go do that, but they're going to still be podcasting. But anyway, Micah, what did you think of Draco?

[Prolonged silence]

Micah: He was good. Sorry, I've been [laughs] - yeah, no. I thought compared to the past movies he's definitely more on the forefront, for obvious reasons. And I thought he did a really good job when he got tense about the whole situation he was put in by Voldemort.

Andrew: Yeah.

Micah: You could see a lot more emotion coming out of him in this movie.

Andrew: He did a good job of showing - portraying how nervous and unsure of the situation that he was. I mean, particularly at the end when he's about to kill Dumbledore. You'll be pleased.

Ben: Yeah, I feel like - I feel like all the - the child actors who were once children are finally coming into their own.

Andrew: Hm? Yeah.

Audience Member: Thank you.

Andrew: Thanks.

Congratulations Emerson

Audience Member: Hi, I'm Patricia from Long Island. Well, first I just wanted to congratulate Emerson on his engagement. Because I still can't...

[Audience cheers]

Audience Member: ...get over how cute that was!

Emerson: Thank you.

Andrew: Where's Gaby? Did she arrive?

Emerson: Gaby is on her way...

Andrew: She's on her way.

Emerson: ...and when she does I'm going to make sure I give her a really embarrassing shout-out. So get ready - okay, guys, when she comes...

Ben: Everybody stare and point, please.

[Audience laughs]

Emerson: No, no, seriously. When she comes I want everybody to stare.

[Audience laughs]

Emerson: Okay? Stare and smile and clap so loudly and wildly, and it'll be awesome. Okay?

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: She may be here already, you know.

Ben: And Emerson will be sleeping on the couch.

Emerson: She is pretty short. I probably wouldn't be able to see her in the back.

[Andrew and Emerson laugh]

Andrew: Anyway...

Audience Member: Oh...

Andrew: Go ahead.

Question: Quidditch

Audience Member: My other question was about Quidditch. And I know it hasn't been in the last few films. So, was it better? Or was it refreshing? What did you guys think about it?

Andrew: CG wise it was really impressive. And later that night, after I saw the movie I watched Sorcerer's Stone. And - unbelievable how much more detail is in the Quidditch now, just the stadium alone. You know, in Sorcerer's Stone the stadium's all bright - bright colors, everything's cheery? It's very vibrant, red, green, yellow and blue. But in this all the colors are depleted. And it just looks more realistic. It looks really good. I can't wait to see it on Blu-Ray, too. It's going to be incredible.

Question: Promo Clips

Audience Member: Hi, I'm Nicole. I'm from Long Island. I go to Syracuse.

[Andrew, Audience and Micah laugh]

Audience Member: Sorry, had to. I was just curious if the clips gave away too much of the movie?

Andrew: No, I don't think so.

Micah: No.

Andrew: I mean, there - there was a lot of clips. Did you guys think there were a lot of clips this year?

[Audience responds]

Audience Member: Yeah, too many.

Andrew: Then again I guess when you have to add seven months of promotional time, I guess that's what you have to do.

[Emerson laughs]

Andrew: But who knows how many more are still to come, or what? We've still got - what, five more days? So, no, I don't think so. Did you guys think - when you watched - I mean, we've all seen the promo clips. There are some. But honestly - okay, I didn't watch them. Have you guys been watching them?

Audience Members: No.

Andrew: Really? Okay, can I just take a quick poll? Who - who - who watches them? Like all of them, or close to all of them. Okay, see most people don't. I guess they're more for people who are just not hard-core fans. Because us fans, we don't really want to be spoiled, right? So...

Ben: Well, I used to watch all of the clips.

Andrew: Really?

Ben: Because I would - used to be like, man - every day I'd be like, "I want the movie now, now, now, now." So I'd watch - I'd watch all of them.

Andrew: And now you're like, what? I want the movie two weeks from now?

Ben: When it comes.

Andrew: When it comes?!

[Andrew and Audience laugh]

Andrew: I see.

Ben: Because who knows when they're going to delay it again.

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: Yeah. Yeah.

Audience Member: I accidentally saw the first German clip, too. The five minute leak.

Andrew: Oh, the first five minutes.

Audience Member: I killed myself when I saw that.

Andrew: Really?

Audience Member: Yeah. Anyway.

Andrew: Cool. Well, thank you.

Question: Pensieve

Audience Member: I noticed that they haven't...

Andrew: What's your name?

Audience Member: Sarah.

Andrew: Are you guys twins?

Audience Member: Yeah, we're twins.

Andrew: Aw.

Audience Member: I can't get the mic.

[Everyone laughs]

Audience Member: We noticed they - they said that they...

Andrew: Hold it a little closer.

Audience Member: ...that they said that they cut out some of the Pensive scenes. And they haven't cast Ralph Fiennes. I know he's not in - he didn't shoot any footage for this movie. Do you think he would have been in the Hepzibah clip with Hokey, that memory? Do you think they introduced the Horcruxes enough so that Harry knows what to go look for, the cup?

Andrew: Yeah. Well, not so much the cup.

Audience Member: Will he know to go look for it?

Andrew: I don't know. That's a good question. Do you guys remember any references to the cup?

Micah: Nope.

Emerson: Nah uh.

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: Me neither. I mean, they - I thought they did set up the Horcruxes good because they see the real memory. They come out - Harry and Dumbledore see the real memory - they come out of it, and then they start talking about it. And I guess - isn't that when Dumbledore goes, "This is like no other magic I've seen before," or something like that? It's a really cool line. Whatever it was, I butchered it, but yeah. So, I think they set up the Horcruxes well but that is going to be a problem. Yeah. Thanks, twins.

