MuggleCast 136 Transcript
Show Intro
[Intro music plays]
Mason: You’re just one minute away from listening to the best Potter team in podcasting live. But first, here’s a piece of information you need to know. Have you always wanted to make an impact online? Now’s your chance. GoDaddy.com has domain names for as low as $1.99! But that’s not all. GoDaddy.com also offers world class hosting and fast and easy website builders. Plus, with you being a listener of MuggleCast Live, you can save an additional 10% on any order by entering code “Muggle.” Oh yeah, that’s “Muggle.” M-U-G-G-L-E, “Muggle.” Some restrictions do apply, but feel free to see the site for details. I want you to get your piece of the internet at GoDaddy.com.
[“Celebration” by Kool & the Gang plays]
Andrew: Because we get one more movie this week, this is MuggleCast Live Episode 136 for March 13th, 2008. I should have said the intro earlier.
[Music continues]
Andrew: Thursday March 13th 2008. Good evening ladies and gentlemen, I am Andrew Sims and as everyone by now Warner Brothers has announced that Deathly Hallows will be split into two separate films. MuggleCast is coming at you live tonight for a special episode, and we’re going to discuss all the announcements that have happened in the past few days. I am very pleased to tell you that we have here tonight the best team in Potter podcasting. We haven’t tested these guys, and I will be very embarrassed if it doesn’t work. Starting first with the lovely, heartwarming, Laura Thompson.
Laura: Hey everybody I’m really, really excited to be here to talk about this very, very exciting news.
Andrew: Second, MuggleCast news anchor, Micah Tannenbaum, is here.
Micah: Hey, I’m just happy to not be doing work.
Andrew: Micah, you’ve been so busy lately.
Micah: I have.
Andrew: I feel bad for you. Third, everyone’s favorite Southern Californian co-host, but soon I will be taking over that position, Matthew Britton is here.
Matt: Hey everyone. I just drank about a 24 pack of Mountain Dew, and I am all set.
Andrew: That’s fascinating.
[Laura and Micah laugh]
Andrew: And fourth and finally this evening, the person I’m about to introduce will probably be bigger news than the movie split announcement. Ben Schoen has returned to the show!
Ben: Hi. I’m excited to be back, I haven’t done this in a long time, so I’m sorry if I sound a bit rusty, but I’m sure I’ll get back into things maybe, kind of, sort of. Don’t know.
Andrew: Ben, where’ve you been?
Ben: Oh, you don’t even know. You don’t even want to know Andrew.
Andrew: [crying] Where’ve you been Ben? I’ve missed you.
Ben: Well I’ve heard the rumors. I’ve heard the rumors about “personal issues”, whatever those may be.
[Andrew and Ben laugh]
Andrew: What could they be?
Ben: Just stuff. Just stuff, you know, just living the life.
Andrew: Yeah.
Ben: Out doing my thing.
Andrew: Well it seems these days you only come back for the big announcements. Last time you were on the show Dumbledore was gay. I mean he still is, but…
Ben: Yeah.
Andrew: …you know.
Ben: Come on Andrew. It’s not like that changes. Come on.
Andrew: It doesn’t make any difference. Anyway, we’re here live tonight. Coming up in the second hour of the show we are going to have a couple other people on the show. I don’t want to spoil the surprise.
Ben: Andrew, it actually feels like I’m on a radio show right now. This is really weird.
Andrew: Why’s that? Why’s that?
Ben: Because I haven’t done this since – I did it in October one time and then before that I hadn’t done it since – like the live shows we did in June on the MuggleCast tour. And then before that I hadn’t done it since like…
Andrew: Oh right.
Ben: …February.
Andrew: Right.
Ben: So…
Andrew: I thought you were going to say, “Because it sounds so professional. Because you’re playing music, Andrew. You’re broadcasting to hundreds of people.” No, it’s not that?
Ben: No, but I would like to comment that you do sound pretty good at this.
Andrew: Oh thank you.
Ben: Like I can tell that you had a lot of practice…
Andrew: Thank you.
Ben: …like a hundred thirty-six episodes worth of practice.
Andrew: [laughs] I also read that broadcasting book.
Ben: Oh, that Broadcasting For Dummies?
[Andrew laughs]
Ben: I remember that. One time in the early developments of this show and me and Andrew were arguing about something, and he – he was basically, “I read a broadcasting book Ben. You can’t argue with me.” But – yeah.
Andrew: Oh yeah – no. But you guys used to always make fun of me because you would think every time I said something insightful about broadcasting you guys would be like, “Oh you just got that from the book.” [laughs]
Ben: I miss you guys though. The listeners and like Laura. I missed you a lot Laura just so you know.
Laura: Aw, I missed you too.
Ben: You’re my favorite female MuggleCaster. I mean I still listen to the show on a daily basis. Like I just listen to the episodes…
Andrew: Daily?
Ben: …over and over again.
Andrew: Oh really?
Ben: Yeah.
Andrew: Here I was …
Ben: I’m a huge MuggleCast fan. It was like half-an-hour from a host to a fan. I just love the show so much.
Andrew: Well that’s [laughs] – 1,200 people listening right now. Twelve hundred people.
Ben: Really?
Laura: Oh my god.
Ben: 1,200? That’s a lot of people.
Discussion: Two Separate Films
Andrew: That’s a lot of people. I’m kind of nervous. No, Anyway let’s get into it. Let’s get into why everyone’s listening tonight. Yesterday, the L.A. Times actually broke the story that Deathly Hallows is going to be split into two separate films. The first part, Deathly Hallows: Part I will be released November 2010. Part I…
Ben: Is that what they’re going to call it though?
Andrew: Yes – yes, this is what they’re going to call it.
[Ben laughs]
Andrew: Part Two May 2011. Well let’s start with the names – let’s start with the name. Well, first of all I have to – someone’s like talking in the background. Is there a TV on in your room Ben? In Emerson’s room?
[Prolonged silence]
Ben: Actually like…
[Andrew laughs]
Ben: There’s two people in this room with me right now, and I’m actually in Emerson’s dorm room here at Notre Dame…
[Andrew laughs]
Ben: …and Emerson and his girlfriend are off in the corner whispering sweet nothings in each other’s ears. So …
Andrew: Aw. [laughs]
Ben: It’s not my fault guys. And like I don’t have a headset anymore because I retired from podcasting for a while, but now I…
[Ben starts breaking up]
Andrew: And you’re breaking up.
Ben: …environment.
Andrew: Yeah.
Ben: But yeah I’m sorry. Sorry about that.
Andrew: It’s all right. So – okay so…
Ben: I’ll try to turn them off. I’m sorry.
Andrew: Yeah, thank you. Tell them to get a room. Gosh!
Matt: Aren’t they in a room though?
Ben: This is their room.
Andrew: Oh. That was the joke people. [laughs] All right, so what do you think about the names? Becausese we were speculating about this on – a few weeks ago like what would they call it? You think Part I and Part II is a good idea? I mean when I read it in print I thought, “Oh, that’s not bad.”
Laura: I think it makes the most sense honestly. I mean, what else would you call it?
Ben: Yeah exactly.
Andrew: Well, I don’t know?
Matt: We cut the entire title in half. Harry Potter and the…
Andrew: Harry Potter and the…
[Andrew and Laura laugh]
Andrew: I don’t know maybe. I just thought that maybe if they were focusing each movie on like a certain plot maybe they would be like, Harry Potter Deathly Hallows…
Ben: They would bring a subtitle to it.
Andrew: Exactly – yes.
Matt: Yeah.
Ben: Well actually I think a subtitle would be better than just calling it Part I. I think maybe they will come up with a subtitle. Do you think that’s a possibility?
Andrew: I would think so because I don’t know if that’s enough separation – Part I and Part II. I don’t know.
Ben: Well I think – I think from a marketing perspective how – how great is that going to be – how well is that going to sell saying, “Go see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I.” You know?
Andrew: Right. [laughs]
Ben: If they had some type of subtitle to it I think it would sell – it would sell a lot better, and people would like it a lot more I think.
Andrew: Micah Tannenbaum any thoughts on this?
Micah: Well, not really. I mean Part I, Part II, I could really care less. I’m just going to just go see the movie anyway.
[Andrew laughs]
Micah: So…
Andrew: Yeah.
Ben: Movies Micah, movies.
Andrew: Movies. Yeah, good point.
Micah: Yeah movies. Or I can pull what I did with Order of the Phoenix and not see it until five months later.
[Andrew laughs]
Ben: Micah, you still do the news? Do you still do the news, Micah?
Andrew: Of course he still does the news.
Micah: I do.
Ben: Sorry – sorry, Andrew.
Andrew: Of course! Of course!
[Andrew and Matt laugh]
Andrew: Another question that W.B.’s already getting a lot of – well critics are saying that they’re just in this for the money. I have a feeling this is going to be speculation for months, probably years. Well obviously years because the movie doesn’t come out for years.
Ben: Well, of course it’s about the money. I mean, come on, why else would they make two films? I mean, I understand wanting to do the series justice and I really think David Haymen is a real Harry Potter fan in that he would want to do the series justice, but ultimately the reason it was approved from the top was because of the money. I mean…
Andrew: Of course.
Ben: You want to prolong it to make as much money as possible. I mean it’s already – Andrew, you and I were talking about this the other day, and it’s already the biggest grossing franchise ever…
Andrew: Right.
Ben: There’s only five of the films out.
Andrew: Right, and – is it for the money? I mean, see, the thing is Heyman said in that L.A. Times article, “I swear to god, it’s not for the money,” which I thought was funny because it feels like they are expecting it, and when Heyman’s already going, “I swear to god, it’s not for money.”
Matt: Well probably the money decision was probably just for the initial decision on making it into two parts. But I don’t think the money part is really a decision for the entire film-making process.
Ben: Well, what do you mean, Matt?
Andrew: Yeah, what do you mean?
Matt: Well, basically – they probably thought and considered – I mean, they definitely put money as a consideration for the film. But, I mean, every single Harry Potter film always had the money, and in consideration, it wasn’t just this film in particular.
Ben: I see.
Laura: Yeah, and what people also aren’t considering when they say that W.B. is only in this for the money, making this such a big event is good publicity for them. So yeah, money is part of it, but so is publicity, and getting a good name for themselves, and putting out a movie that people are going to love.
Ben: Right, but what does publicity lead to?
Laura: Well money, of course, yeah.
Ben: Money.
[Andrew and Ben laugh]
Laura: There’s no doubt that money is an inherent cause behind doing this, but at the same time, I don’t see what the big deal is because I’m a Harry Potter fan, almost everyone that I know is a Harry Potter fan, and we’re all psyched that they’re making two movies out of it, so why is everyone complaining? It doesn’t matter…
Ben: Well, I don’t think people are really complaining. I mean, there are just people saying that it’s all about the money, but I’ve looked around, I’ve seen people writing on my wall on Facebook, and just – people’s MSN names, people’s Skypes, little Skype messages, you know – that you can put under your name or whatever, and everyone is stoked about this. Every Harry Potter fan loves this idea. Nobody really cares that it’s about the money, it’s just a few film critics or whatever who want to try to be critical about it…
Andrew: See, but…
Ben: …everyone’s looking to be critical.
Andrew: But it’s not – there are people on the MuggleNet comments, there have been a few e-mails. I mean, you’re right. They’re like on Facebook and everyone’s going “Ahh, I’m so excited!” I mean, how can you not be excited? But I think some people are worried that if they’re in it for the money, if these people believe that they’re in it for the money, then they believe that it won’t be as good, because they’re not really trying to do the books justice, they’re just trying to do it for money. Do you see what I’m saying?
Ben: Oh, I see what you mean. I don’t think money is really the motive behind it. I mean, it’s such a long book, you know? It’s a really long book…
Matt: Yeah.
Ben: …the only thing like – the only reason I think why you can be critical of it is because they didn’t do it for Order of the Phoenix. Order of the Phoenix was the longest book in the series, and I really don’t quite understand Heyman’s logic when he says, “Well, we can cut it out in these earlier films, but we can’t cut it out now.” I mean, it’s all – J.K. Rowling said herself that she looks at all seven books as just one huge novel, and I don’t know why the pieces in the seventh are any more important than the pieces in the fifth.
Micah: Yeah, and the reason why they’re in this position is because they cut so much out of the previous films…
Laura: Exactly.
Matt: Yeah.
Micah: They’re kind of in this place because they can’t afford not to make two films. You know, some of the people that are making comments though would be the same people that would complain if they decided not to cut it into two, and it turned out to be this two and a half hour movie that didn’t, you know, follow the plot the way they thought it should. So you can’t really have it both ways, in the sense that you’re arguing it now that it’s split into two because it’s a financial thing. I don’t really think it’s a financial thing though either because guys like David Heyman are working on this, and they care about the series too, they care about the books and making sure that everything gets in there. This should also be seen as something where Warner Brothers actually cares about the fans, and are finally giving them what they want.
Matt: Mhm.
Ben: Yeah, I think we – I think we should just embrace it, rather than worry about, you know, if money’s the motive because I think we are going to get two great quality films because Warner Brothers is going to allow no less, and J.K. Rowling is going to allow no less. So, regardless of whether or not it’s about the money, it doesn’t matter because they’re going to be two good films, and it’s giving the fans what they wanted all along. Like what Micah said.
Andrew: Exactly.
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: Now, Steve Kloves, screenwriter for all of the Potter films but Order, correct?
Laura and
Matt:
Yeah.
Ben: Right.
Andrew: He sent an e-mail over to the Baltimore Sun, I believe it was, and said that they were actually seriously considering doing it for Goblet of Fire. And what’s ironic is, just a couple episodes ago we were saying that was – that movie was one of the films that progressed the best, and included everything. Right Micah? I think you were the one raving about it…
Micah: Well, I said that they were able to take about the first hundred pages of the book and really roll it into five minutes from everything that happened in those opening scenes. I actually thought they did a really good job with it, compared to maybe something like Order of the Phoenix, where they were just all over the place, but yeah. I mean, really from Goblet of Fire onward you could make two films out of any of these books, I mean, even with Half-Blood Prince if you really wanted to. I mean, I was kind of surprised to see that for Goblet of Fire, though, because I thought that Mike Newell did a really good job.
Andrew: He did.
Ben: On the other hand, I do understand the necessity of why they would want to include the seventh book, all elements of the seventh book, because when Jo wrote it, she had to include absolutely everything that was pivotal to the series. You know what I mean? As she was writing the last book, each chapter was like the journey, Harry’s journey. And I guess I understand why it would be difficult to cut that out. I mean, I know I was kind of saying the opposite a minute ago, but I guess I do see that now that I think about it more.
Andrew: Mhm. Yeah.
Micah: And Warner Brothers is on the hook. I mean, they have to include literally – well, I guess not literally – but close to everything now.
Andrew: Yeah, they do.
Micah: I mean, they’re going to get so much you-know-what…
[Andrew laughs]
Micah: …for leaving anything out at this point because now they have two films to incorporate as much as possible.
Andrew: Yeah. The bar has been raised so much higher now.
Laura: Yeah.
Andrew: I just can’t imagine how much more critical people are going to be. They’re going to complain about the littlest sentence that is not included in these movies now. [laughs] Matt?
Matt: Well, with also another point to add for the money making strategy, a lot of people complain that the whole decision for making more money was basically separating it into two new films, but they’re also making two full-length films which is going to spend the studio twice as much more money to make.
Ben: Right, but…
Matt: So they’re going to have to find another way to get it all back.
Andrew: But how much does it hurt Warner Brothers? I mean…
Ben: Oh yeah. Come on!
Andrew: Look at…
Ben: It’s Harry Potter. [laughs]
Matt: Yeah, well…
Andrew: How much did they make when they were named the top-grossing franchise of all time? It was in the billions, wasn’t it?
Ben: Oh, definitely. Definitely in the billions.
Andrew: I’m sure someone’s going to say in the chat in about two seconds. By the way, MuggleCast.com/Live – if you want to send in some feedback via e-mail, go there, send in your message and it will pop up on our computer screens and we’ll read some of the better stuff. But anyway, I just think the bar is set really high at this point and I would be – I’m scared and [laughs] I think Warner Brothers should be scared.
Ben: Scared of what?
Andrew: The expectation thing. I mean, you know…
Matt: Of course.
Andrew: I think this is great. I really do believe that David Barron and David Heyman, the two producers, do firmly want to do the final film justice because it’s the final book and this is it. This is do or die. If you make this last one bad, the series is going to be remembered as the series that was – eh, okay. It had good movies, but the most important one of all time [makes raspberry sound] flopped.
Ben: Well, see, when you think about it, though, they could actually make this one of the greatest things ever by splitting it into two films. But if they do it wrong, it could just go horribly wrong, you know? Horribly bad. You see what I’m saying?
Andrew: How?
Ben: Like, if they don’t choose to split it in the right part. Does that make sense?
Andrew: Yes, that’s true. We’ll get to that in a second, but Matt, what were you saying?
Matt: Shoot, I don’t know. I was listening to Ben.
Andrew: MuggleCast Live – no room for error.
Matt: Yeah.
Discussion: Where to Split the Movie?
Andrew: [laughs] Let’s focus now on three questions Heyman brought up in the article. And you know what? Okay, I know he listens to the show now because he asked questions in the article in the L.A. Times and he didn’t answer them. So he clearly wants us to answer them, so let’s do it. Question one: Where should they make the split? Ben Schoen, where should they make the split?
Ben: Oh my gosh, Andrew! That’s a difficult question.
Andrew: Your name is Ben Heyman and you and David Yates and Kloves, you’re all sitting in that meeting going, “Where should we split it?” Where would you split it?
Ben: Well, I’m guessing somewhere midway through the book.
Andrew: [laughs] Well said! Well said.
Matt: I definitely see that, yeah. I agree with you, Ben. Definitely.
Andrew: Well, isn’t it sort of obvious, though?
Ben: Well, if you want to be mean about it, Andrew.
Andrew: No, no! I’m not trying to be mean. I feel bad now.
Ben: Gosh! See, Andrew, this is why I didn’t do MuggleCast for so long.
[Andrew laughs]
Ben: I come on here and you just beat me down.
Andrew: [laughs] Whatever.
[Matt laughs]
Andrew: No. Does anyone have any ideas for where to split it?
Matt: Well, we talked about this, Andrew.
Laura: Yeah.
Matt: In previous episodes.
Andrew: Okay, but now it’s official so we have to be official.
Matt: And didn’t we come to the conclusion is was when Harry said Voldemort’s name, and then they were outside telling them to come out, that they were trapped at Malfoy Manor?
Laura: Right. Yeah.
Matt: And that was about midway in the chapter. I think that’s the conclusion that we went to. Wasn’t it, Laura?
Laura: Yeah. Basically, what happens is at the end of the Deathly Hallows chapter, which is right before “Malfoy Manor”, Harry says it and they hear a dozen people outside the tent saying, “Come out with your hands up. We don’t care who you are. We’ll kill you if you try to do anything.”
Matt: Exactly.
Laura: So I think that would be a great place to split it. Just imagine the first movie ending there.
Matt: Yeah. Because people are going to be so excited/upset, and they’re just going to want to run back and see this Part II movie because you’re leaving them at this cliffhanger. That’s like the best thing to do when you want to split a movie in half is leave a cliffhanger for people who haven’t read the book or haven’t done anything, who don’t know what’s going to happen next to speculate.
Andrew: See, that’s the thing, though. I mean, people will have already read – the majority of people will already have read the book. So is it really a cliffhanger? Are you really going to be on the edge of your seats for six months? Which we’ll get to in a minute – the wait.
Matt: It’s the closest cliffhanger you can get for half the book.
Ben: Well, what about – does anyone think that a – do you think doing one three-and-a-half hour movie would be better than doing two? I mean, I’m sure you guys discussed this before, but…
Matt: But will it be even – do you honestly think it will be a three-and-a-half hour movie? Because two movies…
Laura: I was going to –
Ben: No, no, no, no.
Matt: …would be like an hour-and-a-half.
Ben: No, I know. I’m saying if they were to do just one three-and-a-half hour movie as opposed to two separate films, do you think that would be better than what they’re doing now?
Matt: It’s hard to say. I technically – if it would be like one three-and-a-half hour movie or two two-and-a-half hour movies, I would decide on two movies because then they would add more, keep more stuff in from the books.
Ben: Right, but I’m just saying – I’ve been thinking about how, what they were able to do with the past movies and how they were able to condense so much into two-and-a-half hours. If they were given an extra hour, why couldn’t they do it justice? I don’t know.
Matt: Well, do you think they put into account of how many people wish that they put more into the movie than the books, and they’re putting that into more account after this last film? So that’s probably – maybe why.
Andrew: I wonder if they have a rule about how long Warner Brothers will make a film. I mean, to memory, they haven’t ever really split a film before in this way, so…
Micah: Well, didn’t Steve Kloves say something about an extra hour-and-a-half to work with now when he did that interview with the Baltimore Sun?
Andrew: Sorry, say that again.
Micah: He said something about having an extra hour-and-a-half, at least, to work with now. So that kind of made me wonder the range of how long the films were going to be.
Andrew: He did say that? I didn’t…
Matt: I didn’t read that.
Micah: In the Baltimore Sun.
Matt: Really?
Micah: Yeah.
Matt: Huh. I might have missed it.
Micah: Let me bring it up here. One second.
Andrew: A few people writing in to the MuggleCast feedback. Cara from Parsippany, New Jersey: “It should” – in all caps – “It should be split where Xeno says: ‘I have to tell you about the Deathly Hallows.'” That’s not a bad idea.
Laura: No, that’s not bad either.
Andrew: Going that it’s the title.
Laura: The only reason I was thinking what we were talking about sounded really good is actually, it’s not quite halfway through the book. It’s actually over halfway. But at that point you start getting into all of the much more detailed scenes, like where they go to Gringotts and of course, the final battle. And I guess I felt like if they had more time with the second film to just work with the climax, they could really do it good justice instead of having to worry about a bunch of other information from earlier on in the book.
Ben: Andrew, just so you know, Shannon from New Jersey just wanted to let us know that they’re also splitting The Hobbit in two.
Andrew: Oh, they are? Okay.
Ben: So there’s another film like this.
Laura: Oh, that’ll be good.
Micah: Copycats.
[Laura laughs]
Andrew: No, I didn’t know that. Matt, did you know that? You seemed like you…
Matt: Yeah, I did, actually. But they announced it before they decided to split The Deathly Hallows.
Andrew: Have they said anything? I know it’s not Warner Brothers, but have they said anything like what they’re going to – how long the two parts are going to be, etc. etc.?
[Prolonged silence]
Ben: Hello?
Matt: I don’t know.
[Everyone laughs]
Ben: Sorry, sorry. I thought Skype had ended or something.
Andrew: There was an awkward silence. [laughs]
Matt: I didn’t know that was directed to me. No, I don’t really know. I have no idea.
Andrew: Oh, okay. All right.
Micah: Well, Andrew, I found who said that. It wasn’t Steve, it was Alan Horn who’s the President and COO of Warner Brothers.
Andrew: They have an extra hour…
Micah: It was in that L.A. Times article. He was the one who said that they’ll have at least another hour-and-a-half to work with.
Andrew: All right, so look at Order of the Phoenix, two-and-a-half hours. Add an hour-and-a-half to that, that’s four hours. So splitting each one into two hours at least – I think that’s good.
Micah: Yeah.
Andrew: I think that’s…
Laura: I think that would be great, yeah.
Discussion: The DVD(s)
Andrew: I think two-and-a-half hours would be perfect, though, because then you won’t have too many people complaining because it is two films. Gosh, it feels like such a long time, though. Especially when it goes to DVD. That’s another question. Let’s jump into that real quick. Are they going to package it all together?
Ben: Well, I bet that – no, what I bet that they’re going to do – actually, since they come out so far apart – how far apart do they come out again?
Andrew: Six months.
Ben: Six months apart. Since they’re coming out six months apart, they’ll probably – they’re going to want to milk this for all it’s worth. So they’re going to release the first movie, then sometime in between there and the second movie, I bet they’re going to release the DVD. Then after the second movie comes out, they’re going to release the DVD for that. And then later on down the road, they’re going to release them packaged together.
Andrew: Complete collection.
Laura: Yep. Christmas time.
Andrew: [laughs] Exactly!
[Laura laughs]
Micah: So you see, financial gain.
Andrew: Yeah, I mean, you know…
Laura: I think it’s a win-win situation, honestly.
Micah: Yeah.
Matt: Mhm.
Ben: I think everybody wins, to be honest.
Andrew: Yeah, and that’s what I was saying to who? I guess maybe Matt I was saying that, everyone does win. I mean, who loses here? Seriously. The crew? [laughs] Who have to work for it?
Ben: Maybe.
Laura: Our wallets.
Matt: People who don’t have as much money to buy two DVDs?
Andrew: I guess. Everyone makes more money, MuggleCast will last an extra year. You know, everyone wins. Everyone wins.
Matt: But would that really make sense for them to release Part I and Part II separately, though?
Ben: Absolutely.
Laura: Yeah, I think they would.
Matt: Studios have been known to delay a DVD release for almost an entire year.
Laura: Yeah, I don’t know. I mean, I honestly like what Ben said about releasing them both separately and then around Christmas time releasing a box set. That makes the most sense to me.
Andrew: Yeah.
Matt: Okay.
Andrew: And also, look at all the collector editions and things they have. I mean, we just posted on MuggleNet the other day that they’re going to have the special Blu-ray books. And on top of this, Warner Brothers has a special Order of the Phoenix edition thing. You know, the timing isn’t – if, say the first part was coming out in June, I would say “Yeah, definitely. They’re definitely going to have Part I out for Christmas.” But I don’t know. The timing’s interesting as well.
Ben: You know what I really wish they would do? I wish they would take the Lord of the Rings model and release an extended edition. You know what I mean? For like the previous films. They should have done this all along. They should have had – because that would please the purists. You know what I mean?
Matt: Yeah.
Ben: You could go to the theater, see the two hour movie, the two-and-a-half movie or whatever, and then when it came out on DVD, you have something to look forward to. You know what I mean? Like, “Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!” Imagine how excited the fans around MuggleNet, the people listening to this podcast would be if when the DVD came out, it was like seeing a whole other – a whole different film with more scenes added to it, you know?
Andrew: Yeah.
Matt: Yeah. And we also know from especially the first two films from the actors’ and crew’s interviews, that they have so many things that they shot that were taken out that were actually pretty good.
Andrew: Yeah.
Matt: But it was cut down for time. So we know at least Sorcerer’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets have those scenes just lying around somewhere in the studio.
Andrew: Yeah. Teri from Wisconsin writing in live via the MuggleCast feedback form: “Movie 2 will be released in” – oh no, Part II, she means – “will be released in 2011. That’s the 10-year anniversary of Movie 1. Time for an anniversary issue?” Yes. [laughs] Another edition to be released. Oh, it just…
Matt: God, it’s been 10 years.
Laura: Oh my gosh! That’s…
Matt: Just for the movies, not the books.
Laura: Oh! I feed old.
Andrew: Yeah. We’re going to – it’s going to be what? Thirteen years once the movies come out? Thirteen years since Sorcerer’s Stone, or fourteen years?
Ben: Andrew, what I want to talk about it what this means for us.
Andrew: What does this mean for us, Ben? Personally, I planned on ending next year. Like, that’s it. I’m throwing out my MuggleCast recording box out and being done with it.
Ben: Well…
Andrew: Will you be here in 2011?
Ben: Definitely. I’m never going away. I’m back for good, folks.
[Andrew laughs]
Ben: You can’t get rid of me.
Andrew: Ben, will you go on the record now saying…
Micah: Can we quote you on that?
Andrew: Yeah, yeah. Will you go on the record now saying you’ll be on this week’s pre-recorded episode of MuggleCast 137?
Ben: I will not go on the record saying anything.
[Laura laughs]
Ben: Because, Andrew, I don’t want to disappoint the fans. What if tomorrow I’m driving and my car flips over, and I don’t make it to record the show?
Andrew: That’s very thoughtful.
Ben: You know what I mean? It just wouldn’t be very nice of me. But think about it…
Matt: Do you want to make a little nice goodbye on this episode, just in case?
Ben: Well, I think we should all say goodbye if that’s the case. I mean…
Matt: Oh, yeah.
Ben: You know, “God willing…”
[Everyone laughs]
Ben: But as I was saying, this means two more movie premieres which I am so excited about.
Andrew: Yeah.
Ben: Because, I mean, the last two premieres have been two of the most fun times in my life. Because the first premiere was when I met Andrew…
Andrew: Oh!
Ben: …and I met so many people from MuggleNet.
Andrew: Emerson. Wait, was that…?
Ben: No, I met Emerson before that.
Andrew: That was the first time I met Emerson.
Ben: Then there was just so many times, so many good times at those movie premieres, it’s just really exciting. I can’t wait to go to them again.
Discussion: How to Make them Truly Separate?
Andrew: Yeah. It’s a very interesting vibe around the premieres. I mean, along the red carpet all the fans are there, of course. And everyone is just so excited. And Emerson always does his trademark revving up of the crowd [laughs] getting them all chanting “MuggleNet.” [laughs] Oh, which is always funny. Heyman Question Number Two: “How do you make them one but two separate and distinct stories?” I think this is a very interesting question, because, what do you do here?
Matt: So wait, they want them to be distinct?
Andrew: His words are: “How do you make them one but two separate and distinct stories?” So they have to be able to connect once they put them together on the DVD, but how do you make them separate in that people will be satisfied with each part? I mean, because there’s – this is a six-month difference you’re seeing each of these, so…
Laura: Well, I guess the best way I can think of doing that – and I mean, I’m not exactly sure how they’re going to film this and how it’s going to work, but instead of filming it in two parts, they should film it as one big movie and then cut it, I think.
Ben: Isn’t that probably what they’re going to do?
Laura: It would make the continuity better. I think so, but…
Matt: Yeah, they’re filming it all together.
Laura: Oh, they are? Okay, because I thought maybe with the six month difference they might take advantage of the time to do some additional filming after the first one comes out, so…
Matt: Well what they did with the other films is when they do a trilogy, or a series of films, is also that they change the main theme of the music in the films. Like each movie has its own certain theme. Like in the Harry Potter movies, Harry Potter 1 was mainly Hedwig’s Theme, second one was Fawkes and Lockhart, the third one was Double Trouble, whatever it was, was that what it was called?
Laura: Yeah.
Andrew: Double, double. Yeah, that was a – oh, we won’t get into that…
Matt: So if they keep playing that in the background, it would probably…
Ben: Something wicked this way comes…
[Matt laughs]
Andrew: Yeah, imagine that, if they – if in the trailer, it was like a mash-up – I don’t know, is this what you’re trying to say Matt? It’s a mash-up of like all the soundtracks that we’ve heard so far. How cool would that be?
Ben: I don’t know how cool it would be, because I don’t know how cool those tracks go together.
[Andrew, Laura and Matt laugh]
Andrew: That’s true.
Ben: Hey guys, guys, Emma from Olympia, Washington has a good question. She was wondering “Which of your guys dream director would have been for Deathly Hallows?”
Andrew: David Yates, hands down.
Matt: Who?
Andrew: [laughs] David Yates.
[Laura laughs]
Andrew: I’m sort of…
Ben: Actually, actually, I mean, I think he’s going to do a good job, but…
Laura: Yeah…
Ben: Part of me – part of me would just like to see Peter Jackson because he’s such a pimp.
Andrew: Yeah.
Ben: Can I say pimp? Is that okay?
Andrew: Yeah, no, that’s fine.
Laura: Yeah.
Micah: You just did.
[Andrew laughs]
Laura: I love David Yates, I think he did a really great job with Order of the Phoenix, I think these next two – or three movies, rather, are going to be phenomenal, but I’ve always wanted to see Terry Gilliam direct a Harry Potter film.
Matt: Really?
Ben: You have to remind me who that is.
Matt: Yeah, I could see that.
Laura: He was one of the Python cast, and he directs all these just bizarre and out there movies, but he just provides a very distinct personality to them, and I think he has a very offbeat way of directing that would have been great for Harry Potter. I think actually he was being considered at one point. I know J.K. Rowling said she wanted him to do it, but they – Warner Brothers didn’t want to use him because they thought he would be too mean with children, or something along those lines, so…
[Ben laughs]
Laura: Apparently he’s kind of a tyrant on set…
[Matt laughs]
Ben: Yeah.
Laura: But he produces great films.
Ben: Oh, guys, guys, Andre from Kansas has a really good question, I’m sorry Andrew if this makes you mad that I’m bringing up all these questions, but get over it. This is a really good question I have to ask.
[Andrew and Laura laugh]
Ben: Andre says: “How are they going to make sure non-fans understand the concept of two different films in promotion?” Or production. Either or.
Matt: They’re going to have big bold letters before each movie saying: “Part I” and “Part II.”
Ben: No, but don’t you think it would be confusing to some people? I think it would be.
Matt: They may make a montage before the Part II movie.
Andrew: I think…
Matt: Maybe a bad dream of all the stuff that happened to Harry and he wakes up or something…
Andrew: Yeah.
Matt: Do you think they will do a recap in Part II?
Micah: Probably.
Matt: Or do you think it will go straight right into it?
Micah: You will probably get some scenes that are played at the beginning of the movie that kind of take you through what happened in the first part.
Ben: I think you have to.
Micah: Yeah, I agree. I agree with what Ben was saying – or to answer what Ben was saying before, I think that will be solved by having subtitles, and also – and one thing I think you could do though is, you could really break it up and say Part I was more about Harry learning about the Horcruxes, and maybe that’s how they will try and move it in that direction, and the second one is more about him finding them and destroying them.
Ben: That’s a good idea Micah.
Andrew: Yeah, that’s a very good point.
Ben: David Yates, Steve Kloves, Heyman, you listening to Micah Tannenbaum?
Andrew:
[laughs] Micah Tan, the MuggleCast newsman.
Micah: I want fifty percent of the revenue.
[Andrew, Ben and Matt laugh]
Ben: Hey, has Micah got anything out of Jo lately? Like “What’s Bugging Micah,” isn’t that what it’s called?
Andrew: Yeah, I don’t know Micah, it’s been a bit of a loll, hasn’t it?
Micah: Yeah, she…
Ben: Yeah, Micah, go demand something.
Andrew: Ben, I got to…
Micah: Like a site update, with her thoughts on the split?
Andrew: Yeah, that would be nice. She should post her thoughts on the split. Although, we do that that the L.A. Times said that the – Heyman said that she was cool with it. She was quote on quote “Cool with it”. Yeah, I would like to hear her thoughts more in depth though.
Matt: What do you feel about the phrase? “Cool with it”, it just doesn’t seem like she’s that all real about…
Andrew: Yeah, I have a hard time picturing that phone conversation. [in a British accent] “‘ello Jo, what do you think of splitting it in two?” “It is cool…”
Ben: I’m cool with it.
[Laura laughs]
Matt: It is cool, man. It is cool.
Andrew: Ben…
Ben: She’s probably like, “That’s straight dude.” That is probably what she said…
Andrew: That is straight dude. [laughs] Yeah man.
[Everyone laughs]
Ben: Micah – no not Micah – Andrew were you going to ask me a question?
Andrew: Well, I know Dumbledore is dead but I would love to know what he would think about that, if we were to ask him the question…
Ben: Oh man, It has been a while. [as Dumbledore] “It is our choices Harry…”
[Andrew and Laura laugh]
Ben: “…far more then our abilities that determine what we truly are.”
Andrew: Ah, yes!
Ben: That quotes probably wrong. That quote is probably way off, get mad at me about it, write on my Facebook wall…
Andrew: But that is the one that you always say…
Ben: Really? Okay, good…
Andrew: You are promoting you’re Facebook an awful lot this episode. Are you low on friends?
Ben: Well, see that year – I haven’t been on in so long. I just need to boost my Facebook friend count. Just to help my self-esteem a little bit…
[Andrew laughs]
Andrew: Tomorrow’s feed is going to be like, Ben Schoen added 3,000 friends…
Ben: Yeah…
[Ben and Matt laugh]
Micah: We were actually going to ask Jim Dale about what he thinks about your Hagrid and Dumbledore…
Ben: Oh, you have to! Please, please, please…
[Laura and Andrew laugh]
Andrew: See, yeah…
Micah: How is Hagrid, Ben?
Andrew: Yeah, how is he?
Ben: [as Hagrid] “Great!”
[Everyone laughs]
Ben: Hagrid needs some work. You have no idea how much time and effort goes into doing these impressions. You would be surprised…
[Andrew laughs]
Discussion: Suspense or Resolution?
Andrew: Heyman question number three! Do you break it with a moment of suspense, or one of resolution?
Laura: Suspense.
Andrew: I guess we were talking about this. But do you?
Laura: Yes.
Andrew: I don’t know because then you don’t fell completed.
Laura: But that’s the point, it is not supposed to fell complete. It is a two part movie…
Andrew: Laura, but look, you are sitting there in a threatre knowing you are going to have to wait another six or seven months to see the next part. Do you want to be hanging on the edge of your seat? And then for six, seven months…
Micah: She’s already read the book.
Laura: Well, yeah. I won’t be…
Matt: It’s not like she’s going to be biting her nails…
Laura: Because I am literate and I read…
[Andrew laughs]
Andrew: But – Okay, fine you got me…
Matt: But we are going to be a little disapointed regardless because it is not going to be the entire story.
Ben: What do you mean?
Matt: Well, it’s halfway.
Andrew: Yeah, it’s not completed. That is way I am saying you should feel like there is a resolution, so you feel completed.
Laura: No, but see here’s the thing, I can just imagine if all of us somehow went and saw this movie, right when it came out, together. If it ened on a cliff hanger we would all come out of that threatre bubbling in excitment. If it ended in a resolution we would all be like, that was pretty good. But, I would much rather be excited for the second half.