[Audience laughs]

Question: Lines from the Book

Audience Member: Hi, my name is Martina and I was curious to know if there is any lines straight from the book that when you heard you were like, "Yes! I'm so glad they included that."

Andrew: Do you guys remember any?

Micah: I could tell you one that wasn't in there, but I don't want to spoil anything.

Andrew: Well, the "coward" line, of course, that was in there. And I'm sure they felt like it was really important to include that just because that's a pretty crucial line. It really shows how above Snape Harry feels now. But what - what were you thinking?

Micah: Well, Snape's response wasn't there.

Andrew: Oh.

Micah: "Don't call me coward."

Andrew: Yeah. I read that scene back afterwards and I was like, "Why didn't they include that?" That scene goes by really fast. So when you watch it try to - in slow motion, or something. [laughs]

Ben: Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah. Other than that, I honestly don't know. Can you guys remember any others? It's hard.

Emerson: It's sad because I just re-read Half-Blood Prince about three days ago and I'm still drawing blanks.

Andrew: Oh, so you look even more stupid. [laughs]

Emerson: Yeah, I look even more stupid. I'm probably going to save that from not announcing it.

Andrew: I think there...

Emerson: Sorry.

Andrew: I think - I mean, I honestly can't tell you, but there was some really good dialogue in there that reminded me of the books and I felt like it was from the books, so yeah. I'm sure they try. I mean, they got to try.

Question: New Scenes

Audience Member: My name is Valentina.

Andrew: Hi.

Audience Member: What did you feel about them putting the scene with the Burrow on fire with Bellatrix, even if it didn't happen in the book? Do you think they set it up for the seventh movie?

Andrew: When she says she's on fire?

Audience Member: It's all on fire, the field and stuff.

Andrew: Oh, yeah. Setting it up? I mean, that was - that scene that they added, everybody knows about that now. They added a new scene that wasn't in the book. I mean, really, it's just a pacing scene more than - that's what they keep calling it, so it's what I'm calling it. It's just there to - what they said was in the book you see all these references to the Dark Magic going on around them. But they wanted the Trio to experience it rather than just read about it. So that's why that scene was added where the attack happens on the Burrow when they're actually in there. And yeah, so really, I don't think it has much to do with Book 7. Or Movie 7. What's up, dude? Thank you, our first guy.

Question: Snape: Good or Bad?

Audience Member: Hi, I'm Irvin and I was curious about the portrayal of Snape in the movie. Do they leave his loyalties ambiguous like they were in the book or are they obvious like, "Here's a hint he's good, here's a hint he's good"?

Micah: I think that if you're a fan you're going to go into the movie, you're going to watch it and you're going to know that he's good.

Andrew: Really?

Micah: I think so. I think...

Andrew: Well, having read Book 7 we'll know.

Micah: Yeah, yeah. But there wasn't a lot of ambiguity and I think even some of the other people could have picked up on it, too.

Andrew: Yeah. I mean - well, of course you see that scene where Snape's talking to Draco saying, "Let me help you" and Draco's like, "I don't need help." So that obviously puts him in the bad side.

Audience Member: Thanks.

Andrew: Snape - Alan Rickman was really good though. And there's a couple of - you know how he always draws out his - his phrases? He drew one out so long. It was like four words, but it took like twenty seconds.

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: And I thought he must have done it just to mock himself, because it was so drawn out and I was laughing so hard.

Ben: Do you remember which one that was?

Emerson: Is he at Slughorn's party?

Andrew: No, I was thinking about when he's examining the necklace, because he says something to the Trio, or something. Or he said something to McDon - McDon - McGonagall. McDonald's. Ronald McDonald.

[Audience laughs]

Emerson: Oh, yeah.

Andrew: Yeah. And anyway, it's so drawn out that it was just hilarious.

Emerson: "You..." I can't - I'm not even going to try.

Andrew: Yeah. Don't even.

Emerson: I can't even possibly make it last that long without my voice cracking and sounding horrible.

Question: How Was Snape Overall

Audience Member: Hi, I'm Christine. Basically, I was going to ask another Snape question. How was his performance, Alan Rickman? Does he get more screen time since this is such a big moment for him with the Unbreakable Vow and with the Astronomy Tower scene?

Andrew: Yeah.

Audience Member: Did they do that justice?

Andrew: I wanted to bring up that - that Unbreakable Vow scene. Going into his house I got all excited because, "Oh, we're going to see Snape's house." And we've - we've seen a couple of pictures from it, but yeah. It was really cool seeing that scene. And I think - I thought he was really good. Didn't you guys think so? Ben, did you enjoy Alan?

Ben: Yeah, I did a lot actually. Particularly the scene at the end when Harry tries to do Sectumsempra on - on Snape.

Andrew: Oh, yeah.

Ben: And then Snape is just like, "Trying my own spell on me? I am the Half-Blood Prince!"

Andrew: Yeah, that's another line that was straight from the book, come to think of it.

Question: Fenrir Greyback/Bill Weasley

Audience Member: Hi, my name is Aaron.

Andrew: Hi, Aaron.

Audience Member: Hi.

[Audience laughs]

Audience Member: I was wondering what you thought about Fenrir Greyback and if Bill's injury was in that at all?

Andrew: Oh, yeah. That - that was disappointing how Bill's injury wasn't - I mean, Fenrir - he didn't have that much screen time. You know, we all got excited when we saw the first pictures of him, but there wasn't too much screen time for him. And he doesn't even say much.

Emerson: Yeah, he just kind of stands there looking scary.

Andrew: Yeah.

Emerson: Every scene that he's in.

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: He's just with the Death Eaters, and that's pretty much it. Hi!

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