Matt: Well, see…
Ben: I don’t Know…
Matt: I was talking to you about that. About part two of Pirates of the Carribean
and part three. Like at the very end when Barbossa comes back to life…
Laura: That was awesome…
Matt: It’s either an upset, or a cliff hanger that would just leave you off. So…
Laura: Yeah but there, yeah I agree but it still counted as a cliff hanger.
Matt: Yeah, but it is definitely going to be a cliff hanger. There are not many upsets in the middle of the book anyway. So…
Andrew: I am making a poll, keep talking.
[Laura laughs]
Matt: Oh, okay…
[Prolonged silence]
Laura: It will be a cliff hanger.
[Matt laughs]
Micah: Yeah…
Matt: Yeah…
Laura: That is all I have to say…
Andrew: Micah your thoughts please.
Micah: Well. No, I think, based on the stuff we talked about, whether it is Harry saying the name Voldemort, and all those goons showing up and taking them to Malfoy Manor. That would definitely be a cliff hanger. Or even them walking into Malfoy Manor and the door closing behind them and that is the end of the first movie. I mean again another cliff hanger. I really cannot see it ending with some sort of resolution, because that is boring to be honest with you. It’s boring…
Matt: I agree with you Micah…
Micah: Thanks, which part?
Matt: The part where they are being taking to Malfoy as the cliff hanger because you could see them like talking, conversing inside. But weren’t they in a carriage, when they were taken off, or something?
Micah: I don’t remember.
Matt: Well they being carried in something, which would be kind of cool if they panned out, from them being carried away and then the camera just goes up this huge mansion, into Malfoy Manor, or something. And then it just ends right there.
Micah: Yep.
Laura: Hey, you guys. Sorry to interupt, but did you know that J.K. Rowling wrote into our MuggleCast Live address?
Andrew: No way!
Micah: Oh, wow.
Andrew: No way.
Laura: She says…
Micah: How’s she doing?
Laura: Yeah. She said: “Yo dog! I was not down with the split. I told that fool Heyman not to cut my work in two, but he said, ‘Chill, Jo! I needs to get paid.'”
[Everyone laughs]
Andrew: ‘I needs to get paid’?
Ben: Wow. Looks like the truth finally comes out.
[Laura laughs]
Andrew: Someone check that IP address.
Matt: I didn’t Jo was from East Compton.
Laura: Thanks, Jo!
[Laura and Micah laugh]
Micah: Yeah. I was just going to say that.
Andrew: Does it say Wisconsin? Yeah.
[Andrew and Micah laugh]
Discussion: The Wait
Andrew: All right, well, next thing to discuss here – we’re out of Heyman questions. If he does another one on a future thing, I’ll do Heyman question number four! But, anyway, is the wait really that bad? This is another thing that people are particularly complaining about because they’re saying, “Oh, six months. Oh, man!” I’ll give my point of view, but first I want to hear you guys.
Laura: It doesn’t really bother me.
Matt: No.
Laura: I mean, if you think about it – I mean, I realize it’s all the same story and it would be great if they could come out at the same time, but six months is shorter than we’ve ever had to wait for a new movie before [laughs] so there’s an upside.
Ben: Yeah. Definitely look at it that way. Before, when we had to wait for movies – looking at it from a marketing perspective once again, six months is probably the most reasonable amount of time because any shorter than that is probably too short and any longer than that is probably going to be too long. If they wait – if they had a year of time in between the movies – like I said, it’s the same story, so I guess six months – think about how many movies you remember that you saw six months ago. I don’t know. I don’t see very many movies.
Matt: Well, it’s also being released in the holiday season for Part I and in the Summer for Part II. And I would definitely much rather watch the movie during my Winter break and my Summer break…
Andrew: Yeah.
Laura: Oh, yeah. For sure.
Matt: … and have the excitement…
Micah: Well, I hope you’re out of college by then.
Andrew: Ooh. Um, burn?
Matt: Well, yeah. I’m going to be… [laughs]
Micah: I’m just joking.
[Laura laughs]
Micah: I’m joking!
Ben: Ooh, slam by Micah Tan!
[Andrew and Laura laugh]
Micah: I’m just hoping – I’m hoping he’s going to graduate college by then. I mean, come on.
Andrew: Well, Micah, sorry we all can’t be in your position.
Micah: [laughs] Thanks.
Andrew: Mr. Ooh work!
Ben: Micah has a Master’s degree, guys. He’s better than us.
Andrew: He does, doesn’t he?
Ben: He’s the master. Everyone bow to the master. The master, Micah.
[Laura laughs]
Andrew: Bowing. Bowing.
Ben: Sorry. I’m done.
Andrew: Asterik bow. Little update from J.K. Rowling on the feedback form. She’s from Scotland this time. I think this is the real one. “Yo, yo, yo! I don’t appreciate ya’ll dissing my rep, yo!”
Sorry, Jo. It’s 2:41 AM over there. Why’s she up so late?
Ben: Well, see…
Laura: Maybe she’s writing.
Andrew: She could be. Her next children’s book.
Ben: Book eight!
Andrew: Book eight? [laughs]
[Laura and Matt laugh]
Andrew: Book eight and movie nine. Movie nine and ten! Um, here’s my thing about the movie split. Why are people complaining? If you’re getting at least two and a half – you’re getting two more movies. So, why would you complain if you’re getting at least one two hour movie and then a second two and a half hour Movie 6 months later? When in the meantime, between all the other films, we’ve been waiting at least a year, sometimes two years. I don’t get it!
Ben: Because people are complainers. They always find reasons to complain.
Andrew and
Matt:
Yeah.
Ben: That’s how people are. People are going to find a way to whine and complain about anything. It doesn’t matter if they – there is no perfect formula for something like this. There’s nothing that’s going to please everyone. I mean, if they did just one film people are going to bitch and if they do six films people are going to cry about it. It doesn’t matter. People are going to whine no matter what.
Matt: That’s just the way it is. Let’s face it, our fandom is really…
Laura: Whiny?
Matt: Oh my god. Is that Evanna Lynch? Did she just write to us?
Andrew: Don’t get people’s hopes up.
Matt: Um, Evanna from Ireland? She says: “Hello, MuggleCasters. It’s Evanna Lynch. I love your show. I’ve been listening since Episode 50. I just wanted to say ‘Hi’ to all you guys.”
Andrew: No we’re – Uh, that’s not her real e-mail address. I don’t think…
Ben: Guys…
Matt: Not her?
Andrew: …that’s her. [laughs]
Matt: You guys, I’m to easily distracted. You can’t do that to me. Stop sending in fake e-mails!
[Laura laughs]
Andrew: Or I could be completely wrong and that could be her, but I don’t know if she…
Matt: I blame Andrew if it’s really you Evanna.
Andrew: No. I don’t think it’s really her. I reasonably – if I was a betting man, I would say that’s not her.
[Andrew and Laura laugh]
Matt: You’re a cheating man, Andrew.
Andrew: Hey, by the way, for the record, anyone want to compliment me? I’m pretty sure I did call this a couple months ago.
Laura: I wonder why you called it.
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: Why? Go ahead, Laura. Tell the world. [whispers] Because I’m smart.
Laura: Because, well, I don’t want to rat you out.
[Everyone laughs]
Laura: I feel like I’m going to get you in trouble.
Andrew: Okay, Laura. Yeah. All right. Whatever, Laura.
Ben: What happened? What did Andrew call? I’m confused.
Andrew: Lately, I’ve been…
Micah: He called the split.
Andrew: Lately, I’ve been starting things by saying “If I was a betting man…” and I would give people some fun facts. But it’s only if I was a betting man. I’ll tell you later.
Micah: If I was a betting man…
Ben: Oh, so you’re not a betting man?
Andrew: No, I am.
Micah: No, he is.
Andrew: I’ll explain it to you later.
Micah: If he was a betting man that went to the set of Half-Blood Prince…
[Everyone laughs]
Andrew: No, if I was a betting man who went to the set of Order of the Phoenix, because that one’s not embargoed anymore.
Micah: Oh. Well, yeah.
Ben: So Andrew, so Andrew, so you’ve got three more sets to go to, is that how it’s going to shape up?
Andrew: [laughs] Three more sets, baby!
Ben: Or two more sets, actually.
Andrew: Oh yeah, two.
Ben: Actually, I’m going to both of them.
Andrew: No, actually, I’m on Half-Blood Prince right now. I’m on Half-Blood Prince right now. I’m here. Live., not funny, okay.
Ben: Yeah, not at all.
MuggleCast 136 Transcript (continued)
Discussion: The Trailers
Andrew: Another question we should talk about – Matt and I were discussing this yesterday. The trailers – okay, so we have a trailer for Part I. Now I’m thinking that there will be a trailer for Part II at the end of Part I. Because it’s six months beforehand, and that’s usually when the trailers come out for the films. At least six months before the film comes out.
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: Now Matt, what’s your argument, which is absurd?
Matt: It’s not absurd!
[Ben laughs]
Matt: I just think that since six months usually the rule when they release the theatrical trailer for a film – or no, teaser trailer – they’re just going to debut it for Part I of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the first part. Do you know what I’m talking about?
Ben: I don’t think that’s really that absurd. I mean…
Laura: I don’t think that’s a bad idea at all.
Ben: I mean, it’d be a nice little preview at the end, if they put it at the end of the movie just as a…
Andrew: But Matt’s saying you’d put it before the movie.
Matt: Well see, Andrew was telling me that people who haven’t read the book or don’t know the story would be confused, when they haven’t seen the first part yet and they’re watching the trailer for the second part. Yet…
Andrew: Matt’s saying the preview for Part II would play during the trailers of Part I, before Part I even plays.
Ben: Absolutely not. Sorry Matt, that’s absurd.
[Andrew and Ben laugh]
Laura: I think it’s more likely that they would play it after the film.
Andrew: Right.
Ben: Yeah. That way would tend to make sense.
Andrew: It just doesn’t make sense. See, but I do understand what you’re saying, Matt, because a trailer’s a trailer and normally a trailer would be played at the beginning. But in this case, I just don’t think it would work. But at the same time, you have to think that since they are going to be playing this Part II trailer in movies that aren’t Harry Potter, how do you set that up? I mean, you really do have to create two separate plotlines for the film, so it’s completely understandable.
Laura: They could have flashbacks from Part I, like a few seconds at the beginning of the trailer.
Andrew: Oh, I hate flashbacks! Flashbacks in trailer are the worst, because in trailers you want to see the new stuff, you don’t want to see stuff you already saw!
Ben: Well, I mean, a brief flashback.
Laura: Yeah.
Matt: They’re filming the whole movie at once, though. So they’re probably going to…
Andrew: Yeah, but obviously they’re going to film all the scenes in Part I first, and then…
Matt: They don’t do that, they didn’t do that for Lord of the Rings.
Ben: Yeah.
Andrew: Oh, really?
Ben: That’s not how they do it, I don’t think that’s how they do it.
Matt: They film – they film like the first – they filmed Movie 3 before they started filming actually the first scenes in the first movie.
Ben: Well, I mean, I’m guessing when they film a Harry Potter movie, they don’t start at the beginning, I mean, there are certain scenes that probably – I mean, it all depends. They have someone who plans it all out, I doubt they say, “Okay…” Because, imagine if you have two scenes in the Great Hall, they’re probably going to do all the Great Hall scenes at once or something, you know? I’m guessing.
Andrew: Yeah, that would – yeah, that would make sense.
Matt: Mhm. Well, because they tear down whatever they film that they don’t need anymore. So it’s just smart to say that they would film all the Great Hall scenes, all at once and then go to another set.
Andrew: Well, but the Great Hall is permanent, that’s one of the permanent fixtures.
Matt: Okay, well, I’m sorry…
Andrew: I do see what you’re saying, though, I do understand what you’re saying.
Matt: The Weasley House.
Andrew: Sure, sure.
Matt: Sure.
Ben: Sure!
Matt: I’m so going to rub it in if they debut it first, before the movie. Just telling you that.
Ben: Yeah, yeah. If I was a betting man, I’d put all my money on that not happening.
[Laura laughs]
Andrew: Ben, that’s my thing!
Ben: I’m sorry.
Andrew: I don’t go anywhere near your Gimme a Butterbeer thing, so…
Ben: Oh, don’t you even!
Andrew: [laughing] What? What?
Ben: Don’t you even! Don’t you even think about it!
Andrew: [laughs] What! Don’t you even go near my – thing!
Ben: No, but that’s not a butterbeer, though. That’s like – I don’t know. Give me a butterbeer.
[Andrew laughs]
Matt: How about this, how about this – instead of a trailer debut after the film, how about a five-minute preview or little clip of the next film?
Laura: Ehh…
Andrew: [movie trailer voice] And now, your sneak peak at Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II!
Matt: Like, they give you the first chapter of the next book at the end of the epilogue in a book series.
Ben: Yeah – why didn’t they do that? I mean, why didn’t Jo do that with Deathly Hallows? Not Deathly Hallows, but with the other books?
Matt: She probably hadn’t written it yet.
Laura: Is – yeah.
Ben: Probably because it’s not practical.
Laura: I don’t think it would usually be the authors who would do that. It’s usually the publisher that adds it in. And it’s usually done on books that have been out for a while. Like I don’t think they’ve actually…
Ben: Books that are…
Laura: Yeah.
Matt: What about Twilight?
Ben: And books that are not really as…
Laura: Yeah.
Ben: Good or as popular as Harry Potter.
Andrew: Yeah.
Laura: Yeah. The thing is, they want to keep the suspense up for Harry Potter. So…
Ben: Well think about Harry Potter. I honestly believe – I’ve been thinking about this more and more – and I was talking to a girl who goes to my high school the other day, and I was like, “People who have not read Harry Potter have missed out on the biggest cultural phenomenon of all time.”
Andrew: Yeah.
Ben: They’re absolutely insane for not having read it, because it’s just one of those things that everybody loves! I have not met someone who has read the books, and is like, “Those really suck.” Everyone’s like – it’s always praise, it’s always, “Wow! I couldn’t put it down!” and, I don’t know. If you haven’t read it, you suck. Plain and simple.
[Andrew laughs]
Laura: And I mean even if people picked it up and started reading it now, it’s not the same. You know?
Ben: No, definitely not! Because think about – like I said, I always talk about how we are living in such a unique time, because we knew what it was like to not know how Harry Potter ended. You know? It’s kind of like the people who were around when Lord of the Rings was first coming out. They didn’t know how it ended and so it was really a unique time. People missed out. I didn’t, but sucks to be them.
[Laura and Micah laughs]
Andrew: I was thinking yesterday, that this is really – when this announcement was revealed from the L.A. Times yesterday, this is really the biggest thing we’re going to have in a while.
Laura: Oh.
Andrew: And I say that completely unenthusiastically because these big news days are always so great in the fandom.
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: I mean, it is kind of a shame. What else do we have to look forward to? The Dumbledore being gay thing – I hate to bring it up again, but it came out of nowhere and it was such a big thing in the fandom. It felt like a huge news story. I was running down the streets of New York City and I was skipping! Wasn’t I, Laura?
Laura: Yes, you were.
[Andrew and Laura laugh]
Andrew: Singing it through the streets!
Ben: Andrew, I’m sorry, but I wouldn’t tell people that.
Matt: Yeah, I was just thinking I wouldn’t say that.
Andrew: We’re all friends here.
Matt: Probably not something you want to reveal!
Ben: Well I mean, here’s what’s going to happen; we’ll wait a few months and when Jo decides another character is gay…
Andrew: [laughs] Yeah!
[Laura laughs]
Ben: Then we’ll flare up, and that’s what will happen.
Andrew: Isn’t it amazing that she has that power, though? She can create so much activity and hype out of just one little thing.
Ben: The next thing will be James Potter was a serial killer bo profession. Or something insane…
[Andrew and Micah laugh]
Ben: …that shakes the foundations of the fandom.
Micah: She like to…
Laura: We always wondered what his job was.
Andrew: That’s true. Micah Tan?
Ben: I had a question – oh Micah go ahead.
Micah: I was just going to say, she likes throwing things out there. Look at Aberforth.
Andrew: [laughs] Yeah!
[Laura laughs
Andrew: There’s always these random little things!
Matt: Yeah.
Micah: Did you honestly think I was going to let it go by without mentioning him and his goats?
Andrew: No. Because you love those goats…
Ben: I’ve got a question.
Andrew: …more than Aberforth.
Ben: I’ve got a question, guys.
Andrew: What?
Ben: I don’t know if you guys ever talked about this – if we talked about it and I wasn’t on that episode, but did the gay thing with Dumbledore kind of give a lot of field to the Christian Right and the people who hate Harry Potter?
Andrew: It did.
Ben: Do you know what I mean? It’s just like, Harry Potter‘s already about witchcraft and now there’s homosexuals in it! So if your kids read Harry Potter, they’re going to become witches and homosexuals! You know?
Andrew: Yeah.
Laura: Gay wizards.
Andrew: That’s true.
Laura: You know what? The thing is though, I feel like with people who already have that view towards Harry Potter, you can’t reason with them anyway, so you might as well just go all out with it. Kick Dumbledore out of the closet and just make a rude hand gesture at the idiots and…
Andrew: [laughs] Yeah.
Ben: Do you guys know what we haven’t done in a while? Called Laura Mallory.
[Ben and Laura laugh]
Andrew: Called Laura Mallory! Oh no. I don’t really want to try to call her but…
Laura: No!
Andrew: Well…
Ben: But I love her though! She’s so sweet.
Laura: It’s ten o’clock! You can’t call her!
Andrew: It’s ten o’clock. Well, you know…
Laura: She’s probably put her kids to bed…
Andrew: Let’s just do it, just for fun, I mean…
Laura: Oh! You guys, don’t do that.
Andrew: We’ve done it so many – Why?
Matt: Don’t do it!
Laura: It’s too late. [laughs]
Andrew: It’s too late! You’re concerned about the time of night?
Laura: What?
Ben: It’s Laura Mallory, come on!
[Andrew laughs]
Laura: It’s rude!
Andrew: It’s rude, it’s rude!?
Ben: Let’s wait a few hours.
Andrew: Good idea.
Matt: Laura, what’s the curfew in Georgia, anyway?
Andrew: Yeah! It’s like 7 PM.
Laura: Well, everything closes at like 8 o’clock, so she’s probably fast asleep by now.
Andrew: Ooh, snap.
Matt: Ooh.
Andrew: But – yeah, let’s not call her, actually. We’ve done that enough.
Calling Jamie
Ben: Let’s call Jamie though. I miss Jamie.
Andrew: You want to call Jamie?
Matt: Yeah, let’s call Jamie.
Laura: Yeah, it’s not like he…
Andrew: We’ll call Jamie.
Laura: Yeah, it’s not like he hasn’t called you at odd hours of the morning.
Andrew: Jamie does call me at odd hours of the night!
[Everyone laughs]
Ben: What time does he call you?
Andrew: Oh, he’ll call me – well, actually he’ll call me when it’s 4 AM his time. Because he’s having fun in England. Jamie – see, here’s the thing with Jamie; I asked him to be on the show today. He has a thesis paper to complete and he’s been working all…
Matt: For his major.
Andrew: For his major. It’s very important. And he has been working on it for the past few days straight and he said, “No, I’ve really got to finish this.” so – I didn’t tell him we were going to call. I don’t know if anybody IMed him and told him we were going to call, but let’s just see what happens.
[Phone rings]
Andrew: These English phones!
Jamie: Hello?
Andrew: Jamie?!
Laura: Jamie!
Jamie: Hey! What’s up?
Andrew: Jamie…
Ben: How’s your thesis, dawg?
Jamie: Uh, it sucks, dawg!
[Laura laughs]
Jamie: Is this live on air?
Andrew: Yes, this is live on air! [laughs]
Jamie: Oh all right. I won’t say what I was going to say about my thesis then.
[Andrew and Laura laugh]
Jamie: I can’t talk about that. In other words – no, in that case, it’s going very, very, very well. Yeah, I’m really enjoying it.
Andrew: Good, good. Are you working on it right now or did we wake you up?
Jamie: No, you didn’t wake me up. What I’m doing actually, is I’m taking a break from my thesis to write a two thousand word paper that also has to be handed in in ten hours.
Andrew: Oh.
Ben: That’s a nice break.
Andrew: Yeah, that’s good.
Jamie: Sorry? What?
Ben: I said, “That’s a nice break, isn’t it?”
Jamie: It is a very nice break, yeah. All I can think about is, it has to be handed in by twelve, so I can’t wait til 12:01 when I can go and enjoy myself. But with this paper, I’ve been trying to work out what, in my degree, I can screw up and still come out with a good mark. And this paper fortunately, I can put it on the list of things I can screw up. So I don’t think I’m going to spend too much time on this. I’m going to go back to the stuff that’s actually important.
Andrew: Okay. [laughs]
Jamie: What’s up?
Andrew: We know you’re busy but before we let you go, since this is a live show, we’re talking about the movie split, can we have your thoughts real quick?
Jamie’s Thoughts on the Movie Split
Jamie: It’s cool. [laughs]
Andrew: It’s cool? That’s what J.K. Rowling said! Oh my God! All you English people.
Ben: Jamie, for some reason you sound like you’re strapped for time. It sounds like you waited til like three days ago to start your thesis or something maybe.
Jamie: Well, Ben, Ben, I can tell you haven’t been on the show for long, your A-game material is pretty low.
[Andrew laughs]
Jamie: Do you think you could come out with something better for Episode 138? I suggest you get some practice in or something. You know…
Andrew: Jamie is very stressed.
Ben: You can tell how stressed he is, guys. It’s okay, Jamie. You don’t have to turn bitter towards me. It’s okay.
[Jamie laughs]
Andrew: Anyway…
Jamie: No, no, I think it’s cool. I think it’s cool. I think Warner Brothers has finally realized that people just want to see awesomeness, which normally translates to more and more time spent on preparing battle and for example the bridge collapsing, that sure is going to be expensive but it’s going to be worth it, because everyone’s going to love it. I’m pleased with two films. Two trips to the theatre, two premieres.
Andrew: Exactly!
Jamie: You know?
Andrew: Exactly, man.
Jamie: Two’s always better than one, right?
Andrew: Right! Exactly. Nobody can lose in this situation, right? Everybody’s making money, everyone’s podcasting longer, everyone’s running their websites longer.
Jamie: I’m sure there’s a few people who aren’t happy, Andrew.
Andrew: [laughs] Well I’ll tell you what. You come up with a list of people and we will discuss that on the next show you’re on.
Jamie: Wow. Okay.
Andrew: We’ll…
Jamie: I’m going to come up with a list of everyone who’s unhappy.
Andrew: [laughs] Well, I was saying the crew would probably be unhappy, but I mean, everyone is making more money…
Jamie: True.
Andrew: Who loses?
Jamie: True. What’s up with you guys then?
Andrew: We’re just podcasting. Being celebs.
Jamie: Really?
Andrew: I have to say, Jamie, everyone’s very excited that you’re on right now. I’m not looking at the chat but everyone was hoping you were going to be on the show today.
Jamie: Well, I’m pleased to be half-back. Kind of back.
Andrew: Half-back. [laughs]
Jamie: Back, yeah. It’s great.
Andrew: Back, but on the telephone.
Matt: Is this really a surprise, Jamie, that we called you?
Jamie: Well, it said ‘unknown,’ and I know that Skype says ‘unknown,’ but recently I’ve been telling Ben I’ve been staying up late doing my thesis and that I’m stressed, and most people would be consenting to my cause, but it could have been Ben calling me to try to rile me up, a couple of times.
Micah: Well, you just generally pick up phone calls from unknown people, don’t you?
Jamie: Well, it’s not particularly dangerous.
[Everyone laughs]
Andrew: It’s not dangerous unless someone gave out your number – Ben!
Jamie: No! If someone gave out my number, that would suck.
Andrew: Ben gave out my phone number, so…
Jamie: Well, actually…
Andrew: I still get calls.
Ben: Miker?
Jamie: I didn’t say that, Ben.
[Andrew and Micah laugh]
Andrew: Anyway, Jamie…
Ben: I love you, Jamie. I love you.
Jamie: Whatever.
[Andrew laughs]
Ben: You know you love me! Don’t even go there! You know you love me!
Jamie: Don’t even go there, man! You American men! Dude…
[Andrew laughs]
Andrew: Anyway…
Ben: Sorry, guys. He’s obviously stressed out, forgive him please.
Jamie: I am stressed out! I am stressed out! I keep getting these moments of panic when I’ll go into a comfort zone and I’ll be like, “I love my life.” And then two seconds later I’ll remember I’ve got to write a million words before twelve o’clock.
Andrew: Yeah.
Jamie: It sucks, it sucks.
Andrew: Yeah.
Ben: Well, maybe if you had started sooner. I hate to be Captain Obvious…
[Andrew laughs]
Jamie: Perhaps, Ben, perhaps…
Ben: I’m just kidding! I love you. I love you. I’m kidding, Jamie.
Jamie: You’ve already said this, but I know I should have started earlier. It’s ridiculous saying that it’s like if someone…
Ben: I know, but it’s fun to watch you get riled up.
Andrew: Guys, leave…
Jamie: But I’m not riled up, now, Ben. I feel sorry for you!
Ben: We’ll call it that. It’s okay…
Andrew: All right, we’ll end it here before you guys are FaceBook poking each other in a poking war. Jamie, we’ll let you go. Best of luck with your thesis, dude, seriously.
Jamie: Thank you, thank you.
Andrew: Unlike Ben, I understand that it’s important.
Jamie: Enjoy the show. Bye!
Andrew: Bye, Jamie.
Laura: Bye, Jamie.
Micah: Bye.
Andrew: Ben, why do you have to do that to him? He’s stressed!
Ben: Okay, you don’t understand. Every time Jamie gets on AIM, he messages me and tries to rile me up.
[Andrew laughs]
Ben: So I rile him back.
Andrew: Funny, funny. Anyway…
Ben: It’s a total war we have going on. We love each other though.
Andrew: I know. We know you guys do. Anyway, glad we got him on. He answered pretty quick too. I was expecting him to take forever to answer.
Ben: Guys, you know who we should call?
Andrew: Who?
Ben: Kevin Steck! I haven’t heard from him in a while!
Andrew: Kevin Steck?
Ben: Yeah!
Andrew: No, Kevin Steck will never be on this show again.
Ben: [as Kevin] Andrew, I am here!
[Everyone laughs]
Andrew: Kevin Steck is joining us! Hey!
Ben: [as Kevin] I think Deathly Hallows is a good movie. Thanks. Bye.
[Andrew and Matt laugh]
Andrew: Well said!
Matt: It’s like a voice-mail message.
Ben: Oh, Kevin’s actually going to be on in the next half-hour?
Andrew: No! No.
Ben: Oh, no way.
Andrew: That’d be silly.
Matt: You’re such a tease!
Muggle Mail: Potter at the Oscars
Andrew: [laughs] Okay, so let’s wrap up this discussion a little bit and then we’re going to take a break and regroup here. One last e-mail I guess we’ll talk real quick about – Oscars. Ashley, 27, of Salem, Oregon wrote in via the MuggleCast feedback,
“Exciting news today! I was hoping that the seventh movie would get some recognition from the Academy a la ‘Return of the King’. How do you think splitting the movie in two will affect its chances of winning gold? I feel like, especially with the first part in November and the second part in May instead of the other way around, the chances are slim and the movie will get any nods at all.”
Won’t get any nods at all – I guess she means.
“Interested to hear what you all think. Love the show!”
I don’t know. Matt, you’re up on this Oscar stuff. What do you think it means?
Matt: To be honest, I don’t really think it applies to Harry Potter. With just the acting. Because it’s not a really character – well-acted on the kids’ parts, I hate to say. Maybe they would just get nods. They would definitely just get nods for the first film.
Andrew: Yeah.
Matt: Part II is too late for Academy Awards because it’ll be released right after the Academy Awards of 2011. It’s really the only speculation we could probably have mostly is whatever happens in part one of the movie.
Andrew: Good point.
Laura: Am I remembering correctly or did it get a nod for Prisoner of Azkaban special effects?
Matt: Yeah, well, that’s what I’m saying…
Laura: Yeah.
Matt: Nods for special effects and set design and costume.
Andrew: But it won’t win.
Matt: I’m thinking mainly with actors or director – I mean, no offense to David Yates – since none of the other films have gotten a nod. And I believe that every single director were awesome directors regardless of people’s opinions on how the Harry Potter film went. They’re all really great directors and they didn’t even get one nod.
Andrew: Yeah.
Laura: Yeah, I’m with you on that one. I don’t see Harry Potter as ever getting any big Oscar wins or anything like that sadly.
Andrew: No.
Matt: But wasn’t – I think John Williams was the highest for getting a nod for Best Film score. I think that’s the closest we’ll get for a popular genre for people that get nods for.
Laura: I don’t know.
Matt: Wasn’t he nodded? I think he was. For like, “Hedwig’s Theme.” I think that was nominated.
Andrew: Yeah, I think you may be right. Hey, we’re going to take a break now, but before that Laura and Ben have got to hop off because it is midterms time and they have some studying to do.
Laura: That’s right.
Andrew: So, Laura and Ben, thank you for joining us this evening.
Laura: Mhm.
Ben: I’m glad to be back, I’m glad to rear my – not ugly, but pretty head, I guess?
[Everyone laughs]
Ben: Thanks again. I’m glad to be back guys. I’m glad to do this. It was fun. It was a lot of fun.
Andrew: It was fun!
Ben: It’s good to talk about Harry Potter again.
Andrew: It was. Yeah.
Laura: Yep.
Andrew: And I guess we’ll see you when the next gay character is announced.
[Laura and Matt laugh]
Ben: Yep! See you then!
Andrew: All right, thanks guys!
Ben: Bye, everybody!
Laura: Bye, everybody!
Andrew: Bye, Laura. Bye, Ben. Love you!
Laura: Love you too! Bye!
Andrew: All right, everyone. We are going to take a quick break, but when we come back we are going to introduce two more hosts that are going to be joining us and we’ll be taking your calls. It’s 10:04! MuggleCast Live! We’ll be back in just a few minutes! You’re listening to MuggleCast Live!
[“Have a Nice Day” by Bon Jovi plays]
[“See You Again” by Miley Cyrus plays]
Back To The Show
Andrew: MuggleCast Live! 10:14 Eastern on the Eastern coast, as I just said. Welcome back to the show everyone! A couple more people have joined us since the break. First up, Eric Scull!
Eric: Hi, everybody!
Andrew: Eric Scull! How are you doing, buddy? How was Lost?
Eric: Lost was okay. There were sort of two big reveals. I liked the first one and not the second.
Andrew: Oh! Can you spoil it for everyone?
Micah: Don’t spoil it!
Andrew: No, no! Spoil it for everyone. [laughs]
Eric: I’m not going to spoil it. Not going to spoil it. Lost is available on iTunes tomorrow for $1.99.
Andrew: [laughs] And how much is Apple paying for you to say that?
Eric: You know, I wish they were paying more than, one penny. And they’re not even paying a penny. So, I wish they were paying more than nothing.
Andrew: [laughs] Okay.
Eric: Free plug there.
Andrew: Okay, next, the other person who is joining us this week – this is like a double whammy. I’m loving this show. We’re getting some people back!
Micah: But it’s funny, because we kind of…
Andrew: Spoiled it already!
[Andrew and Micah laugh]
Eric: We’re supposed to be going.
Andrew: Kevin Steck has returned.
Kevin: Hello!
Matt: Yay!
Andrew: Kevin! Kevin Steck!
Kevin: Can you guys hear me?
Andrew: Yes. We can hear you. How are you doing?
Kevin: Pretty well.
Andrew: It’s been a while. How long has it been, Kevin? I forget.
Kevin: Oh, it’s been months!
Andrew: Months, yeah.
Kevin: Probably four or five months.
Matt: At least a week.
Andrew: [laughs] At least a week!
Kevin: Yeah.
Eric: I call Kevin every week, and I say, “Dude, I miss you.”
Andrew: Do you really?
Eric: I do!
Kevin: Yeah, he’s crying all the time.
Friendly Reminders from Eric Scull
Andrew: Speaking of that, Eric, calling people – I don’t like bringing personal issues on the show, but it was Sunday morning. I’m resting peacefully because I put MuggleCast up the night before and I always rest peacefully the night after I release MuggleCast – and I wake up around 9:30 to my Apple iPhone ringing. It’s Eric Scull. I don’t answer it because I’m half asleep, I’m like “Whatever.” I roll over and go back to bed. I listened to your voice-mail and you called me to tell me to put my clock forward an hour. Why?
[EVeryone laughs]
Eric: Well, Andrew, I actually…
Micah: Don’t you know the iPhone is smart enough to do that, Eric?
Andrew: [laughs] Yes, exactly.
Eric: Wait, this is two separate questions! Is the iPhone actually smart enough to do that?
Andrew: Yes!
Eric: Damn it! Okay, fine.
Andrew: Well, it’s a cell phone! All cell phones do that!
Eric: Right, right, of course, the iPhone. What does that thing not do? Okay, but seriously – well, Andrew, when I had first called you – which was when I went to Andrew Sims in my little contacts – I didn’t – I had to touch the buttons to do that. I couldn’t just touch the screen…
Andrew: Right.
Eric: …like iPods.
Andrew: Right.
Eric: I’m very happy with my phone. It’s a Motorola KRZR. When I called you, I had other intentions entirely. I was going to tell you something. I forget exactly what I was going to tell you.
Andrew: Oh, I see.
Eric: But, see, by the time I actually – I had something in mind to tell you and then by the time the voice-mail went on I was like, “What am I going to do?” so I decided then to tell you what I had just found out, which was that the time…
[Andrew laughs]
Eric: Actually, yeah, you know what, Andrew? I’ll lie and it’ll be a better story. I knew you were sleeping in and I just wanted to remind you…
Andrew: Oh, thank you.
Eric: That you were – that morning – you were going to sleep in an extra hour longer than you’d planned to.
Andrew: Thank you. That’s very kind.
Eric: Sure.
Andrew: But let’s get right back into our DH discussion, being split in two. Kevin and Eric, I don’t know if you guys heard, but the movie is going to be split in two. I don’t know if you guys knew this.
Kevin: I heard, definitely, yeah.
Andrew: Kevin, we’ll start…
Kevin: It’s been all over the news.
Kevin’s Reaction
Andrew: Yeah, it has. Kevin, we’ll start with your reactions.
Kevin: I like it.
Andrew: From a computer programmer’s standpoint, from the standpoint of a minority of Windows users in this Skype chat, how do you feel?
Eric: Including me! Including me.
Andrew: Yeah. Including you.
Kevin: Linux. And Linux, come on.
Andrew: And Linux, of course. How do you see this split?
Kevin: I like it because I think they’ll have more time to devote to the last movie. I think it could do nothing but good.
Andrew: Yeah. And Eric?
Eric’s Reaction
Eric: I think a lot of people are upset about the four month difference, which I have no problem with – in releasing in the movies, I mean, that kind of made sense to me when they said D.H. would be split and then one’s releasing, what? In November 2010? May 2011? Is that what the deal is?
Andrew: That’s correct. That is correct.
Kevin: Yeah, it is.
Eric: That’s six months apart.
Matt: Yeah. It’s six months.
Eric: All the same, no. I think David Yates directing again is another good sign to me. I really like the Order of the Phoenix movie. I thought at least he can handle the material pretty well.
Andrew: Yeah.
Eric: So actually I just think exactly what everyone I guess has been saying on the show – gives it more ability to focus and keep everything in, gives it more time – and it was about time they announced something. If you look at MuggleNet’s main page, almost – I’d say at least sixty percent of those articles are somebody whispering to someone else at the last minute, “Yeah, D.H.? Psst!”
Andrew: Yeah. And the funny thing is that, just that morning, SnitchSeeker reported that Matt Lewis revealed it to someone too and after that I was thinking to myself…
[Eric laughs]
Andrew: …”Okay, W.B.! Come on! It’s time. You’ve had at least four leaks at this point from crew, from your own cast…
Eric: Exactly.
Andrew: …from these tabloids and then Barron and Heyman were – we discussed in that interview with them a few weeks ago, it’s like “Come on! It’s time! Just do it!”
Eric: Everybody was saying it.
Andrew: Be Nike and just do it!
Eric: Just do it. Exactly. Just like Nike. I have to tell the listeners just now that they’ve been saved from a two and a half minute spiel which would have said exactly what you just said, Andrew, in your twenty-five seconds or so – which is basically just what everybody’s whispering – it’s just W.B., just do it. So, I’m very happy with this announcement.
Andrew: Me too.
Matt: Mhm.
Andrew: Me too.
Lengths of the Movies
Matt: But what do you guys necessarily think – because in some of the interviews they said about being split in two I don’t know if it was David Barron or Steve Kloves, but they mentioned that the split is giving them a more chance to relax. I seem to think it’s going to be more kind of hectic that they have actually more stuff to do.
Kevin: Well, I think the relaxtion would come from the fact that they don’t have to pay as much attention to what details they integrate into the films. They’re given, basically, double the time for a single book.
Andrew: Mm.
Kevin: But now they don’t have to be as nit-picky about which details they choose to exclude and include into the movie.
Matt: Yeah.
Kevin: Takes the pressure off a bit.
Eric: Well, that’s the other question though. Will they use the time? I mean, are we looking at two two and a half hour movies here? Two two-hour movies?
Andrew: We…
Eric: Because if they do two ninety minute movies or the battles – that’ll be horrible…
Andrew: We did discuss this earlier…
Eric: …then I’ll have an issue with it.
Andrew: …Micah?
Micah: Um. No, yeah, Eric, we talked a little about it before because Alan Horn, who’s the President and, I guess, Chief Operating Officer for Warner Brothers was quoted in that L.A. Times article as saying, “They will have at least an hour and half more to work with now.” So I don’t know how you would take that…
Andrew: Telling.
Micah: …as far as how long…
Eric: Okay.
Micah: …the first movie will be but you’re guaranteed that the second movie will be…
Matt: Mhm.
Micah: …at least 90 minutes, so.
Matt: And they haven’t even really confirmed that both movies will be the same length.
Micah: I don’t…
Andrew: Presumably they would.
Eric: No, I don’t think you can until the finished cut product…
Andrew: I think presumably they would be though, wouldn’t they? I mean…
Eric: Same length? Or…
Andrew: Yeah, because I think you’re trying to find some balance. Although, I guess I can see how the second one would be longer because also you’re including…
Eric: It depends how they cut it.
Matt: I think what will really – when they said hour and a half extra, I think they meant that the second one will be at least an hour and a half if not more.
Eric: Or 90 minutes. The good thing about this is instead of worrying about what makes the cut, you know in the news articles they say – there were some things in Book 7 you just can’t take stuff out of – because there’s no other movie to explain it, you know. So, instead of worrying about what makes the cut of the films, you’re now worried about what makes the cut of the first film or what makes the cut of the second one. You’re basically guaranteed that whatever they deem important is – a lot more things are able to make it into the movies.
Kevin: I also find it hard to believe that they would split the movie and make each ninety minutes long, because…
Eric: Yeah.
Kevin: …they could have fit that into a single movie. They have to justify splitting it into two movies.
Eric: My feelings.
Kevin: I think time is their justification.
Micah: Right. I mean, what do you guys think about the standard now? I mean, they – we were talking about this before but the bar has been raised massively now. I mean, they have really no wiggle room, no room for error, because they’re taking this upon themselves to split it into two. They have to get everything in possible.
Eric: How – how so?
Micah: What do you mean?
Eric: I mean – oh okay. So you’re saying that they have to get everything in now. What exactly are you saying when – when you say that?
Micah: Well I’m saying that you’re looking at the fact that they took the movie and they’re splitting it into two parts and…
Matt: They don’t have an excuse.
Micah: Arguably they’re both going to be longer than two hours. They don’t – exactly Matt. They don’t have an excuse for not including something major or – or the fans want in this film.
Eric: Okay.
Micah: They cannot afford to not do that.
Eric: Okay because you’re foreseeing an army of fans that are very upset that they’re going to have to wait six months extra, plus the addition of a movie ticket cost, you know that sort of thing or not.
Andrew: Basically. No that’s pretty much it.
Micah: I’m just talking about it including everything possible in these final two films.
Eric: Yeah. They have to make it worth our while I think.
Matt: They know that they – that we’re going to be completely judgmental, I mean just by us alone. We’re totally going to have way more expectations out of this movie.
Eric: Actually I have less. I’m really happy that they did this and I think it was dragged on so long that maybe when I first heard it I wouldn’t have liked it and I think I probably did say I didn’t like it. Now I’m feeling like maybe it’s the better thing to do because we haven’t really tried this with any of the movies before. Yeah do I wish they would’ve maybe done this with the earlier movies, maybe. But you know this is Book 7, I mean Movie 7 is a movie on its own. So we’ll see how this happens. We’ll see how this works.
Andrew: Yeah, should we talk more about…
The Cast
Matt: What do you guys – oh sorry.
Andrew: No go ahead please. No you probably had a better question, I insist.
Matt: Oh, I was just thinking how big this cast is going to be because are they going to include – are they going to do all the casting all at once? Because this is like two movies and they introduce Griphook. Didn’t Verne Troyer who played Mini-Me – is he playing Griphook?
Eric: I heard that.
Matt: Because he played him in the first movie.
Eric: Oh did he?
Micah: Right, you’re looking at an all inclusive cast I think.
Andrew: Yeah.
Micah: I mean they’re bringing everybody back.
Eric: But for which part, is the other question?
Kevin: I think they would do it for both parts.
Micah: Well…
Kevin: It seems to me what they’re going to do is they’re going to film it all at the same time…
Andrew: They are.
Kevin: …and then cut it down the center just like they did with – I think Lord of the Rings did that. Where the movies were all filmed…
Matt: They didn’t – I don’t think they included the cast members that weren’t introduced yet.
Kevin: They don’t – they don’t have to. But they can film it all at the same time.
Matt: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Eric: That’s not exactly what I’m saying. I’m saying when the movie itself is cut – if the movie follows the book, Movie 1 is going to be really drawn out and boring and Movie 2 is going to have the dragon from Gringotts and the attack at Hogwarts you know what I’m saying? They might have to rearrange Book 7…
Matt: I agree.
Eric: …to accommodate sort of, well…
Andrew: No I think that’s a good point because you do have to find a balance of action and – and drama in each one.
Eric: In each of these films. Since no that there are two.
Matt: But they’re two different films.
Andrew: It doesn’t matter though. With every movie you still need action and a pinnacle.
Matt: There is, there’s the wedding scene, there is the Horcrux scene…
Eric: Seven Potters.
Matt: …there’s when Harry goes to his house, there’s going to be a climactic scene right there.
Eric: Right.
Matt: It just – they have two different tones if you think about it. There’s a way to cut the movie into two different tones. Like the second part is going to be a very big blockbusterish kind of fighting sequences because they have Voldemort, they have Hogwarts, they have all those scenes together, they have Gringotts. The first one is going to be more like Harry finding closure with himself and his family and a lot of things. And – and…
Eric: But that doesn’t happen until the end of the book.
Matt: Well I’m just saying though, he visits his – his family’s house and there’s closure there because he finally visited. There’s just going to be different feelings for each film.
Kevin: I agree.
Micah: I mean it goes back to what I said before, you’re looking at Harry essentially learning in the first movie and then actually taking more action in the second movie and I don’t know how you would name those films subtitle-wise but you know. I just think that it’s – it’s going to be interesting to see how they divide it up because as you were saying Matt it’s two totally different sort of atmospheres but in the end I just hope that they get it right because I – I still go back to the whole point of there’s no margin for error right now.
Matt: There isn’t.
Andrew: The bar is – the bar is too high, yeah.
Kevin: Do you think…
Eric: I think – sorry, Matt?
Andrew: It was Kevin.
Kevin: It’s okay. I was just going to ask, do you think that they had the six months gap because of a DVD release or are they planning to release a DVD in between for the first half so people can watch it in transition to the second?
Matt: I think it’s mainly for the holiday seasons. Most of the big movies come out either in Christmas break or Summer. And that’s when the book…
Kevin: That’s true.
Matt: …was released – that’s when each of the movies was released too. Order of the Phoenix was released in Summer. Half-Blood Prince was going to be in the Winter season.
Eric: Well one, two and four, and now the first part – well one, two, four, six and the first part of seven are releases in November. Only four – I mean sorry only Movie 3 and what Movie 5?
Matt: Yeah.
Eric: And seven Part II is going to be released in June or this Summer whenever that is.
Matt: It’s definitely Winter break – one of the bigger holiday seasons. Christmas break has always been very popular. So it makes sense that they start with winter just to get everything started.
Eric: Plus that’s when the book is set.
Matt: Sorry?
Eric: That’s when the book is set. If you look at – if you want to split the book up in the middle you get the sort of July through maybe January to February would make the first movie and the second movie would be…
Matt: Yeah. That makes sense, yeah.
Eric: It’d be kind of the same time of the year. It would be cool to see if they…
Kevin: Like chronologically?
Andrew: Yeah.
MuggleCast 136 Transcript (continued)
Muggle Mail: Rating of the Two Movies
Andrew: Yeah. Micah Tannenbaum you have an e-mail to read?
Micah: Yeah I got an e-mail from Madison in Douglasville, Georgia, and they were wondering – and we spoke briefly about this in the past, but what do you guys think the movies are going to be rated? I mean same or different based on action. What is the actual rating going to be? I mean two movies, at least one could…
Andrew: Go for R. Go for it.
Micah: Yeah I kind of agree with that.
Andrew: You do?! I was kidding.
Micah: No, the second one, the second one. Not the first one. The second one.
Kevin: Now regardless, they’re – they’re going to rate them the same.
Andrew: Yeah they would have to.
Kevin: Because people who see the first half they are going to want to be able to see the second.
Andrew: Plus when they go on the DVD together it is like, “Rated PG-13. Also rated R.” [laughs]
Eric: No, who says they’re going to go on the same DVD?
Andrew: Well presumably.
Kevin: I’m sure they are going to package them.
Andrew: Yeah we talked about this earlier too.
Eric: Yeah they’re going to package them. But I don’t think the same – I mean they’re two separate…
Kevin: Not initially. But after both their release they’re definitely going to package them together.
Andrew: I just want them to stick them together. Like it’s just one long five hour movie.
[Eric laughs]
Andrew: That would be cool though.
Kevin: With an intermission.
Andrew: Yeah with a… [laughs]. Yeah…
Eric: Like elevator music.
Andrew: No, yeah. Like elevator music, “We’ll take a five minute break.” They’ll get Jim Dale to the narration. [tries to imitate Jim Dale] “We’ll take a five-minute break.” I’m not even going to try. Not even going to try.
Micah: He’s going to yell at you, for that.
Andrew: By the way – he will. By the way quick plug, Jim Dale interview coming at you Sunday night/Monday.
Eric: It’s going to be Dale-icious.
Andrew: Dale-licious. Eric wants to call the episode Dale-licious.
Eric: Sorry.
Andrew: Hey – no, no. It’s not a bad idea. It’s like delicious only it’s Dale-licious because it’s Jim Dale.
Eric: [laughs] It’s Jim Dale.
Andrew: Hey speaking of Jim Dale we’re going to start taking some calls now. But before people start calling in we do need to lay some ground rules for calling in.
Matt: He’s going to – Andrew is going to lay the smack down.
Andrew: Yes, I am. First of all this is going to sound mean but this is in order to keep the show flow going. First of all, no shout outs please, okay. I mean we’ve done it before and I know people have fun hearing their name and all that but no shout outs please for this episode. No pickle pack references as well. We still love you but no pickle pack references please.
Eric: We love you, but we hate you.
Andrew: Yeah and mute your stream before calling, don’t forget because we don’t want to hear ourselves. Also have a question prepared beforehand. Last time we were getting so many people calling in and saying, “I forget what I was going to say.” Also, only call in once. Do not make repeated calls please. If I keep seeing your name pop up I will not take your call, okay? Seriously it’s just – we just get bombarded and we’re trying to create order.
Kevin: I missed you Eric.
Eric: I missed you Kevin. I really did. I missed you.
Andrew: [laughs] But hey…
Eric: I’m going to take this.
Caller: Releasing the Movies at the Same Time?
Andrew: Let’s do this. Let’s get bombarded right now why don’t we. Let’s take the first call from my favorite – my favorite MuggleCast listener, Lucas is on the line.
Caller: Yeah, sure.
Andrew: Lucas you’re talking to the most popular – no, no the most – the best Potter team in podcasting. What’s going on?
Caller: Yeah I was wondering, do you guys think that they could – some – whatever it is – some theatres would release the movies together? They would release the first movie first and then they would release the second one at the same time like a two parter with an intermission and stuff.
Andrew: Yeah, but…
Matt: Yeah I thought about that too though. I think they will do that but after the second one is released.
Andrew: Are they allowed to though?
Eric: That’s not…
Matt: They did that with Lord of the Rings.
Andrew: Oh okay.
Kevin: Yes they did, yeah. I attended one of those events and it was one of the worst mistakes I’ve made.
Matt: Me too.
Kevin: Oh my – Uh.
Eric: Now, are you talking about independent movie theaters?
Kevin: It was twelve hours in a theater.
Eric: Because I mean.
Caller: Just any movie theater. I don’t know.
Eric: Well, technically I mean, if you want to look at – I mean, wide releases, that doesn’t typically happen. I wouldn’t say with wide releases – the exception being something like Star Wars. When the Special Editions came out in ’97, they had, what all three in the same – in theaters at the same time? But surely most of the theaters across the States didn’t bring the old Lord of the Rings back when the new one was out, did they? I mean, I would assume it would be independent.
Matt: Well, no, they wouldn’t necessarily. It would be like a special screening.
Eric: Yeah, special screenings. That sort of thing.
Kevin: I know the theater around me, actually – what they did for Lord of the Rings was right before midnight they played the first two. So, you came at, I think it was 8 o’clock. They played the first two and then turned on the new one.
Eric: Oh, that’s interesting because in order to do that, a lot of the theaters have to – Well, first of all, a little bit of theater business – I was a projectionist. They have to reacquire the reels.
Kevin: Right.
Eric: They have to pay and reacquire the reels and the rights to film – or show that film. So, we’ll see if they do that, but I don’t know that…
Kevin: I think it would be cool, I mean.
Eric: It’d be cool.
Kevin: I mean, you’d go like at ten o’clock to see the first half, and then take a small intermission and then see the next one at twelve.
Eric: And if not, people will be doing that with their DVDs at home.
Kevin: Right, if the DVD is released before then.
Eric: Right.
Matt: That’s pretty much a given. They will definitely.
Eric: Well, no it’s not. It’s not. Movies…
Matt: No, it is.
Eric: Certain Christmas movies – certain Christmas movies – don’t appear on DVD till next Christmas.
Kevin: Yeah, but hype-wise.
Matt: It doesn’t even matter if it’s out on DVD. They’ll still have like a re-release for it. Not all movie theaters will do it, but like certain very popular theaters in a certain area will probably do a special where they release that movie right before the Part II. And definitely people want to see it especially if they could see it in the big screen one more time before.
Eric: You’re right.
Andrew: Yeah.
Eric: It would increase theater sales, and if it were any movie I’d be disagreeing. But Harry Potter-wise I’m pretty sure it would probably be a good idea to re-release even if they do it wide, just before – at least in most theaters, maybe in IMAX or something.
Matt: Yeah, definitely.
Kevin: Well, it really helps the hype, I mean.
Eric: It does.
Andrew: Yeah.
Kevin: They do it with even just normal movies. All of a sudden you’ll walk into bookstores and see Harry Potter everywhere. Just refreshing peoples memories about it.
Caller: Part I Ending at Shell Cottage
Andrew: Yeah. Let’s take another call now. Joe Martin!
Caller: Oh sweet! I’m on.
Andrew: Yeah man! What’s going on? You’re talking to the best Potter team in podcasting. Welcome to the show.
Kevin: You made the cut.
Andrew: You made the cut.
Caller: Sweet. I wanted to ask you guys about what you thought about the first part ending at Shell Cottage.
Andrew: Shell Cottage after Dobby’s buried?
Caller: Yeah.
Andrew: I think that would be nice.
Matt: Pretty somber note, though.
Andrew: I would walk out crying.
Eric: It’s a heck of a somber note.
Kevin: Seems like the perfect way to end it.
Eric: It’s kind of…
Caller: It’s the most you can get of resolution in the middle.
Eric: But is that the middle of the book?
Matt: It’s pretty far in the book, though.
Eric: It’s pretty far.
Matt: Right after that is the Gringotts scene and then the Hogwarts scene pretty much.
Eric: Yeah. If you want to count major scenes in order to guesstimate which movies they’ll be in.
Matt: Mhm. That would pretty much mean that the last of the second part would be two very big scenes, and then that would probably be what it would consist of, just two big fight scenes.
Andrew: Which would make sense, I think. I mean you got to give a lot of time to the final battle throughout Hogwarts.
Caller: Yeah, that’s what I was thinking.
Andrew: Yeah. So I don’t now, I – seriously, I would be crying. Dobby was the only part in that book that made me cry, and that scene – Oh my God. I cry just thinking about it. [laughs]
Matt: I actually think Shell Cottage would probably be best for the beginning of the second film because Dobby’s death will probably be a good first step for that film rather than a last death.
Andrew: Yeah, I agree, but I don’t think that’s going to be the first death. I mean, don’t forget Mad-Eye. [laughs]
Eric: Yeah.
Andrew: He has to die.
Eric: And Hedwig.
Andrew: And everyone.
Eric: That’s going to be a – I want to see a “Behind the Scenes.”
Micah: And the Muggle Studies teacher, too.
Andrew: Yeah.
Micah: Everyone forgets about her!
Andrew: Because she doesn’t matter! That’s why.
Micah: I’m sure she feels…
Kevin: I don’t think she feels anything, Micah.
Micah: Yeah. That’s what I just said.
[Andrew and Kevin laugh]
Eric: Charity Burbage. Moment of silence for Charity Burbage. But no – honestly look, I want to see a featurette from the guys who have to explode Hedwig. I want to see them, and their penitent hearts – the guys who do the effect of blowing up Hedwig. I just want to see that featurette on the DVD.
Kevin: I don’t think…
Eric: I know I’m getting way ahead of myself, but…
Kevin: I don’t think they’re really going to show, I mean come on.
Eric: They got to do a tribute, come on.
Matt: An explosion with all these feathers going in every direction?
Eric: Yeah! Well that’s how JKR wrote it.
Matt: They would never do that.
Eric: I mean, it’s as graphic as it is in the book. It won’t be inaccurate.
Matt: No, it’s not. You just see it as an explosion. That’s all you see.
Caller:: Right and you’re supposed to connect – I remember that you did not connect the dots with Hedwig being destroyed.
Eric: Meh.
Andrew: Joe, thanks for calling.
Caller: All right.
Caller: All the Scenes?
Andrew: We’re going to get someone else in here now. Let’s take this guy. Hello, Wes?
Caller: Yes.
Andrew: Dude, I think we owe you some thanks because you…
Caller: Because of my song?
Andrew: …Have created some songs – Actually maybe I should try to play it right now.
Caller: Can you play the MuggleCast one?
Andrew: The new one?
Caller: Yeah.
Andrew: You know I think I – oh, well I’ll be darned. I have it right here. Hey, I’m good. Let’s just play a quick sample. Here we go.
[Song plays]
Andrew: Yeah! Are these your vocals Wes?
Caller: Yeah.
Andrew: Oh you’re good. Mikey B!
[Caller and Eric laugh]
Andrew: Pretty good.
Matt: [laughs] Oh, you dork.
[Andrew laughs]
Caller: Thank you guys.
Andrew: So, do you have a question? Thanks for the songs by the way.
Caller: Yes…
Andrew: I’ve been meaning to include this on the show or something, but I guess this will do.
Caller: Yeah, if you could do that that would be amazing.
Andrew: Oh, it’s right now. Oh sorry, go ahead.
Caller: My question was, now that they have the movie going to be in two parts, will they add all the main scenes? You know, like Seven Potters, Gringotts, and all of that and also leave in all the details.
Andrew: I think they have to. I just think the bar is set so high now. There’s no room for excuses. You’ve got to include, frankly I think, every chapter.
Matt: They already promised us that.
Andrew: No they didn’t. What do you mean?
Matt: Pretty much. Well they pretty much stated that’s what they were going to be doing. There’s no room to edit anything so they’re going to be adding all the stuff for especially the fans of the books.
Andrew: Hmm.
Matt: So it would just be like a slap in the face if they decided to add more scenes or just drag on other scenes just because they’re just cheaper to film.
Andrew: Yeah.
Caller: Yeah.
Andrew: This is true. Any other thoughts on this? Anyone?
Eric: Yeah, Andrew I needed to add you on LJ.
Andrew: Okay…
Eric: Can I have your username? Can you add me?
Andrew: Why? Why? Why is that important?
Eric: Because we’re not friends on LJ.
Andrew: Okay, cool. Well anyways, if you do want to call us, I want to remind everyone right now. If you’re in the United States you can dial 1-218-20-MAGIC. If you’re in the United Kingdom you can dial 020-8144-0677 and if you’re in Australia you can dial 028-003-5668. And Wes thanks for calling in. Okay, see I try to be nice and let a girl on, but then she’s on hold. I don’t get it. Anyway, hello caller you’re on MuggleCast Live. You’re talking to the best team in Potter podcasting.
Caller: David Yates Directing
Caller: Hey, I was just interested in what you think of David Yates directing because…
Andrew: Yeah.
Caller: …my friends and I are really not happy about that.
Andrew: Ma’am, please, what’s your name and where are you from?
Caller: I’m Rose and I’m from Canberra.
Andrew: Canberra, oh what time is it there?
Caller: It’s 1:42 PM.
Andrew: Oh, nice.
Eric: Aussie love. Aussie love.
Andrew: Aussie love.
Caller: Yeah.
Andrew: Okay, yeah we haven’t talked about this yet actually. Well, just a little bit. David Yates. See I think it’s hard to say.
Matt: It is. Definitely.
Andrew: Because we’ve only seen one movie. I’m definitely going to lay an opinion out there once Half-Blood Prince is out, but right now I think it’s hard to say because you’ve just got to see where he’s going with the films at this point.
Eric: Rose, what don’t you like about him?
Micah: Yeah, I was just going to ask that.
Caller: What? Pardon?
Andrew: What don’t you like about David Yates.
Caller: Well, we just really didn’t like Movie 5. We thought they left way too much out and the stuff they left in was just sort of lame and we just really didn’t like it.
Matt: Well it’s also…
Andrew: I have to be honest…
Matt: Oh sorry.
Andrew: I just wanted to say I didn’t really like his directing style either. I wasn’t really a fan of the transition scenes through the newspapers and stuff. I just really didn’t like that. Go ahead Matt, or Micah, or Kevin. [laughs]
Kevin: I was just going to say I think he did a pretty good job considering the amount of time he was given. I mean it’s very hard to judge his directing because he was sort of forced to create a unique transition because of the limited time he was given.
Andrew: That is true. This was the longest book.
Caller: Yeah, but it was the shortest movie and they could have made it a bit longer, and then made Snapes worse memory longer. I was so disappointed with that scene.
Andrew: I was too.
Caller:: And I thought he could have been done a better job.
Kevin: But you also have to remember the director has very little to do with the actual scenes.
Matt: Exactly, thank you, Kevin.
Kevin: So…
Matt: The director only has so much direction that he can go with it.
Kevin: Right.
Matt: I just – I for one like David Yates. Just by some of his other works that I’ve seen. I did not like the way the fifth film was written. The screenplay was I thought really horrible. Especially its – the screen writer has a lot to do with how long the film will be also. So it’s not entirely all David Yates’ control.
Eric: Well let’s – Matt, let’s broaden the question then. I mean I’m assuming since David Yates wants to come back for seven and he’ll do movies five, six, and seven, are we to assume that the writer and director will be the same from now until the end?
Matt: Yes.
Micah: I suppose.
Andrew: Yeah.
Eric: Well Steve Kloves has done – he’s done – he’s still on?
Andrew: Yes.
Micah: Yes.
Andrew: Why don’t you check Mugglenet before you come on?
Eric: Well then Rose’s question is the same. Do you have confidence in the team with David Yates as the director? I mean it might not be David Yates’ fault that – I mean I agree, the one area that I agree with is that I didn’t like the cut – the cutting of Snape’s first memory. It was very short. I didn’t like that. But I guess the question remains the same because – because the team we had for Movie 5, you know, is going to be the same team.
Caller: Yes, exactly.
Kevin: But the team also is given a lot more time. So…
Eric: With Movie 7.
Kevin: Right with Movie 7. Considering the amount of time they had with Movie 5, they didn’t do that poor of a job. You know?
Andrew: I don’t think so either.
Caller: But that…
Kevin: I think a lot of…
Caller: They could have just made it longer.
Kevin: Right, but I think a lot – I think David Yates gets a lot of the…
Micah: Heat.
Kevin: …feedback from the movie when it’s really the person who writes the screenplay that determines the length of the scenes. I mean if there’s no dialogue there’s only so much he can do with a scene.
Andrew: Yeah.
Eric: I really love Movie 5.
Matt: I definitely – but I see David Yates as being the best character director so to speak.
Kevin: I agree character director.
Matt: He interacts with the actors the best.
Kevin: Yep.
Matt: You could see that just with Daniel Radcliffe alone. He actually gave him tips on how he can be more depressed and actually cry. I mean he gave him the shaking effect when you just come up to someone and abruptly shake them really fast and they start tearing up.
Caller: Well I thought that Dan Radcliffe – we weren’t impressed with him either in Movie 5. It just seemed to be very over done how he…
Matt: Well not necessarily impressed with his acting I’m saying – but he was definitely a lot better than what the other directors tried to make him do – to cry for.
Caller: Yeah.
Matt: Like Mike Newell…
Caller: Movie 3.
Matt: …what he did with making cry.
Andrew: Movie 3 was just…
Matt: There is an atrocious scene in Movie 3 with him.
Caller: Yeah that was cringe worthy.
Andrew: One other…
Eric: To be perfectly…
Andrew: Really quick, one other positive thing about David Yates is that he gets along really well with actors and actresses and I think that he’s…
Matt: He’s a fan of the books. He’s actually…
Andrew: No – no he’s…
Matt: …read and got into – he read them a few times.
Andrew: No, but what I’m saying is he’s – the cast and crew really like him as a person more so than others – other directors. So I really think that is a huge plus…
Kevin: Oh definitely.
Eric: Just going with what Rose was just saying about Harry, I do think if you want to compare it to Harry in Book 5 he was way more angry in Book 5 than he was in Movie 5. So if you do want to talk about over acting he…
Matt: We’re not talking about comparison between the books and the movies though. We’re talking about in a director’s aspect.
Eric: You’re talking about Harry acting though – Dan Radcliffe.
Caller: No but…
Andrew: Hold on. Go ahead, Rose.
Caller: Just painted it. I thought it was a little better and it showed. It wasn’t just straight out anger. “I’m so angry all the time” and – it was I think there were just more emotions in there.
Eric: See, I felt differently. I felt in the book he was angry a lot longer before we knew why he was angry – before we were able to make the connection. We only found out at the end really about the connection between him and Voldemort and that’s something – I mean you could argue we found out at Christmas with the Occlumency scene but to be perfectly honest you know how that was used and how that could be abused happened at the very end of the book and Book 5 is a very long book, it’s the longest book. I felt that we didn’t find out fast enough why he was so angry. And that is an opinion thing. That is something you can read completely the opposite way.
Matt: Well I personally – I mean my opinion of Book 5 – of Movie 5 is horrible. I don’t like the movie that much.
Caller: Yeah.
Matt: But I do like David Yates as a director. I think if he just got more – extra – I see him in Movie 6 as being a lot better than what he did in Movie 5, and in Movie 7 I see – I think he’s going to do a really good job. Out of all the directors previously he’ll probably be the best because he actually can relate to everyone on the crew and just on a better level than the other directors had.
Caller: I suppose so.
Andrew: All right Rose, well thank you for calling in. Take some others.
Caller: Thanks for taking my call.
Eric: We really appreciate that, Aussie love.
Andrew: No problem.
Caller: Bye.
Andrew: Oops, I cut her off. My bad. Couple of things guys, before we take another call. Don’t call the other MuggleCast hosters; you have to come talking to the big mama. That’s me; I’m the big mama. So call me!
Matt: [singing] “Mama he’s a big girl now.”
Andrew: [singing] “Mama I’m a…” – I will play it; don’t tempt me.
Matt: Yeah, I know.
Caller: Deathly Hallows Quality
Andrew: Another caller right now Estaban Rohas! Rohas!
[Eric and Matt laugh]
Eric: He’s got an awesome last name.
Andrew: What’s up, Estaban Rohas?
Caller: Well, just listening to the show, having fun pronouncing my name.
Andrew: Oh thanks Rohas.
[Caller and Matt laugh]
Andrew: What’s going on dude?
Caller: Oh, nothing much…
Andrew: Wait, wait. First I have to tell you: you’re listening to the best Potter team in podcasting. Go ahead.
Caller: Oh yeah, of course I am. I know.
Andrew: Wait, wait, wait. What are we?
Caller: Never mind.
Andrew: No, no. We’re the best Potter team in podcasting, right?
Matt: Will you stop gloating Andrew and just let him ask the question.
Andrew: Okay, Never mind. Sorry.
[Caller laughs]
Andrew: Go ahead. Best Potter team in podcasting
Caller: Well, I just want to ask you guys more of a book related question. Well, remember when they told a release date, and Andrew sort of like – I think it was Andrew – worried that Jo wouldn’t have enough time to make the book good enough. After reading it, and going through Chapter-by-Chapter, and saying what you think the movies going to be like, do you really think that Deathly Hallows turned out as good as it can be?
Eric: Sorry, you’re asking us a book question?
Andrew: It’s a book – yeah, is this about the book?
Caller: Yeah sort of, but it’s sort of movie related. Do you think that Jo could have made Deathly Hallows a lot better than it already is?
Eric: I do.
Andrew: Yeah, I think so too. You can say that about any book, any book can be better.
Matt: You can’t really, you can’t necessarily say that it’s better because it’s her story.
Andrew: Right. We’re probably going to anger – that’s very true.
Eric: Yeah, yeah.
Matt: I agree with that.
Eric: Let me just say that from gathering, from what I think the team is going to do with this movie, the hindsight’s 20-20 as we’ve said in the show before, and I think that if there’s anything that anyone’s uncomfortable regarding Book 7 in the translation to the movie; it’s going to be so much different, just to begin with just because it’s being translated for a movie. I think it’ll – because they have to worry about splitting it into two, I think the – which we know they’re worried about – I think the final product will be very smooth running, almost not I’m not going to say as patchy as the book because the book wasn’t patchy. It wasn’t patchy at all; the book was well written, but I think they’re going to be able to, just through the process of making it ready for a movie, they’re going to – I don’t want to say – shape it up. They’re not going to add things obviously, they might, but.
Caller: Yeah, they might.
Eric: You see, I would like them to add things, but at the same time I think they’re just going to polish it, maybe where some of us feel the book wasn’t polished, but again, I’m liking the book the second time around.
Caller: Do you think they’re going to add some of the other characters that they missed in the other movies, like Bill and Charlie, to make things neater?
Eric: Maybe.
Andrew: I think they like – bar raised, bar raised. They need to cast everyone in this.
Ben: I agree.
Eric: I think they need Miranda Richardson back.
Ben: Yeah, I agree too.
Eric: They need Miranda Richardson back.
Andrew: They do. Of course
Eric: But they did not…
Matt: But is she physically in the movie though?
Andrew: Wait, actually, hold up.
Matt: In the book.
Eric: They need her in the movie. Even if she’s not…
Andrew: Wait a second! Hold on!
[Eric keeps talking]
Andrew: Eric Scull stop! I need to say something. Goblet of Fire premiere, November 2005 that woman, that you-know-what-I-want-to-call-her. I can’t remember, it was either Emerson or Melissa, and they said would you come back for the fifth movie, and she said no, I’ll let someone else do it.
Eric: Maybe that’s like Bill Murray, I love, but the man doesn’t do sequels. He has withheld Ghostbusters 3 for 20 years now. He’s not a team player, and he’s a great person, so I haven’t heard about that, but I believe you, Andrew. That would be horrible, but I really want to see Rita Skeeter in Movie 7, and I don’t care if she wasn’t physically in the book, but they need a cut scene of some sort where she’s torturing Bathilda or doing something…
Matt: Well…
Eric: Because her book is there. Because her book is such a prominent figure, I don’t think they could sell that without bringing her in…
Andrew: Right.
Eric: Or I would love to see her do creative stuff like this.
Andrew: Right.
Matt: She probably just thought that her role wasn’t that big in Book 5, and it’s even less, it’s not even in existence in the other books, so.
Andrew: Oh, I know, but the point is just that she said no to coming back, which I thought was kind of lame.
Eric: Yeah.
Andrew: Kevin.
Eric: I thought so too.
Matt: You don’t want to make her promise.
Kevin: I was just going to say…
Andrew: Well, if you’re that set on not coming back it seems absolutely ridiculous. Kevin?
Kevin: Actually I was just going to say that I think she had a bigger role in Book 7 than in Book 5.
Andrew: She did. No, she did. I’m just saying that in general, not wanting to come back to the films, so.
Matt: Does she even come back in the books, or is it just an interview?
Andrew: No, no, no. I’m just saying in general, she said “no” to coming back. It had nothing to do with Order of the Phoenix.
Kevin: The actress actually said that?
Andrew: The actress, yeah, yeah.
Eric: Which, why would you do that, in a way, you know?
Andrew: Because some people just don’t – I guess, I don’t know – not happy with it.
Matt: Well you can’t please everybody, come on guys…
Andrew: I guess.
Matt: …she’s an actress. She’s not forced to play this role.
Andrew: I know. Drama queen!
Eric: Maybe.
Andrew: All right, well, Esteban…
Matt: But she’s so good.
Andrew: Thanks for calling.
Caller: Oh yeah, oh, oh, sorry for sounding so excited at first, because, well, I just got through, and…
Andrew: You didn’t sound excited.
Eric: Don’t apologize! We love your name, dude!
Caller: I thought I was talking, like, really fast.
Andrew: You sound like you’ve been playing Super Smash Brothers Brawl all day.
Caller: Actually, unfortunately, I haven’t, because I was at school all day.
Andrew: You call yourself a Nintendo fan. Tsk, tsk! All right. Well thanks for calling…
Eric: School! Who needs that?
Caller: Don’t worry, as soon as this is over I’m going to be brawling all night.
Andrew: Oh good, good. All right.
Caller: Yeah.
Andrew: Talk to you later, Esteban.
Caller: Okay, see you.
Andrew: Esteban Rohas! Rohas!
Eric: Hey, Kevin.
Kevin: Yes?
Eric: Do you have any of the next gen systems?
Kevin: Any next gen systems? No, I actually don’t own one, but my roommates own a 360 and a Wii.
Eric: Awesome. Those are the two I wish I had owned.
Caller: Bring Back Lily
Andrew: Hello, Katie?
Caller: Hello.
Andrew: You’re listening to the best Potter team in podcasting. What is going on?
Caller: Nothing. Oh my God, I’m so excited!
Andrew: Oh my God!
[Matt laughs]
Andrew: I didn’t mean that in a mocking way. I get excited too, I really do. Anyway thanks for calling. Sorry, you’ve been trying to call, but the thing got screwed up somehow.
Caller: Oh it’s okay.
Andrew: Anyway, where are you from?
Caller: I’m from North Dakota.
Andrew: North Dakota.
Matt: That’s really cold.
Caller: It’s frozen tundra.
Andrew: I didn’t know anybody lived there. I thought that was just…
Caller: I know, I’m like the only person, but that’s okay because I’m kind of awesome.
Andrew: Oh, okay, well what is your awesome question, if you’re so awesome?
Caller: Okay, well I was wondering how they’re gonna bring Lily back into the story.
Matt: Yeah. That’s…
Eric: I missed the question.
Matt: That’s one of the biggest probably question marks I have for that. Bringing Lily back, because we talked about how they cut Lily out in the fifth movie…
Eric: As a young woman.
Matt: Yeah.
Eric: Yeah.
Matt: The only thing I can think that they would probably do is, maybe in the sixth film, since they have the footage, try to bring her in as a memory for Harry.
Kevin: Yeah, that’s what I was thinking, too.
Matt: Because, I mean, you have to know at least what she looks like as a young child because they bring her back in the Resurrection Stone as that age. Don’t they?
Eric: No. Maybe. I don’t know.
Matt: They bring them as younger than themselves. Or maybe it’s just how old they were when they died.
Andrew: Mhm.
Matt: But I think in the book it says that they were the same age Harry was…
Eric: Whoa!
Matt: …when they were brought back.
Micah: Well not only that, but the whole scene with Snape and when he learns about Snape and Petunia and Lily, so she would obviously have to be there as well.
Eric: I don’t think…
Matt: I forgot about that scene.
Eric: Well, being the Half-Blood Prince, this is a comment I have for Movie 6, I wish that they would really utilize Alan Rickman, or make this Snape character more the focus of Movie 6 than the Voldemort stuff, which I want to see. I just don’t think we’re going to get that. I have a fear that in Movie 6, we’re gonna get what David Yates has said we’re going to get in an interview, which is a lot of the gossip-drama-relationship-type aspect. I’m worried that again come Movie 7, maybe now they’ll have enough time to do everything right, but I really – I’m worried about all these things they’ve been putting off and the Snape character. You know, this question, how they’re going to do the Lily thing, I think they need to get started or should have already gotten started with Movie 6, trying to make Snape a more fit character to even have that make sense in the movie aspect of things.
Matt: Well, in Movie 6, Snape is the villain. Let’s just say that. Snape is pretty much the villain in Book 6.
Andrew: Fair enough.
Eric: Well, until – he helps Draco.
Matt: He ends up being the villain though.
Eric: But he saves Draco.
Matt: What?
Eric: I was gonna say when he saves Draco, but…
Matt: Right, but….
Eric: I don’t know. I just watched Movie 5 yesterday morning and you kind of realize at the end when he’s in Umbridge’s office and he says, “They’ve got Padfoot at where it’s hidden,” it does hit hard that Snape is actually the one who sent the Order there to the Ministry of Magic, so I like that.
Matt: You knew that though. I knew that in the fifth book, though. How he just stops and tilts his head a little bit. But going back to Lily, what do you guys think they’re going to do?
Kevin: I definitely think a flashback of some sort.
Eric: David Yates is good at those.
Andrew: Yeah.
Kevin: Yeah, he is. I see Harry looking at a picture of his mother older and then somehow zooming into the picture and showing her younger.
Andrew: There you go, yeah, or, I mean, they’re adding that scene in Half-Blood Prince now, why not add a new scene where Harry will ask, say, Hagrid about his mother’s past and – flashback! Explanation. Setup.
Matt: Well, you never know, though. I mean, in Slughorn’s office he may have a picture of Lily.
Eric: Oh, wait! That’s the whole point. Slughorn goes on and on and on about Lily in Book 6.
Matt: Yeah.
Eric: How good she was at potions.
Andrew: That’s true.
Matt: There’s definitely ways they could probably plug her in.
Eric: So there’s any opportunity. This is a great question and I’m glad we remembered that because there’s any moment where Slughorn’s raving about her to actually say anything worthwhile about her. Or even to say some kind of offhand comment about Severus Snape following her around.
Andrew: Mhm.
Eric: You know, anything like that. Anything like that would be suitable. They need to start thinking about it, though, and at least with this D.H. split that we found out about, they’re thinking “Well, we’re going to hit a pitstop. We’re going to need to deal with this a little bit more intelligently than we have before.”
Andrew: Micah, do you have anything to add to this?
Micah: No, just the scenes that I brought up before and also when – I think you could have a flashback scene in Deathly Hallows possibly when he is reading the letter in the bedroom, and you could also have possibly something with – remember, we’re going to go through that whole night again in Movie 7 where Voldemort recounts exactly what he did when he entered Godric’s Hollow.
Andrew: Right.
Eric: Right.
Micah: So there’s going to be a lot of Lily exposure in this movie. The question is how are they going to bring her back?
Andrew: I think…
Micah: You know, initially?
Andrew: Yeah. I think it just comes down to something as simple as adding a scene.
Kevin: Yeah.
Andrew: Adding a scene. Katie, thank you for calling.
Caller: Yeah, can I just say that you guys are doing a really awesome job. Like, this live show is awesome.
Andrew: Why thank you. Thanks. Have you listened to them in the past? Are you comparing them to other ones?
Caller: Well actually, I listened to the entire thing when you released it, whatever, you know.
Eric: The seven episode…
Andrew: Twelve hour, yeah.
[Eric laughs]
Caller: Yeah.
Andrew: Yeah.
Caller: That was really good.
Eric: I have to applaud you. I didn’t even listen to that.
[Andrew laughs]
Andrew: Well, thank you, Katie very much. We really appreciate…
Caller: One more question.
Andrew: Oh.
Caller: I’m sorry.
Andrew: I’m just kidding. [laughs] Go ahead.
Eric: This isn’t really a two question show.
Caller: Okay, we’re kind of starting a new podcast.
Andrew: And you want a plug? And you want us on?
Caller: No, no, no…
Andrew: And you want to know how to podcast?
Caller: [laughs] Well, kind of.
[Andrew laughs]
Caller: Okay, we talk about you guys.
Andrew: Oh. Wait, is this MuggleTalk?
Caller: [gasps] Oh my god!
[Andrew laughs]
Eric: Andrew did the plug. Andrew did the plug for her. She didn’t even need to plug her show. He comes up and tells the whole world they can’t plug, and he plugs for her.
Andrew: Hold on, so where are you going with this? All right, you’re part of MuggleTalk.
Caller: Well, yeah. We’re just kind of having technical problems.
Andrew: Uh-oh.
Caller: Yeah.
Andrew: Well, can it be something I can answer real quick?
Caller: Yeah, how do you get rid of echoes?
Andrew: How do you get rid of them?
Caller: After you’re done recording.
Andrew: Turn the volume down. Are you recording the Skype conversation?
Caller: Yeah.
Andrew: Yeah. Turn your microphones – turn your headsets down when you’re recording. The problem is your microphones are picking up your headsets. We have this problem all the time, but we all record our own separate audio tracks so I mute everyone when they’re not talking. For example, I have one of my earpieces up to my microphone right now so Eric, say something.
[Prolonged silence]
Kevin: Hello?
Eric: I was muted too, sorry. See, what happens is I mute myself when I’m not talking.
Andrew: That’s a good idea.
Eric: Also a good solution.
Andrew: Do you hear the echo now?
Caller: Yeah.
Andrew: Do you hear the echo now?
Caller: Yeah, a little bit.
Andrew: Also I can create really bad echo by doing this. Now everyone talk.
Eric: Hello! You turned that machine on, didn’t you, Andrew?
Andrew: No, it was a little thing with the mixer. But yeah, just mute your things when you’re not talking. That’s all, that’s all.
Caller: Okay.
Andrew: And yeah, just turn your headsets off. Well, thank you.
Eric: See you soon.
Andrew: And thank you for calling.
Caller: Goodbye. I love you guys.
Andrew: We love you, too. [laughs]
Caller and
Matt:
Awww.
Andrew: Listen to MuggleTalk!
Caller: [laughs] Oooh, yay!
Andrew: [laughs] All right, thanks for calling.
Caller: Bye.
Andrew: Bye.
Eric: Hey, guys. I just had a thought, Andrew and guys. Assuming…
Andrew: [laughs] What?
Eric: No, I said I just had a thought.
Micah: It was the way you…
Kevin: Andrew and guys.
Micah: Yeah, Andrew and guys.
Eric: Andrew and…
Micah: Just the way you…
Andrew: What are you talking about?
Eric: Well, Laura’s not on here, right?
Andrew: No.
Eric: I am sorry.
Micah: It was the way you said it. I thought you were making Andrew – go ahead.
Andrew: Awkward.
Kevin: Excluding Andrew from guys.
MuggleCast 136 Transcript (continued)
Caller: Epilogue Scene
Caller: Epilogue Scene
Andrew: Debbie Kim!
Caller: Hello?
Andrew: Debbie Kim, hello.
Caller: Hi.
Andrew: You’re on MuggleCast. You’re listening to the best team in Potter podcasting. What is going on?
Caller: Hi. I was wondering – you know how the trio’s obviously going to age when they’re filming this?
Andrew: Yes.
Caller: What do you think they’re going to do for the King’s Cross scene? Like, make-up?
Andrew: In the Epilogue?
Caller: The last scene.
Andrew: The Epilogue?
Caller: Yeah.
Micah: Yeah.
Andrew: Yeah, I don’t…
Kevin: That’s a good question.
Andrew: Do you think they’ll actually have…
Kevin: Fillers? Like, fill-ins?
Andrew: Older actors?
Caller: I think older actors would really ruin it, but the make-up thing…
Kevin: I don’t see…
Matt: No.
Kevin: I don’t see them doing any other thing though because you can’t really age the actors that much using make-up.
Matt: No.
Andrew: Yeah.
Kevin: And I feel like it would come off sort of cheesy if they tried to do that.
Andrew: Yeah.
Caller: Yeah.
Andrew: I agree.
Kevin: So I think that they probably have to have fill-ins, just older versions of themselves.
Andrew: Yeah, see I wouldn’t even call them fill-ins because they are much older so…
Kevin: Right.
Andrew: You would – but they’re, you know, they’re older Harry. They’ll be billed as older…
Matt: Knowing that David Yates – they’ll probably have adult actors portray the trio but what will probably happen, since knowing it-s David Yates directing, they-ll probably have a little memory montage of him and Ron and Hermione at Hogwarts, on the Hogwarts train when they were leaving, or coming back, or something.
Andrew: Aw, that’d be nice! Awww! That’d be so nice!
Matt: Kind of like him reminiscing then it kind of flashes back to his kids, his son running over to Hogwarts. And then it’ll be like – that’ll be the end.
Andrew: Mhm.
Caller: Yeah.
Matt: It’d be a cute shot.
Caller: I kind of have another question, too…
Andrew: Okay, go ahead.
Caller: That’s with the split. Do you think – you know how you’ve talked about in India, I think, they do intermissions?
Andrew: Yeah?
Caller: Do you think some theaters, internationally or even here, would keep Part I for awhile and then maybe bring it back to Part II…
Andrew: That’s what we were talking about earlier.
Eric: They can’t. They’re contractually bound to return – theaters get movies and they’re allowed to have them for a certain amount of weeks. Then they have to return to the distributer. The distributer – I mean, what we were talking about earlier – is doing a wide re-release of Part I in conjunction with Part II, in which case the distributers would sent the reels that the companies would get together and movie theaters would have to pay for the reels again, but they could not keep them for months…
Kevin: Right.
Eric: It’s a security hazard and everything.
Kevin: Also remember we were talking about them releasing the DVD prior to the second part, in which case they would probably…
Caller: Oh, true.
Kevin: …contract out with Warner Brothers I mean, Warner Brothers would love having movie theaters show the first part then the second.
Eric: I agree.
Kevin: All it’s going to do is have more people come and see the movie.
Eric: Mhm, more movies.
Caller: I think…
Kevin: It’s going to promote their DVD, it’s going to promote they’re new movie…
Andrew: Absolutely.
Kevin: …so it’s a win-win situation.
Andrew: Everyone wins!
Eric: I agree.
Andrew: That might be the show title today: Everyone Wins!
Eric: Everyone wins?
Andrew: Debbie, thank you for calling!
Caller: Thank you for picking up!
Andrew: Oh, thank you for calling. Again.
[Kevin laughs]
Including Scenes not in the Book
Eric: Hey, guys, on that subject, I just want to say something real quick. Do you guys think Movie 7, with the split – now it’s my opinion that Movie 7 won’t work, and several other things – I mean, Movie 7 won’t work if they show Hogwarts only when it appears in the book. Do you guys agree with that or do you not agree with that? What I mean is they would need to – they need to show what’s happening at Hogwarts before sort of half way through the second part of D.H. when they finally get there. I think they need to show a more worldly – like what’s going on, that sort of thing, and…
Kevin: Yeah, I think they’re going to do tidbits of updating you with the other characters that aren’t being shown. But I don’t think it’s going to be…
Matt: I hope not.
Eric: Because that’s something that doesn’t happen at all in the book. But that’s one of the things we were talking about flaws in the book. Things I don’t like are that you go so long and then find out all the stuff that has happened…
Kevin: And you don’t…
Eric: With the exception of Ginny’s break into Snape’s office and that sort of thing, but they could turn those into whole scenes and kind of keep the whole world effort kind of thing going.
Andrew: Matt…
Kevin: You don’t want the Neville’s catch-up scene being, you know, twenty minutes long. So…
Eric: Exactly. And that’s what happened.
Andrew: Matt, why don’t you want it – why are you concerned?
Matt: What? Oh!
Andrew: Why are you concerned?
Matt: I don’t – I honestly – I hope they don’t put Hogwarts in the first part at all. It’s not relevant and it’s def…
Andrew: Def?
Eric: It’s completely relevant!
Matt: Because it’s taken…
Eric: Harry’s wondering what Ginny’s doing…
Matt: No it’s not!
[Andrew laughs]
Matt: But it’s not part of the books!
Kevin: But…
Eric: It’s completely relevant.
Matt: But they don’t want to add anything…
Eric: Yes, it is part of the book. It’s…
Andrew: One at a time, one at a time, one at a time.
Eric: It’s in the background…
Matt: The whole story’s from Harry…
Eric: …of the book.
Matt: The whole story’s from Harry’s point of view. We don’t want to skip off to Hogwarts for a little scene that we just don’t want to think about.
Kevin: The only…
Eric: In order to make a movie they need to – but in order to make the world real they have to also – I mean, I just think it would be intuitive and creative and, I mean, Harry’s wondering what Ginny’s up to at that very moment. I think in order to keep…
Matt: Who cares?
Eric: …the characters going – otherwise, most of the characters are not going to show up until the Battle of Hogwarts. We’re…
Matt: Exactly.
Eric: …talking all the teachers, all the characters, all the students.
Andrew: See…
Eric: All of that.
Andrew: Wait…
Kevin: I think that would be fine.
Matt: It’s not necessary to add all that stuff at Hogwarts…
Eric: So…
Matt: …in the first film.
Andrew: I…
Eric: With the exception of – I mean, post-wedding scene, we’re talking a cast of eight characters.
Matt: It’s a – it’s…
Kevin: Harry determining…
Matt: …Harry’s personal…
Kevin: Oh.
Matt: …movie between – Harry comes back to Hogwarts in the second part. We don’t want to see Hogwarts until it’s actually necessary of what’s happening.
Andrew: Yeah. Guys, let’s save…
Eric: It’s always necessary.
Andrew: Let’s save this con…
Matt: This is not…
Andrew: This would be a good topic for…
Matt: Audiences are…
Andrew: …a pre-recorded show.
Matt: The audiences are already knowing that they’re not going back to Hogwarts after the end of Book 6 because that’s what Harry…
Eric: Well, get a surprise. I mean, I think David Yates could totally do something worthwhile. I mean – and tell a movie story. That’s…
Matt: Yeah.
Eric: …what Cuaron was – that’s the good thing about Cuaron. He wasn’t afraid to differentiate from the book if he was telling the story. He told the story. You know, whether he did that good or not is anybody’s opinion. But Cuaron was able to tell a story.
Andrew: Yeah.
Eric: And I think if you’re telling the story of what the world is actually doing falling to a dictator – here’s the other question then that follows this question. Do you think Voldemort’s going to be realistic or not? Is Voldemort realistic in the books? Are they going to try and make him realistic in the movie by giving him a worthwhile sort of fear and following?
Matt: We’ll put this…
Eric: Are they going to take…
Matt: …in another podcast though, Eric.
Andrew: Yeah. Let’s keep…
Matt: This is getting…
Andrew: This is…
Matt: …way too long. We’ve got to have some more callers.
Andrew: This is…
Matt: So we’ll add this to…
Andrew: Another time. Yeah, of course. Now I’m waiting for the calls to come in. Jamie actually is bored, so he wants us to call again. I’m not sure why. But actually…
Eric: You called Jamie before?
[Kevin laughs]
Caller: Nothing
Andrew: I think – yeah, we – yeah, man. We called him before. Let’s get another caller in here right now. Hello, caller! You’re listening to the best Potter team in podcasting! What’s going on?
[Matt laughs]
Andrew: Lisa, hello?
[Prolonged silence]
Andrew: Okay.
Eric: She’s…
Kevin: Oh, boy.
Eric: …taking our suggestion…
Andrew: That’s what happens when you start the show.
Eric: …and muting herself.
Caller: Meyer Signing
Andrew: Janine you’re on the Potter – best podcast – whatever it is.
Caller: Hi! You actually said my name right!
Andrew: Hey! Well, of course. Janine’s a pretty simple name.
Caller: Well, lots of people say ‘Jay-knee’ instead of Janine.
Andrew: ‘Jay-knee’? Oh, I know someone named Janine.
Matt: Oh.
Andrew: Maybe that’s why. Anyway what’s your question…
Caller: Oh.
Andrew: …today?
Caller: Great! I’m, like, following your rules. And I have a – sort of a Twilight question for you, Andrew.
Andrew: Uh-oh. Okay.
[Caller laughs]
Kevin: Oh boy.
Matt: Andrew hasn’t even read the books though.
Andrew: Make it quick though. Make it quick. Go ahead. Go.
Caller: Stephanie Meyers is having a book signing in San Diego. I want to know if you’re going to be there.
Andrew: Yes, I’ll be there. Okay, taking the next call. Oh, darn. The next caller hung up.
[Matt and Kevin laugh]
Andrew: No, seriously. I’m planning on going. I’m…
Eric: Yeah. Twilight has…
Caller: Possible Movie Split
Andrew: Chloe! Hello, Chloe!
Caller: Hi!
Andrew: Hi! Yeah, way to rumble your mic before.
Caller: Uh-oh.
Andrew: Never mind. [laughs] Anyway, what’s up? What’s going on?
[Kevin laughs]
Caller: Not much. I’m so excited that I got through!
Andrew: Well, you get through every show! Why is this exciting? [laughs]
Caller: I know. Well, I was sitting around and I was having technical difficulties.
Andrew: Oh.
Caller: And I was, like, that’s not fun.
Andrew: Well, what’s your question?
Caller: However…
Andrew: Do you have a question?
Caller: Yeah. I do have two questions.
Andrew: Let’s hear ’em.
Caller: Okay. So, one: I thought maybe a good splitting point for the movies – it’s a little predictable. But maybe right after Ron leaves?
Andrew: Yeah. No, you know what? A lot of people were sending that in via feedback. I think…
Matt: Yeah, they were.
Caller: Yeah.
Andrew: I think that’s a…
Kevin: Yeah.
Andrew: …very valid one. Because I think that’s a big cliff-hanger. Especially for people who don’t – haven’t read the books.
Caller: Who haven’t read the books, yeah.
Andrew: The main trio guy has left? [gasps] Or one if the main trio guys has left? Yeah. And your other question? Sorry I’m rushing. I’m…
Caller: [laughs] Yeah, my other one is for the DVDs. Do you think that they might release the first part of the movie on the DVD, and then give you, like, a credit or a number, and then send you the second one?
Andrew: No, they…
Eric: What?
Andrew: …want to do this for the money.
Caller: I mean – yeah. I wasn’t sure.
Andrew: Let’s…
Kevin: Yeah…
Andrew: …face it…
Kevin: …I don’t think so.
Eric: Unless you want to pay 60 bucks upfront and be promised the second part of Movie 7. [laughs]
Andrew: I would…
Eric: I wouldn’t trust the company.
Andrew: Yeah. Good point.
Kevin: And wait for the shipping.
Andrew: Yeah.
Eric: Yeah.
Andrew: At that point…
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: …you’re just losing money too if…
Caller: Yeah. I wasn’t sure if they would…
Eric: Yeah.
Matt: The best they would probably do is just give you, like, a little card in the DVD case and just say pre-order your book via WarnerBrothers.com or something.
Andrew: Exactly.
Eric: Or next movie.
Caller: Next movie.
Matt: Oh, next movie, sorry. Next movie.
Andrew: Yeah.
Eric: Yeah.
Caller: I mean – yeah. So – I wasn’t sure.
Andrew: Yeah.
Caller: That would be, like – yeah. And I really – I actually – I really like the Ron idea because – especially if people haven’t seen the movies and – oh, I mean the books. Haven’t read the books. And…
Andrew: Mhm.
Caller: They have no idea what’s going on and then W.B. gets to freak everybody out.
Andrew: Yeah.
Matt: Mhm.
Andrew: Well, good questions, Chloe. Thank you for calling in, Chloe. Chloe.
Caller: All right.
Andrew: Chloe.
Caller: Thank you.
Andrew: Chloe. Chloe. [laughs]
Eric: Bye, Chloe!
Andrew: Bye!
Caller: Bye!
Kevin: Bye!
Matt: Bye!
Caller: Grindelwald/Dumbledore in the Movie?
Andrew: I think our phone lines are down. Our actual phone lines because nobody is calling via the phone. So they’re all calling via the MuggleCast Skype thing. Anyway, Elliot, you’re on the live Potter podcast thing – best. What’s going on?
Caller: No way!
Andrew: Yeah way!
Caller: [laughs] Good! I’m excited!
Andrew: [laughs] I could tell from your voice.
Caller: Okay, question.
Andrew: Okay!
Caller: Okay.
Kevin: Answer.
[Andrew laughs]
Caller: I was wondering what you would – guys thought about…
Andrew: Marco Polo.
Caller: If they would try to play up the whole Grindelwald/Dumbledore thing. You know, after J.K. Rowling…
Andrew: Oh please, yes.
Caller: And all that stuff…
Andrew: Please yes.
Caller: …they try to make it a bigger deal.
Andrew: [laughs] Please yes!
Matt: I don’t think so.
[Andrew laughs]
Matt: I think they’d just leave it the way it is.
Kevin: I think so too.
Matt: It’s – because in J.K. Rowling’s last interview recently, she emphasized it very much that Dumbledore is a character that happens to be gay, not…
Andrew: Yeah, that’s true.
Matt: …a gay character.
Andrew: Yeah.
Matt: So it’s not relevant to the story. They wouldn’t add it.
Andrew: Yeah.
Caller: I don’t – I wouldn’t really want them to. I just wasn’t sure if they would.
Matt: Yeah, I don’t think they will.
Andrew: Oh man.
Matt: Especially – just the whole situation.
Andrew: But see, Michael Gambon has been…
Eric: Has been real…
Andrew: Has been, you know – what have they been calling it? Mucking it up or whatever the English term is.
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: He’s been playing around with that whole ‘Dumbledore is gay’ thing. So that would be funny. But – like, a little wink? Or…
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: I don’t know. [laughs] They’re so – or what if he’s, like, looking at, like, a little diary? And there’s pictures of Grindelwald… [laughs]
Eric: Oh, no, no, no, no. Okay.
Andrew: I would die.
Eric: They’ll – actually…
Andrew: I would die.
Matt: No.
Eric: I had just said that I thought it was relevant. I thought we were talking about something else. No, I don’t think the ‘Dumbledore is gay thing’ is relevant. And it should not be in – I mean…
Matt: If we didn’t know – if we did not know about it before she told us…
Andrew: Well, of course.
Matt: …there’s no reason…
Eric: Yeah.
Matt: …for them to…
Eric: But Michael Gambon can joke around etc. But yeah. It’s just that I don’t think it will be anything they will keep in, you know.
Andrew: Yeah.
Eric: You know.
Andrew: All right, Elliot. Thanks for calling in.
Matt: Thanks!
Caller: Yeah, thank you!
Andrew: No problem. Bye! Okay, let’s take one more caller. Then there’s two people we’re going to call. Jamie and then someone else.
Matt: Okay.
Eric: Okay.
Caller: Epilogue Actors
Andrew: I won’t ruin the surprise. Oh, caller! Wonderful, perfect! Karen, hello!
Caller: Hi!
Andrew: Hi! Can you bring your volume up a little bit?
Caller: Oh.
Andrew: By a little bit, I mean a lot.
Caller: I’m sorry. It’s my friend’s computer.
Andrew: Your friend’s computer? Good excuse.
Matt: Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo.
Andrew: In the mean time, Ben, oh – Matt will sing a song.
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: Karen, you’re really low.
Caller: Can you hear me now?
Andrew: No – we can but you’re really low.
Caller: Is that better?
Andrew: Yeah, what’s your question? Sure.
Matt: Yeah, better, better.
Andrew: What’s your question?
Caller: Okay, well I just wanted to comment on something you said before, about the epilogue.
Andrew: Okay.
Caller: And how the trio actors couldn’t play the older – sorry.
Andrew: The older actors?
Caller: Okay. About how the trio actors couldn’t play the older versions of themselves?
Andrew: Right.
Caller: I just want to point out, that at that time they’ll be nineteen and…
Eric: Twenty-three.
Andrew: Yeah, but you’ll still…
Matt: No!
Andrew: They’ll still be looking…
Matt: They can change the age!
Caller: Yeah! And in Back to the Future which was made in ’85, and they took people from 20 to 40, and it worked out fine.
Eric: Perfect example! Christian Glover, and was it Lea Thompson played…
Caller: Ah-huh.
Eric: Played Michael J Fox’s parents, and they were his age, and because they had to go back 30 years in time so he could see them when they were young. So they played their young selves and their old selves. I think it’ll be okay, with today’s makeup – if they can make a whole Planet of the Apes, they can do an older Harry, Ron and Hermione! They’ll be 20, 23 at the time. Dan’s what? 18 now? And we’re talking in three years time, so he’ll be 21.
Caller: Yeah.
Eric: I think that’s definitely plausible.
Caller: And I mean the only way I could see them not wanting to film it, is they’d have to cast all the kids, but, I mean, I think they could definitely do it.
Eric: Mm. Yeah.
Matt: It’s also more than 10 years, though.
Kevin: Yeah.
Matt: They’d have to be at least 20 years older, I’m thinking. Because…
Micah: Well, think about Eddie Murphy…
Matt: Harry’s the youngest – Harry’s the youngest one they’re playing. Well that’s different, he’s more of an adult. I think the trio’s still going to be aging, really quickly. But I just don’t think they have the facial features to portray at least 15-years-older than they actually are.
Kevin: Right. It might not come off well, but – you don’t want it to be – I think I’ve used the word before – corny. You don’t want it to be…
Eric: But, the whole epilogue was corny, Kevin.
Matt: Yeah, but, I mean…
Kevin: Corny in the sense of, “Wow, this looks like they tried too hard to make Dan Radcliffe look old.”
Matt: It’s just easier if they have separate actors portraying them – their characters. It shows that it’s been a long time since it happened.
Eric: I don’t know how I feel about that.
Kevin: It’s sort of like Narnia.
Eric: Yeah.
Kevin: You know, in the movie, they couldn’t have made those actors look any older, I mean, some of them were extremely young at the time, yes…
Eric: Yeah.
Kevin: But some were old enough, I mean, some of them were…
Eric: Actually, you’re right. I think Kevin and this caller have both brought up very good examples of how it could or couldn’t work.
[Skype phone starts to ring]
Andrew: Excuse the ringing.
Eric: I still appreciate the optimism, but, Kevin, I think you’re right too.
Andrew: Yeah. Karen, thank you for calling. Can we plug your website real quick?
Caller: Hmm?
Caller: Website Plug
Caller: Website Plug
Andrew: Can we plug your website real quick? You have created some great designs for MuggleCast…
Jamie: Hey! What’s up?
Andrew: Hold on, hold on, oh, sorry Jamie, hold on one second. I screwed up the whole – oh! There we go. Yeah, so, Karen, what’s your website, sorry?
Caller: My website is KarenKavett.com, and there’s a link to the MySpace, which is MySpace.com/KarenKavett.
Andrew: Sweet. You are a great designer.
Caller: If you don’t mind, can I just plug one other thing? My newest project…
Andrew: What is it? Sorry?
Caller: My newest project is the Duct Tape Experience. I make Harry Potter related things out of duct tape. I’m selling them.
Andrew: [laughs] Cool! I think I’ve seen some of those on EBay, you sold a couple of wallets, or something?
Caller: Yeah. Those are in the process of selling now.
Andrew: Oh, okay.
Eric: Can you make a duct tape Hogwarts for me? Please?
Caller: A duct tape Hogwarts? Like the castle?
Eric: Yeah, totally.
Caller: Sure, if you want.
[Andrew laughs]
Eric: Donate it to MuggleCast, send it to the P.O. Box.
Andrew: There you go.
Eric: Or just take some pictures. I’m bookmarking your site right now, Karen. I think that should be a task. That should be a task. A duct tape Hogwarts. I think you can do it. I’m looking at your portfolio, it’s amazing, I have faith. You can do it.
Andrew: All right, Karen, thank you for calling.
Eric: And if not, you’ll get so tired of duct tape, you’ll think, “What a dumb idea this was to begin with.”
Caller: I don’t think I could ever get tired of duct tape.
Eric: Neither could I.
Andrew: Thanks, Karen, for calling.
Caller: Thanks!
Andrew: Bye!
Caller: Bye!
Andrew: All right, let’s get Jamie in here now. Oh geez, I think I’m going to have to call him again, I think I screwed this – hang up. This darn Skype. They always get you with something or another. Anyway, we’re not going to take anymore calls today. Thank you for everyone who’s been calling in, sorry we couldn’t get to your call! We just get bombarded with calls, and it’s rough, trying to…
Jamie: Hey!
Andrew: Get everyone in. Jamie! What’s going on?
Jamie: Not a lot.
Eric: Hey, dude!
Jamie: Hey, dude, what’s up?
Andrew: Yeah, sorry.
Matt: What’s going on?
Micah: It’s been a long time since we last spoke.
Kevin: Yeah, a long time.
Jamie: Yeah, like an hour.
[Andrew laughs]
Jamie: In that hour I’ve achieved so much.
Andrew: Jamie, we were making MuggleCast history! Kevin Steck is back on tonight!
Jamie: Really?
Andrew: Say hello, Kevin.
Kevin: Hello Jamie.
Jamie: What’s up, Kevin?
Kevin: Not much.
[Andrew laughs]
Jamie: Hey, Kevin?
Kevin: Yeah?
Jamie Inventing New Words For Things
Jamie: You know in Harry Potter, what the coin after a “cah-noot” is?
Andrew: The coin after a “cah-noot”?
Jamie: Cah-noot. That’s right, isn’t it?
Andrew: Do you mean a Knut?
Eric: Do you mean getting larger, Jamie?
Jamie: Yeah, what’s next? Kevin, answer it!
Kevin: Um – no, not on the spot.
Eric: Dude, Kevin…
Jamie: There’s another one, the silver one. Do you know what I mean?
Kevin: No.
Eric: Dead air.
Andrew: I can’t remember. Okay, Jamie just hang up. Hung up. I don’t know why.
Kevin: Hang up? [laughs]
Eric: I would hang up on you too, Kevin. That’s depressing.
Kevin: Hey! He put me on the spot!
Eric: I know, man. He puts me on the spot all the time, it’s horrible.
Andrew: Let me try to get him in, real quick. Apparently the call dropped. He just said, “Can you hone again?” Yes, I’ll hone, Jamie, when I get this working. What does hone mean?
Eric: Kevin! Look it up!
Andrew: Fail to call ordinary phones. I think we’re out of Skype Out credits. I think that’s the problem.
Eric: Oh!
Andrew: I think we’re out of Skype credits!
Eric: Call Papa!
Andrew: That is the kind of budget we have here on the show these days. We had two fifty to use. Oh, darn! I was going to call. Let me try to call someone else real quick.
Matt: Okay.
Andrew: Anyway, yes. How about that Deathly Hallows split? Did you hear about that?
Matt: Yeah. No. What’s going on?
Andrew: Apparently, they’re splitting Deathly Hallows into two films because they want to make money. Actually, no. They want to – well basically, yeah, they want to make money.
Matt: Mhm.
Micah: Well I got an e-mail here…
Andrew: Go for it. Go for it.
Micah: We could talk about it for a couple minutes.
Andrew: Go for it.
[Skype phone starts ringing again]
Andrew: Actually, wait [laughs]. Apparently we can call U.S. numbers.
Kevin: Purchase four credits there, Andrew?
Andrew: No, I don’t know. Apparently the U.K. thing’s not working.
[Ringing tone continues]
Andrew: Let’s see if he answers. I hope he answers. Mystery caller. Not even you guys know who I’m calling. That’s half the fun. Anyone want to take bets?
Matt: I don’t?
Andrew: You don’t know? Oh, you know.
Matt: Yeah, I know.
Kevin: Should I read off the number?
[Matt and Micah laugh]
Andrew: Yeah. You should, actually.
[Matt laughs]
Voicemail: Hey, this is Alex. I’m sorry I missed your call, but if you leave your name and number…
Andrew: Alex Carpenter. Too busy for us.
Voicemail: I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Have an awesome day.
Andrew: Have an awesome day?
Voicemail: To page this person, press 5 now.
Eric: Oh, sweet. Let’s leave a voice-mail.
Andrew: Yeah, we’re going to.
[Voicemail beeps]
Andrew: Listen, okay. You text me, you’re like ‘Yo, man, I’ll be on the show. Just call me, because my internet’s not working.’ And where are you? You’re not here. Thanks.
Eric: Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey Mr. Remus Lupins.
Andrew: The Remus Lupins.
Eric: Mr. The Remus Lupins.
Andrew: Alex just texted me. ‘You call?’ Yes, I just called, sir. Let’s try calling him one more time. Obviously, this is going – places. “Failed to call ordinary phones.” Skype is not working well for us today. Anyway, I think it is time to wrap it up for today.
Matt: Yeah, just yeah. I think it’s time.
Andrew: It is getting long. Hey everyone – that’s what she said.
Deathly Hallows Composer
Micah: So much for the e-mail.
Andrew: Oh, sorry, Micah. What’s the e-mail?
Micah: It’s from Brad in Canada. He wanted to know with this finally been announced, what do you think about John Williams coming back.
Andrew: Ooh.
Matt: Aww!
Kevin: That would be cool. That would definitely be cool.
Andrew: Matt you’re a soundtrack nerd. What do you mean? Why are you so bummed? Oh, he can’t.
Matt: Because it’s not going to happen.
Andrew: Why is it not going to happen? Tell everyone.
Matt: Because Nicholas Hooper will probably be on it.
Andrew: I thought you were going say because he already has some movies to score.
Matt: No, it’s just that usually the directors and composers usually stick with each other. Nicholas Hooper and David Yates already have a pretty good relationship, so Nicholas Hooper – if David Yates directs it, Nicholas Hooper will compose it.
Andrew: I see.
Eric: Ah.
Andrew: Makes sense.
Eric: Hmm. Yeah.
Andrew: All right, well…
Matt: That’s sad.
Eric: Actually, I’m fine with Nicholas Hooper doing it. Just John Williams would be a nice, nice tie. You know, maybe they should let John Williams direct Part II – compose Part II. [laughs]
Matt: Maybe they’ll give him a – maybe John Williams will lend Nicholas Hooper a theme or something, maybe.
Kevin: Well they’ve – he’s already done that. They tend to…
[Eric laughs]
Matt: Yeah, I mean like a new one.
Eric: We need Alex Carpenter.
Andrew: Alex Carpenter – It’s not going to happen tonight.
Eric: Okay.
A Few Shout Outs
Andrew: But with that, we will wrap it up for today, for this live episode of MuggleCast. We hope everyone has enjoyed listening tonight. There are a few people we want to thank. First of all, UStream, for hosting us tonight. UStream.tv. Everyone who is listening now, knows the site very well. It’s fantastic. You can stream your videos for free, and your podcasts for free. It’s great. So thank you so much to Tim and everyone else at UStream. Also, I want to thank Lucas for helping moderating the chats tonight. Also, shout-out goes to my old high school, Shawnee TV, because they hooked me up with an Ethernet cable that I needed today in order to connect. I needed a really long Ethernet cable and I didn’t want to spend $150 to buy one. So I got one from them. Sweet.
[Music begins to play]
Andrew: Also, Mason just wanted me to mention real quick that he’s still accepting donations for the American Cancer Society. Visit MuggleCast.com for a donation link. He says, “Because of you guys we’ve broken a thousand dollars for cancer!”
Eric: Oh my God.
Andrew: For the American Cancer Society.
Matt: Woo!
Eric: Really cool. I’m really proud of everyone for that. And I still haven’t donated, so I’m going to donate. I’ve wanted to, so I will.
[Matt scoffs]
Eric: No, seriously.
Matt: Shame on you.
Eric: It is simply a matter of funds.
Andrew: Do it tonight. Five dollars! Five dollars.
Eric: Will it still be there tonight?
Andrew: Yeah, of course. Five dollars is the minimum donation. Just go to MuggleCast.com and there’s a link there. You might have to scroll down a little bit, but it is there.
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: I think that does it for today. This is going be Episode 136. I’m probably going release this later tonight, I think.
Matt: Yeah. No, no. no. You forgot to thank the people that were listening.
Andrew: Oh, and thank all of you. Thank you all!
Micah: Oh, way to kiss up!
[Andrew laughs]
Micah: The chat just said “I love Matt. I love Matt. I love Matt. I love Matt.”
Andrew: Oh brother. Oh brother!
[Eric and Matt laugh]
Andrew: 780 people listening right now, thank you for – thank so much everyone for listening very much. I think at our peak we had 1,300 people listening.
Eric: Wow.
Andrew: Which is definitely a new record for us.
Eric: Definitely before I came on.
Andrew: Yeah, thank you. Yeah, Eric. It just cut in half once you joined in.
Eric: Sorry.
Andrew: Just kidding.
Micah: Just like the movie.
Eric: Kevin, man, Kevin.
Andrew: Kevin, thanks for coming on.
Kevin: You’re welcome.
Andrew: I expect you back soon.
Kevin: Well…
Andrew: Silence? Okay, maybe not.
[Everyone laughs]
Eric: “Remember, you’re paying me, Andrew.”
Kevin: Yeah, that’s true,
Eric: “I expect a cheque.”
Andrew: Oh yeah, that’s right. I paid you. Hmm.
Micah: Don’t forget.
Andrew: What?
Micah: Jimmy D.
Andrew: Jimmy D.?
Micah: Yeah.
Matt: Jimmy D.
Micah: Yeah, coming up soon.
Andrew: What are you talking about?
Kevin: Probably forgot.
Andrew: Is this a Journey reference?
Eric: After the show…
Micah: No, Jim Dale. [laughs]
Andrew: Oh, Jim Dale!
Eric: Geez. Jimmy D.?
Andrew: Oh yes.
Eric: God.
Matt: I thought it was like a drink made off from Sunny Delight or something.
[Everyone laughs]
Andrew: Yeah, right. You guys all know that we will be – you know, you think, “Aw. They recorded two hours. They’re done for this week. MuggleCast is over because…”. Heck no! We’re recording another show tomorrow that will be released Sunday night or Monday, as usual. And this show will probably go on the feed tonight, Thursday night. So it’s been a great show!
Matt: Oh yeah!
Andrew: So thank you. It’s been great. We had returns of Ben and Kevin, and Jamie came on and we almost had Alex Carpenter on, so it was a win-win – Everybody wins! Everybody wins!
Eric: After the show I’m going do my Alex Carpenter impression.
Andrew: Okay.
[Matt laughs]
Show Close
Andrew: All right. Man, I almost don’t want to leave. I don’t want to leave. But we have to.
Matt: I know. We been prolonging this ending for what, ten minutes?
Andrew: Well, there was a lot to say. I mean…
Kevin: Yes, 10 minutes.
Eric: Well I’ll just do it now. Because we couldn’t get the real Alex on, so I’m going to do my Alex Carpenter impression. Okay. Ready?
Andrew: Yeah.
Eric: Okay. [singing “Looking for Trouble”] “I don’t care how much you write, I’m not going back to Privet Drive. Spend the summer at the Burrow with my girl. Yeah! We’re going looking out for trouble, We’re gonna finish this, this time around. Everybody! Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba!”
Andrew and
Matt:
Uhhh.
Micah: And 1,000, 900, 800…
Kevin: The number of listeners…
[Everyone laugh]
Eric: Sorry. Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba.
Andrew: Thank you everyone for listening. We’ll see you Sunday for Episode 137, I think.
Matt: Bye!
Andrew: Bye everyone!
Kevin: Bye!
Eric: Bye!
Matt: Bye everybody!
Micah: Bye!
[Song continues to play]
———————–